Ancestry is proud to have made a significant investment this year to bring valuable new content and records to the Ancestry site. In 2015, we’ve made 220 million searchable historical records from Mexico available, more than 170 million pages from the largest collection of U.S. will and probate records, among others. We’ve also introduced new features such as Ancestry Academy and major advancements for AncestryDNA.

We remain dedicated to helping people gain new levels of understanding about their lives, and who and what led to them, harnessing the information found in family trees, historical records and genetics. As a company, we’re also continually evaluating ways to focus our efforts to provide the most impact and best product experience for our users through our core offerings.

True to this focus, we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market and the impact this has on being able to continue to provide product enhancements and support that our users need. With that, we’ve made the decision to stop selling Family Tree Maker as of December 31, 2015.

Our subscription business and website, on the other hand, continue to grow and we are doubling down our efforts to make that experience even better for our Ancestry community.

Ancestry will continue to support current owners of Family Tree Maker at least through January 1, 2017. During this time, all features of the software, including TreeSync™, will continue to work, and Member Services will be available to assist with user questions. We will also address major software bugs that may occur, as well as compatibility updates.

These changes are never easy, but by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community.

If you have inquiries regarding Family Tree Maker, please reach out to our Member Services team. We’ll also provide updates on our blog as needed leading up to January 1, 2017.

 

==================

UPDATE: Please note we have curated your feedback and provided some additional answers in this post.

 

UPDATE #2: On February 2nd we announced two new agreements that provide choices to preserve your work in ways that matter to you:

(1) Software MacKiev is acquiring the Family Tree Maker software line as publisher for both Mac and Windows versions. This new agreement means you will receive software updates and new versions from Software MacKiev, and have the ability to purchase new versions of Family Tree Maker from Software MacKiev as they are released.

(2) We have made an agreement with RootsMagic to connect Ancestry with the RootsMagic software by the end of 2016. With this new relationship, RootsMagic can serve as your desktop family tree software, while having access to Ancestry hints, Ancestry searches, and the ability to save your tree on Ancestry.

You can read the whole announcement here:

We ask for your patience as Ancestry’s product team works with Software MacKiev and RootsMagic. As soon as we have an update, we will make another announcement. For now, just know these options are coming and will be in place before the end of the year to ensure you do not have a break in tree syncing and preserving the work you have already done.

9,395 Comments

  1. Sylvia Nosworthy

    I was just about to start a project of searching for anomalies which seems only to be available in Family Tree Maker. How do we accomplish that now?

  2. C Maarie Steele

    You folks are eliminating the best part of the Ancestry tools! I actually HATE your child-like new interface! It takes up too much real estate and it harder to navigate. As a software developer for the past 25 years, I can understand the time and costs associated with maintaining a trained and effective staff as well as

  3. Barbara Combs

    I am so deeply sadden by this news, if it turns out to be true, I will no longer use Ancestry for ANYTHING, I have worked for 25 years on my history, and PAID ancestry ALOT of money over the years, we BEG you not to do this.

  4. Michael

    Very disappointed to hear this. I use Family Tree Maker to produce hard copies of my tree information for (1) backup and (2) reference when not online (I don’t always have access to internet). I hope Ancestry will consider building in some of the reporting features of Family Tree Maker so that we can generate similar info to print.

  5. Jane

    Oh NO! So sorry to hear the news about Family Tree Maker, especially TreeSync. What will I do without TreeSync?

  6. melinda Bice

    My concern is being able to access the trees I’ve created while having a membership. The reason I have the desktop is to preserve my work outside of the dependency of Ancestry to view and add to the content of my trees. Will this be possible as a “guest” user?

  7. mike wolfe

    what am i going to use after december 2015. is there going to be a new program available, or am i just stuck and have to give up on my files.

  8. Dave

    Any chance you’d open up the TreeSync as an API for third party desktop tools that would like to integrate with Ancestry family trees?

  9. Well I do understand but I don’t like having my only copy on the web site or via an app. I like controls that the desktop application gives me for custom books and making my single large print outs that the web interface doesn’t do right. So with that I think I’ve made as much forward movement can with Ancestry. I’ll be dropping my subscription and we’re cancelling our DNA searching at the first of the year since there is no reason to continue. Thank you for the help over the years but time to part ways. Happy Holiday’s to you as well.

  10. David

    What you do not explain here is how Ancestry subscribers and FTM users will continue to develop and maintain their family history records. I’ve been managing my research through FTM for many years but you offered no explanation of how we go forward. Please enlighten us.

    Thanks!

  11. Karen Kryla

    I am at a loss to understand this move. I have invested much time working with the Family Tree Maker and will be lost without its link with Ancestry. Please provide what alternatives you will support to help integrate the production of family trees reports etc based on the Ancestry.com work.

  12. Andrea

    Okay, no more Family Tree Maker. So how do you propose we copy our trees off your website – no website is 100% infallible – and keep that copy ourselves?

  13. Doc

    I will not be renewing my Ancestry membership. With the decision to stop Family Tree Maker, the software that makes it useful, there is no point in ancestry.com anymore. What a tragic and greedy decision.

  14. Is you discontinue family tree maker, I assume you will still have one world tree. Will there be some way to group family date for printing.

  15. Linda Wagner

    How will I be able to do reports, charts and all the features of the software program that are not available on line? I don’t want my tree to be available only on line. I’m very sorry to hear that you are doing this.

  16. Jean Larkin

    You have basically made Family Tree Maker obsolete. I have been a user since 1995 ish. But as the free service became entwined in the membership service, you have basically killed off the software buyers.

  17. Steven Hinton

    I am EXTREMELY disappointed in your decision not to support the desktop. Your web based software is a piece of junk compared to your desktop software. I guess I will be looking for a new desktop based software.

  18. Nick Coleman

    I have all my family tree records here on FTM 3 on this Mac. Looks like you’re abandoning me and millions of others.
    Can I continue to access my family tree research on this Mac? What will change – apart from you ceasing to support the product you sold me?

  19. Ed

    If you think you’ve made it clear how we will manage and research our family trees, you’re very much mistaken. The iPad app is, frankly, crap.

  20. Paul Hellyer

    Very disappointed to learn this, although it isn’t a surprise. I get the cloud thing and why many vendors believe that is where the future lies and that desktop software is declining. Maybe, but this decision is made for purely commercial reasons and shows no respect for your users or the loyalty and information they have given you. If you wish to have a purely transactional/monetary relationship with your users, so be it but you reap what you sow.

  21. Barbara Koch

    I love the additional features of ftm! It helped me weed out duplicates and other oddities. It also meant I could save my tree elsewhere. Please don’t do this without offering something else!!!

  22. Robert Harding

    How do I move my family Tree Maker to Ancestry?
    Or do I just loose all my info that I have spent decades working on? This is very upsetting – Hopefully I am not understanding this?

  23. Lana Rodlie

    This sounds like another gimmick to make us all switch to some other genealogy program, which we will have to purchase. I’ve continued to pay the monthly Ancestry tab even though I don’t use it a lot. But I’ll seriously think of quitting now.

  24. Bob

    I think you should expand FTM and work harder in making sure this works properly. The website is poorly designed and does not do everything the laptop program can. Please reconsider.

  25. Connie Waite

    I am disappointed. I like working with FTM much more than the ancestry online. Also, we won’t be able to work on it offline. Been a loyal customer for many years. Very disappointed

  26. Deborah Stott

    Without the Family Treemaker graphic database, where will users of Ancestry.com put the data they find?

  27. David Clark

    You’re kidding, right? You’re eliminating FTM, with its powerful desktop capabilities, a UI consistent with Windows standards, and graphics capabilities that can only really be supported on a PC.
    Are you saying that your web site is going to include all the features of FTM?
    Do you realize you’ve caused what will be a mass exodus to other competing products like Root Magic.
    I might as well switch now!
    You need to do a better job of communicating what you will offer instead, and match its capabilities to the existing FTM.
    BAD DECISION!

  28. Louise

    I hope you will help us transition to a new software. I have over 2000 names in Family Tree Maker and I don’t to have to enter it by hand into another program!!!

  29. Sharon

    I only personal data/history on my Family Tree Maker and not on my tree at Ancestry.com. I believe that Ancestry is making a mistake by eliminating Family Tree Maker.

  30. John Rowe

    As a long time user of Family Tree Maker (beginning with the first Banner Blue version) this is very disappointing news. I do not always have internet access so online is not always the solution for me. It as appears I will need to find another err t software supplier.

  31. JD

    So you are retiring software that I paid my hard earned money for! You marketed this product to go hand and with your online service and users are supposed to do what exactly? What are you offering/recommending as an alternative and how are you proposing to offset my cost for new software to perform its role for off-site trees?

  32. Mike Cruz

    I can never understand the decision companies make… I think it always boils down to money, not the loyal users of your products. So sad…. I have been using FTM for YEARS. I guess I know what your company’s bottom line is NOT…. NOT the loyal users.

  33. Peter

    Just bought family tree facker this past year…so now what…will you refund my money? Lousy business decision on your part. I have loved Ancestry, but this is just dumb!

  34. Marian

    I have been promoting your software for years! Is this just a plot to make people subscribe to Ancestry so that they can have something to create a tree on??

  35. Awful. Your website is an ADDITION to my personal information organized in the desktop software. Does this mean I will have to pay HUGE annual fees to access my own information???!!!! I will NOT be renewing my annual subscription if such is the case. On to other software!!!

  36. Trudy Hamilton

    My Family Tree Maker hasn’t worked for six months. I can’t understand the directions to fix it so I just wasted my money. Will you include the reports that FTM was able to generate on Ancestry at one point in time? That was the one feature I used many times. Also, the duplicate persons report. I was very unhappy when it wouldn’t work anymore.

  37. BrendaShank

    I’m really sorry you’re dropping Family Tree Maker. Will Ancestry be adding the graphical presentation capabilities to its service? They make a huge difference to myself and, I’m sure, many others.

  38. David Lynch

    This is not a good thing at all. Your Ancestry site continually freezes and I need to close it and restart. No such problems with Family Tree Maker. Family Tree Maker software needs to continue and Ancestry are the ones who need to keep it going. Not happy at all. I have a Mac so maybe I should now look at moving to the Mac software and cancel my very expensive Ancestry membership.

  39. Sherry Breeding Chandler

    Good golly I can’t believe this. I moved to FTM from a discontinued software assuming it would be around. How on earth are we to keep track of our research?!?!?!? Don’t do this to us!

  40. Angela

    This makes no sense as it is a great tool. Absolutely the wrong decision. Ancestry needs to hire someone who knows what they are doing to properly run this company.

  41. Chris Nelson

    Another profit driven decision. Looks like I will no longer be an ancestry.com member after 2017.

  42. Donna Bjore

    Does this mean I have to pay an Ancestry membership every year for the rest of my life in order to access the information I have given Ancestry for the last 15 years ? Your response please

  43. JIM

    So all my years of work in trying to trace my family roots and develop a tree(s) goes down the tube? WTF? What is Ancestry going to replace it with?

  44. Chrissy Grigsby Lucas

    Why??? What am I to use now? All of my years (25+) of research is in my Family Tree Maker. This has been the best software and have used and upgraded faithfully since Day #!. I have always been a full paying member of Ancestry and Genealogy.com when it was around. Please reconsider this.

  45. Jeff Severson

    This is a horrible idea. Family Tree Maker provides a great way for printing out various reports that can be shared with family. Not to mention the ease of adding information from additional sources. What software will be used as a replacement?

  46. Mindie Kaplan

    This is horrible news. I feel like you are trying to force us to upload our trees which I will NOT do. Instead, I will be transitioning to other software and considering whether I am angry enough to cancel my Ancestry subscription.

  47. Kim Oswald

    I am very upset with you guys discontinuing that program which I’ve been using for years is very poor decision on your behalf to do that for people use it all the time it is a great tool you need to rethink that

  48. Brian

    To discontinue Family Tree Maker now after you siad at WDYTYA in Birmingham that you did not have plans to discontinue it – well. Disgraceful. Find My Past will benefit from my custom.

  49. Mike

    You just got rid of the one reason I chose to use Ancestry in conjuction with FTM. Time to shop for a new host for my tree and future DNA purchases. Horrible move.

  50. Rowena

    Very disappointed in your action doing away with family treemaker.. what will it be replaced with for the desk top user? I will be cancelling my subscription if it is not replaced with anything suitable.

  51. Eve

    wow, this is disappointing. I hate to have all my research existing in the cloud – only on ancestry.com, which is what will happen once treesync is gone. A for profit site, that could cut off access at anytime. Don’t think they plan to, but didn’t think they would get rid of Treesync either. I have organized my stuff the way I have because of the way ancestry.com is set up. It isn’t enough to just download a gedcom, there is a lot of other work there, and files, that come from ME and not from some ancestry database.

  52. Michael Parsons

    This is a big blow to folks that working on genealogy. This is amazing software that should not be discontinued. With all the security breaches going on in the world, I do not like storing my data especially ancestry data on storage that is not my own. This will make me reconsider any online service from this company.

  53. Eileen

    Unless you plan on supporting all the Tree management features (Merge, Import, Branch Extraction, etc.) that FTM has now in Ancestry Trees, this is not good news at all.

  54. Stephen Dunn

    I am unhappy with this. I have a loyal user a long time and I will miss the opportunity to maintain an offline tree.
    Plus – what about the formatted report printing options?

  55. Without the Family Tree Maker, some people will be forced into a very expensive membership with Ancestry. That’s why they are discontinuing the software. It all comes down to $$$$$.

  56. John

    I have loyally supported you over the years and find your announcement very disappointing and somewhat unethical. Why not either sell that portion of your business or charge more if necessary. Please don’t leave your customers stranded.

  57. Linda Mullen

    This is heartbreaking news. The data on Family tree won’t translate to other software programs and we run the risk of loosing all our data. I use the program to help find family members. If we can’t search trees and other data, I won’t be able to find family members and no one will be able to use my data either. If you do this, I will cancel my membership, as it won’t be really any use to me.

  58. Diane Marcotte

    Are you assuming we will all put our trees online with Ancestry? If so, you are mistaken. Legacy… here I come.

  59. Dennis Grubb

    What does this mean to those who have been working without uploading a family tree? Will they be able to continue to use the desktop program and use ancestry as a search facility? I assume that the new face of Ancestry will be providing the current full facilities? I feel others like me will want to work offline too.

  60. Ian Cornish

    Have purchased your software and used it for years.
    This is shameful and hopefully I will find another provider and cease to use your company

  61. Barbara

    What is Ancestry really saying here? That people do not use software anymore? Or do they just want us to use their online medium? Very disappointed in this.What alternatives can anyone suggest for a Mac? I used to use Family Historian but it had so many upgrades all the time and then a course I was doing asked us to use FTM.

  62. Guy

    Is this anything other than a scheme to force me to pay a steady stream of money to you to access my own records and information? Do you now consider yourselves so established and powerful that you can hold my records ransom? I do not see how the consumer benefits from this.

  63. Cheryl

    You didn’t hesitate to take my 79.00 just a few weeks ago. I too will not use Ancestry for anything if you take away our ability to use this tool.

  64. Joe Soap

    This news has come at a good time for me, my membership is to be renewed on 31 December , needless to say I will not be renewing

  65. John

    This is very annoying. The on-line features are too simple-minded and unprofessional to compare with what Family Tree Maker offers. I have no intention of getting permanently into a simplistic and proprietary subscription based system.

  66. Amy McIlhaney

    Seems like a bad move to me. I too have been disappointed with the website “improvements”. The software side was what kept me coming back. I DO NOT want my research and info in a web based format. I like it on my own server/hard drive. If this is the direction you are headed, count me out. Very sad indeed.

  67. Valerie Thruelsen

    First you wiped out my life stories when you brought the new interface and didn’t carry those life stories forward…and I’d been working for years, days and hours neglecting my health to put those life stories up. Now you’re stating that you’re going to do away with Family Tree Maker…something people have used and upgraded since its inception. I don’t know about others, but I’ve spent literally thousands with you over the years. I’m seriously considering whether I want to go forward anymore.

  68. I am so sorry to hear this, I love my Family Tree Maker, use it daily. I am the Local History & Genealogy Librarian here in Jennings County and it makes it so much easier to help our patrons. I also compile names in it connection many county families. I use it also as a member of the Indiana Genealogical Society and the official Jennings County Genealogist for them and as a County Coordinator for INGenWeb. In my opinion all the mobile stuff is a good addition but I still use my desktop and Family Tree Maker more than anything else. What are we to do after January 2017?

  69. Roger

    So you’re saying everyone is now supposed to use your website to keep their family tree? Is everything that is in Family Tree Maker uploaded to your site? Doesn’t sound like this will work. Can’t believe you are totally abandoning the software people used for many years.

  70. Adam Bendinsky

    This is very disappointing. The website is a poor substitute for the FTM software. The software should not be discontinued until the website has the same functionality. It is currently not even close. You are also removing the ability to work offline, constant internet access is far from universal.

  71. Michelle

    So, now what? What am I supposed to do with my data? Like Barbara, I’ve spent a enormous amount of time and money developing my family history. Are you really just shutting this down with no alternative for us?

  72. loreen

    I have Just brought the Family Tree maker $170.00 NZ. I mean JUST brought. Just loaded two days ago 🙁

  73. Kris Webber

    There are charts/reports/forms we could print out from FTM but not ancestry.com. will you be adding those at all??

  74. L. Walters

    I’m so much disappointed with the decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker, as I am equally disappointed and dissatisfied with the redesign of the Ancestry website. I had hoped to have a portable software product for the long haul and a website that a partially blind can see without all of the clutter. I have to reevaluate whether to continue my yearly subscription because of the website design alone because the difficulty in viewing it online over long stretches of time. Now this…discontinuing the software that provided relief to the eyes.

  75. Gary Algier

    I purchased the software because it was the only way I could backup or otherwise preserve my research. If i let my membership lapse, what will happen to all the content? Will there be a way on the web site to export everything? I want to be able to keep a copy offline. Besides, Internet access is not ubiquitous. My summer home has no networking or even telephone (the Adirondacks are a dead zone).

  76. Cynthia cook

    So is the net on this that everyone will have to maintain their ancestry online going forward and pay recurring fees in order to use it? Are they adjusting the fee structure accordingly since you will no longer have to support the software after 2017?

  77. Mary Cappas

    I think you’re making a big mistake! Family Tree Maker has been an invaluable companion to Ancestry. Please reconsider! Thank you!

  78. Karen Cabrera

    FTM was THE BEST software out there. Retiring it is a huge mistake and a huge set back to us, users who’ve invested a LOT on it, not only in terms of money. That is why less and less people like Ancestry.com.

  79. David

    Very poor decision. I too prefer FTM and want to have the software on my computer. This is a veiled attempt to force everyone to maintainan a paid subscription to access our hard work. The time to move to another organisation seems to be now. We need a software compatible program !

  80. Walter Nieber

    Dumb, dumb, dumb!
    I don’t keep all my info online. When I travel to visit relatives it is the laptop with FTM that comes out. A quick search for their relative in FTM and we are ready to go. We add photos and notes easily, print out genealogy reports or outline.
    This is a really stupid idea.

  81. Charles

    This is a horrible decision that seems rooted in a desire to trap your content on your website. Professionals who have been using your tools for years need these capabilities. What’s next? Eliminating gedcom exports?

    Will the reporting capabilities be moved online to the website? The only reason I use the website is so that I can then export the results into Family Tree Maker via the synch function, so that I can make reports and publications.

    The website is the research tool, and the Family Tree Maker software is the way to work with the records in aggregate and make reports and hunt errors efficiently.

    Those of us who pro-actively hunt for errors and vet the data you make available to others are performing a valuable function. Without the ability to do so, you will increase the amount of poorly sourced research that gets propagated by the “leaf generator” algorithms.

    Bad, bad, bad idea on your part…

  82. George Schulman

    It would be helpful if you would tell us where we can keep our research after January 1, 2018. On-line tree? Other software? Scraps of paper? Telling us that you will discontinue support of the software without telling us the alternates is not helpful.

  83. Phil Harris

    OK, I understand this and the reasons why. I maintain my tree on Ancestry.com anyway and only sync to FTM on my computer to be able to do family history reports, which Ancestry.com does not do. So, that begs the question – will Ancestry.com add printing of reports on the website once they do away with FTM?

  84. Sharon Francone

    Please do not do this! I have been a loyal customer for many years. I actually had Legacy at one time and went back to FTM because I really liked the program. This is so sad.

  85. Joseph Larson

    I went thought the loss of Master Genealogist and shifted to Family Tree Maker. At least I had a fall back to a system that I like. It is hard to believe that there is no market for a desktop based program.

  86. Rosellen Weider

    This is sad in many ways. For one thing, it means researchers cannot work on their material without a fast Internet connection. It also means a lifetime commitment to continue Ancestry membership to access one’s stored information on a computer. Is it cynical to suspect that was the driving force behind this move?

  87. J. Holmes

    Though it is disturbing that the desktop application is being discontinued, I am glad to see that support will be provided through 2017.

    I recently purchased FTM and I enjoy the Publish features. Will this functionality be integrated into the online version of Ancestory.com?

    Also, I downloaded FTM and do not have a physical disc. What happens in the event I need to download the software again?

  88. Pietro

    Very disappointed. I bought Family Tree Maker in Oct 2015 after much research on what software was best suited for my needs. I was very happy with the features, it’s probably the best software in the market. This is a mistake, seriously.

  89. Steve Roberts

    So how will users view and maintain their family history data if they happen to chose to not continue their Ancestry subscription at all times? Can they “take it with them” in some format or file?

  90. I am saddened to learn that the Family Tree Maker software will no longer be sold or supported. Perhaps if you hadn’t found it necessary to release a new version every year, you’d have the resources to continue the best genealogy software. Having said that, I sincerely hope that another company will take over the Family Tree Maker software (after all, Ancestry.com took it over from another company at one point in time). It seems that since Ancestry.com was sold to new owners it has continued to decline in popularity and customer satisfaction. Apparently the new owners don’t understand the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

  91. James Golden

    I agree that Ancestry ending Family Tree Maker is a mistake and a loss to people who pay a lot for your service. I think the value of what I pay for was just reduced. I protest your change.

  92. I am also saddened by the news that Family Tree Maker will no longer be supported after a brief period of a year or so. I have found it much easier an interface than your Ancestory web based data services, which to me, leave much to be desired. Especially when compard to the Family Tree Maker software.
    It seems to me that you should at least make the Ancestry.ca or .com websites as fully capable as is the current version of Family Tree. Ancestry.ca makes it difficult to merge duplicate data, eliminate errors, remove or consolidate duplicate individuals, or to determine the precise nature of the relationship between individual in different branches of the tree.
    It is also frequently unavailable due to network problems or server problems, which I hope you fix.
    We know that desktop applications are gradually being replaced by web based access services, which is generally a good thing. However, if you want to retain your loyal customers you had best continue to improve your online programs.

  93. muataa wefe

    It seems that you want to emulate 23andme.com by ignoring and disrecting your customers too. Why? You have funds to allocate to health info – which most of us will never provide….do you really want to lose your core customer? New executive management team needed – one with some understanding of the market that you are in….

  94. Louann

    I agree wit C Maarie Steele, the new Ancestry format is really hard to use and annoying in that so much space is taken up. Also, I have a need to print off family trees and how are we supposed to accomplish that now? If we have to pay a membership we should be able to print from your site now.

  95. Mary

    While I enjoy using the online tools, my husband (who is the primary person who is interested in Ancestry) is not very computer literate. He does not understand or want to use the online tools. He has used Family Tree Maker and will probably always use it. It is the only software that he has ever learned to work. This makes me sad. If you quit using Family Tree Maker and make it where it doesn’t interface with Ancestry.com we will probably leave the service and go back to researching the way we did before there was an Ancestry.com. Thank you.

  96. Linda Lee Henriksen

    How disappointing to hear this news. I transferred all my records to Family Tree Maker and I do not wish to use the awkward Ancestry interface for recording the results of my search. Please do not assume that all information has been gleaned and recorded on your website!

  97. Mike

    I thoroughly agree with earlier comment. FTM is an essential element in working on ones family tree and should be retained. While working on it, try Windows 10!

  98. David

    I guess those of us who have chosen not to publish our FTs online are expected to find some other software (do you plan to offer any guidance?) or to take the plunge and go on line. Is this your intention? BTW I agree with C Maarie Steele’s comments about the new interface.

  99. Bill

    Sadly, I’ve been using both ancestry.com and FTM for a while. Due to the changes in ancestry.com I was contemplating dropping my subscription and just using FTM from now on. Now FTM is no longer a long-term option. Very disappointing…

  100. Nancy

    I really don’t care one way or the other. Don’t know what you have in mind, but you will never get another dime from me. Cancelled my subscription when you no longer supported my version of Family Tree. What are you thinking?

  101. Mark

    When the syncing stops, so does my subscription. If I can’t have an automatically updated tree on my hard drive, Ancestry loses the edge it has enjoyed up to now. FTM maintains extra information, especially with media, that Ancestry doesn’t provide. Very disappointing.

  102. John Parker

    Thanks for nothing!. There is no way I will continue using your web site or any future mobile app for research.

  103. Connie

    I am very unhappy with this decision! The report functions of family tree makers is a perfect match to the poor print capabilities of Ancestry.I too like the old Ancestry format as concise and easier to navigate with edits. Will you have the array of reports eg duplicates of places and people?

  104. David K

    This is so sad that I will need to look at a different site or start my own company. The software makes it great to work when you don’t have internet and then sync later. This is a very dumb move and I will let people know it!

  105. ralph greenwood

    I don’t understand.

    Does mean that we will not be able to sinc our changes to the central ancestry.com file? What if our personal computer should crash? Then our years of work will be lost. Is that correct? How can you allow that to happen?

  106. Lthorndyke

    If we are forced to only be able to keep our tree online in the Ancestry “cloud” I will discontinue my subscription. I want my tree to remain private & I want it on my computer.

  107. Craig Hunter

    This is why I dropped my subscription. I could see the writing on the wall. I’m guessing you’re going to try and wrangle those leaving back by demolishing Tree Maker. I won’t be one. I’ll be converting my trees to other APPS, leaving is not hard to do, as your products are over priced and buggy. No problem there are others out there ready to support FAMILY research.

  108. Gareth Jones

    This is terrible. Absolutely terrible. The desktop app is so much more capable, and responsive. Esp when you don’t sit on a massive pipe to the web. And 1 year of further support is laughable – not even Microsoft are that bad….

  109. Roger Straw

    Incredibly poor decision. Please reconsider. My family tree belongs under my own roof, not up somewhere in the cloud.

  110. Lynnette

    I have used Family Tree Maker since it’s original release. I also work with computers and software daily, so it’s not that I am not tech savvy. I still like the software interface and navigation better than the online tree. I also like the fact that I can change a location description, and it will change it across the board in my tree with the software. I have not found that this is an option online. I do not care for some of the preset locations (for example, USA on the end), nor the fact that they are not standard throughout the website. I realize the decision is already made, but feedback should have been a first option before that decision was done. Also, I feel Tree Sync should be available indefinitely even if you no longer offer the software for those of us who enjoy the functionality and interface of being able to also use the software.

  111. Pam

    Really Really Really cannot believe this .it is a step too far .You will loose a lot of Customers on Top of the ones that have already Flown …………. Shaking Head in disbelief along with everyone else ……… Very Very Sad …………..

  112. Kate

    I am extremely disappointed in ancestry’s decision to drop family tree maker, unless they plan to incorporate ftm’s features. I find ftm much easier to navigate.

  113. Quentin Schmierer

    This is a terrible decision. What is to happen with all of the FTM files created up to now? What is the replacement? The online Ancestry tools are not that great and offer none of the capabilities of FTM. You may not be selling many “new” copies of FTM, but you have an enormous installed base and you are basically throwing them into the trash. I am seriously considering dropping my subscription. You have made it quite clear that you are in this for the maximum profit and to hell with the customer.

  114. Patricia Smith

    What on earth are we going to do with our trees. Is it going to be possible to convert them over to your new system – whatever that is going to be.

  115. Cindy

    What will happen to our family trees? Will we stop being able to access them in the family tree maker software we are currently using. If so how are we going to document our searches.

  116. Jerry

    What the h are we supposed to do now? I have hundreds of our into building my base on Family Tree Maker,
    am I supposed to just flush it down the toilet?

  117. Michael Iverson

    Been using FTM since the first version, sad to see it go, but then again it is not surprising as the current interface hasn’t really worked for me. Guess it’s time to what the other vendors have to offer…

  118. Alan Lathrop

    This sucks to have two weeks notice after all of the money I have spent here over the years. I have no idea how to replace FTM but seeing as ancestry.com search has also gone to hell I will be shopping for both. Thanks for the notice

  119. Laura

    I’m very disappointed to hear this! I have been an Ancestry member for over 14 years and while I still do almost all my work and research on the Ancestry site I find Family Tree Maker incredibly useful because of some of the tools that the Ancestry site lacks.
    If you are getting rid of Tree Maker I would hope that you are going to be adding some of the features to the Ancestry site. In particular, the ability to correct/standardize a place name throughout your tree with one click, the ability to see all facts linked to a specific place (INVALUABLE when planning a research trip or searching a new location based database!), the relationship calculator and all the reports (particularly the Data Errors report and Kinship report).
    Family Tree Maker was one of the main reasons that I love Ancestry – the ability to view different reports and search my large database of people in different ways. You are taking a very valuable tool away from your researchers. If you want to improve the functionality and value of Ancestry.com then consider adding some of the tools that you are taking away from us by taking away Family Tree Maker.

    Thank you,
    Laura Buchanan

  120. Gemma Allen

    I find the removal of ftm disgraceful – why promote something for years and then just remove it? How can users run reports and print trees Once this is no longer available? I wouldn’t pay to use ancestry if I didn’t have the facility to export my tree into ftm or similar whenever i wished to do so.

  121. Jackie Larkin

    Ancestry has been an invaluable tool in reconnecting with family. To pull the plug on the software now jeopardizes all the work that I have put into the program. There has to be a solution to keeping the software viable. Please reconsider the decision.

  122. Carol Borrelli

    This breaks my heart – i love using Family Tree Maker in conjunction with Ancestry. This is the only way I know how to put it all in a language understandable by many and shared by many. I’m able to see my relatives in a tree form and how we’re related for which I have done several for family members – and your going to stop it. BAD move unless you have a program that will replace it and do the same features!! I’ve had it for YEARS and it is still so very useful and helpful keeping relatives in order. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS !!! I too have been using Ancestry for a very long time, I would hate to have to stop using your site because then I will have no where to put the information in a form that can be read by all.

  123. Peggy

    Bad decision. I use the software all the time for entering in data and printing. There are still many times that I do not have an internet connection and not being able to enter data in “offline” is a major issue.

  124. Susan Frank

    Really disappointing news, since there’s no way to extract/print family tree info from your EXPENSIVE service. Unless you plan on adding that function to Ancestry?

  125. michael

    Big mistake Ancestry! But I understand why you are doing this…you want all the family trees on-line so that people are locked into your annual subscriptions. FTM gives people to have an off-line database. Very devious on your part! This decision reveals the kind of company you are. People can take action as they see fit.

  126. I JUST renewed my ancestry subscription. At that time, I complained to the representative that I have to use FTM to create even the simplest of reports because there is no way to do it in Ancestry. So now it looks like I won’t be able to do it anywhere. I guess I’m going to have to consider a complete change.

  127. Burt Peterson

    Obviously others are as upset as I am about this. It is a very short-sighted decision, to say the least.
    I strongly encourage you to regain the confidence of your FTM-using customers by rescinding this announcement.
    While the ‘cloud’ approach is easier for a company to support, it is not what all of your customers want.
    Moreover, the reporting and research tools of FTM are in many ways superior to and in other ways complimentary of the online tree facilities on Ancestry.com.
    Do the right thing and do not cut your customers off by discontinuing FTM!

  128. k ashley

    We need the ability to download all of our work to our own computer. Things happen to online work. Sometimes we can’t afford to continue the subscription even though it is well worth it. Please consider an alliance with another software maker. Synching the tree is really important to our work. Please.

  129. Thomas Ladner

    Great! I have been using Family Tree Maker & Ancestry.com for almost (2) Decades now & have built one of thee largest trees online. Which, total now over 155,000 names. I’d like to know also. What can I use to continue using? Now that your stripping Family Tree Maker from us. Note: I have noticed of late both Owners, Administrators with Findagrave & Ancestry have been swifting away from being user friendly. This isn’t healthy. Greed more like it! Just my personal observation.

  130. Peter Lyons-Lewis

    This withdrawal of the best bit of your product is a very bad decision. You will be out of business within 2 years.

  131. J V B

    Very very upset about this – have built up an enormous family tree using FTM over more than a decade. Very confused and feel betrayed: won’t be using Ancestry again as can’t trust anything now.

  132. Drew

    This is shattering news and I feel compelled to implore you to re-consider this action. I have updated to every new version, subscribed to the World Membership for many years AND taken one of your DNA tests but this has to be the worst kick in the teeth possible. PLEASE reverse this decision…..

  133. Lee Mellinger

    You have not answered the single most important question — what software will replace Family Tree Maker. I have and 25+ year investment in this and it is a real blow to all that work.

  134. james R. Wilson

    What a shock and disappointment to learn this just a week after purchasing a new version of Family Tree Maker! I wouldn’t have bothered if I had known this.

  135. Tory Moore OD

    I think this is a critical mistake. Serious genealogists rely on multiple backups. If the tree is only on the cloud, that is not good enough as sites crash or end leaving you with no information. I RELY on a separate version on my computer with it’s own software(Family Tree Maker) and print out update paper copies of each family line in binders for a fail safe backup. You are prohibiting me from protecting my 35 years of research totally. I see a great opportunity for other software and genealogy websites to make HUGE inroads with this decision. Even more reason to have multiple backups if your website becomes obsolete to other competitors. Please reconsider this terrible decision.

  136. Kay Gray

    Please do not end this. I have spent endless hours on my tree. Such a shame to end this. I also know if others that were going to start it. Please don’t stop.
    Is there any way we can print our information out?

  137. Craig

    I’m confused. So how are we supposed to maintain and add to our trees and update what we already have up on Ancestry? So other than perhaps continuing on as an online research tool, you’re abandoning us?

  138. Connie

    Are you going to replace it? It will be much harder to assemble the sources you provide without a program like FTM. What will we merge to now?

  139. Linda

    The only reason I keep my membership with Ancestry.com is the way it interacts with Family Tree Maker. I have exclusively used Family Tree Maker since it’s inception and am most disturbed that you are discontinuing it. Family Tree Maker is the product I’m interested in moreso than Ancestry.com!!!!

  140. Theresa Herron

    This is really a shame. All the work that has gone into developing our family tree will be for nothing, when this tool ceases to work. This a VERY POOR management decision on your part, but some other company will pick up the slack–no doubt.

  141. James

    I will continue to use FTM to organize my family tree information and this just shows my decision to NOT put the information on your on-line site correct. I would never use your on-line site for anything other than information gathering. You don’t want to support it – fine, but I also will not support you.

  142. Virginia

    What do you recommend as an alternative for longtime FamilyTreeMaker users? Not asking for a product endorsement, but a general recommendation for users to transfer all their data, etc., to a new software that will work with your Website. Thank you.

  143. H B

    This seems unthought-out. How are we supposed to work on our trees? develop alternate unverified trees? We should work on them up on your site? Stored out of our control? Not everyone wants data in the cloud…. secrets let out…… or always has internet access. THAT is a big issues in the rural west.

  144. Stephen Harris

    Guess you can count me as another lost revenue stream. Sorry to see your shortsightedness prevail again.

  145. Barry A Fertterman

    A very very BIG Mistake. I have been using Family Tree Maker even before it was named that since 1990. After several buyouts and name changes we can only hope you sell the rights to some one or company that really cares about the people that do a majority of the work and not just to pick our pockets.

  146. Judith

    VERY upset, what are we supposed to use in it’s place? We all have extensive trees and use family tree make to merge with ancestry. As I can’t get a refund I will have to continue using the ancestry site. Once it is done no more. You have no respect for your customers.

  147. Cheryl McClure Baker

    So disappointed to read this news, only bought the software recently and can no longer afford ancestry subscriptions. Big thumbs down!!

  148. Don Deck

    This is a serious mistake on Ancestry”s part. The TreeSync capability is a major part of why I have an Ancestry subscription. It allows me to have everything that is in my Ancestry Trees and allows me to print a great variety of reports that are not available on Ancestry. Please DO NOT DO THIS.

  149. William

    I find the discontinuation of family tree maker software very poor as this is your way of forcing people to subscribe where a lot of people including myself do a lot of research of line if you discontinue this I for one will be forced to use other software therefore you will receive no further business from me and I think a lot of people will follow suit

  150. Marietta

    I’m stunned and ticked off. I’ve been using Ancestry for a long time, but if you actually do this deed, you’ll never see another dime of my money

  151. ckwatson

    So, how are we supposed to manage our databases? If you all think I am going to trust my data to Ancestry online you are off your collective rockers. I have faithfully used FTM from the beginning. Although I don’t particularly care for the changes in the interface, I find your discontinuance of the software disconcerting.

  152. Fm is the only reason I have a tree on Ancestry, I keep the tree only but most work done on desktop. I will have to pull my trees as I will be unwilling to manually update them. This is the most retrograde change you have made

  153. Gary Smith

    Family Tree maker is my permanent tree. I use ancestry to search and only sync when I am sure the data is correct. I can also toggle between the two to check on info elsewhere in the tree while I search Ancestry. Will this be available (split window like) if we only have Ancestry??

  154. Pat DuBose

    This is like a kick in the teeth for me and people like me who depend on the important link between Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker. Instead of offering this death knell, give your subscribers some idea of what will replace FTM. I need to keep my records safely on my computer and be assured of having the info within my reach instead of at the whim of some programmer somewhere.

  155. I am absolutely APPALLED! I have anxiously awaited the NEW version of FTM (whenever that was going to occur). I use it ALL the time (inspite of its deficiencies) to sync with my A.com trees and generate the MOST AWESOME reports. I am speechless. And SO VERY disappointed in your decision. How on earth will I ever be able to continue my nice orderly documentation of my research, generating gifts for family members, etc. I have paid for International Membership since I got on the site in 2007 and I am FLOORED at what use that will NOT be to me once I can no longer use tree sync.

  156. Andrew

    An extremely disappointing decision. As a very long term user of Family Tree Maker this move will leave me looking for alternatives.

  157. Ken Manery

    Will I still be able to have a book of my tree printed. I have 3 grandsons I want to give the tree to.

  158. Sue Edwards

    Really confused. Can we then no longer use the family tree we’ve worked long and hard to put together? What’s the point of getting rid of it!

  159. James Mortimer

    I am really sorry that you have seen fit to do this. FTM is exceptional for organising the Ancestry information into the different formats required as well as finding anomalies in the information that has been found. Do you have any intention of replacing FTM with anything else or are you just going to leave us high and dry?

  160. Bryan

    Please reconsider. There are many useful features on FTM that make Ancestry that much better. At least, please maintain the synch capability going forward.

  161. Paul H. White

    I just purchased FTM a few weeks ago to transfer my files from Reunion for Mac to it. Does this mean I can get a refund if I need to go to another software program to share with family?

  162. wayne williams

    I am disappointed, there are features that are not included on your website software (reports, books, mapping etc), I look at the two as needing one another and they sync well, I understand the costs (SD for over 25 years) but there are still a lot of DT users out there, mobile is two small for the work I do with tree. short sighted view IMHO. Forgetting about the people that created the buzz about ‘ancestry’, the decisions made..so when are you going to place all the features from tree maker into your online version, this is why I have both, fully paid up member, and paid user of tree maker….have to think about membership now….

  163. Alexandra

    I’ve wanted to switch away from Family Tree Maker for years. Thank you for giving me a reason to finally leave. Here I come RootsMagic!

  164. Kevin Myers

    I have used your software for years. I have no interest in maintaining my extensive database on your website. It is safer on my computer. This is very sad to hear. I can only hope your competitors step up to fill the gap you are creating. They will be very successful.

  165. Chris Davison

    For several years I have used Family Tree maker in parallel with the subscription service of Ancestry. I used the online service for much of my research but carefully kept my info under my control using FTM so I could at some future date stop my subscription to Ancestry without losing my data. This is a trick to try to get us to continue using Ancestry.
    My loyalty has been cut at one fell swoop and I will now look around for alternatives to FTM and the online service. NO more tricks by Ancestry!

  166. Betty

    I have been fortunate to be able to pay for Ancestry but so many cant and really depend on their FTM software. Please don’t take it away. This is crazy

  167. Jason

    I agree with other people’s comments about functionality discrepancies. There are some ways to research anomalies in my thousands of family tree members only via Family Tree Maker.

  168. Teri Kelley

    I really think this is awful. I have been a customer for many years and count on my desktop software. I dislike your new structure on the website. It is just too cluttered and difficult to find what I am looking for. I hope you will reconsider retiring Family Tree Maker Software.

  169. Debbie

    TERRIBLE NEWS ! This is the most important aspect of Ancestry.com. I have been compiling information that I was going to have my entire tree published into one of the compilation books $$$ Family Tree Maker offers. Now what? Who is running the ship over there? I agree with previous comment about eliminating all of the historical illustration/commentary before eliminating Family Tree Maker. Poor decision.

  170. A. Gentile

    At the very least you owe your loyal customers who have purchased various versions of Family tree Maker the courtesy of outlining what other software is available for the construction of family trees and indicate compatibility and migration issues.

  171. Patricia C

    Hoping this is someone’s idea of a joke. I have about 2,000 hours invested in FTM with 4,000 hours to go. I’m abandoned mid-ocean! Ugh

  172. Dee Prewett

    I have belonged to Ancestry since 2001. The best thing you came up with is Family Tree Maker and the ability to merge trees. Since you merged your data with Family Search, the format is less friendly and that is why I don’t use Family Search. I will try hard to complete my Family Tree before you stop supporting it. i think this is a mistake for you and you will lose a lot of user.

  173. Brian Hunt

    This is a shocking decision, devastating to the user community and demonstrating a complete lack of faith on your part. Like many other long-term genealogists, I have thousands of individual ancestors and tens of thousands of facts stored in my Family Tree Data Base. Through your action you have destroyed fifteen years of work.

  174. Michael

    You force a poorly designed interface upon us and now you take away the best way to use Ancestry. I guess you want us to use someone elses software now to access your site. I guess all you care about is the money, which as soon as the software support goes away so will my money.

  175. Kathy Smythe

    Sure would of liked to have known this before I upgraded by 2012 to 2014 last week.I hope you reconsider as I find the Family Tree Maker to be the home of my research and Ancestry just the vehicle to get there. I really dont want to have to switch vehicles. BAD IDEA guys.

  176. Douglas

    Use RootsMagic Genealogy software program. I found out that FTM was limiting how many people one could put into the software. As for DNA testing, do it at FTDNA because who knows when Ancestry will pull the plug yet again like they did before.

  177. Bob Turpin

    Thoughtful (I’m being sarcastic) to allow me to buy the software so soon before you were ready to announce you’re closing the site.

  178. Rose Barnstable

    This is terrible and disappointing news. I use the link between FTM and ancestry all the time. With FTM gone there will be less desire to use ancestry. Nice run but my ancestry subscription will probably end when FTM ends.

  179. Michael

    Extremely disappointing. Family Tree Maker offers many options that I don’t find with Ancestry online. At least sell the software to another entity that would be willing to continue it. I like Ancestry for research, but Family Tree Maker is the hub of my Genealogy records.

  180. Mike

    Now that you are shutting down the Family Tree Maker, at some point in time in the future, the program will no longer work the “next generation” of operating software. What does Ancestry recommend for those wishing to continue developing family trees for their families?

  181. Martha

    Looks like no one is happy about this because Family Tree Maker does things that can’t be done on Ancestry.com. I sure hope you give us some money back for this inconvenience!

  182. Penelope Jones

    Disgusted by this decision.FTM is the main reason I use Ancestry and I will be deciding whether or not to continue once support has been withdrawn. I also do not like the the new interface and do not use it. If it becomes compulsory then that will be another reason to leave Ancestry.

  183. Marge

    I don’t like the new format of Ancestry that we are being forced to switch to and now they are taking away Family Tree Maker. I will be moving all of my records to another site and quitting Ancestry as soon as I am done. I have been a long time member so I hate to have to do it but Ancestry is no longer leaving me a choice with their new changes.

  184. Mulley

    Everyone I know keeps their records on their home computer. Having the ability to sync the records between ancestry and my computer was the only reason I renewed my subscription last time. I was not going to renew after you changed to your new and unimproved web site. The “lifestory” tab is a waste that I looked at once and never looked at again. Unless you can come up with new software that works similar to FTM there will be no reason to keep paying your overpriced fees. I usually work with FTM open in one window and ancestry open in another. Maybe it’s time to look for other solutions.

  185. John Nicholls

    As both an Ancestry customer, and Family Tree customer, is there any intent to incorporate some/any of the reporting from Family Tree into Ancestry? This would be so much a Win/Win decision.

  186. Bryn Jones

    I have just purchased online the latest version of FTM which included worldwide membership to Ancestry for 6 months. Will this membership remain valid, also for anyone purchasing said software in 2016 would that membership be entertained.

  187. John R

    I’m appalled by this. I joined up to Ancestry specifically because it offered offline use through Family Tree Maker. The software has much more functionality than that available through the website and for me, on rural broadband, the web experience is too slow to comfortably work with on any kind of continuous basis.

  188. Tom Whedbee

    Very disappointed. As one of the many purchasers of your software that have put in a tremendous amount of work compiling family information, I’m feeling distressed at the thought of being “orphaned.” Again, very disappointed.

  189. Joanne Peterson

    I, like many others I am sure, am very sorry to see this move on the part of the owners of Family Tree Maker and Ancestry. I do almost all of my work in Family Tree Maker then upload to Ancestry after I have determined that I feel information is correct. Having to work directly in Ancestry will not allow any of us the option of doing corrections BEFORE it ‘put out there’ for others to view and utilize for their research. I strongly hope that this decision will be reconsidered.

  190. Gordon

    I am very disappointed, I have been using Family Tree Maker forever, paid a lot of money to you, what software will I use to for my Family Tree??

  191. Julie

    I am glad that I have not invested any additional money into Ancestry. Overpriced & is getting worse every time I turn around. Getting rid of software (albeit software that is not as great as it used to be) is just the last nail in the coffin. Next thing we know, Ancestry.com will be closing down entirely.

  192. Patti

    This is upsetting. But seems ancestry has been heading this way all along. Forcing folks to pay an annual fee just to maintain a database/tree.

  193. Frederick Finger

    What happens after 2017? Will my version still function? I don’t have a ‘smart phone’, nor do I want one so I have no need for an ‘app’, nor do I have a laptop. I’m a dinasour with a desk top unit and work with disc programs. They are handy when the system has problems and has to be re-installed. I have been with Ancestry for a long time. I was disappointed when the wiggling leaf went away and took some time to figure out the current format which I am just now beginning to work through. Now you are going to change it again? What was so wrong with the current system? Is this your way of weening out your old customers who have not adapted to “wi-fi” or “cloud” (what ever they are)?

  194. Jan

    I am very disappointed to hear your announcement. I understand that it has been difficult to synchronize the “shaky leaves” with FTM but sorry to hear that you are giving up on that. I have held off looking at other products but now feel that I will have to. The tools for assessing and improving my tree are just not on your web version.

  195. Ken

    I think you are making a big mistake. One of the best features of FTM is the ability to print so many different reports. I don’t see that capability online.
    You need to find a better way for people to easily keep a hard backup on there own computer of documents searched or your website will become less valuable and one may need to look else where.

  196. Chris

    The website is great for sharing with friends and family, but the desktop application is much better for updating and maintaining your family tree. I sincerely hope the TreeSync functionally remains available far beyond January 2017.

  197. John wulfken

    I am very saddened by this news. You have no other way of saving information directly on to my iPad or computer. This hard copy saved my tree one time. An error caused my tree to fail. I was able to use the hard copy and had my tree back in no time at all. If you must end the software at least provide a way to save a hard copy. Thank you

  198. Shannon Flynn

    This is an extremely disappointing decision. You’re alienating a still considerable market and trying to drive more to the website? What about folks who prefer to do much work offline and have trees that are in the hundreds of thousands? Maybe I’m too cynical but these seems more a move to force everyone to upload their trees and make YOUR tree more vast and less a move to make the lives of actual genealogists (amateur and pro) any easier. Shame.

  199. Pauli Driver-Smith

    I’m really disappointed that you are planning on discontinuing Family Tree Maker. I find your new online interface difficult to maneuver, it is harder to find contact information for the tree owner, if I have a question or added information, and moving around in someone Else’s tree, seems nearly impossible as I can only see part of their tree, and moving up or down their tree, is an exercise in frustration since you can’t (a bug?), so why bother.

    It is so much easier to work in a format that I understand and use and then sync my changes to my online tree.

  200. Natalie

    I’m wondering what other software you will be providing in place of FTM? We can’t do everything in the cloud. This doesn’t make sense.

  201. Keith

    This is a terrible blow. I have used ancestry and family tree maker for many years I will have to change my genealogy programme and web sites I use. You have lost another customer. The worst thing you could have done.

  202. Jenae

    I think Ancestry’s focus on innovative, new cloud-based offerings and interfaces this year shows just how much user experience and design research has been done. I think the site is great and am looking forward to seeing more from your continuous improvement!

  203. Cheryl

    TreeSync To Family Tree Maker is the very best feature of the Ancestry service and is why I have subscribed for 10 years now. There will soon be very little reason for me to continue my loyalty to Ancestry without this feature

  204. Hi! Before you retire FTM, please build its “Relationship Calculator” and its “Date Calculator” into the online platform. Thanks! Also, could you please return the font in which the names appear back to the way it used to be? Ancestry used t have a sleek, easy-on-the-eye look to it; now it’s all clunky and blocky. Thanks for this, too!

  205. Barbara B

    Your memo says nothing about the alternative means of accessing and accumulating information and images. Nine years of FTM has given me/us 6,000+ interrelated folks: what now?

  206. Karen Clark

    What a disappointment. Will Ancestry now include Family Tree Maker utilities like Publish? I rarely use your site anymore, using FTM instead. Funny, my subscription is due for renewal in a few weeks. Time to download my tree and move on to other software.

  207. Bruce

    Used Family Tree Maker software my genealogy for over 20 years. You took a great product and ruined it. Now you are destroying it and the work of it’s user’s research. If you could be shamed I’d say “Shame on your!”. The least you could do is put the bloated program code in public domain, so other interested parties might serve us.

  208. LeeAnn

    Does this mean all of our hard work is going to be gone? What will replace it? What about those of us knee deep in research?

  209. Mary

    Such a short-notice, drastic action requires that you recommend a workable, stable software alternative to FTM. If you are hoping that this action will cause all record keeping to shift to Ancestry’s site, I think you’re sadly mistaken – it does not provide the same tools, as you know. Most software providers, upon killing off their product, take responsibility by having researched available tools and coming up with a recommendation for an alternative. I suggest you do the same thing.

  210. Craig Hunter

    To the concerned. The APP Tree Maker will still work, but won’t sinc with the Ancestry web site. You can still add info from other sources. My guess is that somebody is going to fill in the APP gap.

  211. Lisa

    I have used FTM forever and cannot imagine being without it. Please rethink your decision or at the very least create a comparison. It’s the perfect organizer of all of my family entries/photos/stories.

  212. Amy

    Argh. I JUST bought and moved everything over to family tree maker because the competitor software was so terrible. This is awful news. I need the software version as well as the online because I do different things in each, I have a LOT more research and things only of interest to me in the software version and it’s sometimes the only way to keep all the winding branches straight! The ability to see my notes on each person at a glance is invaluable!

  213. Lynnette

    Also this decision saddens me from the standpoint of reports and charts I am able to create with the software, and most of all, having a good backup of my 30 years of work and able to work on it when there is not Internet access. The whole world is not plugged in 24/7.

  214. Nancy

    I have used Family Tree maker since version 2 when it was owned by Broderbund.. This is a real NASTY turn of events. Where program can I transfer to. Yes I still use a desktop computer as well as an android tablet but I prefer the desktop I have also been a subscriber to Ancestry.com for many, many years. Maybe that will go away to. I could certainly do other things with my $299.00 per year.

  215. John

    This is dreadful news. Surely to maintain FTM in current state cannot be a major cost in your overall business

  216. Jon Wilson

    This is incomprehensible! I, too, have invested plenty in many of FTM’s versions, and recommended it to so many others because I NEVER thought anything like this could happen. Do we understand correctly that you have no alternatives to offer? No suggestions for us? Really?

  217. Dale

    You state that you intend to continue your subscription business and website. If I do additional research after 1/1/17 and want to incorporate info I find via those tools into my FTM files, do you intend to provide any mechanism – other than manually – to do so?

  218. Peter

    Ancestry was built on the backs of all the loyal FTM customers and this is your thanks…hope you choke on your profits!

  219. John B

    Will Ancestry.com provide a utility which will allow a local backup of family tree structure and content?

  220. Robert Maleszyk

    I have a great deal of information on Family Tree Maker. It took me many hours of effort to load it in. Guess what I think of your products. I will NEVER do business with Ancestry. I will find another product by another company who will remain loyal to their customers.

  221. Norry Sponse

    There is no “declining desktop software market”. Mobile devices compliment and supplement the desktop. They in no way replace it. The desktop is the only legitimate tool for serious constructive / creative work such as the management of vast genealogical resources.

    Your mobile app is great for browsing and research (generally much better than your web site), but neither it nor the web site are credible tools for managing expansive databases, trees, and media effectively.

    Unless you plan to invest heavily in expanding your cloud and mobile products to replace functionality and capability of FTM without loss of control, fidelity, and flexibility, you are doing a great disservice to your clients. As your announcement says absolutely nothing about positive improvements and instead only announces negative reductions, there is no reason to expect you will attend to your customer responsibilities going forward.

  222. Brenda

    Disappointed, but I will adapt. They really need to make some major changes so we can print out all the special reports and charts that are available in FTM.

  223. Sally

    I’m not at all sure what this means in relation to researching my family history. Can you be more clear? How do we build our trees?

  224. Howard Jones

    This announcement saddens me greatly. I would only hope that the product remains available – albeit without support and updates – and that we are given the right to retain a copy of an installable software for use when we acquire a new computer from time to time. After years of work and the expenditure of a lot money, I hope you don’t deny us the right to use what we paid for in the past. (I have no intention of going to “the cloud” and will unquestionable continue to use my laptops for my work.)

  225. isobel

    Oh no! What am I going to do with all that hard work from the last 20 years and my mother’s efforts of 30 years. It has been such a great way of organising our family information. I especially like that I don’t have to give away everything I know about us online – which I guess is the way you are going. My first reaction is to find another product and I’ll continue down that line if you don’t replace this product with something which is at least equivalent. Please don’t leave us high and dry!

  226. Heber MacWilliams

    This is devastating news. I have been a FTM user for 20 years. You continue to dumb down your web site so as to be nearly useless. Some of us don’t want our work out on the Web. We want access to your historical records without the “Mickey Mouse” (my apologies to Mickey for the comparison) interface. Now I am forced to try to find alternative desktop software and try to make the transition. I hope a competitor will see a business opportunity and offer a reasonable path to those of us who continue to be disappointed by Ancestry’s attempts to grow market share.

  227. Bob

    This is truly bad news. What will replace Family Tree? I have years worth of data on this. Please reconsider.

  228. I’m sorry to hear Family Tree Maker is going away. It allowed me to do research without an internet connection. I always worked off line and then would sync to the online software. Sorry to hear this is going to happen.

  229. I have found that the new pages are so difficult to find error and process changes that I keep going back to the old ancestry. I think you should allow those of us who have been with you (me – 9 yrs!!!) to keep the old ancestry. I have lost so much info when I change over to the new. I spent all kinds of time connecting pictures and moving them into the correct area for the story and when I went to the new ancestry it was all gone!!!! I was so mad! Why would you take that away to give us junk like what was going on in history at the time. I wanted it personalized not generalized. I also sync with Ancestry Family Tree and hate the idea that you waited until less than 30 days to announce it would not be available any longer!!! What you have added is not worth the money you are now charging. There are large growing FREE databases out there now with as much information. Think about Find A Grave. That is kept free and volunteers keep it up. Why do you charge so much?? I’m a long time database programmer from all the way back to the 90s and I could build my own database on Acess that would rival what you have. I guess it’s time I tried doing just that. I stupidly paid for 1 yr of Ancestry this year instead of 6 months. I will spend the time I have making sure I have downloaded all the data from your sight so that at least I will have spent well over $2000 for the junk you now offer.
    You got all my information for free. You keep it and I can’t take it away from you. This hardly seems like a good trade off.

  230. Carl Evans

    As a longtime user of this software, I am very disappointed with this decision. I assume that the only option is for users to manually transition all of their documents to your online site?

  231. Dennis

    Its taken me weeks to learn the new web interface, and although a few items are better, mostly its more time consuming than the previous interface. Also, retiring FTM is not a good thing. I use it to print Trees and reports. What is the proposed replacement? Please don’t say its a pay-for-use third party app. Ancestry.com and FTM weren’t broke – stop fixing them.

  232. Peter Smtih

    Very disappointing and poor decision. It will almost certainly mean ending my Ancestry subscription. I find FTM so superior to working via the ancestry site directly. Whoever made this decision should be out looking for another job!!

  233. Susan Pennie

    What exactly does this mean to me as a Family Tree member? Am Iosing everything that it has taken me years to get together? How can I print out what I have in my extensive Family Tree file??

  234. Donna

    I’m shocked and really disappointed by this decision. I don’t use my FTM terribly often, so I’ll survive, but I see no other software that can replace it in its feature of sync’ing with the Ancestry tree. Declining desktop software market??? I know of a LOT of people using FTM. Totally surprised and disappointed.

  235. Ken McDonald

    So after working on Family Tree Maker for many years to get my family history on file you are going to now stop selling and eventually stop supporting the software. This is a bad decision on your part and no doubt will have an impact with customers leaving Ancestry (I will be one of them). This product is one of the best tools to use when organizing a family tree. Someone at Ancestry had better review this decision.

  236. Sharon

    I have purchased family treemaker and upgrades for many years. And I am very disappointed with your decision to eliminate the software. If I cannot use the software to make my own trees, there is no need to pay my subscription to ancestry online. You are eliminating a whole segment of researchers who do not care to post their research on line or in a cloud somewhere. In my opinion this is a bad move.

  237. Carol

    This is a sad move. When doing research one cannot always be connected to the Internet so a local copy of data is essential. How will we achieve this if you retire your software?

  238. Karyn Stevens

    If you are retiring FTM does that mean I have to find a separate family history software to use? Is FTM going out of business? What is going on? So many changes all at once.

  239. Keith

    It would be helpful if Ancestry.com could outline specific future efforts to significantly enhance the customer experience of the web-site software.

  240. M.Galt-Martin

    Does that mean that after Jan 1 1917 one can not long TreeSync to another computer? If so I have not install Family Tree Maker(it is still in the box) on the other computer & will not if it becomes useless in a few months.

  241. Jeff

    I was planning on buying FTM during the holidays, but now I probably won’t. I’m hoping for an explanation if all the features are going to be browser based? If so, then I’m assuming I will always be able to edit my tree online. But without explaining this, you are scaring people that have put years of work into their tree.

  242. Jock

    Many of us have invested huge amounts of time to build family trees based on this software. It is outrageous that Ancestry.com would announce a withdrawal of the product with their announcement not even providing a suggestion as to how we are to continue maintaining our tress in the coming years. If it’s Ancestry’s intention that we use the web interface then what are the alternatives for producing the various FTM reports? What a despicable act of betrayal to loyal users.

  243. Bruce J Kent

    ancestry.com is assuming that they are the end all in genealogy research. the web site is fine for amateurs who don’t do any offline research. the web site is cumbersome and slow. ancestry.com is simply cutting off their loyal base.

  244. dana haskins

    you charge a lot of money for your stuff but the average person cant afford it.why cant you slash your prices in half?

  245. John Keegan

    I lost over a thousand records when you stopped supporting one of your earlier versions and my data was irretrievable. I was assured however that by purchasing the current version this would not happen again. Foolishly I complied.

  246. Frances

    I am extremely annoyed by this news as I have just purchased Family Tree Maker for my sister as a Christmas Gift. I now feel it is an utter waste of money and would not have bought it if I had known about this. I shall now seriously consider not renewing my subscription.

  247. David Thiessen

    I agree with C Maarie Steele 100%. I personally felt the product going down hill fast after FTM16. I am not a fan of Ancestry.com

  248. jim j

    Wow, you guys repetitively sent emails to me to purchase Family Tree Maker this year… So I did at the end of August 2015. I’m with others and expect a refund! I Should have listened to friends and purchased the competitions product.

  249. Janine

    So what do we do moving forward? Is our only option to continue to add information to our family tree going to be a subscription to your website? This is not an acceptable option for us.

  250. Jill Moody

    I am very sad to hear this. I was planning on buying your next version, since I skip every other year.

    I do not use your web interface. It is HORRIBLE!!!!! Over the years it has gotten worse and worse. It is slow and hard to navigate, as well as very unintuitive.

    I also do not have internet access at some locations that I visit. Without software, I do not have access to my tree.

  251. Wayne Weide

    I really do not believe this !! I can only hope that there is enough backlash to overturn this unfair decision. We have a smooth system right now, and you plan to disrupt it totally. Unbelievable !!

  252. Catherine

    I am so disappointed to hear this news. The ability to sync with the online tree and the possible matches facility has been an invaluable tool. Please reconsider this. It will be a real loss to lose this.

  253. I Messina

    I too am deeply saddened by the news that you will no longer be supporting Family Tree Maker after 2017. Like many others , without your support of FTM, I will most likely be dropping my Ancestry subscription.

  254. Margaret Anderson

    I am greatly disturbed and saddened by this decision. While I appreciate the advances to the online resource, IT IS NOT my first choice when entering and maintaining my family data. I have been a faithful FTM user for years and agree with some of the earlier posts that the new interface is time consuming and more difficult for advanced users. Also, I don’t always have access to the internet when I am updating my FTM file – so what will I do in 2017? Please reconsider this decision.

  255. So how long are you going to support the existing 2014 ftm software or older for the user of Ancestry to be able to continue to gather research and collections?

  256. Cynthia

    This sucks! Ancestry is trying to force all research and trees to go public and be posted on Ancestry.com. I find too many people on public trees who don’t do their research. They just grab the first person with the same or similar name and put it in their tree and run down a wrong descendant line, then everyone copies it as “fact” to their tree. I can’t count the number of times I have corrected trees who have added incorrect data and people from my family and got it wrong. The desktop version protects my researched files. I don’t have a tree uploaded on Ancestry. I have been a subscriber for a long time and was a subscriber to Geneology.com before it succumbed to Ancestry. I pay $400 a year for the World membership. Loosing FTM is incredibly frustrating. FTM is what helped build Ancestry.com into the success of the website.

  257. Andrew

    I have used family tree maker for about 10 years. I greatly prefer using it rather than the online ancestry program. I hope you reconsider!!!!!!

  258. Stephanie Woods

    This is terrible. The desktop software is the only way to retain a copy of all our work. All websites are vulnerable. It is important for us to easily have our own copies of our continuing work.

  259. Grant

    So now what? Guess we switch to other software.? I have used this software forever and I don’t want all the fancy updates – I want to collect track and access my data. Very disappointing!!!

  260. Mike Shults

    Does that mean the only way to work on family tree is to pay you every month? So will your service look like family tree maker but just be on ancestry? Why don’t you sell family tree maker to another service? You will see a steady decline in your service for making such a foolish mistake. Family tree maker is why people go to ancestry. BIG MISTAKE

  261. Dr. David Chobar

    All of a sudden it appears your focus for Ancestry is more about money than really serving people to assist them in genealogy work! Thus, you’re abandoning the desktop software area for a more lucrative orientation. I can’t believe with the background of how this started, and how it’s related to the Salt Lake City Mormon archives, that you are suddenly getting out of “home ancestry!” Like other comments before, we feel betrayed that all of our years of ancestry work may very well “dissolve” after January 1, 2017 because of lack of support! Did you do any “focus group” analyses before making this decision. I cannot believe for all the many programs you have sold you are now leaving the market!!! Sad!

  262. tracey johnson

    Will we still be able to synch to our ancestry trees using FTM after the 2017 cut off?
    I have only just got FTM to back my tree up – are you going to be recommending a similar replacement software? i know that with the best will in the world several people have lost months of work because of software glitches, and having an offline backup is a great feature.

  263. Mike Rose

    Why I do with all the pictures and records for my family and my wife family. I little more notice should have been given. Again how do I save these records. Quit advertising on TV if you plan on jumping ship.

  264. Alan

    I find the decision and explanation really rather odd – presumably there’s a lack of expertise within Ancestry to take the program forward ?

  265. Alan Page

    Terrible news. I use it as a repository of lots of additional information – plus questionable data I need to check out. Surely the alternative is not back to a paper based system.
    Corporations need to appreacite that a loss making part of their business maybe the reason people are actively involved in other parts of the business. It’s the whole package!

  266. Betty

    How sad. This will definitely reduce the value of Ancestry.com for me. I am extremely reluctant to centralize all my research in an offsite database at which any time the owner/company can simply decide to shut down. I expect this will simply mean that I will no longer share the majority of my research online with other ancestry users. The big loss will be to the online Ancestry community, not to the individual family tree users.

  267. Jackie

    Will Ancestry facilitate printing personal family trees or will you also end that capability too. What a waste of hours and hours of input and research. You are a real disappointment.

  268. Deb

    I have paid a lot of money to ancestry over many years, and unlike ‘find my past’ I can only see saved original records through my family tree maker, unless I am actually paying an ancestry subscription. If you are taking away tree maker you need to allow us full access to records that we have added to our tree over many years of paying subscriptions, even when we are no longer paying a subscription. This is daylight robbery. My tree is way too large to do hard copies and I can’t go through life permanently paying subscriptions when I now only use ancestry irregularly

  269. Karen

    The things we have acquired as decedents of our ancestors are all tangible. There is no guarantee that generations behind us will be able to access digital files of various, possibly archaic, mediums. My mother handed me a 3.5″ floppy she was proud to have saved over the years, but I no longer have the drive that reads it. What lasts are printed things — pictures and stories — and this is what the software was providing for me. Now, we will have to pay Ancestry.com to retrieve our uploaded photos and stories to output them to print media. The Family Tree Maker application allowed us to save all the census records, pictures and stories in a folder on our hard drives, where we could print them. When the desktop software is gone, all the material will be out of our hands — accessible online only and to be printed for a fee. I see where you’re going with this.

    I also wonder how many generations it will be, before Facebook sells back all the material we are inputting for free today. Print, print, print, people! It’s the best way to pass information on to our future generations.

  270. Not very happy about this. I have used some version of FTM since 1998. The only reason I upgraded to the newest release is so I can sync my tree on Ancestry. Will there be a replacement?

  271. Monica Pattangall

    If you do this, it will prove devastating to my research database. Please tell us to which desktop program you recommend that we migrate. I will be sorry to give up the Ancestry integration, but it is a requirement that I be able to work in local mode. I do not always have internet access.
    I do have a paid copy of Legacy, with which I have spent very little time relative to my FTM time. It will be torture to migrate all my research to that — but there is no other choice, eh? Please give this a second thought.

  272. Gina Anderson

    I echo these sentiments. I hate the new Ancestry and avoided it as long as I could because it is too child-like, too “big” on the screen, too much wasted space, the data displayed is not concise, and I rely very much on the syncing of my tree between FTM and Ancestry. I have been a loyal customer for over a decade. Between the website change and this announcement, I seriously have to reconsider. I already stopped my membership until after Christmas, but now I just don’t know if I want to renew any longer. Change can be good when there is an improvement in service. Dumbing down the site and abandoning FTM is not good change. I feel so lost….

  273. Tony Mooar

    In NZ what you are proposing is termed:”Cutting off your nose to spite your face.” Think again or release your replacement for FTM. You know the one that starts::”In response to user demand Ancestry will release ..”

  274. Elizabeth

    So to continue working with Ancestry, we must upload (give you) all our personal family pictures and data, etc? This does not seem right.

  275. Richard Werbin

    Don’t do this.

    There are important reasons to use both a family tree at ancestry.com for research purposes and to sync it to FTM 2014.

    It is much easier to track and annotate detailed source citations in FTM. This is critical.

    Also, there are important tools in FTM 2014 that are still missing at ancestry.com. Reports. Relationship calculator. Place tracking & mapping.

    If you stop adding features to FTM 2014, I will be disappointed. But I can live with that if you support synching with ancestry.com forever.

  276. Beverley

    So how do I print a tree and how do I then check for locations and how do I then check for anomalies etc etc etc. How do we get these types of functions online???

  277. Ian McDonald

    I use FTM as an intermediate device for getting the information – including a large amount of images – from the (non-Ancestry) database on my computer to my online Ancestry tree where other Ancestry members can view it. How am I supposed to do that without the use of FTM? I don’t want to use, and have absolutely no intention of using, my Ancestry.co tree as my main database; how could I trust Ancestry not to do something equally pernicious to that database, thus destroying many years of hard work? The idea of scrapping FTM is absurd and a betrayal of the trust of those Ancestry members who use it; I shall never again have confidence in Ancestry.

  278. Marilyn

    I am speechless. Since the New Ancestry interface requires more steps to complete tasks versus Classic, it will only be useful to me as a source to search records. I purchased FTM last week in order to download my trees into what was going to become my workplace for anything requiring extensive data entry. Guess I will need to purchase ANOTHER software package since it seems foolish to invest effort into a product (FTM) that is being retired. Anyone have suggestions for another alternative?

  279. Paul L

    This is a very shocking decision on Ancestry’s part. I value the privacy I can maintain by keeping my data on my computer and not on the web. I value the richness of tools FTM offers. And yes, I value the integration with the web services, but I do not value this decision and short timeframe before you terminate the integration.

  280. Steve Pinkoski

    Thanks for the update. I would never use only an online tool for recording my family history. I was planning on entering a major branch of my tree over the holidays but I’ll now do that in another tool, whether or not it can be uploaded to Ancestry.

  281. Chrissy Grigsby Lucas

    add this to my previous comment. What do I do with all the info in my program now? Seriously folks! I could not possibly print all of this out and all of the extra possible family lines.

  282. Mark Stenhoff

    I would like a refund on my investment in Family Tree Maker. Please reduce my Ancestry subscription accordingly.

  283. Peter Rousseau

    Bad choice!!! The new website format is slow & cumbersome on older computers. Besides, where are the reports & such on the website that you can only run in the FTM software? What about your customers who are actually doing off-line paper & book research in libraries & clerk offices?

  284. Jan Groshan

    Oh no! There are so many wonderful features of the Family Treemaker software that Ancestry.com’s website doesn’t provide that I’ve found it extremely useful to be able to use both. (Primarily the various report features of Family Treemaker.) Will the Family Treemaker software still be available through other vendors? If not, will Ancestry.com be developing it’s own software? this is TERRIBLE news. I am so disappointed. After 20+ years of using both Family Treemaker and Ancestry.com, the thought of changing to another provider is less than appealing.

  285. Susan

    Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2015 17:03:56 -0600
    Subject: Re: Ancestry to Retire Family Tree Maker Software
    Well that was a waste of my money. It doesn’t work half the time for sync, etc. and no “support” to solve it. Another reason to pull away from Ancestry

  286. carol thomson

    I too am greatly disappointed. What suggestions do you have as to how I can continue to record my family history

  287. Gary Algier

    Maybe this should be where people can post alternative products? Perhaps some will sync with Ancestry or at least import from FTM?

  288. Kevin

    So very sorry to hear this news. As far as Im concerned the best part of using Ancestry… Hope you have a re think !

  289. Barbara Terry

    I’m so sadden by this e-mail, I have researched my ancesters since 1979 I have over 60,000 plus persons, and over 30,000 pieces of info, pictures, obits, & history. I have spent over $200.00 a year. I sure hope someone comes up with a new program. All I can say to other members you need to start printing.

  290. Robert Loomis

    I join with the above. I started with ancestry years ago with version 1 and have, an extensive heavily documented (on my desktop) database and related files. I linked to the online and used restricted access as another backup to my primary efforts. Your online does not take many of the notes (marriage, etc) or my related files so without desktop version I will have to find another home. I agree the new interface is way below par and “childlike”. DON”T DO IT!

  291. Michael La Vean

    I would have to agree with the comments so far. Your new format is juvenile and the “information” is so simple as to be useless to anyone doing serious work. I was consoling myself in that I could do work in future using Family Tree Maker.

    My family trees contain a lot of documentation that is original from me. This builds value to the entire system. I have added wills, documents, articles all of which were not shaking leaves on anyone else’s trees.

    Your decision to go for the casual user is a business error. If you lose someone like me who pays you more than 300 a year along with a a lot of new content, how many newbie I will try this out kind of people do you have to recruit to make up for me. As it was I feel cheated. I paid for 11 DNA tests and will not pay for another, I will not renew and I may just delete all my original research and let your newbies just go with the shaking leaves and all the other bad information out there.

    It is the serious folks like us that give you credibility and your changes will lose us.

    There is an old saying…dance with the one that brung you. Did you research the changes with the people who are spending money now?

    An absolutely stupid business decision.

  292. Stephen Rockower, MD

    And this is why I never wanted to upload much to the website. I want my own control of my information. Will be looking elsewhere…

  293. Ty Peterson

    This is very concerning, but I’ll reserve judgement until I see how you plan to transition EVERY capability available in the software TO the website. Things like reports and graphic trees, backing up periodic archive trees, applying events and sourcing to multiple people, exporting subsets of data, sharing files, importing those shared files, etc. Please put together a transition outline so those of us who have used Family Tree Maker for MANY YEARS (15-20+) can determine a way forward without losing capability or data. I would also like to see a capability map showing what features will be added to the website (and when) as well as those features that will disappear after 1 Jan 2017.

  294. Char

    Oh for goodness sake!

    I know people that only use FTM and do not use the tree function on Ancestry, even if they have a subscription to Ancestry.

    I know people that use it to create all sorts of charts they can not create on Ancestry.

    I know people who love many of the features that I have never even taken the time to learn how to use.

    In my case, the major reason I use it is to find errors and clean up my tree, which I have the option to do either on FTM or Ancestry, once I create the list I want through FTM. And, if Ancestry is glitchy, I can still use my FTM.

    I will manage without it, but I am disappointed. I will not cancel my subscription to Ancestry.

    Are they planning on incorporating some of the features currently on FTM into Ancestry itself? That would be nice. I know a lot of people ask if they can do someone on Ancestry that is only available on FTM.

  295. Nancy Leathers

    I have read the comments above, and must concur with almost all of them. I would ask that you reconsider this action. This is a real disservice to those of us who have relied on your program for many years.

  296. Grant

    Your business plan is to push us off our personal devices and onto your server where we will pay a monthly fee to work with our own data & tree. A very bad plan. We will now seek other options, personal devices are not going away, only getting better!! I have bought many versions of FTM starting before Ancestry became involved, and I am not going to trust my tree to your server now!

  297. Linda

    I ad my plea to the others. I have a lot of time and effort invested in my FTM. Have used it for years and love it. Between Ancestry and Family Tree Maker I lots of information. Please reconsider.

  298. Marilyn

    Oh that’s just great Ancestry. First you muck around with your website and make it more difficult to use. Now you’re ‘retiring’ Family Tree Maker. I hope you’ll give me a refund of the $92 I paid for my copy in 2014. I am just about to give up on Ancestry altogether.

  299. Janna

    No, No, No – Don’t do away with Family Tree Maker!!!!! I started using it when it was a Broderbund product. Now I will have to find another software program for my genealogy. In order to purchase new software guess I will have to give up Ancestry.com for a year…. Any suggestions for what genealogy sofware to switch to?

  300. I work only in FTM desktop software since the website lacks functionality and navigation is not user friendly and SLOW. The tree map is so confusing when multiple relationships occur between its members. It is impossible to follow. I upload to the website for sharing with family ate some future date. Views and report capability are poor. The retirement of FTM is not for our benefit. Very disappointed and annoyed with ancestry for this decision.

  301. Linda

    But you sold it to me..as far as I am concerned, it is a large part of my enjoyment of ancestry. You sold it to me! And sold me the upgrade again and again. And
    just like that? What are you providing instead.

  302. Julie Jakings

    Please don’t retire FTM. The reporting functionality within that product is simply not available in Ancestry. Please reconsider.

  303. Jean

    Absolutely disgusted at your elimination of Family Tree Maker. At least in that program I can ensure that all the information has been personally researched and is correct. Not copied from other trees with disgusting errors. The small time researcher is nothing in your eyes. I will not be renewing my subscription after all these years. It is too expensive for incorrect information supplied by your customers. Your website only continues by the goodness of us genealogists. Try and give us something back.

  304. Megan Cooper

    I also am very disappointed in this news. My family and I have been using the Ancestry software since it first came out! I rely on FTM to give me more functionality and options for editing my tree that I feel the online Ancestry lacks. I have a very difficult time navigating the online tree and avoid using it when possible. Please please please don’t take FTM away!

  305. Mike Smith

    I too wonder what will replace FTM. Is the Roots product also effected? So I understand, are you simply not going to further support the FTM interface but the databases will continue to be updated and available in the future?

  306. Robert

    Just like all other big businesses. No concern or support for the populace, just the big bucks. Glad I didn’t renew my Ancestry subscription this year. Thankfully if Family Tree is on the computer you can still use it…without Ancestry.

  307. Donna

    I am VERY dissatisfied with this! This software and its ability to interface with Ancestry.com is the main reason I keep an Ancestry account. Most real genealogists want to be able to interface with Ancestry AND store their research, notes, photos, etc on their own computers as back up and for privacy reasons they don’t always want everything uploaded into the cloud. THIS DECISION IS A GRAVE MISTAKE on Ancestry’s part.

  308. laurie eggert

    Please advise all of your loyal customers who have put all of their information onto this program how we can salvage what we have spent all this time working on. I would not be satisfied with a suggestion that we just upload onto ancestry since much information would be lost.

  309. Matt Hall

    I have been using this software for 15 years and have upgraded with each new version. The web version does not allow to store notes and stories like the software. This is a very bad decision on your part. I will continue to use the software after 2017 and if it is not workable will find new software to use, it just means that my online tree will not get upgraded and all the information I find will no longer be shared with the rest of your Ancestory community. I use the software to search by death dates, so that I can find who was alive during 1940 census so that information can get upgraded. Website is NOT user friendly for any of that!!! You can’t search for mistakes on the website. You can’t search other websites that are not connected with Ancestory like you can using the software.

  310. Harold

    The FTM software is one of the best parts of ancestry. It allows me to work on finetuning the tree when internet access isn’t available. Might want to rethink this decision. Also, all the printing and organization options are on FTM, not online.

  311. Stephen Guthrie

    What do we replace our current software with? I’ve been working several years on my family tree. What if anything will be available to us users to continue our search and building our family tree? I grant you I won’t use your services for anything if you do away with Family Tree Software and/or don’t offer an alternative!

  312. Jeffrey Williams

    I think this is a very bad decision. Quite often I use FTM to enter information when I am not able to access the internet and then sync it to my online tree later. Also, if my Ancestry subscription lapses, do I lose all my information and photos? Please rethink this.

  313. Andy Bernard

    As others have said – a very poor decision. FTM is much more powerful than your web site. Not happy,

  314. I hate this decision as I have added 33 years data to all my trees to share with others. I have posted many notes on individuals that can’t be found most places. How are we supposed to share now. ?

  315. ECarter

    This is tremendously disappointing. I do not expect that I would do research in a form that is stored only on someone else’s website. This information is too precious for that.

    I have been able to stand back and ignore a lot of the vitriol about the limitations of the website because they simply haven’t mattered to me – because I access it through FTM. WIthout FTM, I do not see how I will continue to work with you.

  316. Shannara

    What is replacing this software? Are you looking at selling it off to another company? If so, let me know. I am interested …

  317. Connie

    For those of us in rural areas with limits on our Internet to do everything online is cost prohibitive as no service is unlimited, plus it’s so much easier to make corrections in the software. I love the android version for what it does but you can’t make many of those corrections at all in it either. Fix the online abilities to make corrections in every format just like FTM does it or the notoriously bad ancestry trees will just get worse not better.

  318. Martin

    I have been using FTM for 13 years in different formats. While Ancestry is brilliant for searching to update details I find FTM so much easier to do Inc photo’s etc. There are a lot of details you simply cannot add directly to ancestry. So your asking get us to not do our research properly in the future as we won’t have no where to store that odd bit of info. Please rethink this.

  319. Joanne Simpson Bitonio

    I hate the online interface, I want to be able to see my data as data, not as a story. I want full visibility when merging a document source to my tree, I want to run reports on whatever I wish, I want to create my own sources quickly and easily, and I do not want to do that from the Web interface. I feel that you are catering to the lowest skill set family genealogist, and dumping those of us who are trying to achieve skilled, sourced, thinking genealogies.

  320. Peter Hill-King

    The desktop for me is the ‘base’ of the system where I create GEDCOM backups. As these don’t have all the notes etc then I will need to print the entire tree with all notes? I was thinking of renewing my subscription in the new year to add further people and detail – but why bother now? Better to just find a new provider and move to them.
    The app is really just an easy-access “nice to have” for me

  321. I have just bought this software a refund would be a good as it was only a day or so wich paid so come an show some good public relations from Ansetry.

    Disgusting trading will take it up with Paypal I think.

  322. Sarita

    What happens to our software program, Family Tree Maker after Jan, 2017? What happens to all the information we have there. I presume the only way we can access this information after 2017 will be to pay Ancestry.com. I also find the new format not as user friendly.

  323. Karen Kelly

    This is absolutely ridiculous! I agree with all the other comments. Where are the answers from Ancestry to all our concerns??

  324. Bill McLean

    By making it a total web based design you take away the option of a function when internet is not available. I take my laptop to Scotland regularly and uses it at our family reunions…that will be eliminated. I take my laptop into the Register House and then later sync it to ancestry. DATA COST is NOT CHEAP when overseas. Poor business decision that will cost me more than it is worth after doing this nearly 20 years.

  325. Donna Mosier

    Shame on you, it was we the customers that made you the company you are. If not for the vast number of people doing the searching and donating the information you would not have what you do. And you still had the nerve to charge us a monthly fee to do so. Now that you have pretty much gathered numerous donated files you desert us. I have been a customer for many years due to the fact of Family Tree Maker and I for one will be gone to another company if it no longer exist and taking my files with me.

  326. James Mahood

    The web site is far superior to FTM in my opinion. All that is needed on the web site is the reports. Recently I used the relationship report to show a tricky DNA relationship that was via in-laws. A couple got married that had the same last name.

  327. John Sutherland

    Interesting change, eh. I don’t trust anything digitally, and so I depend on my desktop FTM and online Ancestry.com trees to back each other up. I think this is a mistake on Ancestry’s part. I would have made the bond tighter between the two.

  328. Steve

    TWO THUMBS DOWN!
    REEEEALY BAD DECISION!
    So what are we suppose to do after 2017?!?!
    What will be our options?!?!

  329. Jenny

    What? I use Family Tree Maker and love it. I do not use ancestry.com except via TreeSynch. How is that supposed to work now? How would I print reports and create trees for family members like I do now. Please PLEASE CHANGE YOUR DECISION. If you refuse, please let me know which of your competitors is most like Family Tree Maker so I can leave you and go to someone who will offer these services I demand.

  330. C. Gallagher

    Wow, after you endlessly promoted it to me and I paid $70 for it a few months ago! It has many features that are better and different than the online experience. I am totally disgusted with this announcement. If I had any idea I would have bought one of the competing products.

  331. I share the seminates above. I have used Family Tree Maker as the primary source for family records for more than decade. I thought there was some permanence here and spent a lot of time correcting some of my own mistakes and errors made by Ancestry.com. The money for a hobby seems high but I paid it anyway. Sad to see all that going up in “smoke”.

  332. David Hoffman

    This decision is a big step backward. I have had the most expensive subscription to Ancestry for several years now. I have found the functions available through the Family Tree Maker software to be absolutely invaluable in working on my tree – especially the ability to create certain reports.

    As noted genealogy commentator DearMyrtle has often noted, genealogists deal with information arranged by place. New databases are generally geographically oriented, so knowing which members of my tree were located in a certain area assists my searching. The reports available in Family Tree Maker allow the user to inspect persons connected with certain place.

    I am also a subscriber to newspapers.com. There, I can use these search functions in connection with a new newspaper to search for articles that mention people that I find through the reports.

    FTM is also very valuable because it allows the correction of errors, consistent designation of place names, etc. all from one console. This is more or less impossible with the web interface.

  333. Marty

    I really hope this isn’t true. Some functions of FTM are simply not there online, and some that are there, are more difficult to navigate. Also, while my data limit is quite high there are some people who have a low data limit with their carrier, and may have a problem doing all work on-line. Retiring FTM is a bad choice.

  334. Michele Gibbs

    What about the Mobile App? Will it no longer be valid either? I use both! I am not happy about this either. I have used Family Tree Maker since 1995 and like to be able to access it at reunions and such where we don’t always have internet access. Ancestry has gotten VERY greedy. I can remember searching and finding results and not having to pay for anything. This is very sad!

  335. Lorraine

    This is certainly a huge mistake on your part. Please do not take this away from those of us who use Family Tree Maker. I can access Ancestry.Com through my city library and will strongly consider stopping my home subscription if you discontinue FTM.

  336. Bob Hahn

    Well, without FTM, I doubt if I will have any use for Ancestry.com website to maintain my tree, and no desire to continue to pay for a yearly subscription. It only worked well as an integrated operation. I could work on my computer on my software. Don’t want to work on the website – it is unsophisticated.

  337. David Crank

    Your web tools don’t come CLOSE to replacing the functionality of the FTM software. Is there other desktop software on the market that can interface with your trees and search your data?

  338. Paul

    This is very disappointing and I share the views of most commentators. I have been using Ancestry since beginning my family history research about 30 years ago (V.1 or 2, as I recall) and have tested other software, including programs that save to the Web. None equal this program in my opinion and its loss will seriously affect me and other historians.
    I think this is an ill-considered decision that will turn many away from Ancestry to your regret and ours.

  339. Darren Wheatley

    I can only assume you will be releasing an API for other third party app developers. Could someone comment on this please?

  340. Susan Aduddell

    This is horrible! I print various reports all the time to show to other people and to find errors in my tree.

  341. turnpikeab

    The retirement of “Family Tree Maker” software is very disappointing!!!
    I use the desktop software for all my building of my Tree, cross referencing data, checking the validity of “hints”, attaching notes, photos, scanned records. I also use the program for printing charts, and etc.
    “Ancestor” works well for research, but doesn’t provide the above mentioned uses that “Family Tree Maker” makes available. “Ancestor” also makes a good “Cloud” backup, and tree sharing facility.
    If not “Family Tree Maker”…… please recommend an alternative.

  342. James Eubanks

    As others have asked, what software are we supposed to replace FTM with? It is important to maintain a local copy of my data on my PC – and be able to access that data without internet. The answer to this question determines whether my Ancestry subscription is renewed.

  343. Mark Robertson

    Thank you for ripping me off by allowing me to purchase your software. Never again will I subscribe to your services.

  344. Luther

    I use FTM for looking for folks, and open a new tree almost every day to make DNA connections. I’m afraid you will end up with tens of thousands of 20 person trees. Not really that useful.

  345. Derek Ewing

    I also am in shock over you dropping Family Tree Maker. I have spent 25 years and many dollars with you to have what I have of my family history. What am I to Do Now! What are my options that you are offering or at least suggesting? How will I continue to research and update my Family Tree Maker??? The more I think of this the more angry I am getting!

  346. Ron Walker

    You are doing away with the easiest to use part of your research program. Your updated program is confusing and takes up too much extra time. If you must make a change I would rather pay more and keep it as it is.

  347. J V B

    No way do I want to store all my personal tree information in the cloud – if the US government can’t keep the hackers out, no chance Ancestry can. I want to be able to work offline. Ancestry, you really don’t understand your customer base.

  348. Ken

    It’s a shame this is being discontinued. I agree the new interface is a joke. I pay Ancestry $300 a year to only utilize Member Connect which has not worked for me in over a year. I believe I’ll just cancel my subscription.

  349. Dirk Heinen

    Well, reading through the comments, I haven’t found one person that applauded this move. If Ancestry is serious about supporting its user base, it will continue to offer a desktop version that allows users to host critical family trees locally and not rely on Ancestry to make some capricious decision about access to user’s own tree information at some point in the future. It also eliminates the possibility of updating family tree information without an internet connection, something that can be challenging for field research. This is a horrible decision that I hope is quickly reversed.

  350. Nick Gomersall

    This is a disastrous move. First, FTM offers options for analysis not available on the web version and, second, it’s available when I’m offline. Somebody has really messed up here. This is a “New Coke” moment for Ancestry which will lose the company decades of goodwill.

  351. Jim

    This is terrible. I’ve been using FTM and its variants for 15 years. What do I do with all of that information now? This is extremely short sighted. What good is Ancestry.com when I’m at a cemetery???

    Disgusting.

  352. Jim

    How do you propose we back up our data, sources, documentation, etc. without Family Tree Maker? Are there other software programs that will interface with ancestry.com for this purpose? Having Family Tree maker allows me to share my discoveries with my elderly mother and other family members who do not have internet access (yes – there are people out here who do not access the web). Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker go hand-in-hand like a symbiotic relationship. They make each other better. Why do you insist on tearing down your own creation? The new website is horrible and not user friendly. You have done away with some of my favorite features. And now this. Are you trying to destroy yourself?

  353. Rita Hallett

    A few years ago you did away with MyFamily.com, now you are doing away with Family Tree Maker. Not happy!! I usually add things to Family Tree Maker and then occasionally sync to Ancestry. Of course sometimes I find things on Ancestry that I sync to Family Tree Maker. Don’t know that I will continue with Ancestry now! There are other web sites that have basically the same info as Ancestry & if they won’t sync anyway, why spend more on Ancestry??

  354. Ian Davidson

    Oh NO! I can’t believe you’re doing this! FTM has charts, reports and many tools that simply don’t exist at all in the web interface. Furthermore the latter is so slow to respond (even on a fast broadband connection) it’s almost painful to use, and what about offline usage? PLEASE reconsider!!!

  355. DeWayne Thomas

    How about releasing FTM to an open-source community? Unless there are 3rd-party licenses involved, this would be a ‘good faith’ move on your parts to not leave current users ‘high and dry’.

  356. S Johnson

    Do NOT do this! Not everyone has good consistent access to internet! A desktop tool to help with recording family tree information is an absolute necessity. Anyone know of any good alternatives?

  357. Bill

    I suspect this decision is tied to a larger goal of subscription based software, which tends to be the direction the industry is leading. Doesn’t make it right, just another greedy decision. I agree with the comments against your decision to remove the desktop from your product mix. I prefer to have my data more readily available and secured on my own source than a cloud base system which I believe the direct you heading toward.

  358. I really can’t believe that after all these years of loyalty you would do such a thing. What software do we use now? There is no explanation of what you suggest we do. There are people out there who are not Web obsessed. Please re-think this decision.

  359. Diane

    I am very sad to see this! I have spent years adding information to my Family Tree software! Will our current software continue to work on our computers, or will it stop functioning?

    As with the others who have commented here, I believe that we all purchased this software to be able to have our family trees available when we wanted to print them…now I feel that you have let us down and we have wasted our time and money using your product!

    I am very disappointed in you and your company!

  360. Alistair Grant

    Well Goodbye! Customers will vote with their feet and I’ve already cancelled my subscription which will not now renew automatically as in the past. Going to archive all the stuff I can and look for a more caring company who are concerned with their customers needs. This decision of yours is madness probably on the part of a ‘Marketing Guru’ you are rely on for advice.
    Sad so many companies are ruined by mistaken market research.

  361. Frank

    After 2017 what will happen to my program with thousand of names? Whether a desk top or lap top you need a program to place your family names in order.
    Is there a decline in membership? Are there less people using the sight to find people?

  362. Erin

    Wow, another sucky change!! What’s going on with Ancestry. It feels like you don’t listen to your customers. Very saddened by this as well as being forced into the “new” Ancestry!

  363. Jill

    I agree totally with all the comments I’ve read here. Talk about hang us all out to dry after you’ve taken our money. Sorry, but it’s all corporate speak and there is another plan afoot to rip us all off. Discontinuing seems the way to go.

  364. Pat

    I’ve been using Ancestry.com for over 15 years and rely heavily on the sync feature between FTM and Ancestry. The price of membership has gotten extremely expensive the past couple of years. Without the FTM sync, I’m not sure it will be worth it.

  365. Kevin Cook

    This is devastating news!!
    Being able to keep a local record of your family tree for posterity and as a legacy for your family, was wonderful!

    I am saddened.

    So, does this mean Ancestry users are ‘tied in’ to a perpetual online cost in order to be able to access, and more importantly, carry out research, add, update and edit records?

    From January 2017, the records held on users Family Tree Maker software, will gradually become historic and out of date, and will only be a ‘snapshot’, not ‘real time’ anymore.

    I have not looked at online Ancestry family tree chart creation, but can you create printable ancestry charts online?

    With the retirement of Family Tree Maker, will your online Ancestry family tree remain intact for posterity, i.e. never be deleted?

    Sad day

  366. Bryan

    Why I’d like to know was I not told of this when shelled out the $67.18 less than two weeks ago? If you do not at least continue to support the product to the extent of continuing the interface to sync it with your site I personally would consider this to be a case of your defrauding me. Its bad enough that you are forcing paid subscribers to be your unwilling beta testers of a very, very poor attempt at programming v/v your “new experience” now you are further robbing us of service we are all paying good cash for. Please do not consider this an ideal threat it is a promise. If you do not indicate to us your subscribers that you have reconsdered the rashness of your decisions and will at least allow the program as purchased to continue its interface and ability to sync with the site for as long as the site exists I for one shall remove my tree from the site and do everything I can to encourage everyone I can through social media and any other means available to me to do the same. You sell or at least once did a service you now seem to have become too big for your britches and forgotten that the single greatest thing going for your site is the interface between the trees of your subscribers. If those trees go… so too does your ability to be in business.
    I challenge one and all of the subscribers to join me in underlining the foolishness of Ancestry’s stated intentions. The trees are ours folks not Ancestry’s we can and I will remove it from the site if I don’t see some inkling of sanity return. I’ve suffered the growing pains of your bastard child in the new profile but this is beyond the pale.
    Lets show them the error of their ways folks join me and echo my words.

  367. This will mean that I lose years of work invested in FTM which does not completely translate to Ancestry. It is distressing to say the least.

    Is there a replacement for FTM? Maybe a better question is what’s an alternative to Ancestry? I will certainly be looking.

  368. Carolyn Johnson

    Just bought FTM 2014 last year after holding out since the 2006 version. It sucks. Few of the things I had in the scrapbook on the older version transferred. I’m still in the process of reloading all the pictures, etc. Do we get money back?

  369. Bill

    My impression of ANCESTRY has suffered virtually every time you’ve come out with an “improvement”. Most businesses try to help their customers, not frustrate them.

  370. Barbara

    One more very BAD business decision by Ancestry. I have already cancelled my subscription due to the mess with the online trees.

  371. Sharon Toler

    Now what do we do? I’m sure there are many many people like me who still use software programs including Family Tree Maker. Wrong move Ancestry. Wrong move.

  372. Marcel Belanger

    I too am not too pleased with Ancestry. I too spent a lot of money with Ancestry and now after 2017 what are we going to use ? With all your advertising on TV, I feel that is a blatant false advertising. I’ve been a customer for many years and now i’ll be left with nothing, no software, nada. If this is the case, then I demand that you remove all and any of my data from Ancestry.ca as well as any other pertinent information regarding any and all my family trees from your file. I will never use any product from Ancestry again, so don’t bother sending me any news letter. All I hope for is your answer stating that you removed any info from my trees that are currently on the website
    Marcel Belanger

  373. Disappointed. My solution will probably be to abandon FTM and Ancestry entirely and rely on my own website which uses TNG software and Google to make connections. A lot cheaper of course.

  374. Jack

    Doesn’t surprise me but Ancestry’s greed will have people abandoning the Ancestry.com site as they download broken GEDCOM files they spent a small fortune at Ancestry.com and unrecoverable hours building. Truth be told, those that became rich from government records should be thankful because the government should have been competently providing access to those records to all Americans from the start. Ancestry.com with it’s records is not a long term business model but competent desktop genealogical program and scrapbook maker is. Ancestry.com you can only ride the coattails of privileged access to government records for so long. An actually product created by Ancestry.com is needed and one that is better than what your competitors offers. That product was Family Tree Maker SW but not for long we see. I recommend Gramps SW as a replacement.

  375. Alison

    Seriously…I use this to produce charts for the books I write. I also hate the new website interface. I don’t understand why you would pull the plug on this on such short notice .

  376. While I understand that hard decisions have to be made regarding costing and building products, I feel you have failed to see the true impact of your decision. There are thousands of uses of your Family Tree Maker who continue to update and expand their research daily. Please please do not stop this part of your very successful business.

  377. Sandy

    I am retired and my income has greatly been reduced. I have always felt that at least I would have what FTM sinced last. If I can no longer afford Ancestry I will lose all the work I have saved to my account. Likewise the gift memberships I have given, if not financially maintained will lose all their work. How can this support the genealogical community? What plans do you have to upgrade your site to print reports and filter info as FTM currently does?

  378. Bill Darron

    All of us deal with archive materials that are old. Some things that are 100 years old. The one thing that strikes me is that the Internet and web has completely replaced hard copies of most records. The only one real reason why Family Tree Maker is great is because you can print out the information so 100 years from now people can actually see the information. Who knows how the website will do this 100 years from now. We have troubles already with the death of floppy drives, CD’s and some hard drives and it has been under 50 years time!

    Please improve a web way to print the reports found in Family Tree Maker.

    Also needed are the global correction tools, merging and many other features that are very helpful.

    You have much work ahead if you want to replace this desktop offering. Personally, I would prefer if you kept supporting this for the “professional” community. Look to how Intuit handles these issues for some clues.

    I think we should pay for the services we use, not make the software so cheap that it isn’t sustainable.

  379. Helen Ball

    Just so that you can have everyone’s family trees just on your website. SHAME ON YOU. Shoddy commercialism. No regard for your customers who pay you so much money for an increasingly shoddy and clunky service.

  380. Richard Holt

    I think you are under estimating your current users, who use and depend on this product. Most have worked with product for years, and some like myself, predate Ancestry’s aquistion of this software. We have seen many upgrades and improvements over the years, but to drop what has to be the most popular and easy to use method for doing your genealogy is a major let down for users and a big mistaken for your company. PC’s aren’t going anywhere. They are not dinosaurs, but getting rid of this software is making it seem like they are. This is a bad decision and one I hope you will reconsider.

  381. Michael Orr

    You must have a way for all the people to continue keeping their tree updated, I would think. But the statement about not serving at all after Jan 2017 makes me wonder about your choice. If you do not have a replacement program, you would , more than likely, loose many current users.

  382. Dr. Robertson

    Your decision to leave everyone in the lurches doesn’t seem ethical at all. Has the LDS Church become corrupted by the $$ ??

  383. Lesley

    FTM is so much quicker for adding information to compared to Ancestry – example – adding photos – much quicker – tweaking addresses to multiple family members at the same time and so many other points – being able to print off different branches when required (for visiting family members etc) by using a specified person as head etc.

    I depend on FTM for so many different features that Ancestry just does not have. I agree with other comments in that I don’t like your new interface – your life stories feature is terrible – it changes peoples address – example – I’m UK based and say I have someone born in Birmingham, your life story lists it as Birmingham, Alabama! It does this for a few address’ (different towns) – so annoying!

    I agree with the other comments on here in that it would be a real shame if you do retire the FTM software – I find it invaluable and having spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours as many of us have, it would be so upsetting.

    PLEASE RECONSIDER

  384. Diane E

    I guess I don’t understand exactly what this means. Will I still be able to get access to documents, etc. via Ancestry.com – but I will be forced to use FamilySearch or Geni or some other vehicle for the actual “tree”?? I don’t understand how Ancestry.com can continue to provide information, but no longer provide a vehicle for logging that information???? Please explain more – I am definitely not happy with this announcement! My husband and I have spent hundreds of hours working on our family trees using this software!

  385. SW

    So will Avanquest continue to supply Family Tree Maker? I think it is extremely poor customer service to inform subscribers only 3 weeks before you cease supply. If I had known earlier I’d have invested in copies as gifts for relatives.

  386. Margaret C

    What is difference between Family Tree Maker and Ancestry.com? If they are the same, what will you be offering to replace it?

  387. Don Natale

    To the management of ANCESTRY. It appears from the respnses on this subject that you have made a poor decision. However all is not lost – – YOU CAN ALWAYS REVIEW THIS AND ADMIT YOU MADE A MISTAKE ! ! I shall keep my Family Tree Maker and not renew ANCESTRY.COM.

  388. Andrew Mann

    This would be a very SAD day if you decide to go through with this. I have been a loyal user of FTM since when it was still under Banner Blue. Your website is very hard to look at a tree. FTM is a means of looking at information in a very easy way. Not complicated as on your website. This is a large step backwards as far as genealogy. FTM is the best tool you have in getting your info to the masses. Very SAD day !!!!!

  389. Dear Folks: I am an archivist and the webmaster for the Caswell County Historical Association (Yanceyville, North Carolina). We built our genealogical service around Family Tree Maker and have owned every version of the software. This decision by Ancestry.com is upsetting. Being able to access Ancestry.com directly from Family Tree Maker is one of the most valuable parts of the Ancestry.com subscription. I cannot imagine doing without the “hints” feature. Please reconsider. Thanks.

  390. Cheryl Outon

    I too have used Family Tree Maker since the first version and have even been a beta tester a few times. I am very disheartened to hear this decision! I have no intention of ever being web base only on my research! This will certainly add extra steps to anyone who uses Ancestry.com and don’t see how it could possibly increase your sales or business!

  391. Kim Penrod

    The interface on ancestry.com is horrible compared to family tree maker. I do not want my research to only be accessed through the website. You will need to come up with another software program or reverse your decision on FTM as I will no longer be subscribing. I have been a loyal subscriber and defender of ancestry.com but no more. Poor business decision.

  392. David Murray

    This is a horrible decision on your part.

    I have decades of research invested in Family Tree Maker going back before Ancestry.com was even involved with the company.

    When a company tells me that my investment in them no longer matters, that tells me a great deal about the leadership of the company. I’ll willfully stay ignorant of my ancestry before I give your company another dime.

  393. James C. Freudenburg

    Oh, swell. I have used Family Tree Maker software for years and love it. I got linked to Ancestry a couple years ago and hate it! It mainly seems to be a gimmick to milk more and more money out of the users for “upgrades”. If you can’t be bothered to support the best part of your service, at least be good enough to find a company willing to take it over and continue to support it. By the way, won’t be renewing my Ancestry membership.

  394. Lee Ann

    After being a LOYAL customer for many years of FTM and Ancestry.com….what good will your website be if you can’t sync your tree any more and what will happen to the YEARS of work that I have put into research. To say I am disappointed doesn’t even come close to how I feel….I can’t even imagine. I will be cancelling my subscription as well if you decide to go ahead with this foolish decision. What will be the use of having it if it will not sync with your software. I am totally upset over this. Please reconsider what you are doing to the research that so many people do that helps others find past family and even living family members….

  395. Jan

    I am disappointed with this corporate decision – all of my extensive research is on Family Tree Maker, and not on Ancestry.com – Fully 3/4 of my 40 years of research will not be published because of this decision. I do not want to publish anything without verifying the authenticity of my citations. I have been a subscriber of Ancestry for years – I even made a commercial for Ancestry back in 2004 in Portland, OR – to make this decision without at least giving your subscribers at least 6 months or even a years’ notice so they can migrate their research, is inexcusable. What software is going to replace FTM? You are disenfranchising your client base; the ones without access to iPads or tablets….the ones who have been faithful to all the versions of FTM through all the years.

  396. Kittie

    I had requested another years gift subscription to Ancestry from relatives but now I don’t want it and will let them know. I will cancel now because I won’t be able to use my FTM GRRRRR that’s maddening I would not have spent so much time with it and PAID to get it if it was going to be useless

  397. LMV123

    Congrats on a super efficient way to alienate a large portion of your customer base. I assume that’s what you were trying to do, as no other motivation makes any sense. I’ll step back now & watch the waves of outrage crash upon Ancestry’s shore.

  398. Dwaine Thomas

    I foresee everything still working, including Treesync as still working after 2017, what do you foresee?

  399. Angie

    I am extremely disappointed in this news. I’ve been a faithful user of FTM since 1995. Ancestry is an addition to my work, while FTM is everything. This will make me seriously reconsider my subscription to Ancestry. I truly hope you reconsider.

  400. Vince Skahan

    I don’t know how to provide my feedback in printable for polite company form, I’m THAT unhappy with how you’ve killed what used to be the best product available.

    When will you Open Source all your data formats and interfaces so somebody can write a ‘quality’ desktop product that can handle the millions of user-years invested in something you’re just tossing out with the trash…..

    Your web-based interface with its ridiculous cartoonish commentary threads is just horrid. I don’t have any idea what to do at this point. Beyond unhappy with you guys at this point. Beyond unhappy.

  401. Paul

    Family Tree Maker is why I use Ancestry in the first place. I’ve always though the Ancestry subscription was too expensive; now you’ve made my decision easy. When Family TreeMaker goes away, so do I.

  402. Sheila

    Well, I won’t be renewing my subscription once you do that! My use of FTM precedes, by some years, the link between Ancestry and FTM and I guess this is true for many other users. I will make sure I have backed up and printed all I need by 2017!!

  403. Mark

    It sounds as though you are saying that you are ending sales of TreeMaker because it isn’t making money for you. Are you sure that you’re not loosing sight of the bigger picture? I suspect that users of your on line business will now feel that you offer nothing more than other companies and you will slowly loose your market share. Targeting short term gains often marks the longer term decline of a company. You certainly aren’t going to win popularity points with this decision and it should have been announced sooner.

  404. Robyn

    Im disgusted in this thought I have used family tree maker for years! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO REPLACE THE PROGRAM WITH A FREE UPLOAD I HOPE. If not my whole family tree/s I will delete on Ancestry and go elsewhere. “NOT HAPPY JAN”

  405. Jim

    So how do we get the functions we used Family Tree Maker for? Are you offering a “non-desktop” alternative? if not, please recommend a competitor whom we can use that has access to ANCESTRY.COM’s data base of our data!

  406. Sue Gill

    Ancestry want us all to use their clunky online interface so they can share our research with everyone. Just because they’re no longer supporting Family Tree Maker it doesn’t mean it going to stop working. If you’re happy with it just keep using it. Unlink it from Ancestry it’ll be just fine, you just won’t be able to see you tree on ancestry. Silly decision, think I’ll move my business to Findmypast instead only, of paying for both.

  407. Paula

    I certainly hope you will develop on the website the ability to create the various charts and reports that FTM can produce! And Tree Sync is so important! I don’t understand how you made this decision – is it that all you really want is the names to be added to the LDS database, and you don’t care about the individuals who, like me, have devoted hundreds if not thousands of hours to family research? It’s not much use to me just sitting in the database. I want to be able to print reports and family trees!

  408. Alan Knight

    Do you intend to provide an API so other software can sync to the online tree? The online tools are insufficient to maintain a large tree.

  409. Deb

    Question: After Family Tree Maker is retired, if I, a paying ancestry.com member for years, decide to stop re-joining every year, 1) will I have access to my own informaton forever? 2) Will others be able to see my info and contact me? 3) Aren’t there some reports options on Family Tree maker that are not on Ancestry.com? Will I still be able to print reports, my galleries, etc from Ancestry if I am not a member?

  410. Bill Wilson

    This is a very unwelcome decision. I like the FTM interface much better than the new Ancestry online interface. I also like having a copy of my tree on my hard drive, compeletely independent of Ancestry.com and any decision the company thinks would improve the bottom line. I also keep my tree on iFamily for Mac, which is a delight to use, not to mention much less expensive than Ancestry. Please reconsider what I believe to be a bad long-term business decision, no matter the short-term saving in development costs.

  411. HollyC

    I just bought FTM3 within the last month – you could have given more warning on this than a few weeks! Your current website is not as clear a place to enter data, the display is so cluttered with unimportant timeline additions – I have to believe you will lose any clients who are trying to be professional in how they research with this decision – a very poor idea!

  412. James Mahood

    Another feature to show tricky relationships would be the ability to put anchor individuals in a group. Then show a tree that showed only people in this group and people that connected them to each other.

  413. Karin

    I think this is a huge mistake. Very disappointed after all of the years and money I have spent keeping up to date, only to be in vain. Will look into using a different site.

  414. Joan Dougherty

    I have used Family Tree Maker since before it was an Ancestry product. Although I also work on my ancestry.com tree, Family Tree Maker provides me with the reports necessary to further my research. I think is a very poor decision on your part. I know many people who are not Ancestry customers who are dependent on this software to forward their search.
    Where are we to go now to print the custom reports we need. I also do not like your new ancestry.com format. It’s bulky and confusing!

  415. Brendi

    I think this stinks unless the printing things can be made available on the site and a way to back up years of research. I am at the thinking of cutting my losses now and finding a new site!

  416. Birk Binnard

    This is a truly stupid decision motivated by greed instead of customer service. What a catastrophic mistake for your company. The least you could do is give everyone who wants one a free copy of the most current version of the FTM software.

  417. Carol Stewart

    Following such an unpopular announcement, I believe you would be wise to post some information on what you propose to offer paying members who, like me, have paid a great deal of money to you over the years to research their family tree. I don’t believe your simple “We aren’t going to do this any more” announcement is going to satisfy the general public for very long. Come on! Step up to the plate with some offers on what you DO propose to offer!

  418. Sharon Higbee

    Apparently your research did not include the opinion of the customers who support Ancestry.com. I doubt that I will continue my subscription much longer if I cannot continue to use Family Tree Maker or a similar product that can receive/organize ancestry data, including photos, notes, stories, documents, duplicate entries, etc. If you need to increase your income in order to continue to include Family Tree Maker, I suggest that you initiate a referral program that pays/honors your long-time supporters. We can bring in many more subscribers.

  419. sheila

    I agree that the new interface is not the best change that Ancestry has made. I also notice that no responses have been made to any of the legitimate questions asked. Sounds like they will simply turn off the Family Tree Maker function. I suggest everyone grab all their in trees, information and documents while you still can.

  420. Henry

    Not a smart decision with out an alternative does this mean back to hand written records? I am very uncomfortable having all my research in a cloud

  421. Roger

    I think a very real problem of not having FTM is that there will be NO other mechanism to keep a local copy of your records and information. Having everything on line is great but when I want to exit the service or stop paying for a while, then how do I exit and take the tree info with me? I don’t see the web having a full export to GEDCOM feature? Is that coming?. If not it will seem as though the service has me stuck.

  422. Deborah

    Ancestry wants our work and info plugged into “their system” which they will then OWN ….. I will be switching to Legacy for my files and will be removing any personal notes and research from Ancestry.com. As a member of Ancestry since they first came online, I am quite disappointed in this lack of regard for their customers. DONE !!!

  423. Gene Theroux

    I’ve used FTM for many years and like the program. To me, this is a terrible business decision and enough for me to kick Ancestry.com to the curb.

  424. Ian McDonald

    Incidentally, I use Brother’s Keeper as my PC database, and have done so since long before the arrival of the Internet in the UK. I find it simple to use, with every function I require, and without all the unnecessary, pretty, “all-singing-all-dancing” complications of FTM. The only thing it won’t do is sync to Ancestry, which is why FTM is essential to me.

  425. Kathy

    I appreciate the honesty of announcing that profits are the motivation for discontinuing FTM. We will now have access to all that new information and no format to input it. Guess those little leaves commercials will go away. I’ve been a member for over 20 years. Disappointing in every way. Best wishes for your profit margins.

  426. R Greene

    will there be a way for me to sort and structure my records or will I have get another data processing system? Will I be able access Ancestry with FTM even after you no longer support it? Will I be able to access new content with FTM? Will Ancestry provide the means for me to share research and discoveries with other users?

  427. Ken

    One more thing. Will you give us a very good explanation of what things FTM does that online can’t do and how you are going to accommodate these things. Your current explanation doesn’t tell us what you are going to do to replace the things missing onlne that FTM does.

  428. Andrea

    Truly horrible decision. Ancestry is clumsy and I want parts of my files to remain private. Ugh. Awful.

  429. Teresa McGiwin

    I am disappointed as I have used FTM for the past 16 years. I want my tree on my desktop, not on Ancestry.com. This is really unfair to those who have purchased the software as well as purchased every upgrade that came along. Please reconsider.

  430. Ann

    As a member and user of FTM for over a decade, I echo everyone else’s disappointment. FTM offers things your website doesn’t. This move has certainly disappointed your members and customers.

  431. Terry

    This is a poor decision which will hurt most users. I for one do not want to have my family tree maintained by Ancestry. Please reconsider dropping FTM, or like many others I will no longer continue my membership.

  432. Lynn Wells

    Perhaps if I had started my tree on ancestry.com and had never used Family Tree Maker, this wouldn’t affect me, but I find it infinitely easier to enter information into FTM. If I need to search my tree for any ancestors in a particular location, I can do that on Family Tree Maker. On ancestry.com, the only way I can see to search my tree is by person. If I want to print a report, I can do that in FTM. If I want to do that from ancestry.com, I have to use MyCanvas.

    I suppose I will continue to use Family Tree Maker as long as I can, and duplicate the entries in ancestry.com. I can only hope that you will incorporate some of the wonderful search features in FTM into the online ancestry.com, or I will be searching for a new program.

    Lynn Range Wells

  433. Wilfrid

    What a disaster. Refunds are due to all who bought this year. Then we can go to the competition who support us.

  434. This is crazy. I have spent many years and lots of money on this and would like to know what we are suppose to do now. I expect a refund.

  435. Chris Bryant

    Truly disappointing. FTM allows me to take my research on the road on my laptop. It was great to be able to visit gravesites and double-check the info. Not every place has cell coverage and the phone version isn’t nearly as feature rich. Nor is the web version.

  436. Stephanie

    So unhappy with this decision. As we all know, if it’s digital there is always the chance something can happen to your files…need the backup! As well as the other options FTM provides!

  437. David

    So what do we use to do our deskwork? Only your site?
    Gee, just what I really want to do – have ALL my data stored online – NOT! This is TERRIBLE!!!! Oh yeah, no sites have ever crashed or been compromised. RIGHT!!! Sounds like greed to me. You used us and our FTM info to build your “empire” and now you’re ditching us. Thanks

  438. Sean T Traynor

    I was just about to renew my subscription to Ancestry, again a withdrawal of a service with no notice to us users. I don’t think I will bother with renewing. Ancestry obviously think they have us over a barrel. NOT GOOD!>

  439. Scott Lackey

    What a horrible decision. you make your website nearly unusable with a lot of big graphics and now you want to cancel a program i’ve been using for 20 years. Please quite your job immediately

  440. Judith

    The info provided talks about ‘apps’, You can’t use your phone to keep the files. My files are enough that I use a back up drive. They have not said if you still have the program you will still be able to ‘sync’. Otherwise it means would have to enter info twice. I can still use FTM, but make it harder. Will canx membership with Ancestry when subscription ends. NO THOUGHT HAS GONE INTO THIS DECISION.

  441. Janice Schmidt

    This is a BIG mistake! I think those in charge need to rethink this. Or, those of us who routinely use FTM to interface with Ancestry may need to rethink our subscriptions. This is a very poor decision. I hope based on all the comments you have received that you will reverse this decision.

  442. Bill

    What you do not explain here is how Ancestry subscribers and FTM users will continue to develop and maintain their family history records. I’ve been managing my research through FTM for many, many years but you offered no explanation of how we go forward. This hurts deeply!

  443. Michael Dixon

    If you retire the core product, where researched data is held, then genealogists will naturally revisit other market sources for raw data. It seems like your new corporate strategy will necessarily reduce your competitiveness! Have simplification policies obscured the ultimate effect on your Market Position and your eventual fall in revenue?

  444. DeDe

    One more nail in the Ancestry coffin. They want us all to use their STUPID new online product. I had switched to using FTM as a front end to avoid having to go into new Ancestry, now that will be taken away. I will never trust Ancestry again.

  445. Andrew Jolly

    What’s everyone morning about – just because FTM is being retired doesn’t stop it working on the desktop. Presumably only the syncing will.

  446. Brenda Lefley

    Ooooo mmmmmm gggggg ! My daughter has literally just bought me ftm for my birthday ancestry are really winding me up now . I asked for ftm for my birthday because I hate the new ancestry and hoped to manage by using ftm. Ancestry. …you are now persistently not listening to your customers. Why? We have made you who you are and now you are treating us very badly.

  447. Carolyn

    I’m extremely disappointed with this decision. I use both online ancestry and FTM & find FTM has much better functionality in report generation and maintenance. I’m very uncomfortable with losing the option to store my precious information on a hard drive in addition to online.

  448. Toni

    Are you just stopping support of FTM or the interface to FTM? Is there a suggested replacement? Am I suppose to keep my tree on your site and if so, wouldn’t you own it? Have you ever been successful with vague communications?

  449. margaret

    I’ve invested well over $200. US for Family Tree Maker for Mac and updates. Your decision is outrageous. You are kicking all your loyal and paying customers who have got the company to where it is today. Clearly you have no regard for us. I’m so angry I must stop.

  450. Brenden Preece

    Can you clarify that we will still be able to use FTM in its current version on our PCs. And if so will we still be able to search Ancestry from within the program?

  451. Steve Wynn

    Currently the content accumulated over the past 8 years lives on my hard drive. Content found after Jan 2017 belongs to who? Will new subscribers then never have the ability to capture the data and only visit it as subscribers in perpetuity?

  452. Debra

    This is an unbelievably harmful decision for those of us who use FTM as a backup for what’s in Ancestry and for FTM’s ability to print reports to share with others and for our own purposes. All digital data is at risk from loss, even with backups, and I depend on FTM for that added measure of security and control.

    Perhaps your vision is to port FTM’s capabilities to the online experience, but I don’t have high hopes for success there given the problems with the new Ancestry (functions that remain absent or don’t work consistently, for example).

    Over my years on Ancestry, I’ve seen more “dumbing down” of the interface than I have seen improvements. FTM was truly a bright spot for its flexibility in reporting.

    Please reconsider.

  453. Jodie Zoeller

    I am very disappointed to hear this announcement. I have been a user of both FTM and the ancestry.com website for many years. I think you are making a big mistake because serious genealogists use FTM offline with online backup. At this point I’m going to have to rapidly merge my trees which aren’t merged yet.

  454. Marianne Hale

    I’ve had FTM since #1 came out – which was then owned by a local company, Broderbund. They sold out to Mattel – who quickly sold it again. I’ve upgraded every time since then, and noticed that after calling tech service last month, a new company takes care of it now. I would have at least figured Ancestry could afford to carry this vital program, because you’re the most expensive genealogy website, and like many other researchers, I have supported you all this time by renewing my subscriptions. So Ancestry… what happens when FTM errors out on my 35+ years of research? Maybe I should just chuck my renewal to Ancestry, and get it at the library for free. Or maybe you’re just trying to get everyone to upload their family tree research to Ancestry by getting rid of FTM. Lame move.

  455. Sandra Holt

    This announcement makes me very sad. I have been a Family Tree Maker user and a paid Ancestry user for about 14 years. I am very computer literate, an like a lot of others here, prefer to work on my desktop for genealogy. Apps are fine for travel an such, but does not meet the need of a genealogist for every day entry & out pit. I have tried some different software & was not pleased with the look, ease of use & output of print items. This will probably prompt others like myself to go to one of the other paid genealogy sites. Please rethink your decision. I know you are coming from a “money” viewpoint, but that isn’t everything.

  456. Judith Campbell

    I am horrified! I want to own my own data! How dare you make this kind of a decision. Guess I move on. Your research tool is topnotch but as a historian your are now of no value to me for my own work. I will keep my account but will now need to build another repository for my data.

  457. Madeleine

    I find this outrageous. How can you do this? I use FTM to make books of my ancestors and descendants. I think the reason you are losing people is that your family trees are not private enough. Your so called private trees are available to the public. How is getting rid of FTM going to rectify this? I have been a FTM user since 10. After you took on Roots. There are things you can do to make FTM more usable one is to allow insertion of documents and pictures into genealogy reports . Books can do this with inserted pages but this does not satisfy the closeness of documents and pictures in descendant and ancestor genealogy reports. What do you propose to fill the gap in software for tablets and phones that will take the place of FTM on Desktops ?

  458. Dawn

    I have been a subscriber of Ancestry and Family Tree Maker since you purchase Roots program. I am terribly disappointed in this discussion to cancel Family Tree Maker. Please provide an alternative so I can transfer my information from this program. This was such a slick way to access Ancestry. I can not see once continuing with my subscription once Family Tree Maker is no longer useable. One very disappointed long term member.

  459. Mark

    Please give us the specifics about what will replace FTM. How will we be able to perform specific and detailed manipulations of our tree data without a feature-rich software program? Surely you don’t expect the Ancestry applet to do these things? If so, goodbye Ancestry, hello competition!

  460. I don’t get this. It is because of your Family Tree software that I USE Ancestry. Not the other way around. So what happens now…we lose all our data on our trees? I take it you are abandoning us.

  461. Jeannie

    Unbelievable I cannot believe y’all are expecting us to put our information out online for people to be able to access it and get more information for victims of identity theft I do not want my tree online if I did I would use it in the first place instead of buying your software which I just bought and I would like a refund as well you will have a lot of people using other means in search bad idea

  462. Cole

    If Family Tree Maker is to be retired, its functionality should be available on Ancestry.com. Reports in particular are the main reason why I use the software.

  463. Daye Irving

    I just purchased an upgrade for my FTM. I want a refund, s within a month you have made it redundant.

  464. Brian Richards

    Dear Kendal Hulet, I think Ancestry needs to do a lot more to explain how they will replace the functionality of the desktop software with online services or do you have no plans for that?. I expect that many users will not want to continue to trust Ancestry with holding all their private data files and notes unless there is an assurance that we will have unlimited access to these whether or not we maintain a continuous subscription to Ancestry Databases.I agree with C Maarie Steele’s comment above about the quality of the new online interface which fills people timelines with lots of uneccessary data about events that may not even be relevant along with the birth and death of every family member. Unless Ancestry is able to provide the level of control that we have at the desktop level in a future online environment I expect you will see many users moving away from Ancestry altogether. You need to make your plan clear from the start otherwise I guess we can assume you have no plan.
    Regards, Brian Richards

  465. Laurie Ulrop

    I seriously hope you are reading these comments!! How could you do this? You will be destroying everyone’s family tree that they have stored on your site? To what end? Are you going to increase the prices and expect people to stay? Sorry, that’s not going to happen. I hope you go through these comments and answer each and everyone one of us. We need to know what to do…..

  466. John Kenneth Fisher

    This is incredibly disappointing. FTM was an essential part of my Ancestry use. I think you’re making a mistake, as no serious user is going to let Ancestry.com be the sole repository of their data without the ability to keep an uptodate copy locally as well.

  467. rosemary

    so disappointed FTM is so easy to use. How will we take our FTM on Laptop to a library, archive or relative, open the section we want and do the research there & then. Archives and relatives don’t all have wifi to hook in to. I’m disgusted with such a self serving decision by Ancestry. So FTM is useless I suppose and Ancestry’s hints are worthless as is their ‘new look’ for idiots site.

  468. Bob Butler

    I am amazed at the lack of foresight in making this decision. I cannot understand how Ancestry could not understand that although the majority of research takes place on line the recording and maintaining of records relating to the family tree is primarily stored on a computer – online trees are only used to assist in the search. The way FTM and Ancestry work together was my main reason for choosing this combination. The break in the link will reduce my reasoning for maintaining my Ancestry membership.
    A great disappointment.

  469. BJ Mills

    Can you absorb FTM into Ancestry so it will remain available? FTM is my #2 genealogy tool. Ancestry was my #1.

  470. Susan

    I paid AUD $90 to download FTM in August from the Mac App Store and now it is no longer available. If my software becomes corrupted how am I supposed to restore it? A Hugh majority of people researching are older and don’t have unlimited access to the Internet and small data plans. I am extremely disappointed.

  471. Grant

    I’m not comfortable with this. Since you’ve already decided please give us a way to remotely and independently back up 100% of all our data, links, photos at a location we choose.

  472. AP

    FTM was the only way to manage trees with thousands of people effectively. If you aren’t going to support it anymore, support the sync API and open source the software on GitHub.

  473. Terry

    This is a mistake, so now we will only be able to store our info online. I’m with the others, I want refund on Family Tree Maker. The most recent changes to the website are terrible.

  474. Gwen

    Another bad business and PR decision from Ancestry.com. Nothing else to do except wait to see who will take over this market.

  475. Ruth

    I am very disappointed that Ancestry has decided to no longer support Family Tree. I have been a subscriber of Ancestry for many years and have thousands of hours invested. I will be extremely hesitant to commit my research to any future Ancestry programs or projects given the likelihood of another abandonment. I realize this is a business but continued support for legacy programs is part of maintaining a company’s business and good name.

  476. Marcel Jusaume

    I along with the many who have already commented think this is a bad business idea on many fronts. I have been using FTM since DOS version 3.0 and Ancestry since 1999. I rely heavily on FTM for my research and data entry. I use ancestry to look up records. I do a lot of detailed editing and note taking in FTM. the Fan charts and group sheets I produce and use are invaluable. If Ancestry is going to cut us off at the knees with no other options I think this is a very bad idea! I will have to seriously evaluate other PC based software this year and start migrating my research and $$$$$ to other resources!

  477. Chris Luppens

    I bought my first copy of Family Treemaker over 20 years ago. There has never been any indication of financial issues. I can generate reports etc with the software and yet there are errors etc that are on the versions of my trees on the website. So suddenly we go from being able to do things consistently to hopefully someday being able to do some things correctly. I am looking for another place to continue my work. How disappointing.

  478. Steve Rudge

    I too will stop using Ancestry.com if this is to occur. I have purchased several versions of FTM in addition to continuing to pay for Ancestry over the years and having my DNA processed through Ancestry. I depend on the sync the Ancestry tree with FTM and have no intention of having my only tree being kept on your website. I will be withdrawing all of my association with Ancestry.com if this is carried forward. I too am not a fan of the “new” Ancestry.com in that I don’t care how pretty it looks or that you can insert items of your choice into my timeline/story, but I will live with it if I still have FTM. I am guessing that I am now on my last subscription to Ancestry.com.

  479. Don Inbody

    I am exceptionally disappointed with the cancellation of FTM. As stated by several commentators above, the online Ancestry is junk compared to the capabilities of FTM. I hope you will reconsider this decision or, at least, provide us with alternatives better than the online web-based access.

  480. Diane

    None of you really think anyone at ancestry cares, do you? Do you think you’ll get one answer from them? You won’t. They’re money hungry jerks who could not care less about their customer base. The only way to fight this is with your wallets and pocketbooks. Stop subscribing. They’re banking you won’t, but show them you will. Bankrupt them, don’t send them to the bank with your money.

  481. Mike

    Ancestry is going downhill fast. The layout of searches, the auto-fill that is inadequate and now this. I am totally disappointed and disgusted and will cancel my membership. I have invested a lot in Ancestry and Family Tree Maker – seemingly to be lost through your inability to understand members needs. Read all of the above comments.
    How selfish of you not to consider the wishes of hundreds, if not thousands of members.

  482. Rhonda

    I have notes in FTM that don’t sync with Ancestry. How do I keep them? Please reconsider and keep FTM. People still use software. How would I print group sheets and trees? This is not a good decision! Please reconsider this move.

  483. This will be the second time that Ancestry has screwed us over. The first was MyFamily and now your closing out FTM without a suitable replacement. If you continue down this path you will not receive any future moneys from us. Have you received any positive feedback?

  484. JMR

    I literally thought a family member was terminally ill & dying when I read this. I have talked more people into using Family Tree Maker and have updated every time there was an new update. It is better than anything out there and easier to use! Very Sad!!

  485. Jimmy Deas

    I have used the Family Tree software for years and have built a large file of my ancestors. I do not have my data posted on ancestry.com. I am a paid subscriber to Ancestry.com,

    I am shocked to receive this news of this software being discontinued. You say that the users of your software is getting smaller and smaller. I find that hard to believe. I hope you will reconsider your decision.

    What software on the market do you recommend users like myself use?

    Also, I cannot help but wonder if this is not your way of forcing us Family Tree software users to dump our genealogy data on ancestry.com?

    Please provide me with your response.

  486. Joyce

    So disappointed! It really frustrates me about this decision…FTM is so useful and I definitely will take my family tree down if this isn’t resolved.

  487. LLeon Nickels

    I really like he ownership and comfort of having a backup of all my hard earned data. What will be done to replace this?

  488. Joe soap

    I think anyone they requests a refund should be givin one . Shocking news, I have been using family tree for over 10 years , and I will not be changing , so it looks like I’m not renewing my membership at the end of this month.

  489. Joshua

    I am with a lot of other users and think that this is a bad idea. There are things that I prefer to do online but the sync to the software allows me to backup data, sources, pictures, etc. automatically to the software so that I do not loose them. The ability to create different reports are also a plus with the software that is not available online. I also use the date correction, location correction, and duplicate finder in the software as things copied from certain sources are not always formatted the same. I hope that you reconsider this or look at the things that people use in the software and add it to the online system.

  490. Bill Woodard

    I just want to add my voice to those who are extremely disappointed in this news. My suspicion is that virtually all of your serious users are desktop users of FTM. It is just so much more powerful than Ancestry online. I am also not a big fan of most of the new online interface. One of the other comments referred to it as childlike and much of it is.

  491. Vince

    No problem. When you stop supporting the software, I will stop supporting Ancestry.com. Hopefully a viable alternative appears shortly after.

  492. Lynda

    Wow – I was just ready to re-subscribe to work on mine! What the heck does this mean? All our hard work gone? Hello? No real explanation here of what will happen – we need more information – what a terrible thing to leave us hanging here!

  493. John

    Ancestry users have spent a lot of our time and money building a database that Ancestry charges us to use. We have added pictures and documents that are used by others who also pay to have access to our information. This change will disenfranchise many of us who made Ancestry what it is today. I for one will make my tree private and I may eliminate it from your website all together. I will contact customer service and let them know I don’t want to automatically renew my subscription.

  494. Amy Hewitt

    I am very disappointed. I started using ancestry.com over 10 years ago when the software came with some CDs. The CDA are no longer available because everything went on the web. I have only used the software programs for my family research. What is the software version going to be replaced with? The software programs helps us keep our information organized. Again, I only use the software programs.

  495. Do you have plans for new software to replace FTM? If not, do you have recommendations for desktop software that will be able to work with syncing with our tree on Ancestry.com?

  496. Angela Walker

    I have used ftm and the ancestry site together for over a decade. I can understand business decisions even if I dont agree. But giving less than a months notice is appalling. I will be cancelling my ancestry subscription.

  497. Joe Springer

    If this is true, and the sync option is no longer available after 2017. I will expect a refund for the software I have purchased. If no refund is given I like the idea of putting false information on the site well I keep the correct information in my own personal records. Let’s see how long your company last after 25% of us choose to do something like that.

  498. Jane Cooper

    As I read through the comments most of them seem to reflect my own concerns about what will become of all the work I put into FTM over the years – and what the options will be. Will any of these questions be answered or is the comment section intended only as a place for us to vent while ultimately we will be left high and dry without answers?

  499. Jim F

    This is a total disaster. Ancestry is difficult to use and I do everything I can to make sure someone picks and continues FTM. YOUR company is making a stupid and in the costly mistake.

  500. Kev

    I must say I’m disappointed to hear this. I use FTM for all my research, the online version is crap compared to it. I’ve been looking at alternatives and will probably switch to another service sooner rather than later to iron out any problems transferring data across. I think MyHeritage looks good as a paid service as they have software to use with it too.

  501. Audrey

    Apparently you didn’t ask your customer base as to what they thought of this idea…So very disappointed.as this is the best software available!

  502. Karl

    So without Sync ability, you expect me to continue to update my tree online for your benefit only? Fat chance.

  503. David Poole

    Very disappointing. The website is great for research, but working on the tree is quite difficult as compared with the software. I find it hard to believe you did any market survey on this move.

  504. Don

    Did not see that coming. Please reconsider. My decision as to renewing my membership just got made for me.

  505. C. Parquette

    How about a refund or credit towards ancestry.com for people who paid money to buy this software within the past year?? If you were even thinking of discontinuing it you should not have been promoting so much to your ancestry.com members!!!!

  506. Patricia McLoughlin

    Sad news. I have used Family Tree Maker for more years than I wish to remember and have found it to be a wonderful tool! What alternative are you suggesting for the future following Jan 2017, please.

  507. Keith

    This has got to go down in history as one of the stupidest software decisions ever. Are you crazy? Couldn’t you find someone to pick this up and offer it going forward? Did you ask us, the USERS? NO ONE ASKED ME! Where am I supposed to keep my tree info, if you kill this product? Unbelievably stupid! Remember “New Coke?” That pales by comparison to your poorly timed, terribly DISORGANIZED pronouncement!

  508. Robert

    I have researched my ancestry since 1982 using FTM v1.0 from Broderbund. I have upgraded numerous times since and now use FTM 2014 from Ancestry because of the sync feature ( of which I have experienced numerous problems). Now what ? Will you be adding features to create PDF files ? What other enhancements are in the works ? Also the cost for monthly/yearly premium access I find too costly. It seems this change is driven by $$ and not best product experience for users. I echo other comments–PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS CHANGE.

  509. Carmen

    Bad move. It seems Ancestry wants a monopoly on all things genealogic. By dropping support for the most popular tree program, they will lose many of their subscribers. The next thing I want to hear from you is that you have changed your mind about this.

  510. SW

    I, like others, prefer not to store my family history research online, but on my personal computer. I suppose if we are all forced to use online software, it will be accessible to ancestry staff and hackers. Appalling decision.

  511. So they need to give away or create an open source version and let the community take it from here…then offer services we can still plug in to for a fee…everyone happy

  512. Clyde Defnall

    This is a real let down. I probably won’t renew next time. Maybe you will provide a FREE replacement.

  513. Sharon

    I am not happy with this decision either. I regularly use FTM for maintenance work as the online version doesn’t let you look at sources, facts, places like FTM. And I regularly print reports which you can’t do online.

  514. Melvin C. Eley, Jr.

    I too am extremely disappointed with this decision … for the reasons cited repeatly by my counterparts above!!!

  515. Susan

    People, don’t lose sight of the fact that there are OTHER desktop genealogy software programs. I switched from FTM to Legacy some time ago. This move doesn’t surprise me in the least, except for the lack of notice to its faithful users. The sync was nice IF it worked, which more often than not mine didn’t. Produce a GEDCOM and import it into your new software. Easy, peasy.

  516. Richard Rowland

    Very disturbed. Even thought the Mac version has major bugs it’s all I have and I’ve invested so much time building my tree with pics and documents. I Ancestry won’t work the same way with other software I will surely be finding a new place to do my research and finding new software. I think you have made a greedy huge mistake here.

  517. Kristine

    This is a HORRIBLE mistake by you. What do you think your demo is? Do you think it’s hipster Millennials or do you think it’s people quite comfortable with using desktop software??

    This is just an ill-informed move on your part. Family Tree Maker has so many tools available, so much organizational things to use, places for records and photos, all in one place.

    What are you replacing it with?? Or are we all supposed to now pay $30 per month to use your site directly??

    If that’s what you expect, no wonder you’re trashing FTM. It’s all about revenue.

    You’re hurting your customers with this. FTM provides entirely too much for it to all just disappear.

    I sincerely hope you plan on replacing FTM with similar software or an app–something that will NOT require a monthly fee!!

  518. Robbin

    The online trees are fine as long as you pay the yearly subscription – but you need a software package on your own laptop/desktop when you decide not to renew that subscription as you will not have access to your own info that you have provided Ancestry over the years if you don’t pay the fee!

  519. Allen

    This is a big mistake, the online version can’t do half of what the program can do. In addition you are alienating people like me that can’t get high speed Internet and are forced to work offline most of the time.

  520. Ruth

    Terrible decision. Leaves us without anyway to save our trees to our hard drive. It’s like you want us dependent on your site. I like saving the tree to my hard drive as a backup to the web site. You’re just abandoning you customers that have paid for the software,

  521. Bijou

    Learn a lesson from Coca-Cola and turn back now. It’s not too late to rescind this decision. Obviously, you have many FTM fans.

  522. Ruth

    Please reconsider. I love family tree maker. It is easy to use and the reports are awesome. I don’t always have online access so you’ll stop me from updating. I also will drop Ancestry January 2017.

  523. Mary Langsdorf

    I am so upset about this . I too think the the sync feature is what keeps me subscribing to ancestry. I will not only keep my tree on ancestry website. I want one on my computer. Please reconsider this decision!!!

  524. Helen

    I CAN NOT believe you are going to do this. I have been using Family Tree Maker since it came out and Ancestry as long. I always bought the new editions when they came out, even thought sometimes the upgrade was not significant enough to warrant the cost of a whole new product because I appreciated the software. I love that they will work together. When this runs out, am I suppose to type in all my information all over again in a new program, because FTM gedcom doesn’t copy everything? Gee Thanks!

  525. Alan Clark

    As a user of Family Tree Maker for over 20 years I am extremely disappointed to hear you are discontinuing it. This has been the best tool connected with Ancestry. I do not like the interface provided online with Ancestry and find it totally inadequate for anything but a quick look at ones data. If you persist in discontinuing FTM I will be looking for another program.

  526. Mac Hamlen

    Looks like a lot more people are finding out that Ancestry only cares about money. Treemaker was a rip off just as DNA is. Regardless of input from members, you continually do as you want. Looks like a lot of pissed off members who also will not be renewing their memberships. Kind of like a Ponzi scheme, you better be banking on those who have not figured you out yet. Will be real interesting on the 15th when you implement the New Ancestry, which we also don’t want. oh well, it’s all about you.

  527. Deb

    I’m very disappointed by this decision. With other users, I prefer my Tree to remain private and only make it available as I see fit. Also prefer to work offline prior to uploading. I will be sourcing another software package and will reconsider my subscription.

  528. Lee

    This is an extremely stupid and greedy decision in your company’s part. I will definitely rethink my use of Ancestry.

  529. Andrew P

    Guys – this is not a big deal, there are loads of other packages around – most of them better than FTM. The only advantages that FTM ever gave was the ability to add sources automatically (but the notation was always dreadful) and the sync to the website. The sync was handy but frankly you can do the same with loading a Gedcom file.

  530. John Butt

    I, too, am disappointed. We have used The mater Genealogist until it was discontinued this year, We transferred (not easily) to FTM 2014. Where to now? I can see Findmypast or Myheritage stepping in with a replacement but again with more expense for the end user.

  531. Scott

    I’m very disappointed and amazed that management doesn’t seem to understand what we use FTM for–as has been noted, creating permanent records, books, charts and printed reports of various types for various purposes–the Ancestry website and FTM are not interchangeable. The website is designed for searching, and excellent for that. It is not how I manage what I do with the information–that is what I use FTM to do. All the new things mentioned are great, but have nothing to do with replicating the features of FTM that are not available online.

  532. Though your decision has been made already, I respectfully request you reconsider … Yes, many things are going mobile, but the best tool I have to organize and come back to to use WITH Ancestry.com is the FTM software and to be able to sync the information I want to upload … it is a sad sad day to do away with FTM … I don’t think you can promise to do the exact same things online as you can with FTM that many of us have used and relied on for … well some of us … more that 25 years … I began using FTM when it was DOS!! … some items I have within FTM do not translate well into the online sync, but I like to use FTM for my research …. fix and set, then sync. It really would be a mistake not to allow some form of FTM to continue … I use it on my iphone as well … every tool at my disposal is best! Please reconsider.

  533. John Richardson

    I see that you have disabled our subscription page, I have an Auto subscription which is due any time now, I wish to stop that auto payment so I can use it to subscribe to another provider. I am sorry you are shutting down, I now start my search for a replacement.

  534. Dennis Knight

    Count me out of the next yearly subscription. I have every Family Tree Maker revision to make my family tree a great one. This move by Ancestry serves me no purpose now. Do not praise your giving us over 70M family trees and turn around and abolish what got you go where you are. Who did you query of declining desktop software sales. My master program is on desktop and use a netbook until I transfer update to the desktop. Time to shop for another program.

  535. Dianne

    I can only echo what I have read above. I have used Ancestry and FTM for 15 years and have loved both. Now what? I am very unhappy at the thought of having to only work online and ONLY with a subscription. I hope you will reconsider this decision.

  536. WHAT?? I do not – and will not – put all my information online, anywhere. I spent months trying to find a good alternative to FTM when I switched to a Mac and in the end I bought FTM for Mac because it was quite simply the best out there with the nicest interface. NOW what do I do? I doubt you’re very concerned but quite frankly my future subscriptions to Ancestry are serious in doubt if you are not going to continue with FTM. So many other good sites out there. Very disappointed and also feeling betrayed.

  537. Nicholas Rassel

    I have read through most of the comments on this page and still have yet to find one that supports your decision. FTM truly was your best product and I am astounded that you even remotely think this is a good business decision. So many of us are working on projects that require the features that are only available on FTM and will still need to use those feature past 2017. I, along with every other FTM user, will be expecting a recant of the statement you put out today. This isn’t just something that your loyal customers are asking for, it is something that we are DEMANDING!

  538. Elizabeth K.Hall

    No Comment. Please tell me how to transfer my trees from Family Tree Maker to Findmypast or Familysearch!

  539. Marjorie Williams

    I use both Ancestry and FTM because I want to be able to have my tree under my control. I want to be able to print charts/trees without cost to me. I want to be able to add my notes and pictures that I don’t want others to see. I am sorry that you are giving up on FTM, it was a great product. But it looks like I will have to look for another desktop program.

  540. Jim

    I am retired and have doing genealogy and used Ancestry /Family Tree for more years than this person making the decision has worked. I have over 35,000 im tree and it did not happen by “Ancestry” dropping these names into my file. I started knowing only my grandparents names and nothing else, perhaps if you, Mr. Hulet, had done so and “built a tree”, you would look at it with, in my humble opinion, other than money and look at it at knowledge. I know change is inevitable, however this change, is moving in the wrong direction and appears to misdirected. At my age I used data instruments, some mobile, to build what I hope my descendents find useful. I just downloaded, about a month ago, another version so I hope I have my work done before another “thinker” has an opportunity to do more harm. If this was done with the support of leadership, perhaps you also need to reconsider your approval.

  541. Alistair

    Very disappointing news. i do not want my only source of family history on a third party site where it can be potentially mined for information. I have many more pictures and documents on my desktop version and choose only to put select content on the web to help with matches, which by the way are few and far between.

  542. Denise

    The volume of comments (234) that have been posted in the short amount of time since your announcement a few minutes ago speaks loudly about what your customers think about your decision to abandon the software. Since I have been waiting for the promised 2016 version of your software, I must say I am disappointed by this news– Can you tell me whether any of your competitors have a product that can be used in conjuncture with your site?

  543. Theodore M Seeber

    Since you are no longer interested in continuing development on Family Tree Maker, is the source code and copyright for sale? I may be interested in puttting together a consortium to continue development on this iconic product that has been around for over 20 years.

  544. Ted Georgas

    This news is depressing. After so many years using Family Tree Software, how can they do this to me and all of the other loyal users? Now what am I going to do to save my years of research?

  545. Ross

    I’ve got LOTS of concerns, and LOTS of questions. Pending their answer (which will be a VERY troubling time for me), and hoping for the best: here’s my feedback: 1) this is a terrible move away from FTM, 2) I need a desktop data base that sinc’s w/Ancestry, 3) there better be $0 for me to access my tree on Ancestry after Jan 2017, 4) forget a refund ! These issues are ALOT BIGGER than $40 !!, 5) the Ancestry view of my tree and it’s info is infantile (ie: VERY poor). I’d frustrated, and DONE. Address these questions, then, no doubt, I’ll have a bunch more……resolution: you guys are leaders, don’t screw that up !!

  546. Laura

    Unbelievable! We have used FTM since 1994 and have over 9000 names! I have just been asking for major updates to families to make a new book. I respect people’s identity and do not put it online. WHAT are you thinking? Why can’t you at least keep what you have and keep it accessible to further update, i.e. Windows this or that?

  547. Cynthia

    I join the voices here expressing deep concern over this notice to retire Family Tree Maker. Most of us purchased it because it syncs with Ancestry…so it not fair to suddenly drop the service. We pay– what for many of us–is a lot of money for Ancestry’s services. I have been a member since Ancestry was in fledgling stage, and have seen many improvements. Function and reliable sources of information as more as more records are digitized — and ability to work offline and sync information online–are the most important aspects of Ancestry. Please reconsider this idea.

  548. Judy Neese

    I have been a user of FTM since the mid 1990’s, upgrading almost every time a new version came out. Many features that I depended on from earlier versions were removed and I had to learn how to get around it or mostly just do without. When you tied it to ancestry online, I was not a happy camper. Very rarely am I able to get features to work right online. I work at it and work on it with no success and finally give up. Each time you make changes, the learning curve is too high and takes away from my albeit too short time to work on building and proving my trees. If you don’t make things work better and make it easy, I too will be forced to drop the expensive online subscription.

  549. Ryley

    I am so clueless about computers that I have no idea how this will effect me. Please send out a detailed explanation!

  550. Tom P

    Not much I can add to what’s already been said here. I think this is a horrible move. You can’t work on a website offline. There is no better way than FTM for tracking, labeling all the attached media. It’s also been the best way for a complete, safe, backup of all of the trees data. FTM also makes charts, and more that the site will never be able to do. Altogether this is a really bad move.

  551. Absolutely gutted by this news. I and many others prefer to keep our data stored locally, not having to maintain a membership to be allowed to access our own data. I have been using FTM for over 10 years now and WILL switch to another software product that allows me to do this. If I switch software then I wont be using Ancestry in the same way as I do now. No more Syncing.
    Sorry Ancestry but this is not the way forward for me 🙁 sad sad day, It could be a blessing in disguise though as it will force many to swap to other software packages that are more compliant. \

    BAD MOVE Ancestry!

  552. Michael Blake

    I too find this a most retrograde step. FTM is a vital platform for me. I have paid out a great deal to Ancestry over about six years and see this move by Ancestry as a rather self-serving effort. It will discourage many from staying with Ancestry and will reinforce my own feelings about moving fully to fmp.

  553. Peter

    What a half-baked announcement! If you were thinking more from the perspective of the FTM user (I have been using this software since 1998) you would have illustrated some recommended paths for the thousands of users who now feel let down and confused about how to safely maintain and protect all their hard work and intellectual property.
    You have decided to move away from FTM for your own partly articulated reasons, but you have made no effort at all to explain to your customer base how to feel better about your decision. Poor communication!

  554. Sharon

    Well, I guess after January 1, 2017 I won’t be a customer of Ancestry. I only use the online services as a complementary aspect of FTM. The online services are not nearly as useful as the computer program. There are also many times when I am working on my tree and do not have internet. This is just completely unhelpful.

  555. Andrew

    It is really difficult to understand recent Ancestry decisions. It is almost like someone is trying to crash and bankrupt this company. The “New” Ancestry is absolutely horrible to use and now the only other viable option, FTM, is being removed as well. I doubt even the most emphatic Ancestry defenders will bother trying to justify this after the “new” debacle. What an absolute kick in the teeth for customers. I might as well just pay you $50 and you come around to my house and kick me in the groin.

  556. Peter Crick

    This sort of thing always happens when commercial confidence overtakes the original intention to serve the customer. I’m sure it will do you no good.
    You boast of your assistance and hint programme — every single one of your hints has been a relationship that I had already found and installed in my tree. Probably an automated pickup ! I’ll use what you have available, but will cancel my direct debit immediately so you don’t wxtract anything further.

  557. Sherri

    As a loyal user of FTM since version 1, I’m incredibly disappointed! FTM is far easier to use and navigate than the online trees. Plus FTM allows me to work on my family tree without needing internet access. I also like having the security of my own copy of my tree that isn’t dependent on having a subscription to Ancestry. I guess I’m now on the lookout for software that will allow me to retain control of *my* research. I’ll also be reconsidering renewing my Ancestry subscription. TreeSync was the main reason I stayed a loyal customer.

  558. Nancy Dudak

    I am VERY disappointed and will need to look at migrating to a different desktop software. There are times where I work on my family tree when I do not have the option to be connected to the internet. Sometimes I need to look things up and don’t have an internet connection. We would all lose the ability to do that if you make this change.

  559. John Thompson

    Your got to be joking. I have used this for 15 years and love it. Don’t do this it the best thing going for genealogy.

  560. Dave

    If ancestry wasn’t so expensive I’d be happy to subscribe to it. It’s just a money making racket now.

  561. Richard Rowland

    I want a complete GEDCOM transfer of ALL my data and pics when this happens. I am also considering on organizing a class action law suit against Ancestry.

  562. Dennis Haarsager

    Are you guys nuts? Why would we want to trade the intuitive and fast software platform for a clunky web platform that may force us to putting all our data online? Sorry, but this is a big mistake.

  563. Scarlett

    I have many Trees on Ancestry. I use the Sync feature on FTM and this is invaluable as saves so much time. There have been problems in the past with Sync but that seems to have been dealt with. I like to use FTM to make reports, etc. Bad decision on your part. Bad Karma in store for you…you will lose business!

  564. Carolyn

    I’m eager to see the responses to these comments. On first look it seems like a lot of people are being left in the lurch but I can’t really believe ancestry would do that. Would you? btw, I really loved the old format of your website. I really don’t like the new one. Seems like it’s harder to find possible records.

  565. Annabelle

    Ancestry……..are you listening? Time to reconsider and do an about face. Your customers have spoken!

  566. Matthew

    506 comments in about 20 minutes…. this is not going to go the way you wanted. This might be a great time to reverse the decision and gain some good-will from your user base.

  567. Susan Lee

    Without FTM we will no longer be able to customize reports or make books without paying Ancestry. It is a financial decision to make more money rather than helping the people who do genealogy that goes into their computer banks. Your financial decision is going to loose more paying customer overall UNLESS you plan on making ways in Ancestry.com for people to create reports and customized books or papers without charging them more money.

  568. Sue

    So then what?? What software are your replacing FTM with? Anything? Ancestry doesn’t have the flexibility that FTM. We need to have something we can use to keep our own information that’s not on the internet. Very poor decision.

  569. Linda Naranjo

    I feel this is a very poor business decision on your part. Many people loyal to Ancestry have invested precious money for many years because of the home software. Now, you pull this tool out from under us? Where is your loyalty to your customers? Apparently, like other American companies loyalty is far down on your list of priorities.

  570. Gwen Dade

    I have spent the last 3 months fixing my database of 22,000 family members that was corrupted by trying to do a Tree Sync, because I was told by you I had too many media files. I’m STILL working on correcting this. And now you want to force me to pay 200.00 a year to have access to the hints and MY data. I don’t think so. I was already frustrated with the corruption of my file and now this!!!

  571. Karen

    I can not believe this! I am in shock.. this is the main reason to stay with ancestry.com.. I really hate ancestry.com right now, but plan on checking out MyHeritage tomorrow.. if I go that way, I wonder if ancestry.com will miss me as a customer because it is hard to do trees at more than one place for me. That is why I loved ancestry.com because it and my software worked together. If anyone finds a place that looks better than ancestry.com or my heritage please let me know.
    to Alan, please if 40$ is all you have invested don’t feel bad, a lot of us have full membership at over $300.00 a year and use FTM… so thanks for nothing ancestry.com!! we can go to familysearch.org, fold3 and newspapers on our own and find software and not use you at all. I am like Barbara Combs, for over 25 years I have I history with you and spent a lot of money, PLEASE don’t do this!

  572. Sandra Goodrich

    I have used FTM since the very first edition, as well as having subscribed to ancestry.com. If I only have the web version available I will abandon ancestry for another product. I want to have a software version available. I find ancestry’s web version very rudimentary and not very inspiring to use.

  573. Guy

    Just bought this and have not used it yet. I would like a refund since you are discontinuing the product. Had I known, I would not have purchased it!!!

  574. Edson Gould

    My Tree goes back to William the Conquerer. Do not do this; it is a terrible business mistake and will cost your company dearly.

  575. Violet V

    What a sham! I’ve been using FTM and recommending it to my friends and family and boasting about what a great system it is and you discontinue it!!! The end of FTM is the end of my use for Ancestry. Good bye.

  576. Monifa Marrero Brathwaite

    The software is actually better than the Web site! I’d be lost without it! This is so upsetting. Really bad move Ancestry!

  577. Kevin Scott

    I have been a FTM user since last century and have upgraded may times. I am absolutely stunned at this decision especially after the website debacle. Why are you deliberately alienating your loyal customers. Is Ancestry really intent on suicide?

  578. Anne

    This is heart wrenching news! I am terribly disappointed in the decision and wonder what to do with all the work I have done with FTM over the years. Terrible decision!

  579. Amy Wilson

    I do not have FTM but I want the option of getting my Family Tree onto my computer for a backup. Have been planning to do this. Is this my last chance? Currently it is only on Ancestry.

  580. I think this is a poor decision. After searching for genealogy software I have been with FTM almost from the time it is has been out.

  581. Stella

    Time to move to another program quickly! I will not be ‘owned’ nor will my hard work since 1998 be compromised by this decision. I am very sorry that I upgraded to my last edition. I debated over and over to buy another product but went with FTM because of the easy sync. Now printing hard copies of everything just in case.

  582. Glennys

    I am disappointed with this news. I was intending to hand what I have done to my grandson to continue.

  583. Sandra

    Please reconsider dropping Family Treemaker without an alternative. Your customers pay huge amounts in fees.

  584. Jessica Murray

    @Dave – We do not have any plans at the current time to allow an API integration from other software companies.

    @Dale – Ancestry will continue to support Family Tree Maker owners that have purchased the software by December 31, 2015 through January 1, 2017. During this time, all features of the software, including TreeSync™ will continue to work, and Member Services will be available to assist with user questions. Ancestry will also be addressing major software bugs that may occur, as well as compatibility updates. If this happens, Ancestry will release a patch through the software to fix major breaks.

    For those asking about how best to backup your trees and data, you can download your GEDCOM to your desktop from Ancestry. You can learn more about downloading your GEDCOM here. Features such as TreeSync will continue to work through 2016.

  585. Charles K

    I am sorry to hear you will not be supporting FTM. I have been using it for years and find it easier to use then going on your website. Will you keep supporting the ability to upload my info to the website? I find I cannot navigate or correct mistakes that I make on the website. I like the access to the databases but now I will have to manually retype the data into my software, my soon to be outdated FTM or something else that I can find. How will I keep data that I need to keep track of but don’t want out there for public consumption? Bad decision on your part. I guess I will have to begin to look for some other place to share family trees.

  586. Andrew Peel

    You will be forced to reverse this decision simply by the number of Members like me who will leave pure and simple. Probably your shortest tenure as a Senior VP enjoy it while you can 🙂

  587. Terry Douglas

    I believe this is the worst corporate decision ever made in the genealogical world! All of us that have bought FTM over long period of years have been abandoned. You used our money to help develop Ancestry.com and then cut us off. I echo all the above remarks about having control of my information on my desktop. I for one don’t want to spread my families private information throughout the world on the internet!!! Most privacy and security questions for banking and credit cards ask Mother’s maiden name, date of birth or maternal grandmother’s name, etc for security and Ancestry.com displays all that information throughout the world!!!

    I certainly don’t won’t FTM to go away and I hope you will reconsider this move. Otherwise, I will go back to using some other companies desktop software.

    Sorry to see FTM go!!!!!!

  588. Noel Dowling

    Noel Dowling I think this is a disgraceful & highhanded decision and demonstrates a level of contempt for your customers that is hard to fathom. Customers who bought this software and worked hard to build their ancestral tree wanted sole ownership of their family tree for the benefit of their own family. This is their constitutional right but it seems as if ancestry.com feels empowered to usurp this right. Profit comes from customers not before them; if you lose sight of this fact then you have no raison deter for your continued existence.

  589. Alicia

    Really unfortunate decision and means a step backward for those of us who use the tree sync feature – back to before that feature existed, which was not that long ago. I agree with many people here – we should always have a copy of our research somewhere else, in fact, in a couple of other places, because websites do fail, internet access does get interrupted, and we need to back up the YEARS of research we have done. However, there is no real need to panic here. There are lots of other programs to keep track of your research, and I’m sure most of them will allow us to upload the gedcom files we can extract from FTM already. It’s a matter of switching programs and entering information in a different way. I, for one, will be syncing my trees and backing up all of my work this month to prepare for this change. Meanwhile, Rootstech is coming up – I bet there will be a lot of great blogs that review other programs coming soon, too!
    Having said that, as for a lot of the changes to Ancestry recently, I fear that in dumbing down the process for some people, you’ve left the more serious researchers with new problems to manage and are not really educating the newbies properly.

  590. Jan C

    I, too, have been a faithful purchaser of Family Treemaker for many years and find this decision very, very troubling. It reminds me of their decision to stop offering the MyFamily.Com service. Without Family Treemaker, I too, will look for some service other than Ancestry.Com. And it is very expensive.

  591. Peter

    I just want to add my voice to the many other complaints. I guess I will start to look for an alternative to Ancestry now. I simply do not want all my research just on the Ancestry cloud – too much of a risk.

  592. Marla

    Announcing this way, with NO indications of HOW you will replace the unique functionalities of FTM with the features available online, is really disrespectful, and is going to drive users to seek their own solutions elsewhere. Apparently have no problem excluding a lot of internet-poor folks who have to work offline.

  593. Brian Hill

    What a dirty trick. I don’t want my tree on the cloud at the mercy of third parties, I want them on my own computer. Will we be able to export our FTM files to other software provided by more accommodating companies? You’ve not been taken over by Microsoft have you?

  594. Gene Hays

    This is not good news for FTM users. What this means is you will have to purchase Ancestry.com instead of a one time yearly purchase of FTM updates. When they say it’s not about money – it is!

  595. Serena

    I am not a fan of online family trees as you have to sign the copyright away when you enter them and I fail to see the benefit of not being able to maintain an offline copy of my tree which I can keep separately. I use this tree to export a GEDCOM version into another app which I use to make my tree portable. This is very disappointing. I was thinking about moving to a more UK based software package and now it seems like that will be a good move to make now you have made this decision. Have you canvassed your users before making this decision?

  596. Amy Urman

    Does that mean that Ancestry will now make available EE quality citations for sources since FTM will no longer be available to cite sources correctly?

  597. John Watts

    The idea of ceasing to provide and support FTM absolutely stinks. The website lacks equivalent functionality and is not adequate for my use as an experienced researcher. I can see yourselves going out of business very quickly.

  598. Donna Hart

    NOT a good choice. It looks like you want to keep control of all of OUR work on YOUR website. You need to change your mind. Obviously, from all the above remarks, this is not a popular move.

  599. David Mitchell

    Ancestry is making a terrible mistake. Removing FTM from the tool kit takes away many features that are essential to genealogists. Tools like maps and place name edits, duplicate individuals, data error reports and the entire Publishing suite are not available on Ancestry web.
    A much, much wiser solution would have been to announce the integration of the FTM tool kit into the Ancestry web environment. This would provide a more stable platform, reduce Ancestry’s maintenance costs and meet customers expectations. And it would have positioned Ancestry in a highly competitive position – the most comprehensive data with a modern, integrated tool kit.
    I would urge you to put more thought into this move. There are too many benefits that you and your paying customers are going to miss.

  600. Robert

    The announcement was apparently poorly thought out, offering “THE END” of what is known, offering no firm introduction of what is to follow. I’m certain the board of directors will have something to say.

  601. Arik

    The cloud doesn’t bother me, since you can still download the gedcom.

    However, I use FTM for reports and for searching for duplicates. You will need to add that (and other functionality) to the website!

  602. Karen

    Devastating news! I am terribly disappointed in this decision. Actually, I was just wondering when a new update for FTM would be available. I am not a fan of having all my genealogical information in the cloud and I’m not a big fan of the tree format on Ancestry. I like the way FTM lets you print out family group sheets and various reports. Please, please rethink this decision!!!

  603. Bruce Frobes

    Shocking…feel like I have been orphaned! After many years and 3900 names on FTM, this is terrible. At 75 I want my family to enjoy my dedication to the family research and you have destroyed that dream. Please give us a “sync” to a competitors product. What are you thinking? You have always improved your products…this is going to cost you a lot of future business.

  604. Michele

    I can’t believe it — I read your email several times thinking I must be misunderstanding your announcement to discontinue FTM a mere year from now. I’ve used your software for approximately 20 years and paid for a subscription for many many years. What will happen to all the “notes” that don’t appear on your website? FTM has many features that your website does not. I have over 25,000 people in my file! Please reconsider this decision. I will not continue to subscribe to Ancestry if FTM is no longer integrated. I will move my information elsewhere if it takes me the rest of my life. I was under the impression that Ancestry was a reputable company that cared about its customers. I guess I was wrong.

  605. Brett Lowry

    If you abandon the core and serious members of your site, your profits will soon go out the door too. The subscription profit should not be the only measure of the value of the FTM software. If there is no way to save my entire work to my laptop, I too will be searching for a new main place to do my research and provide my contributions. Expect your main core user base to join me moving elsewhere for our real work, our real help we provide to others and where our recommendations for purchases will go if the features we use and the value of saving all our work locally for safety are removed.

  606. Judy Ruf

    Have used FTM since 1999 and have over 15,000 persons in my file with thousands of stories, obits, marriage announcements and on and on. I have subscribed to World Ancestry for many years. You are really letting the genealogy community down. I am not pleased with the new search on Ancestry so what is going on with your organization. I can see based on the comments that you did not make any friends with this decision and you can count me as another loss.

  607. Sandee

    Judging by the number and level of the above comments, it looks like the excrement hit the proverbial oscillating blade. I second/echo most if not all of the above comments. I also lament that I will have to spend the money within the next 3 weeks to upgrade my 2011 version of FTM to the 2014 version so that I can download/sync, since I have been working almost exclusively on ancestry.com since I discovered it.

  608. Chrissy

    Is this because it is not compatible with Windows 10?
    I have lost everything I worked on. Have not been able to access it. I also want my money back. I have only had it 2 years. I agree with all that have posted on the fact that this is not a smart decision. Please make it compatible with W10. I feel like I wasted the money.

  609. Dick Leurig

    And when Ancestry sells, as it will in the future to someone, they may decided to kill all the databases. Nothing like DNA, Web Pages, trees, information, is secure as long as controlled by someone else. Welcome to the Cloud age.

  610. I’m very upset about this. I’ve been using Family Tree Maker for quite a few years. It is the place that I keep up with my notes on where I found information and write the story. This is such a bad decision. It truly has not taken into consideration your customers needs.

  611. Geoff

    Surely the decision to drop Family Tree Maker means that you have surely lost the plot! Please reconsider this as FTM is the reason I use Ancestry – not the other way round!

  612. Barbara Braswell

    If someone knows of another site or program where we can put all of our research that we have been working on for 20 years or more I would love to know of it. This is almost worse than terrorism.

  613. Susan Copple

    From my understanding, the current version of FTM will continue to work on our desktops, however, it will not sync with our Ancestry trees. This is such a disappointment. Many of us do research in facilities that do not have internet access. And if we keep using FTM to access the database utilities and reports, we will be required to do double entry to keep our Ancestry trees current. This is quite a disappointment.

  614. Harry

    This is an extremely troubling decision on behalf of Ancestry. You appear to be more interested is saving a few bucks visa vie providing service to your customers. Show me how the website can produce the reports that FTM can produce. Show me how I can keep a copy of my expansive tree on my own PC so I can utilize it without internet access. FTM has many features not available from the Ancestry website – where is the announcement that all FTM’s features will be available from the website? Looks like I’ll transfer to MyHeritage.com.

  615. Chris Wattle

    I believe that you are making a serious mistake in discontinuing FTM. I have used it to desktop publish some 12 books and have 4 more in progress – and I am just one individual. Your loyal customers deserve better from you than this. What will be the next service to be discontinued? Profits come from customer satisfaction and this one customer is definitely not satisfied.

  616. David Kemp

    This is a really disappointing piece of news. I very rarely use the website for research, preferring to use FTM. I own both Windows and Mac versions, so I will now need to look for a replacement product. I keep my backups in the Cloud, not my actual working data, so I will also be looking for another genealogy website that will integrate with whatever new software I find. Even if there isn’t one I will move from Ancestry as a protest. I really am not happen with this announcement and looking at all the similar comments above, I am not the only one. Ancestry are shooting themselves in the foot with this very poor decision.

  617. Laura

    I’ve spent 15 years working on getting my family organised through FTM- hundreds of thousands of names and facts. I don’t do it online for a lot of reasons, and have no desire to do so. This is really distressing as I certainly don’t have time to try to feed all that information longhand into another programme; and, as a student I simply can’t afford to maintain an ongoing subscription to any site. Will there be any feature which allow us to make our FTM files transferable to some other system, or must we consider decades of work just… lost? This seems tremendously antithetical to what researching one’s history and genealogy are all about.

  618. Mike

    This is disappointing news. I suspect ancestry is going the way of 23andMe – DNA product with not much else save a few bells and whistles. The Dear Customer letter indicates that the all features of the software including TreeSync will continue working through 1 Jan 2017; that tells me they won’t be – or at least some of them won’t be post 1 Jan 2017. The software is the mainstay of genealogical research – and you’ve decided to take that away? And since nearly every person who uses the software loads their trees to ancestry.com via the TreeSync function, I suspect Ancestry.com will expect manual entry to it’s website, which they must know most customers are not willing to do; that leaves me to believe Ancestry.com will also be ending it’s family tree research function altogether. I also wonder whether Ancestry has been “bought out” by another genealogical research organization. At any rate, if Ancestry.com is getting out of the family tree business, I suspect to see more “downtime” with server issues due to a reduction in manpower/expertise. Yeah, everybody wants loyal customers, until they don’t need than any longer.

  619. April

    Actually it makes sense, the program is unable to run anything but a very basic reports, and clearly your programmers are not to industry standard. I do not have any online trees, but have in excess of 25,000 people in my program. The website aside from accessing records is no where near the quality of the program and the more you update it the worse it becomes.

  620. Robert W

    While I wouldn’t go as far as to call the Web interface childlike it certainly is visually inferior and more cumbersome than the Family Tree interface. It slso lacked some FTM functionality when gave it a go. I went quicky back to FTM. In addition I am not enamored with yet another database of my personal information being solely cloud based.
    Because you asked 🙂

  621. Karen Nighswander

    I did the DNA a few years ago and you later said that was no longer available and I would have to do it again. And now this. You can’t be trusted! That’s bad!

  622. Shelene

    The main question and concern everyone has, including me, IS WHAT WILL REPLACE IT? If the internet goes down, or there is a “bug” what happens to all the information?

  623. Marlee

    FTM was the primary reason for joining ancestry. Since you are considering dropping it, which I believe is a huge business mistake, will you now offer all it’s functions online?

  624. Joanne

    I feel like I’m being abandoned. FTM is so much better than the online trees for keeping my thousands of attached documents and photos securely organized on my own computer, and because sync doesn’t work with such large trees I don’t use the online version for my trees. Plus FTM has better reporting and other features not available online. I don’t know what I going to do. I’ve been using FTM since it’s first DOS version. Unbelievable! Sounds like laziness on the part of management who have decided to spend millions on TV ads rather than updating and maintaining the software.

  625. DeVane

    I just paid paid more money to subscribe and now you are doing away with how I keep my family history. How can I synch between the two? I there is another program, tell us or send us a refund of the extra cost.

  626. Bill G

    Goodbye Ancestry, no renewal tomorrow when my subscription expires! this will kill ancestry very quickly!

  627. Kim

    All I can say is Ancestry has gotten to big for it’s britches. First it was MyCanvas, now FTM. What’s next? And giving people such short notice is totally pathetic. I have spent a lot of money each year on Ancestry, but I’m going to have to decide if it’s worth it or not.

  628. Frank Savard

    All my questions and corcerns are fairly well asked in the 205 above comments. Where are the answers?
    Looks like a money making corporate decision to me without regard to customers such as I. I have purchased upgraded softwhere everytime It was available. Hate to think the thousands of hours loyal customers have put into their family trees, that have helped Ancestry grow and profit, are going to be screwed.

  629. Brian

    Maybe we should all stop paying for Ancestry and find out how long the company and their web-site will last.

  630. Kristine

    DECADES of using Family Tree Maker & now you’re making all the hours upon hours of work obsolete.

    You are doing such a HUGE disservice to your client base.

    Your obvious attempt at creating more revenue at the detriment to your loyal customers is pretty sick.

    You quite obviously didn’t share any info on an alternative, which means you don’t have one, OR, you didn’t want to add worse news to the bad.

    I know you think everyone will just get over it and forget about what happened–you’re counting on it. But I’m willing to bet you have completely misread your customer base and demographic target.

  631. Judy S.

    I hope you will reconsider. This is really terrible news. I depend on FTM for hard copy, books, etc. Now I wonder if you are going to eliminate Ancestry.com in the future and then I will loose all of my research and hard work. Please let us know if you are going to coordinate and sync with other genealogy software. Those of us hard core researchers depend on hard copies. Thank you.

  632. Donna

    I am extremely disappointed. I only purchased FTM about 6 months ago and have so much to do, haven’t even begun my husband’s family tree. Even if you don’t continue to release upgrades, you CAN’T let the sync feature go away. It was the main selling point in my choice to go with FTM over other software. You are holding us hostage to paid subscriptions and that is not something I can always do. What next, will you take away the Ancestry for libraries version?

  633. Ginny

    This is very, very disappointing to hear. So many questions now…..So what software do we use now to build our family tree and keep our information together??? Legacy program does not have a mac version. Will you be coming out with a new software program??? Is Ancestry.com going to still allow a family tree on their site and also to link to the dna results??? How will we be able to save document information from Ancestry.com into our tree without the family tree program and the tree sync option??? What are we to do now!!! I would like a lot more information about what is going to happen with the software and the ancestry.com site regarding the family tree. I like the others think this decision is a very BIG mistake on Ancestry’s part. A very BAD decision!!

  634. Vicky Blaze

    I don’t mind this being done, but there has to be a way to download our trees to our PC or iPads as a backup or if we discontinue membership. I understand the business position you’ve taken, but it seems you’re shooting you self in the foot. From all the comments, it seems that it would have been better to have given us a way to continue to be able to down load the fed file and media even if it is without maintenance. Just my thoughts. I’ve been with Ancestry for 13 years. Please rethink this, or give us some idea of what other desktop programs will be compatible with our data and graphics. I rarely use the desktop, but periodically I sync it as a readable searchable backup.

  635. Joan Huot

    I keep my old 2002 Family treemaker separate from Ancestry. Thank God. I will be looking a new off-line program. It is bad enough we will be stuck with your “new” and really bad new format in a few days. Do you have any real genealogists working for you or just a bunch of yahoos that know squat about research. No one in their right mind would tie their offline tree to an on-line tree

  636. John G

    Looks like Roots Web will get my business very soon. I have been a premium member since the start and feel betrayed now. Will certainly NOT renew my membership and would like a refund of my fees that you charged me this year. I will also be removing my data from your site. My tree is still mine and you will no longer have it without PAYING for it!!!!!!!!

  637. Melanie

    Looking at the tons of comments rolling in, Ancestry has missed the mark with the decision to put FTM out to pasture. You are hearing from loyal customers that they use off-line software ON PURPOSE. Yes, I share family trees with others online, but data breaches being commonplace nowadays, it’s not smart to put sensitive information and all pictures and documents online. As a FTM user with over 15,000 people, FTM allows me to view information in a way that Ancestry.com does not even come close to replicating. As another user said in a comment above, it’s a kick in the teeth to all your loyal Ancestry.com and FTM users. Please rethink your plan going forward. It’s a decision that will highly impact the genealogy community.

  638. Raymond H

    Let me see if I understand this correctly, you are discontinuing FTM as of 12/15 and customer support as of 1/1, However, you continue to offer it for salmon your website as of 12/8/15. First you force us to use the new silly looking Ancestry interface, and now you’re taking away FTM. I’ve had enough, I’m canceling my yearly subscription. It’s time to start the Class Action law suit.

  639. Perhaps you will consider donating the source code of your now useless software to the Internet community to maintain as an open source solution. I have never uploaded my research, because of concerns about loss of integrity. While your message seems like it is sincere, it appears to be a money grab. Consumers don’t like to feel abused. Work with us, not against us. It will help your reputation. Long time user, first time caller….

  640. I have to make a second comment.

    In addition to the deplorable inability to print what I need from A.com, I would like to point out that in FTM I can print on ONE SHEET OF PAPER, what it takes THREE SHEETS to print from A.com for the most minimal printing out of one person with the wife and kids. My notebooks (which currently fill a 3-shelf bookcaes) would TRIPLE IN SIZE if I am unable to use FTM to print desired reports such as Pedigree reports and Individual Pages, Ancestry report, Descendant reports (some of these cannot even BE printed from A.com). I use FTM and A.com as a “married couple”–without the one, the other one would be about 1/10th as useful and certainly worth the problems.

    I have already submitted a 4 page letter to A.com shortly after the new interface was introduced. Some of the issues have been corrected (although in the last few weeks it suddenly appears as though Gender has become meaningless to you), most have not. There are some good things, but as I have repeatedly stated–I want FUNCTION–I could careless about the APPEARANCE.

    I used FTM ONLY for years until the sync was introduced in 2012. That was a god-send, even with it’s foibles. Now what???

  641. Susan Malcolm

    I am very shocked by this news. I have two trees on FTM with over 3000 individuals, together with photos, notes, sources etc. I find it invaluble.
    Goodness knows how many hours I have spent entering all the data.
    I agree with a previous comment that it is hard work to look around the trees in Ancestry and I don’t like the new display for individuals.
    Does anyone know of any other Family Tree software that is available that is of similar quality to FTM? Would it be possible to transfer ALL of the information on FTM to another product?
    I am definitely NOT happy.

  642. RogerH

    I do not like the new online *experience* and without a way to save my work locally, I will have to look at other vendors for a solution. I do not like this decision.

  643. Donna Stewart

    I am very disappointed with your decision to end-of-life Family Tree Maker. Will there be some new application to provide its functions? You obviously do not want FTM users to make their trees available to other Ancestry.com users. Where are we supposed to keep and track the records and information we find on Ancestry.com? This is not a well-thought-out strategy.

  644. Ron Carey

    This is poor and only considers ur profitability rather than your users. What happens to the family tree info if people cannot pay for your annual fees in their tetirement. It is all about your profits and to force people to stay and pay through the nose for use and access to their trees. By the way the trees aren’t yours they belong to people. Also the current format of your trees is complicated and confusing

  645. Irene

    Utterly appalled by this decision. I have used you for years and have over 25 years research on FTM but this is the end. I won’t be renewing my membership when it runs out and am actively going to look for other family tree software where I can keep a local copy away from the web. Not everyone has constant access to the internet nor do they wish to keep their precious data on your servers – this decision is mad!

  646. William Prendergast

    Like all the many commentators before me, I find this to be a VERY BIG and probably fatal (for my business) mistake for Ancestry. I will spend the next year doing my best to develop non-Ancestry alternatives because I find the web-based/iPad App interface to be simplistic, inflexible and inadequate. If you wish to target your products to the lowest common denominator to maximize your market share, good luck with that. But I won’t be on board if I can find an alternative!

  647. Melinda

    I have invested years into Family Tree Maker. This news is horrible. I am someone who spends half the year away from internet access. I need a tool on my computer to work on my genealogy wherever I am. If my data is in the cloud, I cannot do that. It takes hours and hours to fill in all the blanks with the facts I have discovered. I have years invested in this software. I have done regular upgrades. Perhaps you should reconsider this regrettable decision.

  648. Donna Mosier

    You have lived due to people that have donated information and shared with others. Be careful Ancestry your making a big mistake in discontinuing a software program that has made all of it possible. I for one have been here due to the sharing of such. But as of today Im gone. My money will do better with other companies that stand by their customers.

  649. Susan

    I guess it really is all about the money!
    I don’t want all of my information on line.
    So this is how you thank the people that helped to build your business. Shame on you!!!!!!

  650. Maggie Gammon

    So are you saying that after 2017, the software FTM will no longer work independently of Ancestry.com? I don’t use TreeSync; I prefer to maintain control of what information, such as naming conventions, place names, etc., is filled in on FTM. I also use it to record research results that I find outside of Ancestry.com. I understand you won’t be updating the software, which is fine because I’m tired of “improvements” for no discernible reason, but I certainly hope I can continue to use FTM off-line as a stand-alone database and report generator.

  651. Dave Werts

    This is horribly wrong! What are we supposed to do with the thousands of hours we have committed to you and your product? What’s the new software? Where do we go? You’re more worried about the money than providing a great product and service. If this is true you have lost me and my family. Shame on you all.

  652. Phillip

    I have seen nothing from you about upgrading the online tree to the standard of the FTM tree. Having duplicate people in the online tree because they are related and have married is annoying leading me to go FTM for a clearer view of the tree. Will I be able to go into the online tree and correct place names or will I have to check EACH person’s facts individually? What about printing out ancestor or descendant reports? So many questions so little information provided!

  653. Colin

    I have just renewed my annual membership of Ancestry, as the only reason I had it was for TreeSync. I therefore want a refund of my annual membership as you are not fullfilling what I ordered!

  654. Les Meissel

    Lots of good questions already posted. Why is no one at Ancestry responding? I am especially miffed by the very short notice. It would have been responsible to announce that in X years the product will no longer be supported. But less than a month from now? That is criminal!

  655. Catherine

    So we have one year to figure out what is going to happen with all our genealogical research using FTM–a great product by the way. I will be looking for ongoing response from ANCESTRY to assist us. Sorry for your decision.

  656. Jim

    Many S/w companies come and go, but the better ones at least offer an alternative. Ancestry might want to re-think their plan, at least until an alternative software is available for its customers.
    While I like the information of my tree available for others to see, I very much want to be in control of the information I have gathered and cleaned up.
    Again I hope Ancestry reconsiders or offers an alternative method.

  657. Jim Montague

    Ditto on all the above. I’ll be looking for a FTM desktop replacement and canceling Ancestry.com subscription. I’ll wait until Christmas before doing so.

  658. Ed McLaughlin

    I have been a loyal user for many years. I enjoy your online services but rely heavily on the Family tree maker desktop version for backups, security and story a considerable amount of information I do not want on my family tree for various reasons. It may not have occurred to you that online is not always available, nor is it always reliable. Between home wireless issues and purely bad connections I and many others do not “fully” trust online applications. My genealogy information is vast and takes up a full 20% of my computer. I do not feel comfortable relying on remote storage for it. I guess what I am trying to say is, assuming you go through with this plan, I will start looking for a new provider soon. I appreciate you informing me now so I can give consideration to dropping my long membership before the new year. Thanks

    Ed McLaughlin

  659. Deborah

    Very bad decision on your part. The only reason to continue membership with ancestry.com is to be able to work on my Family Tree program that I have put years into developing!

  660. Ken Heiferman

    This is a horrible decision. I’ve been using FTM for years. I use Ancestry, but keep my primary information on my desktop. I plan to not renew my Ancestry subscription and find another desktop software program.

  661. Brian

    I’ve only used the FTM software for a little over a year and now feel like I’m being ripped off for investing in a product I was expecting would be around for many years to come. I don’t particularly like the new web site and was relying on using the software instead. From all the comments it would appear this decision isn’t going over well with most of your customers. Have a feeling who ever decided to make this decision didn’t think in through.

  662. Jim Cochran

    Judging from the comments it is obvious your decision is well received. I have been reluctant to Subscribe to Ancestry and you have certainly confirmed my decision. No good for your “Customer Satisfaction” score.

  663. Marcel Jusaume

    An other thought! If we choose to keep FTM will we still be able to Sync to Ancestry after 1 Jan 2017 or is Ancestry going to sever that ability too! Time to start yanking trees off of Ancestry! If I can not use the tools I have paid for and invested many years worth of dollars in the order of $300 per year for the past 10 years as a World Membership person. This is just very bad business acumen! At least allow another software company to Buy the rights to FTM and let them maintain it and allow the API into Ancestry.

  664. Barry Conn

    I am very concerned about your plans. I need a PC based version of my family tree as a backup to the web version I have spent many many years working on my family tree and now you are taking away from me the tool that I use to many my information. Please reconsider. I need the PC based version.

  665. Liz

    I am furious. We have purchased 5 versions over the last 12 years and just a few months ago got the FTM for Mac working and syncing properly after months of frustration. I rationalized the cost and effort by getting it all working for that point forward only to find out that FTM’s future ends in 12 months! I like having the ability to work on FTM offline AND I need my family history stored on my own computer and not solely reliant on ancestry’s storage. I almost switched to a competitor last upgrade because of glitches in the software, now I really feel I wasted my time and money sticking with Ancestry’s product.

  666. Susan Mersereau

    I am pissed.Switching from my previous software to Family Treemaker was based on the Sync feature.

  667. Susan Lukesh

    How will I be able to do reports, charts and all the features of the software program that are not available on line? Where will be able to access these features so that we can correct problems, check for anomalies, and as critically create useful reports which can be downloaded into stories and published material? This may well mean that I move the tree to some other software although I had not planned on such an effort now that I am beginning another book.

  668. Jane

    This is a terrible decision. I do not have my tree online and have used FTM for years to store my tree and other notes. I shall certainly not upload my tree, I wNt constant access to my own information. Shall be looking for other software and doubt that I shall renew my subscription once the support has finished. You are letting down the genuine genealogists who really care about accurate research.

  669. Chris Flaat

    This news makes me physically ill. The website UI is a toy. The Family Tree Maker software is where real work gets done. Looking forward to seeing what other company will offer a real desktop genealogy program, and they will be getting my business (including my ancestry.com subscription $$).

  670. Bonnie Miller

    Heart breaking, I have Ancestry because of “Family Tree Maker.” Family Tree Maker is (in my opinion) your best genealogy tool. Question: This may sound lame but, without Family Tree Maker to sort and record my family findings, why would I pay a $189.00 annual subscription fee for Ancestry? Will you be replacing Family Tree Maker with other software?

  671. Amy Ackerson

    I understand, a little, the financial motivation behind this. It will force us all to have a subscription, pay for additional services like reports that are currently a regular part of FTM, and nickel and dime us. What a shame.

  672. John S.

    I can understand the reasons for this, but for all its warts, FTM offers many important reporting and management functions. For me, these integrated tools were one of the big reasons to build my tree at Ancestry. One can dream that Ancestry will launch an open API that developers can build on, or somehow build new tools for power users… will it happen?

  673. Bill J

    I am agreeing with others, no more Family Treemaker no more Ancestry!!! I want a little control over my tree at home on my computer and hard drives.

  674. Jeffrey Barkley

    This decision makes no sense to me unless new and more expensive and profitable software has been lined up to replace FTM. I have used many versions of FTM over the years and will now be looking at pastures new with other providers.

  675. Teri

    It was family tree maker that made ancestry.com big. I have used FTM since the 90’s then later ancestry.com. Sorry to hear this financial decision. Unfortunately it will be very unlikely that I will renew due to your decision. You had a great product and the software program is far easier to use than your online program. For me, online use is good only for research. I have used the software in so many other ways. Time to look for another program and research site.

  676. F Mitchell

    Great news! FTM is absolutely the most buggy supposedly commercial software that I have ever tried to use. I have it on my MacBook Pro, and it scrambled my trees during an ‘update’, and I can’t unscramble them. Multiple complaints to the developer went unanswered. Absolutely no competent support. Good riddance!

    Hopefully FTM will be replaced by a good program that actually works and protects your data.

  677. Kate

    I, too, am planning to ask for a refund. About two months ago, I purchased the software and companion manual at full price. Since that time, I encountered many problems with the transition and was dead in the water for weeks. Ancestry support took over one month to fix my database. I’m not a happy customer at this moment.

  678. Katherine

    This is terrible! I have never uploaded my tree to ancestry.com and never will. I keep it secure, private, and backed up on my computer. I don’t understand how I will be able to work on it efficiently any more if FTM goes away. Will the merging function disappear?

  679. Mind boggling. Are you that clueless or is it really all
    about the bottom line? Do you even listen to your customers? It would really serve you to answer some of these issues.

  680. Mary

    I just rebought FTM 2014 today to get my new computer updated and back onto working on the Ancestry web site… but do not want to lose FTM!!! Now what? I like that I can work offline on my FTM and then sync with my Ancestry tre3es. This really SUCKS!!! 🙁 Not a happy camper!

  681. BCF

    While disappointed, I certainly understand Ancestry’s motive. Their current owner is a “turn-around” company and routinely purchases companies and then takes action to inflate their user base or sales and reduce costs in order to increase its valuation. They then resell the company for a profit. For them, it doesn’t matter if Ancestry.com provides genealogical products/services, or makes shoes or make boats. It’s all about the sale. Sad, but since FTM costs money to produce, an expected move.

  682. Isabelle

    No more “Family tree Maker” then I will not renew my membership of Ancestry. I would be interested in how many other members feel the same and if any membership survey was conducted before this decision was made. I will be leaving as soon as my subscription is up as the synch feature and a programme that works on MAC were main selling point.

  683. Richard Holt

    Hey Ancestry, I haven’t seen a backlash reaction like this since Coke introduced New Coke, and you see what a brilliant idea that was. Sounds like this is New Coke all over again.

  684. Tom

    So much negative feedback and I have nothing good to say either. Please provide us with more information and guidance as to what our options are going to be.

  685. john

    I don’t see the point in doing this. People can not be forced into complying to using your cloud interface. We will just move to another DB.

  686. Aled

    This is a ridiculous idea. I’m happy to spend my money with you to do my research, but I expect to be able to keep that stuff safe somewhere offline. FTM does that well. What you are doing is trying to keep people paying large annual subscriptions year in, year out, even after ending the bulk of their family history research. I really don’t like your new Ancestry interface. It simply doesn’t work as well for older users with large screens. It looks horrible: insufficient contrast.

  687. Chayward

    FTM works better than the Ancestry site. I don’t trust the ‘cloud’; the desktop software is more useful to me. You have just decided for me- I won’t be renewing my Ancestry.ca subscription; it’s far too pricey to begin with – retiring FTM tips the scale.

  688. Patti Krier

    Pls don’t get rid of FamilyTree maker that is why I have Ancestry.com for Sync. You can keep selling the FTM on Ancestry.com. site. Big mistake if don’t keep it.

  689. Monifa Marrero Brathwaite

    I will be cancelling my subscription as well. Rather spend my money with companies that care about their customers’s needs.

  690. Carolyn Whatley

    I am very sorry to hear this. I love Family Tree Software and don’t want it to be retired! Will another software program be offered?

  691. James J. Dugan

    This is incredible. What a mistake. I want all the money back that I spent on multiple updates over the years. Additionally, I want you to compensate me for the thousands of hours working on my family tree. This is totally irresponsible. This smacks of the potential for a class-action suit. Hopefully someone will initiate one soon.

  692. Mary S

    Dropping Family Tree Maker is a serious mistake. I do research when I do not have access to the Internet. I refuse to save all my private family information in the Cloud. I am not putting all my research on your website where I will have to pay a fee to access it and then allow you to repackage it and sell it. I have been using Family Tree Maker a very long time. I guess it is time for me to find something else.

  693. Marcel Jusaume

    I think we all need to speak with our wallets! Do not renew in 2016. there are others ways to get data. I they loose a big chunk of revenue it will get their attention!

  694. Debbie

    I am extremely disappointed in this announcement. While I find the searching within the Ancestry website useful; problem solving, printing reports and other tools found within Family Tree Maker are extremely useful in maintaining an accurate tree to share with my relatives. As with your announcement regarding MyCanvas I would hope you would find someone to support the software and continue to interface with Ancestry.com. I manage a rather large genealogy club in my retirement community and have been a big advocate of your website and software. I feel very foolish at this point. I am going to have a rather large group of members looking to me for a solution.

  695. Michael O'Sullivan

    Bad idea. The new interface is balky and cumbersome. Now to lose the ability to sych? I will have to explore using some other type of software package.

  696. Michael

    Whoops! Looks like Tim and Kendall just made a very expensive decision. But maybe Ancestry can afford to lose a couple of hundred thousand customers……..

  697. Well guess I will not be continuing with Ancestry due to this bad decision. Will be doing a genealogy do over from Family Tree Maker to Legacy and at least the citations match ESM in Legacy unlike Ancestry.com or Family Tree Maker. If they reverse this decision I will remain a loyal customer to Ancestry. If they don’t, Good Bye

  698. Suzanne

    I am very unhappy with your decision. The desktop version and sync is very valuable to me. Sorry, When FTM compatibility ends, so will my relationship with Ancestry.

  699. Andrew P

    My inbox right now:
    22:54 Ancestry to Retire Family Tree Maker Software
    23:28 Legacy Family Tree Online Store Order Confirmation

  700. Tim

    What happens to those of us that will be retired on a fixed income? I do not support subsciption, pay you forever model of Software, by Ancestry, Adobe or Microsoft.

    I have been a loyal supporter back to when Borderbund owned it. When you are done with FTM, I am done with Ancestry.

  701. Lev

    Online experience doesn’t come close to FTM.
    You are not the only software maker in this space.
    But the only reason I payed subs is because of FTM
    If I have to migrate to another software – you won’t get a penny from my subs.

  702. Steve

    Extremely disappointed by this decision. I’ve been a FTM user since the beginning and a World subscriber since Ancestry began. Serious researchers want the software on their desktop and not the childish interface on Ancestry. The main attraction for me was the syncing of the trees. I will have to think hard about renewing in Feb.

  703. Graeme

    You clearly don’t have a clue about your customers requirements, I can’t see many positive comments about your plans. Could it be you have got this completely wrong?

  704. Really? This really does stink – I do a lot of my genealogy work offline, especially when travelling…where there is no internet connection….this is a short sided decision on your part. Please reconsider…..I have not read one comment here that supports your doing this. Maybe you should ask Mr. Hulet to move on – he does not have your customers best interest at heart.

  705. Ian McDonald

    Findmypast allows gedcoms to be uploaded to it from databases on PCs, to create online trees, but it doesn’t allow the uploading of images, which makes that facility useless to me. That’s a great shame because otherwise it would be the ideal alternative to Ancestry trees.

  706. Robert

    My tree is too big for an iPad (after you hit 15,000 people, the performance is so bad it is unusable). The web site is terrible and sync corrupted my ftm tree so many times I stopped using it. FTM is the best product ancestry sells. Not happy.

  707. S Mitchem

    This is totally unacceptable. You ask that we be respectful, but not supporting a software that you are still selling is not respectful to your customers. Even Windows and other software companies continue to support their software years after the new version comes out. You are disenfranchising everyone who have been faithful FTM customers all these years. I just upgraded to the latest version earlier this year and you are retiring it! I am not a happy customer and will tell everyone I know and my DAR friends to never buy another of your products!

  708. Ken

    Since Family Tree has gobbled up all of its competition, I am hoping that you will be associating with some other software maker and make Family Tree compatable with their software. Now that I see this move it is no wonder your Ancestry membership has gotton so over priced. I assume you will still make Ancestry.com available.

  709. Andy Styles

    I think you have just isolated many of your customers and forgotten your own roots but in doing so you have passed the ball to your competition. I think you have just made a big mistake. FTM wasn’t the best and people stopped updating to the latest versions due to the problems the newer versions had and so that part of your business naturally slowed down. It is a shame as I did like your product. I think this approach to customer service will shake the leaf.

  710. Mary

    I am so disappointed over your decision to do away with FTM!!! What now? So much easier to work with on FTM! Please reconsider this! It affects so many of us who have worked with this for many years!

  711. Donna

    My ancestry tree crashed three years ago and ancestry was not able to build it back up. It took me over 18 months to repair. I now use Family Tree maker as my ogf the web backup. What am I supposed to do now?

  712. Lauren M Petit

    I purchased my first version of Family Tree Maker soon after it came on the market. At that time, the Internet was in its infancy, and there were few off-the-shelf programs for genealogists. Over the years … many years now … I have continued to support FTM and Ancestry.com by purchasing upgrades and sharing my family information on line with others. I’ve also helped countless others connect with living family members and locate information about deceased family members.

    In the beginning, the FTM developers geared their products to those serious about family history research. Many of the early “customers” were contributors to Rootsweb and other free websites and organizations. Customer service was conducted person to person via phone calls or emails or listservs. There was a real sense of community and camaraderie, a willingness to help one another.

    In recent years, FTM and Ancestry.com have forgotten their origins, their initial purpose, their basic core values of helping the serious researcher. Instead, they have pushed to introduce new gee-whiz technologies and techniques created by computer programmers who have little understanding and not appreciation for the needs and abilities of those researchers they serve.

    To me, the worst part of this decision to abandon FTM is that it limits … rather than broadens … the ability of family history researchers to do what they love best … research according to our own personal interests and abilities. I don’t like being forced to store all of my data and conduct all of my research via one web-based-only site. Talk about Big Brother!

    In the end, Ancestry.com has shown itself to be more interested in bringing in new, short-term customers then supporting and sustaining long-term customers like myself. That’s just a pitiful way to do business.

  713. Raymond Lewandowski

    Not a good move on your part. Give us more detail on how this is going to work for us users. What and how are you going to make it better for us your customers. Not sure if I will extend my membership.

  714. Mary

    It is quite clear that there is no one at Ancestry who gives a flip about anyone’s family tree unless you pay them for it. I think ya’ll just shot yourself in the foot. Do you really think that everyone has transitioned to tablets and phones exclusively? Especially people who are serious about their research and records. Bad move.

  715. Sandy Follmer

    I predict that in the future you will look back and decide this is the biggest mistake you made. Everyone was happy with the old Ancestry.com before you changed it to this new online version this year. The old online Ancestry worked well with Family Tree Maker. I understand it has been difficult to link the desktop version with the online version. I have had several errors when linking. However, just go back to your old software and combine it with the FTM software.
    I agree with the person who said what will be the point of DNA, online trees etc. I won’t update my tree on ancestry.com. If Family Tree Maker doesn’t sync with Ancestry – there is no point in Ancestry.com. There might not even be a point to FTM. There are several other desktop version of genealogy trees for sale.

  716. MIchael Golden

    Just sold my Ancestry stock. Will discontinue my World Membership which I have had (or the equivalent) since well before Ancestry acquired FTM. This is the result of a series of misrepresentations, the last of which was when I called to order several new FTM installations and Customer Service had no idea you were contemplating this, or, worse, that they were instructed to not disclose it in order to make last minute sales. They did indicate that you would be doubling the upgrade price with or without a new version. You have just entered the world of Valeant, and your Hedge Funds will suffer the same consequence. It’s what happens when marketers don’t know their customers (and are not, themselves, genealogists). Look at the Blog reaction! Sorry, but I’m shocked, and upset with this decision.

  717. Frank Matticola

    They will Force us to put everything on-line..thats how they keep growing. My input Puts a Shaking leave on the next guy..I will Take my 58,000 member tree down..And go somewhere else with my obsession..There are other Choices that are Cheaper and some that are FREE

  718. Pam Mastin

    “These changes are never easy.” I am really upset about this change. You can be assured that the change will be easier for you than for your customers. FAMILY TREE MAKER

    From your website: “The #1–selling family history software now has TreeSync™. ” Shaking my head!

  719. Richard

    I only began using FTM so I could print out trees and family group sheets. If this will not be available I’ll return to Rootsmagic where this is possible. I’ll likely leave Ancestry all together. I feel I’ve wasted my money earlier this year when I purchased FTM… Not a proper way to keep satisfied customers!!!

  720. Kathy williams

    I am yet another long time member expressing my discontent at the way you have left us all hanging. I have been so satisfied with Ancestry and have sung your praises, but this leaves a bitter taste. Please try to work with your loyal many admirers and loyal members. This could be the end of Ancestry.

  721. William Strait

    I have just read your message about discontinuing FTM and the many messages that decision is generating. I concur with the concerns of most of your FTM customers who have commented on this decision. You should have waited with this decision until you were able to delineate any alternatives that FTM customers will have, unless you don’t plan on offering any. I, for one, have been extolling the virtues of FTM to my family and friends. Now what?

  722. Mary

    Ancestry–please pay close attention to these comments. Also, if people quit subscribing, they should take their trees, photos, etc. with them. Ancestry uses US to provide a lot of their content.

  723. Denise

    I am always suggesting to my friends to by tree maker – much better than ancestry online. Should have realized when some of the features have been disappearing. Combined residence inforamation, the ability to correct records, etc.

  724. Kayla

    This makes absolutely no sense. The reason buy Family Tree Maker is because it sync’s with Ancestry! We need more of an explanation. Please reconsider this poor decision.

  725. gerlad

    I too have supported FTM for many years. I was just online to sign up for another subscription, but now I will rethink that option. So Sad!!

  726. Elizabeth Metcalfe

    I am devastated. As a Mac user, I was really hoping to be able to continue using FTMforMac 3 with the new El Capitan software. Ancestry’s decision means no more genealogy searches for me.

  727. Harry

    Astonishing!! Flabbergasted!! Baffled. The comments on here show how badly this decision has been thought through and how little the market is known. The web version is rigid and dreadful and lacks power and utility. The absence of export facility is such an astonishing weakness that serious users will never use it for their research. Please think again.

  728. Mark

    Terrible decision by Ancestry. Sofware like FTM is essential for all serious family historians. I want to be sure all my data is backed up and available when and where I need it. If you won’t support FTM we won’t support you.

  729. This is the worst thing you could do to get rid of the FTM. The new Ancestry site is horrible to use and should be revised to look like the FTM software – perhaps then people would be more affable to the change. The idea of having to subscribe continually to Ancestry will be the only way of looking at my family tree. I do not always do research each month so take a break from my subscription – looks as though this will be impossible if I just want to look at my tree once in a while.
    THINK AGAIN ANCESTRY – YOUR SUPPORTERS MAY WELL LEAVE YOU IF YOU CONTINUE ALONG THIS PATH

  730. Carolyn Keller

    Seems to me that someone at the top listened to the wrong people in making the decisions and honestly doesn’t know real genealogists. It seems to me a wiser move would have been to listen to your consumers. I tried to share my feedback and obviously it was not heard nor did you care. Just read all these blog posts I am not alone in my feelings that you have doomed Ancestry. Good grief! Sad day

  731. Russ Brady

    Looks like the LDS have had a vision of where the cash is and want to be at the trough when it rolls in. Next move will be making Family Search cash only. Now if we need to take several trees and consolidate them and make a new one in FTM we won’t be able to. We all should have seen this when Ancestry foisted the “new look – less functionality” of ancestry.com on us. You people looking for a refund are funny. Refunds aren’t where the money is.

  732. Dan

    So all that’s left of Ancestry is the ‘way too many mouse clicks’ website. I’m so glad I moved all my records to Roots Magic. Now that FTM is no longer, perhaps you will let Roots Magic have a copy of your API and I will consider renewing my Ancestry account. Otherwise, goodbye for good.

  733. Cindy

    This is sad. I have used FTM since the floppy disks and I still have all of them. Ancestry is not 100%, FTM is not 100%, use both just in case one fails then I have a backup. Can’t always afford to have ancestry.

  734. Katharine

    DON’T DO THIS. I hate the “new” online Ancestry — the only good thing about it is the Sync feature. You take that away, and I, along with many others, are gone. I won’t spend money on a company that cares so little for its long-time, serious customers — all Ancestry seems to care about now are newbies and those who like dumbed-down garish online crap.

  735. Marguerite

    What will be do without FTM. I have been using FTM for years. What will happen to our files and info we have on FTM.? What Desktop software will replace FTM to preserve our files? I’ m sure everyone has a lot of time and money invested in Ancestry and FTM not fair to be left out in the cold.

  736. David Hammond

    A total shock and the stupidest marketing decision since “New Coke”. The true objectives of Ancestry’s UK private equity owners (Permira Advisors) are fully evident–show me the money! My database of over 10k individuals is completely formatted in FTM and no, very little of it is synced to Ancestry for privacy purposes. I just renewed my Ancestry subscription but clear now that I have to begin researching alternative service and software providers. Please, please re-think this awful decision; you are alienating millions of Ancestry customers!

  737. Steve

    I have used ftm for a long time after paf discontinued their software. I also use ancestry heavily. However I do like to keep the data secure on the desktop and use the ftm features. I only put up a skeleton version on ancestry via gedcom files. I think you need to modify ancestry to be able to hide a lot of the personal info in ftm before i switch. Ie, I’d want the option of not showing notes and media. I realise I can put up a private tree but I’m happy for people to view the tree – just not all the detail. You should also run a workshop to ensure everyone gets their issues listed so you can upgrade ancestry.com

  738. Eileen

    This is such a mind boggling stupid decision, that I can only conclude that there is some hidden agenda here. The link between Ancestry.com and FTM was so important. All subscribers will now have to find new software, and reconsider their allegiance to Ancestry.com.

  739. John Okerson

    I venture that your ‘loyal Ancestry community’ will disappear on or before that date! Can you see the writing on the wall for your company?

  740. Joyce Reece

    I have used both the online trees as well as FTM. The decision to remove some of our most valuable tools is, to say the least, in very poor taste. ONE BIG thing you folks are doing wrong is the constant changes in the system and usage. About the time we get accustomed to all the ins and outs you change it again and don’t give we users any choice about the changes. The decision to stop, eventually, giving support for and selling FTM is one of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen you folks make. I’ve been a loyal ancestry user for almost 20 years. Just look at all these comments….almost every one of them is telling you ‘Don’t do this”. Will you listen or will you, once again, force crap down your customer’s throat that we don’t want. You force us to spend more time learning new ways to do thing rather than doing what we want to do…..research genealogy. I recently lost 12-15 client’s tree because of a computer failure. I had trees on ancestry that were duplicates. If it weren’t for the online backup and the ability to re-download the trees using FTM I would have been up that famous creek without a paddle. It really looks like you folks are really going to mess up big time if you stop FTM without a very similar replacement that allows the same actions. I am appalled at what a poor business decision this is….who’s running that place now? Have they ever done any genealogy research? Sheesh

  741. Diane Hesse

    Looks like it’s back to Reunion and a ton more work for me. Ancestry has not, in my opinion, offered much useful information about this change. What a horrible decision.

  742. Ann Cullen

    I have to add my voice to this — I am also very disappointed and upset. I recently purchased FTM and find it hard to believe this move hasn’t been in the works for some time, yet you let people purchase FTM knowing it was about to become obsolete. I bought it with the understanding that I could sync my trees and then enjoy all the features that FTM has and ancestry does not. I hope you will reconsider and not try to make more money off your users by coming up with a new software package that requires a purchase from you.

  743. Stephen Taylor

    Reading most of these comments from users I think you are making a very big mistake you are going to lose a lot of customers, this mean lose of money this is not a good way to conduct business , a rethink is in order. I think I pay just over £107 a year for the membership

  744. Pamela

    You have just lost a customer. I will not resubscribe. May you lose many more. Money grabbing bastards.

  745. Dolores Kauffman

    Well now, looks like you’re going to leave all of us up that “**** creek without paddle” as the old saying goes. So, what now without FTM? This is about like sending your kid off to school one morning, without lunch and telling him “oh by the way, don’t come home today after school”!

  746. Deb

    I cannot tell you how sad this makes me! I read all the previous comments and agree with many of them. I have used FTM and Ancestry for many years, maybe as long as the person who said they have for 2 decades. When I start my computer, one of the first programs I open is my FTM. I do have my tree private on Ancestry, but this is mainly to make it easier for those “leaves”. But I do about 99% of my work thru FTM, and THEN sync it to Ancestry for back-up. As many have said, sometimes, we just don’t have access to the internet but still want to work on our tree.
    I Love my FTM! If you must discontinue it, I am really hoping that you have something to replace it that is not internet dependent, but that will work with Ancestry.
    Listen to your customers and maybe re-think this, or come up with something new for us.

  747. Donna

    I think what your doing is wrong, didn’t give anyone much time to take their information off ancestry. I am just going to print my tree and close out Ancestry. I have friends that have DNA with you also, are you getting rid of it also????

  748. John

    If and when support for treesync is ever not supported is the day that my Ancestry.com submission is cancelled. There is simply no improvements that could possibly be made to the website that could convince me to maintain an online copy, let alone the decrease in usability from the “upgrade”. It won’t be my local copy that gets deleted, but the online copy. More to the point, FTM is now stable enough I foresee being able to use it for a decade to come… A decade where you will get not payments for updates or subscription. That said, I am glad you are focusing on your core business, whatever the hell you think it might be, since it’s not making money.

  749. Betty

    How will I backup my research????? I have spent a lot of time and money with Ancestry. At some point I will die or not be able to subscribe any more. I need to save this for my grandchildren. Please don’t eliminate FTM.

  750. Kurt

    Wow! First we loose Old Search, then we get New Ancestry forced upon us. Now FTM is going away. What is next? I used FTM to keep a local back up. It was buggy, but worked – Now we have nothing but this cloud storage that I frankly do not trust.

  751. Gwen Dade

    I forgot to mention. I’ve been using FTM since version 1.0. Improvements to the reports and software have what kept me upgrading year-after-year in addition to paying for the Ancestry.com interface. Shame, Shame, Shame on you.

  752. Frank M Abbott

    I have used Family Tree Maker for so many years. I am disappointed with Ancestry’s decision.

    My Family Tree Maker Program will still run on my desktop. I have several files with over 80,000 people in them. I DO NOT load any of my work to Ancestry, because, as I understand it they then own all of my research. I refuse to donate my hard work and research at mt expense. I have recorded records that can not be found on Ancestry. The southern states records are not well covered there.

  753. Alex Mc

    I’m stunned that my expensive FTM software is suddenly rendered obsolete for an incredibly shorted sighted business decision. As a member of the FTM community, I don’t recall seeing survey or any such thing that would produce the objective data associated with Ancestry’s decisions. Instead, I see a subjective decision based on goodness-knows-what … a dash-for-cash decision with no basis other than greed. The truth is, FTM is far more functional than the website. What is ANcestry’s intention regarding a replacement for FTM??

  754. Jeanine

    I guess I’ll do like most of my family friends, use MyHeritage, Geni or Geneanet. Very few of them use Ancestry.

  755. Peter

    Just what am I supposed to use instead of FTM? Surely you don’t expect everyone to switch to some sort of web based service with all its problems of potential identity theft?
    Coupling FTM with Charting Companion was just about the best combination I could find. Well I suppose I can always just live with my current version of FTM (which I was about to upgrade).
    I’m most disappointed since I’ve been using FTM since it was published by Bruderbond back in 1997.

  756. Bobby

    I have an older computer and using FTM2008. So now when I replace my computer, probably this year, I will not have a program that will work with it. :(. I don’t like the new ancestry and find it hard to find things on it and now this. Don’t you know that people are creatures of habit and do not like change?

  757. Barbara

    So what are we supposed to use instead? I have been using FTM since 1988 – back when we used to look things up on CD’s that you sold. I have over 15,000 people in my tree, and over 4,000 in my husband’s tree – what am I supposed to do with this info now? I use the Ancestry DNA and it just doesn’t have enough info and it is difficult to maneuver through the tree – are you going to improve this? Or should we just go to another company? I notice there are some others that are looking pretty good.

  758. Barbara

    Really disappointed! I’ve used FTM for years along with Ancestry. Won’t be renewing next year now, no point.

  759. Wendy

    I agree with everyone above. This must be an error. How can you no longer support the software so many people have used for years. I have paid for an annual membership for years because of the interface with FTM. I will be cancelling my subscription like so many others.

  760. Joan

    I am disappointed that Ancestry is taking away Family Tree. Don’t know what to say, other than I hope you can find a way to keep the software somehow.

  761. Gail

    It has been the fear of Ancestry doing this very thing that has kept me from putting all but a very small part of my work of over 50 years on your website. I was right and my decision was right except I did the upgrade this year and that I sincerely regret! Once again Ancestry has proven unreliable. It also has been my deciding factor all these years not to trust you with my DNA. Right again! Bottom line for profit only, customer be damdd!

  762. Terry

    not happy with this move, ancestry. you must, MUST, transfer the reporting capabilities of the desktop to the web based software. at LEAST do that. grrr!!

  763. K W

    This is a good example of horrible change management and creating even more work for yourselves. Ancestry.com has nowhere near the capabilities that FTM has, yet you just blithely say “we’re doing away with FTM” without any indication of how the people who are using it will be able to have those capabilities. Maybe if you spent some of your marketing money on FTM development, you could be even more profitable.

  764. Gene

    Very disappointing news. There is no comparing what I do with FTM vs how ancestry.com maintains my records. Over 20 years of using this program and now what? Cloud storage in not for me. I will not be renewing my subscription, Very poor decision.

  765. Rita Mahar

    This is a tragedy. I renew my subscription to Ancestry every year, and have been a loyal subscriber for many years. I also purchase and upgrade FTM so as to be able to work without Internet at times, but also so as to be able to organize and publish the family trees I develop! I am so disappointed in this decision, especially as I have been working on learning the new aspects of Ancestry. However publishing and presenting are the most important aspects of FTM and it would be a disaster to most of us if it goes!! Please reconsider, or at least incorporate FTM into Ancestry.

  766. Karen

    BIG Mistake! I am totally bummed! And blowing smoke about the improved product for customers isn’t fooling anyone. It about your revenue, period. While documenting my ancestry, I rely HEAVILY on printed reports and charts from FTM. Are you adding this feature to Ancestry.com? Some how I doubt it. Then you wouldn’t sell your high priced bound books. Sincerely, An extremely unhappy former customer.

  767. Sharon

    Unbelievable, just so they can force everyone to put their data online and get ownership of it. Bah humbug Ancestry! I have been using the software since 2001 and updating to the latest version every time, I use it everyday. Is Legacy the next best bet?

  768. Laura

    I ditto the 500+ comments before mine. You are in business only because we have been willing to share our years of research with your company, not all of which came from hopping onto ancestry.com. Asp it is you then take our work and pass it along to others for a subscription fee. I for one will just use Legacy software and share it through other means. You cannot keep us over a barrel. Your members are trying to tell you something, Ancestry. Please listen…..

  769. WilsonHistorian

    I agree with everybody especially Marge. There are plenty of alternatives. FTM is the only reason that I use ancestry.com so it will be easy to switch to another site.

  770. Nichole

    For many other things, going to the cloud may be whats best…but genealogy has always been and will always be a combination of internet and hard copy. True researchers DO NOT only retain electronic information. We have hoards and hoards of paper copies of research, documents, etc. Just because the “new generation” is currently hooked on iPads and tablets…what does that matter? They are not avid researchers as a rule. The website is nice…but fails to provide ways to search by location, date, etc. The website fails to search for potential duplicates. The website fails to easily add duplicate sources & citations across multiple people. The website fails to allow for place name corrections. The ability to merge multiple trees into a single tree is not available on the website. There are SO MANY fails with the website when comparing its services with FTM.

  771. john

    I understand why you would discontinue the software as you do not have a staff trained to support the software. They cannot answer even the most basic questions about how the software works. However, I chose Ancestry because of FTM and the way it handled source citations. Much better than anything else in 2010 when I purchased FTM. I maintain in FTM much information, private documents and photos which I would “NEVER” put online. I worked in the Information Technology area since 1968, and I would never be so foolish as to keep my information in the “cloud”. I will be canceling my subscription.

  772. Dan Dubbs

    I started with Ancestry and FTM over 12 years ago and have been a loyal customer both of your research site and Family Tree Makery Software. By far the best improvement over the years has been the ability to sync my FTM tree with the Ancestry On Line Tree and to share with my family. I for one will not pay for Ancestry.com without the link to a software tool. Important Questions that you expect me to research somehow: 1) will the on-line tree continue to be part of Ancestry,com including an export function? 2) Will the content currently uploaded to Ancestry.com be available when FTM goes away? 3) Do you have a recommended software replacement or solution? 4) Are you planning to provide strictly an on line tree/research/report/printing service with equivalent FTM capabilities (exclusively on-line similar to a Shutterfly Service)? 5) Will this increase the cost of Ancestry.com? 6) will another provider purchase the SW FTM and continue to market it?….. In closure, I consistently market your product for you giving you high marks and quality…. THAT ENDS TODAY. Your business plan as stated in your letter to your loyal customers is far from clear. It appears you are having financial problems, but lack the integrity to really tell us what is going on. Can you imagine a power company informing it’s customers “your power will be turned off on Friday, Good Luck and have a nice day!” Oh and…. “Remember, We have provided you such good service over the years!”

  773. Cynthia

    Since the 1990s I have carefully documented my research in FamilyTreemaker as well as subscribed to full freight Ancestry.com (i.e., thousands of dollars) to help with that research. This is VERY disappointing and I strongly recommend that Ancestry reconsider this very bad decision.

  774. Neil

    BAD decision. The desktop software is a key component of my overall genealogical environment. Without it, I will be forced to look elsewhere.

    Please send me a full refund for my purchase.

  775. Elyse

    I have been using FTM since mid-90s. Have never used Ancestry to store data and upload trees and never will. Now will have to search for other desktop software to preserve data. Use FTM for creating and sharing charts, trees, reports, books, Gedcoms, etc. How can Gedcoms be created from the site? I have over 5,000 individuals in my tree. I don’t even find the website easy to navigate! FTM started going downhill when Ancestry bought it and they removed many of the best features, some which took years to come back – like creating books, and some which never did.. FTM ver 15 was the last good version anyway. Charts didn’t create enormous photo files like the current software. Fortunately still have those discs. Bad move, Ancestry. I will be cutting back on as many subscription services as I can now.

  776. Kristina

    I stopped using FTM a year ago and moved to Roots Magic. I find it easier to use. I do still use FTM for the reports. I would suggest that Ancestry incorporate the reports as they are visually more appealing than the RM reports. I just started using Ancestry and I really like a lot of the features. I plan on using gedcom files between Ancestry and RM to work on my trees. It’s not as easy as synching, but do-able.

  777. Sally S

    … another reason to switch to MyHeritage. And all of the information can be saved in a gedcom file and uploaded there. They have online syncing with their desktop software for a comparably reduced price. I certainly prefer that company’s motive (their profits go toward helping holocaust survivors’ families connect). Ancestry is shouting out that they are TOTALLY profit driven.

  778. R Smth

    I can’t really add anything that hasn’t been said. Disappointment is an understatement. Internet access is not always practical and when visiting relatives in rural areas no always available at all. I maintain my primary data file on my computer even though I do research on line. I want control and availability that only comes with my laptop and hard copies. For what I have spent I would expect that FTM be continued.

  779. Cris

    Wow just read thru about 30 other comments. This is horrible. So all 16,000+ people in my tree will only be available if I keep paying my monthly ancestry subscription? Great money maker for ancestry but very POOR customer service. Sure hope that all the features available in FTM will be available in some way. Need to start backing up my FTM now. Shame on you for discontinuing this product and giving us a very short time to find a way to get all we have paid for online.

  780. Jim

    Typically when a company stops supporting a product, they offer their users a transition to an alternate product. What I don’t in the original post nor in this thread is what Ancestry is suggesting users use instead of the desktop version – and how to migrate their data to that new solution. What is the path forward for FTM users?

  781. Martin Slater

    I will be forced to transfer to a “competitor” site. Oh yes, they are out there!
    If you don’t want my business after 25 years that’s fine but it’s your decission!

  782. Susan Puryear

    I was not happy when you changed the interface as it is not nearly as user friendly as when I joined ancestry. Also, I prefer the 2008 version of Family Tree Maker over the current one. I had to temporarily drop my paid membership due to a shortfall in my finances. With the dropping of FTM completely I sincerely doubt I will ever return as a paid member. There are other avenues to do my research and I will be looking into them.

  783. Brad Arnold

    FTM is/was one of the very best tools you have. You don’t have to be online to work on your tree, and the nice level of detail is great. Without FTM I’m not sure I will continue to be a member – even after 14+ years of doing so. Please reconsider. The website approach just isn’t as user friendly or pack the desired details that most folks desire. I want my trees on my computer – and if I choose to share then great. This seems a very poor decision – although it does sound as though it was a tough one. Many of my family have no internet access, but with FTM and a laptop we could view everything.

  784. Logan Henderson

    What a slap in the face to the people who have supported Ancestry from the start. Thanks to all of US who have made your website great. I hope it’s over as it is for us.

  785. Jan

    VERY inconsiderate decision to abandon FTM and corresponding Tree Sync function. Can’t stand doing any significant work using mobile app and even working online through PC is cumbersome with reduce functionality mediocre GUI. My subscription is up in January and will not be renewed You’ve lost another loyal customer! I wonder if any of the bean counters did an actual ROI as to the cost of supporting FTM when compared to loss in revenue for cancelled subscriptions.

  786. Don

    Another example of corporate profit decisions being made over the top of consumer desires. Ancestory is dollar driven and customer satisfaction does not enter into the equation. Extremely disappointed in this commercial decision to drive users to the obviously more profitable web based program. Been using the Ancestory desktop software for about 10 years and tried the web based option for six months and dropped my subscription as the ongoing cost did not suit my part time user needs. But owning the desktop software is the best option for ME, the customer! I will be looking for an alternative software program.

  787. David Robertson

    This is a disappointing decision by Ancestry. I have used FTM since its first version. I have too much invested in my tree in the form of data, notes, digital content to trust it all to a website. I’ve tried FTM alternatives and found them not nearly as nice as FTM. Guess I need to begin researching into what alternative program to move to. It will be a pain to move everything and learn a new interface.

  788. Melabee Miller

    I agree with all the numerous comments above. I believe it is your duty and, frankly, a courtesy to your loyal customers to offer an alternative to this once valuable software. The website is NOT an alternative.

  789. Gene

    Again, Ancestry only looks at their bottom line–to H–l with the costumer! First MyFamily with very little notice and now FTM. Guess I’ll just not use Ancestry. I’ll go back to the old fashioned letter writing and visiting courthouses.

  790. Fletcher

    Just adding my vote of disapproval. However, it is now easier to decide whether to use Ancestry or not.

  791. Janette

    Not Happy at all and I will spread the word. You have taken my information and sold it on. You have lost the spirit of our agreement. Not happy Jan!!

  792. Ladora

    You’ve made a terrible decision to discontinue the FTM software! I don’t want to have to always work online in the clouds. And the new format takes up too much room. It looks juvenile and unprofessional. Why aren’t you responding to all this feedback? Why have you decided on such a radical change and downgrade of service by discontinuing the software? Don’t the people who have used your products for years matter to you? It appears that answer is no. I’ve always recommended FTM and Ancestry.com to others. I won’t do that anymore!

  793. George

    I dont know what’s gone wrong with ancestry, recently its just been 1 brainless decision after the other. I’m a software developer FTM is not a massive application, the cost of developing it must be trivially low, relative to ancestries overall income. I think what’s going on here is they are trying to find new ways to force people into paying a annual subscription, maybe that will generate extra income in the short term, i’m not sure , but becoming a company that’s hated and despised by all its users is surely asking for trouble in the future. Just ask microsoft..

  794. Steve

    If there is anything positive from this very poor business decision, it is that out of the 500+ comments above, I have not seen one that is in favor! Get a clue – this is a BAD decision and should be rescinded. You are alienating thousands of faithful followers of FTM.

  795. Andy

    Disappointing, Disappointing, Disappointing – you will see from all the negative comments posted in such a short space of time just how important FTM is to your customers….Take it away (and there’s not much point in staying with you) without offering solutions is not the greatest communications exercise you could have undertaken – someone ‘high up’ in Ancestry has a lot of answering to do…..

  796. Patrick G.

    Somebody needs to take the steering wheel away from the children! Perhaps the worst corporate decision ever made. What you’re doing is sealing your own fate. Not too late to reconsider. It would be better for you to pay to have an internal entity assigned to keep FTM going. Had you not done research before you made such a dumb move? Did you not expect the outrage?

  797. Barbara Jean

    Sadness and apology NOT accepted. This is truly terrible idea. While the software is buggy and crash-prone, it has excellent tools that are not available through the website. If you are going to retire this you are going to need a lot of things to help serious researchers manage databases. Here is what I will lose/miss:

    (1) The ability to locate unrelated persons. I run regular reports to find these. It helps me eliminate errors either by re-linking or deleting.

    (2) Finding/removing duplicates. Right now the online de-duping feature is only available if you are on a specific page. As you are well-aware, many trees are a nightmare of duplicate names. I have a large tree so it’s not like I will be able to visit/re-visit pages regularly.

    (3) FTM gives me a way to look at my family groups in a way that is more clear than the online software so I can evaluate facts.

    (4) Finding data errors. I am in the process of doing a major clean-up of duplicate facts, errors in DOBs persons born after mothers’s death).

    These tools are not available online in a way that is easy to use. While I find other trees valuable, they are rife with errors that are not easily seen. I fear I will no longer be able to keep my tree in good shape.

    Who is running the place? Are there new owners who don’t give a care about their customers? You have managed to infuriate an awful lot of folks in a very short period of time. Most don’t follow the blog. Expect an awful lot of screaming!

  798. Keith Johnson

    Very short notice, no options put forward, lack of consideration of users, bad decision and generally bad business.

  799. Sharon

    I don’t like the new Ancestry. I agree that it is too cluttered. Now this. I think you are going to lose many of your loyal customers, including me.

  800. Camilla Camburn

    I would like a side-by-side comparison of what FTM users are losing and what we stand to gain with the change. HOW do we make the transition? Help please!!

  801. Richard Holmes

    If you continue to pursue the announced plan (which is very disturbing and upsetting) the most important thing you can do is allow trees resident on Ancestry to be downloaded onto other types of desktop software!!! Otherwise, how can we prepare reports, charts, etc. that we now use to analyze, plan, etc. PLEASE TAKE THIS CONCERN SERIOUSLY!! Either that or come up with a gedcom replacement that is ubiquitous!!

  802. Kenny Behan

    Add me to this growing list of upset Ancestry customers. I also have been a user of FTM since 1997 and an Ancestry subscriber for over 10 years. It’s absurd to drop FTM this way and create such animosity in the user base. Foolish decision by someone there.

  803. Cindy

    very disappointed with this decision. So it’s really just all about the money… If you want to cut costs continue the software & remove the expense TV commercials from your budget!

  804. Annie Larson

    I agree with others on here that this is about greed, not customer service. I would never be comfortable not having a downloaded backup of my data and software to support it. Not only is it subject to the whims of management but subject to whatever fee structure and increases they suddenly decide to impose. No thank you.

  805. Leslie

    Your announcement is confusing and incomplete, I’m afraid that is on purpose. All of these people have spent years researching their families and using FTM to document everything and store their records. The new Ancestry is terrible – it is condescending to serious researchers and irritating to scroll through. I don’t need that much “help.” Perhaps you have a lot of people in the wings who do this for a lark – the rest of us are serious researchers. I think these comments reflect that fact that you will lose the serious researchers and therefore become a fad. Too bad after all of the work that has been done over the years. But of course I realize it is all about the money! It always is. I’m assuming your shareholders are thrilled.

  806. Diane Packer

    I am REALLY, REALLY disappointed and upset. Please reconsider. I like the format in FTM. I like having it on my own computer. I appreciate being able to link Ancestry and FTM. I actually chose FTM in the first place when my first Family Tree program became redundant, because I believed that it would be on-going. There are so many of us who like, use and want to keep our family trees in this way, who will be severely disadvantaged. As a genealogist, I also undertake research for others. These have always appreciated receiving Family Group Sheets as part of my report.

  807. Sue Restell

    Like everyone else I am bitterly disappointed by this. I need to be able to work on my tree offline and I like to have a copy on my own machine that is not dependent on an Internet signal and your website working. I have paid a lot of money to Ancestry over the years and invested loads of man hours into my tree. Is this a way of forcing people to stay with Ancestry year in year out so they can access records they have already attached to their tree? If so it won’t work as I will investigate a way of moving my tree to other software not dependent on a massive company who seem to be putting profit before people yet again. Bad decision Ancestry – please reconsider.

  808. Peggy McClintock

    Hmm, I actually got started with FTM as a way to organize all my personal documents and have it available offline. This decision basically means that I either have to eternally pay for a subscription to Ancestry or else stop doing research. I have really enjoyed doing my family research these past few years but may stop after 2017 if I no longer have a way to do an offline backup and reporting. I seriously hope you reconsider this – we don’t need new FTM features as much as we need to keep what we have right now.

  809. Suzanne

    I truly feel very sorry for all the loyal f t m customers. Maybe it will spur software developers to make a better genealogy software program.
    Now that f t m is to be retired I wish that Ancestry would go back to the program it purchased and then sold on (what happened?) namely the wonderful word version of Reunion which was a magnificent Genealogy Software program. If no better Windows based genealogy software program (than word version of Reunion) is created then I intend to purchase an Apple computer just so that I can purchase the Apple version of Reunion. I have suffered so many other windows based genealogy programs over a 20 year period (Trust me I have tried them all) but nothing has surpassed Windows version of Reunion (no longer available). The word version of Reunion was intuitive and fast and efficient and a joy to use.

  810. Lou A Vogler

    Even with a years notice, this is ridiculous. Why don’t you sell the product to another developer or allow other programs to sync with ancestry. The answer is so flipping obvious! You just want subscription $$ and don’t care about your customers. If nothing else, do as Microsoft and Adobe have done and offer the desktop product as a subscription so you have a stream of $$ to support the product. You will lose subscribers to ancestry.com by the droves if you don’t…including me!

  811. Michael G.

    It’s obvious from the many, many happy comments above that ditching FTM will retain many old friends for you and make many more new ones. I know that in my business – for every one negative letter/note/comment I receive, many, many more feel the same but just quietly go someplace else. Excuse me – I have to be going.

  812. Rebecca DeSilva

    You have got to be kidding me. I’ve finally found something that works, that gets me away from the easy-peasy, shaking-leaf Ancestry website and allows me to compile serious outside research into my tree but remain interfaced with my connections on Ancestry and you are discontinuing it? What a horrible decision. I will take every opportunity from now until it is officially discontinued to get myself weaned off the Ancestry.com website. Poor poor customer relations move.

  813. LIsa Lindsey

    I am really disappointed to hear this. My mother-in-law is the keeper of the family history. She uses FTM only! She does not have an Ancestry account, nor does she like to store anything on the internet. What is she supposed to do now? Did you think of people like her when you made this rather greedy decision?!

  814. Maggie

    This is dreadful news. I have been using this software for many years and will now have to adapt to a new software. There is no way I will put my tree on ancestry.

  815. Stacy

    I have been a Family TreeMaker customer through the changes of ownership (and, in my opinion, the subsequent decline of the product with the change of interface following Version 6).

    The number of protests re: discontinuing the product should reflect both the need to return to a decent interface, while incorporating the newer technology, as well as the need to sell the product to a company that appreciates the need for it as much as we users do.

  816. Tommy J. Waldrop

    I feel a deep, aching pain in my gut right now and cannot believe this is happening. I wish there were something that could be said that would persuade you to change your mind but it is apparent your mind is made up and your plans will not be changed. You have deeply hurt and disappointed your website subscribers and purchasers of FTM. I thought better of you than this.

  817. Gillian

    The ability to sync with FTM was the only reason I stuck with Ancestry. If FTM support goes, I will pay my money to a UK-based solution like FindMyPast or TheGeneaologist.

  818. Debby

    I am sorry that you are making this decision. I would prefer to work in FTM than ancestry. I have been a member since the 1980’s and have over 29,000 individuals in my tree. I also have paid between $200 and $500 a year for this service that you sell or give away to non-members. I don’t like working in ancestry.com and sync my information there. I will definitely be cancelling my subscription and removing my data. THIS IS A REALLY BAD MISTAKE ON YOUR PART!!!!!!!

  819. Steve

    Very disappointing news. I have used the link between Ancestry.com and FTM for years and don’t see how I’ll replace the connection. I’m certain an entrepreneurial database software company will come up with something to replace it. The online tree capabilities of Ancestry.com won’t be enough for my needs. Again, very disappointing news. My international membership is in jeopardy.

  820. Maureen

    This is enough for me. I’m going to Gedcom, print and start somewhere else, but I’ve had it with Ancestry. You’ve gotten way to big for your britches as my mom used to say and you don’t give a rat’s butt about the people that support you. I’m due for renewal in March and it’s not going to happen. I’m not spending money on you anymore, first you go to a format which 99% of your users hate, and now you do this. Money hungry anyone at Ancestry? You’re going to end up bankrupting the business.

  821. Kristina

    To continue from above: Roots Magic is really easy to use and they have a lot of detailed tutorial videos

  822. Ann

    What a terrible, short sighted decision. As both a FTM and Ancestry (World Explorer) for over 20 years with my subscription price sky rocketing year after year, come 2017 I will not be renewing! I believe you are trying force us to load our tree/trees onto your platform and I will not do that. I have used Ancestry less and less because I find your new format abysmal, it takes for ever to find the information I am looking for. It is there one week and not there the next! Please, please reconsider your decision. I have noticed more and more free dates available but members do not get a credit for those dates which has always upset me, but I let it go. This decision is just not going to sit well with me and it would appear I am not alone!

  823. Donna Sud

    This is so very wrong. I have recommended this software to so many people and spent a small fortune with Ancestry and its affiliates. In fact I recently took down my online tree to fix some data issues that had crept in during syncs. Then I was going to reload the corrected tree. Why would I ever do that now? The software in my opinion was augmented by the online features, not he other way around. I am canceling my membership in Ancestry and all its affiliated sites and going back to the scholarship methods that I originally used.

  824. Sandy

    This is a big mistake and I believe you will hurt your subscriptions. I like the sync idea and the various ways to publish the information. You will lose customers and someone will come up with something similar. You at least need to continue the support beyond the given date.

  825. Robert

    Considering the shear volume of negative response it can only be gleaned that your decision was not based on your commitment to customer support and good will. I assume that your decision is based purely on profit motive (which isn’t always a bad thing) but your profits are going to dry up when everyone cancels their subscriptions.

    Good luck with that.

  826. Anna Sakcriska

    WOW!! Cannot believe the mistake that is being made here. I will be deleting my tree and leaving.

  827. Barbara

    This is a terrible and disappointing decision. I will be looking for another genealogy service provider. Please rethink this.

  828. judyolson29

    I can’t believe it!!! Sure glad I didn’t submit my file online. I was considering that recently. It’s staying on my computer for sure now.

  829. Pete

    Sorry to see that corporate greed has gotten the best of you. I love treemaker because I didn’t need to have access to the internet. You charge too much!

  830. Foy Mueller

    Please, please don’t do this. I’ve spent so much money over the years with Family Tree Maker and Ancestry. This is simply terrible. Can you recommend another program that will provide the service that we have learned to expect from you. This is SO disappointing. Please reconsider.

  831. Of course.
    I just purchased FTM thru the Apple App store less than 30 days ago (Nov 18,2015). I hope you intend for huge upgrade in functionality for the website to make up for the loss in functionality by ditching FTM. A refund would also be in order so that I can at least invest in MacFamilyTree7 or other solution which can work locally. Publishing an API to allow other desktop solutions to sync content with Ancestry would be good step toward helping those users who feel abandoned.

  832. Sandy

    Once again Ancestry.com has made another bad decision to make it harder for anyone to research their family. So so sad that you remain clueless to what it takes add new customers to your site. You have it spot on to losing loyal followers.

  833. Edward

    This is a very short-sighted decision, as the many comments attest. I don’t want all my research on the web for everyone else to copy. FTM has capabilities (especially documentation) that is not available on Ancestry.com. And I want to publish books from FTM. I’m not at all happy with this decision and urge you to reconsider.

  834. Barbara

    I am NOT happy with this decision. I have used this program for about 30 years. I can’t always access internet o won’t be able to use it all the time. Guess I won’t be using ANY of your site after this is done. Also I just upgraded and I also purchased the program for my daughter for Christmas so what good was that. I think I should be refunded for both!

  835. Trish White

    Why on earth made you think this was a good idea? I don’t trust that the website will not lose or remove my data. I want it on my personal computer with copies of all documents. The amount of money I have spent on FTM and Ancestry over years and years! Bad idea. What do we use instead of FTM that will Synch with Ancestry trees???

  836. Bill

    Perhaps you should look at Keurig Green Mountains disasterous financial results following their decision to restrict how their customers could use their offerings. You’re heading for a rude awakening that will cost you your job!

  837. Elyse

    Please consider spinning off and selling FTM to another genealogy company should one make an offer. It’s the least you can do.

  838. Steve Mitchell

    I agree that FTM has a much better Man-Machine-Interface than the online pages. I am in Ancestry.com for the data, not the pretty colors and wide open spaces. I can see a LOT more data on my FTM pages. I have a desktop, laptops and pads, and I much prefer using the desktop to the other devices, except for maybe the touch-screen features. Well, I guess you have until 2017 to show that your new interface was written by folks that actually use the software and are not trying to get by on glitter. I don’t want to pay for glitter.

  839. Chuzzlewit

    I have rarely seen such a company so out of touch with it’s clientele. Do any of you actually use your product? After subscribing for a number of years and recently investing in the DNA package as well, I now find I need to find another site and another software tool. If you think that we wish to use your hopeless web interface and lose our own local records then you must be deluded. Treesync is the fundamental reason that I have stayed with Ancestry and you appear to have completely lost the plot. I will now start to consider my options for when my subscription runs out and Ancestry.com will not be considered.

  840. Joyce

    Seems like there are so many questions and NO answers, Greed on the part of Ancestry may prove to be their downfall. Now would be the perfect time for another better genealogy company to come forward and take all of the customers you will definitely lose.

  841. John Yocum

    I urge you not to cease support of your Family Tree S/W for the PC. I cherish having my own copy of the online tree. and it is the only reason I have not switched over to the Family Search online software developed by the Mormon Church. If I am forced to use only online SW I wll switch to Family Search which is free and coming on strong.

  842. Greg M

    I am a FTM user first and only use Ancestry.com for research, the online Ancestry.com tree format is rubbish,. I will be looking for an alternative to FTM and won’t be renewing my Ancestry.com subscription !

  843. TomB

    I’ve been using FTM for many years. I’ve got over 2000 names on my database. I have not uploaded it to Ancestry because I’ve seen too many errors on other peoples trees. I’ll have to find a replacement for FTM. I just wanted to add my comments to the fray, I see you’ve received over 500 comments in less then an hour, I hope this will change your mind. but knowing the almighty dollar is more important, all us end users are out of luck.

  844. Brenda

    Here is your statement, “we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market and the impact this has on being able to continue to provide new content, product enhancements and support that our users need” My questions are: Is this decision based on desktop sales? Do you sell desktops? Are you thinking most users are on mobile devices? Are those users the ones who walk aimlessly with their heads down staring at their device? Because those useres are not the ones who research their genealogy and appreciate a backup, home version of their trees and a place to enter their data, using ALL ten fingers. I have the mobile ancestry app in my kindle, and frankly it is very awkward to use. If that is the direction you intend to go, you will lose more income from memberships, than you would by maintaining FTM. Please, reconsider. I love Ancestry, but I’m old school, I can afford to pay the monthly subscription. But only if I have a use for it. Which you are planning to discontinue support for. I’d hate to have you lose me, too.

  845. Carol Ellis-Jones

    I am sorry to hear you will not be supporting FTM. I have been using it for years, since the beginning! I certainly find it easier to use then going on your website, which I also have used for a number of years. I am devastated as I love my FTM and have stuck with it.

  846. Keith

    Boycott Ancestry.com for a few weeks, and see if that helps them see the idiocy of this decision. If you don’t, you’ll have to live with this stupidity. Anyone have enough guts to do that? You’re too busy with the Holidays anyway, right?

  847. Elizabeth Dotchel

    I bought the 2014 version about 6 mos ago now you’re saying it won’t be any good come 2017. I want to save my research not just keep it on the website ! I think this is just telling your customers they wasted their money and got ripped off

  848. Donna Meldgaard

    Really bad decision on your part. I’ve been using this software for years. Now what??? Will not be renewing my subscription when it expires.

  849. Mandy

    How do we go about requesting refunds? I just purchased the software in October. So frustrated to have invested time and money in a soon-to-be-obsolete software.

  850. Ronda

    After JUST purchasing this AND asking all the right questions (i.e., “This isn’t going to be upgraded or negated any time soon if I spend all this money, right?) and was assured, ASSURED it was staying as is and I wouldn’t. Now this? Seriously?! If trees will not sync or pull in documents to review/save after 01/01/2017 I never, NEVER would have purchased FTM and would have just gone to another vendor for ALL of my research! It didn’t help that customer service hung up on me when I called to reiterate that if I didn’t have FULL, useable AS IS access after 01/01/2017 then I wanted a refund or a guarantee in writing that is all still going to be there and available, too. Absolutely ROTTEN, Ancestry. ROTTEN! I wasted my Christmas gift wish on Family Tree Maker … THANKS!

  851. Ever heard of the New Coke? Well, IMHO, this decision will rank right up there with that bomb. If Ancestry.com was going to release an API, this might make some sense. They say they have no plans for that. If that be the case, I predict one of two things will happen: 1. They reverse this decision after their membership numbers drop perspicaciously. 2. They release an API. Actually, there’s a third option: Bankruptcy.

  852. Christine

    You’ll need to provide a way to save tree information including attachments such as photos and stories. GEDCom files are inadequate as they lose all the extras. When folks put 20’years of work into their family trees like I have done, they should be able to save a lot more than name date place, name date place. This will be the primary problem I see with eliminating your software. You must give people a way to “own” their work still.

  853. B. Long

    FTM is the program I always use. I like to have it as a backup when I sync the two. Living out in the foothills my internet is very expensive. I can work on FTM off line then sync it up with my online tree at a later date. We try to be careful using our allotted GB’s each month. I also like the interface of working on FTM. It does have some problems , but those could be fixed with a good IT team. Please reconsider. I have been a long time paying customer. It seems that the CEO’s need to get in touch more with the actual users of Ancestry. This may be the change that makes me drop my subscription.

  854. Jennifer Drake

    I only use 1 feature on FTM: Relationship Calculator for tracking multiple relationships. It has not worked since the “new Ancestry” rolled out. I really need to know how I can find these multiple relationships without FTM and Ancestry showing only the closest relationship on the paternal side. Paper and pencil charts? There has to be a better way.

  855. Brenda

    I can’t believe that you are stopping Family Tree Maker. I have used this program since it was first introduced and now you are stopping it. What are we suppose to do when we cannot access anything. Just throw away all of our hard work and money to the wind. I thought that Ancestry was a company that believed in saving history of families and also was a reputable company but then I guess I was wrong. Take into account everyone else that has used your products and paid for them and all your records for many years. You have made money off of all of use.

  856. Genevieve Netz

    Add me to the list of people who are very upset about this decision. I absolutely loved the Tree Sync feature. And it makes your website a lot less attractive to me, if you discontinue the desktop software that goes with it. I spend too much time on genealogy, anyhow. When FTM stops syncing, I’m going to let my Ancestry subscription expire.

  857. Russ Gripp

    I have used FTM from almost the beginning. Literally decades of research are in there. I do sync to Ancestry.com, but don’t enter anything there. I guess you mean for us to start entering everything directly into Ancestry.com. You really didn’t give any guidance, such as what options people have. What a poorly written message, basically leaving everyone in the lurch as to what to do now.

  858. David Harper

    If this was April, then I’d say it your announcement was a bad April Fools Day prank, but it’s December–a time of giving with Hanukkah and Christmas upon us… Your announcement is anything, but a spirit of giving! Your timing is poor. I recall the backlash Netflix experienced a few years ago when they made an absurd decision without getting the feedback of longtime loyal customers first. You say that you took a “hard look,” but did that include getting feedback from you customer base? Don’t make a regrettable decision that could backfire on revenue and loss of loyal customers.

  859. Ron

    I agree with everybody, this was a bad decision. FTM and the sync function is the best part of Ancestry, plus I do not like the new online format.

  860. Jill

    I have been a member of Ancestry since 2003. It is quite obvious that they no longer care what their members want. First they force us to use the new interface that is rote with problems and user complaints and now, they are forcing us to put ALL of our information on their website instead of letting the user control what goes on Ancestry. Not to mention all of the data that is not transferable from FTM to Ancestry.com. If you do not replace FTM with a comparable software, I will have no choice but to cancel my subscription as I will not support such blatant attempts to high-jack my personal trees.

  861. Lou Thompson

    This was published 4/6/15 in the HuffingtonPost: Ancestry.Com Is Quietly Transforming Itself Into A Medical Research Juggernaut. This article may shed some light on today’s announcement.

  862. judyolson29

    I can’t believe that!! Sure glad I didn’t submit my info online. I had been considering that recently. It’s going to stay on my computer for sure now.

  863. Wolfgang Wittenburg

    I called them on their support line to find out more. They assured me that ‘Family Tree Worker’ will continue to be available, but only on line, which is a problem for those of us who like things close to the chest.
    A decision from on ‘High’ in Provo obviously, which is not exactly a confidence builder for the future. The worst ‘product enhancement’ and PR blunder I have seen for a long time. Maybe time to look for other Genealogy software?

  864. Rob

    What a great idea – let the punters buy your not inexpensive software on the assumption it will be supported, then pull the rug out from under them. Anyone who purchased FTM in the last 2 years should get a full refund. This shows your total lack of respect for your client base and I suspect many, like me, will respond accordingly by moving elsewhere.

  865. Marilee Hird

    I’m very unhappy with the idea of discontinuing FTM. I use the software often, even if I don’t always access the website, and I find the software easier to use and move through than the new website layout.I also know that if I ever stop my subscription to Ancestry, I will lose all the saved content. This is totally unfair to your longtime customers. I will now be stuck with an expensive subscription pretty much forever.

  866. Mark Paul

    I have just bought Family Tree Maker & now you are stopping support now that I have set up my tree? I want my tree on my own computer -NOT on the Cloud. What are you going to do to help the many, MANY customers who have paid for this ability? Disgusting. There needs to be a response that provides more details than a flippant Press Release with very little information for your (previously) loyal customers.

  867. Elhura

    One last nail in the coffin. I suppose this is Ancestry’s way of getting back at those who were reverting to FTM as an alternative to using the web site. I knew Ancestry cared little for the original subscribers whose work helped build their reputation. I guess they don’t care much for the company either. The 714 comments here don’t matter because no one at Ancestry.com cares.

  868. Andrea Nowlin

    I’ve been working on our family trees for the past 30 years. First wrote down everything on paper then switched to the first FTM program and now using FTM 2014. I saw where Ancestry was taking everyone over which was no big deal – but getting rid of FTM is the worst mistake that ancestry can do. Now what are we suppose to use????? Will you be coming out with a new program???? Think of what you are doing before you make your final decision

  869. Joe

    I can’t tell you how utterly disappointed I am that you would consider discontinuing Family Treemaker. It is the best part of your product. Your website offers service, but the product you offer online is HORRIBLE. I predict this will be a devastating decision if you follow through with it. It is the combination of the FTM product you offer and the online services you provide that make you outstanding in genealogy research. Without FTM, I’ll be looking for someone else who offers what you no longer will. Please reconsider, for your sake and ours.

  870. Bob Stevens

    Like most of the comments before me, I am appalled at the decision by Ancestry, and like many others will be cancelling my subscription. I have been using FTM for over 10 years. Maybe the management of Ancestry should have looked at other business models such as offering an annual subscription that included FTM. Forward thinking companies such as Microsoft and Adobe have successfully moved to provide software on an annual subscription basis. You will find out in a few years just how damaging this decision has been, but then it will be too late. I administer a family history group with 600 members. I have always promoted Ancestry and FTM, but no more. You can guess what will be in the next email to this 600 members.

  871. Mike

    I didn’t interpret the Dear Customer letter as FTM will no longer work offline – Ancestry just won’t support the program with any interface to a website, at least as we know of it now. Perhaps a cloud based FTM is in the works – hope so. BTW – I wouldn’t brag about how many millions of this and how many billions of that have accumulated over the years if it was all for naught. I just today received 3 new ancestry DNA test kits – regret buying those.

  872. Kay

    I want to add my voice to those who are confused, angry, and disappointed. It appears that you want to make us dependent on Ancestry and I will not want to continue my subscription.

  873. Diana

    I will not renew my ancestry subscribtion if you discontinue FTM. I have been using it and Ancestry for years and am very unhappy about this decision.

  874. Mary

    Very disappointed to hear this. How do we produce reports and charts now? Is there another software product we can export our trees to? I guess there isn’t much point in continuing after next year if we can’t sync our trees.

  875. Heidi

    Using the website as the only means of maintaining a family tree is cumbersome and frustrating. The whole point of having the software is for the features that are not available or viable on the website. Like so many others who have vented their frustration on this blog, I too shall be discontinuing my Ancestry membership – I don’t have time for the clunky navigation of the website. To any IT specialists out there – if you can come up with a way to migrate the FamilyTree database to something like Microsoft Access then I’, sure that there are many disgruntled Ancestry members who would like to hear from you.

  876. Andrew

    Sorry but this is NOT the way forward. Every researcher appreciates a hard copy. It’s actually the reason that I chose Ancestry in the first place. I suppose I’ll have to reconsider my options when my subscription is up. VERY disappointed!

  877. Brian

    The web search interface is not professional, and wastes a ton of time. I’d say the software is for the serious researchers, the website for dabblers. If you must drop the software, then you really must do FAR better with your search tools! Right now, they generally suck.

    As family search.com gets better, maybe that’s the place to be…

  878. CCC

    This is truly a bad decision. The online ancestry trees are not very good. Have you forgotten that Ancestry.com has previously published this statement about the print options on your online trees:
    “The output from these print options is very basic and not presentation quality. It is best suited for those who prefer to review and verify a family tree on paper.”
    I guess you stated that to get use to buy the software, but now you have changed your tune! Do you think those of us who do a LOT more that simply post things on line will be happy with the poor quality and limited options for the online trees? I, too, will probably drop my ancestry subscription and just use the one at the library. You are showing little regard for serious researchers who have published, printed, etc. through the software. PLEASE reconsider!

  879. My family research is my property, not yours! My family research belongs on my computer. I share my tree with others to help them with their research as I have been helped by them. Your website is a valuable aid to obtain records I would never have found otherwise. However, the information you provide belongs in my computer & I do not enjoy looking at your tree formats at all. Nor do I intend to have the only records of my family solely online! I have had full subscriptions to Ancestry since you went online, many, many years. But I am not your property! And I will not be so stupid as to pay your fees to only have access to my family online! This will make no difference to your decisions I realize, but this is my opinion. I really hate this.

  880. Richard

    I cannot bear the website it is so slow and sluggish to use (especially on my laptop) compared to the desktop version. As of now I’m looking into alternatives. Goodbye,

  881. Chris

    So disappointed!! I am a new user of FTM. Only downloaded it a week ago and feel cheated and ripped off. Will be looking at the opposition.

  882. David

    Whoever made this decision should be fired. If you are currently losing money on FTM, then you should change the way you charge for it, not terminate the product. You are going to lose a lot of loyal customers, including me.

  883. Mardi

    I’m hoping that you will allow a third-party software to sync our family trees. You don’t address this in your announcement, so I’m assuming that you are not considering it at this point? That’s why I’ve chosen to use Ancestry, so I can keep my family tree current there as well as on my computer. If you don’t have that feature, doing double the work isn’t an option for me, so I’ll update on my computer only, so you will lose people maintaining their family trees on Ancestry, which is one of your great selling points for your DNA and research services. I feel that you are betraying your customers. I hope you will rethink this since I’m sure you’ll be losing a considerable customer base once we don’t have this option. People who spend the money on your subscription services are dedicated genealogists for the most part and want their files on your computers as well and don’t have the time to enter twice. I’ve been a member for years and I would expect that services should get better, not worse. I realize that companies need to rethink how they do business, but believe you’ve made a bad decision and not considering your long time customers. If you want loyal customers, you have to be loyal to your customers.

  884. Daniel Roach

    If the SYNC will not work aft 2017, then Ancestry is a useless product. I feel your decision will come to bite you in your ass. I’ve used FTM since the mid 90’s. and this move is like a slap in our faces!

  885. Ed McLaughlin

    Having been a Director of IT in a fortune 100 company, for many years, I’ve seen these centralize, decentralize systems arguments over and over again. NEITHER is the ultimate solution. The only good solution is the one you have now. You will loose the serious genealogists. Even now your online system encourages matches that duplicate errors, because people are not careful. All this will do is make that worse. Keeping my information on my computer where I know it is safe and I can work on it anytime of the day or night is important. I don’t know the technology you use but it works well to synchronize the two. l. And frankly it didn’t always. Looking into the future is fine but our imaginations are not Star Wars compatible yet. You are dreaming. This is a major blunder.

  886. I am really disappointed in the road that Ancestry is taking. First the changes to the information page..so hard to follow and often “freezes” so you can’t move on without going out of the program. I have used the information and photos to prepare individual records…not possible now to continue the records that I have spent a lot of time on as well as the money. I was looking at purchasing Family Tree Maker for organizing my information. How long until ancestry just folds and our info is lost? Definitely don’t like the road this is taking, as it seems many others feel the same. Do your loyal customers not mean anything???

  887. Rena

    This just confirms to me that I need to restart my efforts to move my family research to Family Search. At least you won’t lose your attached research whenever you don’t have an active subscription. We’ve got one-year move on or your entire family history will be dependent on your ability to maintain an Ancestry.com membership.

  888. John Roberts

    Really, really disappointed about this decision. I’ve used FTM for about 4 years now and love it – but I generally avoid the web version as it is nowhere as nice to use. I feel safe having all my research on BOTH my own PC and in the cloud, and take the added precaution of having my own PC backed up to a third party supplier every night. But the main issue is the ease of use of FTM compared to the web version. Does anyone know of other alternatives for a desktop system?

  889. Jeanne

    I agree, without FTM, I’m going to start looking for a program and website. I mostly use offline and I print report. Ancestry.com is becoming more difficult to use not easier.

  890. David Ross

    I have used Family Tree Maker longer than I can recall. As you can see from previous comments, no one is happy with your decision. I will attempt to locate another program. I want my data on my computer. I want access even when the internet is not accessible. I will discontinue my ancestry membership, also, at the earliest possible opportunity.

  891. I can only echo the many comments above; the ONLY reason I just bought FTM is the synch function with Ancestry.com; the software that I had been using for many years has gone out of business, and I assumed (wrongly, as it turns out) that that would never happen with FT! This is a disaster for me. Very poor decision.

  892. Michael Olah

    Well, that seals it. I was debating whether or not to renew, and this means NO! I too am not always connected to the internet, and often used FTM to “show” people our tree. I HATE using a browser for such things as a COMPUTER is ideally suited for – data organization and retrieval. Bye Bye! I’ll miss you – but not as much as you’ll miss me.

  893. charles

    This is crazy and your explanation of what will occur doesn’t explain anything. Turning your back on loyal customers of many years.

  894. Lori

    Well, this tells me I need to get my act together and get everything done before Jan 2017, because I will not renew my ancestry account after next year. And whatever am I going to do with these few hundred FTM CDs that I have on my shelves. Use as target pigeons I guess.

  895. Martin

    This is probably the most ridiculous business decision ever made by Ancestry. We won’t be renewing our membership.

  896. Tim

    Follow-up comment –
    All those making comments here, make your comments known to social media, tell your friends, family and community (Church or School).

    Kendall Huet should resign, or be replaced by the Board.

    Vote with your dollars and voice.
    Don’t be held hostage by Ancestry, Adobe or Microsoft.

  897. Ron

    If a company has ever made a worse business decision I don’t know what it was. You are abandoning the functionality your core users want, use, and need. I sincerely doubt the people who made this decision are users of the product. If I can’t use FTM on my PC, I’m not interested in paying a dime for services in the future.

  898. Eleanor

    I have used FTM for many years and it is a far superior product to any on the market. This news is a backwards step for your company, and ill-considered. You have a loyal customer base, but we are still reeling from the multitude of changes that have been made to the Ancestry interface, why do this now? Please do not discontinue Family Treemaker!

  899. Giselle Jakobs

    If this is a ploy to get more people to subscribe to Ancestry… forget it. Very, very, very POOR customer service.

  900. PeterPiper

    I pay 30$ a month for Ancestry.com. I will no longer be a customer if you eliminate FTM. I will find another solution.

  901. Andrew

    Well done Ancestry, you have certainly managed to cause a stir in the usually sedate genealogy community. A couple of things you quickly need to consider if you want to regain some credibility following your poorly worded and mis-judged communication: 1) what are your plans to recreate the functions that have been a key part of your advertising strategy for ftm, the reason we bought it in the first place 2) be specific about timescales 3) thank us for our loyalty and then remove our key tool – mixed message indeed 4) you should consider an appropriate refund policy for those people seriously affected by this 5) perhaps post a link to findmypast.com to make it easy for your soon to be ex customers to take their business elsewhere.
    Merry Christmas to you all as well.

  902. Carol

    I am 75 yr old and don’t understand what happened to my FTM data base and my Ancestry.com connection. What am I suppose to learn or do next to stay relevant?

  903. Ian

    Decision stinks! Other software providers will be rubbing their hands with glee . . . Your loss – their gain

  904. Pam Cooper

    My first reaction was that this had to be a very bad joke. I use Ancestry ONLY as an adjunct to Family Tree Maker. I like the variety and tailoring of the reports that I can prepare in FTM. My search for a replacement desk top software system starts today! I will not reply on having my tree on a commercial website – outside my control I hope that the torrent of comments you are getting is going to cause you to reconsider this. The is absolutely unbelievable – we have been FTM users, upgrading each time, since the 1990s.

  905. Carole

    I really hope you listen to all the feedback from your CUSTOMERS and change this very bad decision. You are going to lose a lot of members (myself included) over this.

  906. Marilyn Nathanson

    Very disappointed at this news! I don’t want my family info on line…will therefore not be able to keep my own family tree separate from your on line sync?????

  907. Barry Anderson

    Ancestry should be ashamed of itself for this despicable move and I suspect this move will cost you dearly in lost customers once implemented in 2017, which BTW is only one year’s notice and you have the hide to keep selling FTM. How long have you had this move on the table and why was I not made aware of this when I bought FTM earlier this year???

  908. Jay2203

    Very disappointed about this decision. I, like others above, have used this software for years and have just purchased the 2014 edition! I hope after seeing the amount of comments about this that you will reconsider your decision! To say I am pretty annoyed is an understatement!

  909. Tina Kasiske

    I too am extremely distressed by this news. We have been loyal to you… where is your loyalty to us? We have paid, in good faith, for services that include an interface between Ancestry and FTM. Where and when may FTM users expect to find answers to fears, concerns, and outrage reflected in this blog?

  910. Cathy Oss

    Ive used FTM for years and just purchased the newest version. What program am I supposed to use now. I have very extensive records on FTM so this is really really disappointing. I am a long time subscriber to Ancestry but was taking a few months off. Looks like it might be for a long long time. I also dont like the newest version of Ancestry.

  911. Susan Rush

    This is very sad! Being able to sync to Family Tree Maker and print reports was one of the best selling features. Will you be adding report printing capabilities to Ancestry? If not, shame on you. It will be extremely cumbersome to have to download to gedcom files and use some other software. Did you think to ask your Ancestry/Family Tree Maker users before you made this decision? I spend a lot of money using Ancestry, Fold 3 and Newspapers.com and this behind the back attitude doesn’t sit well. Please either add reporting capabilities to Ancestry or keep Family Tree Maker. Ancestry is a wonderful genealogical tool, but I think you are getting to big for your own britches! I hope you reconsider, otherwise shame on you.

  912. Ty Peterson

    This from your website…did you change your mind?
    Why do I need Family Tree Maker for Mac, considering all I can do on Ancestry.com?
    Family Tree Maker for Mac gives you an easy way to save and organize your family tree conveniently on your Mac. It also gives you a variety of helpful tools that can help you share your tree in charts, reports and other creative formats. Just like previous versions of Family Tree Maker, the Mac version is made to work with Ancestry.com to help you learn more about your ancestors in billions of historical records — and the software comes with a trial Ancestry.com membership. However, you can also just as easily use the software without Ancestry.com.

  913. Tom Chunis

    Absolutely floored me with announcement. I have used FTM for many years. What are the options for maintaining my record Set?

  914. Anthony Lehtola

    Wow! What a bombshell! I’ve used FTM for almost 20 years. Love the search and organization tools that aren’t available on line. Printing books and reports not available. Don’t think I’m happy about this! No! I’m sure I’m not happy!

  915. Keith

    Brenda is exactly on-target. I’ll bet you could count anyone who does genealogy searching on their iPhone or equivalent on a a hand or two. Of course, serious users are going to use a REAL PC – laptop or desktop!

  916. Gina Anderson

    I just hate the new site design SO FREAKING MUCH – FTM was my beacon in the darkness. I feel abandoned and betrayed….been with FTM since Broderbund days. This is just too much….just too much… Twist the knife a little deeper….don’t forget the salt and vinegar either.

  917. Liz

    What’s all the fuss about? Your software will continue to work or you can transfer everything to someone else’s software. I have been a constant user of Ancestry.com for years but I would NEVER put my tree on their web site as I knew something like this would be likely to happen. There are plenty of other sites and plenty of other software companies who would appreciate our business. Of course it’s about money, they are not interested in us…that is until we all change to Generations of FMP or other up and coming web sites. Just remember, they will all do this to us eventually. My main concern is, when will they stop FreeBMD, FreeCen and FreeReg which we volunteers have all contributed to!

  918. David Shaw

    Unbelievable! To me it looks like you are attempting to require an annual subscription or the information will be held hostage. SHAMEFUL. FTM is a great program which I have recommended time and time again and it is MUCH easier to use than your web site. Unless you agree that FTM will always have the ability to sync with ancestory.com then I too will seek another venue. You had a great system that worked well, now you want to pitch it and torque off a lot of loyal customers and subscribers. Shame, shame, shame!

  919. Digger

    I am disappointed that ancestry believes the desktop computing market is dead and being replaced by tablets. However statics show that the market has leveled out. Having used your app on my tablet it is piece of junk. It is hard difficult to maneuver in and worse you can view a document and the profile of the person you are search for at the same time to verify related information. The best part of ancestry is the sync with FTM so those who have spent years gathering information are secure having a back up if their and when their PC dies. FTM has many great report features not offered online or does ancestry want everyone to pay for these through their published photo books and posters. This makes me very disgruntled and I will need to reconsider my membership due to getting less value for the same amount or more money. Seems pretty greedy on ancestry’s part.

  920. Mike

    This should come as no surprise – once Permira bought Ancestry,the die was cast.
    They know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
    So that’s my World Subscription finishing next September.

  921. Karen

    The ONLY reason that I pay for my Ancestry subscription — when so much of your data is available for free on familysearch.org and other sites — is because of the integration with FTM, which I have been faithfully using and upgrading for well over 20 years. Please reconsider your decision or count me as an ex-subscriber when it’s time for me to renew!

  922. Carol

    What a disappointment! Received this for my birthday last December. Long time subscriber to Ancestry but may cancel if this doesn’t get rectified. Ancestry connects to FTM, DNA and online trees making it perfect. Please don’t do this!

  923. Yvette Moo

    THIS IS A BAD MOVE ON YOUR PART,!!

    I depend FTM to update all my computer files. And so I can attach photos and files that I may not want to post online.

    PLEASE TELL ME, AS WELL AS ALL THESE DISAPPOINTED PEOPLE THAT YOU WILL BRING IT BACK OR BRING A MUCH IMPROVED PROGRAM OUT,

    What am I to do after 2017? I will have a useless outdated program that will collect dust and wil, eventually not work properly so I will have to transfer the files-THEN transfer EVERY SINGLE ATTACHMENT ONE AT A TIME!! I can see losing things seriously NOT BOTHERING,!! That is a huge waste.

    Please let me know if you are replacing it.

  924. John

    Big mistake Ancestry. You’ve just shot yourself in the foot. You’re already incurring major reputational damage for the way you you’ve announced you’re going to impose this. Customers will be quitting in large numbers. Huge tactical opportunity for your competitors to gain market share. Guess what, future world is not just about cellphones, tablets, apps, cloud and web. In the family history community there is great affinity with software programs and the sync facility was one of your great usp’s that you’ve just thrown away. You clearly don’t know or understand your customers and you don’t seem to care either. So goodbye Ancestry. You will regret your decision.

  925. Cheryl Dingwrll-Keckritz

    If I put together a couple of investors could we purchase FTM part of your business. Price should be low since you consider it worthless!

  926. Kathie

    I am not a bit surprised. With all the changes they’ve made the last couple of yrs. you could see this coming. I hate the new format that we are being forced to use as of Dec. 15. Now, the elimination of FTM. I have the 2006 FTM and I love it, even though I can’t sync. Been getting all my information and making hard copies of documents. When my subscription is up, I WILL be cancelling. If you cancel, you can still get to your ancestry.com tree. But, they screwed us again. Per my phone call, I was told that I would only be able to be a guest and won’t be able to add anything to my tree. What good is that. So, when my time comes, GOOD BY ANCESTRY.COM. This is not a threat, but, a PROMISE. You have hurt us in more ways that one.

  927. Tom Z

    Really, really poor decision. I have been using FTM since it was the old DOS version and have poured countless thousands of dollars in upgrades over the years. I, for one, do NOT want my tree on the internet for security purposes…plus often update while researching somewhere that is miles from an internet connection. You guys need to re-think this as I expect you’re going to lose not only thousands of faithful users of FTM but also a fair number of subscribers to Ancestry. Pity the corporate greed on display here.

  928. Ronald

    So not one blog entry I read is happy with this turn of events. Unless he company wants to lose everyone to Family Ties they will have to provide some option. Ancestry.com is virtually a useless data repository without software to turn it into information.
    What users really have to worry about right now is what will happen if the company requires storage of your data on some cloud server in order to uses whatever they come up with, because of privacy. You must understand one simple fact about the “cloud” If the DOD servers can be hacked, anything that Ancestry can come up with is hackable.

  929. Claudia Eaton

    I can’t believe you’re abandoning your faithful followers. I’ve been using your software from the mid 90’s upgrading along the way because your software was better than anything else I saw out there. It encouraged me to diligently record my findings and to source all my information. The last five years or so I’ve splurged to have your full access membership and have made great strides. I feel like I’ve been punched in the stomach…that this was a bad dream or something. Please reconsider.

  930. Petrene Weeks

    85,000 family members related by blood or marriage with notes from church, government and other family trees will be frozen in time. How sad for future generations. We counted on Ancestry, paying more each year to maintain and add to our records. I’m close to 70 years old now. How will I ever be able to explain your decision to my grandchildren? So very sad and disappointing for us all loyal Ancestry customers.

  931. Rowland Hackett

    What appalling news I have used FTM since the days of Broederband? for years of research. I do not like your online tree and do not want to be bound to years of subscribing to Ancestry and I need to add data from other genealogy sources I subscribe to. Ancestry needs to rethink this major blow to those of dedicated to FTM.

  932. Lisa

    I’ve been a loyal FTM and Ancestry user. If this decision is not reversed I want my money back for the 2014 version I bought for myself and my mother in law. I will no longer subscribe to Ancestry and as a librarian at my city library I will no longer promote Ancestry.com. I will encourage patrons to use the other avenues for research. Selfish money driven decision. Your loss, the cyber sphere will work around you.

  933. It is a good thing that over the years I have been making up books of my families histories, and printing them out. I welcome all that you have made available to us. I found out so much just in the last few months. But also have run across many entries that have been misread and copied. I know DNA is a big thing now, but the old records are the best, when we find them. Why was so much time spent on the records of Mexico?? We still have states in the US that it is very hard to get records from them. Sorry to hear this, but Family Tree Maker was only a stepping stone for me. To keep changing the way we work in Ancestry has been very confusing and time consuming for us all. What ever happend to the December 15th dateline for changes in Ancestry??????

  934. Kristen

    Another disappointed customer chiming in. One year’s notice seems insufficient. In the past year alone I’ve paid Ancestry over $400 for subscription services and FTM (purchased this time last year). That amount does not include the $150 I paid this past Saturday to renew my subscription for the next 6 months. I am sure that I am not alone.

    Before I renewed, I compared Ancestry’s services to both Geni and My Heritage, to which I also have subscriptions. I made the decision to stick with Ancestry at this time because of the convenience of both the online and desktop software. I use both regularly. The features are not identical by any means. Moving forward, I anticipate that I will maintain my desktop tree with FTM, even if unsupported, and seek a data only subscription from you or a competitor.

  935. Marj Nickell

    I agree with all the comments and would like to add that obviously there is going to be a way for ancestry to get deeper into our pockets. My best guess is an online platform for which we will have to pay a monthlyfee FOREVER. Some of us do not want our trees all over the internet. I know there are errors in mine which I am trying to investigate and allowing online access will only propagate those errors. The choice should be mine where I want to store my hard work. I also dislike the new ancestry. Lost a lot of features under the trees. Ancestry folks–you do more to shoot yourself in the foot than any organization I have ever seen. .

  936. mb

    This is INSANE. First, you drop a bomb last week that the OLD Ancestry site will not be available after December 15 and now you announce the death of FTM??? Because of the ‘declining desktop software market”??? Do you really think most serious people do genealogy on iPads and iphones???? And, if you’re really focusing your efforts on this market I can tell you right now it is impossible to do any serious work using the Ancestry app on the iPhone. Also, how are we supposed to create reports and summarize descendants etc without a utility like FTM? Or, is the idea that its enough for genealogists to view the little blue and orange icons our iphones and summarize everything in our heads? I don’t know who is running Ancestry these days but obviously not anyone who cares about its customers, or, in fact, knows anything about what the customers need. It’s insane. I’ve written to Ancestry support and everytime I get a response just like the beginning of this announcement eg. “Ancestry is proud…” or “Ancestry is excited…” that then goes on to say why anything you have found useful or functional is now disappearing. Well, glad you folks are happy because your customers definitely are not. If you’re hoping that mobile device users are going to come running to do genealogy with you, you’re quite mistaken. It’s serious research and it requires a DESKTOP computer, like any serious research does.

  937. Margaret O'Brien

    I am too very disappointed and will not be using Ancestry once I loose FTM. Sounds like you guys need to rethink this after reading all the comments above!

  938. Terry Bava

    I have been browsing my own and others’ trees online lately because of my DNA research, and I have concluded that the online version is slow, clumsy, inefficient and hard to manage compared to FTM. Online might work for those who have a hundred people in their trees, but not for serious researchers. I don’t need your folksy online chit chat about how long a life great grandpa Fields lived; I need a single screen with pedigree chart, spouse and info, children and their birth and date dates and places, plus the side column with the data fields that I can modify so that I also see great grandpa’s death, burial, marriage, census info plus a note. That is how I pull the threads of my 6,000 people together and weave them into a family tree. Plus in FTM I have a responsive index on the left that is vastly superior to the sluggish online version that doesn’t let me change the search format. I understand the trend and was recently forced to go to subscription for Adobe products, but those online products are even better than the last desktop versions. Your online version is only a pale imitation of FTM. You should not ditch FTM until your online tree service gets a clue. Truly.

  939. Robert Clark

    This decision is predicated upon the understanding of the separation of the subscription for looking up info and the business of proving a desk-top platform. This is an invalid business model as the existing subscripting clients did so on the basis of the product bought (FTM) AND the ability to store and manage that info locally on their desk-tops. The reality ids tablets and iphones do not have functionality required to appreciate the magnitude of lasrge family tress they are fine as quick presentation layer but that’s it.

    Plus a look at the demographics of your clients may reveal that genealogy tends to be practised by baby-boomers who are more comfortable with desk tops/ laptops and the current features of FTM.

    Please reconsider you decision as you will, I believe, lose your core customer base.

  940. Jan

    Terrible move! What ARE you thinking? I will re-think renewing my subscription! I want FTM (or other software trees) on MY computer … not subject to a subscription w/Ancestry!

  941. JoAnne

    An absolute dissappointment! The ability to print reports, make trees, etc. is a valuable tool for sharing ones love for genealogy. Your service may fail to add new subscribers at the current rate once you implement this change. Will I have to continue to subscribe to Ancestry to gain access to all the work I have on your site? How can I pass down my work to the next generation without my own copy of my work?

  942. What a horrible decision. I do NOT wish to use only online services without the capability of adding notes and photos that only my family will see. My FTM friends and I are pretty darned upset by such a thoughtless business decision. I do not want to get used to a different desktop software for my 15 years of data. PLEASE reconsider.

  943. Schalene Dagutis

    I only use Family Tree Maker for its synching features so my media is backed up and to run custom reports I can’t run online. Will those enhancements be added to the web?

  944. Tammy

    I too am very upset I moved all of my data to FTM so I could sync with Ancestry.com. It is important to me that I have a copy of data on my computer. This is a huge disappointment which will cause me to look into alternate options. Bad move.

  945. Les Gapay

    Bad mistake. Ancestry recent changes are poor. FTM a good product. I was hoping for an upgrade for it in 2016.

  946. Larry Nerge

    I bought my first version of FTM in 1998. Because of the size of my file (now over 104,000 people in my family tree) I’m still on version 16, which is no longer supported nor able to directly link to Ancestry.com. Version 16 works fine. I’m able to export GEDCOM files and create a variety of reports. I continue to use Ancestry.com daily as a research tool, not as a repository for my data. My file is much too large to load and share online. Instead, I share small exports with selected individuals via emails. Your decision really doesn’t impact me since all FTM versions since 2010 have been useless for my needs. It does break my heart to read the comments that have been posted and agree that there needs to be a better transition plan for those who have invested so much time and money.

  947. Mary

    WOW!! Still cannot believe this. What are you thinking?? I shall cancel my membership to Ancestry and all your affiliate sites.

  948. John Meredith

    I sincerely hope you will consider this decision. I use my Family Tree Maker to research Sons of the American and The Sons of the Republic of Texas ancestors for interested parties as the chapter registrar. I must keep their information private and can not use the online version for this reason. I use your database continually and feel betrayed especially with such short notice and no input from your users.

  949. Kathy

    I’m not at all happy with this business decision. I have used FTM for many years, and have stayed with FTM 2009 because of all the glitches I heard about when using the online trees with later versions. It seemed that the tech support at FTM could not keep up with the changes, and their “solution” to having 2 family tree platforms is to force us to use their online system. I do not want to leave my tree vulnerable to a crash at ancestry or my unwillingness to pay so much every year. It may be time to go to RootsMagic or something else.

  950. Pat

    What an unsettling announcement! FTM has many more valuable features than the Ancestry on-line family tree. I use both FTM and Ancestry – and Family Search – in my efforts. The Ancestry on-line tree has the appearance of what is wrong with our society today “give me a snippet and make it pretty” without regard for the diligent efforts of those who want to delve more deeply into their origins. I would like to think this is about something more than money, but obviously it is not. I do hope you will reconsider.

  951. Sharon

    I will no longer subscribe to Ancestry in any way if this goes ahead. Not everyone can afford a yearly membership with Ancestry. I definitely cannot and subscribe a few months a year to work on my home computer copy of Family Treemaker. I upgrade this software every year and prefer a program on my own computer. There are numerous genealogy software companies who will allow us to keep our own data on our computers to back up safely vs trusting websites and the cloud.

  952. Ron

    Poor corporate decision. I am an original FTM user from the 1990s and I am very disappointed and will now reconsider whether I renew my Ancestry membership when it comes due next time.

  953. Jan

    I am so very, very sorry that you feel you have to do this. I have used FamilyTree Maker since I started doing genealogy, and it has been such a blessing. I love the ease that I could do my research and I looked forward to your updates. I highly recommend it to others that are just starting their research.Can someone tell me just how I’m going to be able to continue that especially if you stop the support of Family Tree users? I am so disappointed, please give us some alternatives!

  954. Steven

    In my option this is a very bad decision by Ancestry which is based on corporate greed instead of being in the best interest of your customers! It appears to me that this company has gotten so big that it has forgotten the people who have made Ancestry what is today! Myself and many other Ancestry/FTM customers live in rural areas with very slow internet service and many times I am unable to access My Ancestry tree because my internet service is too slow to load my Ancestry Family Tree. At these time I rely on FTM to access and update my genealogy information which I upload to my Ancestry tree when my service is good enough to do so. If you follow through with this decision to discontinue FTM I will have no choice but to move to another genealogy software and rethink my decision to subscribe to Ancestry.com (which I have been a member of for several years) and the other related Ancestry websites that I am also subscribed to! I am very disappointed that Ancestry.com is trying to force their Ancestry Family Tree on people that can not access it when they need to!

  955. Robin

    Very disappointing news. For those of us who use FTM to share trees and info with relatives at reunions where there’s no internet, what will we do now?

  956. Linda

    I am really upset about this. I do not want my tree to be on an online only program. In fact, I don’t want my tree to be online at all. I will be looking to transfer my FTM data to one of the other software programs if this goes ahead.

  957. Mary Mettler

    Like so many others, I am shocked and angry at your discontinuance of Family Tree Maker, which I and my family members have been using since 1997! I use an online tree at ancestry, treesync and the iPad app – all of which is run by my FTM as the “Captain of the Ship!” I can’t get what I need by ancestry.com and the iPad app, so I have no other choice than to convert to Legacy or RootsMagic and lose the treesync capability. As a former executive, this decision looks like suicide for you and one of the classic worst business decisions. Sigh…and everything worked so well together….

  958. Carl

    I just received my DNA analysis back and was preparing to update FTM to the latest version and to pay for access to Ancestry. But cancel all that now. I’m not interested in lifetime payments just to access my family tree.

  959. Roseann

    Everyone has said it all. Ancestry changes are more disruptive and not useful to FTM fans. All your decisions, as of late, including your “new” tree format must be made by people who do not do genealogy themselves. Just wondering – who did the research and made this recommendation? Clearly, your users were not polled for opinions or included in the decision-making process.

  960. Hallam

    Fifteen years of research is on my FTM software. How can you expect me to jettison it? Please reconsider this short-sighted bean counter decision! Remember that you are providing a service and without the service you will not have profits!

  961. Rena

    The ability to sync was the only reason to get an ancestry.com subscription; as it is the only way to save all your attached research. If that goes away, so does Ancestry.com’s advantage. I question if the decision makers at Ancestry actually do any research or understand how their products are use and what makes them unique / useful.

  962. Brian Smitherman

    Terrible idea! Is this your way of trying to get more money out of people by making people have to subscribe to ancestry.com? As you can tell by the many comments this is a bad idea that should be reconsidered.

  963. Stuary Haley

    This makes me extremly ANGRY. Sell the rights to another company. But dont scuttle the program! And I will be ****ed if I trust my trees to your online program. My tolerance for ancestry.com is thinning. Not happy.

  964. Peggy McClintock

    I’m a bit shocked by this decision. While I understand that you prefer to place your development budget into the website over the software, I don’t see why you will stop offering support for the tree sync to FTM. I started with FTM and rely on that as my offline copy. I am not going to invest a lot of money over the years in something that is out of my control – and having my research only available on your website means that it is no longer under my control. I most likely will stop my Ancestry.com subscription when the tree sync ability goes away. Too bad, because I have really enjoyed doing the research – but you are making it too difficult to continue, so I will likely turn to my other hobbies instead of genealogy.

  965. Joshua W.

    I am disappointed with this design to retire FTM. It has many features that just aren’t available on the website and allows me to make an offline backup of my tree (not just a GEDCOM export).

    If Ancestry is determined to retire FTM, then all the features need to be migrated to the website. Otherwise Ancestry just lost its usefulness to me.

  966. Bruce Herman

    It is too early to be upset or happy. I believe Ancestry will be like Dropbox where you can work at home and will automatically sync online when you are connected.

  967. Kel

    I’ve used FTM in the past and was looking forward to purchasing a new version after the beginning of the new year. I LOVED a lot of the features on FTM that are not available elsewhere. I don’t think you realize how important the FTM software and features are to everyone!

  968. Steve Rottler

    I use ancestry.com and family tree maker now, now but prefer family tree maker for data entry. Discontinuation of the desktop program feels like a money grab: you’re trying to force people into paying more (both now and forever) for an on line subscription service. If this decision stands, I will aggressively search for a different way to search, save, organize, and share my genealogy records.

  969. Steve Kopp

    I’m planning to retire in January 2018. I always take my computer into the cemeteries (no internet access) so I can look up missing family members. And when I visit family members I’ll have to ask for internet access so we can share/update information. I guess I have 2 years to find another vendor and get my tree transferred. This is a BAD IDEA. I refuse to pay Microsoft or Adobe monthly fees but purchase their package and load it onto my laptop. It appears that everyone wants my money for their pockets. Please rethink this decision. What part of FAMILY don’t you understand? It looks like FAMILY TREE is going to lose a lot of branches in the near future. Also, in a few years when Microsoft replaces Windows 10, what do I do when my current version of FTM won’t work on that platform? I’m not only FRUSTRATED, I’m DEVISTATED.

  970. Drew

    I’m disappointed to hear this because there are options only available through the program. Will these be added to the website?

    Changing type and merging facts

    Adding titles online is broken, shows as a full event

    Full backup of photos and documents given by FTM

    Mass data ie location and such changes

    And so much more

  971. Tina

    This is very disappointing news. I have been using FTM since the early 1990’s and wonder how all the family genealogists are supposed to do accurate and complete research without some sort of record keeping software. People can not do all their research on Ancestry.com only. It offers a lot but not everything. I would also request your company reconsider discontinuing the support and update to Family Tree Maker.

  972. Bill

    Well if this is true, you just lost our organization of over 600 family members. We use FTM and have for many years.

  973. Peter John Oswald

    The only way I can see to continue, is to keep downloading the gedcom from the website, merge it with the desktop tree and then replace the website tree with my merged tree from my desktop.
    UNLESS Ancestry is going to take away that feature too.

  974. Jack

    Are you going to provide your database structure to other family history programs so that they can directly inport our data or are we going to have to use GEDCOM to convert to another family history program

  975. Roger Neilson

    This is atrocious behaviour. The functionality that the desktop software give sis not duplicated on the web version. This is ridiculous. Based on this I may well cancel my subscription and move elsewhere.

  976. Anna jackson

    I am not happy with this! I don’t have access to internet very often and this makes me have to find something new now next year because FTM won’t be continued.

  977. sue

    I have never trusted a cloud site to be my primary or only storage for my data but I will miss the easy download of Ancestry results into my database. I wonder if Ancestry understand that is a big reason for using Ancestry. Perhaps it is time to turn this into a discussion about our options. What software can anyone recommend as a replacement. Keeping in mind that we need software that won’t disappear it is a pity there isn’t one based on MS Access.

  978. DeWayne

    Very disappointed to hear this. I’ve used FTM since almost the very beginning. I have everything in FTM. So not smart.

  979. Tricia

    What you are doing is holding our family trees to ransom! With FTM gone we have no options but to pay Ancestry fees to access 20yrs worth of my geneology research. Definitely not one of your best business decisions.

  980. Greg McCooeye

    I just finished deleting several branches off Ancestry (although I figure that you have already taken them and stored or copied them). Once my subscription is up I’ll be taking what I have left here and taking my business elsewhere!

  981. caz

    I think best to start the process of searching for new software now… I’m certainly not going to leave it until the last minute and I definately will never trust ‘Ancestry’ again. Having been a loyal customer of Ancestry and user of FTM for well over 7/8 years everything just appears to be falling apart. So much love and hard work gone into my various trees with Ancestry/synched to FTM and all such a labour of love, proud of the research I have done, the searches, the adding of photo’s/documents, etc. I WILL NOT let Ancestry ruin all…. my faith has gone, disppointment and let down can’t begin to describe how I feel. Only others who have spent yers of putting in so much can understand. Years of trawling through old registers, microfilm, microfiche, documents, photographing churches where baptisms, marriages & burials took place – I’m going back to the years well before the days of computers and the internet. Yes I have many A4 files – one for each named family, with a family group sheet for all direct ancestors and many more for all sorts of interesting ‘branches’ , lots of photo’s and pictures, …….. So many years of lovingly researched family members. Maybe, just maybe, I should leave my hobby of nearly 30 years to rest – some family members have questioned over the years my need to trudge through graveyards…. family hstorians will know why…. maybe time to leave them to rest, those I can’t find perhaps don’t need to be found, those I have found may have reasons why they wanted me to find them – to bring alive memories, to seek out their descendants. Maybe now time to switch off the computer a bit more often, to take longer walks and watch life going on now, to stop picturing how they must have lived in the past. Perhaps time to let the past be past, to leave all behind and to start a new hobby or do overtime at work? Who knows, but I just have a feeling I should now realise it is my time to now leave the company ‘Ancestry’ and FTM as they are making it obvious they don’t need us ‘oldies’ anymore. Sorry if this is muddled, just needed to write…..

  982. Vicki

    I am very sorry to hear this. While I use ancestry.com, I find FTM to be a much more user friendly, serious tool.

  983. Susan Pryce

    This is a very bad idea. FTM is not great but is all I can afford. I have a very old version. Been doing research since the days of RootsM, yes I’m that old, and a member of Ancestry for decades. Every comment above I agree with. New look Ancestry is bad too, I’m losing my eyesight and I can’t read to new version. So what the hell am I to do now? It is my life work, a legacy to my family in the future. Good job, guys, good job.

  984. Connie

    I HAVEN’T SEEN ONE COMMENT LISTED ABOVE IN SUPPORT OF YOUR DECISION TO QUIT MAKING FTM AVAILABLE. LOOKS LIKE YOU’LL BE LOSING ALOT OF BUSINESS. IM THINKING YOU NEED TO REPLACE

  985. Bill Lindsay

    Am I dreaming ? Is this April Fools Day ? Surely you can’t be serious. This is the best way to RUIN your business. You are getting rid of your prime asset. Whoever made this decision is wrong. Everyone involved in Family History is appalled. We need to lobby to change this decision! Come on, change your mind before it’s too late!

  986. Shirley Fabel

    After harvesting all the information from subscribers who sent their trees to you, it looks like you will not be getting their new inputs. Or can you still sync from our FMT’s that we try to keep updated with new births, marriages, deaths and such?

  987. Matt Hall

    Thanks for giving me 1 year to figure out the best new software to use and if I can upload my current FTM file into the new software and getting a subscription with the new company that still supports their software and cancelling yours and deleting my online trees at Ancestry.com.

  988. Toni

    Just purchased a new copy so that FTM would work on Windows 10! Not Happy. Also noticed that my new version didn’t come with the small green leaf icons. I found that they were only available if I up loaded my whole tree to the site! I think this may be a bit of a clue as to what the company wants to happen. I believe every one will more than likely still be able to maintain their trees online. Which gives Ancestry a better product to sell. I will not up load my tree to any site again. I had shared my information with distant cousins on another site giving them access to living relatives because they were related too only to find that they put my children’s details online! Yes it was a mistake on their part but it will never happen again. I’m happy to share info but I now only send information relevant only to the persons direct family. I know there may be features available to prevent information on living individuals being accessed but I’m not willing to take any chances again. I’m also not happy with some one making money from my years of research. The Genealogy community will not be happy with this move, we’ve overall open to change but this is a step too far for most of us.

  989. Dennis

    You understand that all these questions are NOT going to answered. Like everyone else, it’s all going to the Cloud which I refuse to use. I have all my family tree information on my home PC backed up, but paying ever increasing annual fees is really starting to hurt. Looks like it’s time to find something else or just quit searching. You haven’t really done much to improve FTM in years. The charts are good, but not great, those available on Ancestry are far worse. I was manually creating charts that held 100s of more information per square inch and were easier to follow, but for quick specifics, yours worked. Many of these trees have multiple users in different countries. Lose one of me and you will be losing far more than your little estimates.
    Your 2014 edition came out in 2013… I kept waiting for a later edition to arrive around Christmas 2014… and now Christmas 2015 to buy my friends a copy. But after milking it for almost three years you just cancel it and its support? Thanks for nothing. I’ll be downloading as much as possible and then canceling. Just not worth the privacy risks to have all of it on line.

  990. Edward Wilson

    I was not happy when you changed the interface as it is not nearly as user friendly as when I joined ancestry. Also, I prefer the 2008 version of Family Tree Maker over the current one. I had to temporarily drop my paid membership due to a shortfall in my finances. With the dropping of FTM completely I sincerely doubt I will ever return as a paid member. There are other avenues to do my research and I will be looking into them. Very disappointed in your poor decision making team, do you even consider the impact that this makes on your subscribers ?

  991. Yvonne McLamb

    I cannot believe this. I have thoroughly enjoyed using FTM. it is much more user friendly for storing my data and the reports are my way of finding my errors and printing a synopsis of my work. I have been very disappointed with the changes in the DNA project by Ancestry. I plan to have my DNA retested and use a different family tree company, now this;I will be looking for another family tree search engine. Keep FTM and get rid of your Senior VP of Product Management. He ruined DNA product management, so move him over to ruin another good thing. Dont think I will be renewing my ancestry membership which has been on auto renewal for several years. No ancestry cloud for me!

  992. Wayne Patten

    I used The Master Genealogist until they pulled the plug on it. I had been using FTM for some time, now it is my main sw.

    Ancestry has systematically bought up access to almost all of the family history available and charged a LOT of money to access it. Now you pull the plug on FTM.

    YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO YOUR CUSTOMER BASE; THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PEOPLE MADE ANCESTRY FINANCIALLY VIABLE.

    Consider putting money back into supporting FTM and stop pouring it into TV shows, which have been nothing more than an ad. for your FTM s/w.

    SHOW CONSIDERATION TO YOUR CUSTOMERS; THOSE WHO FINANCIALLY YOR BUSINESS.

  993. EJ

    I have used FTM since the first version was made available by Borland…long before it was taken over by Ancestry. In all these years, I have maintained a desktop file not linked to the trees that I have posted on Ancestry. Many reasons for doing the extra work of double entry….but it means that whenever Ancestry is down for maintenance or repairs, I can still access all the data in my files and continue working. That also has allowed me to restrict what is automatically downloaded when trees are “sync”ed with Ancestry….I did it one time and luckily that was a small tree as it duplicated my entries….added many file entries that I believed were unnecessary. The other value in my double entry system is the extra review and thought process that is has required and that has led to improved family history research.
    And now, thanks to your decision to no longer publish (or sell) new versions of FTM beyond the end of the year….all my hard work is paying off. I will continue to maintain my research primarily on my PC and only post selected material and family trees on Ancestry.

  994. Cathy Zange

    I really feel you are making a mistake. I have all my research on FTM. I think you are wrong that many people are not using their desktops. I do not want my info out on the web. This is very disappointing. I have also given copies of the program to all my children so they can continue my research. Now what do they do.

  995. Steve Ingle

    This is a terrible decision. I am really ticked off about this. I’ve been a member of Ancestry for a long time but I think it’s time to pull the plug. I will cancel my membership.

  996. Simon Haynes

    What a disappointing blog entry. More about financial success of the business than supporting your users. Like many others, I am a longtime user of Ancestry and FTM, wondering where we go from here. I also the “Who do you think you are” programs.

    Not thinking straight Ancestry. Don’t your customer’s come first?

    I support all the disappointed statements in the blog, and cannot find one in support!

  997. Karin

    As a FamilyTreeMaker user for soon 20 years (since 1996), I am very disappointed that you have made this decision. I have upgraded every few years to get the latest and greatest options for my research, and have loved FamilyTreeMaker from the beginning. I guess I’ll be using the program locally/independently from now on – unless you are offering ‘better’ software….??

  998. Mike Kissinger

    Another point; The online Trees are filled with errors and conflicting information coalesced from other peoples’ data. When you display your own tree, you are faced with an insurmountable amount of information to edit out.

  999. Julia

    What a ludicrous decision! Just bought the software still trying to get it to work. I am probably one of the many people who are not keen to have every single private item relating to relations on the web for everyone to see. It is highly likely here goes my subscription!

  1000. Ty Peterson

    I get more angry with each comment I read. You need to provide a file conversion utility to export all data, multimedia and source citations into other formats such as Reunion, Legacy, MacFamilyTree, etc. so that the DECADES of research your loyal customers have logged in your software is not lost FOREVER!

  1001. DOUGLAS HIER

    Will get my money back for a years renewal? Will you be making a similar program that I can migrate my 5,693 Family Members into? I have used Family Tree Maker for many, many and this decision saddens me very much. 🙁

  1002. Barb Norton El

    My membership comes up for renewal next week. I had already considered downgrading from the World to Canada membership. Now I will be doing that for certain and spending the next year sorting out my strategy to either move forward in 2017 using unsupported software which may or may no longer have a merge function (you have not been clear on that point) or migrating to another software and service to replace FTM and Ancestry by the end of 2016.

    Either way, it makes no sense to maintain an online tree using an App that does not work well with larger trees. I have had to resort to uploading a media-stripped tree in order to work in the field using your App. So I will be removing my Trees from your online service in the next week.

    I, along with the many who have commented above, am in shock and disbelief that you would make such a shoot-yourself-in-the-foot business decision.

  1003. lucileleary

    when I upgraded a few years ago I let my FTM fade away, it didn’t sinc anyway, I was always thinking I would purchase it but never did, kind of fell out of doing a lot of family research, but would of loved to order it and get it back so I could print out the trees. oh well. will have to wait and see if someone else comes up with one.

  1004. Angi

    Disappointing and a bit short sighted to drop software. Particularly without giving any details of whether any additional functionality eg searching and substituting, selecting subsets not based on initial letters. Am assuming ability to export gedcom will still be there but will be reviewing my use of Ancestry. Most of the “recent” improvements have hampered ease of updating my tree rather than improved it. I do appreciate additional records being made available.

  1005. LaVanda

    First you force us to go to the new format which I STILL don’t like and now you are dropping the Family Treemaker, which I have been using since buying my first computer in 1995! I am so disappointed in Ancestry and for what I pay in using the service, this is extremely disappointing. What is next? You want let us download our own trees without paying extra?

  1006. Eric

    As you discontinue FTM, I certainly hope that you will somehow
    1. Allow people to back up their own genealogies to their own computers, and
    2. Add powerful printing capabilities to the website.
    If we are paying good money for a subscription, then over time you should make the website as powerful a tool as the desktop software – especially for people to archive and share their own family trees.

  1007. Carleton Cox

    What am I supposed to do with the ftm files I have on my desktop/laptop, upload them to the Cloud? I’m still not ready to publish them on Ancestry, I have a lot more work to do. When is Ancestry going to address all of our concerns. I see some posts saying the online version does not have all the capabilities of the desktop/laptop version of s/w. Looks like I will be going elsewhere to continue/finish my family tree research.

  1008. Kaye

    Have been researching Family History 40 years, was used to drive very Saturday morning 70 kls to use a microfilm research, apart from my own tree have done lots of trees for other friends, have been with you since FTM first started, very upset, will not renew my Dec subscription, I suggest you advertise FTM more and you will get more sales of the program in Australia not very many people know of this program, on my recommendation the friends I have told of this program have bought the program. If it was advertised more and explained how it is used you may get more online sales. I do not think you have done your research very well. The money that you make from your members must be huge, hope you are at not going down the financial track. Certainly hope you rethink your decision judging by the above blogs.

  1009. Walt Dews

    Let my add my anger, frustration and disappointment to the chorus of folks who are objecting to this news. It is short sighted and smells like an attempt to just squeeze more money out of your users. I too will find a way to abandon FTM in the same way you have abandon us. Very poor, greedy decision.

  1010. Melissa Mytinger

    This is a highly unwelcomed development. May we expect the courtesy of your suggestions regarding what FTM users do, post-drop, to maintain our trees and files on our own devices?

  1011. Doug

    Not happy.Guess there is no need to use Ancestry any more since I wont be able to save data to my computer. Bye Bye. Now to find a better site. The Genealogist is looking good.

  1012. Beverly Hulett

    Unbelievable!! In 2016 I will have completed 50 years of research, neatly contained in FTM. I have no clue as to procedure when FTM is defunct. And I just had to repurchase the software for a new computer. No one mentioned this action to me. Refund! I’ve been using FTM since it’s inception, and a member of Ancestry forever.

  1013. Mellanie Pierce

    Simply adding my 2 cents worth and agreeing with the many comments already noted. Perhaps you’ve underestimated the real value of FTM to your Ancestry subscribers or perhaps you simply have other goals in mind. In any case, please reconsider your decision. You did not have the courtesy to query your faithful subscribers regarding their opinion of FTM prior to this announcement. Many of those same customers may, indeed, decide their subscription to Ancestry is an expensive and expendable genealogy tool.

  1014. david

    without the family tree software there seems to be little point in you continuing to exist as it is an integral part of any family research ,

  1015. NC

    The biggest loss here is all of the functionality that is available through FTM that is NOT available through Ancestry.com. How can I run checks and reports on a tree for consistency (e.g. checking mothers’ age at childbirth), doing specific merges, exports, printing off documents, trees and reports, and so many other things. I definitely found FTM getting slow and clunky over time, and can see the use of a cloud-based services, but please – IF YOU ARE GOING TO DISCONTINUE THE PRODUCT, OFFER SIMILAR SERVICES ONLINE.

  1016. Greg Green

    Reasons this is bad: 1. forcing customers to a more costly subscription model, 2. disallowing private (non-synced) records, 3. loss of desktop application functions and UX, 4. inability to work offline. I seriously can’t believe ancestry.com is doing this. Terrible, terrible decision, and a poor announcement to its customers with no information on upgrade path, alternative solutions, etc.

  1017. Kim

    This is really disappointing. I do not like having my only copy of information dependent on someone else’s system. Please do not retire FTM. It is the best thing about Ancestry.

  1018. Fay Fraser

    I am absolutely disgusted by your attitude towards those of us who have been loyal customers and have purchased so much over so many years..I have been using since the days of Broderbund (spelt wrong I know), and have spent so much money with your organisation over the years that I could ill afford ( being an elderly Pensioner) This was the one luxury that I had saved for myself and now it is guttered…. and you have the hide to say that that your still selling a product that will become obsolete by 2017. I hope the Social Media gets hold of this… I think this is both morally wrong and Greedy into the bargain… Uggghhh!!! and Boooo to you Ancestry.

  1019. Gaye

    Bad decision to do away with software–I will be looking for a new company.
    Way to short notice–just 3 weeks– to discontinue a software product I have used for 15+ years. I use the software to keep control over being able to access my Tree on my hard drive–it is not online. Will all of us be forced to do an online tree? If I do not have internet access at some place, how will I access my Tree? Software gives me control over my Tree for use on hardware and to print hard copies. I also liked having Family Tree Maker on a disc, not just a download. If Ancestry were to go out of business, without software, will all the work on the Tree go poof? Also, maybe some day someone cannot afford the Ancestry subscription any more–will all that Tree be work out the window?

  1020. Since I have been using FTM since it’s earliest version I will just continue using it. Just because Ancestry doesn’t want to support it anymore doesn’t mean we can’t use it anymore. I remember when the Mormon church stopped supporting Personal Ancestral File (PAF) and I continued using it anyways. Making two entries for each event (in FTM and in Ancestry.com) will be a hassle but I will have no other choice. I will not forfeit my entire database to Ancestry only. Once Ancestry has really gotten good and is so far advanced than what it is now, then and only then will I consider giving up FTM. Merry Christmas everyone.

  1021. Juanita Woods

    Big MISTAKE, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED, YOU HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR A LONG TIME, I HAVE ENJOYED THE SITE UNTIL THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. I AM AFRAID I WILL LOOSE WHAT I HAVE COLLECTED FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS. THIS IS STUPID. WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSE TO DO? I AM HORRIFIED TO SAY THE LEAST.

  1022. Colin Fraser

    FTM was originally developed by Broderbund and it was eventually taken on by Ancestry. Perhaps Broderbund would like to repatriate the fantastic application.

  1023. Richard J Thomas

    Such disappointing news that I hope you will rethink, given the comments you have received … for once, do the right thing by your customers!

  1024. Lynn Hogarth

    I completely agree that this is a terrible idea and leaves your long time users totally in the lurch. I want my database backed up in a physical place on my desk, not just in the cloud. I have been in the computer industry for over 40 years and the idea of having my 20 years of research at the mercy of the vagaries of the cloud makes me feel ill. I find FTM much easier and intuitive to use than your online site and it has much better reporting capability. Having worked in a corporate environment, I suspect there is more going on than you are telling us. But you are doing your users a grave disservice by abandoning your desktop users. This will be a wonderful opportunity for some company to step in and save us. I hope somebody does. I just can’t believe how astonished and betrayed I feel.

  1025. Bob Butler

    Another blogger made a good point – this software was downloaded – will Ancestry make the files available for installing on to new PC’s so that we can continue using it without the Ancestry link?

  1026. Mike Kissinger

    Another point; The online Trees are filled with errors and conflicting information coalesced from other peoples’ data. When you display your own tree, you are faced with an insurmountable amount of information to edit out. This is the beginning of the end for Ancestry, I will not renew.

  1027. Wayne Smith

    Please do not do this.!!! I endorse comments above re having a backup and portable access when internet is not available. Very poor decision to remove this product. Shame on you!

  1028. Brnowyn

    I have thousands of names on my family tree, which I have been researching for some twenty years now. I feel very uncomfortable only being able to update it online, and will definitely be wanting a refund for all the investment I have put into the Family Tree Maker software. We are losing so much by your decision to discontinue – please reconsider.

  1029. dina

    Bizarre. So you want to provide research aids, but nothing to record them with? Why in the world did you buy out so many competitors (GENERATIONS for an example, my all time favorite) if you were going to ditch the entire endeavor? I will no longer be using any of your services whatsoever.

  1030. Mike

    I can see that the number of new customers interested in genealogy has deceased over the years while FTM probably had reached a level of complexity adequate for the vast majority of users. So could well be right to reduce the future development of FTM and sales staff to a minimum. However the response you have received in the the fifteen minutes after your announcement shows a serious error of judgement and you perhaps need to rethink both your strategy and your PR.

  1031. KIm

    So now what? Do I buy a new software and re-enter over 10,000 names into the new software? The only reason my family tree is on ancestry is because it just so happened to have the tree sync feature. If it wasn’t for that my tree would be on my pc only.

  1032. Does this mean that I lose the ability to work on my family tree unless I pay a monthly or annual subscription fee? If so, then this is simply an attempt, on the part of Ancestry, to force its customers into the same kind of arrangement that Microsoft has in mind for its Office 365 customers — you pay and pay and pay regardless of the level of usage and/or service. If FTM doesn’t provide a way for its customers to easily migrate data into other desktop software you will be tempting targets for a class action suit.

  1033. Kay Murphree

    You are just trying to have a monopoly on all online genealogy research and support, your annual fees are already very high and I am sure they will go up in 2017. This should not be allowed.

  1034. Jim

    I have used FTM as my main data storage for many years and will be very disappointed if you follow through with this decision. Leaving Ancestry if very likely. Do you have any plans to sell the rights to the FTM software so someone can run it as a business as it was when it first started. I want to be able to pass on my database to my daughter and she will not want the pay yje current Ancestry fees for total access, Dissapointed!!!

  1035. John

    I don’t remember how long I have used Family Tree Maker but it’s a long time. Now what? I have information on my tree that I do not want on the web- people under the age of 18 for example. Not sure I will renew Ancestry any longer.

  1036. Jerry

    I also want a refund. First Ancestry over charged me for 2 years. Now, nothing is going to work. I hope that there is another company to take this over.

  1037. Christian

    I am quitting Ancestry after this. Why would you stop Family Tree, given how critical that platform is to research and integration of family history through your website? This smacks of a way to save money for the company, and it’s appalling. I will absolutely be a former customer if Ancestry does not reconsider.

  1038. Gilles Despaties

    What a X-Mas gift you just delivered to your “valued” customers.
    I really am sorry that you made this decision.
    Your web site will never be as good as the desktop software.
    Data entering on the web is so slow and awkward, it cramps its whole purpose.
    I have been using Family Tree Maker for nearly 20 years and have always been satisfied with its functionality.
    I just hope you sell the software code to someone else so the software keeps on ticking.
    You just don’t understand the TRUE genealogists, but then again, who does.
    This will give me time to look elsewhere for something that will be just as good as FTM. At least, I hope it will be.
    Funny, just as you make that decision, a competitor of yours launched a desktop software to serve its own community.
    Once I choose a replacement software, I will consider whether or not I will remain a customer of Ancestry.

  1039. Diane Tichenor

    Agreed – you have made a poor decision. The writers who say your new Ancestry public tree interface is child-like are absolutely correct. You are destroying a great product. Your announcement gave no indication what you are offering as an alternative. So disappointed.

  1040. James

    I hope you find a way to be able to create the same reports which are available in FTM. You also will need to find a way to incorporate the search for duplicates. With the duplicates I found out twice I have the same person in two different parts of my tree. I am not sure where a tree of my size about 26,000 people falls in line with other member trees as in small or medium, but searching for duplicates one by one would never work out in Ancestry.. I use the FTM as a backup to my tree in Ancestry. One thing you do need to do is work on showing relationships. I really growing tired of adding someone and having to wait a day or more for the relationship to finally show up, when it shows up right away in FTM.

  1041. Deane

    I am on the list of those who dislike this decision. I really don’t see the financial gain to Ancestry for this.

  1042. Marilyn

    This is a terrible decision. While my tree is out on Ancestry, I am acquainted with many folks that refuse to put their hard work out there for others to just take. I have used FTM since it came out, and have been doing genealogy for over 20-years. I use a desktop, because you have the ability to print portions of your tree, or make descendant reports, and other kinds of reports. You can’t do that on Ancestry. I can’t believe that Ancestry is even thinking about doing this. Ancestry is making a huge mistake, not offering any alternative except the “Cloud”. In my mind, that is NOT an option. This is ridiculous.

  1043. George

    First positive commert!!! A good reason to give up research usiing Ancestry and suppor5tig the Mormon Church. Having used the service for well over 20 years, I am able to reach the end to non-ending research. Sadly I still have 2 DNA Kits. Gladly I didnt give presents of the service this Christmas.

  1044. Jeff

    I wish you would reconsider. I don’t publish my family trees on Ancestry.com for privacy reasons. Desktop software is the only option for people like me.

  1045. Linda

    Family Tree Maker was one of the main reasons that I love Ancestry – the ability to view different reports and search my large database of people in different ways. You are taking a very valuable tool away from your researchers. If you want to improve the functionality and value of Ancestry.com then consider adding some of the tools that you are taking away from us by taking away Family Tree Maker.
    Shame, shame on you.

  1046. Sy

    You took away our ability to have our trees on MyFamily.com. Thank goodness I deleted my trees before you stole them. Then you took away MyFamily. Thank goodness I wiped clean everything I had on there before you stole it, too. Now you’re going to take away FTM. Well, at least I have a year to wipe that clean also before you steal every bit of my information and 25 years of hard work. I don’t know enough about computers to transfer my tree to any other program and I won’t trust any service such as yours ever again. However, I do know how to copy my inofrmation to my Word program so I will keep it there and you won’t be able to steal that from me!!!!! And…. I will NEVER pay you another dime!!!

  1047. David Sobanski

    Could you give us, in the most general terms, the actual approximate cost to allow the client based software to connect to your service. In this era of the “cloud” (ie economical approach to hosting data and providing access to said data), your statement sounds hollow and your rational sounds oblique. If protecting that data, from hackers lets say, is very expensive to impliment, tell us (I still find it hard to believe though the cost to harden your “connector” is high). But do not claim your DNA project is a financial bonanza or benefit, which 99% of users will challenge you. We applaud you in your ability to leverage your economies of scale to purchase and grant access to records, and we are more or less captive to that aspect. We cannot see your metrics of your website usage (versus client usage), but as users, we define your brand (and your assests). The brand is built upon integrity as well as flexibility. I personally find substantially far more noise in data when I interface with data on your website that is strictly “on-line” (eg a tree someone built via web-based faciltiy only) because the interface does not allow the human brain to scrutinize or ponder that data. The brain is an amazing computer, capable of data analysis of amazing levels, but scientists suggest part of the success is because of the “infrastructure” available. Microsoft to not re-define a “pad of paper” when they went from Office to the cloud hosted Office 365. The paper is portable, and can be accessed anytime, anywhere. The metaphor for access (an interface) is still there, just varying where the turn on switch resides. You are trying to redefine the “structures” our brain gravitate to. This dilution lacks any long-term harmony.

  1048. On my family tree maker has erased all my data, but the data is still working on the regular ancestry. I’ve been printing my from the new ancestry. So when are we going to get our refund on our family tree maker. I hope to expect my check in the mail. Or put back on my account. I think this is unfair to everyone who uses it. I’ve worked for many years on my family tree’s, just like the thousands of the other people who use the family tree maker. I can say for one thing you did delete my family tree maker data, but saved my family tree’s information.

  1049. Rob N

    Really?, Are you just going to ignore all the feedback in the many, many comments below. Are you just going to abandon the customer base that made you successful? Perhaps someone in Ancestry could have the courtesy to offer a full and honourable explanation about this decision (or even better, reverse it) and to supply answers to the many valid questions your customers have asked. You managed to email us all to tell us you were abandoning us – so please, pretty please, find the time to email us all again and answer the questions everyone is asking. It is in your interests to do so – you can see how many people are going to leave you.

  1050. Cliff

    Everyone in a while even good companies make dumb decisions. For Ancestry, the elimination of Family Tree Maker, is their dumb decision. From the customer perspective, FTM is much easier, much more attractive, better at finding hints, and just nicer to work in than your web-based software. If you are going to get rid of something, I would recommend the web based program. As customers, we will never know the true reason you are getting rid of FTM in spite of the explanation you have put on here, and the email notification you sent me, but my first impression is that there is a new manager, who has decided it it time to get rid of the old. Then this becomes a new opportunity for him/her to put their personal mark on Ancestry. I may be wrong, and I accept that is may be possible. However, I would hope that you would also take another look at the decision you have announced and retract it. This decision reduces the usefulness substantially of Ancestry- if only in the search capabilities that the web-based version does not have. I doubt that there is anyone there who is going to actually read these comments, but then maybe that is the sign that Ancestry is making so much money, that a few thousand disgruntled customers don’t matter one way or the other. What a shame for what was once a one-in-a-million company.

  1051. Daniel Bowling

    As an All Access Member and a user of FTM for many years this disappoints me greatly. I am seriously thinking about terminating my membership. 30 years of work down the tubes!

  1052. Paula Kelley Ward

    You’re turning my research into a nightmare. This is the most upsetting news I’ve ever received since beginning my genealogical research in 1976 – before the Internet. I have used Family Tree Maker since Version 1.

    Not having Family Tree Maker will disrupt my entire research procedure. I do approximately 98% of my research using Ancestry.com’s databases. After researching, e.g., a branch of a tree, I use the TreeSync feature to update FTM. The TreeSync feature has become a major part of my routine. I use FTM for many reasons, but the top-most, major reason I use it is to produce reports to share with other researchers, AND to produce books.

    Not having FTM or the TreeSync feature will make my work very time-consuming, difficult, and much more expensive. This means that I will have to re-enter data from my research into FTM and, most likely, eventually some other genealogy software, in order to produce reports and books. I will not be purchasing any canned reports provided by Ancestry.com on its website.

    Will Ancestry.com allow other software makers to use TreeSync?

  1053. Harold kelley

    Terrible idea, closing your website. No reason to buy your product. And what do we do with the junk that we have. Bad!
    Harold Kelley
    Ps. I’ve been using your stuff since the beginning!

  1054. Nasty decision to retire FTM your are making a big mistake motivated by greed I suspect,I have been a loyal customer & spent a lot of cash with you,I will definately go elsewhere if you retire FTM,big mistake Ancestry

  1055. Bette Fritz

    Hundreds of hours of research will be wasted as even Gedcom doesn’t transfer all the detailed information. Being unable to sync Ancestry to my FTM makes it useless to me so I will not be renewing my subscription. I want my information on my hard drive where i will always have access to it without having to pay, not in the clouds.

  1056. Dawn Bundrant

    I agree with everybody else. Basically your just telling everybody to use a different site, or program to do our family trees. Or we pay more money to have somebody do it for us. Is there going to be some kind of features on the ancestry site same as family tree maker? I think your losing a lot of customers with this decision. I agree with everybody wanting their money back for a product that they can’t even use.

  1057. Mark Hackett

    This is a significant betrayal of your loyal genealogy customer base. I will rethink my whole approach to my family history. Your web interface to maintain a family tree is much weaker and more ungainly than the desktop software. I always update on the desktop and sync to keep my online tree up to date. It is also very greedy of you all to say that the only way to maintain our family tree is to pay an annual subscription fee. With desktop software, if I can’t pay a subscription for a year, at least I can still work on my tree. Now you are saying that the only way to work on my tree is to pay you a monthly fee? Really? Shame! Shame!

  1058. Glenn

    Many, if not most, genealogy buffs are somewhat older and depend on our desktop computers and software more than our tablets and the cloud. I only recently began using sharing my tree online through Ancestry, and find it is much more difficult to navigate and control. Plus creating PDFs to share with others, including those who prefer to examine the material on paper is not handled well through the website.
    While most of us do not update our software purchases annually, we do so periodically. Please reconsider this unwise decision. Based on the number of negative comments you have received in only a few hours, you have hit a nerve, and it is RAW.

  1059. Paul Yelk

    This is the worst news ANY genealogist can receive.

    I have been using FTM for so long I can’t even remember when I first started! While I use other genealogical software, my “master” database is maintained using FTM.

    I find it hard to believe you would take such a move. Yes, apps and online services are taking over the computing world, but some things still need to be maintained on a desktop, laptop, or tablet.

    FTM has been the signature genealogical software for many years. Others have come and gone, but FTM had remained – until now.

    The steps you are taking would be similar to that if Intuit, the makers of Quicken, Quickbooks, and other financial software suddenly decided to stop making their products.

    It’s appalling that you don’t even suggest an alternative. Rather you just say you are abandoning FTM.

    Unless this policy is reversed, I and thousands (millions?) of other users are going to be left with NO adequate software to maintain their genealogical information.

    Please reconsider this bad decision!

  1060. Laurel Bailey

    I am in a state of shock and devastated by this news. I have been a member for a very long time and usually embrace the new changes but this is going too far. This decision will leave me no choice but to look for alternate options.

  1061. Noeleen

    As a FTM fan from day one and a genealogist for over 30 years I cannot understand the logic in your decision. I have not put my family trees on Ancestry.com and never will as those of my family already on Ancestry are mainly incorrect.

  1062. Gina Anderson

    I bet this move is in response to a loss of membership renewals and lost revenue after the forced navigation to the “new and improved” juvenile site format.

  1063. David Sexton

    Just adding another comment, very disappointed in this decision. I will not only use a cloud based option. I will be looking for other options now.

  1064. Sammy

    You should still be able use your FTM program. Just like you used it before it was linked to ancestry. It is an independent program resident on your computer. It is just the link to ancestry.com and its search capabilities that will disappear. I don’t sync my tree to ancestry as it is a decision regarding personal privacy. I will still be able to make as many charts etc as I want. It will make searching more difficult, but, I can always go back to the LDS library site.

  1065. Kerry

    I am really disappointed. I have used Family Tree Maker for years and t find it really good. What are we supposed to use now? I want a tree that I can add all kinds of references to, not just the ones that I find on ancestry.

  1066. Carolyn Hayes

    I think whomever decided to stop family tree maker made a very poor decision. I know that you will lose a lot of customers if this is done. I love FTM and all of the charts and extra features were so helpful
    I think whomever decided to stop family tree maker made a very poor decision. I know that you will lose a lot of customers if this is done. I love FTM and all of the charts and extra features were so helpful. Why did you not ask your subscribers before you made this decision? Or do your customers opinions not matter ? After all we pay your salary and keep Ancestry alive and you do this to us…..I believe that you truly do not care what your subscribers think. PLEASE RECONSIDER….
    Carolyn Hayes

  1067. Linda

    And to add to my previous comment, I’ll not be renewing my subscription with your money-hungry, lack of loyalty company.

  1068. Steve Booth

    I am very disappointed in your decision to not support the FTM software! What a terrible blog post, it does not address concerns or provide details on how your website tree maker will address the needs of current software users. Your current website tree maker is silly compared to the features found in the software. Now you have lost my respect and business.

  1069. Barb

    This is an unbelievably bad decision. While it’s true that more people are using on-line tree services, those on-line trees no-way take the place of a soft-ware program. I am sooo disappointed with Ancestry. So much for customer focus.

  1070. Hattie Dixon

    I feel you should have presented a better description of what you will be offering before saying “it’s over”.. Ancestry.com (web) does not do all the tasks that FTM does–including keeping track of my notes. VERY DISSAPPOINTING.

  1071. Stephen Harris

    Maybe the genealogy community will react as a community and treat Ancestry.com the same way they are treating their customers. Find another software, cancel subscription, and say good-bye!

  1072. Glenda Tressler Smith

    The tree on my computer is my primary tree and I keep all my documentation on the computer as well. My tree on your site is only there to share with my close cousins. I don’t like updating my tree on your site because it isn’t as easy as using Family Tree Maker. I am very disappointed that you have made this decision. I will be thinking seriously over the next few months if I want to renew my subscription.

  1073. Albert Wm. Gosnall

    You have certainly managed to inflame the Genealogy Community with your economic decision you are at a stroke stealing individuals research ability and so far despite hundreds of messages of dissent so far you have made no attempt to address the concerns of hundreds of your customers. Having spent years acquiring software used for recording families history you are now consigning all that research to the waste tip. I see you losing many of your loyal supporters and the Ancestry Website will soon be worthless as without input from FTM researchers and their many Family History societies throughout the world especially in the UK. In medical terms this would appear to be on a par of severing several major arteries at the same time and without immediate major surgery you will die. I think you should quickly seek some advise from others than your accountants! Albert William Gosnall.

  1074. Barbara Simmons

    I have owned FTM software for over 10 years, and have always upgraded to latest versions, even after subscribing to Ancestry, because of the much more robust reporting capabilities and the ease in finding duplicates in my tree. What you are doing is crippling those of us who have relied on FTM, and particularly the WONDERFUL capability to sync with our Ancestry trees….and all for money. This is a VERY bad business move and you will lose a considerable number of your customers…including probably me. There is no way that I will leave my tree online with no way to back it up or produce reports (and sorry, but your “publication tools” are very difficult to use, as well as too costly for most projects).

  1075. Stuart Reynolds

    Just to echo everyone else’s comments, this really beggars belief! Your online interface doesn’t do half of what FTM does, it is trivial, and it is not easy to navigate to where you want to go. Management of sources is non-existent – the iOS app doesn’t even recognise the citations that I have already entered (and synched) through the desktop!

    Your desktop by contrast is much more powerful. Plus, I have control over my media, over my files. You are asking me to commit everything I have to the web. I use Ancestry’s online tree builder alongside FTM, not instead of it. How am I supposed to keep my online tree up to date if you remove synch in a year? I assure you, I won’t be entering it twice!

    I’m not convinced that you are really serious about documents any more – you have piled into DNA, and that is where you are spending all the money, leaving the rest of us high and dry.

  1076. Steve Borgwald

    I just talked to the CS rep at Ancestry, and it’s just as bad as we thought. If the software mfg that makes FTM comes out with a new version, Ancestry won’t sell it or support it. The only way to make changes will be on the Ancestry web site. I had hoped that the email we all got was missing some vital info.

  1077. Randy

    Disappointed in your decision. why didn’t you ask Ancestry/FTM owners for input before your BIG Christmas present. It sounds like it’s a money thing to me also a bait and switch.

  1078. Kevin Botting

    For a Company making money from other peoples research, it’s a shame you didn’t do some of your own. You would then have realised what a bad and unpopular move retiring FTM is. Would write more but I’m off to remove my trees from Ancestry.

  1079. Paul Yelk

    if this decision is NOT made, I would like to suggest every singe person who has an Ancestry subscription to NOT renew. Watch where that will put you!

  1080. Trisha

    Your organization should be embarrassed. Your rationale is pathetic and your glaring lack of concern for your users is disgusting. This is what happens when high school dropouts run companies. Shame on you.

  1081. Kevin

    Really! This is what happens when companies become so egotistical that they think they can dictate the terms to their customers. So let me get this straight. We (your valued customers) voluntarily provide you with all our family history information (for many people accumulated over a lifetime) for you to make squillions of dollars from (been getting more and more expensive every year), and then when you have successfully built up a massive database (and monopolised many of the public databases), of our free information provided by your loyal supporters, you go and withdraw support for the software that made it all possible. Brilliant! I for one will be withdrawing all my data off of Ancestry.com. I didn’t really want to put it online anyway. Heaven knows what liberties you have taken with my information in the mean time, and if I discover that you still have my information I will sue for breach of privacy. I will now look for a software alternative that will allow transfer of my FTM files before that software crashes, and I stand to lose all my valuable information. What a low act.
    As Julia Roberts says on “Pretty Woman”; “Big mistake. Big. Huge. Bye, I have to go shopping now.”

  1082. Charles Wells

    I canceled my subscription over the “New Ancestry” changes. I hate to tell you all but there will not be enough people posting here to make any difference. Ancestry AGAIN, are not listening. Don’t waist you effort.

  1083. Allan Suskin

    FTM has much more functionality than the Ancestry web based program. Also a lot of users obviously use off line, Very poor decision to discontinue.
    I have not read EVERY comment above,but can see that YOUR customers are NOT HAPPY.
    Seriously hope you will reconsider this decision.

  1084. Claudio Manzolillo

    People has invested a great part of their lifetime gathering and archiving VALUABLE family data in Family Tree Maker. Ancestry decision may go to the annals of management stupidity . Your product by membership is inefficient, and awkward to say the eleast and it does not and cannot replace the VALUE (cost vs benefits) to the customers that the FTM software provides!!! Shame on you Ancestry!

  1085. Julie Szczepankiewicz

    This is a terrible idea. FTM is a great product and I can’t imagine how Ancestry would conclude that there’s no market for desktop family tree software. Disgusting.

  1086. Kevin Cook

    I have read all of the comments on the blog about refunds for customers who have purchased and diligently upgraded FTM over the years, the probable mass migration to another family tree application following this dreadful decision, the concerns over production of charts/reports when FTM is retired, the loss of local control, the storage of data for posterity, and being tied in to online/web based Ancestry subscriptions in order to research, add, save, and edit your family tree, and I agree with ALL the comments!

    With FTM, Ancestry customers felt they owned their precious records, and quite rightly so, however with this decision to retire FTM, what was ‘freehold’ is now going to be ‘leasehold’, VERY wrong.

    Ancestry MUST reconsider this decision to retire FTM!

    Lot of very disgruntled, annoyed, frustrated, angry cheated, and resentful Ancestry/FTM customers out there, who look like becoming EX Ancestry customers, and that includes myself.

  1087. Debbie

    This is the worst decision you could make. I use FTM and Ancestry daily, but I do not publish my research on the website because I like my local control and I can still share information with my family without needing in the internet. I wonder how many of the Ancestry.com users do not put their trees on the website and if we are all forced to move to the web will this slow down the site!?

  1088. John Gibson

    Thank you for the warning. I have now purchased an alternative desktop genealogy program, and am exporting my FTM data into that. When my next renewal date for my Ancestry subscription comes around I shall consider carefully whether the databases available via Ancestry are sufficiently useful to me – for there is no sense in cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face – and then make a renewal decision. But in former years, renewing my subscription was a foregone conclusion, a matter upon which making any decision seemed necessary.

  1089. Fanlou

    I just moved from Reunion for Mac to FTM. I thought long and hard before moving. I have been contemplating putting my tree online finally…guess that decision just got easier. Luckily, I still keep and update Reunion…looks like that is a good thing. Ancestry…on the surface, this is a very poor decision. I await further information on where we go from here.

  1090. Eric

    In just a few hours you have managed to puss off your most loyal customers. So much for being true enthusiasts of this endeavor. Just another dumb big business move.

  1091. Anna

    I’m a long time FTM user and am extremely disappointed that you have made the choice not to support your very loyal customers! There must be a better way to cut costs than to make it impossible to use the information that has been given to you.

  1092. Philip Spencer

    I’d bet there are FTM and Ancestry company records that show this descision did NOT happen today. When did you make the descision? Last year? Six months ago? Whatever the date, you owe all of us refunds for our upgrades or new purchases since the descision date. How many millions of dollars did you take from us while knowing you were exiting the business? That point, no doubt, could be litigated sucessfully. As to the ethics and treatment of your loyal customers, you are a morally bankrupt company.

  1093. Brenda P Hayward

    As a marketing communications and sales promotion professional for 30+ years, I believe this is a very poor marketing decision. It is obvious that you are not putting your customers and how they use your products first. Not everyone wants to have their family tree “in the cloud” or only available online, I, for one, have a lot of information that I would not put on even my private online tree, but want to include for my own personal records and distribute within the family. The primary reason I purchased FTM in the first place was the ability to do my research online and sync it to an offline tree. I want my work on my hard drive and to be able to manipulate and back it up as I want. I do not want to lose the flexibility FTM offers with its various types of reports and many other features which Ancestry does not currently offer. The reporting is far superior in FTM to the “story” on Ancestry (which I find pretty much useless). Like many others, I preferred the previous format of Ancestry’s web site. That’s another issue but it does seem that you are making decisions without considering what is best for your customers. Please, please reconsider eliminating FTM and the sync capability with Ancestry,

  1094. Ann Beeler

    Please do not retire FTM. It is the best genealogy software that I have ever used and would hate to have to change to something else. I do not like the new family tree on Ancestry. I would lose much data using it. Like many other users, I will remove my trees from Ancestry if you insist on this insanity. I believe the small fortune I have paid you people over the years entitles me and others like me to some consideration.

  1095. Michael Philipp

    Correction… the new records are generated by crowdsourcing not by your company. The academy, while nice for the new genealogist, adds no value. Spend less money on ‘Who do you think you are?” as some of the research on there is suspect. I understand wanting to sunset the desktop versions, but at least ensure the basic functions are on your online version. ‘Find Duplicate People’ would go a long way for so many of the online trees. This is not a good move as you have many loyal customers. The ‘new’ genealogists attracted by your commercials and programs will only go so far.

  1096. Jim Noble

    Horrible. I presume trees downloaded as *.ged will be able to be uploaded to other software. The Ahnentafel report function is invaluable for serious presentations. Together with the horrible, childish new web interface, I wonder what will become of your service.

  1097. Linda Lowe

    I think all FTM owners should get a credit on our Ancestry membership as a refund. By stopping FTM as far as I can see is we now HAVE to keep our Ancestry membership or lose all our research done on Ancestry. Not happy.

  1098. Harriet Girdley

    I heavily rely on FTM notes components, along with the tools (location, name format), settings, and reports – especially those for auditing/correcting/managing the trees ~ ACOM, at this time, has none of these features. Additionally, the new ACOM format/layout poorly manages real estate and some features/functions are no longer available. I appreciate managing ONE version – but to require dedicated users to take a step-back AND lose valuable research data (in the notes sections) is reprehensible. IF you create only one ONLINE version that adds all the unique functionality of FTM – you will make large portions of your audience and user-base much, much, much happier.

  1099. SuzyQ

    How on earth did you come to this decision? Did you poll your clientele….the people who pay for the software and memberships? Obviously not! This is not the way legitimate businesses make changes if they want to remain in business. I hope you are reading and heeding these comments if you value the future of your company.

  1100. Tom

    If the previous responses tell you anything, YOU ARE MAKING A GRIEVIOUS ERROR. that will cost you tens of thousands of users. Because of this announcement it is obvious that ancestry cannot be trusted. regardless of your final decision, as of this date all my research will be on someone elses software. GOODBYE!!!!!

  1101. nancy

    I too, will be pulling my trees from Ancestry.com. Without the sync feature, I will not bother to keep my online trees up to date. Because there are important features missing from Ancestry that are in FTM (reports, task list, etc) I will look for another piece of software to manage my trees and data. The loss of the auto download of records from Ancestry.com search to local trees is also a big loss. This decision is a huge blow to many (previously) loyal customers.

  1102. Steve Gardner

    This is one of the most boneheaded decisions I’ve seen. Don’t you realize that FTM is playing an important role in maintaining the subscriber base for Ancestry.com? I wasn’t exploring other options, but now I certainly am!

  1103. Minyardi

    From all the comments, I’d suggest you have not considered your users at all. A lot of us, I’d suggest are of the older age -not tech savvy enough to cope with tablets, clouds, change and the foreseen lack of privacy of their records. Expect your large profits to decrease once this comes into vogue !!!

  1104. Dick Olson

    It seems like it was a good move when I Quit at FTM 2010. at least I have all my back-up off line. I have been using “Heratage” to search. Hope that does’nt quit.

  1105. MARIA

    I think before you eliminate anything you should get the kinks out of your new system. I have had nothing but problems for the last two months. I pay for my service on Ancestry and I’m about to ask for a refund. Some changes are just not smart!! Sign me, UNHAPPY!!!

  1106. Vallie

    Well something is just not right here.. Was just fine to advertise it right up to end and take our money. Very disappointed. Now who can replace Ancestry…

  1107. Tammy

    I have used family tree maker pretty much from the beginning! Probably 25 years! I can not believe this! I just can NOT believe that you would put genealogist aside like this! I like my data base and will upload to ancestry but I don’t input on ancestry because its easier to manage on my desk top! PLUS I upload to other websites that I put my info on. I am just so upset and think I might cancel my long standing membership and have to invest somewhere else now!! UGH this makes me upset!

  1108. AshleyHM

    This is a terrible decision made with total disregard for your users. You sell me something then take it away?? I have had a monthly subscription for over 5 years but am so disappointed in ancestry.com I think this may be it. Please advise on how we will be refunded for our purchase of Family Tree Maker.

  1109. Terry

    What a bloody inconsiderate decision. We have spent in excess of 10 years on FTM and have thousands of names, documents and photos in our offline FTM trees. To suddenly pull the rug out like this is an appalling decision and shows total lack of understanding and consideration of the FTM users. Where to now??

  1110. TuffordWright

    This is very disappointing. I do not like working from your website and will be extremely vexed if I cannot sync other software with the site. This is not my first issue with Ancestry,com. You suddenly cancelled the Y-DNA tests. As much as I tried I could never transfer the results to another company and when I tried to communicate to Ancestry about the issue I was just told that they couldn’t tell me what happened.
    I certainly hope this doesn’t mean you will be joining up with 23andMe – they are another disturbing organization that is going through massive change. Now who do we trust?

  1111. Daniel Roach

    Very disappointing and discouraging that you would pull a product and offer minimal support till 2017. Only reason I pay is to be able to SYNC my FTM to ancestry. This is a greedy move and a slap in the face to all the people that have used FTM since the mid 1990’s. $100+ spent on upgrades and now all USELESS with SYNC disappearing. I sincerely hope with all this negative feedback you reconsider your actions.

  1112. Dawn

    This was planned on ancestry’s part with the new website feature, and life story feature to add notes into it to make us “feel” like ftm was still there and it’s not. Will miss it. Guess too many issues with syncing!

  1113. Nissa

    I have been using FTM since it came on the market. I have spent a lot of money on it over the past 30 years. Now you tell me you will no longer support it. I will no longer be using Ancestry.com.

  1114. Kristina

    This is extremely disappointing news. Internet access is difficult in this part of the world and I rely on the desktop application. What are the options for the future?

  1115. I agree with all of the above that are unhappy with this decision. I think you get the idea that you are going to be losing a lot of unhappy customers. whoever came up with this should be fired.

  1116. Edward Robinson

    I’m greatly disappointed. My thoughts are very much the same as those already given by others. I guess I will just step back and hope that something better is in the works at Ancestry. Have you considered termination for the person who made the decision to do away with FTM?

  1117. Jo

    Understand the decision but you need to honour our relationships with you. We are giving you a resource and paying very high rates to give this to you to share on. Yet Ancestry web product has become very childlike and hard to use and doesn’t offer the tools that we purchase FTM to use. You must improve:
    1. Website style and real estate wastage
    2. Website reporting and output tools for members
    3. Pricing – by the time we paid for FTM and Ancestry subscripts we are bleeding and may consider looking elsewhere
    Remember, you need your customer base to keep feeding you. Give us some respect.

  1118. Chelsea

    Ugh. Guess I’ll have to look into Legacy, Rootsmagic, or some other software competitor though I’m extremely annoyed to have to manually transfer nearly 20 years of research and thousands of individual records. Your web tree feature is just terrible – too dumbed down, clunky, and poor UX design – so that’s definitely not an option.

  1119. Barbara Norris

    This is very disappointing news. How could you take away something so valuable to your loyal customers? If you take away Family Tree Maker will there be a replacement? What will be gained by taking away Family Tree Maker? What will we lose? I know decision need to be made, things need to change, but is this a good decision? I have used Family Tree Maker for a very long time and would hate to see it be taken away. I do not want to lose all my hard work.

  1120. Elizabeth H.

    This is incredibly disappointing! I have been using Family Tree Maker since version 3.1. So does this mean that to keep my family tree on my computer, I will need to spend the next two years not doing new research, but finding a new software program and transferring all of my family tree to it? Of course this means I will cancel my longtime ancestry.com subscription because I won’t have time to do additional research :-(((

    Disappointing.

  1121. Wayne Patten

    Let me remind you of your published Mission Statement”:

    “Our mission is to help everyone discover, preserve and share their family history.” Reference: http://www.ancestry.com

    Consider your “two million customers”.

  1122. Al Rolfe

    Bad call guys even if the alternative is to sell off the service and maintenance of the FTM software surely there is a viable option even if there is to never be another upgrade. Is there a description somewhere of a viable solution to us paying peons who want to continue with our research and have the ability to access and record the results of using the search capacity? Are you going to answer any of the questions tendered by your unhappy membership?

  1123. What are you thinking?
    Ancestry is great for research, but I do all of my actual work in FTM. Ancestry is not equipped to fix relationships or merge facts like FTM is. Ancestry does a terrible job of managing media, and does not support short place names at all!
    I use FTM to generate pages for my Family Tree website, and that just isn’t feasible using only Ancestry.

  1124. John Walker

    I have used FTM since version 5. I currently use FTM2006 as any version after that will not handle the number of entries that I have, currently 476500 . I bought 2010 and 2012 hoping that the situation would be fixed but to no avail. I have discussed this problem over the phone and given advise that was useless. I found that any entries over around 15000 caused the later versions to take many minutes to load up. I will obviously stick to my 2006

  1125. Ginga Hathaway

    How very disappointing. I will probably be dropping ancestry. FTM gives me more of the reports that I want to use. There is just no comparison of Ancestry to FTM for reporting.

  1126. Sally

    That is TERRIBLY disappointing news. With the number of negative comments already posted here, surely Ancestry will seriously reverse this poor decision.

  1127. Anne

    I am very upset about this. I use FTM often to print reports, trees for family, and other things. One of the better aspects of Ancestry.Com was the ability to move back and forth between FTM and Ancestry.Com. THERE ARE NO POSITIVE MESSAGES ON THIS BOARD. Do you want to lose all of us as customers? You have a very irate customer base right now. And this may be the perfect opportunity for a competing genealogy company to swoop in and wipe you out. PLEASE RECONSIDER.

  1128. Gigi

    Let’s see… Legacy looks like a very good alternative. Just emailed them to ask about transferring. Well done Ancestry… well done. I’ve used FTM since… let’s see 2000 I think. Long time loyal customer and this is how you treat us? Public Relations nightmare blowing up in your face right now.

  1129. Pat DuBose

    …and anothe thing – the “new and improved” Ancestry is anything but that. It is spread out too much with too many bells and whistles. Apparently some PR person got together with some hotshot graphics genius to come up with the new design. PUHLEASE!

  1130. Penny

    I’ve been using FTM for a long time, it’s a wonderful programme, and well set out, though expensive. Your website is painful to use, and badly set out. I’m not interested in only being able to use MY information on YOUR site. I’ll be looking for a new provider.

  1131. Well , when you have the fish having swallowed the hook( that would be paying for something you aint gonna get ) You have then FRIED the fish ( customer that is !) BYEE !

  1132. Vivian Espinoza

    FTM is NOT a declining software. I use my desktop MORE than a tablet and I am on it everyday!! Who is the jerk that decided for me what is best. I LOVE having the capablility of working on my desktop FTM because the ANCESTRY.com suck, now that the change has been made. It is harder to use, and can’t print out valuable reports that I need to send to family and friends. Calendar, descendant reports and many more that are not available on the website. I might cancel my membership and look for a better solution for my needs. Again this decision sucks, big time. I would use stronger words, but I am trying to be respectful. I have used FTM for so long, and was so happy when I could sync it to Ancestry.com. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!!

  1133. David Newell

    Unbelievably bad idea to dump this on users with no coherent explanation of why your plan is better and no communications on how existing users can make the transition. This will be written up some day as a business school case study of poor customer relationship management.

    As I just purchased ftm a few weeks ago, I do not have many hours invested in it, but clearly do not a web-only subscription. I will find something else. You have inflicted a near-fatal blow to your company’s credibility, and I am afraid your survival might depend on what you do next. Think carefully, please!

  1134. Janice Caylor

    After years of gouging your customers with high prices for the software, expensive membership and limited access, you now want to give us nothing? If this is not a case for a class action law suit, I never have seen one. Really, people have been loyal to FTM for years and years and now you stab them in the back and say “Oh well”….Shameful!

  1135. fantailfan

    Well, FTM was never that good. They never fixed several egregious problems with it. I will start searching for new software for Windows.

  1136. Janet Price

    This is horrible news. If the backlash does not change your minds I will be finding alternative software and may just use Ancestry at the library instead of keeping my subscription. This is just a ploy for everyone to only have their information on Ancestry.com and have no control over or access to your information it if you can no longer afford the subscription. This is the worst decision you could have ever made to your loyal customers.

  1137. Lee

    This doesn’t make any sense ….. Why don’t you offer your software as “freeware” ..with no support. Obviously, you could then make more money by offering advanced features through your web site. How do you expect people to maintain their family tree’s …. your yearly costs are way to high ….you will basically put yourself out of business …think about what you’re doing here.

  1138. Steve Clark

    Seriously? I was going to sign up for the World Ancestry version, but not now. Really poor decision on your part. Rethink this decision…and fire the idiot who made it.

  1139. Lisa R. Garrett

    FTM user since the late 90’s. Ironically, a coworker and I evaluated all genealogy software available at the time and decided to go with FTM’s precursor because we felt that Ancestry would be the most likely to support their software in the long run. The best improvement ever to FTM was when the import capability was created to search ancestry.com and import directly to my tree. What a time saver! While I can see that the push is to have all on-line trees, I do not find this convenient as I often work off-line. I also feel that having personal data of living persons “on the cloud” would be irresponsible on my part for the trust others have placed in me by giving me their vital statistics. Also, I do not think it is cost effective for me to be paying several hundred dollars a year just to access my own data and not be able to access it when I am off-line. I will be looking for alternative software to use off-line and will not be switching to your web-based system as I find it is not as comprehensive or as convenient. As of January 2017 I will be cancelling my subscription to Ancestry.com. Without the convenience of importing statistics, I may as well use the numerous freebie genealogy sites on the web and quit wasting my money here.

  1140. PLEASE, do not do this.. I have used ancestry and family tree maker for many years. It is an essential part of my research. The syncing feature is very well done. Please re consider your proposed plan.

  1141. Very disappointed Ancestry.com You had the best software out there and I love all the features. I hope you at least allow other software to be able to sync.

  1142. Ray

    Does anybody realize that the only positive comments in this blog come from Ancestry. I really can ‘t believe that they didn’t do some research on this move. And they have given no advice on transitioning to an alternative genealogy database for storing our hard work. It just proves Ancestry.com is a money making business. It gets a lot of its info from others and sells it to us. This decision by Ancestry is heartless and does not take into consideration the countless hours and work and dollars people have put into this website. Shame on Ancestry!

  1143. Tom Clark

    I can’t begin to tell you how disappointed I am with your company. Your FTM was the reason I stayed with you all these years and came in handy when my computer crashed, I was able to recover all my data…. now what ? Its apparent that all these peoples comments are against your decision to discontinue, not a single one is in your favor….. please reconsider or most likely your bottom will also suffer from everyone taking their business elsewhere.

  1144. Clois James

    Am I going to lose everything I entered on my Family Tree Maker? I began with Family Tree Maker 16 in July, 2007, purchased Family Tree Maker 2012 in August, 2012. Will I be able to add anything to my current FTM (For example, the birth of my great grandchildren, deaths, etc. Unthinkable, after working so hard to keep all current information updated on my FTM!!!!!!! Will the information I have just simply disappear from my computer???? It is not clear to what extent you are planning to make changes.

  1145. Chuck B

    Tell you CEO to enjoy the excessive salary.
    I have been doing genealogy for many, many years.
    I started with Generations, ancestry ran them out of business. I finally transferred over 2000 eateries to family tree maker. Now you say that will not be around to use.
    There is no consideration for customers only PROFITS.
    Good bye!!!

  1146. Jay Rarick

    I have been a FTM user since 1995 and much value the ability to do and store my work and supporting documentation off-line. I have not read a **single** positive comment about this decision, above, and concur with all of what has been said. I urgently urge you not to make this change, it is a really poor business decision to alienate such a large portion of your clientele.

  1147. Charlotte Lehan

    To abandon the FTM software that so many people have invested years or decades of research compiling historical data borders on unethical. At the very least you should continue to support it for a period of ten years so people have time to migrate and other vendors have time to pick up the slack with replacement products. Many people working on genealogy are senior citizens not interested in the latest devices or change for the sake of what? Like the “updated” look on Ancestry, another terrible idea without benefit to serious historians.

  1148. Nancy Chirco

    Such a huge mistake on your part! So very disappointed. I have used FTM for over 15 years. I don’t like the other software and my Ancestry tree doesn’t allow for extensive notes (and keep them private). Besides the depression of Dec 15th New Ancestry, I must accept, now this bad news!

  1149. Anthony

    Not a bright decision. I hope someone in the company has the guts to fight to reverse this decision on behalf of your loyal customers and to the benefit of the company.

  1150. Martin Powell

    PLEASE re-think. Please direct us to appropriate alternative software so that we do not lose countless hours of work on our family histories. With such short notice and no direction as to what to do, how will this entice people to join/stay with Ancestry?

  1151. Chuck

    Outraged!!!! Very short-sighted decision. Once I find replacement software, our family will move on… and that means cancelling our Ancestry account.

  1152. Nan

    Ancestry – What will it take for you to change your mind? Do you care about what your customer’s want? Take a poll!

  1153. I agree with all the postings. For several years I used Ultimate Family Tree which I loved. Ancestry bought that and eventually discontinued support, and I stopped research for several years but finally “bit the bullet” and changed to FTM. I’ve finally gotten used to it (still prefer UFT), and now they’re going to discontinue it. I had a terrible time transferring data between programs and had to re-enter a lot. Now, I’ll be searching for another desktop program and, hopefully, can find one that is compatible. There are lots of things I don’t want on a public tree, even if it can be marked private. Plus, I can access it at anytime, as long as I have my laptop–no need for the internet. I’ve also found that many, many of the trees that display when a “leaf” is clicked contain incorrect or undocumented information. Found one today that’s so totally wrong, it’s rediculous.

  1154. John

    A very poor decision. The software is the most important of all the researching tools. You will drive away many loyal customers/researchers. To be honest, whoever thought this was a good decision should be let go immediately.

  1155. Keith

    You left out one very important sentence! You needed to say, “We will be developing advice for our many FTMers on their options; providing guidance as soon as we can.”

  1156. Kathryn

    I don’t understand – I realise I must be dumb. How will I make charts, reports etc, and how do I save it all to my computer? I didn’t realise ftm and Ancestry didn’t go hand in hand. I don’t want to lose it.

  1157. Steve Greenup

    First they destroy and perfectly good website with the horrible “New” Ancestry website. And now FTM has got to go because THEY know best. Looks like they could care less about what we customers want. Been with them since FTM 2 and no Ancestry access will be a waste a time for me because I need a hard copy on my hard drive not a pay or lose you access to years of work. Pure Greed!!!!!

  1158. Stephen Keene-Elliott

    I really hope that you will reconsider – not having new versions of FTM is one thing,… not having the TreeSync feature after Jan 2017? That is not a good idea at all!

    Can I just ask for clarification about what exactly will not work after Jan ’17? You’ve implied TreeSync – but will searches not be able to work? At the moment, I can go to another website (like FindMyPast) onthe Web Search, and then clip text/images from that – will we still be able to do that? (ie even if the built-in Ancestry search don’t work, we can go to the website, do the search and clip from the website)

    As a note to some of the people commenting here:
    (1) The software itself will still work (although after the support ends, it won’t necessary work on any new version of Windows after that date) – it’s only the link to Ancestry trees that will not work. Your version of your tree will still be on your computer (including media and notes) – it just won’t link to the one on Ancestry
    (2) Although I hate the lack of notice (just about 3 weeks notice that the software will no longer be available?), the fact that they guarantee support for another year is good… more would be better, but many companies do not support software much beyond a year after it is discontinued
    (3) You will still be able to create reports in FTM, and to add data/remove data/amend data… everything that you can do in the software itself, without linking to the Ancestry website, you will still be able to do. (If you want to verify this, turn off your internet connection and use FTM… you’ll find what you can’t do is TreeSync, get hints, use the integrated Search Ancestry function, etc)
    (4) The lack of FTM software and support will not make Ancestry lose all their business. The majority of users of Ancestry do not use FTM (that’s the whole point of this decision… most of their users only go to the website, there is not the call for the software) – even if all the FTM users were to leave their membership, Ancestry would still have a large user base.
    (5) I have not had a membership with Ancestry for a couple of months… I’ve been able to use FTM to update my family tree… I just have to use other techniques
    (6) We can all try to find another software company that syncs with an online family tree site – let them get all our money!
    (7) For those of you who aren’t keen on Ancestry having your family tree online after Jan 2017, just make sure you delete it from your Ancestry account, and stop your subscription. Maintain it on your computer using FTM (or export it to another piece of software)…. as I said above, Ancestry haven’t had any money from me in the last couple of months (purely due to financial restructuring), and I’ve still been using FTM to update my family tree with a new granddaughter and a new nephew…

  1159. David W

    You have got to be kidding! What will people use to create their family tree? It is no wonder that many of the amateur genealogists have gone to other platforms like GENI to create and store their family trees.

  1160. Tom LaClair

    I have often defended Ancestry.com when speaking with others. I have spent the last three years with hundreds of hours of research. You have my data backed up and you entice others to join so they can get the data. No you essentially take it from me. Without FTM, my research can not be shared in reports. My one passion in this life seems to be for not. I’m speechless. You hooked and baited us, and then left us hanging.

  1161. Fred

    Bad idea!!! I have used FTM for nearly 20 years, and have published my family history from FTM. I rarely use Ancestry, and keep my data base on my computer. This will END my support of Ancestry.

  1162. Judy

    I don’t see one positive reaction to your news. Ancestry, are you listening to your members? I will join the ranks of people that will leave January 1, 2017.

  1163. Dan Leonard

    I seem to hear a chorus of disappointment from some longtime users! I too am a longtime user & am disappointed.
    I echo Mi chele: What are we to do with our FTM records? Surely Ancestry must be working on a simple, seamless conversion of some kind, but your announcement does not hint at that.
    PLEASE do not leave us in Limbo!

  1164. Steve

    Whoever is running this company seems to have an overinflated ego and is NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT THE CUSTOMERS WANT. First you are taking features away, then forcing a BAD INTERFACE down our throats, now the only good thing left, SYNCing WITH FTM, you are certainly taking a good thing and remaking havoc with your dedicated customer base. You need to seriously reconsider your business model and start reconsidering your customers. I have been a user of FTM since version 1. When it can no longer SYNC with ancestry, I will no longer subscribe. Your making BAD MISTAKE AFTER BAD MISTAKE!

  1165. Well this is raises an eyebrow. There is functionality in FTM that is not on Ancestry.com… For example, being able to merge trees, some additional functions in the profile search and so on. I realize it is time for us to move into the next generation of computing… but I guess there is never a good time to tell us.
    Additionally, I like the (false) sense of privacy for documents and notes in FTM (even though I can lock them when they sync online). I also like being able to attach the actual document to my profile facts where as many times online we only have pointers to the data and have to go to additional steps to download and attach to the record. I realize this too is a storage issue for Ancestry as thousands of records have the same documents stored over and over again across thousands of genealogists. What if that link gets broken and we can’t access that document anymore? In FTM I know it’s there because it’s on my computer. These are just some of my concerns. If you incorporate all of the things we love about FTM into the online version… I’ll survive this change. JUST DON’T LOSE MY FOUR DECADES OF RESEARCH PLEASE.

  1166. Jan Shoulders

    I am in shock! First, the blow about the changes you have made to the ‘Old Ancestry’ (which I and so many others detest and find a backwards step) and now this!!! It is beyond my comprehension how you expect serious and committed researchers who have spent thousands of hours and in some cases pounds too, to just ‘shut up and put up’ whilst you systematically destroy the tools that we have been loyally using for a decade or more to construct and store our precious research on. Shame on you Ancestry! From being a loyal and appreciative member I now question your ethics as a company. Do you intend to replace the vital features that we have paid for in good faith and are now about to lose? Such as the independent storage facility and back up that FTM offers and the charts and reports that are so valuable and essential to a serious researcher? The greatest damage is that I no longer have any trust in you as a company. You have shown a lack of loyalty and respect to your long term members and there is little to make me want to remain a member any longer. How could you get this SO wrong??

  1167. Merideth

    Well, I guess not the only bummed customer! I’ve used both the online version & FTM since the near beginning of both products. I appreciate that they work together so well—and I use each of them for different aspects of my research. I can understand not wanting to spend additional money on developing a dying form of technology, however continuing your support of the current product for longer than 1 year would seem to be prudent. There are many things that I use FTM for (specifically report output) that I can’t do online–and the reason I’ve paid for both products over the years. I’m hoping ancestry will reconsider some of the points of this decision.

  1168. Dianne Gibson

    Get over if people. I am not a fan of the new Ancestry but plan to get used to it when I am forced to this month. There are too many good things about Ancestry to cancel a subscription in a shit fit. Use Roots Magic, the best desktop genealogy software ever and upload a gedcom to Ancestry whenever you have significant changes. Not a hard thing to do.

  1169. Brad

    Ive been using tree maker for 10 years know have 24K folks in it and now your taking it away, over the years prices increase over and over and you offer obits and the page doesnt even open up, constant problems with 2013 model crashing all the time, basically your looking for the money and not the satisfaction of your customers who have made you what you are today, you should give all family tree maker owners a rebate, we should all cancel or subsriptions there sky high as anyway look almost everyone here say your making a bad dfecision, you still go ahead whenever we dont like your new improvements rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  1170. Stewart Gondo

    It’s clear to me that Ancestry wants to shift to a SaS (Software as Service) subscription model. Ancestry obviously thinks that SaS will maximize revenue. This is no different that many other software companies and one needs to look no further than Microsoft. I hope that Ancestry will incorporate the features and ease of use that many users like in
    FTM. My other concern is Ancestry’s security over genealogical data which can be used by ID thieves. There have been many large data breaches by companies far larger “secure” than Ancestry. My own personal data held by my health insurance provider, hospital, major state university, bank, brokerage house, major retailers, and credit card companies, has been breached.

  1171. Wendy

    I totally agree with the other comments made. Ancestry online tree does not offer the report facilities etc that FTM does, so I see no point in renewing my Ancestry membership when it is due, especially at the price charged for Worldwide membership.

  1172. David W

    You have got to be kidding! What will people use to create their family tree? It is no wonder that many of the amateur genealogists have gone to other platforms like GENI to create and store their family trees. VERY BAD DECISION!

  1173. Denise

    This is definitely NOT the gift I wanted to receive from ancestry.com. Just want to go on record and let you know I feel this is a very poor decision on behalf of your company. To me, the synchronicity between FTM/www.ancestry.com was a primary feature for me to continue my fairly expensive membership with your website. My parents are older and depend upon me to assist them in their research, and the “paper” reports I can print in FTM is critical. So disappointed in your decision. Hoping you will reconsider.

  1174. Scot

    It’s pretty remarkable how many people have responded in short order to your announcement to quit supporting FTM. You have a loyal customer base that is in grave danger of disappearing. And once they (and perhaps I) leave, we won’t be back. While it’s thoughtful (and appropriate) of you to be committed to the product for another 12 months, I agree with others that you have failed to commit to enhance Ancestry to provide the functionality currently available to FTM users. I purchased the product for its reporting capabilities. If you don’t enhance Ancestry with these features, I will certainly consider other products that do. What’s my incentive to stay if you are removing functionality from your suite of products?

  1175. Mike d.

    What a poor decision, to discontinue FTM. right after the ridiculous switch to New Ancestry. I swear, Ancestry mgt must use the comic strip Dilbert as the basis for their business plan.

  1176. Catherine

    Bad move. I for one am NOT going to put all of my research onto a commercial website so that I can be forced to pay forever or lose my access. Not happy about this at all.

  1177. Valerie Makkai

    I agree with the dismay that others have expressed. I have never put my tree on line — I agree with Brian Hill and others — I don’t want my private information on the cloud. Now it appears that the 10,000 or so names and their relationships, along with extensive notes, sources, and other information, that I have spent years gathering and putting into Family Tree Maker will have to be copied into some different software program. Who knows how much time and effort that will entail. I have counted on being able to pass my Family Tree Maker files on to my children and grandchildren, but I guess I can forget that. Why don’t you just be honest and admit that the whole purpose of this move is to force people to subscribe to Ancestry. I can’t afford that. I think you are underestimating your customers in a huge way. We will just leave Ancestry altogether.

  1178. BGJ

    Bad idea Ancestry! Hopefully you will be reading these comments. Unless another announcement is made that FTM will continue, my subscription will not! Although other apps like Heritage are not quite as good, they will suffice. Goodbye.

  1179. Carolyn Hayes

    ANCESTRY WILL NOT EXIST SOON BECAUSE THOUSANDS WILL STOP THEIR SUBSCRIPTIONS AND WE WILL JOIN ANOTHER GENEALOGY SITE, ONE THAT REALLY CARES ABOUT THE LOYALTY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS Carolyn Hayes

  1180. Leroy Curtis

    Like many others, I have used the FTM software since the Banner Blue days, and am very disappointed by this decision. The reporting facilities available via the Ancestry site are not remotely comparable to those in FTM, and I am very unhappy at the idea of my data only being accessible via an on-line application. Please re-consider.

  1181. Greg

    Agree with the rest of the comments. This is a poor decision espically with most of the features in FTM not available on the website. The site should have been updated to include these features before this was even considered.

    I look forward to taking the year to look for a new solution on where to keep my data online as well as a new family tree tool.

  1182. Wesley Clark

    Is there a better product out that can replace Family Tree Maker. If not, I make sure and cancel my account with you if not before. Bad Business!

  1183. Matt

    This is a hugely disappointing decision. My database is too big to use TreeSync or to upload, so offline work is my only option — and now you’re removing that. Looks like Reunion is going to have a new customer. I’m deleting my tree from your site right now.

    Horribly disappointing.

  1184. Gayle

    Very bad decision. FTM was the best tree maker we’ve found over the years, and being able to sync was miraculous. Sorry you weren’t making enough profit from it, but then all good things end when greed strikes.

  1185. patriciaja

    Declining desktop use? What did you think we were using this software with (other than perhaps laptops)?
    Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Yet another example of bad corporate decision making.

  1186. Jack

    This is soooo wrong. I have invested a LOT of money with Ancestry. FTM provides so many ways to produce charts that your site does not. And it is my way of doing research. But the most important thing is that you have lost my trust. I will be looking elsewhere.

  1187. Vince Delderfield

    This must be one of the worst public relations exercises ever by a company that hopes to remain viable. Equivalent to : Dear Customer, we note that you have been a loyal customer for many years. We have recently identified a better way of getting more money and data from you; consequently, we will not be providing the services you paid us for and we cannot be bothered to tell you why (after all its your problem not ours!). Just live with it. ———–Thanks Ancestry.

  1188. bigbluebill1

    Monopoly greed! You are eliminating the most useful tool I use! You should continue to support what you sold.

  1189. wanda

    I hope you will reconsider based on all of the patrons who will also cancel their Ancestry.com subscription, including me. I have used FTM for around 15 years or do…I think the very first version was free. I have faithfully updated each time and subscribed to Ancestry.com’s pricey services, telling myself it was worth it to be able to always preserve my data. So now, where do we turn? Do you not realize that we need BOTH FTM & ancestry.com

  1190. Jacob Doerksen

    Poor customer decision because it motivates and empowers your customers to move on to a better customer based service. Be see’in you in my rear view.

  1191. Jayne

    I agree with an earlier comment from David ” What you do not explain here is how Ancestry subscribers and FTM users will continue to develop and maintain their family history records.” I too have managing my research through FTM for many years so what is my (our) recourse? I think when you make such an announcement about a product – the options for the patrons affected should be addressed with the announcement. Please consider the negative impact you are having on a loyal group of customers with your decision and provide clearer direction, follow-up support and reconsider

  1192. Fred

    I am stunned and at a loss. I have worked 15 years on my tree, and put in hours every week, if not every day. Unless you have some rabbit in your hat we don’t know about, this has got to be a very poor business decision.

  1193. Rich

    This is short sighted and greedy. Unless there are plans for replacement desktop/laptop software, I will be cancelling my account and moving on to another vendor. The the current android interface is barely acceptable for sharing a tree. Doing serious research, like trying to read scanned 19th century census records, is best suited for a large screen. I do a lot of research offline and use the software to organize and share. Now it seems your company wants to keep this work, charge me and others to look at it, and do it through an oversimplified web interface. Good luck with that business model. Has it occurred to you that the users who actually contribute accurate, evidenced based new tree information might prefer a desktop interface instead of a web based tablet interface that is better suited for multimedia viewing? I think the volume of negative responses in just the past few hours is a good indication of what a poor decision this is.

  1194. Larry Earles

    Coca Cola tried making a big change once. Remember how that worked out?
    If its working, leave it alone.

  1195. Sharon

    Wow — I ditto all the negative comments above.. I don’t understand this decision and what alternatives are suggested.

  1196. Elyse

    Hey Everybody. The reality is that we all better start looking closely at FTM’s competitors to see what is the best desktop software to migrate to. Can people start recommending alternatives and why they are a good alternative? Now is the time to start researching where to go.

  1197. Mike George

    I have a better idea. Get rid of Kendall Hulet. That should save enough money to continue FTM software, which incidentally has been one of the buggiest pieces of junk over the years that I have ever used. So now you tell us that lousy software coupled with lousy customer support will be replaced with no path forward. Unbelievable.

  1198. Terry Bond

    I sincerely hope that you continue to support FTM beyond your proposed date of Jan 2017. I don’t care if you don’t ever release another version of it, but I don’t want to rely on my tree only being on your website, I like having my local copy. I have notes on my FTM local copy that I don’t want to have shared with the world on your website. As other users have stated FTM has report features not available on the website and I totally agree with those who have stated a dislike of the new “improved” Ancestry.com. I don’t like it at all. It’s not nearly as easy to navigate around. I also always use the sync feature. I update my FTM database and sync it to Ancestry.com. Another concern I have is that I have in the past had some issues on my computer where my FTM tree has become corrupted and I have had to download it from Ancestry.com. Will that still work in the future? I’ve been doing a lot of research this past year, but I don’t have as much time to devote to it as I wish I did and I expect it will take several more years to complete. How will I be able to do that if you give up on FTM? As I am sure you have seen from several of the other comments you will be losing MANY customers. Do you REALLY want to do that?

  1199. Pam Staley

    WHAT!!!! So why did you not say something when I just BOUGHT the latest update!!!!!!! Yes….REFUND please!!

  1200. Winston

    Isn’t Family Tree Maker a stand alone software? I too am unhappy with Ancestry. They finally priced me away from using them.

  1201. Jody

    I will be discontinuing my subscription. FTM was the only reason I subscribe. Time to go back to paper files. Shame on you Ancestry!

  1202. Jack

    Am extremely disappointed to see this type of abandonment. Used FTM on the PC and then bought several versions on the MAC, in addition to the various subscriptions and updates for Ancestry. While the new DNA and other features are nice for some, dumping the foundation is like a missing leg on a chair. It ain’t what it use to be. There are many options you could have taken, like moving things to open source and coordinating a user group like Sun, IBM, and others have done when diminished their software market. It appears Ancestry is only interested in the money it can take from those it promised to serve. For an organization that advertising help for families, this is an embarrassment.

  1203. John

    This action is a great disservice to the genealogy community. The Ancestry site does not hold a candle to the functionality of Family Tree Maker. For just one example-the ability to view all names in the tree in a list, the ability to sort those names, the ability to filter those names, and being able to search by first name. Very disappointed!

  1204. Christy

    Well, sorry to see this product go but WOW….what a lot of drama in comments above me! Geez people… they said they will continue to support the product for awhile…and this is no different than when Microsoft ended support for XP… times change, technology changes etc. You CAN have a free tree on here… you just need to download your tree file and use another family tree software program… Download your documents now… which I gladly pay to have access to! Saves me hundreds of dollars on ordering and the travel expense of going to every state to find these records etc… Yes, it kinda sucks but not surprising.

  1205. Angelo Adamo

    I thing you totally blew it this time, your leaving the membership no other chose than to look for another site for their research.

  1206. James Kaufman

    This is one of the worst mistakes I’ve seen come out of Ancestry.com. The website is fairly useless for managing and updating data, it’s too hard to navigate for this purpose. Further, what about people who are out doing research in the field, entering information into FTM as they go? Not everyone has 24/7 access to the Internet, especially when traveling for genealogy research (particularly when traveling to foreign countries). This decision by Ancestry will most likely cause me to switch to a different genealogy program, and cancel my Ancestry membership as well. The LDS FamilySearch site is looking better and better all the time.

  1207. Roger Hastings

    Bad decision, Ancestry. This is truly a corporation simply wanting more profit and not paying attention to its customer needs and desires. Basically, you’re telling us “screw you”.

  1208. Diane

    I have used FTM for over 20 years and subscribe to Ancestry. I implore you to re-think this decision. I will definitely be re-thinking my ancestry subscriptions and exploring my options.

  1209. Meinstammbaum

    I am in shock!! How can they do this to us. I can’t believe that they would do this. Any genealogist worth a damn will be frustrated as hell with this idea. Ancestry will be loosing a lot of people because of this.

    No matter what research you do you have to have a place ( software) to put the info. The online program is nice but it is not a way yo store your tree you can’t even print out s tree from the online tree. Thousands of serious genealogists have just been kicked in the teeth by this money grubbing company.

    I will not be renewing my ancestry subscription that I have had for 15 years !!!

  1210. Jim

    While FTM is far from perfect, it has been a crucial tool in my research and tree management. I use Ancestry.com for my basic research and to maintain my primary tree. However, there are tools available in FTM that are not available at Ancestry.com. A big hole will be left, if many of the tools currently available in FTM are not replaced. The following are especially important to me:

    1) The ability to print many different reports. I used the Data Error Report often. It has helped me find many errors in my tree. The Ahnentafel and Descendant reports are also very important to me.
    2) Search features that allow finding everyone with the same surname or from the same place. These are just not easily done, if at all, on Ancestry.com.
    3) The ability to search, find and combine duplicate individuals. On Ancestry.com you can combine duplicates but only if you know they exist or on a one by one basis.
    4) The ability to Manage Places and resolve place names and to locate on a map. Ancestry.com used to have the ability to locate places on maps but eliminated that ability.
    5) The ability to manage, correct and combine sources.

    There are many, but these are the ones most important to me.

    And of course, non of these are of value without the ability to sync with Ancestry.com.

    Please reconsider or provide acceptable replacements for the tools that would otherwise be lost.

  1211. David High

    I’m very disappointed in Ancestry’s decision to pursue higher profit rather than supporting its customer base. What happens to all the knowledge, stories, pictures etc. attached to my tree when I need to discontinue my family tree research and wait for a family relative to hopefully resume the project? I’m proof that this happens, as I’ve inherited our family tree from my older cousin after a pause of several years, via the Family Tree Maker software. Without Family Tree Maker, how am I to pass the baton on if none of my relatives want to immediately subscribe to Ancestry.com? If nothing else, Ancestry should continue to sell the software without support or upgrades, so that people like me can continue to hand off our tree to future researchers. Shame on Ancestry if all Family Tree Maker support is discontinued.

  1212. JRF

    Hmmm, you do the research and post the information, photos, stories, or other supporting documentation and pay the respository who reaps monetary gain for your countless hours of work. Then they take away your ability to manage reports, or maintain your research in a stand alone environment. Granted their records are extremely helpful but without the end users and their personal knowledge of family histories it is just a bunch of files. It was somewhat annoying to pay for the subscription fees but also understandable to pay reasonable costs for maintaining the site etc. However, taking away tools, which will likely become a for a fee service on the site, is a slap in the face and bitter pill of “thanks for all of your hard work and support.” Empire builders!

  1213. Ian Martyn

    This is a hugely disruptive decision. My colleagues and clients (Canadian First Nations) use FTM to display family tree charts, and have a purpose built app to create a GEDCOM file from our main database to feed into FTM for this purpose. We chose FTM because we thought it would NOT disappear as many other products have. My confidence in your organisation has just evaporated. When will you close down entirely?

  1214. Jessica

    Even though I’m not an avid subscriber to ancestry.com site, I enjoy the sync feature that FTM does with my online tree. Now how will those of us who use FTM software to work, add information, build and make hard copies of family’s linage, how will make these hard copies for different family members. I absolutely love the report feature – I don’t have to do any of the leg work and it’s beautifully put together in one report. I need to have a place to generate hard copies of my family’s history to preserve for generations to come. Please take a hard look at what your proposing and find a way to balance what you need and what your customers need and use before you loose a lot of customers.

  1215. Betty

    I believe that you have over estimated the value of your online platform. The only reason I have stayed with Ancestry is because of the FTM interfact. The desktop software is much easier to navigate than online. This is in my opinion a bad business decision. FTM is what made your product a step above the others. Internet access is not always available when out doing research. At least with FTM you can record the info and know that it will upload to the online tree. Now your nothing more than the “others”. If I have to look for new software it won’t be with Ancestry.

  1216. John Stirling

    I’ve looked at the ‘new’ Ancestry website and don’t believe it has the functionality that FTM 2014 has. Not a smart move to replace FTM.

  1217. MLang

    Who the heck is making decisions in this organization now anyway? The recent decisions are ruining the company – someone and maybe more needs to be fired, quickly. FTM is essential to anyone doing serious genealogy for too many reasons to enumerate. Clearly, the people making these decisions do not do genealogy or they would understand how counter-productive all these recent moves are. Somebody is going to re-do what Ancestry used to have, and hopefully get the business of the 1000s of people who responded within 1 hour of getting this nutty email announcement.

  1218. Sue

    Oh I am so disappointed with this move to discontinue FTM. After trying other software I began using FTM in 2000 and found it to be easy to use. It did all the genealogy things I needed. I have held 2 family reunions since that time and got printouts of the family tree for each family that was 28 feet long. It was easy for non-genealogists to read and find themselves. I don’t know how many times I have printed out parts of family trees for relatives near and far. I really hope that we will have that ability to print out family group sheets and trees off the website when we are just guests of Ancestry.ca. I guess we need way more info. about this big change!

  1219. Kay Brumbaugh

    I can’t begin to express my dismay at the news you are going to discontinue FTM. This was the first software I started using 20 yrs ago. I have tried others but always came back because I found it the easiest to use. I am also an Ancestry subscriber, but don’t care for the latest version at all. Can’t use it on my IPad, just freezes up most of the time.
    Like everyone I not happy with this decision and will have to think long and hard about continuing to pay big bucks for Ancestry in the future. Please reconsider.

  1220. Nick

    I’m glad to hear that you’re digitized the Mexican information. I have many “across the border” folks to look for. How do we tap into that info?

    Thanks.

  1221. alice

    This is a huge disappointment for me. I use Family Tree Maker exclusively and love that I can use my Ancestry subscription to make new discoveries. I can own my tree but also search at the same time. Thank you Ancestry for the heads up. I will immediately start looking for the same services from another provider.

  1222. Dona Moxon

    Registering my disappointment at this news. Do you plan to answer any of the questions asked in this forum? Perhaps you have some welcome news for us? If so, we’d sure like to hear it.

  1223. Karen Ingle-Langendorfer

    I am very disappointed in your decision to abandon FTM. I have used it for years and updated every time you came out with a new version. I have kept my Ancestry.com membership for years due to the fact that I could search for new records from my desktop using FTM. I see no need to continue paying the annual fee for Ancestry.com due to your decision and will be looking for a different desktop program. How sad!

  1224. Fred

    I also see a complete lack of any answers from Ancestry on this forum. Are you so tone deaf that you did not realize the impact this would have?

    SAY SOMETHING!!!!

  1225. Helen ``

    I pay for a subscription for the winter months and loger if I can afford it. I have been doing local research for over 45 years and don’t put my info on your site because I don’t want to have to pay for my own research and yet have to pay for others. I have owned new versons of FTM every time they update. Guess it’s time to go back to the LDS site unless they too have SOLD OUT !

  1226. Lori

    Well this is very disappointing to say the least. I depend on the report and charting features of FTM to produce reports. I have invested considerable time into creating my database and like being able to use it when the internet is down (I’m in a rural area).

  1227. Bob

    I want a refund. I JUST bought the new version of family tree maker. Now you are telling me you are discontinuing it. This is a really poor business decision on your part. How are we to print our reports, family trees etc? I have tried to print things off ancestry and it is horrid. Sometimes it locks up, sometimes it takes 20-30 minutes for it to print, sometimes it does not print at all. What are you going to do about these things. And there is no use going to some other site, because most of them are tied into Ancestry anyway. BUT Ancestry should allow an app or a 3rd party interface so we can print things off. I have 25 years worth of records on FTM and ancestry…..how will we be able to get that off to print??? WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES!!!!!

  1228. Mike G

    I agree with everyone who commented before me. I’ll add on to say that I’m disappointed with this as well. Hopefully, if Ancestry reviews the comments, they will change their minds. Time to finish up and go somewhere else. I don’t want to rely on a site to review my info. I’d like to have a hard copy on my computer of the info in case the site goes down and never come back.

  1229. Jeffrey

    I gave up on Ancestry when I realised they were running down FTM. The new Ancestry website is awful! Talk about dumbing down.
    Sounds the same scenario as the score writing program SIBELIUS. Sold by the authors and the new owners closed it down.
    My advice to Mac FTM users is get everything onto REUNION for Mac and iPad/iPhone

  1230. Ruth

    I back everything up on my computer and print what I need from there. I do not wish to have to pay to see my 4000+ tree. I am most unhappy. Love to find a new internet tree with the capability of being backed up to my computer.

  1231. Curd

    I can’t see one comment welcoming your decision.
    Good luck with it, I have just moved my tree out of FTM and will not be using that or Ancestry again.

  1232. Stu

    As with all the 939 comments above this is ludicrous. You clearly have no idea how we FTM users operate. The online web access is almost unusable, and tha app is poor.
    At least we all have a year or so to look for alternatives. Very disappointed. Very disappointed.
    Not having a copy on my MAC is just not acceptable..

  1233. Kim

    I agree with the others, a poor decision … or should I qualify that and say poor announcement. I understand your intent but to not dedicate yourselves to supporting the SYNC of trees indefinitely is irresponsible.

    I don’t mind a software being unsupported after a given amount of time but keep it viable via SYNC for all of us that have reasons for using the desktop software.

    I have tried to maintain my tree via the web and, frankly, it is inconvenient and ineffective. I could not do what I have always done with my tree sources (to maintain consistency). So, add new web features if you think you must and, for me, those can remain unsynced if I happen to use them ( I won’t!). However, for me to continue tweaking my tree (of over 24,000 people, no less), it will be via desktop as long as desktops exist. You ban me from sharing my tree information if you ever disconnect the desktop to web SYNC.

  1234. Aidan

    Am amazed but also delighted by the strong and passionate response of a clearly vibrant Ancestry ‘community’ which lest you forget includes the many thousands of dedicated users of FTM – hope you choose to listen and re-consider what looks like being a terrible mistake.

  1235. Cindy Johnson

    Bad bad bad idea. This reminds me of “New Coke.” You are just throwing away your loyal customers.
    When do you plan on telling us what it is we are supposed to do?

  1236. Dave

    You should make this a positive for the community and open source FTM. If all you are concerned with is converting FTM users into subscription users, by open sourcing FTM there is at least some chance of keeping users from leaving altogether.
    If FTM goes extinct, I’ll never pay Ancestry another dime, and will gladly pay another vendor for true desktop (Mac) software.
    This is a pathetic money grab, and I certainly hope it backfires!!

  1237. Emily

    Isn’t it interesting and just like Ancestry: You get space to complain, but do we get answers! NO. They have trashed most everything they have acquired. It is clear they DO NOT care about genealogy, but about the profit. It is also VERGY CLEAR that they cannot figure out what they can do and maintain. What a very poor, uncaring company.

  1238. Gary Lear

    I’ve just finished reading the majority of these 951 comments, and have not found one that thinks doing away with FTM is a good idea. If you really want your subscriber’s comments, you’ll listen to what they’re saying. I will cancel my subscription to Ancestry on Dec. 31, 2016 if this comes to pass. And, I’m sure I won’t be the only one to do so. Please reconsider, we don’t want to start over with decades of hard work and research.

  1239. Meg

    How can I get the latest version before you retire it? I am still working with a version from many years ago. I am very disappointed that you are doing this. The “new ancestry” is very hard to use and FTM is the best way to overcome its weaknesses.

  1240. Beverley Pritchett

    Worst decision ever. You have upset so many with the new design and now to stop FTM, you have just added many more to the list of unhappy customers. One question.. WHY?

  1241. Shirley Baker

    Really bad decision. I will continue to use my family tree with or without your assistance. I also think your new updates are frustrating to use. I too will be ending my subscription with ancestry and will look for another way to do my research. I think money has come before long time customers. Nice to know our value.

  1242. Tom Miller

    This is very disappointing news. I have been a customer of FTM for over 20 years, this goes back to a point before Ancestry.com existed I believe. I started with FTM ver. 6 or 7 and then bought FTM 11 (which I still use). After Ancestry bought out FTM and integrated it to the site I upgraded to FTM 2011 then FTM 2013. There are things that I still think work better with the old FTM11 though. Did you ever think that it might be a good idea to ask the customer before making such a rash decision. I assume that you are expecting that we will all take out annual memberships to Ancestry for several hundreds of dollars per year…….well…….that is not going to happen from me and I will start looking for other alternatives. I am a disappointed customer.

  1243. Yolanda

    I echo the previous comments. One of the main reasons I have kept my membership over the last decade is because of the integration to FTM. There is function within FTM that can not be duplicated in your web-based product. To no longer allow is a poor decision to those who have spent tireless years documenting their family history. Clearly you did NOT vet the user community prior to making this decision.

  1244. Linda

    First off, I find it interesting that your last sentence refers to abusive comments. You knew this would not go down well. All this/my research work I have been working on for DECADES!. All of the time it took to do my family tree, and have the rug pulled out and it’s over. Why? Haven’t you made enough money off of us, that we upload our family trees you copy it from us and sell it back. Great business sense. Then, you make the decision to stop FTM. People! Customers! There must be an alternative for us. As for any of you that still have a subscription, cancel it, they will prorate.

  1245. Terry R. Ingram

    You have just made the biggest mistake in your existence. Remember the NEW Coke. Same thing. You made a major decision strictly on some accounting sheet and now you want feedback AFTER the fact. I

  1246. Larry

    Just wait for the competitor family tree software companies to hear about this! While the desktop software business may have declined, there has been a blossoming of websites available that offer the same things that Ancestry offers (like census records, etc). Looks like I will be finding a new family tree software program and canceling my Ancestry subscription in favor of those other various websites.

  1247. Melissa

    Goodbye. I am not willing to trust a web based tree, and do not like the clunky interface. Will look elsewhere.

  1248. Diane

    Never uploaded my tree to Ancestry as I´ve seen so many copy incorrect facts and fabricate trees from another´s research. Only ever kept my information on FTM which I´ve used since it was first released and will continue to work on my computer after you dump it. However, will no longer subscribe to a company which blackmails its users who only have their trees online at Ancestry so that Ancestry can keep their $$$$$$$ income. I feel sorry for all those who have supported you and who you are now failing. Therefore FMP will be the company which profits from your decision -I certainly won´t use you again.

  1249. Connie

    WHAT IN THE WORLD IS ANCESTRY THINKING???? BY THE LOOKS OF ALL THE COMMENTS LISTED ABOVE, IT DOESNT LOOK LIKE THIS WOULD BE A GOOD CHOICE TO “RETIRE” FTM. THESE PEOPLE, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAVE WORKED MANY YEARS ON OUR FAMILY TREES WITH THE HELP OF FTM AND NOW YOU ARE TAKING THIS AWAY FROM US ??? IT LOOKS LIKE ANCESTRY.COM NEEDS TO
    “RETIRE” THEIR SR VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCTS KENDALL HULET FROM THEIR STAFF. LOOKS LIKE YOU WILL HAVE A BOAT LOAD OF NEGATIVE COMMENTS ON THIS IF YOU HAVE THE COMMENTING OPEN FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS !!
    ANCESTRY: PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR CHOICE

  1250. John Roberts

    Just checked the FTM website. Nothing on there to say the software is now obsolete – still selling to unsuspecting suckers!!

  1251. Robert Hilgartner

    I have been using FTM since it was first released, was the only software package that did everything I needed and with the poor internet connections, doing my searches online is spotty at best. The desktop solution has proven to be the best practice I have had. It gives me the versatility to manage my data as I see fit and share as I need to or drill down with ease. The online version seriously lacks these capabilities and the new format of the online system further degrades my work in fixing errors in my work. I have over 2600 names in my central file and 7 separate files with unconnected family members, now I feel you are hobbling me. Your approach is not a win for your customers just your bottom line. You need to look at your business practices and do more market based research

  1252. Kathy

    I can’t believe this. It makes me sick. I have used FTM for close a very long time. I don’t like the idea of my tree being only available online. Please reverse this!

  1253. Susan

    I will not renew my ancestry membership if FTM is not supported. The treesync feature is pretty much the only reason I have a membership.

  1254. Pam Moorman

    You have GOT TO BE KIDDING! You have gone from one of the MOST respected resources out there – and no you ABANDON all of us who have invested so much time and money for so many years! You are taking the “chicken way” out – YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RESPECT FROM YOUR USERS JUST FLEW OUT THE WINDOW! Please, please – reconsider! This has to be one of the biggest corporate mistakes ever made! I bet this decision was made by people who don’t even know how to research!! Are you REALLY going to let those people ruin your reputation??? You have time to change your mind and not leave millions of us without a proper resource!!!

  1255. Ray

    Without more information, this appears to be a mistake. A company that does not listen to its customers, will cease to exist.

  1256. Susan Mosey

    I feel disappointed, betrayed, and very angry. The printables on ancestry.com are horrible to non-existent. Now what do I do for printables???

  1257. daveluke

    Folks, this is easy..Ancestry is either losing money on FTM or plans to make more $$$ by forcing everyone to use and stay with Ancestry alone. (no more on and off). BUT, that isn’t our fault, it is theirs. A few suggestions – 1) start screaming that put a gedcom download link on Ancestry (right now there is only an upload of course). 2) After a cooling off period, Ancestry probably calculated the number of lost consumers and found it acceptable vs. the cost of running FTM. So, we should all start a plan to drop off of Ancestry for “awhile”. If they lose enough of those monthly fees, their cash flow will definitely suffer, and investors will notice. 3) Anyone want to start an on line petition demanding they do not do away with FTM? They won’t listen to the petition, but the bad press alone may be enough to change their plan.Thoughts?

  1258. Anne

    What a massive disappointment! Have been using FTM since 1993. What happens now? Is there a new software coming to replace it? Are there compatible software programs so we can change over? What a backward step! I have read the majority of the above comments, and I wholeheartedly agree with them. There are very few positives. I will not be uploading my trees to Ancestry.

  1259. Joseph Bancewicz

    I am only a member of Ancestry because of FTM and especially tree sync. If FTM is no longer being supported then I will not renew my subscription and find other software/methods to replicate what I am doing now. It seems to me that your focus is not so much on your users especially the users of FTM but on your profits.

  1260. Rob

    Wow! Just dropped like a hot potato! No mention of what will replace it or future steps. I truly wish that you weren’t doing this.

  1261. DonaldM

    Dropping FTM is very unwise. It is not practical, often not even possible, to have a full time, reliable internet connection. Additionally, I prefer to do my editing and checking work offline. The FTM is much more reliable than Ancestry.com and far more user friendly. I join thousands of other users who deplore your decision to drop what has been a useful product.

  1262. Kathy

    Very confused as to why Ancestry wants to blow off FTM ! I have been using both for many, many years. The new Ancestry is a nightmare to navigate & I will probably be one among those to discontinue my subscriotion after this debacle takes place! I am all for sharing info. “privately” but I will never put my family tree info. in an online setting! Is FTM still going to be usable offline? Too short of notice! Very disappointed!

  1263. Phillip

    Interesting. The first response was at 3.56pm and it is now 5.05pm and there have been 1,305 responses. Of these posts, 99.9999% have been negative (I can’t say 100% because at least one was from Ancestry.com telling one of the posters to contact them if they have a problem). As I say interesting!!

  1264. Leanne

    Windows Xp would no longer allow my Family Tree Maker 2012 to work, so I had purchased a new computer with upgraded Windows and then I purchased the FTM 2014 after talking with them for two days about the original problem. No mention that is was stopping the program. Have I wasted my money??? I have been a loyal customer of FTM for over 25 years and upgraded many times. I have always told others to use FTM rather than another program. I am greatly angered over your decision. I have been an Ancestry Member for many years also, although I do not like the newest version, as it is very difficult to maneuver and find familly/individual information in trees. I have considered stopping my subscription because of these difficulties but I have stayed loyal. My renewal starts soon and this new change really is a bad move on your part. Please continue FTM and Sync. Loyal customers deserve your loyalty in return.

  1265. Keith

    Remember what Coca-Cola did several years ago. THEY recognized and admitted their mistake and corrected it. Will YOU?

  1266. Brian

    You really don’t understand how your user base works do you? Desktop sales support online subscriptions. As countless users mentioned above, I use FTM to backup my data locally. The only reason I’ve invested so much time in building my tree on Ancestry is because I knew that my data would not be held hostage, and I could always backup and protect my data locally. There are also many times when I am not actively researching and I just want to check something in my tree. Of course I subscribe when I am actively researching, but it is unacceptable to have to re-subscribe just to check the work I’ve already done. If you don’t provide an alternate way to download and back up trees locally, I will no longer use Ancestry.

  1267. Kyle

    Wow! What a bomb to drop on us … Merry Christmas to you too! Everyone relies on FTM – Ancestry isn’t complete without it. The new ancestry is okay but too cutesy. FTM is simply easier to use and navigate thru. How will we make our charts and files. I rely on those to send out to my family. Will you be replacing it with something else? Not enough information given. Too bad – I guess we’ll all be looking for something to replace ancestry.

  1268. Joel Mooney

    I’ve mostly ignored your on-line website since the the new “Look” was introduced. Much wasted space and it is not user friendly. To really document my tree, I need the format available in FTM. Much easier to see the overall, big picture…..I too don’t plan on continuing with Ancestry.

  1269. Jaime

    If anyone has a recommendation for software, please send it to me. All of my real work is on my desktop; I hate the online version at Ancestry. I guess I’ll have an extra $300 or so in my pocket each year after the support ends.

  1270. JJ

    These comments go on forever! What do Duff Wilson and Crista Cowan say about this?? Wthey have always been so helpful at conferences, I imagine they are in mourning after all their hard work.

  1271. This is VERY disappointing as FTM is an integral part of maintaining and printing family history information.

    Even if you offered an online version I would prefer to use it resident on my computer to save the files and the ability to work “offline.”

  1272. I echo the comments above. I am greatly disappointed with Ancestry. I personally don’t trust the Cloud’s security and hence have not uploaded my FTM tree to Ancestry.com. I find that when I look at the trees of my family members’ trees who have uploaded their trees on Ancestry.com they are very difficult to navigate. I also have found numerous errors on Ancestry.com that I would not have caught without my FTM records. If our only option is to upload our trees to Ancestry.com (hopefully with all of the features of FTM) or find another PC-based software solution similar to FTM, I hope you provide simple ways to transfer the data. In the meantime I will plan to use FTM and only use Ancestry for research.

  1273. Betty

    I am very disappointed with your decision. Do you realize you are abandoning a quality product? What are you thinking? RECONSIDER!

  1274. Scott

    This is a very bad move-after years of time, effort and loyalty. It makes no sense how can I access and find time to retrieve family history that took years to put together. Thanks for the memories.

  1275. Vickie Hunsaker

    I have used Family Tree Maker through several versions. Yes I only purchased every other update but I am now used to the version I have. I am very disappointed as you don’t have the same set up on line for me to have a portal. I would also want to be able to download reports as I have worked with other distant family members by providing reports I downloaded out of FTM. If you don’t want to box the software then do what Microsoft has done and provide a key code to download to our own computers and update electronically as needed. I just wen through the expense of buying DNA kits for my family and looked forward to my ongoing “search”. Very disappointing.

  1276. windi spears

    when i opened my email notice from you i was QUITE SHOCKED. i have been a user of this program since you first created it and over the years have spent many $$$$$ on updating and upgrading…. you have realllllly let a lot of genealogist down with your announcement. now i want to know that you are going to arrange so that we may move our trres from your product to another that isnt just going to give less than a month notice that WHOOPS they are closing their doors. in other words I as i am sure others are quite upset with this little annoucement and the way it has transpired…

  1277. Dee

    A database is crucial to the maintenance of family history records, documentation, lineage, etc. Will Family Tree Maker software be available through Genealogy.com as in years prior to being absorbed by Ancestry. Otherwise, folks, Legacy puts out a very good family tree database.

  1278. Steph

    I can’t believe this decision, it is all the greed and profit game. We expect qualify from ancestry.com. EXTREMELY UPSET.

  1279. Bonita

    Good thing I switched to Legacy Family Tree software several years ago after being a user of FTM from the very beginning when it was from Banner Blue.

  1280. Terri Hildreth

    This is a real disappointment. I, too, have been using FTM since it was Broderbund — I know that was before Al Gore invented the internet, and I think that was BEFORE Ancestry even existed! As a professional, I just keep a small family tree at Ancestry for the occasional hint, and use the website for the majority of my online research purposes. So I guess I really won’t miss the sync capabilities, but it is getting harder to stay loyal to Ancestry. I hope you spin the software off or sell it to someone else.

  1281. Chris M.

    This is a very bad decision on your part. I might as well stop my work and find another program. Your services will no longer be required for me once implemented.

  1282. Carol

    Why do this? Why make things difficult for so many people who use Ancestry only because they have FTM? The Web system has so little functionality you can’t do real research with it. Both are needed. Hope you have got the message from all these posts.

  1283. Matt

    What a compleatly stupid and backwards step, if it wasn’t for FTM I wouldn’t use Ancestry, so no FTM = No Ancestry. The perfect partnership between the two with the “fig leaf” indicator to Ancestry hits is invaluable, why would you bother to search Ancestry records without the compatable software to record it? Big Big mistake Ancestry I doubt if you’ll survive without us FTM’s

  1284. Jerry

    I have little to add to the tremendous negative response that has been submitted i the 40 minutes since your email was issued. I doubt that you will bother to read them all. Unless it is all about the money, then you should allow users access to their trees even if they discontinue their Ancestry subscriptions, or provide a means for a full download of files from your site when we do resign.

  1285. I really like Family Tree Maker and have used it for years. The reports are always a big hit at our family reunions. So sorry this decision was made. It works very well.

  1286. Greg

    I use FTM for all my data and like its features. I hope I can figure out a way to export without a loss of data to another program. Very disappointed. 🙁 I assume it will still work as a standalone program for a while, just no support?

  1287. Travis Hancock

    Well, I just bought the new version 5 months ago, and I want a refund. How am I supposed to keep my records? Just on you subscription site at $300 per year??? Terrible, but at least I have a year to migrate 35 YEARS OF RESEARCH to another platform……Shame on you.

  1288. Anita Crafton

    I am incredibly ANGRY about this decision. Not 30 days ago, we purchased a NEW copy of FTM since v2012 would not run on our new Win 10 laptops. Now I am royally pissed that we didn’t just “upgrade” the v2012, since it appears this will end up being a ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION.

    This HAS to be some misguided Money Person’s advice to Marketing in the 21st century. Obviously, the company is making this move to INCREASE PROFITS somehow. Our sub to ancestry.com is set to expire on Dec 10, and it is highly likely we will NOT RENEW.

  1289. C J Smith

    I now know what happened to the person who came up with the New Coke campaign, he came to work for a
    Ancestry. Your new plan will probably have as much success as New Coke and cause quite a loss of revenue with cancelled subscriptions. Family Tree Maker holds a lot of information and research that I have done for over 30 years and the thought of it disappearing and not being able to use this simple but highly effective format is offensive. What are you thinking? I’m sorry to know that ancestry. com is taking such a stance just to make a bigger profit,using information that your customers have provided.Your customers built ancestry for you and now you are taking away our access to our own families. I use FTM only and never go to the ancestry site because it is confusing and difficult to use. From the number of negative comments here, I see that your plan is not well thought out. Please quit making changes that are not beneficial to the users or you will end up with no one interested in pursuing your site.. C J Smith

  1290. Scott

    Yes – very, very poor decision on Ancestry’s part!

    All serious family historians use an app rather than cloud service to store and manage their family tree – that way we have full control of our personal data. This is very important.

    The reason I use Family Tree Maker and highly recommend it to others is because you are a reputable company, and as such, I expected you to continue improving and supporting your product development for years to come.

    I have always been disappointed over the years with how poorly you market Family Tree Maker. Basically, you don’t! Few people know your product exists, and where to purchase it from, unless they stumbled across it somewhere online – and most of those references refer to reviews of very old versions of your product. You also don’t allow people from countries such as New Zealand to order the product online, and don’t provide much info on your web site about the product, thus not compelling people to buy. Your whole strategy is wrong, and you’re now blaming lack of sales instead of your poor marketing and sales management for your decision to stop development.

    As you should be aware, in the history industry, it’s important to ensure your data is able to be accessed in the future. What happens when a future Windows update stops Family Tree Maker from working. If we export to GEDCOM format, we lose a lot of data and formatting that is stored in the FTM file – so that’s not a good option.

    Could you please open up your file format so that other software developers can allow the full importation of data from Family Tree Maker. Doing that would be a great step towards restoring goodwill among your faithful users. 🙂

  1291. Alden Schiller

    DEAR ANCESTRY. THIS DECISION HAS RESULTED IN OVER 1,000 POSTS, UNIFORMLY CRITICAL, IN JUST ONE HOUR! IS ANYONE THERE IN CHARGE OF CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT???
    ARE YOU LISTENING??????

  1292. Bob

    What a big mistake by ditching FTM. This decision along with the “New Look” and harder to use website are the worst corporate decisions that could be made.

  1293. BCHR

    I am very disappointed in your decision not to support the desktop. Your web based software is very poor compared to your desktop software. I guess I will be looking for a new desktop based software elsewhere.

  1294. Jim

    This is another of your foolish mistakes. Ancestry.com is riddled with errors, most of them made by amateurs who have no business filling up space with the nonsense they refer to as their family trees. For those of us who are serious, how will we check our own work for errors? Will you be building in the existing FTM applications in the online version? How will I look for entry errors in locations? Inadvertent duplicates? PLEASE reconsider. After all, we paid for the software for a reason. You are turning your “service” into a dumping ground for bad data.

  1295. Regina

    Getting rid of FTM is a HUGE mistake!!! I use it all the time. It is so much more friendly than the actual website, and mush easier to print family group sheets that look good and not tiny like it is from the website! I also love being able to make generation charts! Cannot do this from the website.

  1296. Rosemary Spadoni

    THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES ANCESTRY CAN MAKE. Your website is difficult to enter info into, it does not offer the reports that FTM offers, and it is more difficult to follow. The ability to sync trees is important. So one of the things you could do, is don’t offer support for FTM, but allow the sync to continue. The only real reason I see for you doing this is to insure that people maintain their subscription so that they can only access their family trees from your paid-to-see website.. My intention was to never cancel my subscription, but now I believe I may do an extensive year of research and then cancel. Along with cancelling, I will delete all my trees etc. from the site and will no longer recommend your site. Will it really pay to tick off so many customers? From a business standpoint, the number of people you lose will probably be made up in a couple of years. But then maybe not. For those of you who use the sync feature in case your computer crashes, you can always put the data on a flash drive.. Make sure you purchase the FTM CD and not the download so that you will still have the program Cd in case you need it.

  1297. RA Updegrove

    Yet again it appears that rather than investing in making your product the premiere one on the web by supporting the convenience of being able to accommodate independent user files as well as cloud based information, your approach ignores customer interests (as did the redesign of the site) and “assumes” management is all knowing. Strange, as it is the people’s interests you choose to ignore are the same people who GIVE you family trees gratis AND are the same folks who key information that you charge to see. Lots of taking on your part with not a lot of giving lately.

  1298. David Mason

    Strikes me as one bad business decision. FTM is the reason I use Ancestry and have done so for many years. Would Ancestry be what it is now if we hadn’t begun with FTM? When you drop us, we will drop you and what will be the incentive for others to take our place?

  1299. Alicia

    I work with my desktop FTM more than anything else! There are a lot of unhappy campers out here regarding this ridiculous decision!

  1300. Mulley

    Well, we have until January 2017 before our FTM program will not sync anymore. When that happens, and if there are no alternatives to other software with the same features as FTM, I will delete all my trees off ancestry and use my computer the way I used to. With my own software and research elsewhere.

  1301. Delma

    Does this mean I can continue to use FTM but it will not be linked to Ancestry ?If so I am sooo pleased I have not joined Ancestry so far , too expensive but have been thinking about it , something that my family were considering giving me for christmas !! Thank goodness we have found out in time !!
    Can’t rely on anything these days

  1302. Mary Jo

    I am so sad to learn that you are phasing out Family Tree Maker as it is much more user friendly to add and change data than Ancestry.

  1303. Steven

    @Ian Martyn – Ancestry won’t close down. They’ll find new and better ways to package their data and meter our access to maximize profits.

  1304. terryruesch

    will there be a replacement for family tree maker that we can transfer our information to, or do we just lose it???

  1305. Judy

    Desktop software is more powerful than your Ancestry app. I have had to correct many errors made while using only the Ancestry app because the app doesn’t show all the info that Ancestry.com shows. I like to have both Ancestry.com and my desktop software open at the same time so I can see all the information and reduce errors. Having only an app will lead to bad genealogy. Familysearch.org is not the answer because it is open sourced and full of errors. Please reconsider your decision. Greed may enable you to sell your company for more profit but what about your company ethics?

  1306. Sharon

    I have had FTM since the very beginning of it existence. I have more than 60,000 names in it with multitudes of documents and facts and sources. I cannot fathom what idiot can make a decision like this without determining the impact on the users. I have used Ancestry and FTM for my research which spans many, many years. I just helped a friend get their info onto FTM and they were very excited about continuing the research and signing on with Ancestry. I will tell them to not bother as you are obviously not interested in the value of customers.

  1307. frank h.

    Poor decision. You should have found a developer willing to take over for you. There are many shortcomings you never addressed. A reefund for software is definitely in order.

  1308. Rebecca DeSilva

    You are alienating the people that have been at the core of your business for years, spending tons of money for years on your product to achieve what? To market to more people who have their DNA done for the heck of it, add no tree information and rely on public trees to fill in their fleeting curiosity about their family history. I’ve been a member since 2001. I’ve found FTM a user-friendly, serious tool that is complemented by Ancestry.com. But it’s time I took my money somewhere else.

  1309. Jon

    This is very bad news. The new website and the app are outstanding and incredibly cool for presentation. But as work tools they are useless. Without the work of the genealogist, there will be no data to present.

    There are other great desktop tools out there, be careful, you may lose a lot of clients.

  1310. Angela Goose

    So it was just too hard to make it compatible with Windows 10. I have a non-compatible version which I am wondering how to get information out of. I may have to buy an old Windows 7 laptop just to run my software. Shame on you

  1311. Jean Stroud

    This is a very bad choice on your part as you can see from all the negative comments. If you have any common sense you will change your mind and KEEP FTM available. Most of us do work on our trees offline as well to print out and keep and use offline when we don’t have access to internet. BOO to this idea!!!!!

  1312. Philip Spencer

    Ancestry and FTM would not exist if not for millions of unpaid researchers like me. Must be pajama boys running the company now. Stupid is as stupid does.

  1313. Sandie Miller

    I am so sorry to hear this sad news!!! I am assuming Ancestry.com will still be well and alive….is this correct? And just FTM software will cease to exist? I do believe there are other software such as RootsMagic software that is comparable to FTM…..Time to look into that…..

  1314. Tricia Smith

    A poor decision which has been badly handled. Your email pointed us to the blog for further information which is not there. The way this has been handled shows nothing but contempt for your customer base and their requirements. I suspect you will live to regret it and I eagerly anticipate the news that the idiot who made this decision has been fired and that FTM has been reinstated. We will be parting company fairly rapidly if not.

  1315. Jack

    Ancestry needs to reevaluate the decision to delete FTM and its support. For many genealogy software is the primary location for maintaining their genealogy records and preparing reports such as family relationships. No internet site can be trusted
    to maintain the data. Ancestry will become only another source for records like Family Search. Perhaps Ancestry should conduct a survey of their members.

  1316. I am very disappointed in this decision. I cannot afford to sustain a perpetual subscription to Ancestry, so I rely on FTM to access the data and records *I’ve already paid Ancestry.com for access to* whenever my membership lapses.

    I sincerely hope that one of the changes you make the the website will be providing access to all the records we’ve already added to our trees during our paid subscription time. I understand why we have to pay for access to new-to-us records, but if you’re discontinuing FTM, we need a way to access the images of the records already linked to our trees even when our subscriptions are not active. Because I can’t even look at records online that *I* uploaded when my subscription isn’t active, and that’s not okay.

  1317. Mark Russell

    I’m very disappointed with your decision. I’m currently searching for a replacement for FTM. I will never purchase another software product from your company. I’m seriously considering not renewing my Ancestry.com membership.

  1318. Madeleine

    This means years of work down the drain. I have maintained most of my records within Family Tree Maker for years. People who are reading this blog, if any of you are familiar with another software that we can migrate to, please advise us all so we can begin the switchover. This is a devastating blow to FTM and Ancestry users. But an enterprising individual who comes up with a solution for us will make millions.

  1319. Joan Mc Donald

    I have used this since It was brand new and now I am 71, I love roots Magic there is a free trail version, support is very good. GIVE IT a try they will do everthing that FTm did.

  1320. Martin Smith

    How Dare You.
    You make an announcement like a little petulant child.
    “We are changing our business model”
    without any attempt whatsoever in explaining how you address the bleeding obvious requirements and concerns of your users.
    Darwin Award for businesses goes to Ancestry…

  1321. Jeanette

    I’ve used FTM since the beginning. Many years before Ancestry.com. Guess I can continue as in the early years. It is much easier to enter data, track relationships, print reports, etc in FTM.

  1322. Jimmy

    Looks like you’ve got of explaining to do! What were you thinking? FTM is a beautiful solid structure that many of us have been building and fine tuning for years…And now it looks like you’re set to demolish it…Are you offering something better, building on what we’ve invested so much time and research?

  1323. Fred

    Along with the MANY others, I am both disappointed and irritated with this decision. Looks like you are taking the same approach Microsoft is doing with its Office 365: put everything online, rent software access to whatever users you may have left. Like so many others, online access is not always available, nor preferable. Putting stuff online is also not nearly as secure as local, despite assurances to the contrary. Hope you have your Chapter 11/7 paperwork ready; you may need it.

  1324. janet

    VERY, VERY BAD TO DISCONTINUE FTM.

    Family History Center, here I come, your still there and ready to assist us with our quest to built our family history. Not to take away resources. Thank you Family History Center familysearch.org to locate
    nearest center.

    Bye Ancestry it was fun but not anymore.

  1325. Neil McPherson

    I agree with the previous writers – using the Cloud as my database is not acceptable. I require a stand alone product on my computer with access to the Internet. How will I achieve this?

  1326. Cynthia

    Thank for the advance notice so I can begin the decision-making process on which program to use in place of yours, as well as eventually remove my trees from your site. I have spent countless hours adding information to my FTM (over 12,000 ancestors) and you “decide” to dump it. This smells very much like a move to corner researcher’s information on your website and turn it into a hostage situation. Ancestry has systematically bought up every resource it can, and while I haven’t been happy about that, I was managing with the system the way it was. You just can’t curb the greediness, can you? I’d rather spend time calling and writing for records than paying blood money into your deep pockets. What a disappointment!!! SMH.

  1327. John Michaelson

    This is an incredibly myopic mistake. You have already destroyed any incentive I had to use with the roll out of the “new” slow, ugly web interface and now you’re no longer going to support your desktop software, either, there really is no longer a reason to continue here. I am sick of this trend of forcing every device to be connected to the internet in order to use comparably extremely limited bland web-based substitutes for robust desktop applications.

  1328. Sam Aylesworth

    It is not clear what you plan to offer in the future. Are you discontinuing FTM and discontinuing the posting of our family trees to Ancestry.com … OR … are you only discontinuing our ability to have a copy of our tree on our own Desktop? My tree as posted on Ancestry.com is not even close to being a substitute for the same tree as held on my Desktop using Family Tree Maker. I too have used FTM for many years (since 1998), I have purchased the update every year, and I have paid for a full subscription to Ancestry.com FTM is an excellent program, and I’ve encouraged many to buy it, with the understanding that it’s value is enhanced by but not fully dependent on Ancestry.com. Please clarify asap what your plans are for our future (not only your plans for your future).

  1329. Dr Martin Moss

    This is a very badly thought out policy. Yes, the online facilities have been great, especially the shaking leaf hints and the increasing value of the site as more have taken advantage and contributed to it. What you fail to realise is that although the online content is good and lucrative, the foundation is the ability to be able to ground the information and produce hard copy in a pleasing form with a variety of tree designs and other hard copy. Of course, FTM is expensive to develop and sale of the software is bringing in peanuts compared with ancestry subscriptions. Instead you focus on sale of sideshow gimmicks like Ancestry DNA. I think you are going to regret your decision and it appears that the myriad comments would bear this out.

  1330. Bill

    Unbelievable!!! What if any alternative will Ancestry offer – at no additional charge than the current monthly fee – to allow users to easily and simply keep a copy of all of our family trees on desktop and laptop computers? Many of the above comments aptly note the attributes to having a computer copy and how “unfriendly” your cloud based copy is!!

  1331. Susan Hanck

    I also concur with most of the comments. I have been a loyal FTM user for over 17 years and used ancestry.com for many years. After I print out the media images that supposedly were downloaded during merges, I also will be stopping my ancestry subscription.

  1332. Cheryl

    I too have been a FTM software user since it’s inception and am appalled that Ancestory will no longer allowing us to use this software. I have upgraded many times and am a subscriber to Ancestory.com for many years also and have spent a lot of money. I have over 30 years of research in my FTM software and where else will it go if this software is not continued. I research on line and planned to put my FTM files on Ancestory.com when ready but now what will we do. I like the FTM software and it a shame that Ancestory is leaving us hanging like this. I am shocked and very disappointed. I don’t know whom is making this decision but this is a grave mistake. Please change your mind!!!!!

  1333. Crystal

    I’ve had FTM long before Ancestry was even in the picture. I guess it’s time to cut the “apron strings” and head out to find another “family.”

  1334. Richard H

    Really Disappointing. The prime reason for working in Ancestry was being able have a usable synchronised copy on my portable device. I now regret making Ancestry my system of record and will be reconsidering those I discounted when I started with Ancestry. I will be joining the exodus.

  1335. karen adams

    An interesting but poor decision in my opinion. I agree with others, FTM is great & the newest changes with the web site leaves a lot to be desired. I also have been a Ancestry/FTM user since the beginning.

  1336. Dan

    I’m sure many others have said this already, but this is absolutely a money grab. This forces people to do their research online and forces them to keep their account active if they want to see the records in their tree. And what happens if Ancestry goes under? I started my research using FTM for the sole purpose that it would be portable and useful offline. Guess I’ll be looking for an alternative now (which my include an alternative online site as well). Ancestry doesn’t even need to guarantee future FTM updates, just don’t break the sync feature for your site after 2017 (more likely a purposeful act than a necessary incompatibility).

  1337. Shawn

    We appreciate supporting FTM until 2017 which gives us time to adjust and trust that the ridiculous iPad app is upgraded and improved. Please fix the app – it’s woefully inadequate!

  1338. Mark

    This is perhaps the dumbest decision I have ever seen a corporation make. What is the point in continuing my subscription to Ancestry now? I have recommended Family Tree Marker to dozens of people. What am I supposed to suggest now?Someone at your end needs to explain beyond the
    blah blah about the declining PC market.

  1339. Chas

    Bad decision! Unless you are going to incorporate a print function on the ancestry site. If not ‘Find My Past’ here I come. I already have a membership there as their search function for Commonwealth records is far, far better than yours.

  1340. DJH

    So whose software do you recommend to convert to since for all the reasons listed above, the subscription service without software is useless for most of us.

  1341. Kevin norman

    It is possible to export all FTM material including comments etc? Back to Legacy then…. it was good for a while but off we go until someone else does it all again….. and sorry pal…. the “cloud” ain’t that good except in the crazed imaginings of developers who have brilliant connection….. desktop is not declining…. it is reliable… and that’s what normal people want….

  1342. Joyce McGilvery

    I am extremely disappointed that you are ending FTM. I guess I’ll have to go back to RootsMagic. I used that several years as go for a short period of time when you put out a bad version of FTM. I also subscribe to Ancestry and will not be renewing when my subscription comes up again. Thanks for nothing.

  1343. Alan Mann

    Shame on you! A long, long time FTM user, I am so happy I never uploaded any of my data to ancestry. Hopefully, some one will fill the void you are creating and this decision will come back to haunt you. This is how you thank those of us who have made ancestry what it is today? Shameful!

  1344. Mike Cannon

    Have had FTM since version 1.0 and have subscribed for many years. The desktop version is MUCH better than the on-line version. Plus, when I travel to remote places in Ireland, or visit people without Internet in the U.S. I can still show them my tree. Well, after 35 years of research, I guess I’d better find some other software or another hobby. Guess we should have seen this coming after the the Ancestry fiasco with the upgrade to Windows 10.

  1345. Kenneth Pierce

    +1 to all of the comments above (I don’t have much faith that these will fall on anything but deaf and indifferent ears). Even if you reverse this inane decision, you’ve seriously just damaged your trust and credibility going forward.

    Why would anyone continue to pay to host their work in a cloud context when you’ve just proven how clearly willing you are to arbitrarily yank the rug out from the feet of your customers? Our efforts in this area are far too valuable and time-consuming to have to scramble for alternatives at your whim. I’ll be considering alternatives not just to the software but to how I will or won’t use the paid service going forward (likely scaling back where I can).

    Horrible decision.

  1346. Pat

    What a bummer, all the years with it, just like you take it away, what a mistake. think of the people before profit

  1347. Charlotte Hunter, PhD

    Your assumption that desktop PC’s are a thing of the past is a misjudgment on your part. I have both and the program for the IPad is woefully inadequate. Who do you think uses the millions of PCs that have been sold over the last 10 years? This is a hat mess you’ve gotten us into. Shame on you.

  1348. Ron Baldwin

    Your decision on FTM SUCKS!!!!! I have used FTM since the 90s and have a lot of data on my PC.. That is what a lot of us still use, A DESKTOP PC!! I’m 78 and not interested in learning a bunch new procedures that some techie says needs to replace FTM. NOW, I’m like many others who have been your faithful users of Ancestry and FTM for years and years; what is going to replace FTM????? I have joined what looks to be a long list of unhappy people who have been the backbone of Ancestry and made it what it has become today. Thank you so much for throwing onto your trash heap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  1349. Dick

    Customers are the ones that make it possible to pay your salary. Do not try to abuse or match with your customers. This is, in my opinion an inappropriate decision and should be revisited. Thank you

  1350. Karen

    what will happen to my 8 family trees, photo’s, links, documents, etc. I’ve spent a boat load of $ for years on research & organizing my trees. Now, what will replace the program and will it be harder to use?

  1351. Stephen

    What will replace the reporting capabilities of FTM? The only reason I sync my FTM tree with ancestry.com is so I can run PDF reports (ahnentafel reports, descendant reports, relationship reports, pedigree charts, etc). If all of this ends up getting built into ancestry.com’s API, great! I’ll have no use for FTM in that case. If not, this is very bad news! I wish this had been addressed in the announcement! Will someone please clarify???

  1352. Angela Wisdom

    This is disappointing to me. I have used the software for years and have spent hundreds of dollars on researching my tree on your site. Although I have let my account online lapse, I depend on the software to keep my tree up to date and sync it pretty often. This is a bad decision that I think will cost you customers. I like and want my tree ON MY COMPUTER — not just online.

  1353. Vickie Hunsaker

    I am very disappointed. I have worked on my Family Tree since 1988 and started with paper and pencil. Found Family Tree Maker and have been using it for many years. Yes I only did every other updated version but I have the most current. Why not set up a portal with the software and sell as key code’s like other software manufacturers so we can download. Don’t do away with it. It was great. I downloaded PDF reports to share with new family members. I just bought 2 more DNA kits to further my search. Not happy at all.

  1354. Kevin Sells

    This is terrible! I just brought this years version and now you tell me it’s essentially worthless? Will you be adding ALL of the functionality of the desktop to the website? If not… Then I’ll be spending the time between now and 2017 pulling down everything I can and I’ll go with whoever provides me the ability to have my tree with me.

  1355. Martha

    It felt like a kick in the gut when I got the email announcing the retirement of FTM. I have just spent the last year and a half transitioning all my genealogy records to FTM after The Master Genealogist software was discontinued. I have spent literally thousands of hours making my records in FTM match what I used to have in The Master Genealogist, to have all the stories and sources and pictures just the way I want them. The reports in FTM were never as nice as those in The Master Genealogist, so I bought Family Book Creator ( plug-in for FTM that takes the data and formats it for reports). I was finally happy with the result of all my work. And now you tell me the time was all wasted, that I will have to start the whole process over with yet another genealogy program. I feel totally disheartened. The Ancestry site was just nice online backup for me, fun for research, with lots of misinformation to be sorted through. But now I can see that wiggly leaves and other cutsey interfaces are WAY more important than supporting serious genealogists. You can be sure that I won’t be continuing my Ancestry subscription.

  1356. Sandra Freeman

    You’re really giving us fewer and fewer reasons to continue with Ancestry. First you tell us you will be switching us to a new format whether we like or want it or not – and most of us neither like nor want it!! And now you’re discontinuing Family Tree Maker. Your records are very useful, but I’m finding more and more sites where I can find the information – for free! The records we get from you are more and more “index only” – we have to assume the translation of those records is correct. Considering your track record and the number of corrections I have submitted to Ancestry, there’s a good chance these translations are incorrect. And if we want to see the actual record, we have to pay you even more! WE supply the information that you’ve used to grow to this huge company that you’ve become – and we have to pay you to do so! You have, in effect, not only free employees but ones that pay you to do the work in order for you to make the money that you do! Beware, Ancestry – the genealogy field is growing and there are more and more choices out there. Even the biggest can fall…

  1357. Bill

    As you can see from all the comments we, the users of FTM, feel that we bought this product with the understanding Ancestry.com would support FTM into the future. Has not Ancestry broken faith with their “family” of users? I use FTM almost daily and will be sad to see Ancestry break faith!

  1358. Robert Martin

    I would like to add my voice to those expressing shock dismay and extreme disappointment! I too have been a family tree maker user since the early 90s!

  1359. I have used FTM since 1996. Yep, stuck with all the changes, because it’s great software. As a researcher, I use FTM on my laptop while at repositories and then synch with Ancestry when I can get Wi-Fi. There are LOTS of places where you can’t get records online OR Wi-Fi, so this system works. Also, how am I going to create the charts and reports that are available in FTM but not on Ancestry? Will they be added or, as others are surmising, will you monetize those too. I can’t conceive of why you would turn away such a deep, loyal customer base. I suspect the comments here won’t make any difference, but for a change I decided to speak up. I’ve never been a big Ancestry fan, but dancing with the devil’s been working. Suddenly, I may look for a different partner…

  1360. Sandra Stiles

    This is the tool I use to print all my reports and charts. Ancestry doesn’t have this capability. Error and mapping reports are very helpful in organizing families.

  1361. Linda Boose

    I am truly disappointed by this decision! I have been using FTM for years and love its reports, the TreeSync, etc. I have been a subscriber to ancestry.com for a very long time as well. Please reconsider this decision. Don’t leave us high and dry! I do not wish to have my trees “in the cloud”.

  1362. Joan Sanaker

    Please, please, please do not do this to us without suggesting a substitute. I have Attention Deficit Disorder. Anything new requires a lot of time and effort for me to get up to speed. I really liked FTM.

  1363. Jean

    I have used FTM since about 1998 and have 25 years of research in that program. I just rejoined ancestry after leaving about 3 years ago. I sent for 6 DNA packs and started an online tree at your site. I will now cease information and go to familysearch.org where my information will be given out freely.

  1364. Helen L Richards

    VERY DISAPPOINTED to read this news! I recently assisted a cousin to start her tree on Ancestry. She has since cancelled her membership in frustration. Ancestry is NOT user friendly. I only use it via Family Tree Maker and to access details via the Ancestry ap on my smart phone when I am not at my computer. So, So disappointed. I am a senior at can not afford time or money to start on another program. I have happily argued against people who did not like Ancestry and Family Tree Maker, now – I have mud on my face……

  1365. Don

    My ancestors are all rolling over in their graves!!!!
    Are you out of your cotton picking minds? There is a huge community of us who have relied on this tool in its many incarnations who will be totally scr***d by this decision. Will there be some easy to export tools provided so we can at least get our data into the products that have not lost their minds? There will be hundreds of thousands of hours consumed to re-entry of the data – that stinks in a big way. Much of the genealogy workforce is made up of older folks who simply will not have the resources for all that re-entry and I shudder to think of how much data will be lost in the community at large. I was a charter member back in the day and if I had known you might drop us like hot potatoes, I would have stayed with Brothers Keeper 4.0! At least then I would not have become spoiled by all the great features in FTM. I am truly staggered by your choice here, can we at least talk you into doubling the price or something?? This will put a bad taste in the mouths of your bread and butter customers. I’d like to add my voice to those who have urged you to PLEASE RECONSIDER.

  1366. Adele

    Pretty obvious what your customers think of your ridiculous decision, and you can add me too. Years of work, lots of money spent. Not everyone wants to save their trees in the Cloud. Please reconsider this very poor business decision.

  1367. Jim W

    Just like the rest. Very very disappointed. I have used FTM from the very first edition. I have over 3000 individuals in my family tree and had planned to continue to expand….NOW WHAT!!!! I am going to look for alternate ways to research my family without using Ancestry.com. It was so nice to have an interface that allowed me to retrieve and save my data easily. Additionally, this was extremely inconsiderate with such short notice. Another way to keep your customers happy?????

  1368. Ruth

    I wish I would have known this before buying a DNA test 2 weeks ago. I won’t spend another dime on Ancestry.com. I really think that you need someone who actually understands genealogy running your company and your IT department.

  1369. Logan

    In an attempt at a money grab by offering only fee-based online services, Ancestry is killing itself. With FTM gone, there is no option within your company framework but to pay Ancestry fees to access our genealogy research. mark my words, if you follow through with this decision, you will face devastating consequences. The money you now receive will be going to the next company to offer a worthwhile product. As it is, your have taken your company into a public relations nightmare. Even if you backtracvk, our faith in you as a company and keeper of our families is weakened to the point where you may not even survive that, let alone the removal of the best product you offer as a company.

  1370. WFM

    Please stay on FTM forever. No matter what people said to Ancestry or separate company from Ancestry to keep FTM alive for good. We need to find a new company to take over FTM and detach with Ancestry.com. I hope that someone will take over the FTM as soon as possible to sell out to Ancestry. Keep pray for FTM new ownership.

  1371. Nancy

    I can’t begin to tell you how disappointed I am by this news. This is a bad decision and certainly doesn’t support to needs of your subscribers.

  1372. PJones

    When my membership runs out next March I will not be renewing. Itake FTM over Ancestry. Bad decision on your part.

  1373. Dave plunkett

    Very disheartening. So many questions that others before me have posed. For example, will the ability exist to Link the same source to multiple people exist on Ancestry that doesn’t exist now? In essence will all the “facts” that exist for a person actually be part of their timeline? Right now that is not the case. You have even done away with “Description” when saving to a person. How is this better for genealogists?

  1374. Debbie

    Really?! The only reason I use Ancestry.com is because it synchs with my software, so that when I’m in the field I can use my web version on my laptop and then download the info onto my desktop when I get home. I don’t like the version on ancestry.com and only use it as a tool to get the info into Family Tree Maker. If you don’t support the software any long, then what’s the point of belonging to the very expensive Ancestry.com? Bad, bad, bad decision!!!! You’ve lost my business, if that’s the case.

  1375. Dr. Bruce Campbell

    My first reaction is to Google which other desktop ancestry software can read a Family Tree file, and migrate OUT of Ancestry. However, if you can convince the 1,400 disgruntled customers who have responded to your blog (plus the vast number of those who have not yet commented), that you could maintain a desktop based and cloud based solution into the forseeable future, I would reconsider.

  1376. Teressa Getz

    Really?! REALLY?! You couldn’t have mentioned this ahead of time? I just $*&#^$% BOUGHT the *$&#^!@# software a couple of months ago! Family Search is looking better and better (what I’m currently using since I cancelled my Ancestry World Explorer account and am now just a basic customer). We also bought a subscription to My Heritage, but have to admit that while I generally like the software, I don’t care for the online product itself.

  1377. Phillip Cole

    i have been a long time supporter and user of family tree maker right back to 1989 when it was first released if the rumors are true that you are killing off the program i am disgusted that your just getting rid of the best genealogy program i have every version right back to the first version and i have all the install cds and disks too just kill it off has to be the most stupid thing ever well i guess if you wish to lose money go for it but think about it and what is going to replace it let s know thanks bye
    from a disappointed user

  1378. Sandy

    Well, I don’t seem to be alone in my disappointment. I guess going forward I need to download all of my information and make sure my FTM is all up to date, print it out and find a new program. Without the program that sinks to Ancestry, membership is becoming less important. This is not a good move on their part and I don’t think they understand their subscribers at all and what they want.

  1379. Kari

    This is terrible news from Ancestry. I am seeing a lot of unhappy customers voicing their opinions. I tend to agree with most of them. Already looking for other options and will probably cancel my subscription or at least not renew it anymore.

  1380. Charlotte Briglin

    DICOUNTINUES WORLDS #1 SELLING FAMILY TREE MAKER ,,,Speaks for itself,,,,!The whole DNA was bogus as well as all the new layouts and formatting! COMPANY SELF DESTRUCTS!

  1381. John

    Ancestry should not be proud of this decision.

    Bad enough that I have purchased two versions of FTM that cannot import my data so I am still using the 2012 version of FTM.

    FTM could easily be a lot better but it is still far superior to the online experience for my purposes.
    Ancestry Online is not going to cut it.

  1382. Terry Bava

    I keep thinking of more elements that are so much better in FTM than in your online tree. In FTM I often hand input my own transcription of, say, a census appearance so that I have the full info available at a glance. Can’t do that online. In FTM I can write myself notes about what I’ve researched or where I should look for a death record, and that is visible at a glance. Can’t do that online. Plus I live in Puerto Rico where the internet connection is not exactly reliable. When service is out I can work on merging people and otherwise cleaning up my database. I think you need to have genealogists give you input on how they think this will work. Do you think you can do it because you created an app? Does anyone like your app? I got to visit a cemetery 3,000 miles from home, so accessing my tree on my phone sounded like a great idea. However, it was so slow and unwieldy that I gave up trying to figure out if names that sounded familiar were in my husband’s family tree or not. My trip would have been more fruitful if your online technology had worked well. If I couldn’t even view my tree, how am I supposed to work on it? I hope you will reconsider this decision.

  1383. Judy Hamrick

    Well, I feel abandoned. I just subscribed for another year. I couldn’t subscribe forever, the cost would have inevitably precluded that. FTM was my long term plan for descendants and to print out stories. I would NEVER have expected this. Now to face reality, and find other software. You could have just charged more for the software. I just feel so betrayed.

  1384. Janet

    my question, along with just about everyone else, is how will my existing project on FTM work once support is discontinued in on January 1st 2017
    a lot of hours have gone into the project and the existing platform works really well, so why discontinue it?

  1385. Mary Jeanne Monhardt

    I am very dissapointed and worried about the future of my progress. My program is huge and I do not know the answer. I just found out and I have to digest this news.
    I also do not like the new Ancestry format. Sometimes change is not the answer, listen to your subscribers and answer our needs.

  1386. Steven Sherlin

    This has to be one of the absolutely stupidest decisions Ancestry has ever made. I have been a loyal customer and user of Family Tree and Ancestry.com online site. I depend on my desktop Family Tree program and love the features it offers, especially the Print and Publish options. I particularly like the security of having my tree info and documents and media safely on my computer and external drives. You are making a dumb and stupid business decision that harshly and deeply affects the thousands and more of your loyal customers. KEEP FAMILY TREE MAKER!!!

  1387. Laura

    This is sad and disappointing. What about those of us who use FTM for our primary source of research? After 2 yrs there will be no support for FTM? and we can use it ” As long as it still works for us”.. You are forcing us to make a choice, only use Ancestry or find another software to use which will take away business from Ancestry.. Poor decision on Ancestry’s part. SO many of us stood by you during your recent upgrade and now this , its like pulling the carpet out from under the loyal people who depend and use FTM.

  1388. Susan Hotham

    I see many hundreds of comments from angry customers here, but no soutions or resolutions. I have used Ancestry for over a decade. What are your plans to help us keep from losing our data that we have worked so hard to research and maintain?

  1389. Mallory Eades

    Sorting, typing, adding media, documents, updating is all achieved at no cost. Hours of work on a laptop. Then just sync the detail. Having only a Ancestry site would increase the cost because of being on the net for hours. Certainly have to review alternative avenues.

  1390. Julie

    I will add myself to those who are extremely disappointed with this decision. The ability to have FTM on my computer and be compatible with the Ancestry.com was the decision maker for me to go with Ancestry.com. I feel like you are trying to pull a fast one on us and am not happy.

  1391. Maurice

    Seriously? I used the ap on my pad at out reunion this summer, but it has none of the depth and legs of the legacy desktop software. Disappointed……..

  1392. Delma Lytle

    I am more than disappointed.How will we be able to have hard copies of all our research now! This sounds like a ploy to keep more people paying on Ancestry. I think instead you will lose a lot of people. I am definitely thinking about cancelling after many years.

  1393. Carolyn Hayes

    I HAVE ALREADY CANCELLED MY SUBSCRIPTION. I ENCOURAGE OTHER CUSTOMERS TO DO THE SAME. AND THEN THEY WILL SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE OF THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS ANGER

  1394. Ginger

    This is totally unacceptable. With all the paying users you are ready to discontinue this and give us no choice but to go someplace else or lose what has been complied for years?. Why didn’t you ask your PAYING subscribers what they thought?

  1395. Donna

    Oh, Ancestry.com.. what a terrible decision. You won’t see me pleading with you not to do this. You have already done it.

    I have used Family Tree Maker since ver 3.. and Ancestry.com since its inception. Lots of bucks sent your way. Now, I begin the difficult process of transferring all my trees and data to another software program. Of course I will create gedcoms, but what of all the media.. Hopefully, some of the other genealogy software companies will develop and interface to enable complete transfer.

    I am angry that your corporate decision will now require hours and hours, nay, weeks of time to recapture what I have spent 30 years gathering and writing.

    You can be assured that when my current World Subscription ends, that it will not be renewed. This is not the first time Ancestry has left its users hanging, either by discontinuing a service or charging for what was once free. There are other web-based services that are available for research.

    I am sure this corporate decision will come back to bite you.

  1396. Regan Chambers

    Pure greed … reassessing my relationship with Ancestry. In the meantime, taking my trees off the site.

  1397. Brenda Mason

    I have been using FTM for 20 years and have thousands of entries on several trees. Many documents and images–some from Ancestry research, some from other sources. WHAT IS THE RESEARCH AND ORGANIZING MODEL THAT WILL BE REPLACING FTM? Don’t just tell us you pulling the ground out from under us without giving any indication of what and how we can salvage our work–20 years with Ancestry. Unbelievable.

  1398. Gregg

    Terrible decision to can FTM. I use FTM in preference to creating an online tree. Why? Because Ancestry trees are so unreliable. When you require information in trees to be properly sourced and not just plucked out of the air or copied from other unreliable trees, then I would consider using Ancestry to host a tree. Seems to me that Ancestry is now only interested in the bottom dollar. You seem to want to have a monopoly on the information your members have laboriously worked to generate over many years. Well, I’m afraid you aren’t going to get me to do that by your cancelling of FTM. I will move elsewhere and retain personal control.

  1399. Rose Hibbs

    Very sad news.I love searching my Family Tree,I have got over 23,000 people ,999 photos onto my Tree .The best part is the sync.You stop that,the sync between the online Tree and Family Tree Maker and you can expect one less member .ME. My contract is due to be renewed on Aug.2017,so by then I shall be able to know if the Two Trees can still be synced or not if not…BYE BYE Ancestry.Rest in Peace.Was good knowing you……….

  1400. Bob

    Very poor decision. I use the power and ease of FTM in my daily research and find it a very nice product to work with on my powerful desktop setup, large screen, printers, scanners, etc. When traveling, I use my wife’s laptop while working directly on Ancestry.com. I find it cumbersome & time consuming to work directly on Ancestry. You haven’t developed the tools and reports out there to compare with FTM. I agree with the many comments that you are going to lose customers. I have FTM 2014 and was just considering updating to 2016. I guess I won’t waste my time and start looking at other products.

  1401. lh

    This makes my personal subscription to Ancestry less attractive as I can always use Ancestry.com at the genealogy library

  1402. Ron T.

    BJBT, I agree with you. I still have my copy of FTM 16 but there are some things that will not work with the newer operating systems. I guess thats one reason Ancestry went to the FTM 2012. I think what I will do is reinstall my Windows XP quad core and use it strictly for my genealogy work. If you have some old computers that have Windows XP operating systems and still have your FTM 16 or lower software you can still have your Family Tree Maker software to keep your tree on. Ancestry never had muc to offer in data anyway. I started out with my earliest ancestor and never found anything that he related to. I found branch trees but that was not what I was looking for.

    Regards to you,
    Ron T.

  1403. DSC

    Bad idea!!!! Too many features of FTM are not available online via Ancestry. My many years of FTM membership/usage is for naught, just not enough profit in it for them I guess.

  1404. Jeanne

    This is a big mistake. I have been a member of Ancestry since the beginning, and if you are going to discontinue supporting FTM, you are going to lose a lot of business. I am sure there are going to be other services that will pick up the support of FTM and they will gain market share, while you lose share. DON’T DO IT!

  1405. Mary R.

    @Anyone looking for a better site: look into the Legacy Family Tree software (Standard Edition is free). Acom cares nothing about us now that it has our Tree and DNA data. After five months, we’ve got more than 4000 people on the FBpetition site, sent it in to Tim, and never got a response from anyone. You’re all being forced into the New format by Dec. 15, so you’d be wise to save your trees on FTM now. Then, unsync them from Acom before the New wreaks more havoc than you can imagine. — Just a holiday suggestion!

  1406. Marilyn

    I teach FTM to senior citizens to whom some do not have access to the internet. This is crazy. You will be loosing so many people that aren’t on the internet and don’t want to be.

    I also love FTM way more than Ancestry.com so I will continue to use it INSTEAD of Ancestry’s trees.

  1407. Tom Sisolak

    I buy the software and load it on to my computer at home, and that is where I work on it. Will I still be able to do that? I only added my FTM information to Ancestry a couple of years ago. The sync has not worked for months. If I can still use it at home, I won’t be losing anything, I hope. I just won’t be able to get new versions.

  1408. Judy Ruf

    Over 2,000 blog entries in less than an hour should tell them something. Folks why don’t we use their blog to share info on what software we can transfer to. Also I am open to sites like Ancestry for research. I can tell you that Kendall Hulett has not done any good genealogy work or he would know what this means to the customers.

  1409. brenda

    Now what? Do I print out hard copies or backup on a hard drive until you come up with a “new” program and then export it? I feel like you cheated us because we relied on you and we paid you. Breach of contract? Or just ears?

  1410. Dottie

    Horrible idea!! First you forced me to switch to FTM 14 from 6 which I loved. Now you are taking that away too?! I don’t want my tree on Ancestry or in some cloud. I like to work on it wherever I am. Perhaps you should have done a survey first to see how many would be happy w/ your decision. Personally, I think it stinks!!!!!!!!

  1411. Chris Fredericks

    I use FTM because I do not always have internet access available on my travels here in Australia. I only re-sync from FTM on my laptop with the online tree when I return home.
    You should reconsider this decision, or provide a replacement application that allows for off-line operation, otherwise Ancestry.com will longer work for me and I will go elsewhere.
    This seems to be a spectacularly unpopular decision judging by previous comments.

  1412. C Marie Steele

    I would like to know if you actually asked any customers to be a part of your re-design project for the web interface. I doubt it because it would not have been implemented the way you chose to do it. It does not offer the functionality of the desktop version (which is where I prefer to work.) The web search results even annoy me when they are presented in the new style from within my desktop version! Who was the bright star that thought this up (on his/her own?) As a former software developer and analyst, I can tell you that we probably would have been removed from the project for this bright idea! I hope that you come up with a pricing schedule for those of us who will only use Ancestry as a search engine. Then what will you do with those little shaking leaves?

  1413. Tiffany Birrell

    This decision has upset me a lot. I have put so much into building my tree with FTM not to mention my investment in Ancestry. I want to know if there will be compatible software to support our family trees or is the decision to just drop all the FTMs out there? I feel very hurt by this as this affects my whole family, not just me.

  1414. Julie Smith

    This is heartbreaking. I live in an area with spotty internet and cannot always connect when I need to and being able to work offline is a must. PLEASE tell me you will have something to replace it, please…

  1415. Alan Dowen

    I see an awful lot of questions but no answers. Let’s face it, this is a really shit decision for many of your customers. My subscription is up for renewal in a week or so and I shall definitely be hanging fire. I suggest you rethink your business model and perhaps start to value you customers.

  1416. Dora

    I can’t believe you are doing this. It is a big mistake. I’m at a loss. You have made many bad choices, but this tops it off!

  1417. Will Whitlock

    So you have ‘taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market’ have you? Well not hard enough. Whilst tablets and connected apps are the flavour of the day for many ‘gameplay’ users this is not true of those of us who are more engaged with project-based applications. That is particularly true of family historians. To cease developing and supporting what many regard as the premiere family tree programme must rank as one of the dumbest business decisions of recent times. The Ancestry site simply does not offer all the family tree functions needed by the serious genealogist. Frankly, FTM is deficient in certain database manipulation respects so the only postive that might come out of your baffling decision is that some other programme maker will seize the opportunity. Indeed, there are a number of other programmes out there that are in a prime position to benefit from this crazy decision. Yes, you have many records we need to continue our research but there are many of us who will now consider alternatives. The number of postings here, all opposed to your move, should give you pause for thought. Reconsider or be prepared to lose a large number of subscribers.

  1418. sylvia

    I have used FTM for years. I am old and do not work well with web sites and tablets or whatever it is your talking about. I hate change, but have gone along with the updates and learned how to use them…. mostly. If you now go totally to web you will probably lose alot of your older customers, like me. If you care?

  1419. Michael Jacobs

    This is a massive strategic blunder. Your new website lacks many of the facilities available in FTM. Further it has been optimized for smartphone and tablet usage which makes it look like a kindergarten program on a desktop. Have you considered the average age of your key customers. They use desktops for this type of work. You have provided no instructions or guidance to existing FTM users, many of whom have numerous trees in FTM format. Obviously you don’t want to help them find alternative software as they may well drift away to other online sources as well. My recommendation (since you have neglected to provide one) is to seek alternative programs and export all your FTM trees in GEDCOM format (some will import FTM directly). Every program worth using will import GEDCOM.I forecast a massive shift from Ancestry as a result of this foolish move.

  1420. MzHuby

    I concur with the 1000+ other comments above, this is a very poor business decision. The second to last paragraph of your notice states that this move will “help us build great products for our loyal customer base”. Ancestry hasn’t built any great products lately and WE are the loyal customer base that has supported this product for decades. You have now alienated the very “loyal” customer base that supported you. In any other business, it would be proper that when you discontinue a product you have an immediate replacement for the one you are taking away, you have not done that nor alluded to anything that may satisfy the needs of this “loyal” base you have now angered. Good Luck with this new business model. I think you may have killed your product line and smudged any integrity associated with the brand.

  1421. Jeremy

    What an appalling decision. Not only will it mean trusting that your website will not lose all of the data in a tree, but we will not be able to access our trees if, for whatever reason, there is no internet available. I NEVER use the online trees to enter information, as I find the online version to be not particularly user-friendly. Rethink this decision!

  1422. Julie F

    Clearly this decision sucks and has ticked off your entire user base in record time. Take a clue from social media – massive error in judgment!

  1423. David Stafford

    As a long-time FTM user (more than 10 years), I am not surprised by your decision. The product has stagnated for some time and it was obvious that you weren’t interested in enhancing it.

    Now, if Ancestry was a customer-focussed, community-oriented sort of a business it would do the following:
    1) make the latest stable version available to the world, in, say, 2017 (so that those who have already paid for it get some advantage from having spent the money). If you made it available to previous purchasers earlier, that would also simplify your support requirements because everyone would be on the same release.
    2) Make the source code open source (or sell it to an interested third party for a reasonable/nominal price) so that those people with the skills and vision to enhance the product can bring their considerable talents into play. The desktop market is not contracting as much as you think and the ability to work offline is a significant advantage, especially in light of the new interface which you have imposed on your web site which is quite pretty but not very efficient – another example of form over function.

    Ancestry stopped making any significant progress in the development of FTM a long time ago and while the promise of plug-ins was exciting, it never really eventuated, did it? I have communicated a number of times with what you humorously refer to as “customer support” and requested/suggested enhancements to the program which would have provided additional levels of sophistication, the result of which would have made FTM an indispensable tool for all genealogical researchers, IMHO. Those requests were always “forwarded to the appropriate department” and never went any further.

    By removing the main reason for using the Ancestry web site (its integration with the FTM software) and effectively showing your middle finger to the part of your customer base which uses that product, you are freeing up a large number of people to make the decision to use another service and will miss out on those subscriptions, too. Your chance to retrieve the situation is to make those customers believe that you do actually care about them.

    Over to you.

  1424. Phillip Gossage

    Guess you don’t want my renewal subscription. Desktop is my way of doing all my business. Don’t want an app. Poor customer focus.

  1425. Margaret Thomson

    Well, Ancestry.com – that sounds like a popular decision – NOT. As someone who has made a practice of putting lots of information on your website to assist others – particularly images – thinking that I will be able to sync with FTM, I find this decision gobsmacking.
    I guess this leaves other sites with an opening to take over from your website – including a lot of your customers.
    A retraction is necessary or at least an option for syncing with a new program.

  1426. Susan

    This is terrible news! It is the one reason that I subscribe to ancestry.com!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  1427. DFH

    It doesn’t seem that you have made anyone happy. I want to add my voice to the displeasure. I am sorry that you seem to think that the CLOUD is the next generation of data storage as some companies would lead you to believe. I will maintain my data on my local drive. I am sorry to see you pull the plug on the FTM program. I will have to evaluate my options, but don’t think that you will be part of that. There are a lot of former customers that are saying “See told you so.” Thanks for the memories.

  1428. Elizabeth

    I was going to make a long, impassioned plea to keep Family Tree Maker, since I use it all the time. I see however that there are several hundred other people on here who feel the same. I’ll just say DITTO.

  1429. Scott

    This is a very bad decision. The new webstyle is horrendous. My kids are a web designer and computer engineer and both say they can not believe Ancestry is going to use it. Now coupled with no more FTM, I see no reason to carry on using Ancestry at all. There are way too many features in FTM that you can not do online, and if they try to implement them into Ancestry it will fail miserably with the new style. A truly lose lose situation. FTM works great mainly because it is streamlined and clean. The website is not. Very disappointed.

  1430. Rebecca Ward

    VERY disappointed. You folks, really need to rethink this! You are no longer the only game in town and FTM was a bid plus!

  1431. Tom

    I will join the growing number who will not be renewing. You tout the website interface as being so great. I don’t use it because I find it cumbersome and difficult to navigate.

  1432. Bill K.

    I am also upset on hearing this news. I’ve been a FamilyTreeMaker user for many years and find the interface to be much more intuitive than the Ancestry.com web site to manage my trees. I’ve stopped using the web site to research/update (because of it’s “klugy” nature) when I’m away from home and wait until I am back on my desktop with FamilyTreeMaker.

    Looks like I’ll be shopping for a replacement.

  1433. Linda Zambrano

    I am so unhappy right now. SO HOW ARE WE TO DO OUR PRINT OUT REPORTS WITHOUT THE SOFTWAre…it seems you should of spent more investment in continuing to upgrade and promote your software ! I have been a user for 20 years and every year I have looked forward to your up upgrades to your software…This is a bad business decision…..at least let another company take it over!

  1434. Sharon

    Very disappointed in this decision, especially with no alternatives given. Have spent over 20 years working on genealogy, and now all seems to have been a waste.

  1435. Joni Anderson

    FTM is the best part of Ancestry. I really hope that you will be allowing a 3rd party software to access the information, or that you will bring all of the capabilities of FTM into your website. This is very sad news.

  1436. Pam Anderson

    Well, you certainly have A LOT of disgruntled customers, several who have been loyal for many years – including me. You have asked for our feedback and you are getting it. Many questions have been asked in this blog. Please start answering them!

  1437. Angela Faulconer

    Although I own Familytree maker If this means you allow Rootsmagic to use the API, I would be delighted. Please, please, please play nice with Rootsmagic.

  1438. i have bee with family tree make from the beginning. first you drop myfamily.com with us looseing all of our family ties. then we had family tree maker early version, making it so we lost all out info. then we got family tree maker 2015 now you want to get rid of that. i appears to me once you have taking all of our family info from us now it is all about making to all mighty dollar by continuing to changing software. How about making it so at least we can still pull up our info even though you have change the software. we payed for the product so it should still belong to us! i think people should band together and look into a class action law suit. i feel it is well grounded. beat you don’t post this email! thanks for nothing for me being a very long time member of ancestry.

  1439. TJJ

    Good Grief, FTM was the only way for serious researchers to maintain the purity of their documentation to weed out the mega unsourced hearsay garbage that the leaf hints swarm you with on Ancestry. As soon as I can find an alternate software program that isn’t yours, Bye Bye Ancestry.com

  1440. John Kevin Hickey

    I was just starting to publish hourglass trees for my cousins. They loved them. I don’t like having to use the past tense. I don’t like the idea of being dependent upon Ancestry to maintain my private tree. I’d like to pass it on in electronic form not subscription form. I do not like the idea of placing decades of work solely into your, Ancestry’s, hands. I have used the new improved Ancestry, my sense is it does not offer all of what Family Tree Maker offers. You may want to step out of your paradigm to make sure you are not overly taken with your superb work on the new Ancestry.

  1441. Steve

    I’ve been using the software since in first came out. This is the worst decision you could make. Why would we continue using ancestry.com? We need to determine where to go for the software or we could lose our content. Very bad move.

  1442. Jill Gartrell

    Not at all happy with Ancestry! The recent changes to the website I find abhorrent, now you are dropping FTM. Also I find that Ancestry now has moved it’s head office to Dublin to avoid paying the full taxes on monies earned in other territories, I find your ethics wanting! I’ve had enough, come June when my subs are due I will NOT be renewing.

  1443. Donald

    If you are going to do away with family tree maker at least make it to where we can sync our trees with Rootsmagic or Legacy Family Tree Software. I knew this was coming..

  1444. Lynn

    I will be looking at other websites now that my main attraction to Ancestry (FTM) will be obsolete. And, the sad part is, I did pay your annual subscription. No more….when FTM is gone. Not comfortable having my family tree on a for profit site which can decide, at any time, not to grant me access to my own tree.

  1445. Robert Stern

    Does it seem of any interest to you that there is not a single person thanking you and commenting on what a wonderful decision you have made? As for me, please do not renew my membership.

  1446. MWard

    I just purchased FTM about a month ago, after having my tree online with Ancestry by subscription for about 6-8 months. I wanted to ensure that my info was correct before putting it online. However, I actually found FTM to be quite cumbersome after Ancestry online alone – so now I have an additional reason to request a refund. I understand that it’s really all in what you’ve become accustomed to, but my real concern now is that this decision will cause multiple people to leave Ancestry, which negatively impacts the availability of new contacts and input going forward. Basically, I think this is a cheap shot, and hurts people who have come to trust and depend on you, Ancestry. I don’t like that, and will have to reconsider whether to maintain my own subscription. There are other options out there and I won’t be manipulated into continuing to pay a subscription just because you eliminate all other supported options.

  1447. This is unfortunate for users of FTM which I am not. Over the past 25 years numerous genealogy programs have come and gone. ROOTS III, the cadillac of all genealogy programs during its reign, disappeared, which I was a user for many years. Then I switched to the the master genealogist, which is now no longer made or supported.

    People ask, what am I going to do without FTM? The answer is simple: continue to use it. Yes, you lost the sync ability but the program is still going to be viable. I’ve been using my TMG program for over a year now without any support with no issues whatsoever.

  1448. Barbara Waymire

    I started using The Family Tree Maker years before it was taken over by Ancestry. I am hopeful that some company will pick it up and make it available to us again.

  1449. Keith

    So – you want to continue to use the current FTM after 1/2017? Do you think Microsoft is going to freeze Windows so you can continue to use it? You’ll be lucky if the current FTM still runs in January, 2017! If no more support is given to the product by this bunch of Ancestry.com yahoos, you’ll be toast! This is an incredibly ill-informed decision by Ancestry.com. Did they do marketing research? If so, with whom? Not the dedicated users!

  1450. Stephanie

    I am very disappointed in this decision. While I understand that the use of the website will continue for records and DNA and such, use of the online tree doesn’t work. There are many features that aren’t available and aren’t user friendly overall. We have all this information and now need to find some other program. I have tried other programs in the past and didn’t like any of them. FTM is the best desktop program in my opinion. Like many others that are commenting, I wish you would reconsider this decision.

  1451. Pamela

    I have to say that this is terrible news. I will definitely be reconsidering doing business with Ancestry after this. I belong to a dozen or more genealogy facebook pages and the responses on them are overwhelmingly negative, with most saying they will cancel or not renew their subscriptions. The abrupt notice is especially insulting to those who just purchased the software.

  1452. G D Aldridge

    This is very disappointing as being able to sync my software with my online tree is a real bonus and any replacement software won’t have this functionality. Please rethink this decision Ancestry

  1453. Michael Norton

    Very disappointed to hear. I was upset when failure to sync caused me to buy the new version of FTM last year. And now you decide to just drop it! A poor decision!

  1454. Doug Rose

    Angry and disappointed, I will be another who stops subscribing and like others will need to find an alternate. I predict this decision will put the company into bankruptcy within 2 years. The management who made this decision need to be sacked immediately and replaced by people who understand their customers.

  1455. Stu

    .. And while I am at it, the new timeline view is now too cluttered, AND the historical facts that appear at random in the timeline are just ridiculous, they usually bear no resemblance to the person, but you can’t switch them off!!
    Clearly these developments are being decided by people who don’t actually research family history.

  1456. Jim

    This is a terrible decision. I have used both Ancestry and FTM for years. The new Ancestry format is annoying at best and lacks the capability of FTM. Please reconsider this POOR decision.

  1457. Joe Mama

    A mark, a yen, a buck, or a pound
    A buck or a pound
    A buck or a pound
    Is all that makes the world go around,
    That clinking clanking sound
    Can make the world go ’round.

  1458. Dianna

    Is another company buying Family Tree Maker? I agree, this is a terrible blow to all of us. You probably spent a fortune redoing Ancestry trees, which are — not good. The time and effort should have been better allocated by people using the Family Tree format with Ancestry. There were improvements needed, but not big colorful pages that are hard to find information. I am very disappointed and will probably drop my Ancestry subscription.

  1459. Robert Main

    As a consequence of your decision to withdraw FTM I will not be renewing my subscription to Ancestry in April 2016 and will look elsewhere for my genealogical services.

  1460. Annette

    Ancestry.com has become no more than a monopoly since they own or are connected in some way to almost every genealogy site on the internet. As it is, Ancestry is only a tease with their limited info to those who refuse or cannot afford to pay for their ever-increasing greed. Luckily, I have refused to upload all of my data onto their website because of this very possibility. I have an old “independent” version of FTM which I will continue to use to organize my data and will do the best I can with whatever free sites I can find rather than pay into your fee gouging.

  1461. Richard

    This is more than disappointing. I wanted a more powerful alternative to the web based tool for managing my research and the data I found. I searched several alternative software products and finally decided to take a hard look at FTM for Mac. Just two weeks ago, i spoke to Ancestry’s service center to inquire about buying Family Tree Maker for Mac. They were very helpful and like a dupe, I purchased FTM for Mac. Like one of the earliest posters to these comments, I want a full refund!

  1462. Joseph P.

    So let me se if I got this straight, first you are forcing changes to the appearance to your website (changes that I know I don’t like and from what I’ve read, nobody else does either) and now you are taking away the foundation program (Family Tree Maker) to your website. Why not just say you are closing down the ancestry website all together, because that is what it sounds like what is going to happen?! Personally, I wish you’d stop forcing your bad decisions onto the masses that (attempt) to use the site/software.

  1463. mike d

    Between the switch to the new format and dropping the support, its clear that Ancestry only wants to do things their way. Unfortunately since Ancestry has bought so many other companies there are not many choices but even if its difficult its time to switch.

  1464. cwh

    What possible advantage does this provide to your customers. How will it attract new customers? Why did you not already furnished a reasonable answer about all of the obvious concerns that FTM users would have? Does no one in your company actually use FTM? Is no decision maker there a serious researcher of family history?
    This is a BIG step backwards – doing incalculable damage to your customers (me included)
    I shall immediately begin a search for alternative (non Ancestry) software, and of course spread the word about Ancestry’s shabby treatment of its customers and its lack of basic integrity.

  1465. DGreer

    I’ve been a member of your website for over 20 years. With your current decision I will no longer participate. The software program has so many features that are not on the web. Hope that you actually read this blog and see how many people who will not be supporting this change and rethink your decision. Deeply sadden and extremely frustrated!

  1466. Jim Dukes

    I have been using FTM since its inception. I am confised as to,what my options will be now. Will my software allow my collected data to be used in a new software on Ancestry or another research site? Have you attempted to sell your FTM to another company that would support it? Am I now going to be forced to do all research by hand? These are just the tip of the iceberg in my questions that your decision brings to mind. I am definitely disappointed and regret all of the monies that I have paid your company over the years. I will be looking for viable alternatives. Goodbye you selfish corporate executives.

  1467. Lucinda

    I find these changes never help ME. That means I shall take my trees off Ancestry and contribute to a site that will support a program. Church of the Latter Day Saints, step up. There are some other programs out there. I hope they are paying attention.

  1468. Dick

    This is really stupid. I will not trust all my years of research and documentation to a web site. Ancestry should talk to TurboTax about how last year they removed only a bit of their functionality from their tax software and all their customers rebelled. Turbo Tax had to do a complete about face and this year they are back chastised. Hopefully there is some other software company out there who will realize that Ancestry’s poor decision is their gain.

  1469. Keith Murphy

    Very sad news indeed. Thanks for giving advance so I can get up to speed on my sync and not renew ancestry contracts and

    will transfer to other company and services. Will miss FTM support and ancestry com but need to have my own hard version, not just in the cloud which disappears if I cancel Ancestry com REAL HARD to believe this is being done out of concern for your loyal customers, and not for profit.

  1470. Rita Nelson

    Please reconsider. I use FTM for all of my reports and charts as well as working on my trees offline when I don’t have internet connectivity, Alternatively, will you allow another third party tree software to sync with Ancestry.com?

  1471. Nell

    Unbelievable, really. FTM is night and day different than the online Ancestry site, in terms of what it offers someone doing genealogy. Its hard to understand WHAT your company is thinking or who you think your customers are. Were, that is.

  1472. Gene Toye

    I have to add my voice here. I have used FTM for many years and have paid for upgrades. I use it as my primary search tool and absolutely want local storage of my tree and associated media. The website and mobile apps are good but not what I want to use as my primary tools. Like others, I also worry that if I don’t maintain an Ancestry subscription, I lose all access to my tree data.

  1473. Maree

    If you are going to stop selling FTM …… Are you going to be adding a PRINT OUT version for us on ancestry … AND …. will you change the fact that if we have stopped subscribing for a year or so … can we still SEE all the ancestry documents we have saved directly to our trees ? Instead of having to be a member ALL the time! Some of us find this family tree business very very expensive now.

  1474. JL

    ARE YOU CRAZY? This is the worst corporate decision you could have ever made. Ancestry is NOT user friendly. LET ME REPEAT……Ancestry is NOT user friendly. I only use it via Family Tree Maker and to access details via the Ancestry app on my I-phone when I am not at my computer. I am so, so disappointed in you. Read the blogs, the messages of Facebook and elsewhere. You have gravely damaged your appeal to your client base, and this is BEFORE you actually drop FTM. I can well imagine the financial hit you’ll take if you actiually follow through with this ridiculous decision. AND, could you have given us any shorter notice? Thanks for that consideration as well. Even if you reverse course, you have created enemies within the community you serve. Do what you need to do to save what you can. DO NOT DISCONTINUE FTM.

  1475. Katherine

    This is one of the poorest business decisions I can imagine. I can’t believe the people who decided this actually do genealogy work themselves. This is just a way of making people continue to pay (at ridiculous prices at that) to let them access their own data. I have finally gotten my tree in a good enough shape after a few years of work that I was planning on uploading it. Forget it. If you want my information and research, you can pay me. I’m going to start looking elsewhere since you clearly see dollar signs instead of customers.

  1476. Lynda

    I’m very, very disappointed with your decision. You make no mention of what we may do next. I’ve been a loyal purchaser of FTM and Ancestry for 15 years.
    No more.

  1477. Pordenone

    Not sure what to think. I never use the on line trees and rely on FTM software entirely. The version I use is still on an XP laptop and I was going to take the plunge and buy a newer version of FTM for my Windows 7 laptop and manually copy 10 years worth of data over. Glad I did not waste my money but not sure where to go. Not willing to put my work somewhere I can only access if I pay a subscription. I guess I will have to look for an alternative. Any suggestions?

  1478. dreamcraftmw

    It is all about greed and control. Very disappointed in you ancestry.com Without FTM to build on, I will have nothing to pass down through the generations. Even “commenting” is being controlled. Prices go WAY UP and services disappear. Pathetic!

  1479. Tom Dillon

    Nearly 1000 comments – all negative – in less than an hour after this consumer unfriendly decision. You sorely missed the boat on this decision. The many users who will abandon Ancestry.com will cost you more revenue than it would have taken to retain FTM. I’m immediately seeking non-Ancestry provided FTM-like resources!

  1480. Angeles Francine Otano

    I am super super upset that Family Tree Maker is being discontinued! We all have spent (and I speak on behave of everyone whose ever bought and used and still uses the Family Tree Maker) I also would not like for Ancestry to cancel the software. They cancelled the Ancestry magazine just recently. And I had wanted to subscribe to the magazine. I already subscribe to the Family Tree Magazine. I was even going to purchase as much as I could of the old issues of Ancestry magazine! But I think they may be going out of business. We may be hearing soon that they are canceling something else! It is so devastating because specially I have been a member of the Family Tree Maker software I even and still have back when they were sold in 5.25 floppy discs, The Ancestry Corporation needs to reconsider the retirement of such an excellent and such a long running software. Please reconsider!

  1481. Amy Branham

    Ancestry, it is very clear that you have little to no knowledge of your customer base and how they ‘do’ genealogy research. As a retired IT professional, I cannot fathom how you think this is a good decision.

  1482. James

    This is a horrendous blow to those of us who have just begun to accumulate information. Horrible, Senseless, Disappointing … and the words continue to flow as this tragedy sinks in.

  1483. Paul Truzzi

    As the previous several hundred comments have said, I’m disappointed in your decision. I use FTM to back up Ancestry and have copies of all of the images linked in my main tree. I guess I will have to explore other solutions.

  1484. Bill Pool

    discontinuing familytreemaker seems like a very bad idea……I think you are in danger of making your best customer’s very unhappy. The on line interface and utility is not nearly equivalent to familytreemaker. The ability to quickly add documents / photos from other platforms, add background notes, generater reports, search for duplicates, etc etc is lacking on your on-line format.

  1485. Robert Berryman

    I have been on FTM for a very long time
    just made my heart hurt what can we do
    lots of information gone JUST LIKE Microsoft 10
    bad NEWS TAKE OUR MONEY AND RUN

  1486. RSG

    I am glad to know this before I spend the money to re-open my subscription to Ancestry. I have not had the time to use the site for the last several months. With the holidays approaching I was going to renew my World Subscription. Now that will not occur. I suspect that this is the company’s way of forcing continuous membership in Ancestry and leaving everyone completely trapped if they want to maintain access to their work and their family history. I hope that there is a site created that will help those of us who are already some what trapped by FTM to make a transition to another alternative. It is a very sad and disappointing day in the world of my ancestry and in he the world of Ancestry.com

  1487. Phyllis Mogensen Kochert

    DITTO WHAT EVERYONE HAS SAID ABOUT DISCONTINUING FTM. YOU HAD BETTER GIVE US SOME WAY ON ANCESTRY.COM TO PRINT REPORTS, ETC. I AM NOT GOING TO PAY FOR PRINTING YOUR DOCUMENTS. NOW WHAT???

  1488. Ernie

    I sure hope they are not thinking that piece of crap ancestry app is going to be the replacement.
    I also will not be subscribing to an online only tree. Bye Ancestry, you just committed business suicide

  1489. carol

    Are you stupid!!!! You wantvto takevaway the only way to print anything and so force mevto go to someone elses softeware. Oh well the latest upgrade I bought wont work on my computer anyway. I’ve used it since 1985.

  1490. kimberly

    So disappointed. I like having my tree stored in my computer. I guess I’ll just have to keep it there without your support. I don’t know how I will search for new information though. What is the alternative without putting our information completely online.

  1491. Della

    I echo all the disappointment and anger from the other contributors. I’ve been using FTM since 1995. This is NOT customer service.

  1492. Karen

    What a horrible decision! Will you make the app have the ability to sync and set birth orders for printing of family groups? I love my FTM. I use it along with the mobile APP. I guess that what happens when companies are sold. The customers are treated as second class!

  1493. Christine Gibbons

    I use FTM to record all my family history, photos, documents etc and I believe that I can still continue to use the software (unless there is a major crash and I lose all my information but as I back up, that shouldn’t happen). What I don’t do, is put the information on Ancestry but only use the online service to search records which are then recorded on my PC. Disappointing news.

  1494. Karen

    What a strange decision. I have work on FTM which spans 30 years of effort. No advice on where to go so decades of research is not lost? I will NOT be pouring all my personal trees online. Ancestry is NOT the only offering, there are plenty of others. It is used because of FTM, not the other way around.

  1495. Frances Denoncourt

    I agree with previous comments. Poor decision. I will never keep my data in the cloud. I used to use the sync feature until I realized how poorly it worked for the Mac version of FTM. Data lost; data not downloaded from Ancestry; Research Notes are not uploaded! I have not been happy with the Mac version, but it’s not an easy task to find something else on the Mac. The best part for me was the ‘hints’. That is the main reason I kept my Ancestry subscription. When that stops functioning, I will cancel my membership.

  1496. Rick McConville

    Please don’t discontinue. Those of us who are used to it and less adept at the online will have to look for other software and I don’t want to do that.

  1497. Ellen Krijgh

    Horrendous decision, please reverse or we may need to consider a class-action suit, which would undoubtedly have the support of thousands of your (ex) clients .

  1498. Gail

    My message to the managers and marketing folks who made the decision: Good bye. I have pumped in a ton of money into various versions of FTM and the subscriptions. My family research budget will go elsewhere.

  1499. Henry Hoffman

    Those of us that have relied so heavily on the desk top unit software should remove our data from ancestry.com. If all files were either private or deleted, we would be able to take ancestry.com out of business.

  1500. ROSEMARY SPADONI

    I previously advised people to purchase the FTM CD in case they have a computer crash. Now I see it is only available for download and I believe the price is higher.
    I found it very interesting that Ancestry is still promoting that one of the best features is the new tree sync capabilities.

  1501. dea

    Can’t begin to tell you how upset I am about this change!! I’ve been a steady member of Ancestry since about 2002. I’ve consistantly bought your product(FTM) year after year! Just earlier this year I got an email about upgrading my FTM. I’ve enjoyed using this software and all the features it has especially all the charts it makes! How am I going to download all the records to my trees now?? Have you ever heard of the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I’ve spent hundreds of dollars thru the years buying your software, renewing my subscriptions, and purchasing your DNA kits. I’m not just a casual user, but an avid and devoted customer that has consistently followed you throughout the years. Please reconsider discarding the FTM software. thank you!

  1502. Perry

    It’s important to make sure that all the tools, especially the duplication search, the find/replace, the sorting, searching, publication and formatting tools are ALL duplicated on the website. So far they are not. I’d like to see a complete feature by feature comparison chart for FTM vs Ancestry.com.

  1503. Billie

    You want me to give you FREE full access to my own private research and then CHARGE me when I want access to it. NO WAY!

    My personal opinion is that you wrote such a louse genealogical program with unfixable errors that you drove a lot of people. I have purchased the new version twice; the latest being 2013. I still use 2006 version as my main program. So happy that the Mormons have such a nice FREE site.

  1504. Lisa

    I have been using FTM since the beginning. I have a huge file on it and several other files that are not small. I keep all my tree’s on FTM and work off of it. I DO NOT like the ancestry site for working and adding and correcting my tree information and since the newest changes it is even less appealing. To me personally the Ancestry site is NOT user friendly and in my personal opinion is not good for the serious user/researcher. In order for me to use the Ancestry site means I would need to have internet service to be able to work on my files. My internet is satellite which is the only way to get internet where I am. At least with FTM I can work on files and then sync them when I do have a connection. Not to mention the problems I have with the site and having to log in EVERY single time I want to check a new record. It is a pain in the rear. The GREAT thing about the two being hand in hand was the ease of importing a record to my file, it saved time and was so much more convenient. If I have to go back to the old way, get record save to computer then attach from file on computer to person in file then the amount I pay per month/year for Ancestry is not worth it to me. I do not think this is going to be a good move for Ancestry at all, and for sure it is not for those who have years of research on FTM.

  1505. Jonny

    Totally your call – but it would be a nice gesture if you could keep the sync working. That way all these irate people can keep using the software they bought, keep paying the subscription to you and everyone’s happy, right? Or are you planning such huge changes to ancestry that this won’t be possible?

  1506. Wendy

    You just shot yourself in the foot! I do not want to pay a subscription to a site that misreads its users needs so poorly! My tree belongs to me, not ancestry.com. Your new format is a hugh disappointment. Very infantile. Actually, I think genealogical info should be free. I will go elsewhere for my research and my software needs. Pathetic!

  1507. Maureen Wildes

    I, like everyone else, am very disappointed with this decision. I have published two books for my family based on the charts and reports I could print from FTM. I would think you would have looked into a private company to run FTM with the ability to sinc with Ancestry. Your site is too valuable not to provide a way for your subscribers to collate the info into charts and reports. The charts were the only way I had to enroll some family members who thought having a bunch of old people was no big deal!!

  1508. Randi

    You could have at least sold FTM and made it a viable and continuing source of income for Ancestry…that would have made sense, but just dumping it??? It’s a stupid move in a business sense so there has to be another reason. I’m disgusted!

  1509. Jayne

    I am FLOORED hearing that FTM is going away. I’ve been using it for years. Was getting ready to replace my version since I purchased a new laptop and can’t locate my disk. Thank goodness I exported my files to GED files. I am just sick about this!!!

  1510. First of all I am highly disappointed! I am glad I didn’t pay to upgrade my FTM, but what I want to know is: what will happen to our files?Judging from all the comments above–you are going to lose a lot of money and credibility. And how will that help me with my recent purchase of DNA test???

  1511. George Allison

    Well, that came out of nowhere. Boo! Anxious to hear what Ancestry’s new direction will be headed.

  1512. Tim

    You obviously haven’t vetted this out well based on the comments. I’m heartened by the fact that some entrepreneurial individual will find a way to come up with a better version.
    The direction Ancestry is going is discouraging, as you’re ignoring the serious genealogist and seem to be interested in the person who thinks “Who do you this you are” is real and just that easy.

  1513. John McGillivray

    I had talked my entire family into buying FTM, Now you tell me there is no sync. The sound that you hear next will be the closing of all our accounts, SLAM!

  1514. Michael

    FTM gives me ownership, custody, of my family tree. I can view it and make backups of it independently of anything outside my computer. It’s mine. Without FTM the online service has no permanence. This is how we take delivery of the research we have paid to perform.

    If you remove support for FTM then you need to provide a functional alternative. We all use it to reconcile conflicts, manage duplicate events, standardize place names. But most importantly to download, store and preserve our family data, the product of hundreds or even thousands of hours of work.

  1515. Eric

    I feel bad for the people that I have recommended FTM to over the last twenty years. With over 210,000 names in my research file I have long since been unable to use the newest versions of FTM in an effective manner. If you can include some of the report writing and sorting and searching capabilities into the online version then I can live with the changes. I am not happy that I will have to be a subscriber forever to be able to access my files. The occasional importing into FTM has been my way of safeguarding over 25 years of work. Who knows what the next owner of Ancestry will do to control access.

  1516. Ursula Martin

    How many customers do you have worldwide? Why not add an online vote as to what your PAYING customers want.

  1517. Carole

    Ancestry, do you really think that we’ll be gullible enough to ‘trust’ the primary version of our research to an online version with a company that can withdraw support at will? We have purchased your product(s) in good faith for use in what, for the majority of us, is a long term project of research. Very very poor service Major fail. This decision will come back to bite you Ancestry, if the amount of teeth marks already in this comments thread is anything to go by.

  1518. Sharon

    Ancestry doesn’t have the necessary tools that FTM has. Your records are fantastic, but without the tools to manage the records, to build reports, to preserve a safe offsite tree, you are making Ancestry obsolete. Having records with no place to store or manage them makes no sense. What on earth are you thinking? What are you not telling us?

  1519. Dave

    Unlinked tree from Ancestry.com
    Deleted tree from Ancestry.com
    Goodbye.
    Having invested years using FTM, I’ll repay your foolish decision by never spending another dime with Ancestry, and will tell other to avoid it like the plague.

  1520. Ken Aubrey

    I have been a Ancestry user for at least 15 years and have depended on FTM since you brought in on board. I find that after all these years and all the work I have done on FTM that cancelling this important function a slap in the face. It sounds like you have taken our money all these years and feel it’s okay to just up a stop a program that people have become to depend on. Where can I go now with all this data I have collected or will it be lost. I may have to look around for another company to replace Ancestry.com.

  1521. Michael Ungerman

    Um, do you actually read these comments. These are comments from your dedicated users. See any in favor of what you are proposing? I don’t. Management needs to seriously reconsider this unfortunate change to your business model.

  1522. Sheila Finco

    I will no longer subscribe to Ancestry.com and will remove my family tree from your site. I only subscribe because of the links provided in family search. I do not want the only access to my family files to be “in the cloud”. The online tree is difficult to work with–I much prefer my desktop software. I have been a subscriber for over 15 years. I hope you consider allowing third party software developers to interface with your site. Bad decision Ancestry.

  1523. Dave Yearke

    Please add me to the list of people who consider this a terrible decision. I will also rethink subscribing to Ancestry in the future.

  1524. Andy Thomson

    Whyhas this decision been made without consultation with your subscribers. You would not have a company without us. Are you that profit driven?

  1525. Janet Spenner

    Regarding Family Tree Maker., can’t we still use FTM and use it like before only we”ll have to enter information into Family Tree maker instead of using the tree sync. Just wondering and would like to know. Thanks

  1526. Darrel Kennedy

    This is very bad news. I do not ever like using the cloud as a primary storage area for anything. Progress in online software is not always progress for users. Please do not terminate the connection with FTM. To do so is a perfect way to develop poor business relationships.

  1527. Carolyn Maydole Hoard

    For Mac users, switch to the Reunion software at leisterpro.com. You can try it out first. I can’t believe ancestry is doing this – I’m glad I don’t use FTM. Will the shaky leaves still be available to all?

  1528. C

    They have all information uploaded by all of us in the bank. They can use it however they want. This is purely a greed-driven decision to further squeeze researchers. Here is a portion of the text in the Terms and Conditions regarding YOUR personal content uploaded to Ancestry.

    By submitting User Provided Content on any of the Websites, you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use User Provided Content submitted by you to the Websites, to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered. You hereby release Ancestry and its Group Companies from any and all claims, liens, demands, actions or suits in connection with the User Provided Content you submit, including, without limitation, any and all liability for any use or nonuse of your User Provided Content, claims for defamation, invasion of privacy, right of publicity, emotional distress or economic loss. This license continues even if you stop using the Websites or the Services. Ancestry may scan, image and/or create an index from the User Provided Content you submit. In this situation, you grant Ancestry a license to the User Provided Content as described above and Ancestry will own the digital version of documents created by Ancestry as well as any indexed information that Ancestry creates. Except for the rights granted in this Agreement, Ancestry acquires no title or ownership rights in or to any User Provided Content you submit and nothing in this Agreement conveys any ownership rights in such User Provided Content on the Websites. The licenses granted continue for the maximum time permitted by applicable law, even if you stop using the Websites or the Services.

  1529. How about a refund of my subscription which I paid on 06/12/2015, as I will not be able to do anything with my Family Tree from ,the dateyou can the programme !!! Noel Ellem

  1530. Barbara

    I am very disappointed as I use this program quite extensively in my research. You say there is a declining desktop software market, but I’m quite confused as to what that means. I have never used FTM for research, but do all my research on Ancestry.com and then sync my research with the software (FTM) that enables me to look at it and make it available to my clients. Yes you do have billions of records, but I’m not sure what good it will do any of us if we can’t put our research into some kind of program that enables us to actually use it. There has to be some alternative that you can implement for us that will give us the ability to create reports and work with the data from Ancestry.com. Please consider some alternatives.

  1531. Very unhappy about this.

    If no change in this dumb decision is made, I will be cancelling my ancestry.com account and removing all of my trees from your service. I see no reason for your company to make money off of my hard work when you show so little respect to your customer base.

  1532. Brent

    I urge Ancestry to reconsider the decision to discontinue FTM. I use both FTM and Ancestry.com because they each contain capabilities that the other does not contain. This move reminds me of the decision by Intuit last year to totally overhaul their product line and pricing. I have used Quicken for over 20 years, so I guess it is safe to describe me as a “loyal customer.” As as result of this move, Intuit lost a major market share in the tax return software category. Call Intuit to find out what this equates to in dollars, but it was a lot. Based on what I have heard and read, Intuit very much regrets their marketing department’s recommendation to surprise their customers with such a drastic change. I’m still an Intuit customer because I delayed making the move and put my trust in the ability of Intuit management to “see the light.” They did. I see some clear parallels in Ancestry’s discontinuance of FTM. I urge you to consider how the loyal core group of customers will view this move. For me, this move feels like someone has thrown a bucket of ice water in my face.

  1533. Sterling Ward

    I was one of these FTM-16 guys that did not seriously convert until the iPad app fully enable use of the FTM TreeSync feature. Being able to update my tree on my phone or iPad, and then sync back to my FTM was one of the BEST features.

    Suggestion One – Now that FTM is being sunset, ANCESTRY please enable RootsMagic and other family tree software to sync both ways – inclusive of media files, to online Ancestry. If I can update my online Ancestry tree with my phone and/or iPad, and then be able to sync back to my RootsMagic – I’ll be happier about the discontinuation of FTM.

    Suggestion Two – ANCESTRY, please re-institute cooperative FTM API’s with RootsMagic and other family tree software to import and export complete GEDCOM files – INCLUSIVE of properly indexed and linked media files. RootsMagic and the old FTM-16 software easily and accurately exchanged these files – please do this as a parting gesture of goodwill to us all. This will enable me to keep using my sunset FTM, which has features and reports that other family tree software do not have, while also enabling me to keep my complete family tree operative, in any format I choose.

    Sincerely,

    A member since 2002.

  1534. Carol Brown

    As a serious genealogist, I only use the on-line tree as a way to share my information with others and a way to back-up my Family Tree Maker files. My real work is done with the program on my computer. I’ve never really cared for the tree building interfaces that you have on-line, neither the old or the new interface. While your databases are fantastic, I will have to evaluate the cost-benefit of maintaining my subscription past the January 1, 2017 drop date.

  1535. Norry Sponse

    Well, your announcement is only a couple of hours old and you already have over 1500 customer responses which appear to be 100% negative.

    I suggest if you don’t want to maintain the FTM software any longer, you should create an open source project so that it can be maintained by others. This would also require that you publish a synchronization API which is something you should do anyway as having various geneology programs able to sync to your site just strengthens your brand now that you are not competing with them.

    Take it from an old product marketing executive – this is what you should do!

  1536. Christine

    Well – thanks for the Xmas present Ancestry. That’s gone down like a lead balloon, hasn’t it. I was a very loyal Legacy user for many years, but I came across to FTM because of the ability to sync what I found on Ancestry. I’m not particularly sorry to be leaving both of your products behind. The amount of crap mis-information hidden within those little fluttering leaves these days makes me shudder in horror. No true family researcher could really take Ancestry seriously. And the new UI is awful. A waste of time and money. Goodbye, and thanks for all the fish.

  1537. Joan

    I can’t believe they are getting rid of the desktop. It’s so much easier to research on and search your tree. Plus I’ve got some relatives that have access to it via my permission thru the software. PLEASE RECONSIDER DOING THIS!!!!!

  1538. Cheryl

    I have owned FTM for many years and upgraded a number of times. I am very upset to hear about your decision. The desktop software is much easier to use and I like all the pluses in FTM that are not available on Ancestry.

  1539. Bev

    I have been reading the comments of others and believe most people to be panicking. Firstly, to transfer your data from FTM to another product you create a gedcom file which should be readable by any genealogy software program. Secondly, FTM on a PC is still useable. It may sync with ancestry.com and provide shaky leaves now but it is also a stand alone software. I have been using FTM for years and have never used the sync feature and the program works fine. I have found that there is so much incorrect information in other user’s trees on ancestry that I don’t want to sync. I prefer to enter my own info manually because it gives me more control of what is included in FTM. thirdly, if you are using sync and have created your trees on ancestry, you need to have a subscription to access them already. KEEP USING FTM – it will work without being connected to ancestry.com

  1540. Jessica Murray

    @Mike Shultz Presently there are no plans to sell Family Tree Maker software to a third party. The inherent challenges of supporting desktop software in a way that meets the needs of our members would be difficult for any other entity as well.

  1541. Janet

    Wow! I have been reading comments for 40+ minutes and NOT ONE of them supports this decision. If Ancestry really wants to continue doing “any” kind of business, you will rethink this horrible decision. I am one of those folks that has continually upgraded my FTM over the years and only in recent years had the time to devote that made a subscription worthwhile. I will not resubscribe and I will be doing what virtually everyone above is doing and seek out some other software provider. Ancestry, you have truly been the Grinch in all of our holidays.

  1542. KC Thacker

    Very disappointed, but not surprised. As for your “new” Ancestry website it drives me nuts and I’ve seriously been thinking about canceling my subscription to Ancestry. Now that your pulling Family Tree Maker I guess I’ll be looking for new software too. From the comments I’ve read about your decision it sounds to me like you’ve royally messed up this time! Might want to reconsider this bad business move.

  1543. Lynn

    Hey Kendall Hulet who has served as Senior Vice President of Product Management at Ancestry since March 2015 – MAYBE it’s time for you and Obama to go! Remember new Coke? Same dumb idea as getting red of FTM. Did you get paid to make this dumb decision?

  1544. Bronwyn

    What exactly does this mean? I only use your site because FTM links with Ancestry. What will replace it. Surely this is a joke! All the money I’ve paid you and the years I’ve spent building my Family Tree – down the drain? Your explanation of what is happening is poor. Please provide a very detailed explanation of what will happen. I’m disgusted.

  1545. H.N.Bhatnagar, M.D.

    I started out with Family Tree Maker with the first DOS version by Parsons Technology (I forget the year) Since then I updated over the years. At that time Ancestry .com had a very poor program ( I forget the name). Later I found out that Broderbund bought the Family Tre Maker. Not sure if Broderbund owns the Ancestry site.
    And this….!

  1546. Mike Shults

    Someone want to get rich? Buy Family Tree Maker company or build one that we can buy. It’s evident they have poor management. Good management would have sent out the solution and what they want subscribers to do BEFORE giving devastating news. t’s easy to see their main goal is money not genealogy help. Is there another company to go to? I have had a new family tree maker every year for 15+ years.

  1547. David

    What a loss. As you can tell by over 1500 negative comments that you will be losing a lot of Ancestry.com users. I have to agree with many of them. I will be looking to find an alternative to ancestry.com as it will now be a lot less useful without the functionality of FTM, if you don’t include most if not all of the print capabilities of FTM on ancestry.com. Guess I’ll dump a gedcom file of my tree and go back to FamilySearch at least that’s free.

  1548. Sue

    Years worth of work and thousands of records to be manually entered into a new program?? What are you thinking? I agree with others that the new website is very clunky and much of the data is summarized to such an extent that it is not useful. One of the big mistakes you made is in not talking with your customers. I have been an Ancestry subscriber for nearly 15 years. I will begin looking for alternatives from competitors, while holding out hope that you reconsider.

  1549. Ed

    I have faithfully paid for the latest versions of FTM since 1992. To leave us hanging high and dry with no clear migration path to some other supported product is unaceptable. As others have stated, I will never pay for another Ancestry product again. I have lost all confidence in them as a viable company. I am done with them.

  1550. Michele Thiessen

    I am extremely disappointed with this decision! I agree with the other 500+ commenters and customers who have spoken. I will now be set back even farther than most people of this generation because I don’t even HAVE Internet access! I rely on traveling to my local genealogy resource centre to sync my tree on FTM and do additional research to follow up on my hints. I hardly have the time as it is to make that research trip and now there’s a deadline on somehow salvaging all my online info into some kind of hard copy before I can’t access it at all anymore! I also don’t have the money to pay subscriptions all the time and so now you’re making it impossible for me to continue my research. I’m so upset my head is spinning! Well, I guess it’s time to record everything by hand like they did in the old days. No corporate money makers can take that away from you! What a complete shame!

  1551. Carolyn Murphy

    My advice to those worried about the information they have acquired and entered into FTM – create a GED report. You can then load all your information from FTM, into another software program.

  1552. Kathi

    To say that I am stunned is an understatement! I can only believe that this decision is being made for financial reasons. To abandon those of us who want to preserve the research we have done using Family Tree Maker is ridiculous. Ancestry.com needs to recognize that they are not the only resource for genealogical research. I will be reconsidering my annual membership.

  1553. Janet Puncheon

    I am very sorry to hear this. I have been an Ancestry user for many years. I like the desktop version for the many things you cannot do online. I have found many duplicates and people whose birthdates are prior to their parents’ childbearing years. I have 12,000 people in my tree, and I use the reporting and the relationship functions quite a bit. You are pulling the same stunt that TurboTax (Intuit) did last year – screw the consumer. Well, they lost a lot of people to other software.

  1554. Steve

    What a horrible decision. Most genealogists that I know like to have their data local as well as in the cloud. You charge plenty for the online content and then charge again for FTM. You even farm out development for the horrible Mac version of FTM that I must suffer to use. Maybe a better idea would be to make the Win/Mac software better – then you might sell more copies.

  1555. Terri

    ancestry – I am so dis-illusioned already with the horrible changes you have made to OUR trees….now to see that from 2017 I will have to go back to the manual addition of information from my tree to FTM – with out the really great ‘synch’ process………what the heck!!! have you really got rock in your collective heads????. Do you really want to loose customers or are you actually trying quietly to close down altogether???

  1556. Alice Benningfield

    This is just wrong! There are many features other than just having my tree on FTM. And tree sync was wonderful. I agree with others that I want another copy other than an online copy at ancestry.com.

  1557. I have used Family Tree Maker as long as it’s been available. I much prefer it to building the trees online. I love the tool for determining kinship and the different charts that I can produce to share with others. Most people operating online with only online trees are doing pseudo genealogy and don’t even know it. I have always encouraged them to buy FTM. Ancestry always said online that it was never meant to be the main genealogy program. That was to be FTM or some other program. I think our whole world has gone crazy. It’s really scary here in the genealogy homeland. This is very sad news. It’s like a death in the family and the loved one (FTM) is not even going to heaven.

  1558. A.Girolamo

    I was working with two programs, yours and Legacy 8, had decided ti keep FTM, will now erease all my infos on your Ancestry site, more than 30,000 names and concentrate with Legacy 8, wich is also French. WhatMs the next stepm close the co.? I want control over my infos,

  1559. Gen Harrigan Jonely

    VERY disappointing to say the least. Bought the 1st FTM and always upgraded. The time frame until Jan 1, 2016 is an insult. I have been faithful to ancestry.com…but, have recently wondered about how things are being managed. For instance, I took a break from my subscription to work on editing and other things and found that although the DNA results still showed connections, I could not see the trees without the subscription. Granted you are a business, but where would you be today without the “little” guy like me…retired, money challenged and yet wanting to continue my research. Bought 7 DNA kits, not cheap for a retired person, but couldn’t access the connected results without the subscription. So disappointed. Now this blow with FTM. I would ask you to reconsider your entire business plan, not just FTM. Sincerely a disappointed long time researcher.

  1560. Derek

    No one seems to think this is a good idea. Just man up and admit you made a mistake. Say sorry and keep developing FTM.

  1561. Jim

    “These changes are never easy, but by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community”
    Based on the above comments, you will not have many “loyal Ancestry” members.

  1562. Rhonda

    Sorry if and when you discontinue the software I will go to another company and buy and probably delete all my info off of here. Won’t be worth having it on 2 different sites will it???

  1563. Jeffrey Martin

    Fire Kendall. This outfit started as a software outfit that ended up with a very good product, and that is before you add in the convenience of Ancestry.com. It is pretty obvious that this decision was made by someone who a) has never lost data and had to recreate it when the data was lost for whatever reason, b) thinks the world always has an internet connection, and c) thinks that their data can’t/won’t be hacked. Software development isn’t easy. I know because I do it. If it was easy, then everybody would do it. It looks like a lot of us will be looking for another genealogy service soon. If this is the kind of service and attitude that Ancestry.com has, then I sincerely hope that you are out of business by 2017.

  1564. Sandra

    Stunned. Have never used Ancestry any other way than through FTM. Don’t like their new programme, seems a mess to me. I am looking at the Geneologist site and they you can transfer your FTM over to them so will be taking that route no doubt. Just does not make any sense at all. I always thought that you buy FTM and Ancestry.com was an added extra, not the other way round. I am not computer expert as you can see. Very very very unhappy…..

  1565. Anne

    Very disappointed to hear that FTM won’t be available in the future. The programs allows for lots of printing options that aren’t available on Ancestry.com as well as the ability to find and fix errors. If this decision is final, I’ll be rethinking my renewal in Feb.

  1566. aea

    I will not be renewing my membership because of this change. I would like a refund on the software. Genealogy is not a “cool feature” endeavor. This is my family history you are taking from me. FTM users are your “cash cow” consumer. Your are slaughtering your your main income stream. This is an outrageous treatment of your best customers (soon to be former customer)

  1567. Bob

    I’m disappointed, but not surprised, in the news that Ancestry will discontinue making FTM software. I hope they will continue supporting FTM past 1 January 2017. I also hope that Ancestry will add the features, that are now found only in FTM to the web site.

  1568. Bill K

    The immediate and huge negative response to your announcement points to an appalling ignorance of your customers. Why would you make such an announcement without making an attempt to explain what customers who rely heavily on FTM will be able to do with ancestry in the future. FTM has lots more functionality than ancestry currently has – will ancestry be upgraded to the same functionality? Will FTM users be faced with substantially increased costs when they are now forced to use it monthly?

  1569. Meg Flaherty

    Why make such an announcement but provide nothing to address the many obvious questions and concerns that would follow? Most of those easily anticipated questions and concerns can be found in the many comments at this blog. Many of us don’t work from a mobile phone or tablet. This decision seems abrupt and makes no sense; it seems poorly thought through. Really undermines my regard for Ancestry.

  1570. Pauline M Wilson

    I will just add my 2 cents worth to the long list. I wish you would reconsider. I have 30 years of data in the Family Tree Maker. I use it nearly daily. What will happen to my Tree? What will happen if we cancel membership in Ancestry? Do we lose the Ancestry Tree? This is highly upsetting. What are our alternatives?

  1571. Ruby McNeill

    Followed you from the beginning. You are losing so much and so are we. Such a poor decision from such a significant genealogical company.

  1572. Helen Staines

    Good point Kerry, will other products be able to sync with FTM?
    I don’t want my money back, I want what I paid for, have paid for years and continue to pay! NOT FAIR ANCESTRY!!

  1573. Dave

    Appalled, like everyone else. Working on a tree on your website is not enjoyable and you make no mention of your technical or pricing intentions in your new world. You give us nothing that hints of any benefits in the pipeline. Dreadful PR, or maybe there is nothing. Will you follow the current trend and demand extortionate online subscriptions? I’ll watch developments and see if there’s anything that’ll make me reconsider my decision to migrate my tree elsewhere.

  1574. Joyce Greenlee

    I have read most of the hundreds of comment above and also cannot conceive that you are really doing this to your customers. I will be looking into other genealogy sites and will be using them as soon as possible. I cannot believe how incredibly hard it will be to start over, but I will have to find a way to do it.

  1575. Esther

    I just bought FTM because it is compatible with Ancestry. It’s still for sale at the site, so you might want to remove it. Fortunately, I have Ancestral Quest on my desktop, but synched with FT to put it on Ancestry. Very disappointing

  1576. Steve Mermis

    The decision to discontinue support for the software which is synonymous with Ancestry is ill-considered. Without it I would not have embarked on an interesting search to discover our family heritage. What happened to the update previously announced? Three weeks advance notice of this significant abandonment of your customer base is meaningless. You must have been considering such a move for many months, but to my knowledge no hint of this was ever made previously. What activities you want to pursue are very unlikely to be as valuable as Family Tree Maker has been.

    This decision is one you will likely regret when you assess the damage done to the previously stellar reputation you earned. The “New Ancestry” will be no more successful than the” New Coke” was. You are abandoning your core principles. A wise organization would reconsider this precipitous and apparently very unpopular move.

  1577. Jo Morris

    I can not believe this – over 1400 comments and only two responses from Ancestry. I note that 23andme has stuffed people around by insisting we create family trees on My Heritage and now Ancestry takes away our FTM – what is going on? I think once my subscription is expired I will delete my trees from your website and keep my own files on my laptop, I am not keen to store information online which can be hacked or ‘go down’ and be lost forever, or do twice the work. It is definitely a backward step.

  1578. Also distressed about this news! I have been a customer for about 15 years. I have tried other family tree software programs and none handle Spanish surnames as well as yours. Guess it is time to look again.

  1579. Bonnie

    Shame on you for treating a loyal customer base, who by the way are the reason that Ancestry is so successful, is such a shabby manner. Your letter read as a “too bad, so sad” dismissal letter to a subordinate instead of a “Dear Valued Customer” one. I have observed this attitude in many big companies, but I expect better of an organization that is supposed to be based on family and honoring our ancestors & heritages.

  1580. Oh…well, here’s another profit-making idea: cancel ‘private’ sites. Then, open access can uplift the dedicated research of others. That will surely increase membership. Oh sorry…you’ve already thought of that!

  1581. Theresa

    Say it isn’t so! Nothing like shooting a hole in my heart. I have had it for years and also the ancestry subscription. Just retired and planned on finally having the time to devote to finding family that has eluded me for years. I am deeply disappointed.

  1582. duanepagenkopf

    The reason your offline market is slow is because of your format change. We were waiting for the bugs to worked out off the changes before re-upping FTM. Also FTM was unusable while I had dial-up. Now that I have high-speed and my FTM should work this happens. I’m sure the competition will welcome me.

  1583. John

    What a BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT. Having used FTM for almost 10 years, this really will feel like a FAMILY loss and a sad sad day.

  1584. Dwayne

    I read about 60 of the responses and agree with the majority of them. I like my privacy and do not load my trees to the web site. I require that desktop interface to lookup and update information to my trees.
    Please reconsider your decision and continue support for FTM.

  1585. Carol

    Echo comments on what a terrible decision this is. I like FTM on my desktop. I like tree sync, searching for dupes, and reports. Not a fan of the new ancestry.com format. Please reconsider your decision.

  1586. Kim

    The more I think about this the more it ticks me off. Ancestry is basically forcing people to keep track of their family research in their tree on Ancestry. I update my research on FTM and sync it to Ancestry. The ONLY reason my tree is on Ancestry at all is because of the sync function. I could buy and use a different software but then I can’t save the records I find to the new software. If I choose not to update my research on my ancestry tree then all the DNA tests I purchased on useless. I bought 4 DNA tests for me and family members, 400 bucks down the drain. Not to mention, if you decide to drop your subscription to Ancestry you will no longer have access to your family tree and all the years of work and research that we have put forth into this.

  1587. linda Temple

    I have never managed to get the tree sync to work. I had a subscription before I bought my first FTM some years ago and when it was registered it refused to sync and instead tried to create a second ancestry membership. So I have always used the website as a research tool, built the tree online and manually updated the FTM with the information found on ancestry and other research places on my pc. I have never relied on my tree and information being wholly online anywhere and certainly won’t start now. However, this does not mean that I and others can’t use our FTM software. It isn’t magically going to go ‘poof’ off our computers because ancestry doesn’t sell it anymore or bring out upgrades (which we have to buy anyway). The software will still be there on our computers to continue building our trees on, creating reports etc.

  1588. lgwt50

    I only recently put my some of my trees online and that was just for safety reasons, I don’t even share them! ALLLL my work is done on the desktop program and has been since 1998. I do not, and never will publish un-sourced work and if Ancestry really wants to do something to help people with their genealogy work they’d require sources for the data that is published. With the onslaught of online publishing all that accomplished, for the most part, was to open the flood gates for a huge plethora of inaccurate data. Then people copy that incorrect data and it just multiplies and well, now you got a huge mess that often times causes more work than assistance to others. I will never rely on an online service to input my data into so if that is what you are presenting here, I want no part of it. I will only use a desktop program to enter and keep my data files. I’ve had a paid subscription to Ancestry since 1998. I know I’ve spent over $3,500 plus upgrading my program every couple years. I hope my opinion is given some consideration.

  1589. Steve Adkins

    Well cancel my subscription! If you are going to “bug out” on all of the people that rely on you…. I don’t know what to say.

  1590. Robert Stewart

    Six family trees researched, two beginning in 1967, that I have entered over the past six years into ancestry.com resulting in entries for 4,056 family members, with 753 photographs, 62 documents, and 8,478 links to ancestry.com resources.
    I have made my trees public and scores, perhaps hundreds, of your subscribers have copied my meticulously researched records, and scans of unique photographs and documents.
    If Family Tree Maker is not continued and supported, I am inclined to download all of my records, delete my online trees, (and cease my subscription) which will deprive all of your subscribers access to the information which I have developed over 45 years.

  1591. Pete Barbis

    I am extremely disappointed in your decision. Judging by the above comments, I am no even close to being alone. At my age 78, I will be watching for recommendations from others on what a viable option will be. I use FTM religiously and it has provided many, many, fond charts for family to look at. For my humble opinion, a horrible decision!

  1592. Sean Ryan

    See, this is what happens when boardrooms take over. They are catering to the greatest revenue source not remembering what got them where they are. My FTM is a labor of love. It is my accurate database that has no less than a few thousand hours of use. I’ve been using it for coming on 25 years. The stuff I maintain on their website is just a working copy with lots of “what ifs” and experimental branches. This is not well received.

  1593. Bob

    What a bad deal! I use it to produce a family book that a lot of our extended family have and love the updates. Now I have to find some other provider to transition all of this into a book. Very poor decision. Sure it costs to keep it up, but if all you think abut is $$$ and only profit, well then good luck! Will re-evaluate my subscriptions as there are other sites also providing genealogy information.

  1594. Graeme

    An extremely poor decision! You have now made my mind up re continuing with Ancestry.
    Please don’t do it.

  1595. Edward

    If FTM is going away open the API to other software vendors so they can sync to Ancestry. Even one direction would be preferable than nothing.

  1596. Rick Waggener

    This is one of the craziest, not to mention stupidest things I have ever heard. I have used FTM software for about 20 years, and subscribed to ancestry.com for most of that time. I have six ancestryDNA tests for myself and wife and relatives, and am thinking of getting more. The software is the key to everything. It keeps and organizes everything I have gathered and done. Without the software I would be lost, and have little need for my subscription and dna results. I don’t think you understand what it is your customers need and do.

  1597. F X Flinn

    The ability to generate custom reports in FTM is not replicated on the cloud. The two different UIs work hand in glove for your best customers and most advanced users. It’s shortsighted to ditch FTM. I’ll be looking into an entirely new way of maintaining my genealogical information and anticipate that my Ancestry subscription will eventually go unrenewed. Again, you guys are missing the boat. FTM has too many features power users want, and too many power users are frustrated by the increasingly childish cloud UI. You’re annoying your best customers.

  1598. nancy tucker

    How disappointing. Poorest corporate decision I’ve seen in quite some time. You would think that at the least you offer viable solutions instead of a vague reference to seeking out answers from the members services team. Thumbs down, Ancestry.

  1599. Susan

    I have been using FTM since it first came out from Broaderbund. It was on a floppy disc for DOS only machines. This news makes me very very sad. I am now perplexed as to what I should do in the future. Without the interface to ancestry I really see no reason to continue my subscription, when there are several other sites that are virtually free or considerably less than ancestry.

    I really dislike the web only interface and the app, they are not for the serious genealogist. The site has become more of a social site with anyone and everyone putting crap information out on the web that just get replicated into more crappy information.

    I have enjoyed the shortcut method that the software tied directly to the web, for doing a quick search of census or death records. But all of that info is free from BYU site, so it will just make my research more time consuming.

    I really feel betrayed by Ancestry. I have been a member for at least 13 years. That is about $5k in fees and software. WOW I feel a little foolish.

    Sad User

  1600. Cheryl

    Hi everyone there is another site called My Heritage I also am a member of that things I cannot find in Ancestry I can find there other software is MyHeritage Family Tree Builder it works well also and you can download your tree into that.
    Regards Cheryl

  1601. Sue

    This totally sucks. I have 20 years of work in my FamilyTreeMaker file. It was really nice of Ancestry to offer a solution to the issue of what we are supposed to do with our existing files. Let me guess. We’re going to have to upload them to Ancestry.com so we can pay to access them.

  1602. John Hoover

    I just saw the notice that FTM is being discontinued. I have used FTM before Ancestry.com when everything was on CDs. While I have an Ancestry.com account and interface with it, I like the hands on approach to FTM and hate to lose it.
    What happens to my on-line data if I discontinue my Ancestry.com account? Is it possible to down my data to preserve my information?
    I am very upset that this action and guess I will devote time actions during the next year to transferring my Family Tree to old fashion Family Group Sheets.
    John Hoover

  1603. Ken Christensen

    Your decision is bad for me unless you have a software migration solution to provide. I have spent literally thousands of hours using FTM over many years.

  1604. Jane White

    I’m sorry I will not put my genealogy files online at ancestry.com or anywhere else. I prefer the files on MY computer and share with those people I find that need to see the file or part of it. I will continue to use Family Tree Maker until you withdraw support, then I will go with another desktop program.

  1605. Max

    Well, I guess over 1700 complaints (so far) in the first day of this news to retire FTM should be telling you something. I too will not put my entire tree on Ancestry as things go wrong on the web. Very poor decision.

  1606. Janet

    This is beyond a disappointment. Ancestry sold us a product line with the intention of eliminating it. The endless changes to the format on Ancestry makes it difficult to integrate sources that are not on Ancestry.com. Now we will have no possible way to integrate other website data with any level of simplicity. Not every record is available on Ancestry. SO NOW ancestry wants to control every detail of how one enters and maintains data. Not to mention the amount of data loss one will face when they reduce their space. I will simply have to move to another software like Legacy, as I am not willing to completely surrender control of my genealogy to Ancestry.com. This is an outrage. My biggest concern is that NO ONE from Ancestry will even read our comments.

  1607. Jeff Hill

    Well, it sounds like its all about money, as usual. Maybe its time, we the people start shutting down these businesses that don’t care about the loyal customers just for a little more money in their pocket

  1608. Brian

    There needs to be a lot more features added to web version of Ancestry if Family Tree Maker is being phased out. This is such a blow. I use a lot of Family Tree Maker’s features to make print-outs and such. I hope that Ancestry will reconsider their decision.

  1609. Leslie

    I am glad this is gone. People will migrate to better quality software such as rootsmagic and ancestralquest. When I teach genealogy classes, I have to deal with people who use FTM and the only advantage that I can think they have over other software is that in syncs with their Ancestry tree. Other software products are so much better in every other way.

    I cannot believe people will be leaving Ancestry over this. It seems that you are cutting off your nose to spite your face.

  1610. John McC

    Well, I haven’t seen any comments that support Ancestry’s decision yet. I wonder if that will sway them at all. Personally it does not bother me a lot if they no longer support the software. My FTM2012 works fine 90% of the time and when there’s a problem I know how to fix it. I never make changes to my desktop tree only to the online tree and then back it up (via Tree sync) to my computer. Therefore so long as Tree sync still works I’m not affected. Unfortunately they have not made it clear as to whether they will drop support of Tree sync or not. The only impact this would have on them would be extra cpu time spent on it by their servers. Hopefully they will see the benefit of retaining this portion of the service at least for Ancestry subscribers. Unfortunately I don’t see them allowing third parties to use this interface unless there was financial benefit to them.

  1611. Susan Giddings

    I don’t know that I can add anything to the discussion. I too have used FTM since forever. I too use FTM and ancestry.com hand-in-hand in my genealogy research. I too use the TreeSyn function and many of the report fubctions. I hope you are working on alternative to complete elimination of FTM… even a web based version is better than nothing. I recognize we are increasingly becoming a tech driven society, but there are still many of us that use paper….

  1612. Cathy Keeler

    This news is VERY disconcerting. I too have been using FTM for a cazillion years. I do not sync my tree due to lack of concern from others who have the wrong info and won’t change it. HOWEVER, that is beside the point. I am sure that if you are proclaiming that it is too much to update the software there will be no provision for something to take its place. Clients will flock to Roots Magic and Legacy and I for one, will grumble all the way. You get our $$ with subscriptions to Ancestry and I imagine that is your main focus. Once software is purchased it is unlikely that another purchase will be made for years to come-the majority of us are not professionals and can make due with a slightly outdated software edition.
    Mu subscription to Ancestry is up in June and we’ll see until then. The local LDS library is looking mighty inviting for search engines.
    Why then Ancestry in its wisdom send out a FTM software update earlier this week?
    This is just absurd.

  1613. Jean Evers

    Like hundreds – maybe thousands – of others I am very distressed that you have made this decision. I for one of many do NOT WANT to put my tree on line. It is a work in progress and I know there are duplications and probably errors that are not yet resolved. Probably true of many others. Will I be able to continue to use it off line????

  1614. Eric Powell

    There is no substitute on the Ancestry site for much of the functionality of FTM, so much will be lost. This lessens the value of the Ancestry site also as compared to other records searching sites. First the Ancestry.com “new interface” which may be new, but is less of an interface than before, and Second, retiring FTM which is the glue that holds everything together (and provides reporting.) Ancestry, you have really slit your wrists this time. After many years it’s time to transition to other programs and other sites.

  1615. This is a very bad decision that you made. Family Tree program makes Ancestry program works. Without some of the Family Tree tools etc. many people will get disappointed with the Ancestry software. If you want to write up your Ancestry stories you do this in Family Tree software – you really can’t do it in Ancestry. Family Tree software has been the backbone for Ancestry. So what or how are you going to replace all the “tools” in Family Tree. Without Family Tree software – I for one will not use Ancestry standing on its own.
    How much negative input do you need to hear before you come to your senses?
    Jim

  1616. Jan

    I am absolutely stunned at this news, and so angry. I have been using family tree maker for years. I agree that the new Ancestry is ghastly and not for serious genealogists. I propose that we all remove our trees from Ancestry. Where will they be then?

  1617. Cherre Terry

    Bad decisions being made! I almost made the mistake of renewing for another 6 months today! I’ll just save money!

  1618. Just today, in a few hours of receiving this notice from your company you have heard almost two thousand voices calling out help and pleading for you to change your decision. Are you listening is the question? The changes from your company are more than we want to accept, first the format and now this. Answer some of these questions please and show some respect and gratitude to those of us who have spent our money to support you for what was an excellent site and program for handling our quest to keep our family history for years to come.

  1619. Harold Gollberg

    I agree w/most of the above. I think this a poor decision, but you are entitled to screw up. I think Ancestry.com is leaving a VERY BAD taste in it’s members mouth.

  1620. Ron Oakley

    What a stupid move! I’ve been using Family Tree Maker for over 20 years, and now Ancestry.com in their wisdom is discontinuing it. Guess we should have realized when Ancestry took over FTM from Broderbund that like all take-overs, they would shut it down . Well, like numerous other Ancestry members, I WILL NOT be renewing my membership when it comes due in March, 2015, and I have been an Ancestry.com member since 2002. I am also planning to delete all my trees on Ancestry, and switch to Findmypast. Bunch of Idiots!!

  1621. Although Family Tree Maker receives a #2 ratingfrom Top Ten Reviews, the other two desktop geneañogy programs in the group deserve a good look.

    #1 Legacy Family Tree

    Legacy Family Tree 8.0 gets a top rating from Top Ten Reviews for its flexible options, which can handle divorce, adoption and other complicated branchings of the family tree. In Legacy, color-coding and an uncluttered interface help make complex trees easy to read. The program syncs with Ancestry.com and the genealogy website FamilySearch to connect you to other genealogists. It also collects family stats and trivia, like the longest-lasting marriage in the family or the average life span of family members.

    One major downside of this software is that it is not Mac-compatible unless you have Windows for Mac installed.

    Ease of use: One reason Legacy scored high compared with other programs is that it is easy to use, even for beginners. Unique features such as a list of potential interview questions to ask family members may give first timers more confidence and spark ideas for doing family research. New features in Legacy Family Tree 8 include an Origins chart for individuals to show what percentage of their ancestry comes from various countries; a migration report and migration mapping; automatic duplicate information checking; and a feature that includes multiple family members in events such as weddings, bar mitzvahs and reunions.

    A Media Gatherer tool provides a one-stop spot to store genealogy-related multimedia. The program also automatically flags errors such as duplicate entries.

    Help and support: The software’s help section has quick answers about how to use the program, and Legacy’s website includes a large support page with how to’s and frequently asked questions. The website also hosts contact information for user groups, and a tech support hotline is available during business hours.

    #3 RootsMagic

    Another program that is only Windows-compatible, RootsMagic handles complex family trees well. Top Ten Reviews ranks this program No. 3, and it fell below the other two more because of its perhaps less-than-aesthetic interface than for any problems with how it works. Features include auto-formatted sources, printable reports, wall charts and family history books. The company offers free Web hosting so you can post your family tree online. One item will be important to anyone who uses FamilySearch’s online Family Tree: RootsMagic will read information directly from FamilySearch and also will export information back to FamilySearch.

    There is a free version called RootsMagic Essentials and also a free app for iOS. It has some active user groups and a blog.

    The latest version of RootsMagic offers family documentation, publishing and six main views, according to the publisher.

    Ease of use: The RootsMagic program can be bought with an illustrated instruction manual and has templates and search functions that should satisfy even expert genealogists. Top Ten Reviews appreciated the ease with which the program documents multimedia. RootsMagic also makes it easy to publish ancestry charts online and to create read-only CDs to share.

    Help and support: The RootsMagic website hosts user groups, forums and webinars on how to use the program. People who buy the software have access to online support and a phone line for tech support that is open during business hours.

  1622. Nancy

    I am very frustrated by this decision for ALL the reasons stated above. Not everyone has access to internet all the time. Aside from those of us who live in rural areas or are doing research in areas without internet FTM allows one to make notations immediately to their trees. Also, I like being able to work offline and identify inconsistencies in data. Additionally, I don’t want all my data on-line where it might be used by others inaccurately.

  1623. Barbara

    I have used this software since one of its earliest editions, have used it to make books & printed reports, and totally do not want my only records to be online. Further a continuous Ancestry full membership is costly. With my family tree now over 600 members, double if I merge it with my sister’s, I continue to need a way to manage my tree on my own computer. It is my hope that you would rethink this decision and continue the software.

  1624. Geoffrey Bell

    This decision you have made is the very reason I trust my Desktop more than Online. The decision seen purely financial. You are making a big mistake. Next you will say that Ancestry is no longer viable. What will we do then? You have seriously misjudged the numbers of customers out there who use Ancestry on their Desktop. It is far more secure to rely on your Desktop and other home backups, rather than rely on an Online Company. I ask you to SERIOUSLY RECONSIDER.

  1625. Diane

    Well, Merry Christmas to you as well! Fifteen hundred unhappy users should tell you something. I can’t really improve on their comments other than to say I strongly agree with them and it was SO VERY KIND of Ancestry to drop this on all of us at the beginning of the holiday season!

  1626. Chuck Ivey

    Glad you let us know about FTM. My youngest granddaughter has recently expressed an interest in family history. Actually I was going to get a membership for Christmas and the latest FTM and order them tonight. Thanks for the heads up so I don’t waste my money.

  1627. This is so disappointing. It greatly lessens the value of an Ancestry subscription. Obviously, people can’t do anything without software, like coordinate place names and spellings, make charts and reports, make notes and plans. Ancestry’s continuing dumbing down of genealogy is depressing. The synching was very convenient for me and added value to my Ancestry subscription. Now, Ancestry is just any other site. And there are plenty of other growing sites that might be happy to take the business of people who actually want to do something with their data besides stare at it on a cell phone.

  1628. Tony Smith

    “Find My Past” here I come 🙁 and MacFamilyTree!

    You guys are making a shortsighted decision without concern for your clients.

  1629. Tom W

    It seems clear that investment firm that took control of Ancestry has no interest in advancing genealogical research. They are clearly focused on squeezing as many dollars out of customers as possible while providing the lowest quality necessary. I won’t have to wait until 2017 to cancel, I cancelled my subscription because of the ever increasing price which seems to have tripled in the last few years. Hopefully some future owner of Ancestry will return the focus to genealogical research, then I’ll consider coming back.

  1630. Kat

    From someone who has run a business for many years, I have learned that sometimes too much change is a bad thing. Ignoring customer complaints and refusing to listen to their suggestions is an even bigger mistake. It can kill a business. I have seen it happen many times. I believe you have now accomplished both. You’ve changed the web site excessively, dismantled a great computer program, AND you ignored your customers . I will pull my (45,000 plus people) tree from your site and end my account unless you rescind this ludicrous decision to cancel FTM. Business 101-a little bite of something is better than a huge bite of nothing!!

  1631. Bert Wilson

    Dear Ancestry, I undersdtand that this decision is driven by your bottomline, but have you ever considered that the reason that your software isn’t selling is because you have taken a simple, functional program, and have managed to ruin it since 2005? Your online search function accuracy is beyond horrible. And your DNA portal is the childishly simply, yet impossible to manage matches within. On the plus side, I can stop hoping that you might get your act together, and look to other vendors for genealogy software. Better then get my money than you. FINALLY, I am pulling all of my trees off your site, and canceling my subscription tomorrow. Thanks for dumbing down genealogy instead of lifting it up.

  1632. Diane

    Wow,, I’m just gob-smacked by this dumb decision. The mood of all of the comments before me is extremely clear, this is a BAD decision and you WILL lose a lot of customers! That will most likely include me too,

    I have used FTM since the 90’s and ALL of my research is housed in FTM’s database on my computer. I have years of backups! I am a very technical user, been in computer support for more than 25 years and work in a technical field. I know that the almighty cloud is where everyone is going but that does NOT mean that I will EVER trust ALL of my years of research to a cloud-only solution, not now, not ever!

    As noted by others, an internet connection everywhere/anywhere in the US still does not exist How does one access online-only records where there’s no internet access?? Yes, we can all keep FTM running on our computers for as long as the operating systems will run it, but it will be crippled software for a lot of things.

    This move is clearly the brain child of a money-grubbing organization that thinks it’s subscribers will pay and pay and pay, no doubt at constantly increasing amounts, to have all of our hard work held for ransom – pay up or tough luck,. is that your new business model? Because that’s what it sounds like.

    I too, dislike the new Ancestry interface, I feel like I’m slogging thru some kids video game interface, and it is not at all convenient to use, I assume you did some kind of user testing for feedback.. but who did you test with, 20 somethings??

    Bad move Ancestry, bad move, that is pretty clear from all of the feedback here.

  1633. Peter

    Just made my decision easy. FTM use since day one.
    I was just going to purchase FTM for Mac, since I am moving from a PC to Mac. Just purchased Reunion 11 for Mac.

  1634. Gail

    I am a second generation user of Family Tree. Please don’t stop support for this product that my mother used to document our genealogy and that I am maintaining for my daughter.

  1635. Kellie

    Everyone make sure you remove your online tree before 2017. They aren’t going to use my hard work for their profit.First they made the website crap, now they are taking away FTM that does so much more than Ancestry. Who’s making these decisions? A 10 year old? Seems the new site is aimed at bells and whistles a little kid wants, not clean clear options like a true researcher wants.

  1636. Ross Mortolindapmorton@gmail.comn

    I am fed up with Ancesty.com louse testing, errors and fails of Family Treemaker over their last 3 software upgrades. This decision just proves Ancestry.com doesn’t care about its customers. I will immediately cancel my subscription tomorrow

  1637. Janet

    I’m so very disappointed in Ancestry’s decision. I feel as if you only want my money. This is as bad as when you retired the Old Search. I’ll weigh all my options.

  1638. Dawn Morgan

    I am disgusted by this decision, I feel that the only reason you are discontinuing FTM is so that 1) people have to subscribe to Ancestry, 2) You will have full control over our trees. 3) You will have our complete tree and therefore all our research, information and all photographs etc to make your company even bigger. Its greed and control just like Apple who I refuse to use as well. I personally only use my Ancestry tree for certain bits, my main tree is on my computer in FTM I do not want my complete tree on any website. I like to have full control and back ups on my computer. If you do decided to discontinue FTM then I will have to find a different software to keep my tree on. I will not subscribe any more and use other means of research. So I am asking just like many others not to discontinue Family Tree Maker,

  1639. Joe

    All you thousands of people that have responded here, please also go to their Facebook page to express your disappointment in them there. They need to hear us loud and clear. This is an idiotic business decision.

  1640. Garry

    Well this really sucks. All the software manufactures think we want the cloud model where we pay endless subscription fees. Sorry, the cloud does not represent a safe and secure backup of irreplaceable data, photos and personal stories. You decision to give up on the desktop software is a mistake. The desktop is superior to the web interface version and I hope the corporation does not abandon it’s user base for short term gains.

  1641. Mary C Platter

    This is the worst news. I have 5 trees and been a customer for many years. The money I have spent and time working on these trees is tremendous. I don’t like using the internet version, and the new updated is juvenile. Sync has been helpful. I have met relatives I never could have without transferring my work on FTM to my online tree. It was disheartening at times to see my pictures I’d entered into my trees be claimed by others and shared online. Now it seems all my information will be open to the public to use as they want. I am very disappointed in your decision.

  1642. Terri

    ancestry – I am so dis-illusioned already with the horrible changes you have made to OUR trees….now to see that from 2017, I will have to go back to the manual addition of information from my tree to FTM – with out the really great ‘synch’ process………what the …..!!! have you really got rock in your collective heads????. Do you really want to loose customers or are you actually trying quietly to close down altogether???

  1643. John Odean

    I was into FTM right from the start. The amount of money and time invested in astounding. I am calling to downgrade my service to the minimum and on that date I will then cancel totally. I will have to look for a new company. I want it on my desk top!

  1644. Oma

    I’ve been a customer since the old Banner Blue days. I can not believe ya’ll are not going to continue FTM. I’m heart broken. Guess I’ll cancel my subscriptions.

  1645. Julie

    I am not happy over this either. I have using FTM for about 15 years. I like being able to access my tree off line when I don’t have wi fi available. I will probably be dropping Ancestry too and checking out another alternative such as familysearch .org. NOT a smart business decision on your part in my opinion.

  1646. Tom

    Add my name to severely protest your removal of FTM. I’m sure this will result in many current subscribers not renewing with Ancestry.

  1647. Jim G

    This puts us in a REALLY BAD position. We’ve been researching our families for many years and most of that time we’ve been using Ancestry.com and desktop products sold by/through Ancestry.com. Over the years, we’ve made contact with MANY family members who would only share information with us if we promeised NOT to post anything on-line, including Ancestry.com. Even though posting a family tree on Ancestry.com keeps living family members invisible/private, we are bound by promises made that we cannot upload our trees to Ancestry.com.
    As such, we keep everyting on our desktops. Without continued support for Family Tree Maker, we are being toatlly and abruptly abandoned by Ancestry.com.
    Please reconsider this inane decision.
    Thank you.

  1648. Dan

    Unbelievable that you are offering no alternative to this software. The website has little of the functionality featured in FTM. Surely, the number of comments on this forum demonstrates the importance of selling a desktop program or at least allowing another company to serve in that niche.

  1649. Joh Sloan

    I feel this is a poor decision on your part. FTM has been the backbone of my research since the days of having to buy the disks to read them on your own PC. The demise of FTM and the purely childish “NEW” interface will drive serious researchers to other software that will still be available. I have been associated with program/software development sine the introduction of mainframe systems for use both in the military and business worlds. Asking the user community for their input BEFORE making a unilateral decision to scrub a most productive tool is like shutting the barn door after the horses got out. The NEW Ancestry format is apparently designed to work with the newer icon intensive methodology prevalent in the new mobile versions in vogue today. Please continue to support FTM and keep the “Old” version of Ancestry as its search and documentation functions are easily understandable and user friendly.

  1650. Bill M

    Have you given any thought to selling the database and program to a third party who then continue to make it available to the more than 1700 individuals who have complained about your plans in the last 3 hours?

  1651. Glenn Hazelet

    This should make muheritage.com very happy. Depending what FTM does to replace their program I may sign up for a full MyHeritage membership. I would not want to do this since FTM has been very helpful in my 52+ years of family genealogy research of the Haslet name.

  1652. Jill Jessen Hernandez

    This is the Worst Birthday Present EVER. I have used FTM SINCE 1997. It is 3.5 Diskettes. I can’t believe that this is happening. The Online Version is Not good enough to control the entire family and all of its data. I have so many people that have a double presence in my tree because I used the online site. There is No way I can find that allows me to Combine 2 of the same person. Unless I have relied on FTM to do that. Please tell me how to CLEAN up my tree(s).

    Actually my heart is broken. FTM the Computer and finding my roots have been such a Major part of my life that I already feel Lost without her, knowing that she will Die is to much to handle. I feel like I was just told I have Cancer and won’t make it. May sound strange to some but this Hobby has fulfilled a huge empty hole in my life. Okay weird again, They talk to me, I remember people places and things no one else remembers.

    Ancestry.com better step up big time and Improve Online Trees again and again. There must be New Algorithms that prevent an Ignored item to Remain ignored. When we request info using dates with names and relatives give us that info and not add someone from outer space in another time and place.

    Now, I Need a glass of wine and oh my am I Sad!

    Jill in So Calif

  1653. Terah Kuykendall

    So basically, if I don’t maintain my membership, I will no longer have access to the software to save and work with all of the years of work I put into my family tree? This is a poor decision on your part. You should at least offer a reduced rate membership where we can go in and view the family trees that we have created that doesn’t allow you to do further research until you reinstate your standard membership. You are removing our ability to save and view our research!!!!

  1654. Sue Barnett

    I have just read all of the comments left here and wondering if there is an ear from administrators?! Just LOOK at all of these users of FTM who evidently DO USE this desktop software. Taking your email seriously, there looks to be no replacement for FTM that you will propose, just dead-ending it. Your statement “As we strive to provide our customers with the best experience possible” is truly laughable. Count me an another, among the many, who will not be renewing my Ancestry subscription. HELLO….listening yet? GOOD-BYE!

  1655. George Cooke

    This is one more step in Ancestry’s march to become a giant international corporation. We can expect more and more outsourced services from other countries.

  1656. Linda

    First you make frivolous changes to Ancestry on the web and now you plan to discontinue FTM. My suggestion is to fire the individual who has come up with these idiotic ideas at the company. Is it your main purpose to continually insult your user base?

  1657. Kris

    Wow. What a terrible decision on Ancestry’s part. They need to reconsider if they continue to want people’s business.

  1658. Kathy

    This is very disappointing news. The comments that have already been posted reflect all of my thoughts and concerns but I wanted to post my comments anyway so that you know there is another current customer to be counted as unhappy. The functionality in FTM is superior to what is available online so you are removing benefits that customers are currently using – seems backwards to me. And like others, I prefer having a copy of my work and records on my computer, not just online. I hope you will reconsider your decision after listening to your customers!

  1659. Mark Floyd

    I am VERY disappointed to read that Ancestry is dropping FamilyTree Maker software. I have invested a lot of time, effort and money establishing my tree on Ancestry.com and using FamilyTree Maker to perform back-up of my tree as well as print records and reports that are NOT available through Ancestry.com itself. You are in the process of jamming the “New” Ancestry down our throats and now you are cutting off access to our reports. My current subscription expires next month and I will think long and hard before I even consider renewing my subscription to this service. How about start listening to your CUSTOMERS?????

  1660. Jane White

    I will never put my genealogy files online at ancestry.com or anywhere else. I prefer them on MY computer. Then I can share with people that I deem need to use them. I will use FTM until support is withdrawal then I’ll switch to another software program.

  1661. Kathi

    I can’t believe this. I just had to buy a new computer that supported Windows 7 or 10. I’ve spent a fortune with ancestry including four DNA kits. So you have us stuck with that don’t you? Well done. You’re scamming the world.

  1662. David C. Schur

    You’ve done such a wonderful job with FTM and the compliment with being able to syn and share on the web is outstanding. Your decision to toss the loyal FTM/Ancestry users away is not very wise! I’m sure that those sitting around the decision table are being led down the wrong path by an individual that doesn’t give a rats ass about your loyal customer base.

  1663. Steve Musser

    This is indeed sad as I have been using Family Tree Maker since the original DOS version (I think I may even still have the discs somewhere)

  1664. Jacqueline Lubinski

    I have been a FTM user for 20 years. This decision to drop FTM is an unbelievable blow to to everyone. Not all have or like to use the internet for their family trees. Your app to put it plainly–sucks-on both my phone and my tablet. No matter what research you do you have to have a place ( software) to put the info. The online program doesn’t cover even half of what FTM can do. Genealogy reports, outline descendent trees, regular descendent trees, ahnentafel reports, items too numerous to mention are not even available in the online program.You can’t even print out tree from the online tree. You have thrown us in the garbage. Obviously you have NOT ONE genealogist on your decision making staff. the online program is only half a program. Even FTM 2005 had much more useful tools. What about the people that can’t or won’t pay the ridiculously high subscription costs? I am appalled at this decision. When renewal time comes around you may have one less full subscription subscriber.

  1665. Kathi

    Ancestry.com has become what they are today because of all of us. Ancestry.com is a convenience not a necessity for genealogical research. I will reluctantly but willingly go back to ordering microfilm to read at the local LDS center rather than buy into this corporate greed.

  1666. Gertrude

    There is definitely a common thread with the almost 2000 comments already posted here regarding discontinuing FTM. The desktop software is much more robust allowing many more options than just Ancestry. Given the indications from others posted here, you will be loosing a lot of memberships ($$$$$) which will turn out to be less cost-effective than keeping FTM alive. Please reconsider.

  1667. Janet Graves

    I won’t be renewing my subscription when it expires, so I am another customer you will be losing.

  1668. Jeanne Mease

    Commenting is open until Dec. 22nd? Merry Christmas! I just read my email and was trying to read all the comments. Look what you have generated in ONE DAY. First of all FTM may have been $39.99 for Windows users, but $149.99 for Mac users at the time I bought it. Plus I purchased the book to understand its use. I took classes and people demonstrated the family tree software programs. They were all Windows based except for FTM. Naughty thoughts: Everyone will have to continue to pay for Ancestry (not that I WOULDN’T HAVE). Look at the number of people who have one source! Looking at and copying from somebody else’s research. But I bet they keep paying so they can create very poor unsourced family trees. Notice how many documents that FamilySearch hands off to Ancestry and notice how many images FamilySearch has, that Ancestry doesn’t! I use search on FamilySearch or do my own research because Ancestry doesn’t come up with MANY of the things that are out there.They are in the Ancestry database, they just don’t come up when you search. Yes, I sync and backup on my desktop. I have an external hard drive with all my files because stuff happens. I live in the boonies, where Ancestry stops working. It bogs down, especially in the evening. My internet is still slow. Thank heavens I didn’t upgrade FTM. I’m still on FTM 2 for Mac having read all the problems people have had when they upgraded. Well duh, makes sense doesn’t it. Start downloading everything people. Stock up on ink. Anything you haven’t downloaded to your own hard drive is inaccessible if you quit. I just payed for World, now that I am starting to understand French and German documents. We will be puppets in the hands of Ancestry.com who will suck your money from now until eternity? This is totally unbelievable. My eyes popped out of my head when I saw the email. And I too, am very computer literate. Nice comment: Please Santa, bring back FTM. I just bought Ancestry DNA. Rethink this. Come up with an alternative. Don’t leave us hanging. And yes, this is the worst possible time of year to put out this notice. All I have to do is work on genealogy for the next 3 weeks. Please, don’t do this to the loyal and diligent people who have been with you for years. With all the new people utilizing our work, you should have plenty of money. PS Any programmers out there want to make a killing? You have your opening! This is just a bad dream, right?

  1669. Karen

    I feel used. I pay you to give you my data, and now I can’t control how I use it? Please give us more information – I’m can’t believe you’d leave us hanging.

  1670. Rebecca

    I’ve used Ancestry and Family Tree Maker since day one. Now you are going to drop us. Why are you doing this? Is it going to cost us more money each year for a new program? I am so disappointed with terrible decision.

  1671. Wendy

    If I can’t take the information from Ancestry and be able to prepare reports and organize it, WHAT IS THE POINT OF A MEMBERSHIP?

    This is a TERRIBLE decision. Please reconsider.

  1672. RF

    very disappointed about loss of FTM; recently spent hours moving from iFamily for the search and sync functions; going back

  1673. DONNA

    I am really upset & disappointed about this. I really like using Family Tree Maker. Are you going to replace this software with another? It is so much easier for me to use than when I just used ancestry.com. Please keep supporting it.

  1674. Sharon Marangoni

    WORST NEWS EVER! I like having my tree in a basically easy-to-use database on my computer. I am NOT willing to keep all of my info only on Ancestry! I will make the decision before 2017 to change to other software. This is NOT customer service at its best!

  1675. Herb

    Are you folks crazy? You’re disappointing thousands of customers who are now looking for an alternate to Ancestry. I hope you have the wisdom to rethink an obviously very poor decision.

  1676. Chris

    I started using FTM back in the 1990’s. Then I found another software that I liked better and went to it instead. When FTM came out with the Tree-Sync feature I was thrilled; I went back to FTM solely for this reason and purchase each new version. Now you are taking that away as well. I think you will find you are making a HUGE mistake and losing a great revenue stream.

  1677. Jennette Miller

    I have been an FTM user since 1990. It is much more user friendly than the website, and it’s much easier to print charts and reports. HUGE MISTAKE !!!

  1678. Betty-Anne

    Deeply concerned have been a client for 20 years and now you want to delete the only thing that keeps all of our research to your on line depository only. Yet you have been less diligent in keeping your site operating let alone fixing problems with FTM. I will be looking for another partner for my research help in the future.

  1679. windi spears

    guess i will take advantge now of the two weeks free research and then will block anything and everything from ancestery. you guys just “s*crewed the pooch*

  1680. Dana

    I am very sad to hear this . Since you changed the websites design I have found it totally useless . The only reason for using your service was the software. I will now be looking for a new provider .

  1681. Marge Grossfeld

    I will be looking to see how you improve Ancestry. I have used FTM AND Ancestry for years and find FTM formatting, user friendliness, attractiveness, publishing and interface appearance far far superior to Ancestry so I hope this means you have MAJOR plans for improvement….not happy

  1682. FTM has essential features that Ancestry.com lacks, like the ability to generate charts and reports, much better Gedcom exports, Gedcom import and merge capabilities, and Place name search and maintenance.

    FTM’s Gedcom exports are essential in order to put data in a format where it can be meaningfully queried.

    And, though some data entry features actually work better on Ancestry.com than on FTM, others are better on FTM.

    Surely you have to have some vision on Ancestry.com users could replace those features.!?!

  1683. Karen

    Extremely upset! Have used FTM from the very beginning. How are to store our records and print out charts? I do not feel that desk top software is obsolete – its the way I enjoy doing genealogy and I want to have paper copies of my research and not have everything online as my only option. If yearly updates are not cost effective, then spread the updates out every couple of years.The website does not duplicate the desktop software. I also love the guaranteed privacy of desktop software over the internet.

  1684. Lara Diamond

    I’ve been using FTM since the early 1990s (DOS version). I pay for Ancestry for both the documents and the TreeSync. FTM gives me access to my trees and media when I don’t have an internet connection.

    Looks like this frees me to go to My Heritage or another document provider when my current subscription runs out. Very shortsighted on your part.

  1685. Cam

    Terrible decision. The web is an incredibly valuable tool for research and sharing, but it is not where I want to store my master copy, not where I want to work with my tree. After many years of neglect, you finally built FTM into a decent program, and now you are killing it. If you can’t make money off the desktop-based software, you should consider raising your software prices or consider a recurring fee model. Please reconsider.

  1686. Richard Smith-Moore

    The on-line version is useless compared with the desk-top. I am very upset. The desk top version literally changed my life. Now I guess, I’ll rush things, do one final print-out and then unsubscribe.

  1687. Janet S

    My reaction to the decision to retire FTM was very negative. I came to this page hoping to find the bright side. After reviewing the volume and tone of the comments, I have to conclude that there is no bright side. I believe this to be a very bad decision on Ancestry’s part. Please reconsider.

  1688. PK Heffernan

    This is a HUGE betrayal for us and to your ‘values’ of family and it sounds like there is going to be a money grab attached shortly. I’ve invested time and money into FTM to construct my tree. I am proud of my ancestors, feel closer to them and want to find more records, info, et. al. Where is your value of family now? Shame on you. Count me OUT of Ancestry.com and FTM if you don’t fix this.

  1689. Robert Lincoln

    I’m stunned. Please reconsider. Even if you didn’t provide updates, support beyond 2017 would be greatly appreciated. There is so much detail and functionality in the desktop software that just isn’t available on the web site. What about raising the price to help support the product, or a subscription model? What about only updating it once every 2 or 3 years. Anything, just keep it going. I’d rather see the web site go away than see the desktop software go away.

  1690. Robin

    Wow! After spending years paying for and supporting you with online subscriptions and FTM and now we are just told…Oh well, too bad.
    Let’s see how that works when all your paying subscribers find a new site to support. I won’t be doing business with companies that forget who made them big in the first place. Bad decision.

  1691. Carol

    I have been using Family Tree Maker for decades and joined Ancestry because of the ability to search and down load records easily. Subscribed at the world membership for many years. Although I have not found the changes on your website to be especially useful I have always been able to work on my laptop FTM which is more robust as I have updated with your changes along the years. I also work off line a lot of the time and value the sync feature. I have never commented on the many changes as I recognize the need to appeal to a wide range of sophistication in your users. As a serious family researcher I would never have all my work kept solely on line, subject to business decisions, especially as Ancestry seems to be moving away from researchers who have been a core base for years. I teach classes for beginning genealogists and have always highlighted the combination of pairing FTM with Ancestry subscription. I would never encourage anyone to have all their work in only one place. Many of the individuals electing genealogy as a new hobby now will not stay with it for the long run. I would respectfully ask you to reconsider the needs and interests of those of us who prefer the sophistication, including reporting, available through FTM but not through your web based trees. And yes, I use your mobile app on both my iPad and android phone but could easily live without them but not without FTM on my laptop. While it would not be easy I will carefully explore other software options if FTM is truly not continued with support and updates.

  1692. Mike Goodall

    This is not fun to hear – I have paid for yearly updates for this software and the premium membership – so over £1000 on software etc that I will no longer be able to use . Its so easier to use offline and sync and will eventually hand on to my relatives which I cannot do online due to legal restrictions when you die with online accounts . I have over 1300 names in my trees and yet another set of 2000 filing cards my mother created manually more to add.HELP !!

  1693. David Murray

    What a short sighted choice on your part. Your program has worked well for me, and the interface of it with online is wonderful. Now – you chose to cut off the base. I have nearly 10,000 names in my family tree with the promise of so many more to add. It is a heritage going back over 1400 years, and you cut the base of a service that can allow such connections.
    Well, enjoy the choice you have made. You aren’t needed – not really.

  1694. Marlene

    I for one am not very happy about this. FTM completes what your website does not offer. I certainly hope that all the features FTM has will be available on Ancestry.com. I truly enjoy both your website and software program as my primary genealogy Go-To so I will be saddened if I have to use another software program after yours expires.

  1695. MjABeldin

    I was going to buy FTM at RootsTech this year so I could download my tree. However, I have been, thankfully, a long time user of RootsMagic, so will continue to use that program. The creator of RootsMagic is willing to have RootsMagic interface with Ancestry if they would allow him. Maybe we need to start that campaign. Saves Ancestry money but still allows those of us who want a desktop program to have that too.

  1696. John

    I began using FTM because it was the best product on the market. I began using Ancestry.com because of the integration. I will continue to use FTM until there is a better replacement. It’s ironic that Ancestry invested the time and money necessary to create a stable product with a feature set (particularly TreeSync) to make both FTM and Ancestry.com a decent value, then take awy the value of your “focus”. It is FTM I will continue to use, only now I will do it for free. I can take or leave Ancestry.com. I figure in another 30 years I will have exhausted all free data available. FTM is indispensable. You provide an upgrade and I will buy it. I will loose zero sleep over Ancestry.com becoming just another fold.com, newspaper.com or any other site that I DON’T subscribe to. Unlike many other commenters, I am not saddened that I will get to use the product for decades to come, completely free of charge, while saving money from no longer maintaining an Ancestry.com membership. On the bright side, the timing is perfect with the screwed up mess of a web design that’s being forced onto to me on 12/15 despite my repeated protests and declining the change. Clearly, Ancestry.com’s ” focus” is to cater to casual users. Unfortunately, the bean counting marketers forget that much of Ancestry’s value come from it’s serious “declining” genealogists using hard copies, offline copies and GEDCOM files. We may not add much to the bottom line, but we’re the ones paying you to allow us to make your service better for all those idiots featured in the TV commercials.

  1697. John

    It is clear that you want to move us from independent keepers of our data to trolls that are FORCED to pay an annual fee or lose all of our hard work. Shame on you GRINCH! Did your management not see what happened to Keurig coffee maker when they tried something similar this year? I will start my search for a new company tomorrow.

  1698. Bliss

    Devastated to hear this news. I echo all of the sentiments above. FTM on my desktop gives me complete control of my information. What about the “Notes” section? I haven’t seen that anywhere in the online version. Disappointed beyond belief after making a ten year commitment to this product.

  1699. Christie

    This is very alarming. Please explain the “go forward” scenario so that users have the same functionality as FTM provides.

  1700. Carlton Ellis

    I am amazed at my intuition! I have FTM for Windows and Mac. Latest versions of both. And I just bought RootsMagic and have been learning how to translate from FTM to RootsMagic. I have used the Treesync feature exhaustively – my main reason for buying FTM. Please develop that API for RootsMagic ( or Legacy) to access my trees. The GEDCOM 5.5 is a little lacking in smooth export-import – especially while you have the media files separate.

  1701. Carol Dixon

    Today, I deleted (retired) my 2 trees on Ancestry.com as I wasn’t comfortable leaving them on the website if and when I too decide to “jump” the Ancestry.com ship. In the meantime I too am looking at other options for my family research dollars.

  1702. If you are not selling the software, does the membership for Ancestry.com provide an online FTM? I have a very old version of FTM and was planning on buying this for Christmas.

  1703. Joanne

    Will be looking for alternative program to use as well as another genealogy site. Do not like having my trees on line.

  1704. This is extremely disappointing! Your announcement and timing during one of the busiest seasons of the year show a true lack of respect for your customer base. I have invested a significant amount of money in your products over the years. I hope you listen to the customers who have contributed to your success over the years! We are very unhappy with your decision and the way in which you have communicated your message!

  1705. Helen Fredell

    Incredibly ill-considered. You have sucked us in with frequent upgrades and now you seem to want to cut us loose so that you can chase some new shiny plan. I have invested thousands of dollars in programs, memberships and products. It it to support Family Search? That is not as helpful to use and I have not found a way even to put my tree into FS. Or maybe I should hand-enter 20,000-plus people and all their facts. And I don’t even like FS much or your Web-based cutsie program.

    I cannot imagine your doing this without having prepared some backup plan. Who decided to present this action as a fait-accompi with a whole two weeks to respond? And a Merry Christmas to you! NOT.

  1706. Keith

    You appreciate our feedback? Right!! Your sad customer service department is just ignoring all of these legitimate complaints. You have absolutely no guidance as to what the millions of Family Tree Maker users should do now. Talking about dropping the ball. Pathetic!!!

  1707. Susan

    This really sucks. I’ve used FTM for years. Referred by friends to buy this software. I’ve been using ancestory for my research and FTM for my personal use. This just sucks!

  1708. Simon

    Seems like more bean counters at work. The interaction between ancestry online and FTM is essential. There is so much additional functionality in FTM that the website does not (and can not) provide. Will you be moving the charting capability to the website (eg Descendant charts, and PrintAsOne pdf). FTM supplements the website in a significant way. Are you able to provide alternatives, or are you just abandoning your customers ?

  1709. sandy

    I’m verry upset about this news i used FTM for years and it was easy used and i could links my trees together please don’t do this the reason that the software is declining is the price most people can’t afford it

  1710. Des

    What is the alternative? Is it in the cloud? I certainly do not want it up there. Much prefer to have it all on my computer and easy access. Will have to look for alternatives. Not at all happy about this.

  1711. John

    I’m pretty sure by the volume of complaints here that it’s an obviously bad decision.

    Do you see this Ancestry.com?

  1712. Diane Badger

    I am shocked. I stopped putting my trees on Ancestry a long time ago. I got tired of people trying to connect to my data with their incorrect data. Then I had to remember who didn’t want their data shared and who did ‘t. I have several trees some with up to 14K names each and one with 200k names (yes 200k). plus several
    smaller trees. I am not about to put all this on ancestry. I need to be able to print out reports and charts. This is a terrible decision made by someone who didn’t bother to speak with their constituency. I will continue to use Ancestry as a always have as a stand alone research tool. As for genealogy software I will have to look elsewhere.

  1713. sandra hargreaves

    Looking at so many frustrated and upset comments makes me wonder when and where the questions asked will be answered. What a greedy decision. Just forget the gimmicks and restore the value of real family history research please.

  1714. Donna

    I am very disappointed in the decision also. I like to use my FTM and then sync to Ancestry. Now if I want them to be in sync I have to enter information in both places. I also don’t like the idea of only having the tree in Ancestry. While technology is great it can break down as evidenced when Ancestry was hacked a while back. Reconsider this decision please. It is not sitting well with your loyal customers.

  1715. Norry Sponse

    Jessica Murray: there is no need to sell the software to another company. You’ve already decided it doesn’t make money for you, so simply make it open source. A community will develop organically to maintain the software. Also provide an open API to your web site, allowing that open source desktop tool and competing tools to be able to sync. Since you have decided not to be in the desktop business anymore, THERE IS NO REASON TO NOT DO THE ABOVE! Wake up or you will kill off your customer base.

    p.s., To the lady who made the Obama comment, keep your politics to yourself. They have no place here. Nobody cares about your political opinion one way or the other.

  1716. Kristin

    What should we have expected? Ancestry is owned by the Mormons, who for decades have deemed themselves the keeper of all historical family databases for their own use. We have all been suckered into helping them compile this data, and now that they have what they want, they’re discontinuing our being able to use it outside of their paid subscription services. Screw all of us that want to have our own coy of all of this information that we’ve poured our hearts and souls, not to mention uncountable hours into researching. Greedy bastards!!

  1717. PETER

    It seems 1829 so far are unhappy with this, maybe if they take there tree off and stops using ancestry someone will care!!!!!!!

  1718. Mona

    this is too bad. I have used FTM since it was a DOS program – tried all the others but didn’t like them. I don’t use the website for anything but a research tool – one I didn’t want my stuff out there – too many things many family members ever need to know. Now I guess this means I have one year to find new software that I can work with. This is a real bummer! and one that all my family can afford – everyone in my family uses FTM. I am in my 60s and I am not ever going to put my stuff on line or out in the web world! I probably will not renew my Ancestry subscription when it runs out in 2017 also. I will be looking at Find My Past and others

  1719. Elizabeth

    I suppose I can still work on my family history without your support. Luckily I live in Australia and have alternate sources I can use for my family history. I have never put my tree onto your website and never will now. Off to the shops I go to look for new software. This decision is akin to the Microsoft 10 decision. Long time users not welcome – only those just starting out in the wonderful world of family history. Won’t be recommending Ancestry to anyone!

  1720. Bruce

    How pray tell, how are supposed to keep our “private” files private now? Not to mention the various current family history events such as murders, bigamy, child abuse, etc. that should be included but NOT be put up on line? Where do we record these events and people if ancestry.com kills FTM? The majority of the “private” files are the people that we are doing our research for and most don’t want their lives publicized. That’s why we do the research. Privacy. Taking down one of my family trees tonight.

  1721. Jim

    You should also update the ftm.com website to tell people that in addition to discontinuing the program downloads after 12/31, they will not be able to avail themselves to the many features described on the site.

  1722. John

    This is a really bad move. I started on this family tree 24 years ago because I need a better way to keep track of my files, you had the best at the time I started, and you still have the best. I just retired and was looking forward to doing my research and working with family tree maker. Not to mention all the people that I have told over the years that you were the ones to use. And now everyone is going to be left hanging out on the line. I will stick with you until 2017 only because I bought into your DNA thing but if you have no real solution by then I guess I go back to paper and pen.

  1723. Im So disipointed in you, I have been loylal to your company since the 1990.s. I teach a large class of genealogist and now you pull the rug out from under us. And with out any notice, I was wondering why my new students were having a hard time finding a new set of FTM14. I even called last week and no one mentioned that you were dumping all of us. Well I for one am glad my $300. subscription is up this month so after at least 5 years of faithfuly paying you my donation, will no longer have too. I am sad that you have no plans or reasonable solutions to this problem. I do have Geni and My heritage, I will be advising my students to switch. If you do wake up from this nightmare and reconcider let us know soon.

  1724. Mona

    How much money is enough, for one CEO to make? Most of us have spent years and years gathering PERSONAL information that we DO NOT want out there on the internet. I am certain that most of our comments will not be seen by anyone that matters at Ancestry but I am comforted that I am not alone in how I feel. I can’t imagine being that one person in your company that recommended this, knowing that you have managed to alienate many long term loyal customers in ONE email. Does it make them feel powerful that they have contributed to the bottom line? I would hate to see your bottom line next December. It’s always about the money.

  1725. Laural Alexander

    I am also very disappointed. I find the on-line tree to be almost useless – I only upload my FTM tree to the Ancestry site to aid in research and allow my family to see it, but it is far too limited to be my primary repository. With the surge in Ancestry’s popularity, it seems to be targeting the casual researcher, rather than those who have a serious interest in accurate, well-sourced information. I guess it’s time to see what other options are out there, both for tree software and on-line research.

  1726. Surely this means you will INCLUDE the many report collections NOW available on FamilyTree Maker! It is only THROUGH that FTM that I’m able to collect needed information on a single family group! AND, your new formats have never enabled me to do that or publish any reports — they’re too big and I cannot view siblings of individuals like that provided by FTM!!! There has ALWAYS remained the NEED for FTM.

  1727. Merrolyn

    I will spend the next year finishing up my family history and then cancel my ancestry.com membership. You keep “improving” the site, which is now hard to read and hard to use. Have been paying for this service since about 2001 and for many years really enjoyed using it. Now, not so much.

  1728. Marcus Wardle

    Just had a look at these comments and nobody likes Ancestry withdrawing FTM. Will Ancestry bow to public pressure and reverse its decision?

  1729. Larry Marker

    I find this VERY disappointing! I use both FTM and Ancestry, and being able to sync them together is a very valuable feature of both. While the FTM program will probably keep functioning after support is dropped, the lack of syncing will be a serious loss in value to both the site and the program. I hope you take steps to allow continued use of the program after support is discontinued. As it is now, if you have to reinstall the program due to buying a new computer, or installing a new Operating System as a clean install and have done so too many times, you have to call support to get a new activation code. When you drop support, I hope that you provide activation codes that do not expire. Better yet, don’t drop support!

  1730. Chris StJohn

    You folks are eliminating the best part of the Ancestry tools, incl report writing! I actually HATE your new interface! It takes up too much real estate and it harder to navigate. Please say this is reversible or you will lose my subscription too.

  1731. Angi

    There’s a high cost to losing a customer.
    “It costs about 5 time as much to attract a new customer as it does to keep an existing one.
    “In the average business, for every customer who bothers to complain, there are 26 other who remain silent.
    “The average wronged customer will tell 8 to 16 people (about 10 percent will tell more then 20 people).
    “91 percent of unhappy customers will never purchase good or services from you again.
    “If you make an effort to remedy customer’s complaints, 82 to 95 percent of them will stay with you.
    And then there’s the ripple effect comes with reputational damage.
    Ancestry with FTM made sense for me as a serious genealogist. Without FTM/Sync it doesn’t – there are free services and other commercial offering with better quality control.

  1732. Bob O'Dea

    I am angered by this announcement today. The second last paragraph was a slight; quote “we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community.” Are you suggesting that your family tree maker community, probably all of which use Ancestry, are not loyal? I retired 14 years ago and took up the creation of a family tree, as a hobby. I now have a combined tree of in excess of 2500 members. I have used others as contributors, providing them with; descendants reports, pedigree charts, family group sheets, etc., to research and feedback information. I also use the calendar report to provide over 150 people with birthday and anniversary reminders. Is Ancestry going to replicate these type reports? Closing down family tree maker in 13 months is not going over very well. I hope you will reconsider.

  1733. Judy

    I chose to use Family Tree Maker for 2 reasons;
    1. I could download all the contents of my trees and identify errors more readily as well as have the digital copies of my source documents readily available when I am visiting family and not online, and
    2. I don’t have to make a gedcom of the entire tree to move the information of a new person in my tree to RootsMagic that I use to sync with FamilySearch.
    Will there be syncing capability after 2016?
    I think that with this decision, you have angered a lot of people and, quite possibly, lost a lot of subscriptions, both current and future.
    I have used Ancestry when FamilySearch did not have any online records for my ancestors. I want to be able to use both Ancestry and FamilySearch as I find different things in both places.
    I don’t use your app because I cannot get enough information regarding my ancestor when I am checking out a shaky leaf. I always end up using the internet browser on my tablet because it can show me the information better. I also don’t like the new format. I don’t need a story format for my ancestors.The program doesn’t pay any attention to previous information when putting together information about a world event. My grandfather’s brother immigrated to Canada from England in 1911 but the program said that at the beginning of WW1, he was probably living in England. It does not do a good job of relating to the ancestors recorded information.
    Please change your mind regarding this move as the older generation do find it difficult to learn the technology that you are forcing on them. I’m the oddball, I am a bit “tech savvy”, but even I don’t like change if it’s not necessary. FTM is necessary.

  1734. Tom

    This is an astonishing decision and a real slap in the face for your many software subscribers over many years. I switched to FTM about 2 decades ago and have been a loyal customer ever since upgrading my software whenever necessary, buying a new versions when I switched from PC to Mac and subscribing to your site when I wished to use it – which wasn’t often. I have recommended FTM to many friends who have purchased it as well. Only last week I gave a demo on it to some new people telling them what a great product it was. It would take me many months to transfer all of the data I have onto another programme but at the same time I don’t want to store all my data on your servers. I want to be able to store my data where I choose. It is my data and I should be in control of it. Most of it was assimilated over about 25 years of vey hard work and not much of it came by way of using your website or records. What you are proposing is an attempt to hold your software customers to ransom and that is not acceptable. You are forgetting that we are your customers and we have supported you and your product for a long time. It is your loyal customers that have enabled you to build up the site and products that you now have. If you go down this route you will lose many of your supporters and the bad publicity that will ensue through social media etc will undoubtedly do you considerable harm. Like many others here I ask you to reconsider this backward step. You are also making a huge mistake in the way you are seeking to use a ‘cloud’ based solution. Other manufacturers (e.g. Adobe or Autocad) grant a software licence (e.g. creative cloud) and although paid by monthly subscription it permits me to use their software on my desktop but not necessarily store my information on their servers. What you are proposing goes beyond that and denies me the opportunity to use your software unless I store my data on your servers. This is an enormous mistake and you will already have noticed that you have upset many of your loyal customers and many more will no doubt follow. I hope that you see sense and reconsider this before you do huge damage to your reputation. I will be joining the growing number of customers that will seek an alternative solution elsewhere if you insist on going through with this.

  1735. Gail Vaccaro

    Add another one to your list of unhappy users. Are you going to offer same tools on the on-line account?
    I also don’t like new format that takes more effort/windows/keystrokes to obtain same results. I haven’t used long enough to be comprehensive in my list yet.
    You need to rethink your stance and admit that this action might not be in your best interest.

  1736. Charles B. Lee Jr.

    Well, I was going to renew my subscription next month once the holidays are over. Not much point in that now.

    You say that the reason for discontinuing FTM is because of the shrinking desktop market. That is completely and utterly FALSE. Applying a little common sense proves it. Most anyone who uses digital means to create, update and/or maintain a family tree is likely going to use a desktop or laptop to do so. Nobody in their right mind would use a mobile device to do this, especially once they get past a few generations and grow increasingly tired of tapping out everything on a touch screen. Furthermore, you apparent want to monopolize on a browser-only experience. Again, noone is going to want to do this on a mobile device.

    What’s worse is that, with the browser-only approach, you risk alienating a vast majority of your users because, even on a desktop, using a browser to enter family tree data with your lackluster browser interface is extremely time consuming and tedious compared to FTM. Not to mention, the site has far less features. With all of this being so blatantly obvious, the imbecile(s) in your marketing department that thought discontinuing FTM would be a good idea needs to be fired.

    But they won’t be fired of course. From a marketing standpoint, my guess is that this is simply a move to secure more profit. My guess is that Ancestry wants to migrate its users away from FTM in order to increase ad-based revenue and attempt to dramatically increase subscription revenue by offering “new features” on the site that are only available to paying subscribers.

    This will likely backfire of course. Ancestry is consistent in decreasing the value of its overall subscription benifits. This is a prime example, so its user base will decrease. There are too many free options for obtaining family tree information (such as FamilySearch & Google), so it’s user base will decrease. A user can still simply enter data into FTM, even after it goes offline in 2017, and avoid Ancestry.com entirely and not miss a thing. Avoiding Ancestry is EXACTLY what I plan on doing once FTM goes dark. I will be deleting my online tree and blocking all of Ancestry’s subscription-based sites in the Windows HOSTS file (Google it). I suggest others do the same. For once, let’s show them that decreasing the value of a service in order to maximize profit can and will backfire.

  1737. Jeff Smith

    To Ancestry Leadership, you’ve cashed in my trust. This is a huge breach of faithfulness and loyalty to your customers. As a FTM user since ’97 and Ancestry subscriber, I’m mad. Your web-based software presents itself so poorly it’s unusable which leaves your long-time customers no other option. Clearly from the comments above, you have more work to do before committing to such an irresponsible decision. Other companies may make similar decisions but their online software works the same as the desktop and still allows users to work offline or without internet access. It strikes me as odd for an institution that established its name on preserving the past, while convincing others to invest years of research, now has the shortsightedness to wipe away years of faithful data collection with one irresponsible decision. Your decision is on par with all the infamous floods and fires that destroyed some many records before. I don’t think I can speak kindly of your company again.

  1738. Mary

    I personally will update info and then remove my tree from your website. So many features and reports are available on FTM that you do not allow on your current site. Family Search is looking better and better.

  1739. Marilyn

    I was bummed this morning as I deleted my Ancestry trees. Somehow I now FEEL FREE. This idiotic move only proves Ancestry can not be trusted.

  1740. lynn

    Very disappointed in this decision. I purchased FTM in 1987and have used it regularly for nearly 30 years. Perhaps you should rethink your decision.

  1741. Ona Scott

    What are we supposed to do now. I, too, have spent a lot of money on FTM and Ancestry. I do not keep my trees on line. I guess I will have to look for something else.

  1742. Kevin

    As usual a company cannot see the forest for the trees. Unless you plan on totally revamping the web interface to replicate the functionality of FTM I am moving to another software and site. As someone who works with the cloud, web sites, and databases for a living this scares me to death to think the only copy of my data would be in your cloud.

  1743. Brenda

    I have been using ancestry and Family Tree Maker for many years, my online trees are for research and when I prove the connection or gather enough information to make it feasible to add to my trees I then synce to Family Tree Maker. This is very disappointing, if I loose this ability I may go with another service with software. Please reconsider.

  1744. Ti.

    Ancestry web developers better do a better job of making the site more intuitive and easy to use than it is now.It’s a clumsy effort.

  1745. Rosie

    I am very disappointed with this decision. I have been a user of Family TreeMaker since it first came out. The online program does not allow to you to add sources that are not part of Ancestry and I will NEVER put rely on all my information being saved online. I hope you change your mind or you will be losing a lot of valuable members who has helped make you the great company you have became.

  1746. William Davenport

    Dumping FTM has got to be the worst business decision of the year. Ancestry will lose customers in droves. This needs to be reconsidered.

  1747. Terry

    This is not a good decision. If there must be a higher charge for the software then let it be so. No company or person should have to produce a product or service that may be losing money. However I agree with the vast majority that feel this is not a good company decision. Like many others I sometimes work away where there is not internet access as I do research on my ancestors and thsi would appear to be not possible once TreeSync and other features are not available. There are also many features within the desktop program that are simply not replicated in the online version and that is also not desirable. Please rethink this decision and if reasonable additional costs are required then I think that many of your loyal users will continue to use Ancestry, if not you may see a significant decline in users and in the end result that could be a significant decline in your bottom dollar line.

  1748. Patricia Papernow

    I echo many of the comments above. I don’t see a SINGLE response from ancestry to any of these important concerns.

  1749. Francis

    Thanks for the sack of coal for Christmas. Take just a small portion of the millions that you make in your subscriptions and hire a few competent people to support the product. Read the thousand of posts and maybe the light will go off that this is a STUPID business decision that is alienating your clients. What the heck are ya thinking?

  1750. Pat

    Betrayal and greed indeed seem to be the words that apply, after all these years. Do you really believe that everybody wants their trees on your site and not on their own computers. I think the demise of the use of the home computer have been greatly exaggerated by people who want to believe it. In FTM you created such a good program that allows one to manipulates data in almost any way you need. Why in the world would you abandon that? It’s time to find other sources for the information you have on Ancestry.

  1751. PETER

    It seems that over 1830 people are unhappy with this, If all of them take there tree off ancestry and stop using them someone will care!!!!!

  1752. David Jonasson

    Count me in as aother disappointed user.

    While I understand the desire to not maintain two interfaces, there has to be a better way…..
    – I want to have a local (desktop) copy so I can own the data
    – A local copy will always have better speed than a web based application.
    – I want to make sets of changes before publishing to the web.

    And that is still ignoring the fact that I had to repurchase the software in the last 2 months as my computer crashed and I needed to restore my local family tree.

    VERY DISAPPOINTED.

  1753. rob

    You Greedy people should be ashamed. FTM was NOT a good program, anyway – full of legacy bad programming. I, among many, left it some time ago. But to shut down what is a lot of “genealogists” mainstay is reprehensible. True genealogy researchers have abandoned Ancestry.com because it’s so much garbage. Now, even your sheep may leave. It’s so sad that YOU possess the largest repository of genealogical info in the world. More $ to ‘ya.

  1754. Bellephena

    Ancestry has once again proven that it no longer is truly interested in genealogy, just profiting from it! The top people in this organization need to be replaced with people that actually want to further the industry and not just make money off of it. You can’t sell a product like you have FTM and then say “oh never mind, we don’t think enough people are using it”, just like you did with My Canvas and then brought it back when everyone screamed. For all of the surveys you take to pretend you are interested in what we have to say, did you ever ask about FTM and how this could be rolled out to everyone’s benefit? Like adding all of the bells and whistles from the desktop to your online version. Ancestry really needs to hire someone that understands how to make changes and sell these changes, not just make them…. I could go on and on as I’m sure everyone else could. Wake up ancestry before someone finally builds something to compete with you and everyone is so fed up they leave…. Find a buyer for the software if you’re so worried about profits, but don’t leave your loyal customers handing.

  1755. Gail Strickland

    BAD DECISION!!!!!! You say not many folks use the Old PC anymore, but I think you would be very surprised how many of us Baby Boomers still do because we have at least a couple of decades of family info on our PCs. After reading the other comments, sounds like you will be losing big bucks from Ancestry subscribers. I too do not want all my years of research “on a cloud”. Come on now, you need to please your long-term and loyal, as of now, customers!

  1756. How hard would it be to let those with the program continue to use it past 2017? I can understand no longer providing updates/new versions, but not being able to use it after then at all? Then again when I upgraded to FTM2014 it didn’t work right and now I can’t sync my tree between the FTM program and Ancestry.com.

  1757. Ken Keele

    How greedy, uncaring and self-serving to abandon the most useful product of it’s kind — and in the process to abandon tens of thousands of loyal customers. I don’t give a darn to have or post my family history on your website where it is out of my control. But I do want it in your well-designed data base program — FTM. I have literally spent hundreds of hours already entering my extensive family tree/history info into FTM, but am only about 2/3 finished. You have just voided my efforts, and in the process, literally robbed me of the purchase price paid for the copies of FTM that I have purchased in good faith from your enterprise. Incredible and unthinkable that you would do such a thing. Shame on you, you greedy bunch of inconsiderate pirating profiteers! May you reap your just rewards for such an unjust action.

  1758. Lynne

    Well, you sure made a lot of people angry very quickly. Perhaps a more well thought out announcement was/is in order. People need to understand the options going forward- ALL of them. File storage, sharing, functionality, etc. The software was really the gateway into the data for a lot of people. Without that, the databases become far more unwieldy and unappealing. i don’t have time to say everything I think about this move, but surely you must have thought through a SAS model as an alternative? Not an online model that requires one to share records, data, eye, but a true SAS system. Cmon, you can do far better than this. If not, bring in someone who can.

  1759. Joanne

    How do we now fill in the holes in Ancestry when we no longer have FTM. How do I trim branches, keep my info on my computer etc. ? Very disappointed!

  1760. Virginia

    Like many customers, I have limited access to the Internet. Over the years, I have kept paying my membership even when I have been unable to use it. Australia is a huge country and many of us have Sattelite internet with very limited download. On weekly or monthly visits to town, we can download enough onto our desktops to keep working on FTM at home. I have been researching my family tree for over 30 years …back when you had to write letters to get documents! Much of that research is now on my desktop and FTM has been a pivotal tool in this. Though Ancestry may think this is a good financial decision for their company, those of us who have paid thousands of dollars in Membership and software are the losers. On a pension, it is difficult to keep the membership going, but it’s been a great journey! I’m sorry it’s coming to an end. It seems these people are heartless.

  1761. Erica

    I use Ancestry.com web and app based as my primary source for updating my family tree and FTM as my backup source. The only reason I purchased FTM was to be able to create reports instead of using outdate family group sheets. Every time Ancestry.Com and Ancestry DNA email me a survey about their website I say the same thing, I want the ability to export my records to Excel so I can filter the data and look for commonalities or other criteria. It would also be nice to create charts from Ancestry such as fan charts like I’m able to in FamilySearch.Org.

  1762. cj

    Well there may be an upside to this. It will leave a gap in the market and hopefully some discernible person or group will design a more robust and functionable system. This decision appears to be a lazy one in my opinion or perhaps it is just a cynical approach to doing business.

  1763. Charles

    Now the software is discontinued, when the 2017 or now on, I will not pay for the service for a long period of time, maybe one month or none at all. Maybe delete the account after this software stops!
    That got me very upset, yet alone, I hate your new web site, it mess up my info and I can’t find anything on that stupid page or any page, friendly at all.
    Again I am very upset with Ancestry. I have been looking for family search for 5 to 10. Not anymore, that this upsetting news!!!!!

  1764. JoAnn

    There are many good, or better, genie software programs to select from. I’m pretty sure Ancestry will accommodate your need to keep feeding their database your work. Start shopping for a new software now, most have free trials,load a sample file and see what suits your research style.

  1765. John

    I just purchased FamilyTree Maker 2014 on December 1, 2015. I would like a full refund of the purchase price.

  1766. Bill Lee

    The retirement of Family Tree Maker is very disappointing as the history buffs who have selected your product use it to maintain their own family history records and files. We use and are big fans of both your desktop and online subscription versions of products. We chose it because of the synchronization of the products.

    I happily maintain both options at the moment but I maintain the desktop version keeping an eye on the Ancestry.com subscription fees.

    At over $400 a year the fees are very high compared to other SAAS systems subscriptions in other market areas available but we pay a premium for the convenience of the interaction between desktop and online.

    The desktop version provides me with the comfort that if the online version becomes too costly to maintain I will not loose all my many thousands of hours invested in researching my family history.
    To come out with a short announcement that the product is dead and not offer an exit strategy for your clients is very poor project management and your marketing manager I would expect should be very embarrassed on the poor advice they provided to the senior management on how you should deliver bad news.
    In our business environment at the start of this year the Adobe company retired one of its software system. In their case Adobe had a considered and planned exit plan in place that was included in their announcement and made arrangements with a competitor (Jotform) to enable users to port their data safely and easily to their system and not loose their data and investment in the product.

    What arrangements is Ancestry making to support its customers who have made a commitment and large investment into your product to assist them not losing their history records, or are you just cutting your loyal clients loose to fend for themselves and taking the stand they will just go online and pay more money? The management team needs to go back to the board room with this and reconsider the hasty bottom line driven decision.

    Lets hope Ancestry come to its senses and continue to support this product or failing this demonstrate they are a professional software business and put in place a considered and planned exit strategy to support its loyal customers of Family Tree Maker.

  1767. Nadine Tolley

    EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED!!! I have used only FTM and Ancestry for many years. Money will be wasted from updating to 2014 and buying Companion Guide. I am 88 years old and do not have the years and years at many hours daily to reconstruct my almost 10,000 persons entries.
    I have recommended FTM and Ancestry.com to dozens of people. WHAT NOW???????????

  1768. Linda

    Please don’t do this. I research using Family Tree for a non profit helping people connect to their ancestors. I would be lost without it. I’ve been on ancestry for YEARS. I would hate to have to start over elsewhere. Please don’t Please don’t

  1769. Sam

    FTM was recommended to me recently. Glad I haven’t purchased yet or subscribed to Ancestry yet (was planning on doing both this month). Will go elsewhere now. Let me know if you change your decision, then I may change mine.

  1770. Debra Demeester

    This is the one reason I kept with Family Tree make and my Ancestry tree. Now I’ll be looking at other places to have my tree and perhaps move to a more robust software. I’ve seen so many changes by Ancestry that were made without consulting users. Your online family tree is not nearly as comprehensive as the software. My one question is this: What non-genealogist made this decision?

  1771. Sarah Frances Gobin

    What a disaster………FTM software is why I use ancestry. I guess I won’t be renewing ancestry when my subscription is up. I need FTM-I can do without ancestry.

  1772. Donna Crocker Chambers

    I wish to add my name to this growing list of very disappointed customers. I purchased Family Tree Maker in good faith, as well as my Ancestry International membership to work together with each other. You have made an extremely bad decision. You should be listening to your customers.

  1773. Sylvia Bonnet Thornton

    I am so disapointed in you now that all has changed and plus Family tree make is no longer be sold and it will stop working in 2017… shame on you guy I have beenwith you for I believe 10 years I will no longer be a member I will finish my contract to March 2016 and I am finished with you.

  1774. Edgar Hayden

    This is absolutely absurd after twenty some years of using your software, you are abandoning your faithful users. I will cease using Ancestry.com for anything.

  1775. Shirley Guenette

    I am very disappointed to hear you are abandoning us. I have been using FTM since the early 90s and have gotten a lot of useful information from it. What would you suggest we do to replace FTM?

  1776. Alec Spencer

    Dear Ancestry,
    Your announcement is surely an error?
    I got my first FTM in 1993 on a 3.5 inch Floppy Disc. I have used it ever since and upgraded on a regular basis since.
    You will see from your blogs – nearly 2,000 in the first two hours, that the idea of stopping Family Tree Maker is going to be BUSINESS SUICIDE for you. People are angry, and justifiably so. It will destroy everything all the people who use Ancestry have worked over many years to build up.
    Please REVERSE this business decision. If you ignore the voice of your customers it is likely that within a relatively short time that you will cease trading. It is as SERIOUS AS THAT! Businesses do not survive if they forget their customer base. You may not mind going under – but we have spent years researching family history and using FTM as the data-base platform.
    Myself and others will turn away from the Ancestry services and databases and you will lose your income stream.
    Please convey my message and those of the nearly 2,000 bloggers to the CEO before it is too late. Thanks

  1777. Jeff Traeger

    I join the chorus of disappointed users.If I choose to continue to use your software, without support, will the existing links into the Ancestry web site still work or will they be diabled?

  1778. Laura C

    Not wise. I want a refund on my software. I’ve spent years using and upgrading each time and would prefer to work in family tree maker than on the ancestry website.

  1779. Melinda

    I just recently purchased FTM and quite honestly feel a bit taken advantage of. You could have at least offered more of a discount knowing you’d be discontinuing the FTM software. That was a bad decision. I thought carefully before deciding on what software to purchase and got many opinions on the matter. I’ve been a long standing Ancestry.com member for many years and was looking forward to working with FTM more and the things it can do which the website cannot. What is the next move for seamlessly storing the data? Might have to rethink my subscription going forward and who I suggest use Ancestry.com in the future. NOT happy that I spent this money only for the product to become obsolete one year later or that there’s not even an explanation on a transition. Customer service is my business and this isn’t a great example of how to treat a long standing customer.

  1780. mike shea

    This is just like the music industry- kill the hardware of CDs and go with streaming. It’s about the software. Ancestry’s new owners have been wanting to make their model all about using their stripped-down family tree on the website. Ancestry doesn’t want to be for serious genealogists who want to add tons of information and photos because it’s such a smaller market. They make more money doing it like a gym does- you do huge promotional campaigns to the general public encouraging them to come join to find out their ancestors (easily, to boot) and then those casual users are locked into an annual fee but they don’t come back often or just not at all after the initial building of their tree. They make more money off of the casual (gym goer) than the hardcore ones. So thus why Ancestry is being so simplified for the general public. The casual visitors won’t use the FT software. Only die-hards do. So, less money to be made so cut it. I’m going to print out all the reports I can with my FT software and start looking for another system to use. Maybe I’ll go back to Reunion for Mac. The genealogy market is booming but it seems to be going backwards when it comes to being actually useful for those of us with giant trees and many years of research. Remember- Ancestry.com is owned by venture capital guys now- what’s more important? The bottom line. It’s about the return on investment and the story this summer was that the current owners were rumored to be putting the company up for sale next year potentially. So they’re flipping the company for a bigger profit. (In October 2012, Ancestry.com agreed to be acquired by a private equity group consisting of Permira Advisers LLP, members of Ancestry.com’s management team, including CEO Tim Sullivan and CFO Howard Hochhauser, and Spectrum Equity for $32 per share or around $1.6 billion.)

  1781. Lady Jessie

    Not cool! The sync is the reason I bought the program to began with and the only reason I still use ancestry. If this is followed through with, I will be cancelling my membership with Ancestry. I spend too much money on a membership with you, for you to bail on the best part.

  1782. sheldon18

    In less than two hours, well over a couple of thousand customers have commented and do not support your decision to discontinue support for FTM. Imagine how many more members of the genealogy community will weigh in between now and Tuesday 22 Dec! How could you have done this to us?

  1783. Reverend Milton Eugene Futch

    I will continue to use Family Tree Maker – going back to the stand alone Genealogy tracing – and discontinue my Ancestry account when my subscription expires.

    Sorry to hear of your decision without polling input from your loyal customers.

  1784. Byron Lewis

    You’ve got to be kidding me!!!! I’ve been using FTM since the mid 90’s, ancestry.com was a backup to that, not my primary application… I have many trees on FTM, but only keep 1 on Ancestry. I don’t want to have to have to keep everything online. The new version of Ancestry.com sucks, don’t like it at all, wish you had stayed with the old version, and now you are saying I’m going to be forced to use it and only it!!! WTF!!! How do we create the reports in Ancestry? How do I create a GEDCOM file from Ancestry? How do I do any of the many things we can do on FTM that can’t be done online???? I don’t think I’ll be keeping my ancestry subscription after this. I also use MyHeritage.com and it comes with it own MyHeritage Family Tree Builder, a free download application you get with your subscription. I’ll transfer everything to their system and pay them the subscription fees. What then happens to my data on Ancestry??? I’ve paid to have it on there, once I stop paying can I delete it, or do you get to continue using it for free??? At some point you people need to start paying attention to your customers.

  1785. LLDavis

    I can’t say any more than others how distressing this is. An explanation as to how Ancestry believes it will overall continue to provide a service of value is in order. For me and most everyone else here, it has been the integration of FTM with online tools and sources that have been the value of the product.

  1786. Colin James

    EXTORTION is the word that springs to mind…. Ha! Ha! We have all your years of precious work locked up on-line and if you want to see it you will jolly well have to pay what we want. Well users. Panic ye not. There will be a lot of family history companies out there who will quickly grab the chance to write compatibility software with their products and we shall all be moving away from Ancestry in droves and probably to something better. Bean counters, as they usually do, are seriously missing the point at Ancestry. Without FTM there will be no incentive for us to stay. There are several very good sites available for us to move to. And we will.

  1787. Carol

    For the past 6 months, the relationship function does not work and the sync function had worked off/on poorly. I too do not like the new format on ancestry.com and perfered the old way. I do not know if I will continue with Ancestry, since for quite some time I have not been happy. As for help when you call in, at no fault of the customer service, they can not help with many issues. Very unhappy. I have worked on my families for over 20 years.

  1788. MKath

    Bad! Bad! Bad! Does anyone at Ancestry actually THINK anymore? Such a disservice to your loyal customers! It’s difficult enough to have to work with New Ancestry with its cluttered, oversized pages and its inane and inaccurate LifeStories. Now this news. You’re taking another decent Ancestry product and ditching it. Many users depend on FTM for storing family tree information and for producing a variety of reports. It seems that everything is being done to accommodate people who use mobile phones and tablets for genealogy. These devices with their small screens do not work very well with large trees. So what does Ancestry suggest we do when FTM is killed? Are you going to come up with, or suggest, a reliable product or method that works with the data on our online trees? Are we going to have to revert to pre-computer methods to produce reports and charts? After eight years of diligently searching on Ancestry, I have no good feelings for this company. You’ve taken my money and used me.

  1789. Terry

    Clearly you did not consider your customers in this decision. It is just as clear that there needs to be more competition in this market place. When creating this many unhappy customers you run the risk that someone else will come along and give them everything they want. I hope so.

  1790. Gordon

    What will you replace FTM with? What is the name of the new product, when will it be available, and how will it be better than FTM?

  1791. Texanita Cole Royal

    This is a bad business decision on ancestry.com’s part. You have been selling and supporting the software Family Tree Maker. You have upgraded year after year. Now you say you will discontinue Family Tree Maker as there has been a downturn in sales (implied). As far as I know this is the best software available. Maybe you are not promoting the benefits of its use to people doing genealogy. Maybe you should consider the thousands who use it. Maybe you should fire the person who made this suggestion and decision. I, for one, do not like the new layout you trotted out there like we as customers would fall all over ourselves saying how wonderful it is. It is cheesy, confusing, and does not have a professional look at all. Now, you have made another decision that apparently is contrary to your customers wishes. HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOUR CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY NEED AS FAR AS IMPROVEMENTS, ADDITIONS, ETC? HAVE YOU EVER POLLED YOUR CUSTOMERS TO SEE IF THEY BELIEVE YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR LAYOUT? I love the new material you add to help us in our research. However, you are not considering your customers at all when you force a decision like cancelling Family Tree Maker on each of us. Please, please reconsider this decision. I think if you will read these emails you will see how unhappy so many of your customers are with your decision. Cancel this decision please and keep Family Tree Maker. See if your customers are not elated to have Family Tree Maker restored. Respectfully submitted by a 10 year user.

  1792. Kevin

    I feel betrayed in that so much work has gone into recording media, and family information into this tool. But, it’s all about profits isn’t it, not the supposed “mission” of helping people trace their roots.

  1793. Judging by the number of negative reactions you have received so far, I would HOPE that you will reconsider either maintaining and updating the current softwares yourselves or allowing another software firm to purchase the rights to the PC AND MAC versions of the software. All the concerns about the features of FTM that we do not find on Ancestry.com are very real. But I don’t feel that just adding those features to the online family trees will appease each of us. At the very least, please give us longer than the remainder of December to grab all of our files now on the website! CHRISTMAS is this month and a lot of us have a lot to do without having this added time-consumer to deal with accurately.

  1794. Diane

    Such a terribly disappointing decision! It feels like bait and switch! How in the world did you come to this decision? Not by listening to any FTM genealogists! Please reconsider.

  1795. I feel disheartened and betrayed. I have been very impressed with the publishing capabilities of FTM and there is nothing comparable on Ancestry. com. Genealogy is important work and your decision forces your customers to take time from their research to examine alternatives that provide the profile of services that FTM offers that ancestry.com does not. What are your plans to continue to provide these services? If you have none, you have made a very poor business decision, the results of which will be more than evident in the next year. Your investors will be as disappointed as your customers are now. Did you think to consider how much of your database is the result of your FTM users? Did you consider the impact of them removing their data from your system? Their family trees are a valuable resource for ALL of your customers. Did you consider how this resource might be impaired by this decision?

    Please reconsider!!!

    thanks,

    Dennis Aron

  1796. James Currie

    I have been using FTM since 2006. You have apparently have not researched this decision with your client base.just about everyone doing genealogy research does it through a software program like FTM then link it via the website as a easy way of sharing information and getting additional information from online users, then it is added and synced with the program on your computer at home where you can continue to add to it offline. As a longterm user of FTM and ancestry. com i am bitterley disapointed about not being consulted about this decision. I hope you read all of the comments ptovided to you by your client base that has made ancestry what it is because without subscribers and a stand alone software platform to work on offline you will not havd a client base fir very long

  1797. Edward Peters

    This is a most distressing decision. It means my only access to my current data will be on your internet site, leaving the door open to higher and higher fees. I have spent several thousand dollars with you company over the past 15 years. I have been satisfied, although the fees seem rather high. This action undoes the trust I have developed over the years. I don’t know that there are any really comperable websites, but I will begin exploring my options. Very upsetting! Ed Peters, member since 2000.

  1798. This is a bad, bad move for Ance$try.com for sure. Just when I was anticipating a 2016 version to be announced which would interface all the better with a tree sync’d online! Looks like the almighty dollar wins out again. Don’t count on me renewing my subscription!

  1799. Becky Stephens

    I am so saddened and confused as to how I will conduct my genealogy research and maintaining of my trees. My Family Tree Maker Trees are far more important to me than the trees I keep on Ancestry. I do all my work in the FTM and then sync to Ancestry. The interface between FTM and Ancestry is why I have used FTM all these years. I have no desire to keep my trees only on Ancestry … they are there only for my backup and to hopefully aid in other members research. This is so disappointing.

  1800. Patricia Baron

    This has got to be the worst idea you folks have had. You already made changes after changes that were not necessary. FTM software has always been excellent and you really should consider changing your programs to FTM and not vice versa. I will be looking for another program. I too have paid a fortune from my first investment in FTM and never expected to be without it. FTM was superb as it appears most people feel and Ancestry wants to take it away and give us what your people think is good. Please …..your version is not even close to FTM.

  1801. JanetStJohn82

    This is devastating news”! I have used your products for nearly 18 years! During that time, I have become a complete quadriplegic from MS. I use the computer with an Eyegaze system. Functions accomplished easily by hands, requires much longer for me. And now you will drop this income producing product because you have made an investment? And what of the investment of time, money and brain power of your loyal customers? This is shameful! The many dissatisfied customers who have spoken only today, should convey the very great distress you will cause to thousands of people who have supported you!
    I do not wish to store to the Cloud-I want to make my research sharable with family without having to use my remaining weeks, months or years of my life, trying to rebuild what I have collected. Please reconsider!

  1802. Bob

    What will happen to the information I have on FTM once you stop supporting it ? I have years of research on FTM.

  1803. Roger Hastings

    I prefer the choice of keeping my data to myself, on my computer, without the continual OR intermittent need for a subscription. There are certain portions of my database that I simply don’t want to put online, nor do I want to have to pay for the subscription simply to enter data obtained from other sources, nor do I want others to see all of my sources.

  1804. ann dodd

    connected with I hope all the posts I have read plus my own have some effect upon you, and you come back to us with a rational answer because this last bit of correspondence is thoughtless and most uncaring .Thankyou

  1805. JessicaMcManus66

    I want to mention two software/online tree options that are out there. I have not had the opportunity to check them out fully even though as of tonight and the annoucement about FTM, I now have full access to BOTH.

    MyHeritage.com has online trees and the Family Tree builder Software. (This site & software have a FREE option so you can check them out.)

    And Heredis2015 has online trees and software as well.

    Both these option have a sync function like Ancestry and offer the option of private trees.

    Also, if you are leaving Ancestry behind and are worried about your DNA. You can transfer your raw results to FTDNA. Just google Family Tree DNA free transfer.

  1806. Greg Leimeister

    This is a big mistake discontinuing FTM. I have used it ever since it was originally started. I don’t believe Ancestry realizes how many people use it. What do I do now? I was disappointed over the years how the upgrades discontinued things. For example I had notes like when people graduated, what their jobs were, etc. You dropped those off your software back in 2012. Plus I documented where my info came from. You decided to lump all that info together into one big file. You’re moving your company in the wrong direction.

  1807. Steven

    I can only guess that Ancestry.com feels that they are making too much money and has decided to get rid of some of their customers by making one of the most stupid business decisions of 2015!

  1808. Ian C

    I am extremely upset and disappointed to learn of your intention to abandon Family Tree Maker. It’s easy to use, with very useful functions – far easier to maintain a tree than using the awkward, and not very user-friendly, interface in Ancestry. For this reason, I have maintained my tree in Family Tree Maker for a number of years now, but do find the synching with Ancestry and the “shaky leaf” function very useful. I do not wish to have my tree stored solely on-line. Therefore, I will probably keep FTM going for as long as I am able, but I will need to be more fastidious in making regular backups. When January 2017 comes round, I will seriously need to consider whether or not to continue with my subscription to Ancestry. Please, please do not abandon your faithful customers by ditching FTM!

  1809. Ashley

    I realize that you are looking at capturing the average user market in order to expand and grow; however, please remember it is your more advanced users, ones who need offline reporting tools (as internet isn’t always available in cemeteries, court houses, etc.) in order to advance their research. Your website has no ability to look at data beyond names. I need to be able to search my tree by location, relationships, etc.

    The tree sync feature is of crucial importance to me and without it, I will be one of many pulling my data from ancestry’s website.

    Do not forget that you live off your community as much as we live off of you.

  1810. Jim

    I think your blog is sending an important message! Your cuctomers are unhappy. Your are taking away a ton of features with FTM that you do not have else where and will be costly to replace. I echo most others in their disappointment. Please do not do this!

  1811. Elizabeth W

    Considering Family Tree Maker is the only software I know of that is actually useful in any way, I can’t see how I can continue researching my genealogy, something which is extremely important to me. If you could enlighten us regarding how you propose we continue this, it would be much appreciated. Otherwise, I will most likely give up on Ancestry altogether, which is something I don’t want to do, but I really don’t see that I have another option.

  1812. John Blackburn

    I have NEVER seen so many blog entries appear so quickly after an announcement. Could this be the response to a unwise strategic decision?

  1813. Faustene

    I am so disappointed in this decision. This is one of the poorest business decisions I can imagine. I can’t believe the people who decided this actually do genealogy work themselves. This is just a way of making people continue to pay (at ridiculous prices at that) to let them access their own data. I have been with Family Tree Maker for over 20 years and have contributed to Ancestry via FTM info that you must pay to belong to Ancestry if you want access. Forget it. If you want my information and research, you can pay me. I’m going to start looking elsewhere since you clearly see dollar signs instead of customers. I’m so disgusted.

  1814. Joe

    Legacy Family Tree might be an alternative company to do business with. What other software packages do ya’ll recommend?

  1815. DH

    This is more than disappointing. I have used FTM before it was a part of Ancestry. To be honest, I minimally use the trees on Ancestry. Even though we mark our family trees private, who owns the content???? It is not an option to maintain my database in the cloud. Again, who owns it?? And,….. Can we download our tree from Ancestry? Point is, does this not mean that we must maintain our membership to continue access to our trees?? Answers please. I guess I will go back to paper and pencil as I had done when I started researching 38 years ago. BTW: I have had a copy of FTM for maybe 25 years and I spent $75 at that time.

  1816. Elizabeth

    I called Family Tree Maker, and I think those of you that have read the previous comments need to also. Some of the information that everyone talked about is incorrect. The notice about what is going to happen with Family Tree Maker is not accurate, unfortunately the notice did not give a clear picture. So call them

  1817. Scott Baldwin

    This is a very bad business move. I’ve bought every release since 1994, even the data discs that no longer worked when you dumped their support. To now toss the product in the bin and leave us without is not smart. I might not renew my annual subscription and move elsewhere. Please rethink this.

  1818. Lorne

    Would have been more professional if they had at least did so forewarning instead of waiting until they got most of their yearly automated subscription completed. Mine was just renewed yesterday. Hard pill to swallow but I render that the boardroom bottom line(more profits) won over from the real business of individuals trying to piece together their ancestry. I can just see all the new companies popping up that will create tree reports for you, options would include saving your data plus send me your personal records and we will incorporate it for you and yes we do charge a premium. I suspect these to be new companies created our of Ancestry. Isn’t it a lovely world when you owe more than the market share and oh by the way thanks to all you paying customer for building your trees and paying use to let you do it.
    Bottom line I want to know what options they are offering

  1819. Ann Oelheim

    Obviously, no one is happy about this decision. I do not do the bulk of my entry on line. I will put on Ancestry only what I want to share, and will not do all my work on the website. After a previous program I used (Ultimate Family Tree) was so outdated it couldn’t be installed on a new computer, I spent nearly a year transferring all the data to FTM. If Ancestry goes solely online, I will be doing this again to another program. Any serious genealogist would not trust their research on the Web only, without PC backup. Sorry, I do my work on a laptop, and will continue to do so. I hope all the negative comments here will cause you folks at Ancestry to reconsider.

  1820. Colleen

    I am so sad and mad! Family Tree Maker is what got me interested in researching my family trees. I have made amazing booklets from this program. What will be available now?

  1821. Barbara Lewis

    Allowing FTM to disappear clearly tells me that the profit motive is the driving force. Commitment and care for the customer is eroding. You are taking away my major tool in the development of reporting my genealogical findings. That is an act of brutality and callous management. The top folks do not care about their customers. And I can tell you, there may come a time that you pay the price for that. Your CEO will command a grand salary then move on when the popularity of genealogical research “corrects” and the current trend disappears. But by then your current CEO will also have disappeared. So conclusion: budget money to support and regenerate FTM. Tell people it exists. Help people to learn how to use it… you don’t do that now.
    Barbara Lewis

  1822. Donna Kanyan

    Just how can we pull off all the information that we have on our Family Tree Maker and save it? We have trusted that when we bought the program,it would be there for us to use–Are you wiping it off everyone’s computers????? You can’t imagine the number of hours that many of us have put into working on our genealogies and plugging it into this program!

  1823. Judy

    Very disappointed is an understatement. I have not been happy with some of the “improvements” to Ancestry.com lately, but I can live with them. Like most of the people on this blog, I like having the desktop version that I can access anytime and I like what I can do with it. I have not been doing this for decades, but information I have found as put me touch with cousins I never knew I had. I can only imagine that this is the first step by ancestry.com in making research more difficult. At least my family is relatively small and I can move it elsewhere and support a different business.

  1824. Gail Strickland

    BAD DECISION!! There are more of us PC users than you think. We have 20+ years of work saved. I personally don’t want mine “on a cloud”. Sound like you will be losing a lot of $ from long time loyal customers!

  1825. M

    I wish to add my voice to those above, and to express my anger and contempt at this announcement. I use FTM only partly as a window into ancestry.co.uk but mostly for its core function. I will be using neither in future if this goes ahead. If you expect me to transfer my family tree consisting of >3000 individuals to an online-only system, and then to be tied to that system for the rest of my life (or until you take a ‘commercial’ decision to stop supporting that service), then you have another think coming. My tree contains information that was sourced totally independently from Ancestry, over >30 years, by myself and other family members, and I am not willing to transfer it lock stock and barrel to your server. Despite the massive effort that it will take me to transfer the information in my tree to a software provider that I can trust, I feel that I have no option. Family tree research is a life-long activity, that requires a long-term support. I would have expected Ancestry to appreciate this, and to take its responsibility seriously. Sadly, it seems that this is not the case.

  1826. Carlos J

    Wow. Really? I’m extremely disappointed in that decision! I’ll be canceling my subscription…after I download all my data with my copy of the software.

  1827. douggrf

    When I saw the number of comments on this post, I was blown away. This is a record! Never before for a blog of this company!
    FTM standalone software is an important tool – trying to undermine it, by taking away support in increments.
    I am beginning to understand that Ancestry does not understand what business model it started and definitely has a very limited outlook for the future. Too bad….!

  1828. Betty Marek

    I’ve been working on my tree for over 46 years and used other programs, but switched to Family Tree Maker years ago, even though I liked some of the other programs better, because everyone else was using it, and then the sync feature was really great. I even talked several relatives and some friends into using FTM and subscribing to Ancestry. Am SO disappointed Ancestry has decided to throw the serious genealogists under the bus, and concentrate on getting subscriptions and social media. It’s about the Almighty dollar! Thanks, Ancestry, for the lump of coal in my Christmas stocking!

  1829. Dale

    I have several concerns related to this related to the functionality of Family Tree Maker that Ancestry does not have
    – How will we be able to create and download and print a genealogy report and/or chart for some or all of our tree?
    – How will we be able to download our tree complete with all the linked documents (retaining their links to the individuals in our tree) and be able to edit them in the future if and when Ancestry.com no longer exists?

  1830. Cassandra Skidmore

    I bought your first version of FTM and many versions – and countless CD’s (before things were as nice as they are now). I just recently updated to the newest version a couple months ago. It not only saddens me as I have wasted money on something that I will not be able to use (treesync plus many of the other features) – but also because there are obviously many of us who have trusted Ancestry on many levels – only to have things taken away again. Something that Ancestry has to remember – it is us “old birds” who have been working on our trees for many decades – who are involving the future generations. Without us – you wouldn’t have grown to where you are now. How are we to encourage future generations of taking over our work – when we can’t say that the company we have worked with – will no longer support the very software that they sold us? The task of keeping family records was given to me by my father – who got it from his mother – I am not sure who she received it from. I am in my 30th year of doing it – so you can imagine how long our family has been doing this. I don’t want my money back – I want Ancestry to rescind their decision. We all make mistakes – this is obviously one that you need to accept that you have made – admit it – apologize and then let things get back to normal again.

  1831. Lynda

    I will drop my ancestry efforts period! At the mercy of ancestry not to destroy a tree when hacked. Those that do have online tree will have many more errors because they cannot research for accuracy before publishing. First you make a mandatory pathetic format for your NEW ancestry and then you destroy and discontinue FTM!!! I will not be ordering any more DNA kits either as that will be way to cumbersome to try to research w/o our PC tool FTM!!! FTM tree synch was ancestry’s major PLUS! No more. Very sad and a real regression.

  1832. Donna

    I am very disappointed. How will be able to print off reports? I like having information available w/o Internet. I use both FTM and Ancestry. That why I subscribed to Ancestry and purchased FTM. Bad business decision, in my opinion.

  1833. Barry Breslow

    While I am sad to hear about the demise of Family Tree Maker, I am amazed at the level of discontent from users. I have been using FTM for two years now and really do like the software. Recently I purchased a copy of Legacy Family Tree and have been learning to use it as well. I will continue to subscribe to the Ancestry.com service as a research tool. FTM is just one of a dozen Genealogy programs on the market. Some of the others may not be as pretty, but have many more options than FTM for reporting and organizing your information. I had absolutely no issues moving my tree data and media over to Legacy from FTM. The whole process took under 30 minutes. I imported the GEDCOM I created in FTM into Legacy, and it automatically linked to all of the media files that FTM automatically downloads from Ancestry. The only thing I will have to learn to do now is remember to download any new records manually from Ancestry and link them to the ancestor myself. Oddly enough, this is how most genealogy softwarre works. We’ve just gotten a bit spoiled by FTM.
    I think it would go a long way for Ancestry to allow the syncing of trees with FTM to continue after 2017 for those that wish to continue using it, however, it certainly is not the only game in town.

  1834. DLF

    Very poor decision, for reasons enumerated in previous comments. But what’s really amazing is how poorly it was presented to users; a really amateur move and a big mistake to alienate your user base. I work in end user software support, and our application provider has been preparing us for YEARS for a switch to a web based version. Development of a replacement application that has at least the same functionality should have preceded the announcement. There should also be a clear path to export data in a format accessible with industry-standard tools. Dumb move folks; I suspect you’ll become a how-not-to-do-it case study in business school text books.

  1835. Bellephena

    Actually… maybe we’re all doing exactly what they want, bitterly complaining about them discontinuing it so they can prove to someone how valuable it would be to buy……

  1836. Martin

    Disgusted as are thousands of your loyal customers, this is the last straw, If and when you stop support for FTM I will remove my trees from Ancestry.com

  1837. Karen BK

    This is really awful. Why would Ancestry think this is a good idea. What I really want to know is what was the idea that Ancestry thought was so stupid that this idea is the smart one.

  1838. Debbie

    This is an idiotic decision. I am a Mac user, and FTM is really the only option I have that does what I need it to do. You need to rethink this very poor decision.

  1839. Linn

    This is terrible. I don’t want my tree information on ancestry. I love Family Tree Maker. It is the one product you have that is really good. If I have a tree on ancestry I can make it private BUT information I have put on that tree you make available to others. I have paid lots of money through the years for records I have in Family Tree Make and don’t feel it is fair for others to have access to it at no charge. If you can’t come up with keeping it or replacing it you force millions of people to use other companies like yours. What a waste on your part.

  1840. Robert

    This is backward step. Like many others I find there is functionality in FTM that is just not available in Ancestry.com – Find another way!

  1841. Virginia Lloyd

    What the heck happens to my tree that I’ve worked since 1970 to build using your software from the time it came out???!!! Your dumping all of us like you did the MC DNA that you collected. There should be a law. I have paid you thousands of dollars to use your software and your site and now you do this to everyone??? I’ve helped index records, given all my information to you to share with the world and you want to abandon everyone. Your biggest problem is the lousy FTM software that you can’t seem to get the manufacturer to fix. The reports, etc. are great but the software needs a complete overhaul. How much are you going to charge me now to get on your site – I’m sure you’ll blackmail everyone to be able to get to the trees that were given to you.

  1842. Lauren

    Are you offering a replacement product? This is very odd, terminating a service and not suggesting one to replace it.

  1843. Rob

    If you think your software is insignificant, give it to one of your competitors and see how many of your customers leave

  1844. Philip Buckland

    Out of order! Why stop this software? I buy the new updated one every time it comes out, I did try and use just the on line one on your site but it just does not do everything! The PC based program is much more efficient and easier to get more information into it. Please rethink this decision, you have happily taken my money for over 10 years and I have been happy to renew the software every time a new version comes out. Well I guess like many others I will be deleting my Ancestry tree and moving it to a site that supports the on line / PC based links. On that note can those on the forum please paste any sites that you find that can cater for this. Thanks Ancestry but goodbye!

  1845. Cathy Gray

    So after using FTM for almost 30 years, I am now being deserted by Ancestry.com. Not only is losing the ability to work offline a tragedy, FTM has capabilities that Ancestry does not provide, i.e. reports, etc. Will these features be added to Ancestry? Also, instead of paying for an upgraded copy of the FTM desktop software every few years, I will not have to pay Ancestry annually at an even higher cost to maintain my data. It seems Ancestry.com has lured us into uploading all of our data to their site via FTM, but will now be leaving us “high and dry”. Seems to me this might be a good reason to initiate a class action suit against Ancestry.com. Anybody know any good lawyer specializing these type cases?

  1846. John

    Ancestry to Retire Family Tree Maker Software!
    Worst decision in corporate history?
    Users say YES!
    #SaveFTM

  1847. m Smith

    I too am terribly upset about this news. I have used FTM since version 1 from Broderbund. I hate this news. Don’t kniow what I will do yet but something.

  1848. Michael H.

    I am extremely disappointed and will be looking for another service to satisfy my genealogy research needs.

  1849. Jeff S

    Will Registered Guests (non-paying members) still be able to log in? It seems you have left us all in the lurch with insufficient information. When are the details of this going to be revealed? What bad customer service, you have pi**ed off a lot of people!! Way to go!

  1850. Rob Potvin

    I cannot begin to tell you how devastating this news is. I have paid for years for an ancestry.com membership. But this is not where I get all my information and/or sources. I have relied exclusively for years on FTM on my own computer to keep my family tree, and all my sources, which are no longer in paper but have all been scanned. Like many others here, I prefer to control my own family tree and sources and backups on my own computer. This was an unfortunate decision. As others have asked – please advise what software we can purchase that can handle the transfer of all family tree information.

  1851. Denise

    Ancestry online cannot compare to the feature rich FTM. FTM is an invaluable tool – and you are going to toss it in the trash… Really? Without migrating those tools to the online? Really? I cannot express how upsetting this is. I’ve used FTM for 25 years. TreeSync was a wonderful addition. Please rethink this decision. Or at least let a third party software company purchase FTM.

  1852. Sandra

    Outrageous decision. I want my work which I began in the 1980’s on my computer with documents, photos etc. I do not like the mobile app, it hasn’t the ability to maneuver as the desktop version. Who can get anything done on a phone or pad. What a blow to your customers.

  1853. ann O'Keeffe

    Your announcement has put me into a total panick. I was going to buy the current software in order to sync all my trees and then be able to print the results to share iwth my family. To discontinue this seems shameful and a disservice to your loyal customers. As one of the largest most respected companie in the world of geneology you should listen to your customers. I have been with you for years and years and upgraded in order to access the research materials I needed. this day is sad as it makes me wonder if I want to continue to use your services. Heartbroken at your news and a wish that you will reconsider this devastating news

  1854. Randall Lyon

    Approaching 2,000 complaints in three hours. Perhaps you failed to reach out to your customers before you made this decision? I will be cancelling my subscrption to Ancestry on Dec 31st. That would be the same day that you turn your back on me and the program I have been using since it first came out.

  1855. Barb

    As I type this, I am doing a final sync and unlinking my four massive trees between FTM and the online version. Once completed, I will be removing the four trees from the online service. I will downgrade my membership, which is suppose to renew next week (great timing eh?), from the current World membership to a Canada only membership saving a bundle of $$ in the process. Then, over the next year, I will seek out and move to another service. I have been a member of Ancestry for multiple decades but there are alternatives.

  1856. Hpsweet

    Do we get our money back then? This seems to be a common practice\. The fees to join are high, we spend hours of our time collecting the information that we cannot even KEEP if we let the membership expire – Typical gimmick .

  1857. Michele

    This is horrible news. I use the FTM to run lots of reports. These are so useful when I am meeting with family members who can provide me with updated information or confirm the information I have. They are also helpful when out doing research at historical societies or places that have resources that are not online. The mobile app helps when doing research but it is slow and I can’t always get a connection. Reports are a necessity and Ancestry.com does not provide anything like that. I think it is a huge mistake to get rid of FTM.

  1858. Debbie

    The main reason people subscribe to Ancestry is because of FTM. Take the FTM away and people will spend their hard earned money elsewhere. I, for one (and I am sure I am not alone) will be cancelling my membership/subscription if this goes ahead. Doesn’t look good for Ancestry. Fewer subscriptions = less revenue for Ancestry.

  1859. Roger Lustig

    What will replace the Places tab? The ability to see all the people who lived in a particular place?

    What will replace the Publish tab? All those reports–can I make any of them at all on the website? Print them? e-publish them?

    What will become of easy source attribution? Uploading images one by one, then laboriously linking them to fact after fact–sounds miserable to me. Ctrl-shift-S is easy. Or don’t sources matter any more–unless they’re part of the Ancestry library?

    For that matter, the Plan tab has some useful functions. Like planning!

    You folks got a whole lot of developin’ to do!

  1860. candace

    I have invested a ton of work on my FTM, having been with FTM since the beginning. I do alot of work offline. How can I use it if I am offline? Wondering if any folks on this forum have a suggestion on what new genealogy software I should purchase to get ahead of this?

  1861. Jo Morris

    Thanks Patrick Barnum – will be looking into Legacy Family Tree and RootsMagic.
    Well over 2000 complaints in less than 3 hours??

  1862. Chris

    NO! Who came up with this stupid decision???? PLEASE reconsider. Been a loyal customer for years. FTM is the only way synchronize and to print out all of my years of hard work. I see no reason to keep my ancestry.com account if FTM cannot be used. Family Tree Maker provides a great way for printing out various reports that can be shared with family. Not to mention the ease of adding information from additional sources. What software will be used as a replacement?

  1863. Linda

    As many people have already said, they will be little reason to continue my paid sub without the desktop software. Working on my trees online in the web interface is much slower and more complicated that in the software. The new interface is mostly horrible, and doesn’t have any of the reporting features or data checks, and requires a high speed internet connection to be able to access your tree. Horrible business decision.

  1864. Kit Cosper

    So, Ancestry acquires FTM, recognizes revenues for growth purposes, then EOLs the product. Classic Silly-Con Valley shell game. Is it safe to assume that Ancestry will now provide those of us without unlimited bandwidth complementary data service via satellite or cellular? One size does not fit all, as evidenced by the pages upon pages of negative comments that have surfaced in the few short hours since this announcement was released.

    Looks like it’s time to move on.

  1865. Jackie T

    Like all the others, I am very disappointed and am somewhat angry, I too use FTM as a backup and now I will be going old style and printing off pages and pages. Will rethink Ancestry!!!!

  1866. Jim

    Well, I WAS considering getting a new subscription for Christmas, but no way that’s going to happen now. I don’t think you considered what is going to happen to your subscription base with this news. You are going to lose a lot of people there as well.

  1867. CBurch

    I’m not going to say anything new here but just wanted to add my voice to the many, many I had to scroll through to add this comment. PLEASE DONT DO THIS! I’ve paid hundreds of dollars on ancestry.com subscriptions and to get FTM software (and updates) over the years. I justified this because I was able to keep my local copy of my tree to get reports, browse through with family without being connected to Internet, etc. I won’t get on a situation where my on copy of my tree is on a proprietary site and not have ability to setup customized reports. If we all have jumped to wrong conclusion, please set the record straight quickly. If not, I’ll be spending the year getting all my information in a format that I can transfer to another software tool and cancel my membership.

  1868. Dustin A

    I teach classes all voluntarily without pay, for our local chapter and highly recommend the software that your discontinuing to all of our members that attend we promote your company very highly and this was coming is a large disappointment! Please reconsider keeping family tree maker !
    myself I have thousands of media in my family tree maker that will disappear when all these features are disabled ! i’ve been a loyal member and pay the company a lot of money over the years !!

  1869. Susan

    I too have used Ancestry for years and have over 4000 entries from 45 years of research. This makes it difficult fir those of us who have researched so long. Disappointed does not describe what I am feign.

  1870. Tom

    All the big software houses have moved to the cloud, Adobe, Apple, Microsoft, etc. Most software house don’t want to ship anything. Their money maker is streaming. It is all about money. The only choose you will have is to find a software developer that is willing to ship DVD’s. I’ve used FTM since the beginning, I’ll be sorry to see it go. But there will be some other company wanting the business. Ancestry will lose in the long run. I’ve been using desktop software since 1979, and many, many of those in business in 1979 are no longer around.

  1871. Elizabeth W

    I just want to add that I find the software extremely convenient, particularly as, being a full-time university student, I cannot afford to fork out hundreds of dollars on subscriptions that I won’t have the time to use effectively. Looks like, in twelve months’ time, I will be looking elsewhere.

  1872. Rebecca

    As many others have already said, I am EXTREMELY disappointed in this move. I really hope you will listen to us, your customers, and change your mind about discontinuing Family Tree maker. I saved for an entire year scrapping together my pennies just to afford buying FTM and now it is essentially not going to be useful after December 2017?!?

  1873. Jeffrey Edwards

    I have used Family Tree Maker for a very long time. I actually worked for Ancestry.com and handled the phone calls of many of those who, like those who have written above, have Family Tree Maker. I can tell you from personal experience that FTM has been and continues to be a better product than Ancestry.com resources. You may be making a better financial decision from all you can see, but you are making a terrible corporate decision. I have stopped using Ancestry.com and I only use FTM these days. I have told my family and friends to do likewise. Now you make this horrible decision. You seriously need to reconsider this decision. I guarantee you that you will lose more money than you will make. I intend to tell the entire Facebook world of your tragic mistake so that you feel the reality of our collective concerns and reverse your decision & hopefully fire the person or persons who made this decision.

  1874. Jill Markwood

    After 25 years of loyalty to Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker, I cannot believe they have decided to stop selling the software. Which means that eventually it will stop working and the only way to have a tree is by paying a pricey subscription to their online service. If you don’t pay your tree and all your research will be gone. This is extortion and I am ditching Ancestry.com. Does anyone use Legacy Family Tree software? If so what do you think or is there another software that works as well?

  1875. Frank Williams

    It is my sincere hope that, with the OVERWHELMINGLY negative response to this decision – over 1400 comments within an hour of it’s posting – that Ancestry management will realize what a poor decision this truly was. The evolving tenet that anything can, and should, be accessed online couldn’t be more flawed. People need to have the option as to where they want something as personal as their genealogical data to reside, as well as having the option of when they can access it – i.e. while away from internet access. Please reconsider this decision.

  1876. Regina

    Very disappointed by this decision. No explanation on how we can be supported. Not willing to upload my personal data and hardwork with the possibility of it being compromised. Looking for other software! Generations!

  1877. Rick Coughlin

    So what WILL replace Family Tree Maker? As convenient as the online Ancestry site is when on the road, it doesn’t seem to have the same feel and utility as the software. How about making Family Tree Maker available as a full blown app for desktops?

  1878. John

    Thank you for the notice. I have been considering buying several DNA kits, and the only selling point for Ancestry.com’s is that it would link into my FTM tree. Now that it will no longer be true, my decision is so much easier. 23andMe has superior genetic testing and now has the same amount of integration.

  1879. Arthur

    Very bad decision. The cloud is very under powered compared to a desktop/laptop. I primarily enter new data through FTM and sync the data with Ancestry. The Ancestry web interface is cumbersome and offers very little value. Should Ancestry pull FTM I will have no choice, but to remove my trees from Ancestry and find a different software platform to run on my computer.

  1880. GERRY

    After reviewing all the above comments, I only find 3 that think dumping FTM is a good idea. Quite a sample! Further I’m pleased to learn that I am not the only one that finds the website to be of such poor design and barely usable. Tomorrow I start looking for a replacement for FTM and my 20000 family members. Best correct this foolish decision quickly…

  1881. Chris

    NO! Please reconsider your decision. Terrible way to treat your loyal customers who have given you hundreds of dollars every year to do their research.

  1882. Anita

    I am in shock. Have used FTM for many years. (Started with Version 2 or 3.) Have 58,000 people in my database. On-line doesn’t always work for me. I go many places with my laptop with no access. That’s why I keep Ancestry as a back-up,not the primary. Have a couple of books in progress as well. Don’t have a clue where to go from here. Not sure what I will do about my Ancestry subscription. The price goes up while the service goes down.

  1883. Jennifer

    I cannot believe how shabbily you are treating your loyal customers. Just wow!
    For anyone here on Facebook, look up Save Old Ancestry.com Classic. Lots of info there for moving on.

  1884. Amy

    Add me to the list of those that happy with the decision. I’ve been a user since the mid-90’s and I like the control the desktop software allows me. I do not like the child-like interface of the cloud program. It’s not the money, it is the user experience. Darn. Just darn.

  1885. Ron

    Family Tree Maker was on five of the Christmas lists I received. Five Legacy Family Tree Deluxe 8.0 will now be under the Christmas tree.

  1886. Carolyn Hayes

    YOU DELETED MY COMMENT THAT I HAD ALREADY CANCELLED MY SUBSCRIPTION AND I ENCOURAGED OTHERS TO DO THE SAME IF THEY WANTED TO. I USED NO PROFANITY OR INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE AND YOU STILL REMOVED IT. I HAVE FREE SPEECH AND I DID NOT DO ANYTHING WRONG, PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU

  1887. Hugh

    I didn’t read ALL of the comments but I think I probably agree with most. All I’ve got to add – after working for a large international corp.- is this. The almighty DOLLAR reigns. All hail the $$$. Like most corporations in recent history you viewed us the same way Human Resources does. Note the word Resources. Humans are resources like so many lumps of coal. Burn them and then discard the ash. You sold the company and now you are selling us down the river. May you be forgiven for such treatment. In time I too will forgive, I hope.

  1888. Geoff

    This is extremely disappointing news. There is no comparing the usability of a page oriented website with the keystroke level interactivity of a desktop application using multiple windows. You are really hurting your power users with this decision. Over 20 years I’ve moved my genealogy data base forward to new software three times. FTM is not only the most capable and user friendly product, but it also supports many features that are not available in other desktop products. I’m not sure I have a viable path to keep moving forward.

  1889. Judy

    Please reconsider! Family Tree Maker is the only software that I have ever used for my Family Tree. Since 1996!

  1890. Larry

    I am truly saddened to hear that you have decided to end what has to have been a very lucrative business for you, and an invaluable tool for the amateur genealogists who simply want to trace their family history and learn more about not only themselves but their ancestors and their nation of origin

  1891. JohnH

    Well Kendall Hulet, in less than three hours there are now over 2000 comments blasting your decision, and nobody supporting your decision. I think you may have introduced this generation’s New Coke moment.

    Save yourself by publishing a sync API and making the software open source.

  1892. Gary

    Assuming you will not reverse your selfish decision. I will welcome your competitors to start Now taking your customers away by providing a tool to port FTM to their platform. You have now neglected the loyal elderly users that use FTM (apps are not easily learned). This is a comforting pastime that you have yanked away without really caring. This decision will cause idle hours for many now and possibly less reason to live more when still wanting to provide simple ancestry information/charts to the family. If you extend the date below “Commenting is open until Tuesday, 22 December 2015” you may really find out how many contributors/members you Will lose.

  1893. George

    Ancestry – please read all of these posts. This is truly the “voice of the customer”. You have an amazing market opportunity here IF you do the right thing. It is obvious that your customer base is well established. Kendall Hulet, please think twice about this. Wrap your arms around this opportunity and make your product even better. If you go through with this, you will also lose me, my family, and as many friends as I can persuade as continuing customers.

  1894. caroloveson

    I can’t believe what I have read. I have spent thousands of dollars on ancestry and as a senior working with genealogy since 1975, and using starting with FTM since it’s onset to the present day and spending money with ancestry.com to the tune of 300.00 a year for a world membership, I think your latest decisions really need to be evaluated. FTM sync was the best thing Ancestry ever did. The worst was doing all of hollywood’s genealogy while we seniors and many others are paying full price to hunt for years to be able to finalize our genealogy endeavors. I am going to download all of my trees and put them on a
    lexor back up drive.

  1895. Joe

    Very disappointed! I have used FTM for about 20 years and ancestry.com about 15 years. I guess we will have to look for another program to feel the void?

  1896. Brian Richards

    Two hour since the announcement of the forth coming demise of FTM and about 2000 comments on this blog just about all of which are saddened, incredulous or outraged. I wonder how many of those executives at Ancestry who are responsible for that decision actually have used FTM and have their family tree on Ancestry, may be they should try it and see how angry we all are. I wonder if they have ever heard of focus groups or market research and how about Customer Relations?

  1897. Arthur

    Nahh … unbelievable! well at least im pleased to see that none of your users is happy with this. NONE! i wonder who at Ancestry did the ‘hard look at the declining desktop market’? Geppetto??

  1898. Craig L

    Horrible idea. The ability to work offline is a massive benefit especially when you work on genealogy while in foreign countries or rural areas with no internet access. You would be fools not to reconsider. Everyone in the world does NOT live on smart phones.

  1899. Sue Pepper

    I am unhappy with your decision. I use the software when I am traveling and unable to connect with the internet. It has been essential for me to keep my information easily available and show others while I am researching. Your new web site does not work well with me. I believe it is probably designed for beginners and not hard-core researchers. The loss of the software will impact me in a very negative way and I will look for alternatives.

  1900. Jim Allan

    I have been doing my family research for close to 50 years now and have been a very proud owner of Family Tree Maker from the day it became available. A matter of fact, it was through Family Tree Maker that I found out about Ancestry.com and became a member of it as well. To say I am very disappointed about the news of your decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker, would be an understatement. But if it does come to be that you do discontinue Family Tree maker at the end of 2016, then I’m afraid that I will have no choice but to discontinue my membership to Ancestry.com at the same time. If you wish to call my actions a tit for a tat, then so be it, but I personally don’t think you deserve my business anymore if you follow through with your decision. Please do the right thing and reverse your decision before you see, not only me, but thousands of other dedicated Family Tree Maker users discontinue their Ancestry.com memberships. That in the long run, will cost you much more then if you left Family Tree Maker the way it is. If you’ve actually taken the time to read my comments … or any of the other comments listed on this site … then I hope that you will understand just how we all feel before you do make your final decision! It’s never too late to do the right thing!

  1901. Janet E. Hale

    So very disappointing. First the new Ancestry format now this. Hope neither will become reality!

  1902. Betty Bubrig

    I have been a FTM member for 15+ yrs, upgrading numerous times. How can you take such a valuable Genealogy tool away from us? This program gives much better forms and gives the benefit of notes, etc. This should definitely be the least thing you do. I belong to Ancestry and sync often with my FTM. I intend to find another genealogy site and will no longer need to PAY for Ancestry.

  1903. Sharon

    So, you’re forcing everyone to use your online tree – for a costly monthly price, of course. What happens when Ancestry is subject to another DOS attack? Last time, you were down for days, but I was still able to continue working on my tree because of FTM. And the online tree features are horrible compared to FTM. Bad decision, but one based on milking as much money out of the customers while not providing much in return.

  1904. Paul Boylan

    I cancelled my membership earlier this year because I think the cost is too high. $80.00? Give me a break. I’m also not going to play the game of waiting for the price to go down temporally.
    I have supported FTM for many years. I’m assuming Ancestry.com will be the only way to access my genealogy records. So what if I don’t have internet access, what then? This is a bad decision on Ancestry’s part. I agree with every previous negative comment and from the looks of it there aren’t too many positive ones.

  1905. Melanie

    I am adding to the chorus! This is a shortsighted idea that is alienating your users. I’ve been VERY disappointed in the performance of the tablet version of Ancestry to the point of getting ready to delete it! I have the space on my laptop to see all the data presented plus data I already have. The organization and publishing potential on Family Tree Maker is just not available on the Ancestry site. Family Tree Maker is the user friendly interface your site needs.

  1906. Ann

    I am very disappointed with the powers to be at Ancestry. I echo my disappointment and anger at the decision to drop FTM. I have used both FTM and Ancestry. I don’t see any point signing up for ancestry again.
    I find your fees are very high. Our information benefits Ancestry as well as your information helping us. The membership should have some say!

  1907. Trevor Dunkerley

    I have introduced 23 new members to Ancestry & FTM in the last 18 months – what for? A sad decision. Clearly your customer loyalty means nothing to you. After all these years as a member I feel totally betrayed; and actually angry!!

  1908. Marilyn

    So this way you have complete control of what others have worked so hard to accomplish. Not only have you taken control of all the free genealogy sites on the web, but now you want to control subscribers trees so that they have to pay to have their family history. Shame on such a greedy company.

  1909. Rod Hoare

    For those of us with poor internet access FTM is our main operating platform. We have slow unreliable internet with very limited data allowance. This decision will make my family history work very difficult.

  1910. Dian

    I have used FTM since it’s inception and the ONLY reason I remain a member of Ancestry is because of the integration. I can use Ancestry at the library, which is free on site. I have 30 years of research in FTM and the ability to Sync allows me to use my lap top or ipad whilst away and still maintain all the information on my Desktop. I do not like the new format of Ancestry, but keep my membership (which is very hard on a limited income) for the purpose of FTM sync, so once this feature disappears, so will my membership.

  1911. Roger Hastings

    I’m mad as a hornet. I prefer the choice of keeping my data to myself, on my computer, without the continual OR intermittent need for a subscription. There are certain portions of my database that I simply don’t want to put online, nor do I want to have to pay for the subscription simply to enter data obtained from other sources, nor do I want others to see all of my sources.

  1912. Tina

    Please think about your loyal customers and reconsider this change. Years and years of hard work and no tool to preserve that work locally. Who made this stupid decision?

  1913. Martha Boone

    I am furious about this, all the years of hard work that I spent providing ancestry with good research as well as the thousands of hours of my time entering over 40,000 names I entered into findagrave only to have ancestry take it over.

  1914. Chris McMillan

    Just read your, plainly, uncaring email. No, repeat, NO concern for your “Loyal customers” here. Been with you for many years, and it appears no thought has been given to the aftermath of 2017. Just explain how we continue without the software. I teach many people about this product and the Ancestry link.
    No more. Disgusting treatment. Not expecting any acknowledgement of this so won’t be disappointed.

  1915. Roland Young

    am extremely angry at this decision. Now, all of my work and data in my software is all for nothing. I strongly urge that this decision be reconsidered and reversed or a reasonable alternative should be provided. I trusted Ancestry.com by buying this software and you have screwed me royally.

  1916. Mark Gunnell

    Just want to say how unhappy I am to hear of your decision to discontinue FTM. I have been using FTM since I became interested in genealogy in 1996, and have a considerable investment of time in your product.
    I know it doesn’t make any difference to you, but there are some of us using your products that are not comfortable putting our data on the web with the attendant potential for security breaches.
    I had been looking forward to a new release that would continue to improve on FTM, but I guess I need to get used to being disappointed.

  1917. heathja42

    Most people who are upset about this will not take the time to comment. Look how many have. Do the math, Ancestry. I am disgusted by the greed.

  1918. Katherine Dougherty

    I am really disappointed. I just upgraded within the last 2 weeks and can’t believe you’ve decided to make this decision. I work for a software company, and I’m having a hard time swallowing your statement “These changes are never easy, but by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community.” Reading through all these other comments I know I’m not alone. You’ve made a very bad business decision, and time will tell.

  1919. The desktop software is one of the bast part of Ancestry!! The ability to have access to the records without going on the site was a major plus. Plus all my records are available online AND on my PC. Please rethink this decision. You can see from so many of us that we still want the software and are willing to pay for it as you make significant improvements to it. Bad business decision!

  1920. K. Sammons

    I am astonished! This is the worst decision you could have made. I do not like having files only online on someone’s site, and I have many trees on FTM; years of work with many docs, sources and photos. I have miles of notes, what about them? The capability of FTM is not available on Ancestry. What are you offering as an option? Which other software program can I move my files to. You have not provided FTM users any options. Please help. Surely you are going to do something for users who have paid for both for years. I made a committment to Ancestry and FTM, and you should be committed to your users.

  1921. Louisa Hampton

    :-(( What a nightmare. BAD move Ancestry. Looks like i will be doing a transfer to MyHeritage FamilyTreeBuilder, it also synchronises the tree with MyHeritage.com and they would not disrespect their costumers like that

  1922. Bob

    I’ll be moving all my trees over to the MyHeritage.com desktop software. So long Ancestry, you’ve become less relevant.

  1923. Deb

    Wow, what an awful decision. What are you going to replace this with? Echoing everyone else’s concerns. This is especially galling because I only purchased the software a few months ago and have been recommending it to others.

  1924. Ginny Reeves

    Ancestry doesn’t allow you to make the various charts and reports that I use on a regular basis. I currently am researching 7 different families and MUST have a way of delivering reports and charts to the people I am doing research for. WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON? I have been working on these genealogies ever since FTM came into being and all my research is there as well as on Ancestry but Ancestry can’t give me what I need! This is a huge mistake.

  1925. Michael

    This is terrible news. Your web site is no where as easy and efficient as FTM. Where will all my data in notes be stored? I will continue to use FTM until I find a software that fills the void.

  1926. Ken

    Very sad, indeed. All good things must come to end including my financial support of Ancestry.com. FTM is my primary tool and Ancestry.com my back-up. No reason to continue my subscriptions once the ability to sync goes away. Jan 1 2017 my tree on Ancestry.com gets deleted, too, if not sooner. Farewell, Ancestry.com. It’s been fun.

  1927. Sandra L Denny

    I am also very disappointed as I have many trees with as many as 20,000 + names I did not want online. Just got Family Tree Maker for the Mac. Feel got taken advantage of since was not told discontinuing. Been using around 20 years. The online does not do all the software does either. PLEASE RECONSIDER.

  1928. Jenny

    Don’t have time to read all of the responses but concur that this is a horrible decision and leaves FTM uses(since 2003) high and dry- and just when I was about to re join Ancestry.com.

  1929. Carrie

    What a bombshell. Please reconsider what you are doing and think about all of us who use the FTM. We are not all computer savy to make switches. I have many thousands of names in my connected tree going back to 1685. FTM has so many options to work with. Very disappointed.

  1930. Gay Kohl

    I am so glad I cancelled my Ancestry membership last August after MANY years of being daily involved with the website – the new format is NOT compatible with me, and I echo so many other comments seen here that ancestry is not interested in customer support. I felt betrayed the same way when myfamily.com got shut down – 3 years of work gathering info and posting shut down.

  1931. Martha Marshall

    I hate the new Ancestry website but I have learned to work around the problems I have with it. Once it no longer syncs with FTM I will definitely cancel my Ancestry membeship.

  1932. Gary Holtum

    I pay you $189 a year so I can search Ancestry through Family Tree Maker, software I have had for years and this is the thanks I get? I also paid about $40 for FTM several times as it evolved over the years since Broderbund days.

    Believe it or not there are other places to search for data besides Ancestry. It is very convenient to have software on a laptop to record that data. Especially if there is no internet connection.

    I do not want to have my years of work solely on the internet.

    I don’t like your nerw interface that I guess we are being forced to use.

    Seems to me you are demonstrating a total lack of understanding of your customer base.

    If you are not going to continue to support FTM then I will cancel my subscription.

  1933. Judith Walker

    I have used FTM for over 15 years. Apparently you do not value your customers needs when deciding to do away with FTM software. Since so many of us have contributed our family research to Ancestry.com, you have our research information that we used FTM software to compile. Oh well, we can all learn a different software, just keep in mind that we will remember this when another developer comes out with a better software and database for our research! We won’t forget this!

  1934. Graver

    And after no downloading and all your documents/pictures are attached to your ancestry tree, then Ancestry will make all trees public and share/display all your stuff while making money off your personal trees/pictures

  1935. Dolph Lohwasser

    I have always been wary of spending so much time and storing information on the Ancestry.com website but have had solice that I had FTM to back up this data on my own computer and generate very useful reports and information that I could share with my relatives and others. Well my fears have come true. I will immediately begin to consolidate my research on my home computer and eventually cancel my subscription to Ancestry.com as I can no longer trust you. Someday you will hold me hostage because I will have so many hours invested in the online version. How will I pass on all this work to my family members when I pass? I also find your new online interface unsatisfactory. I tried it out and after not being able to perform a number of usual functions reverted back.

  1936. Ray Rucksdashel

    VERY DISTURBING! There needs to be the same ability built into Ancestry.com to create published reports like Relationship Reports.

  1937. Enoch Sherman

    Since the only reason I subscribe is so that my Family Tree Maker will sync with the online site, of course I will cancel my subscription. Looks like I’m not alone in this decision. I have been an executive with several companies and I will volunteer my opinion that this is a VERY ill thought out decision. Your executive team seem to have their heads somewhere where the sun doesn’t shine.

  1938. Tom Moore

    Stupid idea. No need to continue subscription if FTM not available.
    By the way, I hate the new format.

  1939. Ray

    I depend on my old desktop software, which is secure and well backed-up. I would never put some confidential information in it online. Reporting is good. I will not migrate to a 100% online environment. I have therefore cancelled my subscription renewal.

  1940. Stanley Rose

    So, what do we use as an alternative? And, will FTM continue to work as-is after 1/1/2017? I understand that TreeSync will probably no longer work, but what about the desktop only FTM?

  1941. Sheila Robinson

    I have been a faithful FTM and Ancestry customer for over 20 years. I hate the “new and improved” website interface. Ancestry search is about as efficient as a nonalphabetized dictionary. I continued to subscribe because of FTM and syncing, and some record searching. FTM was the one crown jewel of Ancestry. No FTM. No more money for you. I will remove ALL my family trees and back them up TONIGHT. Then I will patiently wait until another genealogy desktop software programmer offers exporting of my FTM. You can bet some company will step in to take advantage of this dumbass decision. Bye, bye Ancestry.

  1942. Brian Haley

    This is terrible news. I am a scholar who uses your site for research. I cannot post some trees to Ancestry.com for security of confidentiality reasons. If my software no longer articulates with the website, you will set my research back substantially. I hope you reconsider.

  1943. Denise

    Seriously? Yet another incredibly stupid decision. Your failure to meet your customer’s needs is a great opportunity for someone else to step in and do so. Lots of us will be exploring alternatives to Ancestry. Do you notice that virtually 100% of the feedback is negative, but do you care? I just canceled my subscription; don’t you realize it is much harder and more expensive to get new customers than to retain old ones?

  1944. C. Lentz

    Rest assured that they will come out with another product with similar features under a different name in another manipulative way to generate income. Fortunately for me, I am pretty much at the end of research on ancestry and will have no further use for it at $200 per year. We pay $200 and provide most of the information that they feast off of. I will just do a final tree sync and call it quits. There are other sites like FamilySearch that accommodate many research needs. It’s a lot of rhetoric when they purport to have the customer’s best interest in mind. I’m done, period.

  1945. Linda

    It is a very poor business practice to make a major announcement that will affect thousands of customers and make them angry without anticipating the obvious questions and include some FAQs. Leaving customers hanging is never a good idea.

  1946. Gail Walter

    What a ridiculous decision! Did you survey any of you subscribers? I changed from RootsMagic due to your advertisements because of the ability to sync records instead of having to copy to gedcom and now I’ll have to revert. Seriously considering cancelling my Ancestry membership after many years and believe you should refund the FTM subscription. I also agree with previous comments about the new format – terribly difficult to manoeuvre and search. Overall completely disgusted!!!

  1947. Jill Markwood

    After 25 years of loyalty to Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker, I cannot believe they have decided to stop selling the software. Which means that eventually it will stop working and the only way to have a tree is by paying a pricey subscription to their online service. If you don’t pay your tree and all your research will be gone. This is extortion and I am ditching Ancestry.com. Does anyone use Legacy Family Tree software? If so what do you think?

  1948. Irene

    BAD BAD DECISION. I love using my FTM. I have thousands of family members on my tree. I want my tree on my desktop not in the cloud. SHAME ON YOU.

  1949. Steven

    I double checked the calendar to make sure this wasn’t the first of April. Are you kidding me. A horrible announcement with less than adequate details about what users are supposed to do in the future. From all the comments, it would appear that if you’re not forthcoming with a better explanation of the way forward, you are about to lose many subscribers.

  1950. Duchess

    If FTM goes away, then it looks like it will be time to sever the relationship with Ancestry and it will become just another tool out there. If you believe genealogists of any era are not interested in maintaining their own databases of info on their own personal systems, then you really don’t understand us at all.

  1951. Tom

    Absolutely an intolerable and GREEDY decision. Alternatives will present themselves and as soon as they do, I am out of here.

  1952. Raelene

    Obviously the many users of your FTM product were not considered or consulted on this outrageous decision. All I see is negatives with this change. I use the printouts and error reports all the time. Nothing like them on Ancestry. Please enlighten me with the benefits to regular FTM users.

  1953. Mike Goodall

    Ancestry have 2 million customers and within a few hours 2000 users have complained that have hear of this decision in 2 hours – watch the share price tomorrow and those managers who have share making these decisions watch their stock options fall – 15% of their revenue nearly $100m comes from non subscriptions – and then the loss of those subscribers that cancel – how short sighted is that?

  1954. Joy Henning

    I don’t know who has taken over at Ancestry but for the past year or so they have been operating the worst public relations I’ve ever seen. Each version of FTM became more difficult to use, then you took over Genforum, the best query website anywhere, and ruined it, next it was Heritage Quest, which was again ruined when you got your hands on it, then you foisted the “New Ancestry” upon us which is a horrible step backward, and now you are dropping support and sync from FTM. Do you not read the comments from your loyal subscribers? What a terrible way to run a company. No, I’ll not cancel my subscription like so many others have threatened, but just know that using Ancestry (which I do every day) used to be fun and exciting and now it is nothing but a pain. Your website doesn’t work for me half the time and I despise the new look. A very unhappy customer who is patiently waiting for someone to come in and offer you some competition and put the customers first.

  1955. Kelley Hartley

    I love my family tree soft ware and its the reason I continue to subscribe to ancestry. The ablilty to work on line as well well as off line when I dont have access to any internest and them be able to sync the 2 back up again is an totally great features. The newest version of ancestry.com id terrible and I have a hard time doing the research that I have benn doing these past 5 years. I love the options that the family tree software gives, the kinds of charts, graphs, lineage line, actually tree, etc is wonderful. The things I can print out from the software are the best things, It’s an easy way for me to show my family all the work I have done on out family. When I go to my nnual family reunions ( I go to 5annually and several more every other year), They all look forward to seeing the work I have done since I saw them last.
    I will have to seriously think about not renewing my subscription come January 2017. PLEASE RE THINK YOUR DECISION AND KEEP YOUR FAMILY TREE SOFTWARE GOING.
    Kelley

  1956. Gen707

    I’ve used and taught FTM and Ancestry in my College genealogy class for year. I will cancel my ancestry account when you no longer support FTM. Also recommend same to all my students.

  1957. Linda Hill

    I am extremely disappointed in this decision. I switched to FTM when familysearch.org decided to deep six their wonderful PAF program a few years ago – it was so easy to use and much more useful than FTM but because I could no longer get the software, my PAF file was useless. Now I find that the FTM software will no longer be supported. You will have one less subscriber to ancestry.com when my subscription is up – your new “improved” web site stinks anyway! I can only hope that I can find another software to transfer my records and hope that whatever software I choose will not disappoint me the way you have.

  1958. Ross

    Corporate greed is a terrible thing and has no respect for individual feelings. FTM may not have been as profitable as management would have liked but it was probably fairly cost neutral. Who supplies Ancestry with their forward planning, with their risk analysis and with their market research? This is a disastrous business decision that has caused irreparable harm to Ancestry. You have already lost many customers but it is not too late to redeem yourself and stop the flood of those leaving Ancestry. Simply recommit to the ongoing support of FTM. If not, I would strongly suggest to the organisations that supply data to Ancestry to discontinue their support, and thus disassociate from the ignominy that will ensue from Ancestry’s continued action. I would also urge subscribers of Ancestry to delete their family trees in Ancestry.

  1959. Dave

    This is unfortunate. I always hate paying the $300 for ancentry.com when it comes due, but I always liked that it linked with FTM for a constant offline back-up… as well as all of the reports that FTM could produce that Ancestry doesn’t even come close to. All in all, it was a system that worked very well together (when there were no glitches). No, though, at least 1/3 of that system is disappearing, and for me, so if at least half of the draw to ancestry. Maybe this next year before Ancestry stops supporting FTM will be just the right amount of time to find another service that I’ll be happy with, and get everything transferred over to the new service.

  1960. Sandra Mitsler

    NO, don’t do it. I use many software programs on my PC, including yours. That is not an acceptable reason. I agree with everyone above. And it’s probably all been said. Where will my stuff be? On “your” server. I actually use the online version more, but the PC software serves other purposes and the two work in conjunction with each other. WE NEED BOTH. The post by MJ above really says a lot. DON’T DO IT…PLEASE.

  1961. Bill F

    This is a really low blow, after I have bought and used FTM for many, many years. Please clarify what you think your so-far faithful users should do. Lots of us are NOT going to “trust in the cloud”.

  1962. Paul

    Congratulations Ancestry! You have instantly managed to alienate many loyal customers with a quick announcement containing little practical information for existing customers. Most questions arising in this Blog could have been anticipated and addressed with the announcement. If you were unsure about what people might ask, why did you not consult a group of your longer-term customers to prepare a detailed announcement? A bad decision regarding FTM has been compounded by poor business change management. Your customs are now being alienated from your product. Time to quickly think again.

  1963. Brenda

    Very disappointed! I like having the option of being able to print & emailing information to family. Although, it could be “tidier” formatting methods & options. Is there a replacement or other options to email/print info?

  1964. Cindy

    There will be no reason for me to keep my ancestry.com membership. I have worked on my family tree for about 20 years with over 30000 individuals. Now you expect me and others like me to just give it all up!!! A very bad decision by your company!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  1965. Tom Naylor

    I would like to add my voice to the others above who are dismayed at this news. There are very useful features in FTM that are simply not available in the on-line Ancestry.com trees, specifically the diversity of reports available in FTM and not available on-line. What is the plan, if any, to rectify this.

  1966. Mary Ann R

    I think this STINKS!! I am very disappointed in Ancestry. First you change the website to this ugly black and white and now doing away with Familytree what is wrong with you!! Why change something that has been so successful for so many years! SHAME ON YOU!

  1967. Diane

    The only possible explanation for how poorly this has been announced and planned is that they are looking for everyone’s begging them to continue so that they can prove to a potential buyer that there’s a market to continue the software. It always comes down to money…. No one does anything anymore because it’s the right thing to do for their customers!

  1968. Simon

    Its a bad decision all around. As a customer I’m paying a non trivial amount of money. Now I’m faced with 2 items: 1) An new ugly website and 2) no more FTM. What do you think I will do ? I’ll move, so you just killed your income stream. Very poor business decision (short sighted).

  1969. George Thomas

    This is a poor decision to drop this product and supporting of it without an alternative that performs the same functions. I have spent many hours building my family tree using FTM, you should have told us up front that you were not committed indefinitely to support it for generations to come.

  1970. Sue

    I’m not a fan of Ancestry.com anyway, but the positive comments of others about FTM were possibly going to entice me to join, however with this news now i’m stuck without an ‘avenue’ to go down. I just want a simple website with great tree making facilities and options, that print out well/have customised printing options and actually find the relatives your looking for especially when you have all the information at your finger tips and system cant find them etc! Not much to ask! suggest everyone contact a big newspaper to do an article on this matter – may get things overturned! Worth a go!

  1971. daveluke

    so the Ancestry spokesperson says they will NOT sell the software to another party nor allow other programs to tie in with Ancestry. Pretty much sums up their motive – force everyone onto Ancestry.com ,& we lose all the benefits of FTM…”that’ll make them think twice about not paying for an annual membership”

  1972. Robert Jones

    If you want me to continue using Ancestry.com, you MUST do something about the online interface. First time I used it was an insulting experience. Come on, folks, you can do MUCH better than that!

  1973. Doris Melton

    I cannot believe you would do this to your loyal members. It was bad enough when you changed your website to prevent printing other members trees, which made it so difficult to look at them for comparison and further research. Getting rid of FTM is the last blow. You have taken all the fun out of genealogy and made it so difficult, I can see throwing any more money into Ancestry. Your are going to lose a lot of people who have spent thousands on memberships, FTM and DNA. Thanks for the years past & I’m sorry to see it end on a sour note.

  1974. I too am very disappointed. After spending a lot of money using Ancestry, I was using FTM as my piece of ownership. Much easier to maneuver around and be able to see the “extended” family names at one glance. I was going to update my version of FTM after Christmas. Would you have something to substitute for it or an improved website? Please reconsider.

  1975. Margaret

    Will 2016 be my last year with Ancestry.com? Seems plausible. I have put 27 years of work in using Ancestry and FTM together. You have continuously urged me to update my FTM. Now you plan to drop FTM? Not sure who makes this kind of decision in your company, but you need to fire that person and hire someone interested in your patron base.

  1976. Julianne McClain

    Seriously, I have used and payed for the ease of the use of FTM and Ancestry. I guess I will cancel and move to a free site if it is only going to be online only. This is a HUGE mistake as you can see you are going to lose big money. The auto sync and ease of use is one of, if not the only reason I use Ancestry. There are many other sites that have records and some are free. I can upload my tree and do the same. Shame on you

  1977. Lynne

    I find this totally hard to believe!!!
    Are you really so arrogant as to think your customers would not notice this in the rush of the holiday season and just let it descend as a total surprise?Many of us can be resistant to change but this move is ridiculous and as you must be able to surmise from the comments it will come at great cost to your company in revenue and in good will.Each of the recent changes to ancestry.com has been progressively worse in my opinion and it has now been capped off by an disastrous business decision!!!!!!

  1978. Don Hoover

    What is it with all you online people. You think that everyone in the world has broadband internet connections. There are millions of people in the rural areas that are decades away from having broadband. Using your online tree for them will be impossible. Not to mention those of us that drag our laptops all over the place so that we can go to places with no internet connection to do research. Now we will not be able to do that. I guess it is time to start searching around. I suspect that other software writers are chortling over the money you will be making them.

  1979. I know it’s a sign of aging to not like changes but I, too, cannot believe that after spending so much money over the years you will be getting rid of my now “sole source” for family tree recording. I’m very disappointing in this decision and feel it’s a very bad one. Haven’t cared much for your new format and now this….I will be limiting if not negating my visits to this whole product line.

  1980. Robert Haskins

    This is a mistake; it will subtract value from the Ancestry brand. Many users need more sophistication than your online interface provides.

  1981. Nancy Mundorf

    Not sure what you are trying to do by turning us off with all of Ancestry’s decisions??? New format most of us don’t like. Linking family trees to family tree maker which we supported and now ending that. Not sure who is running the company, but you certainly do not have the interests of genealogists and I will be figuring out new ways to do without Ancestry and move to other genealogy options! I won’t be renewing after 10 years with Ancestry! Whoever is making these decisions needs to be fired!

  1982. Tawana

    I must add my disappointment and confusion to the above list. I am paralyzed from the shoulders down and type with a stick held in my teeth. Researching genealogy is a passion- using Family Tree software linked to the Ancestry search engine has given me such independence. It is something productive, creative, and something I can do for others with needing minimal help. I am confused at what will be available. I know I will still have all my info on my hard drive stored on my Family Tree Maker software. Will Ancestry still be available for me to search online? If so, when I find the info I presume I just have to manually input it to Family Tree and then, download a copy of the record [census, birth, etc] and scan it into my PC to add as my reference.I will be looking for a search engine that’s more compatible. I know every company has a bottom line, but cutting this may not help in the long run.

  1983. Robin

    WTH??? Really, Ancestry? I have also been using FTM for years; without the ability to sync to my online tree, or print reports, or view the hints, it is basically worthless. And your way of telling us . . . just really poor customer service. So much for years of loyalty to ancestry.com.

  1984. chris

    so what options do we have to retain the data we have spent years researching? free cd or ability to download.
    our tree is private how will our data
    be secured?
    will our questions be answered?
    why limit questions to pre 22 dec 2015?

  1985. Patricia Culver

    No!!! FTM is the best part of Ancestry. It is where I work with my tree and where I want to keep my master copy. I use it to sync with Ancestry providing a back-up of my tree and to print records and reports that are not available through Ancestry.com. Surely you know the functions available on FTM that aren’t available on Ancestry. I am sure any genealogists on your staff know this. This is a horrible decision and betrayal of your users. Please reconsider!!!!

  1986. Mary Ann

    Your decision to no longer support FTM is sad to say the least. I have spent over a decade as a member of Ancestry and a user of FTM. I have enjoyed being able to sync the info. I have also spent a huge amount of time making notes and commentary in Family Tree Maker. How are we supposed to be able to create charts and histories without that software. I join the multitude of others asking that you re-consider your decision. Thank you.

  1987. D Bishop

    This week I tried using the new Ancestry website for the first time and was horrified to find it nearly unusable -terribly poorly laid out and lacking the all important Family Group Sheet!!! Apparently this downgrade wasn’t enough for Ancestry so now they have decided to kill FTM also so users will have to go back to previous software they found inferior. Unbelievable. I guess I will have to use Legacy software after all. At least they are professional.

  1988. Mike

    Forcing a switch to a radically different interface many (including me) don’t like and discontinuing the software that you continually harass me to buy because I bought it last year. Makin’ friends left and right, Ancestry! You’re really doing all you can to push your customers away, aren’t you?

  1989. Dennis Curtis

    Let me understand this.. you plan to stop selling the desktop version of Family Tree Maker but will continue to provide an on-line version which means that the users will have to continue the paid subscription or lose their ability to gather off line data for all of their family information? I think this move is clever but VERY, very ill advised .

  1990. Ron Clark

    Very disappointed – you will be like the major accounting software companies – pay this or be denied access to your data. Are you or the buyer of FTM going to offer an updated program which we can use. This is not a good Christmas message!

  1991. Norma Thain

    Years ago you took over my Rootsweb Mailing List and Message board which I paid to start up….last year you “retired” my “Myfamily.com” website, ….and now it’s my FTM software which I have been using since it started… as a loyal customer, I cannot express here how angry I am… I have had worldwide subscription with Ancestry for years… but your business tactics and sheer disregard for customer loyalty & needs… leave me questioning whether you deserve my custom !!

    I see you are offering similar excuse as when you closed down Myfamily.com http://www.ancestry.com/cs/myfamily …. you are looking to focus on your core services…. just don’t be surprised to find that “core customers” like me will soon be taking our custom elsewhere, as it is glaringly obvious to me now, that I cannot rely on any product connected with Ancestry to offer the long term support & customer service I need to ensure my family history and research is available for my family in years to come.

  1992. Kevin J Enser

    I can still use FTM until the next windows upgrade and then I’ll lose access. Any suggestions on replacement software?

  1993. linda

    I can’t believe this!!! I’ve been using FTM since the DOS version. Obviously you think people will subscribe continuously in order to use their online tree but since the computer version and the online version are for totally different purposes, the online tree won’t suffice. I’ll have to switch over to HEREDIS which I really liked when I tried it but didn’t want to leave FTM. Now you’ve given me reason to switch. Heredis also has an app for iPad, etc. I often print FTM reports and charts for relatives that can’t be done with online trees. I think you’re going to be surprised to find this move doesn’t bring more subscriptions. I noticed last week that Staples no longer had FTM in stock so I should have suspected something then. You bought out a product from a good company and then discontinue it.

  1994. Robert Thompson

    Well, looks like you’ve obviously made the right decision here. All these positive comments. Seems you used corporate-speak to tell us pretty much that FTM is not going to be supported anymore, and there’s nothing else to replace it. You haven’t said if there is a new software package coming out, if it’ll all be internet-based, etc. I do NOT put my personal family history on the internet. I work offline, and use Ancestry.com to do research. So what’s the bottom line (other than you (again) want to not spend any money, but continue to MAKE money? We’re all waiting, and we won’t wait long. There are a lot of other places we can do research. If you were looking to lose money, you’ll succeed.

  1995. alt1556

    I strongly suspect that you will lose a lot of customers doing this! This is a ill-conceived idea! I think you online interface is terrible and always use FTM for working on my tree.

  1996. Carolyn Hayes

    I WANT OTHERS TO KNOW THAT ANCESTRY HAS DELETED 2 OF MY COMMENTS BECAUSE I SAID THAT I ALREADY HAD CANCELLED MY SUBSCRIPTION. I USED NO PROFANITY OR INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE. AND I ALSO HAVE FREE SPEECH. I GUESS YOU DO NOT WANT TO HAVE OTHER CUSTOMERS DELETE THEIR SUBSCRIPTIONS BUT I STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMMENT….

  1997. Elaine A. Jones

    I feel this a is very irresponsible decision. To spend as many years as Ancestry has in promoting customers to use this genealogy research and storage program only to drop them flat is not a course of trust and integrity.

  1998. Rob Freeth

    I use many of the charting and reporting features in the desktop FTM, which the web version doesn’t have. I also have personal software that uses the GEDCOM exports. Without Treesync and desktop FTM tools I’ll have to look for other software.

  1999. Bev Chapin

    Just adding my dissatisfaction with your announcement about FTM and my total dislike for the new web interface. I don’t want a “story” fabricated from my data – I just want facts and a source to track back in time. I do not store my data “in the cloud” but on my own hardware, except for what is stored on your site. Such a bunch of ego-centric boobs are in charge of your business that I no longer trust the longevity of Ancestry.com.

  2000. Debrah Hauger

    I am very disappointed in Ancestry’s decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker. Especially when they currently have no other alternative for Family Tree Maker. BAD decision! BAD Ancestry! BAD! BAD!

  2001. Mary Parker-Schumacher

    OH NO!!! I created my tree on FTM! I created my Family Book using FTM! I love FTM! I also belong to Ancestry.com and use tree sync. I will be cancelling my Ancestry.com subscription when this happens, if not before.

  2002. Aaron

    There are a ton of personal notes I would NEVER EVER want to synchronize into the cloud.

    Want to talk about a rich source of Identity Theft data? Ancestry.com would be an even greater magnet for malicious hackers.

    I’ve been an IT Director for decades.

    Cannot fathom who is in charge there who is making this decision.

    It seems that the response is uniformly against this from your customer base.

    Do the words New Coke ring a bell? Oh, right, perhaps not in Utah.

  2003. Harry Rudd

    I don’t think I read a positive comment so far. The only positive I see is that it will save me hundreds of dollars every year in an Ancestry subscription. I have never liked the on-line software and now have to figure out how to transfer thousands of records to some other desk top software so that I can continue to work on my family tree. If this is “family oriented” as the LDS and associates like to brag, I fail to see it. This is definitely anti-family!

  2004. Pam

    Are you serious? This news is devastating to those of us who are invested in this program. I have used it faithfully since the beginning. I can only describe it as crazy! The loss of this program which so many people have built their family trees on and have confidence in is overwhelming. I hope there is a alternative on the horizon. Two years does not seem like enough time to make such a drastic change

  2005. Bob S.

    BIG MISTAKE!!!!! Ancestry management should take a look at all the comments. I don’t see too many agreeing with your decision. I know I will be looking for another software and on line research website.

  2006. Pat Borcherding

    Who ever decided to get rid of FTM needs to read all the complaint’s
    that are being posted not just here but on Facebook, dumb idea. I’m sure you will be losing lots of sales over this, i hope you rethink, who ever thought this brain wave up needs to go instead.

  2007. Phyllis

    What is the matter with you people.Everything will still be right where we have it on Ancestry just as it always has been.

  2008. Cheryl

    I am equally appalled and will be researching other options. I have been an annual subscriber for many years and rely on FTM to print the reports that your website lacks. I haven’t seen one positive, or even luke-warm acceptance of your decision and hope that you will take the indignation and anger expressed here as an indication that this is NOT a good business decision.

  2009. Gary Stebbins

    As user of FTM since 1995 I have purchased every major release. I can see now that your company is driven by greed instead of a true interest in genealogy research.

  2010. Jo Morris
  2011. Melinda

    I, too, am very disappointed. I am a longtime member and have pad you a small fortune? Please listen to your members and be responsive to our needs.

  2012. Gregg

    How disappointing. I was waiting for the new version of FTM to arrive so I could sync my family tree from my older version. I’m certainly not going to purchase the current version now! Guess I’ll look at other options like Geni or Geneanet, once my monthly subscription expires.

  2013. marilyn Bollinger

    What am I to use to build up my family tree? Where do I go for further information on relations?

  2014. Dave

    STOP – DON’T DO IT. Looks like it is time to dump ancestry. I’ve paid them quite a bit of money over the past 20 years for software and on line access. I prefer working off line when reviewing my work in FTM. I’m not going to continue to pay them just so I can access my own family tree info on their web site. Time to remove my tree from their site and look for other options. I love FTM please change your policy.

  2015. Ancestry family group reports and other reports are close to non-existent. I use Family Tree Maker to Publish and print reports. What does Ancestry plan to do to make up for this tremendous loss in the ability to produce reports? I am extremely disappointed to hear that you will not continue Family Tree Maker.

  2016. Kathy

    Just when I thought Ancestry could not do anything worse… I was forced to change my genealogy software 2 years ago when I purchased a new computer. I chose FTM because I stupidly thought it was the most likely to continue to be supported. Because my old software files did not completely transfer to FTM, I have spent the past 2 years transferring all the supporting data; census, death, marriage records and obits. I had previously been a long time subscriber to Ancestry, at least 10 years, let it go when I knew I was going to be tied up with transferring information… And I was not happy with the slow down in searches with the implementation of the new changes then. Very Sad Ancestry, Very Sad.

  2017. Leonie

    Well thank you for the 2 year warning that gives me plenty of time to shop around for a different software, I have only stayed with ancestry because of the treesync capabilities, I shall explore other geneology websites now as you will not be offering the same service.

  2018. Jerry Curtis

    An obvious attempt at a money-grab in forcing users to subscribe to the website. I, for one, won’t, and I predict the blatant attempt at a money grab will backfire!

  2019. AREatough

    With the money I’ve spent on Ancestry multiplied by the client base, I’m sure there is enough resources to maintain a fully compatible and syncable client to database.

    But, as usual, the greater the worth and influence of a large company, the less important the people who made them as great as they are, as we have witnessed with Microsoft, Apple, and many other top heavy companies who started in the backroom or garage, and if it wasn’t for the vision of greatness by the people who trusted the idea of a better idea, the megaliths wouldn’t have become as grand.

    Maybe, someone ought to rethink this and again look to the people who helped breath life into the fledgling experiment and not to the over paid decision makers who vie for a greater percentage while ignoring the lifeblood.

    The Ancestry client is a good idea and could be improved with a bit of engineering, but, the user interface via the internet has all but become troublesome in it’s design. New, does not mean better and this new design while pretty, is not as functional because of the lack of intuitiveness.

    In the quest for simplicity it have become more complex.

    Thank you for your time, I do enjoy Ancestry dot com and have really liked the client. Too bad you’re thinking of discontinuing it.

  2020. Would you please let me know how I can retrieve my date from your website, and then delete the data from your website? I had – temporarily – removed my subscription with every intention of rejoining once I had time to continue the build. But as of now, you have lost me as a present and future customer. I suspect the same is true for many others, and as a result, I suspect your profits will decrease. Well done!

  2021. Ginny Fields

    I have used Ancestry and FTM for many, many years. I am extremely distraught with this news for many reasons. There are extended periods of time when I do not have internet access and I rely on FTM and the years of information I have saved there. Syncing FTM and Ancestry has been a great tool. I will wait this out another few months to see if the Ancestry powers will change their minds; I will also use this time to explore other programs and websites. If I lose FTM, I will also voluntarily lose Ancestry. Eliminating FTM is a horrible executive decision and not in the best interest of the loyal patrons.

  2022. Linda Klein

    Don’t really care, I switched to Legacy years ago because you came out with a new version that was horrible and now you’ve screwed up Ancestry too…so will be canceling after it runs out, since apparently I can’t get a refund or downgrade to a lower level…seriously?

  2023. Brian Hudson

    I have purchased 3 separate years of Family Tree Maker, as well as recommending it to friends. Also because of the access to Ancestry records and hints. Please reconsider your decision. If not I will no longer subscribe to Ancestry

  2024. Kitty

    It would appear to me that ancestry wants to manipulate, control and own all of our years of research. It is about money and they need new subscribers for that. Those of us who have been subscribers for many years (15 for me) merely provide the research data that entices the newbies. The New Ancestry format does not provide what professional and serious researchers want. Most of our input falls on deaf ears. Again, it is all about money. I hope some responsible software company can step in and provide us with quality genealogical software that meets our needs and gives us ownership of our years of research and expense. Many of these changes have taken place since partnering with Familysearch.org. LDS members get Ancestry for FREE. Check it out for yourself here: https://familysearch.org/blog/en/create-free-account-familysearch-partners/
    This is why we pay so much and don’t get a discount for long term subscriptions. Didn’t mean for this to sound like a rant but I am frustrated. If anyone has suggestions on a quality standalone software family tree program…I am listening.

  2025. Kathy

    If this is about money, and these decisions always are, then think about charging an annual upgrade fee for FTM like Quicken does, and I see similarities in the two software programs. Users may complain about another fee but having FTM available would be worth another fee.

  2026. Charlotte Huggins

    I have used Family Tree Maker and have been a loyal customer of Ancestry.com since 1992, with the Banner Blue edition. Thanks for ruining my 23 years of work and forcing me to start completely over. This is an absolutely awful decision on your part. It appears this is all about money rather than what is best for your loyal customers. SHAME ON YOU.

  2027. Nancy

    There have been so many FTM users that upgraded every time a new edition came out and paid every year for access to records. I am included in this group. Years of hard earned money has been poured into your company, and now you discontinue the program? It is like a slap in the face. I’ll return to other records sites, and save my money. I stayed loyal to your company even though many sites offer records for free. You will definitely lose customers with your approach. Good bye

  2028. John

    I will be shutting down my website and taking my tree off this site. Sad, after i have paid monthly for 5-6 yrs as a member. Everyone should do the same.

  2029. FoxKanasn

    Bad Bad move. Easy for them to make money with little effort but difficult for the customer. Customer is always last and the only way to change this is cancel Family Tree Maker subscription starting NOW.

  2030. Kiserpost

    I’ve tried your ‘new’ way, and hated it. Switched back to the OLD way and LOVE it. I am NOT happy about your decision. I’ll be terminating my use of ancestry.com

  2031. Robert C. Baker

    I have four large family files on Ancestry.com. They contain 24605, 10705, 8222 and 5197 individuals. I have purchased Family Tree Maker for years, mainly because of the treesync feature. Family Tree Maker is not my primary genealogy program, all the above family data is in one family file on Ancestral Quest. I will delete all my family files on Ancestry.com when I can no longer sync the data with a genealogy program. I will carefully evaluate my membership on Ancestry.com when I am unable to sync the data with my genealogy program.

  2032. Alan Nelson

    I’m sure this won’t make any difference, but I have to add my disapproval for your decision to all the other comments expressed here. You’ve really shot yourself in the foot with this decision. I hope you’ll reconsider – but corporate decisions don’t have to make sense, do they? Just know that you’re going to hurt your customer base (and will probably lose a lot of it!)

  2033. John

    WOW, just tonight I was recommending FTM and Ancestry to a friend, I will have to tell them tomorrow to forget it . I as well will move on if you move away from FTM. I will NOT use your online toy that is simply useless for true research. Seems I remember another company who made a foolish decision based on marketing non sense, can anyone say new coke and coke classic? Not sure how many posts are above, but I sure didn’t see any positive ones. All of this in less than 5 or 6 hours. Enough that I wouldn’t want to own ACOM stock right now. Could be wrong, but regardless for me, your other solutions will just not meet my needs. Guess we will all know Jan 1st, Happy New year..My new years resolution, to Cancel Ancestry account if FTM is discontinued.

  2034. Sandi

    Just the comments on your blog post should tell you something. Close to 3000 unhappy customers at $100.00+ subscription. Lots of cancelations. You may want to do the math. What a horrible decision on the part of ancestry. horrible customer relations with this one!

  2035. Gene Molrris

    I am so tired of people starting programs that you can’t trust. If you put information on a program you want it to always be with you. FTM I have trusted for a lot of years I have over 7,800 people in my tree. I can’t trust any Program so I guess I will have to print a lot of hard copy’s I will not trust Ancestry Again. This is a back stab for faithful customers. What are you going to do to make it work for us? or do we have to start over.

  2036. Dean Sliger

    I share everyone’s disappointment with this news. The online tool is convenient, but I still want my data on my computer. I can keep using FTM past 2017 but without the tree sync then I don’t see any point in spending $200/year for the online access. Will definitely have to ponder this one.

  2037. Zburger

    I certainly don’t understand this decision. Do you really thing that 100% of your subscribers upload their Family Trees? And once uploaded of course they will pay subscriptions forever to access them? I will likely not renew when this goes into effect. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

  2038. Wow this really sucks. I’ve been using FTM since the early 90’s when they were owned by Borderbund. If you were planning on doing this injustice to a great software program, you should have never taken it over. You can forget about any future paid subscriptions to Ancestry.com, from me, because of your lack of support for FTM.

  2039. Chris (CJ) Field

    I’m sorry but this has either got to be an insane hack, or an awful early “April Fools” joke! At 67, I’ve been researching since 1979, and have used both FTM and Ancestry since 2003. I’ve held a world wide account since the beginning, even though I don’t use it daily as I still work in the real world. Dumping FTM and it’s loyal users, will be the death of “Ancestry” – guaranteed!!!! I and every other user of FTM rely on our desktops to do our work (ie: Our Passion) on! I will, if forced, cancel my Ancestry subscription and possibly try out “Find My Past” or “My Heritage”. I’m so disappointed in your irresponsible decision. I’m not sure where you got your information from, but I think, to save yourselves from making the worst decision your company ever made, you should definitely reconsider this catastrophy! WOW – so unbelievable I could spit nickels!!!

  2040. Ann Rose

    I add my name to the Family Tree Maker users who are blindsided by this news, and urge you to reconsider the decision to discontinue FTM.

  2041. John Gladden

    Like rhe more than 2000 comments before mine, I too am incredibly disappointed in Ancestry’s “penny wise, pound foolish” decision to abandon your core customers. I’ve worked in the corporate world for many years on software projects and releases and know that this decision was likely very difficult to come to at Ancestry.

    But I also suspect in looking at your revenues that you were “silo”ing all of your business channels which made the desktop software appear unprofitable. As integrated as your products are with each other, you can’t simply examine it correctly with this approach. And given the firestorm of negative responses, I think Ancestry will soon see how much their product channels are tied together as this decision pulls all of them down significantly, negatively impacting Ancestry’s profitability across the board.

    It’s a shame that you’ve taken such a short sighted approach to your business. Time and the marketplace will judge you.

  2042. Steve

    This should get a lot of people off-side!
    I for one will not be using any cloud-based product.. Was going to look for an update to FTM 2012, but now will look at migrating to an opposition company. POOR FORM ANCESTRY!

  2043. Kathleen

    This is disappointing news. I have been using FTM for the past 10 years. I do not like the online ancestry tree. It is useless as far as I am concerned. Please rethink what you are proposing. I use FTM daily in conjunction with Ancestry, Save FTM

  2044. Christine

    I just purchased this program a couple of years ago. I love it. I can make reports without a problem, what is to replace this? This is very disappointing!

  2045. Manuel OM

    I understand we will still be able to work with our existing FTM softwares in our own computers, right? Is our information at risk somehow? can you provide info on how to transfer the info to other similar software without losing any of it? I was thinking of buying the new version, will you provide an update for free as a bonus for making this decission?

  2046. kenny

    You couldn’t really make this up, could you. It’s Ancestry Jim, but not as we know it. You’ve dug a big hole for yourself Ancestry. Now would be a good time to stop digging and start to climb out of it.

  2047. John

    This is pretty obviously a very bad decision. I expect to see another announcement pretty soon.

    If not, I expect to see another software vendor stepping forward with tools to import trees and documents from existing FTM trees. The first one to do so stands to make a killing.

  2048. Wesley

    Very disappointing, looks like I will be saving the data, printing my information and not renewing my membership. You decision leaves me no choice. FTM has been so helpful to me.

  2049. Jim Beshires

    This Sucks! I’ve used FTM since the first version. What you are actually doing is creating a mass exodus from Ancestry to Legacy.
    I hate the new format on Ancestry.

  2050. Philip Ruble

    I’ve been using FTM since I worked in the shipping warehouse at Broderbund back in the 90s. I’ve enjoyed using Ancestry but find the recent changes to be a step backwards when looking at my trees online. I’ll be prepping to MOVE away from FTM/Ancestry over the next year. If Ancestry is willing to do this for their bottom line then serious genealogists will need to migrate elsewhere. They clearly are stating that their commitment is NOT to quality and customer experience – it is to the stockholder.

    Broderbund was a great company with a staff that believed in excellence. Too bad it went away.

  2051. Mark

    Thanks for wasting a lot of my time and money. You’ve lost my trust, and I’ll be cancelling my subscription as soon as I can get all my information downloaded. If you keep the online family tree, you think I’m about to trust you won’t pull that too? No way.

  2052. John Hay

    What are retrograde move. I purchased FTM after much research into what would be best for me. The link to Ancestry was a bonus. I also find that the new Ancestry is not to my liking.
    I too am reconsidering my options.

  2053. I was a user of FTM long before I was an Ancestry user, and will continue to use it as long as it works. As for Ancestry, you have become just another huge corporation who continues to over charge for your service and now that you have a monopoly on all records of any value, you care even less about your users (and I didn’t that could be possible). You know you have us at a loss but shame on you

  2054. Katie

    Wow! I am extremely disappointed and angry. I’ve used Ancestry and FTM for 20+ years and have really enjoyed FTM’s web merge and the newer sync feature. And now you’re just done with FTM? Just about anyone who pursues genealogy seriously uses desktop software. There is so much more you can do with it versus an online only tree. If your sales are declining maybe it’s because the software is a bit buggy and you almost doubled the price earlier this year! With Legacy and RootsMagic offering the ability to sync with FamilySearch Family Tree, I’m shocked that you would dump the only program that syncs with Ancestry! Oh, silly me! I forgot that you’re catering to leaf clickers who don’t know what they’re doing. They think the only way to maintain access to their records is to keep up their subscription. Yeah, I get it — and I think it stinks!

  2055. Neil M

    Ancestry.com has made some horrendous marketing decisions in the past, but this is a prize winner. I almost didn’t renew my membership after the “new” Ancestry, but next year I won’t have to debate at all. The tree within Ancestry.com is too hard to view and navigate, and Ancestry.com won’t analyze and print reports like FTM. I feel that my loyalty to the product and website has been betrayed. No more recommendations to friends from me.

  2056. Lorrie

    Not at all happy with this decision. Did you even ask your subscribers what they thought? No, you did not. I hate to say but you will be losing alot of customers, myself included.

  2057. Jock

    Long term FTM users will recall that the downfall of FTM started when ancestry completely re-wrote the product after FTM16. The new product was much slower and offered little in additional features. Since then, ancestry has strung us all along with no significant updates but with an ongoing expectation / hope that we would, one day, get a real improvement if performance and functionality. Clearly, now, that is not going to happen. I have no doubt that, in the fullness of time, ancestry will start charging us a subscription to even be able to see our own family trees on the ancestry.com site. No more ancestry subscriptions for me and I’m already searching for another product to continue my genealogy work.

  2058. Allen Lewerer

    Looks like it is time to dump Ancestry.com.
    If they are not going to support it’s software users why should we support them.
    Who could recommend a more customer focused company, it looks like Ancestry is not going to, after shutting down Family Tree Maker at the end of 2015
    VERY SAD DAY FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK INTO THEIR FAMILY HISTORY.

  2059. Peter Straus

    I add my chagrin to the rest of you. Personally, I’ve been dissatisfied ever since Ancestry bought FTM from Broderbund, and I’ve continued to use FTM 8.0 because Ancestry has never been able to provide as satisfactory a screen format or printout capabilities. Can’t you, Ancestry, seek a buyer for FTM rather than shutting it down?

  2060. Mel Werbach

    That’s a shock!

    I’ve put a tremendous amount of work in constructing a complicated family tree with voluminous notes, as FTM has been wonderful, especially with the many improvements you have made over the years.

    Now you’ve put me in a bind: Is there another software program that would enable me to move everything over completely intact, or what do I need to do in order to preserve all of my data?
    (The online Ancestry tree is totally inadequate.)

    Mel Werbach

  2061. Sharon

    I am appalled and devastated by this ill thought out decision. How can you expect people to trust and continue to subscribe to your organisation after they have paid a lot of money and invested a lot of time in both Ancestry and FTM, to be betrayed like this. Unless Ancestry offers all that FTM provides, without higher costs, you will lose millions of subscribers. Please reverse the decision NOW, or come up with a better alternative for dedicated FTM users to continue to use and sync.

  2062. Barbara

    Oh, no! Don’t take away my TreeSync. That was one of the best, all-time, tree features ever invented. So sad. Will you allow for other software vendors to develop a similar sync feature? I’m down with that!!!

  2063. Robert Maas

    Very bad idea. Just a way to make sure you stay subscribed to there site. That will be the only way to accesses your data. How will people be able to run reports?

  2064. Graeme Angell

    As of now I have 7,277 people on my FTM. To announce a change of this magnitude without giving your subscribers any indication of how the transition to whatever it is you are planning to replace it with (if anything) is not just insensitive but downright dismissive of the needs of your customers So what arrangements are you offering to your “valued” customers post FTM.

  2065. Janet

    What are you thinking? I can’t believe you would do this to your very loyal customers. Family Tree Maker is a wonderful program and linking it to Ancestry allows me to work when I can’t get online. I don’t think your new program will work for me and my family. I am sorry that you think it is ok to treat your loyal customers like this. Under your new “plan” I expect my personal ancestry information will be misused as well. Shame on you.

  2066. Steve

    Its a sad day for genealogy. Count me in as a former customer of Ancestry.com. I’ll be deleting all of my trees as well so your customers can no longer benefit from them. I understand the mighty dollar rules, but perhaps this won’t go as you thought it would…

  2067. Wendy Vogt Szallay

    I’ll be shopping…very disappointed in this decision…definitely not based on what the customer needs…back to paper and pencil and file folders…just like my grandmother and father used to record information on our ancestors…and guess what…I can still access their information and use it. There is something to be said for that.

  2068. Sherry

    Please Don’t Do this. I have used FTW forever and have bought every upgrade. I have loved how you can sync FTW and ancestry. I agree it will be hard to keep my ancestry account if FTW can’t be used. I work in a library and will just use the library version and not pay for ancestry.

  2069. Katrina

    It seems strange to me that the very organization behind the conglomerate that teaches the flock to research their family would take away the tool that helps organize, share, and publish their findings. So many others have chosen the almighty $$ over important products or features…it saddens me to feel betrayed by Ancestry. After 15 years of membership, I do feel the tightening of restrictive ties. My FTM from my early versions to today have been my tool to organize, share, publish, and even teach a few friends. I have anonymously researched and “published” a product for the recipients. I will most definitely rely on what is left and then use the other brand I purchased last year. Reducing to a simple term. Meanies.

  2070. Mer

    Family Tree Maker is a vital companion to ancestry. I also am curious about whether we lose tree sync, which is incredibly valuable. I beg you to keep that feature! I clearly don’t understand this business decision, which feels like a huge takeaway. I hate the idea of starting over on rootsweb or some other site but I may have to. Very disappointing

  2071. Orin

    What a poor decision to make!!!!! I use FTM when I’m offline in areas where I have no internet connection and sync when I get home. Had I known this I wouldn’t have renewed my subscription in November.

  2072. Andrew A

    One more voice, crying in the wilderness. FTM is critical to our ability to work with these huge trees and know that we have files locally or files that we can take with us if Ancestry decides to abandon their online service for some OTHER business reason. Honestly, you’ve been milking the FTM users for years, making tiny changes and selling us “new” versions. You could just support the product longer and not alienate… well, clearly thousands of users. Shame on you.

  2073. Joan

    Really sad news. For many people this is a wonderful and fulfilling hobby. Can you explain in more detail how it will work after 2017.

  2074. Steve

    Looks like you have POd people all over the world now. Your new interface S@CKS, your IPad App S@CKS and now now phasing out FTM and the last good thing about ancestry, syncing my tree with FTM, which I have used since 1988, your CEO needs to step down.

  2075. I understand the decision. I noticed that the notes function from FTM is also available on Ancestry.com. One function that I would miss is preferred and alternate names, dates and locations. I haven’t figured out how to manage these on Ancestry.com. Some of the commenters seem to have missed the fact that you will continue to support FTM, you just will no longer sell it. Since Synch came out, I have found myself using Ancestry.com more, with less time spent on FTM.

  2076. Christene

    Pages full of comments here, from your PAID subscribers, the people who spend MONEY with your company – and 99.99% of the remarks are negative, not to ,ention ourtraged. You might take a clue from this and reconsider whether or no this decision was properly thought out.

  2077. Brian

    Are you listening to your customer base Ancestry? Over 2,200 comments in just several hours and not one of your “loyal” customers think this is a good idea! There are other choices besides Ancestry for DNA testing. The only thing that keeps Ancestry ahead of their competition is the Family Tree Maker software. Do away with the FTM software and you do away with Ancestry itself. Ancestry needs to admit their mistake and retract this announcement. Will Ancestry do this? I hope so, because your future depends on it, not mine.

  2078. Very disappointed. I have 8,200+ people in my tree. I moved to FTM and A.com trusting it would be around for my grandkids and ggkids for years to come. Unfortunately, when Mgmt. has to make decisions like this it often indicates a failure of the company is imminent. Hope that’s not here, but that result is pretty common. I use both FTM and A.com for basic entries but because A.com is hard to use and does not have decent “publishing” and editing capabilities, I do most work on FTM and sync for backup. I had to restore a “glitched” ftm file and spent a month working with Ancestry cust. Service, very nice people, but NONE of them knew A.com did not capture all the data fields on ftm. Finally, I had to make MANUAL entries to more than 6000 records to restore my critical data (30-40 HOURS WORK). So if decision to discontinue software stands, I hope A.com improves it online offering and capabilities before you flip the switch. The “new” A.com site, as it is, a woefully designed site, given the needs of the customers who are members. A tough decision, for sure, but please investigate user – friendly alternatives that can be helpful to A.com members.

  2079. Janelle Ozeran

    I have many trees that are strictly “working trees” for clients, easier to manipulate in FTM than at Ancestry and intentionally off-line to maintain a greater degree of privacy than a “Private” Ancestry tree allows. FTM has many, many features that are missing from the much more expensive Ancestry option, and is generally easier to navigate and interpret, too, than the new, cluttered, Ancestry trees. I’m very disappointed. This is clearly a greed driven decision: Ancestry subscriptions are significantly more expensive than the FTM software.

  2080. Walter Corey

    Since I have joined Ancestry, you have made one disastrous decision after another. You took an easy to use website, and made hash out of it. The new design is horrible. Now you are not going to allow me to sync my trees to my computer? This is beyond outrageous. What are you thinking? I feel that you are more interested in money-grubbing than you are in helping your customers. I am so disappointed with your decision. Please reconsider this disastrous decision.

  2081. Susan

    I have used FTM for over 25 years. There is no way that (1) I will put personal confidential photos/info on the internet and (2) I will spend the time to upload ALL of the media and source data that I have in my 2-GB family tree. You are NOT listening to your users. You did NOT listen when we said we hated the new format (you’re changing over Dec 15 whether your users like it or not) and now this. You might appreciate that we do feed back to you, but you are not paying attention to what we’re saying. You have lost yet another dedicated and long-term user. There are too many other resources available to continue with one that doesn’t give a crap.

  2082. David Spencer

    This very distressing! I have been using the FTM software for many, many years. I have worked very hard entering in data for OVER 18,000 individuals. What am I supposed to do now. It also appears that many other persons are upset over this too. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!!!!

  2083. barbara

    Right Christina RootsMagic will probably not bail out. They are LDS owned and although their product can be quite difficult if you want to use all the bells and whistles (which are really what has ruined these software program), it is easy to use, actually fun and you have options on how to manage all those ridiculous sources options. I hope software programs continue but years of upgrading over-development is what has killed FTM. Wikitree is a good place to save your work but also has drawbacks. It is an honor and commitment system and some are not as dedicated to its goals as others. But it will be the place of the future, I believe. There are indeed standards that are followed.

  2084. Becky

    This is very disappointing. I am already annoyed with the new format (I don’t like it!). I am glad to see I am not alone. One reason for using Ancestry was because it works well with the software. I guess I will same some money each month when I discontinue my subscription.

  2085. Murray

    If you don’t want to maintain the software anymore perhaps you should release the code under a GPL so that the Linux developer community can take it over and continue to provide a Windows version as well as a Linux version.

  2086. Dave

    Pure greed seems to be behind this decision. The FTM software was the main attraction to complete real research. Now we are supposed to rely on a clunky website and trust our information will not get lost or corrupted on your servers. Forget it!

  2087. Rebecca Shannon

    This is just disgraceful! I’m sorry to be rude, but since you slapped us all in the face first, I feel that you deserve all the comments you have received today. Talk about despicable decisions. I have used FTM since 1996. I have invested my heart and soul in my records. Now you just flippantly make a little online announcement that rocks my world. As I read many of the previous comments, I see others share my feelings. You are going to hold OUR own records for ransom in the cloud. I live in the country we don’t have perfect internet service. What are we supposed to do when the lines go down? Easy to answer that, we use FTM. It is stable, it is to operate, the options are great and it is ALWAYS there when I need it. I take it on laptop to genealogy meetings and use it for the DAR research and record keeping. I do not love the new Ancestry with all the fluff. Someone said it is not a serious research tool. I agree it may be a diversion to the real research but rather less than what I had hoped for. It is certainly not enough for me to drop my work on FTM up sync or not. My husband and I both have done your DNA and that is interesting but not earth shattering. Right now I am thinking of having it redone by another group. I am so very disappointed by your CEO’s obvious greed and your lack of knowledge for what real researchers are looking for. What happens in the coming months and your response to today’s outpouring from the people who made and support Ancestry, will be my decision maker. When and if I have to leave you, I hope it will not be because of a Class Action suit that bankrupts your company. TV advertising, and celebrities alone will not pay your bills.

  2088. Douglas

    Unless you VERY quickly upgrade the online app to match the FULL functionality of FTM (reports, errors, duplicates, and all the others all ready mentioned)….

    TOODLES!

    and as I need a new laptop anyway — Macs and REUNION are looking mighty enticing…..

  2089. Gregory Kujoth

    I too find this to be very disheartening! TreeSync is absolutely critical to protect and preserve my research so PLEASE, PLEASE open up TreeSync to other desktop programs if FTM is to be killed off!!

    Otherwise, I think this decision with significantly reduce the appeal of your service. Who wants to spend years creating family records that can’t be accessed as soon a subscription stops?!!

  2090. Myfanwy

    Ancestry has to be seriously kidding. Since this latest ‘upgrade’ which in reality is the biggest down grade we have seen in the history of Ancestry the only decent thing about the company is FTM.

    Obviously Ancestry know how terrible their latest ‘upgrade’ (downgrade) is and can foresee many thousands of people rushing out to by FTM before all we are stuck with is their rubbish Ancestry website.

  2091. Linda

    Are you kidding me?! You’re dumping FTM?! After spending the last hour reading all these comments, I hope you take the time to do so also. You have a lot of unhappy members here, and you need to do something about it. An explanation is needed NOW! Otherwise, I’ll be heading for the door along with a whole lot of other unhappy people.

  2092. Lynn

    I can’t believe this!!! Your message to the public stinks, gives no other information and/or alternatives. Leaves millions of people hanging in the air, not knowing what happens next??? I would not have wasted my time and money inputting all original research info If I thought this was going to happen down the pike.

  2093. David Hudelson

    I have a FamilyTreeMaker data base running to more than 31MB, and I’ve used FTM for years. I’m not at all happy with your new Ancestry format, and converting my data base to it is a very arduous and unwelcome chore. I’m not sure what my recourse will be, but I’m not at all happy with this news.

  2094. Chuck Bradbury

    You obviously are not supporting your motto “We hope you’ll notice just how passionate we are about family history and about the products we’re building to help connect families over distance and time.” By discontinuing FTM and NO announced plan of how users of FTM (must be millions) are to resolve their desktop issues, you are leaving a majority of your membership in a lurch! Shame on you. Must be because of the mighty $$$! You HAVE to give your members an alternative other than an online solution. At least allow other software developers mirror image FTM.

  2095. Colleen Broyles

    This is unbelievable…Ancestry has come close to ruining Findagrave first and now to take away the Family Tree Maker program that I have used since I began my family research quest is like a slap in the face to loyal subscribers and customers…Guess I’ll be uploading all my information to my computer and printing it all out along with contact information with those I share with…and moving on as well as canceling my subscription and then deleting my tree from this site…my work should be at my disposal for use in my own program here and not held for ransom and I won’t let Ancestry profit from me in any other way…wow…with all the negative comments I had to scroll through to get to the comment section myself I’m hoping that this will change some minds!

  2096. if I don’t see answers to some ofthe Questions soon I will also be canceling my subscription!!!!!
    I have used FTM since the early 90s and ancestry almost as long but it has become to expincive as the bottom line has become more importent!!!!!

  2097. It’s fine with me if Ancestry wants to focus on the things they truly are best at – providing great databases of original genealogy documents and information. There are plenty of other desktop computer organization programs out there – Legacy Family Tree, Roots Magic – both have free trial versions even to see if you like them. Both will easily import a GEDCOM file. Change isn’t always a bad thing. If we get more good data from Ancestry, I’m all for it.

  2098. Scott Brown

    I bought the most recent FTM software this year, which was one of many software upgrades since using FTM beginning in the mid-1990s. I also just ordered my DNA kit and mailed it in. THIS WILL BE MY LAST $$$ spent with Ancestry.com! The web interface is terrible compared to the software. The software allows me to use my laptop and show my research to my 95 year-old grandmother who has no internet access. Just like the thousands who have already commented on the first day of this announcement, I will be looking for an alternative company to do business with. I would say good luck to you Ancestry.com, but I don’t like to lie. I truly hope that, assuming you go through with this absurd decision, that you fall flat on your faces and look forward to reading/seeing you going out of business in the near future.

  2099. Robert Lipprandt

    So… now we all have had our yearly colonoscopy! Funny in hide sight (no relationship to a colonoscopy), that competitors such as Legacy don’t seem to have issues with continuing and enhancing their product lines. Maybe “Wholy Genes” is the system to invest in.

  2100. Alan

    Amazing how companies can get out of touch with their customers… You needed to build all the functionality of FTM into the on-line product BEFORE you dared do this!

  2101. Bob Bennett

    I purchased FTM a few months ago, and was so impressed with the product, that I was going to buy it for my daughter-in-law for Christmas. I guess there is one less present to purchase!

  2102. Keith

    This is a poorly thought out decision. You are eliminating FTM and not offering any solutions or tools to replace the ability to print charts, reports, and other information. Ancestry.com has a long way to go in order to be fully functional and meet my needs. Why did you take over FTM if you planned to kill it. Must be pure profit motives on Ancestry’s part. I was seriously trying decide whether to renew my subscription and take the DNA test. It’s clear now that as great as Ancestry is, the motive is to create a system to extract a monthly fee at the highest level possible. Disappointed in your decision!

  2103. Janice Schurr

    I am so disappointed in this decision. I find your new Ancestry web face cluttered and difficult to use, and FTM has always been my choice to print out a variety of detailed, large family trees. I will spend 2016 downloading, cleaning up and printing my data, and will drop my membership to Ancestry when you no longer support FTM. Unless you plan to begin providing better services for printing out trees and info, I feel this is a bad business decision and you will see many, many angry subscribers.

  2104. Yvonne Weston

    Like many of the others who have commented here, I am deeply disappointed in your decision. Both my husband and I maintain our tree on our personal computer using Family Tree Maker and use Ancestry.com for research only. Like so many others, we prefer to have our complete tree private and maintained on our computers and not on the web. It is the link between the products that make it such a valuable tool and that is what you are neglecting and failing to see – full customer service.

  2105. Kathleen

    Oh No! Please reconsider. A program such as FTM is definitely needed. I have an Ancestry membership but the program is not user friendly for updating information and maintaining notes, family books, and charts, etc. Please, please reconsider this decision.

  2106. Gary Hutton

    Re-Read “all” of the previous comments and then add my name to the list of disgruntled customers…they have all stated my thoughts and feelings.

  2107. CBurch

    I’m not going to say anything new here but just wanted to add my voice to the many, many I had to scroll through to add this comment. PLEASE DON’T DO THIS! I’ve paid hundreds of dollars on ancestry.com subscriptions and to get FTM software (and updates) over the years. I justified this because I was able to keep my local copy of my tree to get reports, browse through with family without being connected to internet, etc. I won’t get into a situation where my only copy of my family tree is on a proprietary site and I’m not able to setup customized reports. If we all have jumped to the wrong conclusion, please set the record straight quickly. If not, I’ll be spending the up coming year getting all my data in a format that I can transfer to another software tool and cancel my membership.

  2108. Vincent Brackett

    I will do my best to finish my work with Ancestry by Dec 31, 2016 and then sever all relations with you. Bad decision on your part…I will also delete my online tree at Ancestry as I don’t give permission for you to use my research under any condition..
    .

  2109. Richard Allen

    Like most here I am a long term customer. Ancestry used to have the best customer service bar none. It seems with every commercial on mass media the representatives become less knowledgeable and wait times increase. You have taken many databases away. Most of these databases end up on the ADDITIONAL cost subscription services. The new format transfer has had issues. Like others I suffered corruption problems that took months to fix. I know sync with FTM has been a problem. I use FTM for it’s more functional reporting/ publishing functions ancestry DOES NOT offer. I also use it as a back up. Dupe. records are easier to find.

    Hope the board of directors come to their senses and fire current upper level management as they are ruining a good company. A soon as the market fills this void, I will be gone.
    .

  2110. Byron`Tisdale

    I have used FTM when the first version came out. FTM is the core of my research tools. I will be migrating to something I have control of and can work off line. I will be leaving Ancestry in 2017.

  2111. G. Babyak-Traxler

    I haven’t been happy with ancestry since they went to the new format which makes it easy for people who do not know how to research to make up family trees that are NOT factual and put them on-line as if they were. NOW by discontinuing FTM support I have no reason to continue my subscription. After January 1, 2016 I will begin removing all of my family tree info from ancestry and will not renew my subscription when it expires. I will also be very vocal about getting the word out that ancestry has become useless.

  2112. Patrick

    I just learned about the Ancestry decision to retire Family Tree Maker. I’ve not received the email announcement yet but just happened to stumble across a post about this decision. I just purchased FTM 2014 this year and have been trying to learn how to use it. Now I learn it’s being retired. I can’t help but feel I’ve been hoodwinked. I had difficulty syncing my online tree and was told my internet service was too slow so I spent a fortune upgrading it with high speed internet service which cost several hundred dollars. To say I’m angry about this decision does not quite express how I am feeling… more like furious! I would really like to know the reasoning and truth behind this decision, Ancestry. “By focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community.” I have been a loyal member of the Ancestry community for many years but there is no way I will ever purchase another Ancestry product. I’ve learned my lesson the hard way that Ancestry is not to be trusted. Loyalty is a two way street and trust is something you earn. I can no longer trust Ancestry… how can they be trusted? They have made their decision and I have made mine.

  2113. I can not believe this, like all other comments. Please explain how we all migrate our data, what can be put up on web. What happens to our notes, pictures links to downloaded or saved records???? So many questions. Just late last year upgraded to FTM 2014 thinking it would last me years. So so so disappointed in this decision. Wish you could have given some advanced warning! Also will now look at other websites, and software. I love my desktop computer and this is the only way I do my research, will never use an app. Loved being able to sit at a comfortable desk with room for my paperwork. Please please rethink this decision. Also think about how many people are saying they will leave Ancestry. But in this day and age seems that companies dont consider this as there will always be new ones out there. Think about your loyal long term customers. Will be keeping a close look at what this means to my research process and will definately have to make a hard decision early next year when my subscription is due to be renewed!

  2114. daveluke

    They are betting that a year form now, most will calm down and accept this bad decision. The only way to get their attention is stop buying their products…

  2115. Lynda

    Wow. this a cold end. Just adios, nice to know ya?
    Nothing about how software users can to transition to???? You really need to reconsider this decision. you will lose so many members.

  2116. Jeff S

    Ancestry seems to forget that we, the people who have contributed all our hard work for the benefit of others, are actually helping them to make money.

  2117. J.Garrett ALLEN

    I am extremely disappointed that Family Tree Maker will be discontinued and not supported after Jan 2017. I have used the software for the past ten years and have a database of over 14,000 individuals. I will not convert my files to an online system that I cannot backup or treat as confidential. I urge Ancestry to reconsider your position. You are destroying the passion of countless individuals who take genealogy research seriously.

  2118. BlossiePearl

    I am extremely disappointed in this corporate decision. The new appearance of ancestry is atrocious and now you are no longer offering FTM. What are you doing with all the funds I’ve paid for subscriptions and every new FTM over the years? I will not post my living relative information online and I do not believe that other researchers do so either. Not everyone lives in the cloud. Some folks like to have control over their data and to be able to print and archive their data in a tangible format. What is the driving force behind this decision. Were your customers even polled for suggestions? Very poor decision IMHO!

  2119. KarenA

    Less than 30 days notice for an end of life on an long-term product, with no roadmap for replacing functionality, and no partnerships to fill in lost capability.

    Shameful. Very poor Product Management.

    While I’m complaining, why do I have to log in every dang time, and EVERY time I see an ad for Ancestry?

  2120. Tim Walton

    Shortsighted stupidity. Ancestry should be ashamed of themselves.
    Looking at this blog 99.9% of members using FTM condemn your retrograde step.
    Please think again before you make a world wide laghingstock of yourselves.

  2121. Cara

    My husband and I have used Family Tree Maker for many years. Your decision to stop supporting FTM is incomprehensible. In return we will no longer support your company, so have cancelled our subscription to Ancestory.com today and will change to a different company’s software program.

  2122. Edgar Vinson

    I echo what others have wrote. The phone and tablet apps are just about worthless Alot of my errors came in via the app. No really good reports on the web version. Especially useful the person errors report. Or the places report? And what about the very useful FT Analyzer? In terms of performance, the client is much faster and more reliable. The web site is so childish.

  2123. Mark

    If you want to understand what is really behind Ancestry’s move, try this: Open a file in FTM, and export it in GEDCOM format. Then open the same file on Ancestry’s website, and export that in GEDCOM format. Now compare the two GEDCOM files. They aren’t the same — not even close. The one from FTM conforms to the GEDCOM standard and can be read by all genealogy software. The one from the website violates dozens of GEDCOM rules (such as placing marriage information under individuals instead of under families where it belongs), and cannot be read by any non-Ancestry software. Ancestry is killing off the software that works and cooperates with other resources, in favor of the software that doesn’t work and locks you into the Ancestry world. This has nothing to do with the “declining market” for desktop software, and everything to do with trying to corral Ancestry customers into a private feeding ground.

  2124. Stephen

    Very disappointed to hear this. I want to be able to work offline. You can’t fully export your tree from the website to gedcom which includes media so if you use the website you are partially locked in. I need to print out charts. So the website is not a viable alternative to ftm.

  2125. Matthew

    This decision disgusts me, you are going to lose many customers to this stupid move on your part. Do you realize how many of us have defended you over the years because we thought you were the best solution for those of us who either are professional genealogists or serious researchers? A lot. I am very PRO-FTM, and you are just pulling the rug out from under us. Unless you all change your mind, I will not be renewing.

  2126. Joseph Lafnear

    I had a really hard time converting to FTM from my previous program. However, the limits of the program and lack of updates made me a FTM user. I have had some issues with the FTM and lack of being able to print reports, indexes and other items the way I was use to.
    I think it needs to be posted and explained what options will be available for us to continue doing our research and how these changes will be affecting that research.
    I cannot begin to say that I understand this decision and the fall of users that will find other programs to use.
    It says to go to the blog for more information but there is no meaningful information explaining the change found.
    Do I dare to renew for the next year?????????????

  2127. Lynda Hirst

    I agree with all the comments above and feel you have let your community down badly. It’s a very disappointing decision and I think you will find a lot of people will go elsewhere for research now. The advantage of FTM integrating with Ancestry was what drew me but it’s not enough to keep me with you after this devision. I’m a huge fan of the internet and information available there but some matters are too sensitive to put online.. I’m with many others who hate the new dumbef down interface. . Far too congested and messy. Maybe Hereditis will buy the software and that would be integrated. Very poor decision on your part. . Please reconsider.

  2128. John

    I agree with M above and all the others, looks like it is time to look elsewhere for quality supported software

  2129. Margaret

    Over 2,200 comments in a few hours? Houston, we have a problem. I believe this will go down just like Netflix in 2011 when they split the streaming service from DVD distribution. They reversed their decision and have recovered. I hope Ancestry can do the same. Why didn’t you survey your customers? That would have been SO easy to do. Bad decision.

  2130. Dana

    When many of the serious researchers who both rely on FTM and have public, well-documented trees decide to leave Ancestry because of this change, with them will go many of those tree hints your new and casual subscribers depend on to create their click-and-copy trees. Our work helps tie together your content and underlies one of your biggest selling points. I’ve adapted to the “new” Ancestry and accepted it, even learned to appreciate many of its features as improvements on the “old”. But this is too much and makes it ironically clear that Ancestry has no true sense of what genealogy research means long-term.

  2131. Ken Brown

    Kendall, you suck and so does the company you work for. You corner the market and then close down or buy up the competition, even your own stuff just to force us onto the platform that returns the greatest profit… again I say, you suck and so does the company you work for.

  2132. David Campbell

    OK, everyone. Take a deep breath. If you have the FTM software on your home PC or laptop, you can still use it. It just won’t be supported anymore. If your file(s) are ONLY on the Ancestry web site, you may have a problem. I’m not sure about this, but you should be able to download your data to your PC/laptop. My files are backed up to an external hard drive as well uploaded to Rootsweb World Connect. People can see all the brilliant work you have done and you have a file to fall back to, just in case.

    I agree that the web site “improvements” have made it harder (more steps) to do research and I’m not totally happy with the current FTM version that I have. So, I will continue as I have been for the last 10 years and may or may not re-subscribe next June.

  2133. Priscilla Ware

    In 8 hours you have outrage from more than 2,000 people! I think you had better reverse your decision and announce it fast then follow it up with full support of the FTM program!!!

  2134. Julian

    I so agree with all the comments that have been made. I have been using FTM for twenty-one years and on it is a database of well over ten thousand names and well over three thousand photographs. If these are not transferable to and compatible with other similar programs I stand to lose all my work – thousands of pounds and thousands of hours. I feel totally let down by this extraordinary decision and strongly urge you to reconsider. You owe it to all your millions of members. Please explain exactly what other options you are offering.

  2135. John Touey

    The worst decision Ancestry ever made followed by you’re HORRIBLE new format online. Time to find new software to merge my tree into followed by canceling my Ancestry account. I’ve seen alot of comments about My Heritage Family Tree Builder on this blog. Going to check it out now. So long Ancestry

  2136. Cheryl Goodman

    The new Ancestry website is not efficient and more difficult to use. You are the most expensive genealogy site out there and we pay a lot of money to deal with the sites bugginess….now you are taking away FTM that people have been faithful to and used for years. Shame on you for not supporting the people that have supported you. Ancestry.com is not a reliable site to work with anymore. On to your competition!

  2137. Mark Wolmetz

    1. I demand a refund of the money spent on your soon-to-be defunct Family Tree Maker software.
    2. I will be canceling my ancestry.com subscription if you go through with your plan to discontinue FTM.
    3. Unrelated complaint: I wasted $700 on your bogus ancestryDNA tests that have not revealed a single new discovery about relationships to so-called “DNA matched cousins”. Hundreds and hundreds of purported matches most of which have no trees and/or have private trees and do not respond to messages.

    Seems like ancestry.com is no better than a crooked Ponzi scheme.

  2138. Linda

    This is not a smart move. FTM has so many great features that ancestry does not have. Even if you were to add some of these features on line, it would not be the same. FTM sets Ancestry apart from some of the other genealogy websites due to its wonderful features and the ability to sync with the on line tree. Do not retire this feature.

  2139. Nancy Lewis

    I join thousands of other FTM users in expressing my dismay over the cavalier way your company has left loyal software users in the lurch. From a strictly PR point of view, why didn’t you make arrangements with other genealogical software companies so that current purchasers/users/owners of FTM could relatively seamlessly upload their information to another program? Why the sudden fair accompli? Any reason why decades-long FTM customers have been kept in the dark about your plans?

  2140. Marcy Smith

    I’ve been using your online tree capabilities lately, which I really don’t like. I don’t like adding NOTES and FAMILY STORIES to a public tree. I don’t like not being able to do a lot of the things FTM allowed me to do, but I didn’t like that it glitched frequently and wouldn’t let me share, download, or transfer information. Now only Ancestry members will be able to see my tree. I have really considered totally switching to another provider for some time. I guess I’ll be doing that and purchase their programming for my computer. It’s nice to know that Ancestry has not given up making it more and more difficult for their members to maintain, share and search their family trees.

  2141. Ed

    Last time on ancestry website until Family Tree Maker is continued. BEGIN THE BOYCOTT!!! Ancestry better change their mind or be ready to shut down!

  2142. Donald Baldwin

    I don’t know all of the features offered by FTM and not available on ancestry.com but splitting family trees is one. According to your website “Currently, you cannot split a family tree on Ancestry.com”. It goes on to suggest using FTM. This is a key feature IMHO. What do you intend to do here?

  2143. Bob

    I cancelled my subscription some time ago due to the cost. You can find everything they provide FREE on the internet. But i am concerned about all the info I currently have in my FTW software. Why aren’t these questions being answered???

  2144. Pat

    TERRIBLE DECISION!!! I have been working on my family tree since 2001. You just cut off access to your site from FTM 2005 and have been reluctant to upgrade to version 11 for fear of losing some of my information. I guess I’m going to have to go ahead and start looking other genealogy software. I won’t use the cloud solely and I work on a PC – ALL THE TIME! Your new website is not nearly as easy to maneuver as it used to be and doesn’t offer the reports that your FTM software does. Please DO NOT stop supporting FTM. If you do, I will be going elsewhere. Please publically rescind your decision.

  2145. Jacqueline Lubinski

    First you hit us with a new format which totally stinks, and now you hit us with a withdrawl of FTM. I refuse to have all my data on Ancestry. Here’s a question for you? Where do I get on Ancestry an Ahnentafel report, or an outline descendency tree, or a vertical tree chart, or a regular descendency chart, or a kinship report, or a READABLE Family Group Sheet from my Ancestry online tree? Answer–NOWHERE! These specifics are only availabe with software on my computer. How can you possibly expect a genealogist to do his or her research when half of the things needed to complete that research is non existant on your website that you want us to totally depend on? There are other software programs out there and other ways of getting info. You shot yourself in the foot for $$$$. Well you won’t be getting mine anymore (20 years subscriber!!) if you go ahead with this half baked idea. I think you should fire the person that thought this up. While having my tree online is great for sharing across the miles there are features that are only available with a software program which the online tree does not have. Poor decision profitwise. Why would I buy a subscription to Ancestry if I didn’t have any software program to back up and compliment it? Bring the guys back from Broderbund–at least they had brains and thought ahead. This is a major step backward!

  2146. Thomas

    Extraordinary decision. You may not be selling a lot of desk top programs but a lot of people purchased them in the past, myself included, to ensure that if ever I should cease subscribing to Ancestry, I would have all of my family tree data in my desk top program. Your decision suggests I may not be able to do so in the future. As with many others here, if this decision proceeds, it will be the end of my Ancestry membership

  2147. Peter

    I think I agree with everybody above. Too many disappointed comments to read them all. I renewed my Ancestry subscription only after I had paid for FTM, which is fantastic. Don’t tell us this is for our benefit – it’s for you and dressed up in plastic prose.

  2148. Brian Jeffery

    This decision does not sit well with me. I too have more personal family info on my mac in FTM3 than I do on your site. I am going to keep a close eye on what takes place over the next while, and what happens will have direct impact on whether I continue my relationship with the ancestry website. It would be prudent to reconsider what you are planning on doing.

  2149. Richard Thomas

    Greed wins again! Not enough money in selling and upgrading software for a user’s own computer, eh? Well, you will get NOTHING from me in the future. I notice that there are NO favorabole comments in the hundreds of comments above. That tell anything? Probably not. Goodby and good riddance.

  2150. Deanna

    I believe this has more to do with trying to increase profits by forcing people into membership fees, If there is no plan to continue with a TreeSync feature, I will be “de-syncing” my association (and membership fees) with Ancestry.ca permanently. That’s a promise.

  2151. Gene

    This is awful. FTM is (was) such a good product, and I can use it off-line on my PC. What is the replacement?

  2152. Sandra

    I am unwilling to share the research I have put into my life long interest into MY trees for your company’s gain. Sorry that your greed has taken presidence to screw all of us who have a passion for genealogy
    I have made many trips in search of genealogy. Not for your profit.

  2153. Susan

    Omg omg omg I am in panic mode. Shocked, utterly devastated. I love FTM… I have used it since it first came out. All my notes, all my media. Oh good god how will I continue. How to print fur our family reunions? Omg OMG omg

  2154. John Hannah

    There are many reports that can be printed in FTM that are not available from the online tree. Such as, a report of the people buried in a certain county or the people buried in a certain cemetery. When I travel, I print a report of relatives buried in the vicinity to be able to visit and photograph their tombstones and grave sites. will features like that be available using the online tree? Without FTM I will not need Ancestry.com. I hope you are capable of withstanding the cancellations. I personally think you are doomed to failure.

  2155. Gene Smith

    After a membership at Ancestry which stretches back decades, I find this decision to be callous and incomprehensible. I am particularly chagrined at the cavalier attitude reflected in the announcement. You asked for no input from the customer base and provided an astonishingly short notice of the date the action is to be implemented. Should you follow through with this decision, I will remove all my research from your site and discontinue my membership.

  2156. Lynda

    I guess I will just need to find another software to preserve data offline. Delete all my trees on ancestry as I do not care to contribute to a company destroying the many years of work of their loyal customers. I mini-tree on ancestry is the max. tree anyone really needs if there is no offline preservation of their work. It is bad enough I was having to degrade my online service because of the horrible online version being forced on us, but now need to get rid of my work on ancestry too (if I can’t access and use it then I will demand all my trees be deleted except one basic tree for my dna to point to that is already paid for and submitted. Guess we all should have submitted DNA only to familytreedna or another project where no one bothers to put anything but at max a low level tree. I will not be helping and spending the hours I have to submit transcription errors etc. on ancestry, as I won’t be spending much time on ancestry anyway with the forced pathetic online product we are already subjected to.

  2157. Christine Murphy

    Surely all the comments on your Blog so far tell you that this is a very poor business decision. Your stakeholders, including me, are NOT HAPPY. Family Tree Maker has been excellent software to link to Ancestry – one goes with the other – a ”good marriage”. Can you avoid the ”divorce”.

  2158. Frank

    “your loyal Ancestry community” – your closing words. Remember loyalty works two ways – that’s where trust comes into play. Look, we all make mistakes in life, some more serious than others. It takes people with full insight to appreciate when a reversal of direction is required. Please, rethink your decision. Don’t betray those that have provided you with the priceless information that permits you to succeed as a company. At the very least you should realize that current FTM software users need to be grandfathered in any future plans. Sometimes the positives in a move are outweighed by the negatives.

  2159. Lana Howard

    I have never been this disappointed in a decision made by a company. I have used Family Tree Maker since it was created. It is a very “robust” program as Crista Cowan describes it and does so much more than Ancestry can do. Ancestry has been dumbed down to appeal to the inexperienced genealogist but at least we had FTM. The sync feature made having Ancestry and FTM perfect. If you really do discontinue FTM I see no reason to continue with Ancestry. Guess I will be checking out Family Search and a new desktop program. So very annoyed and disappointed.

  2160. Bill

    The 12/8/15 of 2294 inputs on your blog is any indication of how customer’s feel should concern your company. When will you be answering the many question submitted for just one day on your blog?

  2161. Susan

    Omg omg omg I am in panic mode. Shocked, utterly devastated. I love FTM… I have used it since it first came out. All my notes, all my media. Oh good god how will I continue. How to print for our family reunions?

  2162. Allen Lewerer

    If they are not going to support it’s software users why should we support them.
    Who could recommend a more customer focused company, it looks like Ancestry is not going to, after shutting down Family Tree Maker at the end of 2015
    VERY SAD DAY FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK INTO THEIR FAMILY HISTORY.

  2163. Janet T Smith

    Like everyone else, I feel at a loss. I started my research in 2000. I’ve dropped subscriptions to all websites other than Ancestry, because it’s the best. FTM is the only program I’ve ever used. I also maintain an All-Access membership. Now that I’m retired and living on a fixed income, keeping that membership is a huge commitment that I choose to make. Now what do I need to do? Do I lose the capacity to perform Web searches from my laptop-based FTM? Do you see the myriad of questions and consternation this announcement has caused? And why are you telling us this just a few weeks before discontinuing FTM? Your disregard for your loyal customers is appalling!

  2164. Casper

    1. On a fixed income I will not be able to afford Ancestry in the near future. Family Tree is my backup.
    2. It is much easier to print reports from Family Tree.
    3. Users have contributed many documents to your database. Those contributions will decrease along with the value of your product.

  2165. Bill Clark

    I have always been a fan of the FTM desktop software. In my opinion it’s the best user interface available, and keeping all of my information on my desktop is critical. I do not want to depend on a web site that could vanish at any time and take my data with it. I guess it’s time to look for new software – an inferior UI is certainly better than none at all. If I can find another source that has a comparable records database, I will probably cancel my ancestry.com subscription as well. I will miss Tree Sync, but I guess I will find a way to manage without it.

  2166. chris

    Probably the end of my long-term association with Ancestry……this company is showing total disregard for the loyalty millions of dedicated genealogists have shown over these many years. Looks like it is a money issue.

  2167. jeff

    It looks like Ancestry only want to run on-line trees in future and force everyone in that direction. They say there is a ” declining desktop software market”. If that is true Ancestry, then show us the figures! Have FTM sales been declining or what?

  2168. Julianne McClain

    So far Kendal appears to be costing the company $405769.00 that is assuming each of the individuals have a standard 12 month membership. This does not include other memberships nor all those who will quit that have not posted and today was the announcement so these figures are very early. Does not look like a sound business move at all

  2169. Deanna

    I believe this has more to do with trying to increase profits by forcing people into membership fees, If there is no plan to continue with a TreeSync feature, I will be “de-syncing” my association (and membership fees) with Ancestry.ca permanently. That’s a promise. I haven’t invested years and hundreds and hundreds of dollars just to have a proverbial rug pulled out from underneath me. Shame!

  2170. Michael Hewlett

    I have 30 years of research into genealogy wrapped up in FTM. I have only recently uploaded a private tree to ancestry, but my use of Ancestry has benn using FTM web search to find resources and to merge into my FTM tree. I always had the ability to go back to my tree view to compare my data with the web data. You are taking away my entire genealogical research capability. I now see no need to spend $250 a year for the world data nor the $79 annually for upgrades. I think the $330 loss in revenue from me is typical of thousands of other users. I see your bottom line leading to an eventual Ancestry bankruptcy. I am sad to see an old friend disappear into the dustbin of history. RIP FTM and Ancestry.

  2171. Sandra C. High

    I want all of my information I’ve put out there to assister otheres, whether I can copy to another program or that it be on cd. You may help us but we also help you big time or you wouldn’t have been able to sell and support Family Tree Maker so many years. I’m interested in just what you have planned for all of this info.

  2172. Bruce Straube

    This is ridiculous. You announce you are discontinuing FTM without telling your customers what the path forward is. How am I going to transition my years of work and to what product?

  2173. Karen Morrow

    Well, I’m gob-smacked! I’ve been using FTM since 1996, and have had absolutely no inclination to upload all my research to Ancestry. Well, thank God for that. Looks like my decision was a good one, while yours is absolutely wrong, wrong, wrong. All I can hope for is that FTM will be sold to some other company that will continue to develop it as desktop software. So glad I haven’t renewed my Ancestry subscription.

  2174. John Cobb

    I can’t add much that hasn’t already been said – bad decision. And, I had just decided to get 2 of your DNA kits. Glad I hadn’t given you any money yet. I’ll find an alternative. I will not support a company that won’t support me.

  2175. I’m astonished at this decision which clearly gives no regard to the reason why people use your service in the first place – to preserve their family history. I have had FTM for many years, and a subscription to ancestry.com. My late mother devoted much of her life to researching and recording her extensive family history. I have been digitizing those records to preserve them into the future and share them with other family members. But digitizing something in a format that is going to become unusable in the future or which depends on someone else keeping a website going is pointless. I could never entrust all of my mother’s precious work to an online resource which will continue to insist on yearly payments in order to access our family’s own heritage records. Ancestry has no right to take ownership of our property. The one good thing is that at least I know now not to count on you and to move elsewhere. Goodbye, Ancestry.com.

  2176. Sue Haley

    Despicable! Horrible! Disgusting! Disappointing! Terrible! Stupid! Horrendous! Crappy! Shitty! Depressing! Dumb! Shortsighted! Annoying! Ridiculous! Crazy! Unbelievable! I can’t even BEGIN to tell you how mad I am! This is a bad, bad, bad idea! Continue to support & sync or I too (after being a LONG TIME customer) will be forced to find somewhere else to go or give it up completely!!! Absolutely heartbreaking! 25 years of research & 6000 names down the drain!

  2177. Vicky Jones

    I am very disappointed, spent the best part of the year getting up to speed with FTM after switching from Legacy. Would never have switched if I had known this was going to happen. I guess I will be like many of your other customers, cancelling my subscription.

  2178. Vince Dooley

    Ancestry is just a database tool. It’s for information gathering. Family Tree Maker is what makes it useful. This move will spell disaster for Ancestry and harm other companies that provide similar facilities. I for one will be out of it. There are other ways of getting the data and other more general tools for presentation. Ancestry is shooting itself in the foot and letting customers down. It will certainly be goodbye from me.

  2179. Teresa

    I agree with others that FTM is an invaluable companion to Ancestry! Your decision to “retire” it is a slap in the face to your long time “loyal Ancestry community”. Many have been with Ancestry and FTM long before the so called “cloud”. Please reconsider, or at least offer an alternative to maintain my family history records on my laptop with the ability to sync with Ancestry.

  2180. Reggie Adams

    On what planet does this make sense? Ancestry will lose a great deal of business over this I suspect.

  2181. Ken

    What about those who, like my dad, don’t upload to the web from FTM? Are we still going to be charged the same price for less service? Too many questions and I don’t see answers yet.

  2182. Fran

    Wow! Ancestry, you state in this blog post that your “subscription business and website continue to grow”…if you look at even half of the comments regarding this latest elimination by your company, you will see that after Dec 15, when new ancestry is the only choice online, and after Dec 31 when you no longer sell FTM, your subscriptions are going to plummet!! When they fall through the floor and your profits drop drastically, maybe then you will wake up. But then it will be too late, because people will have found another source for their genealogy search. Over 8 years of research for me and each day you find a way to take away a little more of the enthusiasm and joy I had doing research. You won’t get another dime from me. So very, very glad that my tree and all research was started on paper and I only recently designed an online tree. Will happily go back to my papers and binders; they aren’t going anywhere!

  2183. Arthur Kean

    Not well explained as to what we have to use in the future. Not the right way to go at all. Thousands of hours could end up being wasted by your decision to quit. Have worked on my tree for 20 years now. Are you going to help us convert our trees to other tree making companies or just leave us out to dry. Not a good way to treat loyal customers. A very unhappy client. How can you let us all down so badly.

  2184. James

    Guess I will be saving some money by not renewing Ancestry. Sorry you made a decision such as this that has an effect on so many people and their hard work. Ancestry has apparently gotten too big to care about individuals/customers/friends. Maybe people will get your attention when they kiss you good bye.

  2185. Richard Henry

    Wished I had know this earlier. Would not had renewed my World membership. I am truly disappointed.

  2186. Joe B.

    I join the more than 2000 replies against this move; all this within a few hours of your announcement does not bode well for the future of ancestry.com

  2187. Lisa T

    I am sorry that the new owners of ancestry.com do not care about the people that made the website what it is today. It was those of us who were using FTM software, and Genealogy.com website (which ancestry purchased several years ago). I have been using FTM since the mid 1990s. Before ancestry.com every existed. I am sorry that ancestry has gotten so greedy, that they are trying to force every ancestry.com customer use their website to save their trees, and photos, so they can new users to have all of he hard research done by the founders of the genealogy website. This way it forces people to continue to pay the continuing increasing prices in their annual fees (which have gotten way too high).

    If Ancestry does not reconsider it’s decision to discontinue support for FTM after Jan 2017, Then I will be forced to stop supporting them, by paying the outrageous annual fees, removing all of my hard work from their website, and find another website that is “family” oriented. Ancestry in no longer “family” oriented, but money oriented. With their TV commercials, to their celebrity TV genecology shows where they do DNA, and family trees for the rich and famous free of charge. Then forget out those of us that have to stretch our budgets just to pay their annual fees. I pray they will reconsider.

  2188. Pam Lee

    This is absolutely terrible!! I have enjoyed using Family Tree Maker from the beginning. If they are not going to provide another option I will also discontinue use of Ancestry.

  2189. Jan

    At least tell us what can be done or used after this is retired. You say for various reasons you are retiring FTM but you don’t really give the reasons. Even though the desktop market may be declining you have many people who use and are happy with FTM. So we are just out of luck and not worth your time anymore?

  2190. Ron

    I suspect you didn’t expect such a deluge of responses within a few hours of your announcement. Like the others here, I am greatly disappointed in your decision to leave so many of your loyal supporters and serious researchers to hang out and dry. We have invested mightily in subscription fees and the FTM application over the years, and now learn from out of the blue, that as far as we can tell at this point, given you sketchy and vague plans for the future, your support for FTM vanishes on New Year’s Day 2017. So, we’re now to entrust all of our long, patient and hard work to be stored exclusively by your organization on some server and in the Cloud. That is of little comfort. Like so many other here, I will have to reconsider my membership. I believe your decision to abandon FTM is pennywise and pound-foolish. You should very seriously reconsider your plans.
    As an aside, your Ancestry commercials make it sound so simple and easy to find ones ancestors. It’s a bit more complicated that just typing in a name, and voila, there’s my …!

  2191. Kate

    I love Family Tree Maker. and I love Ancestry.Com. These are the two anchors of my genealogy research. I use them both for different things. I learn from Ancestry.Com and add what I learn to my Family Tree Maker file. Then, I can print out nice outlines of the information in a readable format. I can share these print-outs with family members who do not actively research genealogy. Please re-consider your decision to discontinue supporting Family Tree Maker!

  2192. John Grandin

    This is very disturbing and quite concerning as well. Family Tree Maker is the tool I use for cleaning up duplicate entries, correcting location names, generating reports, and calculating relationships.
    More importantly, I have control of my data files on my computer. Moving exclusively to ancestry.com feels like I’m giving up control of my data. I urge you to rethink your decision.

  2193. Paul Basso

    When I read the devastating news that Ancestry was going to do away with Family Tree Maker, I thought it was a typo. I have been using FTM since about 1994-95 and have enjoyed how it has gotten easier and more powerful to use. I have tried other genealogy packages over the years and have never found anything that I would consider a vital replacement for FTM. The loyal users of FTM and Ancestry have been promised things over the years as enhancements to genealogy, but now you’re throwing us to the curb. You sure do love our money, but you go and do something stupid like telling us we’re going to have to suck it up and go back to the beginning. Ever since you updated (?) your site, it has to be one of the most ignorant choices. You can’t do as much with your website as in 2014, there are almost no charts or reports available, you can’t access other websites from the Ancestry, which I can do from FTM. It is very childish. You can’t bring up information found on the online trees unless you search through other more-time consuming methods. Rethink this ignorant decision and keep your good name from crashing into an abyss. Thank you!

  2194. Betsy

    What are you developing for us to use instead of Family Tree Maker? Your memo talks of retiring it, but it does not mention what new software will replace it. I have nearly 10,000 ancestors in my family tree as well as many photos and citations. Is all of this going to transfer seamlessly to Family Tree Maker’s replacement? I really like being able to sync my Family Tree Maker changes and additions directly into Ancestry.com. Will that still be possible? We users need to know more about what software you intend to replace Family Tree Maker with. The e-mail you sent did not give enough information. This is deeply troubling.

  2195. Gene

    I guess I will just try to update my family tree with the most recent information, print a report … then, kaput. I’ll be done working on my family tree.

  2196. cpwhitn

    I agree with most of the comments. FYI FTM will still work even if it doesn’t sync with Ancestry.com. I suggest exporting GEDCOM files so it can be put into a different software product.

  2197. Bernie

    Sad to hear this as it seems are quite a few others. For years I have used FTM and Ancestry as one, was excited when Tree Sync was introduced. I also use the filter in FTM to find what’s missing and what to look for to complete my search. Like many other, I might re-think how to proceed.

  2198. Paul

    This is terrible I have been using FTM for many years as it has always been the best software available. I always use a PC to store all of my history which is especially useful when travelling overseas doing research and am not online. Do rethink your decision

  2199. Judy DeRose

    I cannot believe you would do away with FTM I have used this for years beginning with early versions and have upgraded all along. I have well over 7000 names and information contained in it and do not want to reenter any of this into another program, which is what it sounds like you are making us do. Shame on you, this is not fair to any of us, unless you have a miraculous replacement in the wings that will allow us to directly import information from our own trees on Ancestry or using the FTM files. I am appalled.

  2200. Gerald Curtis

    I have now changed my tree to a “Private Tree” and disconnected it from the search engine. Maybe all who object to this discontinuance of the FTM software should follow suit and, effectively, pull all this data from Ancestry.

  2201. Vic Cottle

    Now I understand why FTM 2015 never hit the market. Full steam ahead with Legacy & FamilySearch.org for me & the bonus is FamilySearch is free. RIP FTM

  2202. Jim Thomas

    This is apparently the “New Coke” idea of ancestry research. I do not use a tablet, but instead a desktop. I will not use the “cloud” for storing anything. My offline copy of FTM contains many of the family personal secrets and other information that needs to remain private and not in the procession of a third party.
    I agree with previous comments regarding the new format with the family history. It is awkward and I bypass as much of the new format presentations as I can. The verbage used to display life events makes it more hard to read and does not lend itself to display on a single screen without scrolling.
    Additionally when I show most of my family members our family history they have a hard time visualing the relationships from the screen. It is the printed data that allows you or me to instantly see where the relative we met in 1965 fits in our family tree.
    I am sure that when I can not use FTM to interface with Ancestry I will no longer have any need to access Ancestry and I will stop subscribing.

  2203. Barry Andrews

    I am also sorry that Ancestry are following this line. I for one cancelled my subscription to Ancestry this year as the cost was getting beyond my finances but for you to cancel the Family Tree Maker is beyond belief. Big business taking over and telling us what to do again. Shame!

  2204. Kathy Schutt

    I am deeply saddened and disappointed in this news. I believe you have not considered all the ramifications of this action. I have used ancestry.com and family tree maker for over twenty years. I have used charts and reports to write books and tell the story of my ancestors to my children and grandchildren. It is the legacy I am leaving to my family. It appears that all ancestry cares about is the money. The new ancestry is very hard to navigate and doesn’t make a lot of sense. Do you ask for feedback before these are put out to the general public. I am very disappointed in the direction ancestry has taken. You have taken away the My Family which was awesome and now you are taking away our ability to pass our stories on to our children. Please reconsider this decision.

  2205. Dave

    So that’s it? Countless users have a jillion hours invested in gathering reams of data and you’re just going to pull the rug out?

  2206. Mary Pollington

    Extremely disappointed. I’ve already had to move from Ancestral Quest to FTM–now where do I go? Will any other software link to Ancestry.com? I am seriously considering cancelling my subscription.

  2207. Lynda

    I am thoroughly disgusted by this decision, and I hate the silly new format on Ancestry. Just renewed, but am rethinking that. Was also disgusted by a recent news story indicating that Ancestry was planning to SELL our DNA information to medical researchers using family tree information as to causes of death, I was under the impression that our DNA tests were private, and selling information provided to you by members is despicable. Unethical, to say the least.

  2208. Good luck getting your data removed from Ancestry.com folks. If you check the Terms and Conditions you will find that Ancestry has rights to all your data: to wit “By submitting User Provided Content on any of the Websites, you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use User Provided Content submitted by you to the Websites, to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered.” … “This license continues even if you stop using the Websites or the Services.” I learned this years ago and stopped contributing my data to them because of this.

  2209. With the insolent cessation of FTM obviously explains the disinterest in FTM Support people in recent times who blew me away with incoherent email links that never solved my problem! They obviously knew what was coming! After several years and nearly 3,000 in my Tree I’ll be gone by February!

  2210. Charlene Herring

    Having the TreeSync to enable me to keep a copy of my tree on my computer as well as online was the major reason I have been keeping my subscription to Ancestry.com. Without this, the fees are probably too high to justify keeping my subscription. Will the reporting features currently on Family Tree Maker be available online?

  2211. Debbie Owen

    I am VERY upset to hear this news. I have been using Family Tree Maker longer than I have been using Ancestry. I bought my first program of Family Tree Maker when it was made by Brøderbund in 1995. Every time a new version of it is released I buy it. Everything I do in genealogy is based on Family Tree Maker. You are eliminating the very best part of Ancestry. If I have to stop using one of the two, I will stop using Ancestry.

  2212. Julie Cordero

    I am stunned to say the least. Please, please reconsider this decision. Where are those of us who rely on FTM and have for years now to maintain our records? I don’t have any desire to keep all of my records online via Ancestry and I won’t. The idea of attempting to transfer all of my records to a competitive software program really disturbs me but I guess that’s what I will have to begin doing. Then I will need to cancel my Ancestry subscription.

  2213. Annie

    PLEASE reconsider! We have been a subscriber to Ancestry for some 11 years and we have been collating our Families Trees for some 38 years.Most of my free time is spent on research and I think FTM is just fabulous, it is vital to be able to print out all or part of the tree to share with family who may have vital information or stories to share, all then addded to the FTM. I am about to recieve for Christmas, the new FTM World edition, which includes 6 months membership.WILL THIS 6 MONTHS FREE MEMBERSHIP STILL BE AVAILABLE?? Or will you give me my money back in full?? I can honeslty say that if you cannot offer any other alternative after FTM, we will be cancelling our subscription and will be glad to pay FMP. Please think again.

  2214. Tim

    Obviously, this is a business decision based on cost factors. FTM is no longer worth your time apparently. Fair enough.

    Frankly, one of the main reasons I’ve stayed with Ancestry is because I knew I always had a home computer using FTM with a local full version of my Ancestry trees. Sync makes that easy.

    Now, however, your services are only worth about half of what I am paying. You’ve devalued your product by discontinuing FTM. Yes, the software is extra cost. But the sync functionality is worth every penny. We didn’t need to worry about an Ancestry or FTM crash. Either could bail out the other for our tree information.

    That;s no longer the case after January 2017. And that’s now my deadline to mine Ancestry for every bit of data that I can gather. After that, I’ll be gone unless some other sync-able software is capable of filling the gap left by FTM.

  2215. Michele

    Wow! The amazing negative response in such a short time should give you an indication that your decision is extremely unpopular. I too, will be cancelling my subscription.

  2216. Joanne

    Thank goodness, my subscription expires this month and now I know NOT to renew! I’m thinking you guys also thought Beta was a better way to go than VHS, that electronic books would never fly, I suspect you will look back at December 31, 2015 as the beginning of the end for Ancestry.com and the day you set back genealogical research for years!

  2217. Norine

    i started with FTM because it gave me the hard copies to share with family. I love printing the various reports that FTM provides. I will be spending this winter updating and printing and than making a decision if I should continue with ancestry.

  2218. Arlene

    You have ripped off people for years, now you are completely screwing them. I have spent 25 years on my tree. You are taking away the best part of Ancestry most likely for your own financial gain. How un-Mormon of you. This is a complete disaster and ruins Xmas for all users, but especially professional genealogists who depend on Ancestry and family tree maker to feed themselves. True life Scrooges!!!

  2219. I agree with everything the others have said and questioned. I don’t see any answers. What are we to do without FTM? How can I make my search documented? This is VERY DISAPPOINTING. No other software is not an answer!!!

  2220. Joan

    I, too, am disappointed to hear the news about dropping support for FTM. I have been using the 2002 version all this time, and it was iffy whether I could still use it with Windows 8, but with a few exceptions, I managed to get most of it to work. I have delayed upgrading to Windows 10 as I fear it will be totally inoperable in that environment. I am also very disappointed with your “new look” Public Family Trees online with a whole lot of page-filling information on each individual’s page that requires much searching on the screen for ONLY the information relevant to the indidvidual. When I want to know the details of his/her parents and siblings, I prefer to have it ONLY on the page reflecting THEIR details. VERY UNHAPPY WITH RECENT CHANGES, but we may be only a million or so of your subscribers, so what do we matter ???

  2221. tj

    So, is the idea that we all upload ALL our info to your website because the software will not be supported and outdated,? Just so that you can ‘mine’ all the information in our trees? I have thousands in my trees and spent thousands on certs/probates etc Not gonna give you that information for free by uploading all my trees. Terrible decision. I hope another company sees this insanity as their opportunity.

  2222. Lizzie

    I just can’t believe it. DITTO all previous 2000+ comments above! You guys are really screwing up big time but whattheHell, you don’t care anyway. Merry Christmas y’all.

  2223. Reuben Fisher

    I just want to add my voice to all of the complaints. I have been using Ancestry for years and just bought FTM because of the additional features.
    The web site functionality is not nearly as full as FTM, particularly in its charting options.
    I guess I will explore other options but I am saddened because I really like your product

  2224. Linda Lawrence

    I have always considered FTM and Ancestry to be an intregral part of my family history research. I want to be able to continue to do use the benefits of these programs together. Please don’t discontinue FTM.

  2225. Kristin Stockslager

    This is terrible news! FTM is so much nicer and more user friendly than Ancestry. Will the sync feature go away? If so, will we at least be able to upload any changes that we make to FTM to Ancestry? Not everything transfers over very well from FTM to Ancestry. Is it or will it be possible to upload other software to Ancestry? Please don’t do this!

  2226. Very disappointing. Will Ancestry offer the report and chart functions of FTM? I cannot imagine not having my data on my local disc(s).I’ve use FTM since the Broderbund days. Looks like you’ve managed to alienate lots of loyal users. Guess I’ll get serious about getting up to speed on Legacy.

  2227. lynn etling

    Merry Christmas you jerks. Not that you care for all of your placating self serving bs about appreciating feed back and our business. I did this because even though I pay monthly and always have, you have deleted content off of my tree. I lost phone #s and names out of the comments sessions. Because of that I purchased FTM – to separate contact ( I unsynced it) so I would never lose my work. You stink. I will maintain my Ancestry membership only until I can find where to go. You really have no loyalty to your customers. Luckily I will only be one until I can figure out where to go with my business.

  2228. This has got to be THE dumbest decision Ancestry has EVER made. The whole reason why the site WORKS as a resource for genealogists is that you can work in FTM and then sync to the site. In all honesty, the site is about 90% useless to the me without this capability. This decision makes one thing absolutely clear: THE DIRECTORS AT ANCESTRY KNOW ZERO ABOUT GENEALOGY OR HOW GENEALOGISTS WORK.

  2229. Kathi A

    Not a good move. Ancestry has no reporting tools. And the new interface is SLOW and some of the features (family group sheet) I used all the time are not in the new ancestry. The interface is also cluttered with too much stuff and getting to the gallery takes too many steps. Leave family tree maker alone. and do some more work on the new ancestry before you take away the old one. Sheeshe. This is NOT a cheap product. I’ve been supporting your product for years but I really do wonder if some of the new moves are not in the best interest of serious family history researchers.

  2230. Carol

    I do believe the administration of Ancestry has lost contact with reality. You are loosing your client base. Legacy here I come.

  2231. Joanna Kelley

    Very disappointed with Ancestry. I was not terribly fond of the last version of Family Tree Maker, but had truly hoped you would make a “debugged” version. To abandon it altogether is just very disrespectful to your longtime members who do serious research and would like to be able to sync their trees. Ancestry seems to be catering to casual researchers instead of those of us interested in doing long term, serious family research. I am not happy with these changes and would like to have some sort of alternative. I feel really let down and disappointed with Ancestry. I will be looking for other options.

  2232. Ron Chadwick

    I can’t believe you would make such a dumb move. I guess I will cancel my membership and switch to Legacy.

  2233. Faye Orr

    Sorry that ancestry has chosen to do this. It’s just a step in the direction to forcing people to subscribe to their services. I had been contemplating dropping my subscription. Now I know I will.

  2234. Gerald Curtis

    I have just made my family tree “Private” and de-linked it from the search engine. If we all do this, all our data will be unavailable to Ancestry, thus reducing their data by millions of records.

  2235. Carl Wagenfohr

    This is more than disappointing. I use FTM to maintain my trees during periods of Ancestry.com subscription lapse. adding new people and updating existing people. When I reactivate my subscription, a simple SYNC updates my online trees with the work that I’ve done while offline.

    I view the elimination of FTM as an effort to require an annual Ancestry.com subscription from those who have been able to make-do with partial-year subscriptions.

    Unless there is a drastic reduction in the annual subscription rate, I will be looking for another online supplier of hosting and historical databases. I am thankful that GEDCOM will assure the portability of my data to another host.

  2236. Frank Locke

    So, this is like “New Coke”, right? I can’t believe the reaction from users, yet no response from management? That speaks volumes about customer service. I am going to believe that everyone who has the software loaded onto their computer will continue to be able to use it. Some competing software company is fast at work building a solution for us. So, I will sleep at night knowing that all of that information won’t be lost. Oh well, as long as the members of The Mormon Church can use our information to trace their lineage back to Adam and Eve and baptize all of our ancestors into their faith………

  2237. John Bargman

    What a horrible decision. It appears to be to Ancestry’s benefit and not its customers. I see no response to all of the comments. I have not read anything positive about your decision.

  2238. Elizabeth

    I’m stunned! FTM 2014 is my favorite version (been using FTM almost from the beginning). As others have stated, there are a lot of things you can do with desktop software that you can’t do with an online tree. At least I know Legacy 8 and RootsMagic 7 handle the import of FTM’s GEDCOM really well – even locating and linking the media. Still, I really hate to lose FTM’s features.

  2239. Aubrey

    Being a long time user of FTM and site subscriber I will not be renewing my subscription or purchasing any of your products.

  2240. Billie

    I had FamilyTree Maker 2006 which I loved. I upgraded from Windows XP to Windows 7 and had to order the 2012 version of FamilyTree Maker because Windows2012 would not run the oler version. I hate FTM2012. It is not user friendly. I think in order to sell more programs, you updated just for the sake of having a different version and have created a mess for yourself. If you had stuck with the 2006 version and just adjusted it for changes in the Mac and Windows operating system, you would have spent a lot less money on software development.

  2241. Lynda

    I use the desktop programs more than i use online. this is very disappointing. Please reconsider and don’t do away with the desktop program.

  2242. Gail

    I find it puzzling that you have not offered offered an alternative solution to long-standing FTM users. Very poor customer service…I will not be renewing my Ancestry subscription.

  2243. M. Estes

    Why can’t you simply incorporate the information from Family Tree Maker already submitted by members into the new system even if we are unable to make total use of the new system? How does the new system affect getting previous and ongoing information on those who have submitted DNA to link with each other? Not all changes are good or welcomed. It should not be that difficult to accept both the old and the new system into your program and those with the old program can update when it is convenient for them without losing information or having to redo everything. Yes if you delete every family tree in this process, you should not only return customer’s money and but reimburse them for the time spent. We could have used a more organization.

  2244. Marilyn

    So you basically have sucked the life out of your loyal customers. Years of work searching and this is how you reward your loyal customers. Shame on you. I guess I will have to now start saving and printing off my documents. Then I will be finished with you.

  2245. RB

    Congratulations, Ancestry. Now that you’ve come clean that you value profits over people, your brand is now tarnished. You will now be known as a company that is out of touch with its base and turns on its own customers.

    I’ve used FTM for almost 25 years, updating it multiple times. I’ve enjoyed the Ancestry website for research but have never fully trusted putting my research online. I’m one of those users who uses the desktop software almost exclusively, since I don’t always have the money to pay for an ancestry membership. You have made a big mistake I’m afraid. Expect to be written off.

  2246. Sheryl

    Like everyone else, I am extremely disappointed. Ancestry’s site does not support all of the features of FTM. And an active Internet connection is necessary. It appears that Ancestry sees no value in our dearly beloved FTM features. What other software apps are available to switch to? Though I have been a long time subscriber to Ancestry, should there come a time when I can no longer afford to subscribe I will not be able to update my tree. The company is not very interested in keeping us loyal FTM users..

  2247. JohnH

    Have every copy of FTM since DOS One 1988 when it was owned by Banner Blue. What about the remaing months of my subscriuption to Services?
    Explain options to salvage records please before closing the doors.

  2248. Paula

    I have read the majority of the comments already posted and it seems like everyone feels the same as I do…if your not going to sync/work with Family Tree Maker which the majority of us are using…what good will you be to us and why should we continue our memberships? My only hope after seeing the flurry of negative comments you will reconsider this bad business decision. Without us Family Tree Maker users, who will be subscribing to your website? This can only hurt your bottom line

  2249. Tammy

    It’s time to take a break from ancestry.com

    I agree with KarenA

    My online account currently won’t show me any hints. It’s a feature I pay for yet it’s been months since I submitted the help ticket and the last time someone checked they are still saying no date for resolution. I suspect that may be the same kind of service I would get if I used it as my primary data storage.

  2250. Alistair

    I don’t understand? Ancestry and FTM work so well together. I’m assuming that there are financial reasons but it is extremely disappointing.

  2251. Rick Schroeder

    Kendall, humm… after all the success documented in your bio, much of it related to the Family Tree platform. I predict this decision is going to be catastrophic and undo all the success you have had. Genealogy data is deeply personal and intimate to all researchers. Many, like myself, will never trust a cloud solution to hold the only copy of this data. In fact, given this choice, I will remove all my data from Ancestry.com instead.

  2252. Joanne

    I have done tons of research on Ancestry for several years and am a user of FTM. By Ancestry no longer supporting FTM, I feel you are abandoning your long time loyal members. I have spent a lot of money through the years maintaining my membership and updating FTM only to have you run out on me. On January 1, 2017 will my FTM be useless? Please tell us what we are supposed to do? Unless something changes, I will probably drop my membership. What a terrible way to treat your loyal members!!! Please, I beg you, RECONSIDER.

  2253. Jeff

    Words cannot express my disappointment with your decision to stop supporting FTM. I have used this product for over 20 years. Over the past three years I’ve had it linked to Ancestry.com to assist me on my genealogy work. It’s been a valuable combination FTM and Ancestry.com. The PC version provides me with more options to capture what I want regarding my family in its database, the flexibility, comfort, and security of having all my information stored on my computer, and so much more. I’ve used Ancestry DNA products and have recommended them to others. I’m extremely disappointed and to be frank, angry. Over the next 12 months I will obviously need to rethink the software I use and if I will continue my subscription to Ancestry.

    A Very Disappointed and Previous Loyal Customer,

  2254. Henry Bosman

    Does this mean that I will no longer have access to my own tree and documents attached to my tree if I allow my subscription with Ancestry to lap? What will happen to my tree if I resubscribe some years later?

  2255. Morten Aasberg

    I guess there really is nothing more to be said about this horrible decision. I really hope you people at Ancestry will come to your senses and take all the reactions from all of us who pay your wages seriously, and reconsider your extremely unvise decision.

  2256. Amy H.

    Web based services are all fine…until you are traveling in a foreign country while doing genealogical research and need to reference your info and update your info and your only option is now the cloud…which you can’t access. Ending FTM is a mistake. Ancestry.com was built partly by creating community and family trees from customers. You now have our valuable info (family tree contributions) and don’t care about customers actually doing family tree research on their own in remote locations. Bad decision to discontinue FTM.

  2257. Greg Chambers

    If you think people will trust you with their family trees online-only, you are crazy. I was given a subscription to Ancestry.com, and I will not be starting it. I won’t put any effort into creating information that I can’t control. Goodbye.

  2258. Martha M

    Thanks a lot! I had to upgrade, wish I would have found a different software. Waste of my money. This is the second time I have had to update and now = worthless.

  2259. Genelle

    I am more than displeased about this and ask that Ancestry reconsider dropping FTM. In my opinion, Ancestry and FTM are apples and oranges in many ways. That said, how soon will Ancestry be letting FTM users know the details of just how they suggest FTM users to go forward with Ancestry alone? I “assume” along with the decision to drop FTM, the what-next for Ancestry plans have been being made.

  2260. Joseph

    Very disappointed. Over the course of the next year I will carefully be evaluating whether or not to renew my subscription with Ancestry.com when it is up for renewal.

  2261. Theresa

    So if FTM is not going to be supported after 2017, what do you suggest we do to get hard copies for our trees? FTM did it all and gave us a great product in the end. I have been with Ancestry since 2000 and I am extremely disappointed. I hate to have my research only online and not have a hard copy available.

  2262. Diane Glover

    This is a very bad idea, and will sour many of us on your Ancestry program and DNA program. I just paid for 3 DNA tests, but perhaps, I should have done it elsewhere.

  2263. Cindy

    Disappointing. I still haven’t been able to straighten out the mess it made of my files when I “synced” them with the app and had my tree online. Now I guess there’s no reason to bother. Time to get software from a new company. Bye!

  2264. Richard Edwards

    This is nonsense. Why should I be expected to pay for research information that I cannot then utilize in my own database? You could halt further development, except for compatibility tweaks, but continue to sync with and sell the software you currently are selling. This is NONSENSE!

  2265. Mike

    I have been using Family Tree maker since Version 5. I have spent literally thousands of hours and years treaveling around the country to visit libraries, court houses, cemeteries, and all the other places a genealogist digs for and verifies information. I haven’t relied on just the internet for data; I have gone to the places that have data that is not on the internet. I check and crosscheck information and sources; I don’t rely on just looking at what is posted on line because a lot of that stuff is wrong and repeated because it is easy for people to grab and repeat without checking.

    So this decision to discontinue the software and have people pay for access to the information they have spent years and thousands of dollars gathering is not going to fly with me. I will not be uploading my years of work to Ancestry if this is the way Ancestry is going to be run. I will instead put it out in hard copy and GEDCOM files to be placed in public genealogy libraries where others can access it without being exploited.

    This decision looks like a disgusting, and exploitive business model; typical of what vulture capitalists engage in.

  2266. Barbara

    I am so upset right now I barely know what to say! I have used FTM since 2002, and I will NEVER rely on an online site to maintain my information. I have now lost all confidence in ancestry.com., and when my current subscription ends, that will be it. No more renewals. You bought out MyFamily.com, ended up shutting it down, leaving thousands of people high and dry. So much research lost – gone in the blink of an eye. Did you care? Not one iota. You bought out genealogy.com,and it is for all intents and purposes unusable. Then you bought Family Tree Maker, and ow you are kicking it to the curb. How long before you decide to do the same with Find A Grave?? The changes you have made to the ancestry site these past few years have been horrible. Trying to search for anything or anyone is a joke. The “new” interface is horrible. Nothing works as well as it did. Having the tree sync feature was actually a good step. I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do without that software. Thankfully I have a year to try to find something to take its place. If you follow through with this decision, I hope the backlash against your company is so great that you will actually lose money next year!

  2267. Nick

    Poor choise , FTM is so much more user friendly the Ancestry.com when it come to adding data.
    I like the fact that you can add info off line ( like build your tree up with people) and then sync.
    Time to mark my trees private. Save 300 bucks and use the library edition

  2268. David McGuigan

    We really do appreciate your feedback….that’s what it says….well……YOU REALLY have appreciated the Family Tree Maker users!!!! – I’ve been a member since the beginning when you used OUR family trees to make all your money…initially- you are who you are today because of Family Tree Maker Users!!! This move is wrong in all views – it’s too bad that your management doesn’t see it that way. The ‘cloud’ doesn’t have to be the way for everyone and it won’t be!!! Very, Very disappointed life long user…..but seems you don’t care about that!

  2269. Kevin

    People, stop and take a deep breath.
    I may be wrong but, don’t other genealogy websites and/or software ALSO link to Ancestry.com? If I’m understanding this right, Ancestry is dropping their software for recording our findings but not dropping their research capabilities. I think that no matter what software we end up using, we’ll still need to subscribe to Ancestry.com to do the research.
    But I too am concerned as to how do I now copy all my data to new software, or do we have to hand enter everything ? I’ve also been searching Family Tree to figure out how to print everything in an efficient way without printing a book just to get it all.
    There’s been plenty of entries on this blog for the “powers that be” to get the point. How about now we try to help each other with info and ideas, such as other proven software that is comparable or especially, how do we print everything out of Family Tree ? Thanks

  2270. Cynthia Broussard

    This is extremely disappointing. I was just about to put the order in for FTM after researching other products. For the last six years or so I have been using The Master Genealogist. It’s good software, a little expensive but very comprehensive.

    I would be very angry if I went through all the hassle of transferring data and cleaning up records when switching programs only to find out they dropped it. This my be the only time in my life that procrastinating paid off.

  2271. Julie williams

    I shall not be renewing my subscription find my past here I come. Sad because I like the contact from other members but the only way I can make my feeling felt is by withdrawing future payments I hope everyone does the same. Under a months notice, come on Ancestry this is very bad business practice.

  2272. Tammy

    I have been a member for a very long time….I guess I’m not going to be a member for very much longer. You are all nuttier than a fruit cake if you think I am going to leave my research out there and trust you all to handle it. 1st you change the site and NOW you discontinue the software?? Who went full on retard in this company??? I will be removing everything. You have lost me as a customer unless you decide to pull your head out of your collective corporate hind end parts and keep the software link.

  2273. Carol J

    I do not like what I have just read! I have used FTM for many years and have up graded each time. I love FTM and use it much more than the Ancestry tree. I cannot imagine you discontinuing the program. Please reconsider. I like the format for FTM. Keep it!

  2274. Penny

    Well, you’ve lost me forever with this stupid, short-sighted decision. did you not ever ask the user community how they use the product, and what they want? Jackasses.

  2275. Jerry Curtis

    Make your tree “Private” and disallow searches – this will remove millions of records from the Ancestry database

  2276. Garry

    Please reconsider this decision. FTM is invaluable for me in working with my online tree. There are searches and modifications that I can only do through FTM, which make my online tree much more reliable. Unless you can create the same functionality as FTM with ancestry online you are making a big mistake, to all your customers. There are also the times when I need to use my tree offline. I can use a flight to go through my sources on FTM making sure they are all consistent, correcting my early mistakes, and upload changes when I get access to wifi. Also with ‘places’ occasionally mistakes creep in. FTM is the only way I can easily identify where these mistakes are and correct them. Although variations in locations show on the online tree, finding who they are associated with can be impossible in a large tree. There are many other that the combination of the two interfaces has proved so valuable to me and my research. I will be very dissapointed indeed if you continue with this decision.

  2277. Susan

    So….are you going to give us any information on how we can save the years of work we have put into our family trees???? We need more info about how this is going to be handled. VERY disappointed with how this is being handled. Shame on you!!!!

  2278. Jerry

    When you purchased Ancestry you did away with One World Tree, which I enjoyed using. Now your doing away with FTM. I will continue to use it for one year then cancel my subscription. You cut your nose off to spite your face, corporate greed.

  2279. Randy

    Another nail in the coffin. I do not like the new online format and now they are taking away FTM. I print reports and charts using FTM and they are always a hit at family reunions. Ancestry online tree has no ability to create reports or charts. Time to backup everything and start looking at other options for my genealogy research and family trees.

  2280. Janet

    VERY DISTURBING doesn’t begin to say it!!!!!! I also have used FTM for many, many years and have so much info, documents and pictures in it that I would never put in the cloud or even online. The shaking leaf connections were so very helpful!! How many people have you suckered into signing on to Ancestry with your ads on TV? This is a terrible, terrible decision!!!!! So many companies have been ruined by hiring all those just out of college people as executives with really bad ideas and getting rid of the people who know what they are doing and care about the needs of their customers and you are just joining the ranks of those companies!

  2281. Billie

    Correction: I made a typo in my previous comment. I meant to say Windows 7 would not run the older version (Family Tree Maker 2006).

  2282. Susan Loertscher

    Guess what we just bought for Christmas gifts for our daughter and son! Yep, just spent $140 on software so we could share over 30 years of research with them and they could pick up the baton for future generations. Needless to say, we are not happy about this decision. We have supported FTM since it was owned by Broderbund, updating each time a new version came out. I am disappointed you are giving up on us after we have supported Ancestry for so many years. Don’t do this, please.

  2283. Neil

    This is unbelievable. Please reconsider this decision. Without a way to back up all my work to my local computer, there is no way I will continue to use Ancestry. I can promise you I will be cancelling my subscription as soon as FTM support ends.

  2284. Kelly

    Absolutely foolish decision. Someone should be looking for a new job for suggesting this is the way to go. FTM and the ability to do this on Windows is why I started using Ancestry. Your mobile version is sophomoric, at best. Substantially less featured than FTM. Expect to lose a lot of customers over this poor decision. And count me gone with them. Massive negative response to this news. Is Ancestry listening?

  2285. Suzanne

    I really do hope you guys are reading and taking these comments seriously. Not too late to reverse your decision.

  2286. Leanne

    Wow…I just bought a copy of Family Tree Maker Platinum only 2 weeks ago – the TreeSync feature was my sole reason for upgrading from the version I had that is a few years old now. There’s functions in FTM that aren’t available via the Ancestry website – this is a very disappointing and annoying decision. I hope that you’ll rethink your decision and consider your large and loyal customer base before alienating a large portion of them by discontinuing this.

  2287. Derek

    Do I need to delete my family tree before cancelling my Ancestry subscription, or will it be automatically deleted when I cancel? Merry Christmas!

  2288. Jan

    Absolutely gutted! I was just about to buy FTM for my daughter and son in law for Christmas. That won’t be happening! What were you thinking? Some constructive information on how your users should proceed would be helpful.

  2289. Jock

    I’m now very sceptical about the FTM “updates” that were applied a few weeks ago. Did those updates anticipate the negative reaction to retiring FTM and, if so, did the new code include changes that will make it more difficult to migrate to another product?

  2290. Lyn

    Ditto to all the above questions. Do they ever get an answer. If this happens I too will cancel my Ancestry subscriptions. Too much time and effort over many years.

  2291. Linda

    Like so many others, I am disappointed. Your announcement is lacking. What are our options going to be? I have not been happy with the “New Ancestry” so can’t help but wonder about this new change. I do appreciate some advance notice so I can publish my research and possibly look for a new company. May need to consider moving my DNA as well, I guess. Please clarify ASAP how this new development will affect our research. Tree SYNC has been one of the most beneficial features in years. Working on line is convenient but I want to have my research somewhere other than “out there in the cloud.” Looks like we will need to go back to duplicating everything we do for ourselves.

  2292. Douglas Buchanan

    Way to go Kendall, have you impressed anyone yet in that new role of yours? That’s alright, ditch a software product that not many people seem to use and see how that goes for you. No doubt you’ll have moved on before anyone notices.

    You’ve effectively announced that ancestry.com is no longer taking genealogy seriously. The FTM software does many things that the web or mobile software does not even come close to doing.

    How pathetic.

  2293. Michelle Gilliver-Smith

    What a dumb decision! The best bit abou Ancestry is the sync ability of FTM. I have used this product since 1997.
    I love that I can have my information on multiple devices and sync them. Your website does not provide the same functionality and is far more cumbersome and because I live in a regional area I can’t always access the Internet. Obviously a decision made without due consideration to your loyal subscribers and supports . Definitely reconsidering what I will be doing moving forward with regards to subscription to Ancestry.

  2294. Chuck

    I don’t think that holding us hostage to your over priced web site, just so you can keep our files will work for me. I’ll be going else where if that is the case.

  2295. Elizabeth

    I am so sadden by this change. I did not know what had happened to my pictures in FTM till I logged into Ancestry. You moved my pictures to Ancestry and left me with an icon on FTM. I don’t like the new format of Ancestry. Will you or can you move my pictures back to FTM. I had worked hard adding them. How can I save my information in FTM that I have worked on for years. This is really a blow to my genealogy work.

  2296. Michael Wallis

    VERY BAD DECISION! It means we, your loyal PAYING customers miss out on the features in FTM, making albums, eliminating duplicates and other features that are currently NOT on line.
    I will probably NOT renew my subscription.

  2297. Rosie Couture

    This is bad news. I have used FTM for almost 20 years. I really find it to be your wrong route! There are certain things one can do with the software such as printing calendars, family charts etc. that you can’t do on ancestry.com If new family researchers want to start, will they have to pay $100 to $300 a year to create and maintain there family tree on ancestry? I think your decision to abandon the FTM software is completely wrong!!! Did you take a poll of the current FTM owners/users?

  2298. Sam Pellegrino

    I’ve used FTM for over 10 years creating a Tree that goes back over 200 years! To just pull out the rug from under us is a terrible business decision. You could have asked for user/subscriber input prior to this announcement, and developed options for us to consider to soften the blow of what seems to be just a dollars-and-cents, “see ya later” move. You have much more work to do now, due to your near-sightedness.

  2299. Peter

    I agree with the change, I no longer have to worry that overtime I update the operating system on my Mac, the software won’t work.

  2300. Ron

    Please reconsider. Been with FTM 20+ years. Where’s your consideration for long time supporters? My business still supports our obsolete products so why not you?

  2301. Suzanne

    Once again, making money is put ahead of the needs of the people. Many senior citizens cannot afford to have a continuing membership in Ancestry so there are stuck without any way to track their history. Thanks for nothing, Ancestry.

  2302. Kathy

    I’ve used FTM since version 3. I’ve used Ancestry for research for several years, but I do not like the online version of the software at all. We will be discussing what to do with our research notes now. I won’t be locked into online software that I have to pay for every year. The good thing is, I own the copy of FTM that I have on my hard drive, I don’t have to change tomorrow or next week, and I have plenty of time to move this work to another software. I also have 5 months to debate whether to subscribe to Ancestry again. I’m very disappointed with this decision, but hopefully a reliable company will buy the rights to FTM and continue it’s distribution and development.

  2303. Joelle

    I am disappointed and would also like to know whether some other way to sync our trees will be made available. This is not a good news story for me.

  2304. Annie P

    I too have to add my huge disappointment in your announcement. The online platform for ancestry leaves too much to be desired to be useful for the serious genealogist, and I HAVE tried, truly I have. Very poor move. I too, will be leaving ancestry and taking my trees with me.

  2305. Ronald Murdock

    After spending all this money over the years on Ancestry subscriptions and FTM I feel like I have been dumped. This news is very depressing. I prefer to keep my data and maintain it on FTM. My subscription will soon expire and I will not be renewing.

  2306. Roberta McReynolds

    I have used FTM for many years and have put notations there that I consider too personal to be online. I also use the many charts when making books for my family. There are also times that I do not have internet access and during those times I depend on my FTM. I also think that it is very unfair for your company to assume that everyone should have to pay for a yearly membership to Ancestry.com in order to access their family trees. I am very disappointed in your decision.

  2307. Lawrence Beufve

    Still waiting to hear from an Ancestry representative to provide clarification as to what alternatives we will have to preserve our trees. Very disappointed!

  2308. Rosalee MacLeod

    I am really very upset by this news. Over the years this site has cost me a lot of money and into it I have put a get deal of information and many hundreds of photos graphs with the plan to put together a book for our children and grandchildren. So now you will make that impossible to finish. Have to wonder if it is worth continuing at this point especially since the loss of Family tree Maker will make it impossible to complete my planned task.

  2309. Gary Blohm

    This is very, very disappointing!! I don’t think I can add any more than the already over 2,500 comments have said. FTM offers additional capability over the website and allows for better and more disciplined research. I agree that the “new look” of ancestry.com has distracted from the experience for people serious about this. I’ll be interested in if there is any reasoned response to the outcry this bad decision has garnered. This is a step backwards!!

  2310. Harley

    I have been with Ancestry and I have bought FTM which means it is mine not yours, since 1992. I think this is the dumbest thing I have ever seen ancestry do, You are not in it for the great art of tracing ancestors you are evil and want money money money as soon as I can find another source of info I am gone. I have seen this coming for some time now and by the way, I would like to be reembersed for my FTM you dont own I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2311. Walker Morris

    I have been using this stuff since the late 1980’s, beginning with CommSoft “Roots” and FTM is a so much better platform for working on my tree than the Ancestry online tree. At the very least could you try to make Ancestry more like FTM? As you can see from the comments, many of us are very disappointed.

  2312. Jim McDaniel

    Disappointing news. Hope you reconsider. Perhaps this was asked in the (what seems like thousands of) questions and complaints above, but what about Family Tree DNA? Will that DNA database be integrated into Ancestry DNA? When do we get answers to all the questions being asked? My biggest concern (aside from the DNA question) is being able to work on my genealogy offline, and being able to control and SECURE my own data. There is not always online access at libraries, court houses, and other research locations. Will there be some kind of offline interface to enter data and sources when you don’t have Internet access?

  2313. Kaye

    Very disappointing and upsetting. Does not speak well for the integrity of Ancestry.Com. Going “corporate”, I guess.

  2314. Gary Reynolds

    So. let me get this straight.

    You develop a program to synch individual’s personal, computer-based trees with Ancestry, thereby enabling easier searching of Ancestry and, I’d imagine, boosting Ancestry sign-ups. But, now, having developed a large client base–see all of the comments above–you’ve decided to ax the very successful program, leaving all of the hundreds of thousands of Family Tree Maker owners up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

    Moreover, I notice no mention of a follow on or substitute program.

    What the hell are you thinking?

    Do you think this is really going to gain you any friends, or advance people’s interest in searching on Ancestry?

  2315. Brenda

    I haven’t had a membership for awhile because of the cost of it – thought it was getting too much. But I’ve had Family Tree Maker since Broderbund owned it, and have kept my tree on my computer. Have just gotten back into updating my info, but now will be buying Root Magic, since I want to continue to have software that will be supported past 2017. For those of us whose internet connection isn’t the greatest, working online only isn’t an option. Sorry you have made this decision. From reading all the comments, I’m not the only one who feels this way. Sad that money talks…instead of people’s history.

  2316. Constance

    Many, many comments here, all reading the same. Your company continues to ignore its customer. If I cannot use FTM, I will be looking at alternatives, a sad choice considering the many years I have been a loyal Ancestry customer. Do you think that the short-timers who subscribe on a whim after watching WDYTYA are going to keep you going? Do you think you don’t need your long-time subscribers? Who is in charge at your company? They should be replaced with someone who actually cares about their customers instead of the money. You take our money, take our trees, our photos, our stories. In return, you ignore us. Shame on you.

  2317. Michael McCormick

    Only genealogists will understand this. A couple years ago FamilySearch ended support for their desktop genealogy software called PAF. Today Ancestry.com announced plans to end support for their Family Tree Maker software. I’ve used both. I like using several online trees and desktop programs. I was hoping someday there would be software that syncs with several online trees like syncing my data to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and MyHeritage from one software I can use to manage my single copy. Instead big players are dumping software. This feels like a problem for serious genealogists who want the backup, robust features, speed, and control of having their own file. We can still have our own of course, but the dream of easier syncing between online and offline seems to be fading. It feels like bad news to me. However, if someday Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, and other online tree providers, provide an API for tree syncing like FamilySearch does then an independent software provider could fill the market demand for an offline home base copy of a person’s genealogy that can be synced to all the trees. I’m afraid hope is fading, but it is still possible. Ancestry.com does not have to provide the software, but only support such an API. I’m thinking GEDCOMX.

  2318. Maree StClair

    I would think the number of comments would tell you the ramifications of your decision is going to affect many many people. I have been a user since inception, have loved the program, it’s progress over time and the things you can do with it are great! Seriously this is the most ARROGANT, REPREHENSIBLE, FRANKLY STUPID decision that you have made. I don’t think you or your program designers have any idea of the ramifications of this move on your business….I won’t be renewing!

  2319. Jack

    BAD Decision. I consider FTM as my on-hand backup for my Ancestry tree. Can’t use Ancestry.com when we are offline. Reports come from FTM. Again, BAD decision!

  2320. Madeleine

    This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Many of us use this software and love what we can do with it. I would end my Ancestry before I would do away with this software. I think that you should reconsider you desicion especially with all the comments being made regarding this decisions. Will check out other web sites that offer research options.

  2321. Audrey Barrantes

    Frankly, I have NEVER used the Ancestry website to grow, research or preserve my family trees. The FTM program was not only user-friendly but it was also better constructed for growth and corrections.
    My subscription to Ancestry ends in January and, alas, I too will not renew. There are other companies. My loyalty ends now.
    PS: I think refunds are in order. Ending on such short notice leaves me feeling that a new product has been sitting on a shelf ready to sell to frustrated and frantic FTM loser-customers. Shame on Ancestry is this is the case.

  2322. Deborah

    Please reconsider. :/ I have been using FTM since it first came out and don’t even know where to begin to move all my files to a different system. Not too mention all the features that allow accurate documentation, sharing, and connecting to Ancestry. Now that I think about it, without FTM, I don’t know the value of keeping my Ancestry subscription. Am I missing something? Please help me understand the alternatives and how Ancestry will play a part. Thank you.

  2323. Tom

    I just read all the comments to 5:25 and agree with them all what happened to the comments after 5:25. FTM has been an expensive hobby. What. Are you going to do to keep my 38,000 records available when your gone.

  2324. Kevan C

    Let me add my voice to the growing chorus of those who feel this is a betrayal of everyone who has come to rely on the features of FTM in supporting and encouraging research into their family histories. Not only do I lose one of the most effective tools for collecting and organizing over 15,000 family members (so far), but I have to eventually “trust” this to some remote system that lacks a substantial part of the capability of my desktop application. Going to keep an on eye this, but like others, I’m inclined to bail on this situation and look for a useful alternative.

  2325. Ronda

    This is a very poor decision. I have been using FTM since it was released many, many years ago. You are making a huge mistake.

  2326. Rick Read

    I am a long-time subscriber of Ancestry and a long-time user of Family Tree Maker. Rather than discontinuing FTM 2014, why not simply discontinue creating the updates. The current software is more than adequate and, I suspect, will continue to be more than adequate for years to come. Offer the software as a download only, but continue the technical support as is. It would be tough to cancel my subscription to Ancestry, as it is one of the best sources for family history research. I also cannot imagine researching my family history without my FTM2014 on my home computer. I’m sure that Ancestry probably makes more than enough profit from subscriptions and other products. Yes, FTM2014 might cut slightly into your profit margin, but the good will you will create by continuing FTM will pay big dividends over time. I urge you to reconsider your decision. Thanks.

  2327. MelanieB

    Apparently Ancestry is now so wondeful, FTM software is outdated. Not so, to those of us that have invested in both Ancestry & FTM for many years. I use your new format, not because I like it but because I do not have a choice if my tree is to remain on Ancestry, but its not so wonderful as you like to think and has caused me hours of work editing out the little’extras’ I have a firm grasp on Geography it appears you do not, I know where my family are from and where they are now and it is not always where Ancestry has decided to move them to. FTM is an invaluable resource and enables me to do so many thinks including reports. It would have been so nice if you had consulted the people that actually pay you money for a product or is that an ‘outdated’ practice. Or perhaps a little old fashioned courtesy or is that to be cast to the historical backwaters too!!

  2328. Darline Duncan

    I read the original post and then read a hundred or so of the comments. It seems everyone has a different idea about exactly what is happening to FTM. Is it just not going to be sold as software after Dec 31, 2015? Or is it not going to be used in conjunction with Ancestry online. The software we have now will still work offline to keep our records. Or…We just will not have tree-sync and other interaction with Ancestry online? I personally tried to enter my tree online and was very unhappy with the way it shows up and the way I could not download reports etc. so I stopped adding to it. I do not think an online tree is of much use. We cannot add the whole family because they have to die before we can add them. We cannot download Descendancy charts. We cannot save notes which eliminates all my family stories etc. We cannot print books. In order to download a four generation family I had to print 90 pages instead of the 5 I print with Family Tree Maker, mostly because of all the blank spaces on the pages. I use Ancestry for some research but a lot of it is other peoples trees that I look at to compare with my own and then contact those researchers to exchange data. If you don’t have FTM in sync does that mean I cannot access other peoples trees to exchange data? I have not been very happy with a lot of the “improvements” in FTM over the years. It seems every time I had to go to a newer version I lost some bits and pieces of my research and had to learn a new way of inputting and downloading etc. I will spend the next few months downloading all my families and start keeping a hard copy in notebooks like I did before FTM. Then if things keep going the way they have with Ancestry.com I will join the thousands of other old time researchers and drop my subscription to Ancestry.

  2329. Debbie Boyett

    I am very disappointed in your decision to discontinue FTM. I do not like the cloud, I do not trust the cloud, and I will not pay an annual fee to use this product. I like to have a hard copy and you are doing all of our “families” a great disservice by cancelling something we use and love. Shame on you.

  2330. David Pentland

    Have been using various versions of FTM since the earliest (which came on floppy disk). If possible, please reconsider and continue to developed and supported this excellent product.

  2331. Bob Smith

    I guess this is what happens when you’ve sewn up a monopoly. So my purchase becomes useless after the sync stops in ’17. Thanks a lot for appreciating your customer base in such a nice way. Merry Christmas.

  2332. Darrel Hagberg

    April fools, right? Very disappointed. Still in shock. I have been using FTM over 30 yeras, before you bought from Borderbund. FTM is more useful to me than Ancestry. I will probably end our subscription to Ancestry at the same time FTM ends or before. Thanks for the heads up, I will start looking for other alternatives.

  2333. Steven Reed

    Your decision is in violation of your agreement when we all purchased your software. I will be looking into filling a class action lawsuit against your company.. Food for thought your website stinks n you just spit in the face of the loyal users … Read this blog from beginning to end and tell me u still think u r making a good choice. so be prepared for your stock to fall n your company to go under especially after we join together in a class action lawsuit … Whoever thought this was s good idea at ur company is a moron n I hope you all enjoy collecting unemployment … REFUND all past monies to us all .. Oh ur website also works about as good as Obamas healthcare website. What fools you have in charge

  2334. Joann

    I can only add my name to the litany. Franky, given your horrid new interface that is simply lousy, the TreeSync funtion was the biggest plus left. Now, I have the dilemma of finding a new program which I will need to maintain a tree to do the types of document generation that is of importance to me.

    Also, who is advising you on mobile devices being better for this application area? Hate to break it to you but for the vast majority of folks who are serious about genealogy, mobile devices do not have the kind of ergonomic design that the community needs – particularly for document generation and note taking that requires a lot of typing. And those who are not serious about it tend to be short time users.
    If I am forced to get a new Family Tree-type program, then maintaining my Ancestry tree becomes a burdensome added step with a steep pricetag.

  2335. Mark Methlie

    So what are planning is to discontinue the PC version and force us to subscribe on line to view our tree. Well played, expect a class action suit to demand remuneration for using our trees to sell your products.

  2336. Melinda

    Anyone with a Mac can import your gedcomdata into MacFamilyTree. This is a terrific application. So sad to hear about Ancestry’s decision but I will download my data and return to my beloved MacFamilyTree!

  2337. Cindy Bentley

    Judging by all the comments above I would say that you may need to rethink your decision to terminate Family Tree Maker, loyalty to the customers that have made you what you are today should come before the wants of the new generation of users. We who use the program absolutely love it and have stayed with Ancestry because of it, you stand to lose a lot of customers so I hope you will reconsider.

  2338. Connie

    FTM is the BEST part of the package that Ancestry offers. Unless you have something superior to replace it with — and your sophomoric, slow, and tedious online interface is NOT it — you’re making a HUGE mistake. I left MyHeritage b/c I liked FTM a great deal, and thought there were more tools available on Ancestry that I could benefit from. The latter item turned out not to be the case — but I love FTM. Without it, I will leave.

  2339. Kevin

    This is amazingly ill-advised, even from a profit-only perspective. Whoever made this call certainly does not understand Ancestry’s business base. If the objective is to destroy your company, you are right on track!! The phrase “stuck on stupid” comes to mind. How many brand-new MBAs did it take to sell you this “strategy”???

  2340. Kathy

    Ancestry is already overpriced – for me over the years I have spent thousands of dollars and hours and constantly have to unsubscribe during periods where there are very few upgrades of data – especially meaningful Canadian data. Now this. I will do a monthly fee to do a final update on my tree and sync to my desktop and keep my money. We spend enough for technology for various monthly products. Have to cut somewhere – thank you for helping me choose.

  2341. Bev du Cloux

    I am sooooooo disappointed. I have worked so hard over the years in time available to me to create something to hand down to the next generations. Is this all going to be lost ?. Please give some suggestions as to how best to save this information – publish? Look forward to hearing that this decision has been overturned by popular demand. Also your help to keep all this work. I have greatly appreciated your help line and the interaction when trying to solve a problem over the years. The next few months through to Jan 1, 2017 are going to be busy!!

  2342. Melinda

    So sad to hear about Ancestry’s decision but I will download my data and return to my beloved MacFamilyTree!

  2343. Laura

    I just saw this message on my iphone in the car and I am sick to my stomach. Like so many people all my ancestry choices in over 20 years has been based on what Ancestry was doing. The merge feature with source info and images is my lifeline to Ancestry and taking this away basically ends my favorite hobby. I spend 10-20 hours a week clicking on leaves and merging documents. I have no interest in putting my tree on line. I too will seriously consider ending my subscription that I’ve had for decades. Spending hundreds of dollars a year is expensive but I willingly paid it for the value I received. Now it’s all going up in smoke. VERY BAD DECISION!!

  2344. RhondaSPD

    A death knell for Ancestry, IMHO. No desktop software. No tree sync. A clumsy online user interface and no possibility of offline back up. No privacy for users and no guarantee Ancestry won’t steal our hard work. As so many others have said, my time with Ancestry will come to a close. Thanks for the memories. I’ll miss you even if you won’t miss me.

  2345. Gay Raab

    With over 5000 people in my FTM file, as well as tens of thousands of sources, I would like to understand what the next steps would be for us. Will a third party pick up Family Tree Maker and make updates available?

  2346. Jane Glenn

    What??? Really??? I absolutely HATE your new interface and I rely so much on the reports I can generate with FTM. What in the world were you thinking? Remember the “new Coke”???? You have stirred up a hornets nest. Did you honestly think no one would care? Trying very hard to be respectful, but it doesn’t seem that you tried all that much. Very sad day.

  2347. JA Strickland

    Honestly, Ancestry app and the Ancestry website are not a fun way to work on a family tree. If you are citing a source from outside Ancestry for multiple people, you have to type the same citation, over and over again, where in FTM you can copy and paste a citation link. I have greatly loved leaf hint and tree sync, and actually stopped using Ancestry.com and Genealogy.com back when FTM was purchased and the hints went away between v10 and v14. As I can no longer use FTM and Ancestry together, I will be switching to another platform, such as Legacy/FamilySearch. To bad, because Ancestry is going to loose out on all of my future discoveries. This will also lower the usability of AncestryDNA as people who switch to other services will no longer be responding to “how are we related?” requests. Truly an awful business decision, that is on par with getting rid of the Y and mt DNA results from the Sorenson Institute and erasing the myFamily pages without having properly backed up ALL information to the administrators, as you had promised.

  2348. Barbara

    I’m shocked at your decision to discontinue FTM. I have used it since it first started which was many years ago. Reconsider please. You see all the comments.

  2349. gayle

    I will have no reason to keep my trees online if the FTM and sync feature are eliminated. Guess I will remove my online trees and start using Rootsmagic. It is really a great program.

  2350. Colin Hunter

    I hope sincerely that your announcement re withdrawal of support for FTM is merely a case of testing the water, and that, having seen the reaction of your “loyal Ancestry community”, you will think again – long and hard. Like many other FTM users, I do not wish to have to (and, in any case, am unable to) depend on an internet connection every time I work on my family tree. Neither do I wish to share beyond these four walls every single item of research which I have accumulated. Please treat your customers with an appropriate degree of respect.

  2351. Pat

    This is worse than sadness, it’s a Genealogy heartbreak. I guess Find A Grave web site will be the next. All the heart, soul and sharing our ancestors with ANCESTORY. Sad day!!

  2352. Melinda

    I am being told I already made this comment. I did not-this is the first I’ve heard of this development. So sad to hear about Ancestry’s decision but I will download my data and return to my beloved MacFamilyTree!

  2353. H.W.

    The wording of this is such an insult to your customer’s intelligence. You are doing this to force people to maintain a perpetual subscription. This is your revenue stream. This and our information that you can resell. Information on our FTM software is useless for this purpose. You need us to upload and to keep paying year after year to support your greed. Someday (maybe sooner than you think!) Ancestry will end. All these family trees will be lost to our descendants forever. You have shown yourselves for what you are. And what you are NOT is a safe place to hold our precious research.

  2354. Gerry

    This appears to be nothing but a money grab to lock us into the web site. With FTM, if we thought we had gotten our money’s worth from Ancestry, we still had access to our source records on our PCs. Now, we’ll have to keep paying Ancestry’s extortion if we want to keep access to those source records. I guess Ancestry thinks it’s an airline and can treat its customers like crap and they’ll just keep paying.

  2355. Paul Masini

    This is a terrible business decision. I will not be renewing my subscription when it expires. I will also be removing my tree from the site, as I refuse to let Ancestry benefit from my 30 years of research and 15,500 people in my tree if they will not support the tools I want to use. Time to look for a new software package.

  2356. Nancy

    More information needs to be provided regarding the use of the site with this abrupt change. No wonder everyone is upset.

  2357. Rosalie Purchase

    How can you possibly make this sound like good news for your clients and why should we continue our subs?

  2358. Amanda Thorley

    this is an appalling decision. Not everyone wants a web based tree, I have a number of older people I help with their trees, they do not want their information on the web. I have years invested in FTM, this is a disgusting decision. FTM works and the web trees do not. Appalled.

  2359. Phil

    FTM made all this accumulation of precious research easy to index and present in many ways. There must be a way to contract another software manufacture and keep this necessary tool available. I can’t imagine enjoying this hobby without this software.

  2360. John Michaelson

    Heh…this letter comes from someone who has been in his position for less than a year. Obviously this, along with the ugly remake of the online Ancestry, is some kind of personal crusade for him. Just another turnip-squeezer not getting the blood he expects out of the desktop software masses, so they have to be forcefully driven into the subscription paradigm and let the chaff be purged. It’s a dangerous, dangerous risk. Genealogy lovers tend to be older folks like myself, not little trend chasers who love everything online 24/7 and don’t care about privacy and quality of service.

  2361. Jen

    “we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community.”

    And that product would be? The web interface I only use if I have no other option? This is a terrible decision and I hope that you reconsider based on all of the comments above.

  2362. Yvonne

    BAD DECISION.!! I recently had to upgrade my MAC computer to Yosemite operating system only to find that it is not compatible with my current FTM, so was about to upgrade. I have been using it for some years simply because of the SYNC option which as many people say is the BEST part about it!! And the BEST reason to choose Ancestry over other options. Now I am in a real dilemma . Surely with so many disappointed users ancestry will reconsider this stupid idea???? Also agree I do not like the new online layout. DISAPPOINTED!!!

  2363. dan Hagan

    Well, you’ve dropped one of the shoes. Now go ahead and tell us that the Chinese or someone else has bought you out and the FTM software at a gigantically high price!! I do feel that we each have been baited, switched and cheated.

  2364. TDH

    I just upgraded my FTM last month based on the tree sync! Boy, talk about getting sucker punched! I want a refund! And btw – I abhor the New Ancestry!

  2365. Dan Wertz

    This is terrible news indeed. You made this announcement with no indication of how you are going to pick up all the pieces for your many customers. IF you don’t come up with a decent solution, I for one am going to cancel my Premium US and Intl subscription and will recommend that to the two genealogy groups I belong to (500 members).

  2366. Joanne

    I am very disappointed to read that FTM will no longer be available and supported. I find it much easier to add to my tree in FTM than Ancestry. It is very difficult to see other family members in Ancestry. I do not like the look and feel of the new interface at all in Ancestry. I also have concerns about reports that are not available in Ancestry. I will certainly be looking at other desktop software available and will seriously have to consider if Ancestry is the best research tool. Very disappointed in this decision.

  2367. Roberta

    HUGE, HUGE MISTAKE! I cannot believe this is the decision that has been reached. I certainly hope after reading all of the comments, this incredibly poor and might I add, stupid, decision will be changed. I truly cannot believe that you can be serious. If it was April 1st, I’d surely believe this is a joke! Please do not do this to all of us who have used FTM for years!

  2368. Joy

    You are being mean. Now I will have to get another program and try and GedCom to it. Money has now gone down the drain for the past 20 yrs. 🙁

  2369. Dave K

    Will the features such as Publish, and adding members and having a listing of names as in FTM be available?
    Not too happy with this decision.

  2370. Marketta Blake

    I cannot believe that ancestry is doing this . I just renewed my membership and upgraded to the World Subscription. I want my money back!

  2371. Jay

    There’s not much I can add to the numerous very appropriate comments, except to point out that let this be a lesson NOT to entrust or depend upon third parties for any of your information management. If you post vast amounts of information on a website, be sure to have full backup under your possession and ultimate control. In the larger scheme of things, “here today, gone tomorrow” will ultimately be the legacy of our precious dot-coms and fads such as cloud technology. The only thing you can depend upon is their legal maneuverings to “own” all of your information no matter what becomes of it.

  2372. Frank

    Allow me to add my name to the list of very disappointed individuals who feel that this is a wrong management decision that has not been thought out completely given that you indicate the decision is effective in less than 3 weeks!!! No reasonable organization staffed with proper management would ever allow such inappropriate decisions. IT IS MR. HULET WHO NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED FOR THIS DECISION!!!!

  2373. Carole S

    I was a FTM user before Ancestry.com was even a twinkle in anyone’s eye, and have been an Ancestry member for years. Like many others, I will cancel my Ancestry membership and find another genealogy s/w provider to migrate FTM. Ancestry has been useful, but FTM has been essential. I hope you reconsider your decision and devote some time/talent/treasure to enhancing FTM.

  2374. collinsks

    I just purchased FTM three days ago for $70!! You were happy to take my order knowing it was going away?? Very poor form. I’ll be contacting you for a refund.

  2375. Len

    HIGHLY disappointing. What good is ancestry.com without the ability to print a decent report for friends & relatives? Are you going to charge an extra $100 to get decent reports out now? Time to make my own website for my tree. What can you be thinking? BIG mistake.

  2376. Don Adams

    I too am VERY disappointed as I use FTM instead of the Web interface. I pay for ancestry because of FTM and I guess I will have to quit ancestry and find another solution. I do not want only cloud access to my tree info.

  2377. Michael Poulin

    I have used FTM for about 17 years, but was becoming less satisfied and last year bought RM and have been migrating my old data and entering new data into RM. I will now order the RM upgrade and stop using FTM. Ancestry.com will now rely on their online data subscriptions and DNA service (I would never give my DNA to anyone without a court order).

  2378. Sandy Duke

    I just bought FamilyTree Maker and would not have if I knew Ancestry would be discontinuing.

    Will be calling tomorrow as should everyone else.

  2379. Ruth

    And to think that just today, I spent about $80 updating and getting new materials!!! Just adds to the disappointments of the day–all around Family Tree Maker!

  2380. Ian

    “Our subscription business and website, on the other hand, continue to grow” – not if you leave thousands of FTM software users in the cold. There have been numberous times of the many years of using FTM that I have been in the middle of nowhere, with no cell signal and, of course, NO internet. Which means that my FTM software was the only was I could do research collection. And your website model would be completely useless in this case. This is a poor decision based on a faulty claim. The declining desktop software market has nothing to do with a specific niche software such as FTM. At least we have a year to pull all our data and spend our money with other genealogy services.

  2381. J Byrum

    Dumb decision but not surprising. Just like Intuit getting rid of Quicken…the very reason they even exist today. Without FTM I hardly think that these loyal customers would even know who you are because you would not be who you are. You might be wise to reconsider because not everybody wants every piece of information about their lives and history kept on someone else system and be dependent on them for access. Ancestry online should be an option not an only choice.

  2382. Roger Hastings

    This negative news will have a negative impact on people giving Ancestry gifts for the holidays.

  2383. Kim

    I hope you reconsider. I love the reports on FTM. We can’t get the reports on Ancestry. I love the fact that you can get a report on anything. I use it alot to search customized facts, like obituaries. I can see if I have the obit or where I can go find it. Without the reports on FTM I would have to go through all of my over 12000 people one at a time to find this information. I can also search for persons who are buried in one cemetery and search to see if missing relatives are buried there also. There are so many things that Ancestry doesn’t do, but with FTM working hand-in-hand, they compliment each other perfectly making research much easier. Please, please, please reconsider!

  2384. Lorelee

    Very up setting. I wonder how they figured out the declining desk top programs are being used. I know no one that puts their info on just ancestry. They all use FTM and then sync. It is so much harder to enter info into your on line trees. Please rethink this.

  2385. Peter

    A real betrayal of the very people who have made your company successful. Remember New Coke? It’s an example of what happens when a company tampers with a well-liked product.

    Please can anyone suggest self-contained genealogy programs to replace Family Tree Maker?

    RootsMagic – are there others?

  2386. Jeanne

    I am deeply disappointed in the avenue Ancestry is taking to discontinue FTM. I have used this program since I started genealogy research of my family many years ago. I read Ten Top Reviews and FTM won 1st place in genealogy programs. Why on earth would you seek to get rid of such a good product? You said, “we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market and the impact this has on being able to continue to provide product enhancements and support that our users need…” but you didn’t say ‘FTM software’ was declining. Your comments were to a general statement of ‘desktop software declining.’ I don’t know of anyone in genealogy that would say a #1 product, as FTM is, would be declining. Was the sales goal set to high as to be unattainable or is Ancestry tired of the program and people, like myself, which we have used for years and years? We have signed up at your high yearly subscriptions and have integrated Ancestry with FTM. Something just doesn’t seem right about all this. I see by all the responses that no one from Ancestry has responded to perhaps clarify your intent or offer suggestions. Obviously, getting rid of FTM is certainly appearing to be a big mistake. I feel bad for the many who just paid for a new FTM.

  2387. Dominic Bryngelson

    Discontinuing FTM will be the downfall of Ancestry. I have a feeling numerous people will unsubscribe. Users do not want to be totally dependent on an outside source for the security of their family tree. Ancestry server crash, even with backups, could result in huge data loss for avid researchers/those with large trees. Also, if it is true that Ancestry is planning to sell our DNA data, what more of a personal invasion of privacy could there be. When I signed up for my DNA test I do not recall seeing a provision that stated Ancestry was free to sell my DNA data.

  2388. Lois

    Seems Ancestry was not ready to make this announcement!! The software for FamilyTreeMaker was sold as recently as today and now you tell us that one year from now it will not be supported. In addition you have given no options for those of us using that software or if Ancestry will incorporate reports and other important aspects of the software. Seriously what is your management team thinking???? As others have stated many of us have spent thousands of dollars in subscription services over the years. Put yourself in our place and see how we all are feeling right now!!

  2389. Chiara

    This is absolutely terrible news. Unless ancestry will incorporate the reports included by FTM, then the website is nothing more than a search site. Bottom line, the website provides only a portion of what a genealogist needs, FTM is the true powerhouse tool.It would be a good idea if the powers that be at ancestry start going through these comments and reconsider their decision.

  2390. Lesley

    Folks, obviously ancestry has been working for some time to appeal to a totally different market than all of us who depend on FTM to do serious, complete, genealogy and work on it offline. The new Ancestry.com is geared toward genealogical newbies whose main interest is getting started and finding out if they have a royal ancestor. Just look at the recent TV ads–all aimed at folks who want to find their great grandparents. The same goes for the silly leaves. The ancestry site is built on thousands of unsourced trees that are completely unreliable, no matter how intriguing. Most of the valuable info can be found at FamilySearch or elsewhere. Those of us who need to keep careful records and have used FTM to do that will never be able to duplicate its functions in what Ancestry.com is likely to become as it jumps on the recent genealogical bandwagon and sells itself to a completely different market. Remember when we had enormously useful GenForums? They’re gone now, too. We need to use this blog to discuss the best and mostvrlia Le alternative, then try to work with that supplier to develop a way to let us convert our FTM files to the new system. Some unanimity would help encourage that development. What do you say? What is the best alternative out there?

  2391. Lynn Greenberg

    I am very disappointed to read this. Just today I was looking up information on a new release. So many unanswered questions and lots of confusion, particularly for loyal followers of FTM. Years of research, blood, sweat, and tears are at stake here and I would be willing to say, not only will you lose customers, but we will lose our family histories and life’s works.

  2392. Jim

    Well I had to drop Ancestry a year back and was just about to rejoin again. Thank you for saving me my money. Oh by they way your Dear John notice was not very informative. A simple yes or no are desktop users SOL

  2393. Peter

    Ancestry – overpriced and not very helpful.
    FTM – used to be very good until Ancestry acquired and then “upgraded” the program. Good riddance to Ancestry and FTM, transferring records to better programs using CEDCOM.

  2394. Deborah Hill

    I am extremely upset about your decision on many levels. I too have used FTM for at least 10 years and it meets my needs perfectly. I can backup my work to my own external hard drive and other devices. I don’t like having to rely on Ancestry as my only copy of my family trees. I too do not like the new family story element of Ancestry; it is just to juvenile. And lastly the constant reminder to “be nice” is ridiculous. Most of us know about common decency.

  2395. Leonie

    This is an extremely bad decision by Ancestry. I can use Family Tree Maker offline easily on my desk-top computer without having to use the child-like, inefficient interface of Ancestry.com.au. Think of your customers not your wallets, your customers pay your wages.

  2396. Mary

    I am yet another disgruntled, annoyed, frustrated, angry, and resentful user. Cannot believe you think there will be no repercussions – I too will no longer renewing my subscription.

  2397. Janis Tartalio

    I am so very upset with this announcement. I also do not like using the new interface on ancestry. It is too disjointed. What am I going to do now after all these years??

  2398. Mary M

    VERY disappointed in the decision about FTM. I use the printed reports in FTM quite often and am frustrated with how to use the tree on Ancestry. FTM is so much easier to use to enter and update information and then Sync to Ancestry. Using Ancestry alone is not user friendly and does not include all the features in FTM. PLEASE RECONSIDER!!!!

  2399. Orin

    Just found out from ancestry.com support that there will be no alternative to FTM and I cancelled my annual subscription that had just renewed. Changed to a monthly subscription so I have time make other arrangements and then will cancel for good.

  2400. Don Larsen

    So you have made a business decision; that’s your call, disappointing as it is. Please make your interface and protocol open source to allow other desktop software companies to continue to allow their users to use TreeSync with the Ancestry web site. It was short sighted to have canned FTM because I and many other subscribers will be looking around for alternatives to Ancestry.

  2401. john

    Grinch Christmas announcement?…weeks before Christmas killing peoples’ decades of work? Keep software available (no cost to you), honor your promise to provide sync services, …by the way the recent new format is interesting but not welcome or particularly useful to work with. Please reconsider this unwise decision…if new format/approaches/apps are better than people will abandon FTM naturally over time…MILLIONS of people use FTM everyday…listen please and give them a Merry Christmas. Dump the Grinch routine.

  2402. Liz F

    EPIC fail. Epic. Please reconsider… This is going to be the “New Coke” experience of the mid-1980’s for Ancestry if you go forward with it. FTM has been my go-to software since you began…and I have recommended it to numerous people. PLEASE BACK UP AND LOOK AT THIS AGAIN!

  2403. Paula

    I submitted a comment a few minutes ago (8:50 pm est) that is not showing up! is that because you at Ancestry, in particular Kendal Hulet, did not expect such a backlash of negative comments! By no longer supporting Family Tree Maker you will be losing a large portion of your customers, thereby, negatively affecting your bottom line THERE IS NO REASON TO PURCHASE AN ANCESTRY SUBSCRIPTION IF YOU ARE NO LONGER SUPPORTING THE SOFTWARE THE MAJORITY OF US USE.

  2404. George

    I have used FTM since it first came out. I have helped add hundreds of users to your company over the years. I AM EXTREMELY UPSET BY YOUR LACK OF COMMITMENT TO YOUR BEST CUSTOMERS BY JUST DROPPING THEM. My personal tree is just shy of 9000 names. The chances of you getting anymore of my money or me recommending any of your services is as likely as me getting my ancestry back to Adam and Eve.

  2405. Harry Chambers

    You had the best genealogy site. But in less than 2 years you have destroyed it. You had a great search engine and ruined it. Then you decided to take a very good program that everyone liked and change it to the new Ancestry that no one likes. You need to replace the person making all these decisions and replace him/her.

  2406. Jean Dodd

    Incredibly bad and short-sighted business decision. You’re going to lose a large part of your loyal following. First new competitor to come along will generate an exodus from ancestry.

  2407. Duane W Wheeler

    This is a terrible mistake for Ancestry to take. It lessen to me and value of Ancestry. Your new format is not functioning correctly. I find it is slow when attaching pictures or stories it does not take!! When will a person be able to print our own stories or genealogy reports if you only have this website and do not support Family Tree Maker? For gods sake do not do this and give up Family Tree Maker. In the end it will damage your company and its worth considerably. This is a disservice to many of your long established customers.

  2408. Doug

    This is a travesty! If Ancestry truly cared about their customers, they would not do this. The online interface is a joke. Online is for genealogy wanna-be’s NOT for a hard-core genealogist.
    FTM is a database of that allows the user to manipulate data and the online version does not provide in-depth view of data. I have thousands and thousands of hours invested in FTM and my tree over the past 15 years and now I have to give it up. I have paid lot of money each year to get the best data and, if need be, be web independent. If the only option is online, than I will leave.
    This is all about maximizing revenue stream and not about the customer! Am very, very disappointed in Ancestry.

  2409. Martha Wright

    Wow. I guess that there is not much more to say that hasn’t been said. I am also VERY unhappy, I feel cheated, and I do not think that you explained why you are doing this. Are you saying that all the investments you have made have cost you so much that you cannot support FTM anymore? Did you ask any of your valued customers what they care about? You say “the declining desktop software market” but I wonder if that is the real reason. I just watched a Crista Cowan video (which I love) and she emphasized how important using desktop software is???

  2410. Debbie

    I plan on using the same old FTM software as long as I can, even if I can’t link to Ancestry anymore with it. It is easier to navigate than the online Ancestry. (That was another bad decision…to change the layout of the online program.) I can find lots of family info without using Ancestry. You don’t seem to understand that it is the software that has made your company successful. We like having the program on our computers. With all the money that you collect from Ancestry users, it seems like you could afford to keep on providing the other ESSENTIAL component – the program FTM. Without FTM, Ancestry is incomplete and more trouble than it is worth.

  2411. Henley Hunter

    Let me see if I have this right. You copy a lot of data and put it online for everyone to see, if they pay to see it. Your Ancestry.com members then seek through the data to make sense of it all, using the FTM platform. You then sell more memberships so more people have access to the work product of your customers, who get nothing for their labor. Then, one day, you decide to abandon your customers without any thought of their value to the database they built, with the exception of the raw data you provided to them and charged them to use. Not since the days of the Robber Barons has there been such hypocrisy in the business world. What happened to the notion that the customer is always right?

  2412. nethom191

    The new Family Tree Maker is not as good as the one before it.. the 2005 is the best one. The one I bought 2 years ago has been a huge disappointment.. hard to use… and I try to use the 2005 one instead. The new one is complicated and not user friendly at all. Perhaps the new one being so poorly designed, may be the reason sales are down? I’d think you could improve on the Tree Maker instead of dropping it for everyone. This is a big mistake .. and surely has not been looked at correctly as to the ‘fix’ for the people.

  2413. Kay Larson

    What are you thinking! Many seniors use FTM and do not want to continually use the internet trees. My own tree is way too large to upload to Ancestry, and I much prefer to work on my own computer. Instead of looking at this from a money standpoint, how about looking at it as a service to your LOYAL customers. I am sure you will find other ways to make money. I love FTM and have used it since the beginning, the good and the bad. Now this? Please see things from ALL your customers points of view and let us continue our work that we love to do the way we prefer to do it. This decision is a slap in the face to those who prefer to work on our own computers.

  2414. Douglas

    FTM offers many tools absent in the online application. Reporting is one example… like printing trees, or creating surname reports etc.. But this decision is strange from a practical perspective. The real cost to Ancestry was the hard work to align the two platforms and make the SYNC bumpless. They’re just about there now, so it should be mostly gravy going forward. It doesn’t make sense to make all the effort to synchronize the two platforms, and then after accomplishing that, not wanting to expend the lesser cost of maintaining the sync! I’ve been a loyal fan for several years now… but the new online interface is klunky, and the loss of FTM really has me looking for a different platform to migrate to.

  2415. Tammy Brown

    Definitely not a smart decision!! I have used this product for 25+ years…very disappointing! We’ve been loyal, where’s our loyalty in return?

  2416. David

    Well that makes up my mind for me – I was tossing up whether to use FTM or not – seems as if not. Oh well, someone else gets thecustom

  2417. Wendy Ross

    Outrageous!! I have been using Ancestry.com for years. We have recently been forced to adapt to your child like, poorly designed New Ancestry and despite thousands of complaints, you ignored us. I thought FTM was a great way to save information to my desktop as the print process on Ancestry.com is pathetic. This also applies to the DNA print system which simply does not work!!. There are no page breaks, so many printed pages, maps and illustrations are chopped in half. Ancestry has told me that they will look into it! My question has been, “WHEN”??? I also agree with a previous Blogger who observed; what about the members who have only recently purchased FTM? Are they going to receive a refund? I just love the fact that Ancestry. com was kind enough to tell me that my subscription renewal is due in January, then dumped their latest effort about FTM on me today! ALSO to a previous Blogger; It that does not give us TWO YEARS warning, It is only ONE Year from 1 Jan, 2016 to I Jan, 2017!!! ALSO, I do not completely understand your actions. Does this mean that what I have already on my desktop FTM, will disappear?? If so, what was the point of FTM in the first place???Can anyone please tell me??

  2418. Michel Rheault

    It is strange move. For one thing, it will be a lost of revenue in sales. It will be an inconvenience for us. We should have seen this coming. You were very reluctant in coming out with new versions and new features. You want to go global but yet were never able to go the extra length and make FTM multilingual. You have spent great amount of time, energy and money in the new Ancestry. When you stop to think, all it is is fluff, nice fluff but just fluff. It does not take very long to be bored with it. It is a bit like looking a beautiful storefront window at Christmas. There is only so long you can stare at it before moving on to other thing. How fortuitous for me, today I had purchase a software from another company. It makes me feel good about my purchase.

  2419. Mary

    It would be a disaster for you to walk away from FTM. I research on Ancestry but do all my record-keeping and reports on FTM. I prefer to work offline much of the time and then Sync FTM with Ancestry. I have used FTM for many years — before I ever signed up and paid for Ancestry. I too will need to reconsider what other alternatives are available besides Ancestry. Ancestry with FTM were one place that I always felt confident would always be around so it was worth taking the time to enter all my data. This move would be a major mistake.

  2420. Bob

    I have been using FTM ever since it originally came out. I now have almost 8,000 people in my tree, discovered through sleuth and help with matches through Ancestry using the green leaf. Understand your business decision but don’t agree with it. You are leaving many dedicated followers out in the cold, especially since you did not explain what we should do to continue on our research. Or maybe by not saying it, you are telling us “tough luck”. Are the Ancestry hints still going to be available or is that going down the tube. If so, then I see no reason to continue with Ancestry. Do I now need to look for another software program and convert files from FTM over? We genealogists needs answers so we know how to proceed.

  2421. Jo

    I have ‘unliked’ them on facebook – they haven’t posted my last comment and I received a customer satisfaction survey from them just now also ……

  2422. Shelia

    I am not happy about this decision. I have just updated this year, a refund would most definitely be in order. I am a very long time member and I think you need to listen to your customers. You have a product they want we want to keep.

  2423. Erin

    This is HORRIBLE news! There is value in a desktop program. I only do “light weight” work online and on my iPad. While I have seen an increase in my work online, I still do all the “heavy lifting” work in Family Tree Maker. The charts it produces, the functions to sort people, the ease of use…are just a few things that make it important and worth while. Not to mention, there are those of us in this world that do not have a super fast internet connection and doing all the work online just isn’t reasonable. I’ll admit there are parts of FTM that are clunky… Especially the Internet searching and hints part (which may be why traffic is up online as those parts are easier in that interface). Instead of getting rid of FTM, you should be figuring out how to make it better like syncing trees across multiple computers that run FTM. Unless you have some absolutely amazing things in store for the iPad and online versions, Totally doing away with a FTM is a horrible idea!

  2424. Anne

    Money, Money, Money, is all Ancestry and the parent company, Church of the Ladder Day Saints thinks about. We should have seen this coming. Once they discontinued the MyFamily website, we were at their mercy. I have been a customer of Family Tree and Ancestry since 1995. Shame, Shame Mormon Church, are you really interested in preserving family history? They always say follow the money, we now to know look at Salt Lake, UT and the church’s greed.

  2425. Rachel Unkefer

    All those who are concerned about their data: export from FTM in GEDCOM format and import it into another desktop program. I use Reunion for the Mac and highly recommend it. You can then update your Ancestry online tree by exporting from Reunion and uploading to Ancestry any time you want. It might not be the same as synchronizing, but at least Ancestry will not be in control of your data.

  2426. Phil

    The way I see it is that you will still have FTM on your PC and all your data but you will not be able to upgrade to new OS such as Windows 10 which I just upgraded to and not have Ancestry services supporting the software. Don’t know how that will work with a Ancestry paid subscription or access to the US Census Reports etc. I have had the FTM program for a very long time and am sad to see it gone. I will not put all my data on the Web. Just call me 80 and confused.

  2427. Randi Rivenbark

    I agree with every angry and negative comment. I didn’t renew my membership because I hate the new online format. Now I am being screwed again.

  2428. Rex

    What software will take its place? Are you going to release anything else, or provide a bridge to another vendor? Without the software there is not as much of a reason to maintain my membership to the ancestry.com service. I think this is a very poor decision unless this is actually a bridge to a superior product. I think this you will find this decision will cost you a lot of subscribers.

  2429. Dan Reese

    I’ve used the Family Tree Maker software for decades. The FTM 2005 was the best and most stable opening quickly and functioning flawlessly. I will keep my records on my computer and Ancestry will simply lose another subscriber.

  2430. Mary

    I am very disappointed. I love the FTM product and have been using it for several years, with and without an Ancestry subscription. The reports have been invaluable. Please reconsider.

  2431. Les

    How sad that you have been affected by the GREED bug! I will move to Find My Past and keep my ancestors free from you. Bye

  2432. Joe

    I would reiterate the question of whether you will allow tree sync or something like it from third party vendors if you decide to deactivate tree sync. Have you considering selling FTM to an independent to see if they can make money at it? We need a fast easy to use piece of software on our desktop/laptop, or perhaps a web client to do the actual input and editing. Ancestry is not the place to create records, but it’s a place I want to have my tree and have access to others’.

  2433. Gary

    I will not comment for other subscription holders to your website but I will tell you that all the money I have spent for ancestry is because of your desktop software. The ease of syncing to my desktop was what attracted your online services. The moment this is no longer available is the moment my subscription ends and I will be deleting my online tree will be deleted as well. I will not have you profiting by my years of hard work when you no longer support me.

    From reading the comments above I do believe your competitors are going to be rejoicing your decision as you will learn to regret it.

    I am forecasting a VERY INTERESTING 2016 for ancestry.com. Wonder what your subscription totals will be when everyone digests this news.

  2434. Mr Lyn Adams

    ABSOLUTE DISGRACE THAT YOU ARE DITCHING FAMILY TREE MAKER. I HAVE SPENT A GREAT DEAL USING THIS PROGRAMME AND FEEL BETRAYED. SHAME ON YOU. I SUGGEST YOU THINK AGAIN OR YOU MAY FACE A GROUP LEGAL ACTION TO RECOVER COSTS FROM YOU. NOT THE KIND OF BEHAVIOUR WE EXPECTED FROM ANCESTRY TO BE QUITE FRANK

  2435. John J. Willis

    I have over thirty thousand entries in my files. I don’t intend to lose my research. If you won’t serve my needs, I’LL just find another company that will. See ya.

  2436. Douglas

    Dumbing things down isn’t the right path forward Ancestry. I’ve already started looking for a new genealogical platform to migrate to. The new online GUIs are klunky but the synchronization capability was a real distinguishing asset. It’s a slippery slope…

  2437. Connie B

    FIRE Kendall Hulet, he’s incompetent to lead ancestry.com. I went to the FB page like others have suggested here and there is no announcement to comment on. Fraud selling for all the new people to get ancestry accounts for Christmas. I’m going to email all the friends I’ve been telling to get FTM with ancestry accounts to move with me to another service when I determine where ALL of us will go together. Somebody else is going to make a lot of money by listening to us now.

  2438. Barbara

    All good things eventually come to an end BUT this is TOO SOON. If you follow the money, if everyone puts their family tree on Ancestry, they will be able to expand their databases to sell your content. I’m going to delete my tree from Ancestry. I’m not going to share my research so Ancestry can make more money. A BAD move towards their customer base. (was a customer…color me gone!

  2439. Janet

    I think this decision just put the nail in the coffin of my Ancestry membership – have been annoyed that ARRP members in the USA get 30% discount but not people who have been subscribers for over 10 years. Do they really care about us or just our $$$$?

  2440. Doris

    I planned to update FTM for my Christmas present.
    Now, I will be looking for a new program.
    Can’t remember how long I have used FTM.
    What an awful decision you have made.
    BYE

  2441. Jacqueline Lubinski

    Here’s a thought. Purchase an old BRODERBUND version of FTM. It is much better than the imitation new view that Ancestry is foisting on us.

  2442. Ed

    Add me to the long list of disappointed users. If you don’t want to support it, please sell the software to someone who will.

  2443. Marge

    I am very disappointed and disgusted with Ancestry for doing this. I have had this program for years. Ancestry really is cheating us. First they grab our information and then make us pay to search and now discontinuing FTM. wow the money that I have spent on this program and ancestry and for what……

  2444. Kenneth E. Donnel

    I think you just shot yourselves in the foot! If you cannot support the folks who trust and use your software, how do you expect us to support you? This is my second software from you as well as the DNA (which I don’t think was all that accurate), now you folks are pulling the plug>>>REDICULOSE!

  2445. Steve Zawicki

    Well it appears you have opened the flood gates and the response is overwhelmingly stating what an awful decision this is. If after seeing this response you don’t respond with something positive then you are going to lose a significant amount of users and the ones that stay will always be on the verge of leaving for something better that does give the masses what they are yearning for. I agree that the world is moving to an online world and not a desktop software market any longer so it seems your next post needs to be to inform us how you will be making your online offering have the features that the desktop software currently offers.

  2446. Judth

    Sad to hear of FTM being discontinued.
    I had many problems when they did the install of 10 in August. I went over to Myheritage.com & got a great special & great help. Its worth the switch since I am searching for families over in Europe.
    Remember there are other sites & yes this company has bought many of them out over the years.
    Working outside the box in searching has been helpful & contacting local genealogy societies, using other sites for ideas.
    Many times I called the help line & I knew more than the phone operator did.
    Maybe the program had too many bugs for all the different forms & your system might of been out of date with all the companies you now control. Your over priced with poor performance in the back end.
    How many times earlier the last 3 years did the system crash on yout end.

  2447. Bernadette

    Tell the truth. Aren’t you doing this to maximize profits when profits are already at their maximum? You’re throwing the people who made Ancestry what it is under the bus. VERY BAD DECISION AND A BAD PR MOVE.

  2448. Marge Piersen

    Since the very first version, I have counted on FTM to store my genealogical findings. None of the reviews I have read have encouraged me to try other software. I do not wish to put my tree on Ancestry, although I really have enjoyed the syncing up feature to meet discover new ancestors and connect to cousins. What shall I do? I have come to depend in so many ways on the great reports I can now generate from one source. Maybe I should give up altogether on genealogical software and just use Word, although that will be a step backwards. It might work for me, as my research is at the point where I should be writing it up for posterity. I guess it was inevitable that specialized software wouldn’t work in a decade or two when my grandchildren will (hopefully) want this informtion. But it is so regrettable. I still haven’t recovered from the demise of Paradox, for which I have found no substitute. Maybe we should all just use the basics Word, Xcel, and paper. I hate to think of all the folks who have invested hours loading their photos and videos to FTM. Genealogy should be about permanence, not just about profit!

  2449. George

    And the replacement is? Where do we track our families and keep a copy of documentation now? I’ve used Family Tree Maker for nearly 30 years (?) – who do you work with that will take over this market and why should we continue to subscribe to your site if we don’t have a family tool?

  2450. Debbie

    As the family historian, one of the most important services I can provide family members are the various reports only available via FTM. Also we’ve recently had a serious illness diagnosed within our family. The family participated in a research study with Northwestern. They requested a medical history for the family as far back as we could take it. Without FTM, I’d have had a terrible time helping with this very impotant research. As users we need an alternative offered. Without being able to print the various reports, Ancestry.com has lost a great deal of value to me. If you can find a way to make this work within Ancestry.com, all the better. Please don’t leave us without anything.

  2451. Horace

    This is the second “Family Tree” software that has left its users hanging out to dry. Like everyone else, I have invested a tremendous amount of time developing my family history on FTM.

  2452. Steve Howden

    Having used FTM for 20 years – why would you do this to us? What is the replacement? No thought for the millions who have been using this for many years. Time to take a good long look at yourself and then hang your head in shame as you leave! Thanks a bunch!

  2453. Bonnie Bertelsen

    Can’t believe this – just renewed my world membership 2 weeks ago and just upgraded to FTM 2014 this week. I have over 30,000 individuals on my tree and work on both Ancestry and FTM daily – been a paid member for over 10 years. I’ll be looking around for an alternative asap. Too bad but it sounds like I won’t be the only one leaving after reading all the comments on your blog.

  2454. Bill F

    You can’t be serious! FTM is the best part of ancestry! If you are at all serious about genealogy, it is so easy to cite your sources and copy those citations to multiple people and multiple facts. It is an incredible amount of work to do it with the online version. And the reports in FTM are so much more robust than the online version. This is a terrible decision for anyone serious about genealogy and wants to cite their sources. PLEASE RECONSIDER! If my only choice is the web version, I am seriously considering switching to MY HERITAGE. I am so disappointed!

  2455. Greg

    Don’t spin this as being better for the users! This is a revenue stream decision. As pointed out by so many others: there are many reasons, to use desktop software instead of the Ancestry.com website. How about turning FTM back over to Broderbund? I’m not going to be tied to the web. I was considering an Ancestry.com subscription to help with my research. You’ve just made my decision.

  2456. Kent Pearson

    Ancestry, this is a very, very bad move. Are you appealing to the millenial cell-phone market? Without the ability to merge (for starters), what are we supposed to do now – go to typing everything line-by-line? That’s not going to happen. I’ve also noticed that the interface on your website has changed, and not for the better, either. What was once fast and simple appears to be becoming more cumbersome and frustration. Who makes these kind of decisions? Probably not anyone who relies on the software. I’m sorry, I’m not happy with what seems to be the trend at Ancestry. When it becomes more work than fun, I’m done. I foresee Ancestry losing a lot of customers if someone doesn’t rethink this.

  2457. John DeMars

    I’m very disappointed to hear this. I use Family Tree Maker to produce hard copies of my tree information and reports. I hope Ancestry will consider building in some of the reporting features of Family Tree Maker so that we can generate similar info to print. After spending all this money over the years on Ancestry subscriptions and FTM I feel like I have been dumped. This news is very depressing. I prefer to keep my data and maintain it on FTM. My subscription will soon expire and I will consider not using ancestry and move to another site. One of the worst decisions you have ever made. What will be the alternatives since you have messed up our lives now.?

  2458. Mike

    I agree with all of these people, the question is what are we to do once FTM disappears. I’ve used FTM since before Ancestry purchased it(them). What now?

  2459. AREatough

    addendum: I’m sure there are many of us who are not *new* to business. As well, I’ve been in that rodeo and I can tell you one thing and possibly the most important decision that should be made by companies who are trying to keep there bottom line marginal. If you are having financial problems or are having problems paying the top tier executives, maybe you ought to get rid if the top third and overnight will realize a substantial decrease of overhead.

    I have seen the failure of many businesses trying to support the top tiers. Call it what you want, but this is corporate welfare at it’s finest. Look in the offices next to you and you might discover the real reason you’re in financial straights.

    Businesses which abandon their lifeblood usually fail within a few years. Too big to fail is a false premise. No business is too big to fail.

    Reading through all these comments, I see nothing but a customer base that will leave and take your future with them.

    Once a business which had a good reputation they have built for years and over years of ethical business practices lose that reputation, they never get it back. I would have thought you had better business sense than this.

    But, what do I know, I’m just one of what looks like thousands of people who are of the same opinion.

    That said; you are opening a market for Open Source Genealogy by making poor decisions. Hey, I’m just a one of thousands with a remarkable understanding of business. I’m also one of a few hundred who may not have the vast amount of research on your servers as others, but, from my position, you’re going to lose your faithful base. Not my words, that’s the words of the many I have read on this feedback query.

    I do hope you take the negative feedback seriously.

    Peace.

  2460. I join the loud chorus of those appalled by this decision. Your loyal customers have spent years uprgrading and coordinating trees using FTM and Ancestry together. Syncing was an awesome improvement. Think about all of us who work off-line and have invested decades in learning and using FTM. I’ve finally gotten good at printing out trees and reports on FTM. PLEASE reconsider.

  2461. Bob W

    The only way I can see Ancestry ensuring that its members Family Tree info gets updated is to put FTM software “in the cloud” and include it in Ancestry subscription fee. The rub will be if the monthly rate increases because of this change. I imagine some people will use Ancestry.com only for research, some will walk away entirely, and some will even delete their Trees from the Ancestry.com data base. Regardless the integrity of the Family Member Tree info on Ancestry will be compromised and that will be a shame…

  2462. Katherine

    Unbelievable! I got the email today about FTM being discontinued and and literally started panicking. Like many others, I have used this program for over a decade and have been trying to research and “preserve my family history” so that it can be shared for generations to come. I can’t imagine that those of us truly invested in genealogy don’t have a need for a program to help them archive all of their research. I now feel like I need to make paper copies of everything and try to organize all of the records outside the FTM program that you are clearly getting rid of. An online only option is not good enough! And for that matter there are still many people in this country that don’t have access to high speed internet to do their research and access their family trees. Now they will have no way to input their data electronically. I too am very disappointed and will have to search for a better option. I feel like ancestry has let us all down!

  2463. Annette R

    You have to be kidding!!!! I never use the Ancestry site on its own. I’ve been faithfully using FTM for years, giving it as gifts, creating family reports,etc. Based on the plethora of negative comments you have received today alone, looks like you have made a very big strategic mistake. At least if you are going to announce the discontinuance of our trusted product, you had better be announcing its bigger and better successor. This is just crazy.

  2464. DIxie

    I join the multitude of others who are outraged at your terrible decision. My membership will expire next November and, depending upon how Ancestry handles this, I may not renew for the first time in well over 10 years. It’s hard to imagine that a company such as yours would not continue to expand and update capabilities, not take away what thousands find so useful.

  2465. Lori Dare

    I can not believe you are discontinuing Family Tree Maker! Your Ancestry Program is not the easiest to deal with, it has many faults and causes a lot of frustration, but I’ve learned to work around some of the issues. I have many Tree’s on Ancestry and just recently loaded them all into my Family Tree Maker Program and found that using Family Tree Maker has a lot more options for formatting my Tree’s and printing out the documentation. I like that I can have all the research I’ve worked so hard on, for many years through Ancestry on my own computer where it’s secure. The powers that be at Ancestry need to revisit their decision to remove Family Tree Maker, because you are making a very poor decision if you do continue on with removing it.

  2466. Sheila

    I agree with the previous comments. I use FTM for reports, to maintain copies on my computer. I hate the new ancestry interface it is hard to see everything and continue to work on a tree. I really hope there will be other software that can synch and create reports and allow offline work.

  2467. David Poole

    A lot of people are under the impression that the program will just stop working after December. It would be a good idea to let them know that it will still work. I am also disappointed after paying out good money for several versions to keep up to date and the possibility of having to learn a new program when FTM becomes outdated.

  2468. Jms

    Been using FTM since it came out in the 90’s that is 20+ years…I don’t want to have to learn a new program.

    I never used the “sync” as I never wanted all my hard work online. I will NEVER have my family history on a cloud I want it on my computer and stored on my back up external drive. Not gonna pay to store MY FAMILY info.

    Ancestry is proving more and more they don’t care about their customers. First the ridiculous “new” ancestry and now this. Well maybe the millions of users will cease and Ancestry will go belly up

  2469. Larry

    Wonderful Xmas cheer,”not”.Stuff the minority again. Take our money though.What about the 100’s of files I have on Family Tree Maker? Will everything go across? Will ancestory create extra files,etc for us to be accommodated? There are a number of questions that haven’t been no where near answered.And how about those of us loyal clients with DNA profiles with other companies well before Ancestory started the same be allowed to transfer our profiles across too.?

  2470. Bryce Johnson

    What appalling customer service. The notice period you have given is pathetic. I think you need to replace some decision makers before you retire the software. I for one will be moving to software where the company understands it customers and does not treat them in such a cavalier fashion.

  2471. Leslie Poitras

    Add me to the hundreds (thousands?) of unhappy FTM users. I started my tree 20+ yrs ago before I had internet and could sync. I have been a faithful user since the earliest versions were available and have a very sizeable tree. I do not post online because I would need to edit all the private info and pictures that I and/or others in the family do not want available to the public. When your site becomes obsolete (which I expect it will now you have taken away the tool that gave you an edge) I want to still have control of my tree.
    I just re-upped my Ancestry membership not too long ago. Feeling cheated. Without the ability to sync won’t continue my membership. I can go to the library, use the library version (FOR FREE, something everyone should check out!!!), screenshot what I want, go home and enter it. Time consuming but without sync the trip to the library will save me significant $$. No point in wasting the money if I can’t have interface. Sure hoping you see the light. The online site is convoluted, confusing and frankly horrible when researching. Since the update I find myself avoiding the site and using the FTM to filter the info. A few of my family members jumped ship after the update and moved to Heritage. With them already there, I may be next.

  2472. Rob

    What good is Ancestory.com without Family Tree Maker? I was looking to upgrade FTM for a Christmas present and find this? And to think of all the time wasted building a family tree just to be held hostage for more money. Such betrayal from a company that played us all by pretending to be on the side of preserving history.

  2473. Steve E

    Basically you coerced me into buying FTM instead of the much superior RootsMagic because of FTM’s sync feature and your refusal to open up your API to other software. Now you leave me hung out to dry and twisting in the wind, so to speak. The least you can now do is open up your Sync API to RootsMagic, Legacy, etc.

  2474. Kathleen Clemence

    This has got to be a BAD joke! There is a huge difference between having your family history in Family Tree Maker and on-line on Ancestry.com. Genealogists use stand-alone programs, such as Family Tree Maker, as Ancestry.com is so limiting with what you can publish, etc. This is no way to treat loyal Family Tree Maker users! Please reconsider.

  2475. Wayne

    Based on this unfortunate decision I will be forced to move to another service offering like FamilySearch.org or other that still support clients.

    The recent changes to your site have driven me to use FTM pretty much full-time. I find the new site very difficult to use and only of value to display the tree – not what I want or need. It should be for research, first and foremost. You’ve done what a lot of companies do when they grow too quickly – they stop thinking about the customer and focus on the growing profits. I’m sure you’ve taken into consideration the mass exodus from Ancestry and the huge demand there will be for refunds driving down your profits. Hope the bean counters are happy.

    Lastly, I think more consideration should be taken for those researchers who sit in basements of churches with no internet connectivity plugging information into FTM. So your basically driving the die hard researchers back to the old ways of hand written papers and large filing cabinets.

  2476. Simon

    I wonder if this decision maker is a plant from a competitive site. They certainly are successful in the goal of destroying a good thing. Smells like industrial sabotage.

  2477. Beth

    I am disappointed about this, but keep a few things in mind:
    1) Syncing will still work for a year
    2) The software will continue to work, they just aren’t going to sell new copies after Dec 31. It’s not like the software breaks on Jan 1st!
    3) Your tree is not going away. You will still have your desktop files and your online tree if you’ve synced.
    4) Even if you unsubscribe from Ancestry, your tree is still there (unless you delete it) and you can see it. You just can’t make changes to it.
    5) If you want to put your data into another software, it’s no big deal. Export the GEDCOM file from Ancestry or FTM, then import it into the new software. No retyping. Easy peasy.
    6) Unfortunately, pictures or documents you linked aren’t included in the GEDCOM, and that’s a pain, but you haven’t lost data.
    7) I am disappointed, but it’s not the end of the world, people! There are lots of good software options that do lots of cool stuff. The only drawback will be the loss of syncing ability, but if that’s the biggest problem you have in your life, you are blessed.

  2478. James Marshall

    You have NO idea the damage you are doing to the millions of FTM users. What a GREEDY, SELFISH move on your part. I am SO glad I have only posted a bare minimum of my tree for you to now make goodness knows how much money off of!!! Glad I can do research throuyghother channels that A.com! Count me a FORMER customer.

  2479. Kathy Kelly

    Thousands of comments and didn’t find one positive. I really enjoyed doing research on ancestry.com for the last 4 ½ years. But when you decided to make the ”new” ancestry.com the only visual as of Dec. 15, I began to wonder if I’d ever upload my family tree to ancestry. I decided if I did it would be strictly private since so much is stolen by others not doing legitimate searches. Frankly the “new” ancestry.com is not worth the money you paid out to develop it – too much extraneous garbage that isn’t necessary for real research. After I joined ancestry.com I bought FamilyTreeMaker 2012 and have a lot of info in it and only on my laptop, not on ancestry.com and not “in the cloud”. It was easy to input all the data/media/info on every person. But now you’ve made the decision that you will no longer sell this product because there aren’t enough of us desktop or laptop users to make it worthwhile. Well – you’ve just lost my support, and likely a subscriber. I’ll make the decision by the time you stop supporting FTM software in 2017. In the meantime I guess I’ll copy every census record, marriage/death image, and whatever else I’ve found to my computer as proof of the data I’ve found. Thank goodness for an external hard drive where I have backed up everything. It’s really sad what the new owners/managers have done with this site, the software program, not to mention on your partner sites (familysearch and fold3). You’re going to have a big loss of user/subscribers I have a feeling. Bottom line is profit only, ignore your customers.

  2480. Jo-Ann

    I am very disappointed in this decision. I help teach Ancestry, FTM and Find A Grave at our RV park/winter home genealogy club for years. I have been encouraging the use of all of these products and I’ve been promoting the symmetry that they offer. The loss of FTM leaves a big hole in the ability to have a functional family tree. Not having access to searches by name or place, not having access to FTM many charts and reports to share with family are significant losses. I feel this is a bad decision and wonder what the

  2481. Erin

    Worst decision you have ever made. Way to give your customers notice. Less than a months notice. WTG you guys stink. You won’t be getting any more of my money. Wish I knew this before I wasted my money on AncestryDNA

  2482. L Nelson

    As a long term customer and avid user of FTM I a extremely frustrated. Will begin my search for something else. Will no longer be a user of Ancestry products.

  2483. I am very disappointed, been using FTM for years and use it daily. The best part, is the ability of FTM to sync with Ancestry. This what motivates me to keep my membership in Ancestry, even thought it is
    costly. However, if your are no longer going to support FTM, I guess I will start looking at other sites to use and no longer support Ancestry. I have almost 2000 names, not to mention, pictures, sources and historical notes to transfer to another source, this will be very time consuming and I maybe even lose important information in the process. Shame on Ancestry you are being disrespectful & disloyal to those of us that FTM as a vital resource for our research.

  2484. Bruce

    I just want to say “amen” to most of the above. Even if ancestry.com doesn’t want to keep upgrading desktop FTM, I still prefer to use that as my base — not the website. And ancestry.com owes its membership a lot more detailed justification for this than a very general kiss-off of desktop software.

  2485. Jim

    I’d like to suggest that we all cancel our subscriptions. We can – at a later date – rejoin if they come to their senses.

  2486. mardy

    Like the other comments – we are very disappointed with the decision to not support Family Tree Maker.

    My sister has been a member for over 15 years and encouraged me and other family members to become members. Like the other comments the ability to download the tree and create reports and to show older members of the family the research without the need for them to have internet was and is important.

    To announce that Ancestry Tree is no longer going to be supported without offering any recommendations to those loyal customers on work arounds shows the lack of respect to the customers who have helped the company grow. We agree with the other comments about corporate greed.

  2487. Paul Church

    To many unanswered questions. I had so much faith in Ancestry and now that is shaky. I won’t say too much until I learn more. So far a pretty big one to digest.

  2488. Peter Cohen

    Everything I would say has been said, but I’ll re-iterate it. I hate the new ancestry user interface. It takes too much time to scroll through it to do research. Linking to FTM was one of the key reasons for my planning to stay and put up with it, but you will be removing that reason. I would never keep my tree solely online. When I die, it will eventually be deleted after my survivors stop paying the subscription. There needs to be a local copy on my computer.

  2489. Kent Pearson

    PS Before I discontinue my subscription, I will be changing my online tree status to PRIVATE. You can’t expect to force people to leave and then continue to make money from their research. Uh uh. No way.

  2490. Chris

    Don’t think I can add anything to what has already been said here, but just want to be counted in with the many others who DO NOT AGREE with this decision.

  2491. Pam

    I use Family Tree Maker in sync with Ancestry and am seriously disappointed in this decision. Time to cancel my Ancestry subscription!

  2492. Richard Hudson

    I’ve been a subscriber for years. I’ll be cancelling for certain if you go through with this plan. Unbelievable!

  2493. Betty Austin

    I am very, very unhappy with this. What do I use now and after I have paid a membership for over 20 years and upgraded programs, you are cheating me. I want my money back. My research is all done and saved on my computer and I do not want it all on your site. So you will not support FTM??? Thanks for the loyalty to your customers. How much input has your “valued customers” had in this decision?? This is completely outrageous and not something I expected from Ancestry. Money is the name of the game!

  2494. Pratt

    You can’t simply abandon your invaluable Family Tree Maker website. What will replace it? We must know.

  2495. Tom

    WOW! This is about as popular as “New Coke” or Netflix when they tried to raise rates and came close to losing the entry company. Looks like a lot of folks may be canceling ancestry.com. Good luck!

  2496. Pat Wood

    Horribly disappointed. Have been a customer for many years. You need to explain how Ancestry clients will be able to produce reports and access all the key features of FTM that are not currently available via Ancestry.com. You are driving us into Legacy, and if we had wanted that product we’d be there by now.

  2497. Michelle Setlik

    I am BEYOND ANGRY about this announcement. I have been a FTM user for 20 years and while I do sync my tree, I have many private things stored in my FTM on my computer. I also use the desktop version to print books and reports to share with family members. As a local and state genealogical society member/officer who also teaches many genealogy classes and always sings the praises of FTM and Ancestry I am extremely disappointed in how you are treating loyal customers!

  2498. Tony Law

    A very poor decision! I only renewed this year for the Tree Sync application. Suspect I will be another that does not renew and move to FMP and base my tree on Family Historian or another database.

  2499. Don Harrison

    It is un-fortunate that you are going to drop Family Tree Maker. The publish and print capabilities in Family Tree Maker are superior to the online capabilities of Ancestry. When I originally built my trees I used FTM and uploaded the tree because the data entry was far better than Ancestry. I hope I can complete all my work on my ancestry before you drop FTM so I can drop Ancestry.

    Don Harrison

  2500. I understand why a lot of people are upset over this news, but to cancel your Ancestry.com member subscriptions because of it? You’re really going to stop researching your family tree because a program will stop working in over a year? Isn’t that a little extreme?

  2501. Terrible decision. If sales are falling and therefore loss of revenue stop selling it with 6 months free ancestry sub. I absolutely refuse to have all my information online only. Subscribe to both ancestry and findmypast. When FTM stops no reason to stay with ancestry. It’s been nice knowing you but bye bye.

  2502. Bob M

    I will have no reason to renew membership.
    As you can see from all these comments, it’s a very stupid decision.

  2503. Jo-Ann

    I am very disappointed in this decision. I help teach Ancestry, FTM and Find A Grave at our RV park/winter home genealogy club for years. I have been encouraging the use of all of these products and I’ve been promoting the symmetry that they offer. The loss of FTM leaves a big hole in the ability to have a functional family tree. Not having access to searches by name or place, not having access to FTM many charts and reports to share with family are significant losses. I feel this is a bad decision and wonder what the utility will be in retaining my subscription in Ancestry. It is difficult to believe that this decision was not communicated in a more timely manner.

  2504. Joe

    Before I discontinue my subscription, I will be changing my online tree status to PRIVATE. You can’t expect to force people to leave and then continue to make money from their research. Uh uh. No way.

  2505. Ron Setzer

    Ancestry.com and Kendall Hulet, we are members of the genealogy community. We aid one another in the search of our ancestors. What little you expend to support this popular software, you reap with loyal subscribers. If you continue down this miserly road, you will reap the loss of many of those same subscribers.

  2506. Jim

    I’m not going to renew my subscription to Ancestry.com and I plain on deleting my tree I have submitted. You have said goodbye to FTM so I’m I saying goodbye from Ancestry.com

  2507. Darren

    As someone who uses FTM on a near daily basis, this news concerns me greatly. If the ability to link FTM to my ancestry account will cease to be available in 2017, I will most definitely reconsider my subscription status.

  2508. Susan Lea

    I can’t believe the people saying they’re “sorry to hear this” and “disappointed.” You would certainly delete my comment if I told you what I really think about it, but “sorry” and “disappointed” aren’t anywhere close. This is a HORRIBLE–and yes, GREEDY–move on your part! You’re PROUD of this???? You should be ASHAMED of yourselves!!!!

  2509. Julie Thomas

    I too am very upset to hear of this news. Family Treemaker/ Ancestry.com have been a huge investment on my part.. Funny today I received an email stating you would be taking money from my account once again…it’s not going to happen now.

  2510. Rita

    PLEASE don’t do this thing! From reading the comments here it looks like you’re going to lose a LOT of customers and then what good will your databases of information be? I only keep a subscription in the winter months as I don’t have time in the summer to work my family history, and I have found that I can find most everything I need to source my information free on the web somewhere. I pay so I can find it all in one place, I pay so I can sync my trees, I pay so I can see those “shaky leaves” fluttering and discover new family members. I pay so I can find new living family members. I just submitted my DNA test. I realize the website isn’t going away, but if FTM is no longer, well, I don’t see any point in keeping Ancestry.com. PLEASE! Keep FTM!

  2511. Robert Catalano

    I have worked on my FTM for years and just bought the updated version when I got a new computer. I am for boycotting ancestry.com now. Will anyone join me? This is not about genealogy or the love of it. This is about a profit stream where a company gets people to buy into a service, continually upgrade it and then they pull the rug out from under the customer. Maybe it is time to change companies. I thought this company was one of the good ones who helped customers get the most out of the products they’ve been sold. Guess I was wrong.

  2512. Dolores

    Can’t believe you are really doing this. Have been with FTM since it was Banner Blue. Please reconsider your decision. I am terribly upset thinking about this, and how I will manage my tree.

  2513. Chris Hansen

    If you want to increase sales, go on line and take a look at how much Family Tree Maker costs. At best Buy it is approximately 75 dollars. That includes the book. A CD from your site is a fraction of that and doesn’t include the book. Why don’t you include the book in a digital format that can be downloaded and read using Adobe.
    I have extensive information in my family tree that I have been able to find at this site. Some with other members. What are you going to use if anything to replace Family Tree Maker. It has options that other sites don’t have. I agree with the comments made above. There is one thing that I don’t like is the new look. the header takes up too much room. I can’t see my entire tree. I have to drag it in one direction to view the other half.
    I

  2514. Nina Williams

    I join the chorus of disappointed customers. I’ve had FTM since early days & will miss many things that Ancestry does not have. The new Ancestry is programmed by those that don’t do any family history…just wants everything neatly done. Very disheartening to be treated this way.

  2515. David

    I agree with my fellow FTM users – not going to be good for us…. Why have you not given any of the answers to the many, many concerns and questions listed above? Surely you anticipated our feelings about FTM!!

  2516. John Fluth

    On January 1, 2017 will FTM be useless? Please tell us what we are supposed to do? What a terrible way to treat a loyal member since 1999!

  2517. Monna

    Wow! This is life changing for me and most other people who use FTM. It could also result in big changes for Ancestry, since many of the comments claim to be stopping your services. I have used FTM for nearly 20 years – such an improvement over the disorganized boxes of clippings. And for 10 or so years Ancestry has given me new avenues of “finding” family. However, I see no reason to stay with Ancestry.com unless I have FTM. I guess it’s true – all good things do come to an end.

  2518. Terri

    Like 1,000 of other FTM users have told you, I am extremely disappointed with the decision. I was preparing to upgrade to the latest version of FTM but now will look at other options.

    FTM and Ancestry.com complement each other. I use one for the research and the other for the data. I do not rely solely on the Internet. I, like the 1,000 of others who commented, do not upload everything to Ancestry.com. I will not upload all of the info to a server I don’t have complete control over.

    The creators of the Titanic thought it was unsinkable but we all know what happened to it. Ancestry.com has gotten so big that you all feel you are unsinkable or too big to fail. You have to remember that you have a clientele that built your foundation. Decisions like this will weaken your foundation and can cause the company to collapse.

    I, like others, want to know HOW we are to maintain OUR data going forward. Ancestry.com is of no use to me without FTM. As you can see from the comments, not everyone is sold on the app. I hope you all reconsider the decision as you OBVIOUSLY did NO market research on your CORE customers who are the foundation of your company. There are more of us in this category than I think you realize.

  2519. adams

    Very disappointing news, as much as I like to follow my family history, I will stop using Ancestory as of Jan 1, 2017 or sooner.

  2520. Ray

    ABSOLUTLY INEXCUSABLE! I haven’t been able to look at all of the 2000+ comments in the few hours since this absurd decision was made. FTM is THE TOOL that has made the discoveries and connections possible. Not everyone wants their trees to be online. There is so much confidential data available online, that one needs to be careful about exposure. My greater family members respect the care that I take. How do you keep PRIVATE data private in the online world? Over the years I have spent thousands to support via upgrades and subscriptions with you, I guess that it will be good-bye soon. I will stop searching the archives. I will maintain the new things that happen in our families, but that will be it. This is the most IDIOTIC decision that could be made, or are you just trolling to see what the reaction might be?

  2521. Phil Bowerman

    I agree with almost all the previous comments but the most interesting thing to me is the fact that Ancestry has yet to commit to improving the cloud or helping those with poor or intermittent web access. It seems to be a “we’re not making enough profit so let’s dump this dog along with all the loyal customers’ decision. Also not a single comment from Ancestry about all these concerns. Shame on them!!

  2522. Laura Webb Thomas

    Subscriptions are on the rise, use of desktop programs on the decline. If subscriptions are up, then why is the price so ridiculously high? I, too, keep FTM on my laptop so I can work offline…my safety net should you all sell or continue to have crazy rates. Your business model is genius, but your greed is becoming a bit excessive.

  2523. Kathy

    Oh no, say it isn’t true …. I love the desktop software … DO NOT LIKE at all the on-line software …. there to way too much functionality not available and display and reporting it very poor. How can you stop supporting a software that is so integral to so many people’s genealogy research. I cannot believe this and that it was announced in such tight timing …. This is a very, very poor business decision. The fact that current users weren’t consulted or surveyed show a total lack of respect to your customer base. I am very, very disappointed in Ancestry.com … you went from the best genealogy software company to the worst … if you think the on-line version even begin to compare to the FTM package you are greatly mistaken.

  2524. Jim A

    Very disappointed to see FTM will not longer be developed. FTM has many features that are not available at Ancestry. I hope that you at least provide all the missing features in Ancestry.com before you totally pull the plug on FTM. I hope that you at least enhance the Ancestry App to have most of the features found today only in FTM.

  2525. Anne

    Soooooo disappointed in this decision! I keep my permanent records on my computer, not online at Ancestry.

  2526. James Brown

    Kendall Hulet,Senior Vice President of Product Management, at Ancestry since March 2015, is no friend to genealogy. We have all known that Ancestry only thinks about how it can increase its number of subscribers, which increases their revenue and profits. We have watch Ancestry buy up its competition to increase Ancestry’s subscribers. I will like most of your subscribers NOT renew my subscriptions and will put my database on other national genealogy websites and on competitors genealogy software. Ancestry, the company with a cold heart that is the grench who stole Christmas.

  2527. Richard Ezell

    It took me YEARS to find FTM (wasn’t called that back then, if I remember correctly). I have LOVED the improvements (most of the time, and when I didn’t, I got used to them). This is INCREDIBLY upsetting for the thousands of us who rely on a rich user interface to do all we do with FTM. I’m terribly disappointed and upset. Like others who have commented in the last 3 hours since the announcement, I will have to be looking for a new product. I just hope it doesn’t take me as long to find something good as it did to find FTM years ago. Of course, who knows: Maybe I’ll find something better. I, too, will be cancelling my subscription, and maybe do it monthly. I will NOT be using the online tree. I’ve always hated it. Unless it has been improved a ton in the last couple of years. We feel betrayed. Upset! Disappointed. Even angry, as I detect with some of the other replies. PLEASE reconsider. This has absolutely ruined my day. (I mean that seriously: I’m writing a family history book and depend on FTM.)

  2528. Thank you so very much. After changing from Genius Family tree many years ago to a product which did everything I needed, gave myself and others the ability to look for each others ancestors and grow our trees – mine in over 35 years to 5500+ individuals – have my IPhone with me when I visited relations and update as I went, or refer to it to confirm relationships, you have now pulled the rug from under me and thousands of other heretobefore satisfied customers. I note with irony the icon of the US Better Business Bureau on your page. I am seriously thinking of lodging a complaint with them about your lack of corporate integrity. I have downloaded and then deleted my tree from your site, I will go back to Genes Reunited, and I WILL NOT renew my subscription to Ancestry. You are obviously NOT customer focused, but driven by corporate greed.

  2529. Rose

    Wow, what a disappointment!! I guess I won’t be renewing my ancestry membership when it comes due next year. What a shame ancestry is can’t give back to it’s customers since we pay dearly for the privilege of using their products.

  2530. Darryl

    I will add my voice to the many here to say I am disappointed in the choice to discontinue FTM. It has so many functions the website does not. Is there a chance you will let a third party take it over like you did with mycanvas?

  2531. Ron

    You certainly aren’t the first company to make a stupid business decision and obviously won’t be the last. Hopefully like others, Coca Cola and Netflix for instance, you will back pedal and confess your mistake. If not, I hope the French Company, Geneanet or the German Company, My Heritage.com will move in and pick up the market. You had created a lot of trust throughout the world, but you now have lost it. Too bad.

  2532. Mark Hartmann

    Like the multitude above, I have been a loyal user of FTM for over 20 years and have over nearly 4000 names in my FTM files. I have found that Ancestry.com does a very poor job of validating the information that’s incorporated in its online material. On too many occasions I have found family trees with erroneous information that has been propagated across many subscribers as they blindly merge info into their trees. Ancestry has become a repository of bad data being sold to the naïve general public. With this decision, like those above, I will find a new desktop product which hopefully provides me with a migration path and discontinue all use of Ancestry products.

  2533. Jeff

    Very disappointing. We as a community need to start moving to a different platform. We have 12 months to find an alternative software package that may come close to what we have today. Adobe, with Creative Cloud, and Microsoft, with Office 365, have shown that desktop software can clearly be part of a cloud based tool set. Clearly Ancestry can’t see that.
    I wonder what the plans are for the code once 1/1/2017 rolls around? Rather than have it sit in a vault and rot maybe they would donate to an organization, something like Mozilla or Eclipse that could use a community of developers to continue to enhance the product. I fear that is simply wishful thinking. My new goal is to get to a new platform and then cancel my Ancestry subscription. I wish I hadn’t done 3 DNA tests with them.

  2534. ARiley

    Yet again another change to Ancestry and the continued dumbing down of the planet. I have been a member since 2000. You guys have been great and I love the data resources, but my theory is that in your continued quest to appeal to people who cannot do research and are looking for an “app” to spit out who there ancestors are you guys go and do yet another maneuver that inconveniences serious researchers. Why, do you insist on making life difficult for those of us who have spent years doing serious research in exchange for the guy who wants to see a sprouting leaf and have his tree magically filled in for him. How do we preserve our records on our computers without FTM. I join my fellow users with their comments, but like Old search and every other good thing these comments will be ignored for the sake of “progress”. What the heck Ancestry!

  2535. Lightbulf

    /*******************************************
    Ancestry.com,
    How about making FTM open source and
    putting it up on github so that developers like me with free time can help maintain it?
    ********************************************/

  2536. Tim Lyons

    I am shocked, to say the least, about you discontinuing FTM. I can echo most, if not all, of the comments made above. I imagine that much like our political system we can all express our extraordinary concern which you will promptly ignore and do what you want to do anyway.
    I have spent thousands with Ancestry but I will seriously consider going elsewhere.
    Your explanation of the reason sounds like you thought we would fall for your weak explanation.

  2537. Penny

    WHEN will people UNDERSTAND that not EVERYONE has a $600 cell phone or tablet? I don’t and I sure can’t do ancestry on my tracfone. I need my laptop to WORK.

  2538. Joan Lindgren

    This is the most awful news you could have given a genealogist. I have been using FTM for many years and have a tree with 49,665 people. I certainly hope Ancestry will assist me in transferring this to another software program, but wait that would dip into your profits and the loyal subscribers mean nothing to you. A very shameful move on your part. Not everyone wishes to be online to do their work in preserving the family history. A giant step back in genealogy. Please reconsider.

  2539. Pat

    WHAT!? This is a terrible decision! I will be looking for a substitute. The changes made by ancestry in the past year or so is more for profitability and business rather than supporting serious researchers. Very sad!

  2540. Liz

    To say I am disappointed is an under statement. Looking at the numbers who have commented and considering those that feel the same and won’t comment should tell you something. Please reconsider.

  2541. Irene Baker

    I am on my 3rd version of Family Tree Maker, which I love. I have never been on a blog anywhere in my life before, which just shows you how upset this makes me. I like having a hard copy. I am in my 70’s, not all of us like new fangled ideas and spending a lot of money on a pension is not easy. I am obviously not the only person who is not happy with this decision and I respectfully ask that you reconsider.

  2542. Well, thank goodness for that. FTM2014 has been an unmitigated disaster and deserves to go. I would have preferred to you to have fixed it, as I have spent nearly two years sorting out the mess it has made of my trees. Nor did I appreciate the forced update that prevented me from saving my work in earlier, easy to use FTM programs. I used to love them too.
    You have wasted my time and my money and so I am not impressed. Hopefully someone- will work out how we can transfer our work, notes, images, etc, to other programs of our choice. Please don’t tell us to gedcom. These days most people’s trees are loaded with photos, documents, film …
    Your new search engine is pretty poor as well. Carry on like this, you will make yourselves irrelevant.
    Remember to turn the lights off when you leave

  2543. Pam

    I am very disappointed. I feel ripped off since purchasing the software does me no good. Also I have a Mac and there is little compatible software available.

    Why didn’t you look into alternatives? Obviously your membership numbers will be affected as well.

  2544. Wayne Beach

    Please add my disapointment to the thousands of loyal customers in your decision to discontinue the premier genealogy software tool for users around the world. Please do not force me to delete my trees which contain my data which I freely share with other researchers. I will continue to use FTM in lieu of your website if treesync is discontinued. Good luck with this terrible decision.

  2545. Laurel Hotchkiss

    I can’t tell you how much this decision concerns me. I have a HUGE family tree -1500 ancestors. I have hundreds of entries under “notes” for these relatives. These notes do not show up in the web program or with syncing. If these notes do not transfer, and I have no way to continue long term with the computer program, that will cause a huge data loss. I also find the web version to be much more difficult to navigate than the software version. Please please, reconsider this terrible decision. At the very least, find a way to sync all of the date from the software to the skimpy online program.

  2546. Murray G Thompson

    Holy cow, Batman. It’s obvious you folks haven’t a clue about why we lay down excessive chunks of money. I add my displeasure to the rest of the comments, and suggest you start your layoffs and start dusting off your resumes. I think you will find, if you keep on with your proposed course of action you will be running your business off a cliff, and no, it won’t take two years. Don’t thank me for the hours of work I have uploaded, and don’t let the door hit your bum on the way out!

  2547. Frank D. Myers

    Sadly, I just renewed my Ancestry subscription for a year despite annoyance with the clumsy redesign. Oh well, I have a year to, as they say, seek other opportunities.

  2548. Andrew

    I am also very disappointed with this announcement. I don’t think the company realizes that the software is really a “loss leader”. Just like razors are cheap in order to get customers to buy the replacement blades, FTM is probably losing money (like the razors) but generates large business for Ancestry.com (like the replacement blades). As the above comments indicate, a large number of customers will cancel their Ancestry subscriptions because of these changes. I really don’t think the accountants at Ancestry really realized this connection and have made a decision purely on the results of FTM. My suggestion is to rework the numbers taking into account a reasonable loss of Ancestry.com sales and see if this decision still makes financial sense. After redoing the numbers, you then have to consider the impact on Ancestry’s brand, customer satisfaction (including potential refunds) and employee morale…..Bottom line, the decision needs to be rethought!

  2549. Alycia

    I love FTM! I understand support will be available until January 2017, but what then? Is there a plan with a vendor or partner to migrate all of us to a new software package free of charge? I bought FTM, I have the highest level of Ancestry membership and I have bought at least 10 DNA kits for myself and family members. What data was gathered to determine FTM could be sacrificed and that the sacrifice was better than the response from customers?

  2550. Patti

    Not happy with the cancellation Ancestry!!! You don’t give us suggestions for alternatives. I think you’ve handled this very poorly.

  2551. Peter

    As you can tell from the many comments on this blog, you clearly are not making a very good business decision. Unless you can provide similar capabilities via a browser, you will lose a lot of your best customers, myself included. Additionally, we are not yet at the point where we really on you to truly protect our valuable data on your website (not to mention what you would do with that data).

    Have you considered just freezing development and providing only bug fixes? This would certainly reduce development efforts and you may be able to charge an annual maintenance fee to keep it running. Or sell software to someone else as Intuit is considering with Quicken.

    It sounds like you have not considered what effect this will have on your subscriptions. I’m guessing your most loyal and profitable customers are those that use FTM and they will be leaving. The publicity with not be very favorable in the genealogy community as well and as you know, they drive a lot of business for you.

  2552. Betty

    I’m hoping the reports/charts/etc that can be created using FTM will be available with my Ancestry subscription.

  2553. Sue

    I will be looking for another alternative. Thankfully Family Search has been growing and getting better. I have been with you guys a long time and this saddens me, after all of my work and my additions to your data base that you are doing this.

  2554. arch

    Ditto to all that’s been said. It irks me that we’ll be forced to pay online subscription fees to maintain our trees in “the cloud”–absent an adequate alternative to FTM. Me thinks that Ancestry has their heads in the cloud. So much research occurs away from home in remote places with little or no internet access. With FTM, there is no waiting to update a tree. Anyone who has spent any time walking a cemetery or visiting a small town clerk’s office knows how important it is to add new information quickly in order to compare and verify accuracy–before we make the long drive home. I suppose that I’ll just have to revert back to the research process I used in the 70’s before the internet came into use. Now that’s progress!

  2555. Fay Marsh

    This is a REALLY disappointing move. If this goes ahead I will look for a different way to do my genealogy research and cancel my subscription to Ancestry. One of the factors that encouraged me to choose Ancestry over other sites was the “Family Tree Maker” and the way it interacts with Ancestry. I found it easier to use on my desktop easier to understand. I hope you rethink this decision as by the look of all the feedback you will loose a fair number of “clients”. One of them will be me!

  2556. Sandra

    I began my Family Research only two years ago, and enjoy using FTM and Ancestry together. I use desktop software and rely on it to keep my tree on my desktop and work with Ancestry. I have no interest in the Academy and the DNA research. This is the first time I have commented on Ancestry, but I am very disappointed. I just renewed my membership with Ancestry and now am unsure how I continue. I like the tree synch, even thought I have experienced problems with it. But as a new researcher I have found the two to be helpful in my research. My tree is small in comparison to many others, but I would be at a loss to replace my 2000 people. Please reconsider. I considered the All Access membership for a few minutes the other day, but I will not do that now. I agree with every other person, this is a shame and I will be researching other Family Tree software and reconsidering my membership to Ancestry, even thought it has been invaluable to me. This is horrible service.

  2557. Russell Alexander

    This is why I haven’t “re-upped” my subscription. Your company has a lousy attitude toward your customers. You make ending a subscription needlessly difficult, you don’t support your software, you don’t EVER take suggestions. Well, I say goodbye and good riddance. I’m sure there’ll be another company, soon enough, that will take your place – despite your misleading commercials and silly “improvements”.

  2558. Emily

    Dear Permira, you bought Ancestry in 2012. You own all of the good data out there, much iit donated by us. You know, people who have paid you a lot of money, then handed over our on research for you to make money reselling. Haven’t we made enough money for you? You won’t find any more loyal customers on earth than long time genealogists. Yes, you have all of those other services now, 23 and me, etc, but we long timers are the foundation for all of your businesses and we want our desktop software. Please put yourselves up for sale..

  2559. Gaye

    The only reason I joined Ancestry was because of Family Tree Maker. I’m not for sure, but was Family Tree Maker its own company at one time. I wish they would have remained that way. I think you have made a poor decision.

  2560. Durk Piersma

    Big MISTAKE, dropping Family Tree Maker. If FTM had not been around, I would have NEVER subscribed to the exorbitantly priced Ancestry.com website. TALK ABOUT BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU!!!!
    Sounds like other “head in the sand” software supporters I know – WINDOWS?

  2561. Ross Wilmoth

    Ancestry, please stop and reconsider retiring FTM. As you can see from the comments it’s a much loved program and used my many. I have had versions back to number 2 in 1994. It’s known and trusted with plenty of features unavailable online and, being on the desktop, fast, secure and easy to backup.
    PLEASE keep FTM alive.

  2562. Dan

    I am saddened by this announcement. I find the website great for exploration, but the sync to the desktop program has been an essential feature. In the FTM software, the ability to analyze and report are key features. I am hopeful that the decision will be reconsidered.

  2563. Jim

    Can you no longer save images directly to our hard drives. I have folders for each family in my computer and used to be able to save it to that folder as well as sync it to my tree. Is this option gone also?

  2564. Ted Duke

    I have only put part of my research on ANCESTRY. The bulk is on FTM. The new FTM is childish and unusable. I will be dropping my WORLD Ancestry subscription when it runs out if Ancestry isn’t supporting it. I don’t want anything “in the cloud”!

    Very poor “business?” decision.

  2565. Brian F.

    I can only echo the sentiments of others in recording my total disgust at the way you have treated your customers by pulling the rug out from under us. You intend to leave us hanging after January 1, 2017 and don’t give any advice on what we then do. How wrong we have been in thinking we were dealing with a professional organisation that would support its products over time. I too have used FTM over many years and have so much recorded in your formats including books. Don’t expect me to pay you a cent more. I will be migrating to another platform at the first opportunity.

  2566. David

    Where am I supposed to input and save all of the information I accumulate? If this decision stands, I predict you people will be out of business come 12-31-17!

  2567. robert

    This decision must have been in the works for some time. Thanks for the heads up. Would like to have known about this last year instead of next year.

  2568. Ann Thomas

    I can’t believe you would doing this I have used FTM for years in addition to Ancestry. Now what????

  2569. Without the ability to sync, the value of Ancestry drops about 90%. I can use FamilySearch and Legacy. The biggest advantage of Ancestry is the ability to sync to a tree on your hard drive rather than having to enter all the information manually. This is an incredibly stupid business decision. I will use this year to get everything I can and then cancel my subscription if there is no sync capability.

  2570. If this decision is simply about concentrating efforts at your end, fine. I trust that you will in that case be making the API open so that vendors of other home genealogy database programs can integrate directly with Ancestry.com for uploading and downloading.

    If this decision is in the hopes that FTM users will simply record our trees on Ancestry.com, then this is a bad decision that will cost you many customers. Even if we were to become foolish enough to entrust our accumulated research results to somebody else’s server on the cloud, Ancestry is a weak and irritating imitation of a proper family-tree database; it’s not even very effective as a mirror of a home database. Only newbies will ever make that mistake and not for long. The rest of us will go elsewhere.

  2571. Judy SOMMER

    I believe that is this a bad decision on your part. Unless your online program is upgraded to add the reports that FTM has available. Many people myself included use Ancestry.com to research their ancestors but also transfer this information to the FTM software to print out reports. Please reconsider.

  2572. Lee Ann

    I posted earlier and I see where people are asking a LOT of questions….why has Ancestry not responded to our concerns or are you just too big now to care about the 1000’s of people that will be dropping your services….it definitely looks to me that you will be losing HUGE money in the coming months

  2573. Diane

    On a positive note, information you put into your computer database will not disappear simply because Ancestry stopped supporting it. When I started using it, FTM was owned by Broderbund. I think it was owned by a few companies before Ancestry. Perhaps another company will pick up where Ancestry left us hanging. I have no desire to merge poorly transcribed records into my tree or to copy anyone else’s trees, so I’m not losing anything in that aspect. There has to be some other company willing to make compatible genealogical software when the latest version of FTM becomes obsolete. On a more negative note, while other programs are gedcom compatible, I wonder how thousands of media files and tens of thousands of sources will transfer to a new program.

  2574. Mary Yetter

    Uh oh! I’ve been a strong supporter of the new Ancestry.com interface, but this change to retire Family Tree Maker software is NOT GOOD AT ALL!!! I want my tree information both online and on my computer. I don’t want to loose the ability to sync my tree between the website and my computer!

  2575. Gerry

    It’s one thing to say you are discontinuing to produce more FTM versions but quite another to discontinue servicing what you already have out there! Very disreputable. I have been a FTM user since the first version. Go to LEGACY!!!! A lot of people love that software. Forget Ancestry.

  2576. Jacqui

    Yes, it is sad that FTM is no longer going to be produced but I really think people are making too much of this. The program is on your computer and will continue to be on your computer until you choose to remove it. By no longer supporting the product Ancestry is just saying there will be no more updates to the software. You will be able to sync your online tree until at least January 2017. After that point when you find something on ancestry you will need to manually it enter it into your desktop software. Ancestry also has an option that you can download a gedcom of your online family tree. 10’s of thousands of people don’t use FTM and don’t use the onlione trees at all. They just use Ancestry for the records they can find, some of which no other company has. I have been using FTM since 1995 BUT I also use other programs that can do the same things and more than FTM. If you feel you need to get another program, that is fine. You can easily transfer your FTM info to the new software by exporting your info as a Gedcom. All the photos and docs can be moved to another folder on your computer. It’s not difficult. There are other programs out there that are very good. I personally recommend Legacy Family Tree (legacyfamiytree.com) or Roots Magic (rootsmagic.com). I personally use both of these as well as FTM. Another thing, both Legacy Family Tree and Roots Magic have a free version.
    So, really, while it is sad that FTM will no longer be produced, you willbe able to still continue to use it and access your information on your desktop. And with luck Ancestry will release the API so that 3rd party software can begin to sync to Ancestry. I really don’t think this is the end of the world and it could actually be a good thing.

  2577. J. T. Lott

    This is not right. I do not like this new program at all. I want to use the old program as I have for a few years. You should be able to use the one you have been paying for and you have your files set up the way you are use to and like. You have upset a lot of people and if we can’t use it the way it was being use, then Ancestry.com is going to loose a lot of money because to don’t pay for something you don’t like.

  2578. Don C

    Not enough info about change. What are advantages for customer? How can we salvage years of info from many sources not attached to Ancestry? Are you forcing us to go Geni.com and MyHeritage, etc? I can not believe Ancestry does not have a plan for its customers and am waiting for your response. Then, I’ll make a choice…..but will not wait until Jan 2017.

  2579. Julie

    Really? Really, Ancestry.com? No more FTM? Your website is difficult to use and the only way I’ve been able to obtain any information is by accessing it through FTM. You’ve got quite a racket going here–we will have to pay $150 plus per year to access OUR OWN information without the added capabilities that FTM has given us all these years? If I store my the documents that I have found myself on Ancestry.com, I can’t even print them out in a decent format. It seems to me that you’re biting off the hand that fed you for the last 20 years! You’re welcome!

  2580. Margaret Jackson

    Very disappointed to hear the news, having over 20 years’ work on my tree. Please reconsider this unexpected plan of yours, otherwise other members and I won’t have a Happy New Year!

  2581. Carole3375

    Axing FTM is the right decision for Ancestry. The team who designed the New Ancestry GUI would be hard pressed to maintain the interface to FTM which has always been problematical and fragile.
    But the announcement of the retirement of FTM is evasive in listing irrelevant new resources for the online product. I bought FTM2014 and I put months of work into making it produce half of what was claimed for it. A refund of the purchase price would not be adequate compensation.
    FTM subscribers should get a refund.
    The online subscription is an expensive product intensely using scarce resources. It is unsuited to many trees. Ancestry is putting all its eggs in one expensive basket.

  2582. Dolene Helm

    I am really disappointed in learning that there will be no more FTM software. I have not been using my pc for Family Tree in about a year now because they are always wanting more money every time I sign in , so therefore I haven’t used my Family Tree in almost a year now, so I guess it is time for a rebate. What about all the work and time I have spent on this. What will happen to my Family Tree now? Not a good move on your end, and I am very disapointed!

  2583. M B

    Very disappointed with this decision. I use FTM to record all of the private family information that I don’t want published. I use FTM more than I use the website, so this decision will result in my cancelling my membership once I have deleted all of my research. Poor form, time to investigate another service.

  2584. Mark

    Completely unacceptable. Don’t understand how you can make such a decision without surveying your customers. Your Web UI is cumbersome and slow to add data through. Good for searching and being a back-up for MY data. FTM has superior features, great design, reporting, etc. and can be used ‘off-line’. I hope the overwhelming backlash seen through through these thousands of comments, causes you to reconsider such a poor business decision.

  2585. Cyn Texas

    I am still using an old FTM from 2009, and it works fine on my Windows 8 computer. I think you should always have a backup tree on your own computer. If you have your tree only on Ancestry, this is a mistake. Make sure your FTM is current with Ancestry and then be sure to save a backup. That way you are not locked in to Ancestry for all of your research! You may not get any updates for FTM but it should work fine without Ancestry!!!

  2586. Ancestry.com complemented Family Tree Maker, and the syncing process was a huge part of people coming to your site. Now you are messing everything up–first, with your new site, which is anything but user-friendly, gives us stuff we don’t want bogging it down, and not allowing us to choose which version of our tree we want shown. Then you say you are taking away a very GOOD family tree program without explaining why, which will also destroy one of your best features–being able to sync your online and FTM trees. You rely on people uploading their trees to provide a wonderful search tool for other researchers. Can your business survive if no one ever uploaded their family trees ever again? There are a lot of genealogy sites for records–Perhaps that is all you eventually will be able to offer–and I doubt anyone will want to pay your subscription rates just for those. If want you are intending to do now is strictly a business decision, you might want to reconsider your investment strategies better. If there is no return on those decisions, your company will die off. Why don’t you create a forum that includes the people you are serving and those you are still reaching out to before implementing something that will make you a skeleton company in no time.

  2587. Chris

    I have all my records on FTM and refuse to use cloud based technology. Looks like you have lost another long term customer. Unbelievably stupid decision!

  2588. Prue

    This has to be the most ridiculous decision. FTM is a great program to work on and link to online information. I don’t like the idea of my information stored in the cloud, I want it on my desktop. I am disgusted.

  2589. Joe in Wyoming

    Now what happens to all the work people have put into the family trees? I wonder if this is a repeat of New Coke?

  2590. Victoria

    I feel as though I’ve just suffered some great loss, and now I’m entering into the 5 stages of Grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance). I’ve spent the last few hours reading everyone’s comments, and I echo all of your sentiments. In recent years, Ancestry had successfully hit a real “sweet-spot”, in terms of offering us options. Folks could log-in to Ancestry.com to conduct research in an online environment; users could enter data offline via Family Tree Maker, create robust reports and charts, access helpful tools for data management, and save meaningful back-up’s of precious data; individuals could even check and manage trees on-the-fly via the Ancestry app. Such versatility. When TreeSync came along, a truly beautiful thing was born. Finally, a union of Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker, giving us the best of both worlds. Apart, they are broken, together they are one. I see this marriage of products as a place to play and dream and piece our history together, one record at a time. FTM has been absolutely indispensable in this journey of discovery. Break that bond and we ALL wither and die. Oh, why have you forsaken us? Ladies and Gentlement, CEO’s, President, Vice President, creators, program developers, and stakeholders, please hear our cries and heed our petitions to reconsider. I do not recall End-Users being given the opportunity to offer our opinions (for or against) via a Consumer Product Survey before this decision to end the sale and support of FTM was finalized. I fail to see the whole picture, the benefits, the alternatives, the ramifications, and what this will mean for all of us as we move forward. Please, we beg of you to offer us the opportunity to formalize our feedback, make recommendations, and/or lodge a formal protest via an official product survey before this decision is ultimately laid to rest. A survey, such as this, could help Ancestry quantify feedback and focus efforts in a way that may satisfy all parties involved.

  2591. Amy Brawley

    Does this mean that as of Jan 2017, all my information on FTM will disappear from my PC? and the FTM will not be a workable place to add my Tree information ?

  2592. Jean

    Last year I upgraded my FTM program and have not been crazy about some of the features but others I like. I even sent a program to my cousin for her use so she could sinc her trees that she had on Ancestry to her personal computer. If I had known you weren’t going to continue to support FTM, I would have continued with my older version. I am one that does not believe in putting everything I research on the internet and therefor have a lot of info on trees on my computer that are not online. I am extremely disappointed that Ancestry is discontinuing Family Tree Maker. I also have continually used the older version of Ancestry as I don’t like the format of the newer version. Now that it’s being forced to be the only one available, will definitely reconsider my Ancestry subscription. I’ve been an Ancestry subscriber since 2001. Definitely not pleased with the decisions Ancestry is making.

  2593. Karen

    I have put years into Family Tree Maker and Ancestry. I want to have my information on my computer and not just on the cloud. I do not like the way the on-line program works. It’s hard to find things and not in a layout that I like. I have waited and waited for new software and was never told anything when I would call about new software coming soon with the Windows 10 problems. You don’t allow any other software to sync to Ancestry so I will be forced to find another program and won’t have a need to use Ancestry (especially after getting the family to have their DNA on Ancestry).

  2594. Judy Little

    I have used FTM for years without syncing my tree with Ancestry.com and I can do it again. Plus if I can not print the reports I want and the family group sheets I need for my book what am I suppose to do?

  2595. marrich118

    This simply isn’t good enough. I’ve been using FTM for years. What are we supposed to do? Have our trees on Ancestry only and have no hard copy record?
    And who’s going to own OUR trees? You DO NOT have my permission to put MY information on a cloud OR use, copy, store or share it in any other format without my permission!
    I’ll be cancelling my subscription for good!
    AND will be deleting every single tree I have on the site!
    The only question now is which program to use? There’s a few recommendations for Heritage and RootsMagic here.
    Feedback anyone?

  2596. Claudia Griffin

    If Family Tree Maker stops syncing with ancestry.com, I will probably drop my membership — unless you replace it with another program free of charge. I like the way it prints up information that I can keep. I like the way it syncs with ancestry.com. If it will no longer sync and you do not replace the program with another one, I will probably go to a different company. I don’t like this decision at all!!

  2597. Marlene

    Just add my name to the unhappy group. I had asked for an Ancestry subscription for Christmas, but there doesn’t seem to be any point now. Your decision seems to have been made by people who do not actually use the product.

  2598. Bryan

    This has to be one of the dumbest moves ever made by a company which wants to be our genealogy software / web source. Unlinking FTM (and I will continue to use it – over 11,000 names of ancestors entered) from Ancestry means (for me anyway) I have no need for Ancestry beyond the FTM support end date.

  2599. Gaye

    It would have been a great idea to ask the customers their opinion before making such a bad decision. That always happens though, new management don’t always make the best decision. I’m angry!

  2600. Doug

    I sincerely hope all of the negative comments will be heard by the decision makers at Ancestry. This will be a good test to see if Ancestry truly values the opinions of their subscribers! As you can tell, I also think this is a disastrous decision that was made with no input from the user community.

  2601. George Baker

    You have made a huge mistake. Check my account & see how long & how much money you have taken from me via FTM & Ancestry. I fully expect record breaking class action lawsuits from your decision for $$$
    refunds & data returned to the genealogists & then the data removed from Ancestry data banks. This action you are taking is far worse than the decision last year or the year before re: destroying y-dna samples & records when you started marketing a newer y-dna test.

  2602. Stabia

    Everybody should let their memberships run out or at least, take the bare minimum. You can find a lot of information from FamilySearch.org that you can find on Ancestry. Maybe when they see their profits drop, they’ll bring back a newer version of their software.

  2603. Malcolm

    Ancestry !! Might be time to think again, as the many before me indicate. Talk about shoot yourself in the foot, so much of what are being called new features is just a load of the proverbial; now you want to do away with what those of us who have used FTM and Ancestry for years would term the basics

  2604. Roni L

    I am not very pleased with this announcement – no TreeSync or any backup data for us in future. Not a good business move. This might prompt me to look elsewhere to find better tools, resources, and services.

  2605. Daniel Titus

    This is a really bad decision. As an IT professional, it is the ONLY software program that look forward to using. Please reconsider. Think of us who like to work off-line. I do not believe this is a money losing business sector for you. Remember when Family Tree Maker Version 16 was awarded a CODiE Award in the “Best Consumer Productivity Solution” category in 2006???????

  2606. Michael Belden

    There are a heap of questions here but no one is answering looks like support has already gone.
    Why would anyone pay a for a membership if it is being cancelled? Hope there is another program I can use which connects to databases like FTM

  2607. Kathryn

    Terrible decision. I was so pleased to be able to use this tool, and now, in just one year from now….what? What will happen to all the data users have gathered onto family tree maker? Will it remain accessible? Frozen in time? Printable? Transferable to some other tool? And you’ve been selling this program right up until you pulled the plug on it? Couldn’t be much more disappointed in ancestry. Your customers are feeling used and abused, and with good reason.

  2608. Ron R

    This really reflects poorly on ancestry.com. You have abandoned your loyal customers for many years and left them to fend for themselves. Thanks a lot!! Much of the value of Ancestry has evaporated so I suspect your customer base to be equally reduced. I will not be renewing my subscription. Family Search is a good option. Why should we trust you now?.

  2609. Geoff

    Like all 2,620 comments above, I am disgusted with this decision. Whatever happened to the saying ‘The Customer comes first’ and ‘The customer is always right’. The customer pays the Company’s salary bill and dividends to your shareholders – without these Customers, who you are going to drive away in their droves, you will not have a company.

    As a matter of principle, I will not use the Cloud for maintaining my Family History records, accumulated after many years. Once support for FTM is withdrawn, I will do the same with my subscription to Ancestry, continue to do my research on my Desktop, using the many alternative sources of information. I suggest everyone does the same, as by the end of 2017 Ancestry.com/Ancestry.co.uk will be non-existent.

    To summarise this is NOT A GOOD BUSINESS DECISION, I just hope you have reflected the reduction in your income in your Business Projections!

  2610. Tom Thompson

    I was contacted by the My Heritage rep out of Israel on 30 Oct 2015 who made a pitch for me to switch to their Premium Plus package which is annual $185 vs $324 for Ancestry’s World Explorer. Guess it’s time to jump ship.

  2611. Rita Jacobs

    Shame on you! Without FTM all the documents “attached” to your trees are not actually attached to them at all. I count on FTM to make a true copy of the tree with all the linked documents also saved on my computer. The types of reports that FTM provides can’t be done on the Ancestry site. Those reports are crucial for continuing my ancestry work/hobby. Will they become available on the Ancestry site? Very disappointing.

  2612. Norman Moore

    I am not seeing answers to these very important questions and concerns. You are doing a bad thing.

  2613. Sondra

    It appears Ancestry is going the way of all software – to subscription based cloud services. I HATE this current trend. I agree with the other 2,000 comments you have racked up in the 24 hours since you released this information: this is a huge mistake and your online product is no where near as good as the software. But you are fine with that as your business plan is going after the subscriptions.

    By the way, you obviously have been considering this for a long time. So why didn’t you tell me that when I bought an upgrade only a couple weeks ago? I’ve been a customer since the original FTM started. You could have offered me some customer loyalty. How about a refund for a product I won’t be able to use for its full life?

  2614. Katherine Kalliel

    You start this blog by saying you’re proud?? You have got to be kidding. That’s marketing at its worst. And don’t think we missed the real meaning of what you said. I feel left high and dry. Shame on you!!

  2615. Laurie

    I agree with all the previous posts. I have been using Family Tree Maker way before there ever was Ancestry.com. How can you do this to your faithful subscribers.? I will spend the next year researching other options so I can cancel my subscription to Ancestry.com. I can’t help but think this is greed and nothing more.

  2616. Scott

    I not only am deeply disappointed by this news, I feel betrayed! I have used FTM since (DOS) version 3. I like the flexibility of having control over my information and ability to share the info I wish to share easily with others that I want to receive it.

    This will force me to not only use rival software, but perhaps discontinue using Ancestry altogether.

    Frankly, this decision smells an awful lot like Microsoft deciding they can make more money by selling annual subscriptions to Office instead of selling customers the program!

    I beg you to do the right thing for your loyal customers and rescend this ridiculous decision!

  2617. Well. Thanks for the warning. Like others have said I have had a subscription for quite a while even I don’t use it that often. The ability to populate my FTM on my computer has been one of the parts I really like. I have never been a fan of it on the cloud. So . oh well. Again. Thanks for the heads up .. I will see about exporting my very large database to GEDCOM in case I switch to an alternate program. It has been fun. Have a nice day etc.

  2618. George

    I didn’t read all of the blogs but I have good news for all of you. Dump FTM, buy yourself a Mac and install Reunion Touch

  2619. Angela

    I feel betrayed! How could you discontinue this software. I have worked for over 25 years on my genealogy and have finally input it into my FTM software and feel very comfortable using it and you have “pulled the rug from under my and everyone else’s feet”. I guess I’ll have to start using s new software unless you will reconsider this terrible decision. Please reconsider this decision – it’s a mistake!

  2620. Kirsten

    I really don’t understand the decision makers at Ancestry. Are they genealogists? Do they have any idea how we use FTM vs. Ancestry.com?
    Ancestry, why are you trying to annoy and alienate your hard core users? First the terrible new interface. Now this. It’s baffling.

  2621. Mike Marston

    I had been a faithful user of FTM for well over a dozen years. Please provide a suggestion to all of us as to your recommendation on how to proceed with not web based software moving forward.

    For many of us, putting our data online is not necessarily an option and this move feels more like a ploy to maximize profits with much less consideration towards past loyal users. I will not make my data public to allow FTM or any other corporation to profit from my hard work without just compensation. We above have been loyal to you as paying customers for your product. When are you going to start then paying us for our data? Without that data from your users, your web services would be severely hindered, as most of the rest of the data that you offer can be found free, as it is public record available from other places. You can see from the comments thus far that your corporate move has angered a large community. Be more honest in why this decision has been made, and bear the consequences accordingly.

  2622. George Rod

    Please reconsider … I’ve only subscribed to Ancestry because I bought your software. I will be looking at my alternatives.

  2623. Don D

    I have been an ancestry subscriber for the past 15 years. Terrible news. I find the sync between FTM and Ancestry.com invaluable. I use FTM to print out all my charts and reports. I use the Pedigree chart, the Ahnentafel, Descendant and Family Group Reports frequently to communicate relationships with interested cousins. I use the Places pages to standardize the names I use in ancestry. I can’t imagine doing that any other way. I use the Sources pages to organize and expand my source information, as well as keeping it consistent. I use the Media to organize and re-label media consistently. While FTM is not perfect, it is a near perfect utility to ancestry.com. It is the main reason I recommend ancestry.com to anybody who asks me what the best online genealogy site. This combined with the horrible recent simplification of ancestry.com will cause me to start recommending another genealogy online site, which also has a sync feature, though not as good as FTM. Terrible, terrible news.

  2624. Patricia

    This was the worst e-mail I ever received. How can I continue building my tree? Like others that have posted on this blog, I will be looking elsewhere to do my research.

  2625. Steve Johnson

    Along with all the comments already voiced, I too am disappointed in a very bottom line decision. Reports, charting, integration with Ancestry online, and having my data available anytime were what kept me with FTM. I’m very sorry that your board thinks that they can keep more of the money we pay to access Ancestry by not supporting a desktop version, but I think that it reflects very poorly on all the decision makers to make your users fall back to an inferior web-based product. Please reconsider.

  2626. Richard

    I have spent many years creating 33,500 members of my family on Ancestry/FTM. You need to immediately provide your customers with info re how this will effect our future. I’m 90 years old & it is difficult for me to make complicated changes. Please help us.

  2627. Lori Samuelson

    I’m not surprised – I gave up on FTM in June 2014 when Ancestry blamed FTM and FTM blamed Ancestry for the synch not working on my very large tree. Spent 2 months back and forth and got nowhere so I downloaded the free Legacy Standard software. Liked it so much I bought the Deluxe. They fix their problems and are up front about what they’re still working on. People-do a google search for genealogy programs and check them out. There are A LOT to choose from. None synch to ancestry, though, so you have to download your gedcom from Ancestry and then upload to whatever program you decide to go with. Yes, this is another change but you’ll get used to it and love it.

  2628. Lynn

    So I am guessing you anticipated this large number of negative comments. Who would like this decision?

    I am sure that you have many many new customers every day who would be more than happy to just have access to your website. Some of us want more than that. Thanks for dumping us. I have been fairly happy with FTM and it seems that you just don’t need me anymore.

    Like many who have commented, I have been one of your customers for many years, have accumulated quite a bit of material, do not want to upload all of it, and want to have a safe off line archive of it. Since you will no longer provide this service (and assurance that my data are safe) I ask you to open the access to your source code so that others can. Alternatively, it does seem that rootsmagic will import FTM files including the graphics. I have yet to try it but perhaps you could provide instructions about how to use it. This is assuming that they plan to stay in business.

  2629. Don Coles

    I agree with everyone. Bad Idea!! Ancestry.com will now become another ghost town with all the cancelled subscribers. Why no details as to what we should do now? Where is the communication with FTM owners? You obviously have plans but you left us out. Bad business decision.

  2630. Jennifer

    Tomorrow I’m downloading all of my files, every picture and cancelling my world membership and then I’m going to return my DNA kits. Buy a clue…your customers are PISSED OFF!!!

  2631. Lee

    Clearly just to lock everyone into the web version. Which is vastly inferior to FTM in features. Sure, you have provided great access to millions of records, but the core is the tree they are stored in, and I’ll be transferring my data into another software program and online service the instant I have problems with FTM no longer working

  2632. Patty

    I watched your blog comments go from 6, 5 minutes after your email to over 1,000 less than an hour after. Have you figured out that this wasn’t a well thought out plan. I called support this year 5 times and in the end, the ony thing you said to do was to upload my tree. I get that everyone is using the cloud. However, I need the different type of report function on my software. I need it to make a hard copy, It may be convenient to get info from any place when you have a membership. I can’t get a membership all the time, my family files are under my software on my own machine. I can add things, delete things, etc. I can build a report, which is something I like to do when I don’t have my membership to clean up my files. Following leaf to leaf, tended to add a lot of rubbage to my files. So now is the best time for me to clean it. I need a physical tree to work on. A virtual tree does not give enough information and is very hard to work with. The life story stuff is cute and I see how it would help someone just starting out, giving them a sense of the history around them, but I very rarely use it. The tree and my notes and my photos are more important. I can’t believe you are doing this to us. Some Christmas gift to those of us who have spent our money and our time.

  2633. Cathy

    Wow. Merry Christmas to us! I have been a member of ancestry since 2000 and have relied on the relationship between ancestry and FTM in the creation of multiple family trees with several thousand entries. I have allowed myself to become dependent upon you and you have betrayed that trust. I will be weaning myself from your services this year. Quite frankly I feel duped and manipulated. Time to part ways.

  2634. Rev. Edward F. Steiner

    I cannot believe that you can effectively replace the Family Tree Maker software with an online product. Online usage demands that “one size fits all.” Your software provides flexibility that your current online product doesn’t touch. I have a tremendous amount of information on Family Tree Maker that your online service does not integrate. Rather than trying to give your customers a better product, Your online product simply does not provide the flexibility that Family Tree Maker offers. I believe this was solely a financial decision to improve Ancestry’s bottom line without real regard for its customers.. I’m positive that on top of the subscription you will begin charging your customers fees for books, charts, reports and the like, all of which are free on the software. I will certainly being shopping for other software. I will probably still research on Ancestry, but I will have to rely on someone else’s software product for my primary tool for storing information and building reports that are easy to manipulate, and does not cost me extra to use. This is about as bad as Coke’s decision years ago to change its formula. Pepsi took the lead and it took Coke a decade to recover. I’ll be anxious to see who takes your place once you quit honoring the product you’ve sold your thousands of loyal customers.

  2635. RenMan

    you claim a declining desktop software market.

    I call “FALSE” on that.

    What I see is a company that has held it’s cards to close to its vest.

    A quick search of the internet shows that the last time a version of FTM was available through mass market channels was the Deluxe version for XP and Vista!!!

    It’s not that the market has declined — it’s that you’ve FAILED to properly market FTM via Amazon, Sam’s Club, Costco, Walmart, Target, and other mass market retailers.

    Keeping it proprietary to your website and then keeping it well hidden has destroyed sales. Entirely YOUR FAULT!

  2636. Dave S

    Are you people nuts? first your ancestry subscriptions are way over priced and now you’re taking away the whole reason to subscribe! Please reconsider.

  2637. Dan Norgaard

    Where do we go for answers to all of the posted questions? My question – I’m 69 years old, have 15,500 names in FTM, pictures, copies of documents, obits, etc. This work is my legacy to my descendants.
    When I die, and the $30.00 monthly auto-payments I currently pay to your cloud ceases, is my thousands of hours of research gone? At least with FTM data on my office computer, I still have something tangible. When it is all on the cloud and no capability to store it – do my descendants have to pay for access to this information in perpetuity?
    Not to have anticipated your customer’s basic questions/concerns and the turmoil/grief/frustration created by this stark and naked announcement demonstrates a lack of intellect and leadership capabilities.
    A simple Q. and A. of previously thought out basic questions and succinct answers accompanying the announcement would have quelled a lot of this uproar.
    Your top management really “screwed the pooch” on this one.
    As this has been handled so terribly, why should we have confidence in your future managerial decisions? Your service/product has suffered a serious black eye. So Sad! So Sad!

  2638. Jim Hamilton

    Well, there goes over a decade of hard work down the ancestry tube. I’m not prepared to use their website as the only repository for my work – especially with the new horror of a format. Simply don’t grasp what they think they’re doing. Guess they’ve concluded that peddling “follow the leaf” to the simple-minded will gratify their corporate greed more than operating a professional quality business.

  2639. Mary Lindner

    Obviously you have made the wrong decision. Rethink it and maintain the services we all depend on.

  2640. Steve Lominac

    I’m not sure you comprehend how ancestry.com with the FTM interphase is used by a whole new breed of DNA geneaology fans. I collect tree branches to use for triangulating DNA matches from various sites. Because of the large number of people in families from the past, no downloading will make this a very laborious process. I might as well go with what I have on desktop as of Jan 2017 and research at places like Family Search lds.org and Wikitree for free to add to my FTM data.

  2641. Kay

    I was shocked to receive your email and agree with others who say this is a poor business decision. I was in pr and corporate communication for many years and can tell you that you’ve also seriously mishandled your announcement of this decision as evidenced by the flood of angry comments. I’ve used FTM for many years, upgrading regularly. I could get by just using my current version (which I really don’t like) but find it hard to imagine going without the ability to synch trees or have any online support. You’ve made an awful decision, crudely announced it, and will almost assuredly pay for it. Ancestry will probably become a great case study in business schools for how NOT to treat your customers.

  2642. Janet Hubbard

    I’ve used FTM since Broderbund owned it. I learned this past year that all of my files, which I last worked on about 8 years ago, were useless unless I ran a special program, which I could “borrow” for two weeks. I absolutely HATE the Ancestry interface. I use FTM to not only gather and consolidate information but also to publish. In the past I could do a decent job of putting out a book, using the book features of FTM and then added chapters with MS Word. It seems to me that the whole focus of Ancestry is MONEY. You frankly seem to care less about us, your customers. Don’t try to sugarcoat your decision. Something is terribly wrong within Ancestry. The beancounters won. Those who care about customer service and your reputation lost. What a terribly sad commentary. It will be up to us to find a decent, ethical, caring replacement for you. It seems, however, that you wont’ be participating in that transition….. I have 30 years of research and input invested. Worthless?!? Tell me how much you care. How much you understand. How you are going to help me….. Tell me. Tell me.

  2643. Rhonda

    UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I am so disappointed. If I can’t sync my work that I do offline to my tree what is the point of having an ancestry subscription there are a lot of other sites that are free and if I have to enter all my info manually it might as well be free. *SIGH* very very disappointed

  2644. Catriona

    Well that’s disappointing news. Where do I store my 32 years of research? I love Family Tree Maker! It is where I keep all my family trees, where I run all my reports from, and store all my notes about all the people in my family tree. I use it regularly. It’s where I go when I need to know something about an individual because I know the information is there.

    I don’t store my family trees on the internet. I have some very basic information set up on ancestry.com as “private”, but that is only to see if there are DNA matches. Most of the family trees that are public on ancestry.com are put there by people who clearly do not research properly. I take my research very seriously and check and check again before I add an individual to my tree. I have no intentions of putting my research on a public site for people to steal.

    Could you suggest an alternative program to Family Tree Maker please?

  2645. P Bolton

    16.500 members in my tree after 17 years, totally disgusted with you Ancestry, you will be losing a huge amount of loyal customers over this which will never come back, are you prepared to lose millions of $s over this ? My subs are due in Jan for $620 so DON’T hold your breath on my renewal. So very upset with you Ancestry it’s like a stab in the back.

  2646. Nancy R

    I am beyond disappointed!!! Nothing more I can say than has already been said but I don’t feel it is in our best interests to take this valuable program away. Very sad.

  2647. Ronald Ruff

    Your communication in the blog post leaves much to be desired. No explanation of what will replace FTM 2014 or how members will be able to continue developing their trees. If you do not provide additional information about this change and how members can continue to utilize Ancestry.com you call centers will be overloaded and you have the potential to lose a large percentage of you members.

  2648. Barb

    I was going to pay for a subscription and sink the FTM but I guess I will be moving to a cheaper site now. I will get what I can here and move on.

  2649. Paul S

    So, bottom line, you want money to let us see the family trees we created, and uploaded to your website!
    I am thinking I will just delete my tree from your site.

  2650. Debra

    I am so so disappointed. I have used FTM since version 1.0 and gotten many others to use it also. I need stand alone software as I do work for others too and this allows me to print out their info in nice reports. Not to forget my own use of it and ALL the information etc I have in it. This is totally WRONG.

  2651. Reid

    Once again Ancestry.com does all it possibly can to piss of their loyal users. I’ve never known a company so hell bent on driving their customer base elsewhere. You are dumbing down the website and now doing away with the FTM software. If I could give you the “fickle finger of fate award” I would. Oh look, there it is my hand is raised and my middle finger is waving bye bye! Your company needs to be retired along with the software! And all of this on 3 weeks notice! You jerks!

  2652. Shelley

    Horrible idea!! I love FTM! It’s so much easier to work in then your site. And to not have hard copies of all the time I have spent on my trees after you take it away is frustrating.

  2653. Getting rid of FTM is a horrible idea. What is your plan for it? Trashing it? Selling it? What are the alternatives for the FTM user base?

    Are you making FTM Open Source so the software user community can support it?

    Answer up.

    All of the private content users make publically available benefits Ancestry financially. I would anticipate many users will make their data private, or delete it, then drop you if you really do drop FTM.

  2654. Jane

    Judas Priest on a Pringle, this is bad news. Given that I do 99% of my work in FTM, I’m really unhappy about this decision.

  2655. Angelia

    I have been a faithful user of FTM since it was introduced. Many members of my family also depended on it for genealogy, reports and exchanging information. Many are reluctant to go online and now are uncertain what they will do. Why on earth would you decommision the number 1 rated genealogy software on the market? I am very disappointed, but suppose I will migrate to a different provider along with everyone else.

    http://genealogy-software.no1reviews.com/

  2656. Steve

    I understand the decision, but you should have improved the web based product to offer the same functionality as the desktop program before you killed the desktop. This is a very bad decision that pushes many of us to to an inferior product in order to salvage years of research work. Is this what you consider a good business decision?

  2657. Tom

    This is a horrendously short-sighted decision. Like many, many others I have limited internet access and need desktop software upon which I can rely. I have used FTM since its inception, however many decades ago that was. I have paid I don’t know how many years’ worth of subscriptions for an online membership which has been extraordinarily useful when I could get to it. Trust me: if this decision is not reversed, I will be one among a great many who migrate to desktop software from a reliable provider, and allow my subscription to FTM’s data base to lapse. You can do better than this.

  2658. Rhonda

    Very disappointed to hear this. It is so much easier to work within FTM & then let it sync the changes to Ancestry. You can accomplish more quicker by using FTM than your website alone. Like the others have stated on hear I want a refund also, I just purchased an upgraded version a couple of months ago.

  2659. Jacqui

    Yes, it is sad that FTM is no longer going to be produced but I really think people are making too much of this. The program is on your computer and will continue to be on your computer until you choose to remove it. By no longer supporting the product Ancestry is just saying there will be no more updates to the software. You will be able to sync your online tree until at least January 2017. After that point when you find something on ancestry you will need to manually it enter it into your desktop software. Ancestry also has an option that you can download a gedcom of your online family tree. 10’s of thousands of people don’t use FTM and don’t use the onlione trees at all. They just use Ancestry for the records they can find, some of which no other company has. I have been using FTM since 1995 BUT I also use other programs that can do the same things and more than FTM. If you feel you need to get another program, that is fine. You can easily transfer your FTM info to the new software by exporting your info as a Gedcom. All the photos and docs can be moved to another folder on your computer. It’s not difficult. There are other programs out there that are very good. I personally recommend Legacy Family Tree (legacyfamiytree.com) or Roots Magic (rootsmagic.com). I personally use both of these as well as FTM. Legacy Family Tree is my favorite. Another thing, both Legacy Family Tree and Roots Magic have a free version.
    So, really, while it is sad that FTM will no longer be produced, you willbe able to still continue to use it and access your information on your desktop. And with luck Ancestry will release the API so that 3rd party software can begin to sync to Ancestry. I really don’t think this is the end of the world and it could actually be a good thing.

  2660. Stabia

    Another thing. Stop buying AncestryDNA. I prefer 23andMe.com and FTDNA.com better. You can upload your raw DNA results to Gedmatch.com which will compare your DNA across 23andMe, FTDNA and Ancestry.

  2661. Kathy Johnson

    Ancestry.com please reconsider. This is the worst decision you could possibly make. I have been a faithful user of ancestry.com and FTM since the late 1990’s. I have personally spent $1000’s on these combined products and services over the years because the system WORKS! I’m not a profession by any means but I have been doing family research long enough to know what a fantastic system FTM is with ancestry and since tree sync, it is hands down the best genealogy researching system out there. You have continuously raised your rates, almost out of my budget completely and now this!! There will be no point in continuing with you if drop this. I don’t know if it’s licensing you can’t pay, or simple greed for the all mighty dollar, but this will be a catastrophic mistake on your part. I firmly stand with all the others in saying I will be forced to take my business elsewhere. I will take my family tree with me. When you lose even a 1/3 of your clientele, you will wish you reconsidered this.
    Do you even have actual people who work there that do research themselves?? If so, I find it hard to believe anyone on the inside would agree to this.
    Very. Very. Disappointed.

  2662. I share the displeasure expressed by so many people about the end of sales and the planned cessation of tree synching, and support for Family Tree Maker. As the President of The Villages Genealogical Society, with about 1,000 members, and the largest society in Florida, I am confident that all of our members share the concern dismay, and bewilderment of all those who have posted here before me. Although I personally do almost all of my work on Ancestry.com, I rely on Family Tree Maker to function as a backup which can be accessed completely independent of an internet connection. Also, its wide variety of genealogical reports cannot be reproduced on Ancestry, with the possible exception of a family group sheet. I know that Ancestry hasn’t been able to “turn” sales of FTM the way they would like. Many of our members are using versions older than the most recent one. But the fact is, it’s the utility of the desktop software that appeals to its users’ not fancy bells and whistles added to drive upgrades. Remember, this is the same company which stopped marketing Y-DNA and mtDNA testing, subsequently removing the records from access by customers who had paid for the tests, and now says that we must accept the “new Ancestry. Com”, one that few, if any of us asked for. The overwhelming negative response to these abysmal business decisions speaks volumes. Genealogists, keep expressing your feelings. Ancestry.com needs to really appreciate the seriousness of the mistake they have made.

  2663. Leighton

    This is a cheap shot, I have over 2,700 names in my FTM and have spent countless hours putting in all my information and now you tell me you are discontinuing FTM. Will you offer an alternative or are we just left out to dry? Very poor decision on your part.

  2664. Brad

    I think you can look at all the posts before me and see that this is not a wise idea. At all. Oh, it’s too hard and expensive to make our site ultra informative and usable, so we’ll just drop the usability portion. GREAT MOVE.

  2665. LaVonne

    Well, if it wasn’t for a posting from one of the facebook groups I belong to, I would not have found out about this so soon. I have actually no idea why I would not have received an email stating this was going to happen! VERY not happy about the lack of communication. On another note, I have had family treemaker for years and in other versions. I also upgraded in 2012 so that I could synch. I like not having to copy all the info into the tree that I keep on my computer (and my phone app). I use my computer program when I am not online and to carry with me, but like it to be up to date. Also, just this past week recently called ancestry to ask about how and if my 2012 version would work with Windows 10 if I upgraded from Windows 7 after doing some research about it and having questions. The first ancestry person told me incorrect info, I called again and got ahold of some one who knew more. Of course neither person bothered to tell me you were discontinuing family treemaker. Coincidentally the last time I called before that was to ask a synch question and was given incorrect information which required more work (and for me an extra tree). I called again after that I found out I was told the wrong info and that there was an easier way I should have used and it was explained in detail with additional information. To me it seems like ancestry is having problems getting their act together in general, so instead of correcting the problems you are short changing the user. Disappointed to say the least.

  2666. kim young

    The only reason I have been paying for Ancestry for nearly 30 years is to use FTM. Without FTM and 30 years of research, what use is Ancestry. Please reconsider.

  2667. Richard McCann

    You are dropping the one product that really sets you apart from all others. I think it is short sighted and based on corporate greed. If a similar replacement is not offered at a reasonable price, then goodbye Ancestry.

  2668. I really hope you reconsider this. I, like so many others, have invested a lot of money & much valuable time in my research. There’s more to this than making money. You need to consider the impact this will have on your many long time customers that have paid you a lot of money over the years. Do the right thing & reconsider this decision.

  2669. Joanne L

    I also have to add my disappointment in Ancestry’s decision regarding FTM. Losing the ability to work offline and then syncing, the various reports (data errors, place names, usage, etc.), printing charts that I choose what’s included, to name just a few items that are in FTM but not a part of the online Ancestry. The online tree just doesn’t fulfill all the needs. While there’s still time to make sure I have everything saved to my hard drive and backup, the decision is still disconcerting.

  2670. Judy

    This decision does not make me happy at all. I have been using Ancestry and FTM for many years. I have over the years purchased a couple of copies of the disk for ftm and I usually subscribe to Ancestry once or twice a year, usually when something pops into my head after being at a brick wall for a while. I have 5 different trees on my ftm and refer back to them at least once a week. What are our options? How do we access this information? Will we be able to link it with another program? Will we be able to print it off? Do we have to subscribe to be able to use it, unlike the way it has been, that we can use the FTM free? When will it end, I have seen Dec 2015 and 2017 which services are ending when:? Is the service only ending for purchased copies or is it still going to be available online? You have left so much unanswered!!! Please make us aware of what is going on and when December 31 is fast approaching and with everyone busy at this time of year this is alot for you to spring on them last minute!!!!!!

  2671. Bob Gifford

    I am amazed at your lack of judgement. I have used FTM since the time I became a client of Ancestry. I am wed to the product. Can you guarantee that all FTM features will be included online? I have 25K ancestors identified on FTM. To state my position more strongly…this decision stinks.

  2672. Karen Lindley

    I am a long time user of FTM and Ancestry. I really don’t like the new Ancestry and will have no reason to continue using it when FTM is gone. Looking for new software.

  2673. LaVon

    Add me to the list of extremely disappointed customers. You are forcing people to keep an expensive membership just to have access to their own data. At least have the courage to say that the true reason for this decision is avarice on your part. I have maintained my membership solely because of the interaction between FTM and the website. This was also a deciding factor in my choosing to purchase a DNA kit from Ancestry. As for the website itself, it is frustrating to use on a good day. I can only imagine how frustrating it will be to have that as the only source for my material. Hopefully, I will be able to find some alternative for both.

  2674. Cullen

    I came to this blog site because the final statement on my email was, “You can find additional details about the retirement of Family Tree Maker on our blog.” Is this the second disappointment of 1 email? No additional details?
    It is totally shameful for a very large private corporation to turn against the very ones who, over the years (good and fair) have stuck with the organization to help make it what it is today.
    It seems that this day we are being betrayed like a modern day “Judas Goat”, for the sake of the ‘bottom line’. I’m very, very disappointed!

  2675. Sharron

    Ditto, Ditto and Ditto to all of the comments that go before. I hope that you can tell by all of the upset commenting going on here that this decision on your part has virtually no support from your customers. I have not read through the WHOLE VERY LONG line of comments, but I have read enough to venture the guess that there is not one person posting here who supports your decision to become simply a web based family tree program. As many have commented, the report production portion of FTM is one of the most loved parts of the program. Online you offer no such capability. My husband loves using the report portions and will not be at all happy to have to search for a new platform for his family tree. We most certainly will consider dropping our large (for our budget) contribution to your organization in the form of membership each year. If enough of us who are small contributors by your standards band together and drop our memberships, perhaps you will understand how upset we all are over this. And just maybe, it will affect your almighty bottom line enough to make you upset as well.

  2676. Charlene

    Just add me to the list of very disappointed customers. Web based programs don’t offer the power or capabilities of a software program. I hate to have to move to another software package, if Ancestry forces me to, I will. I do not like adding information via Ancestry. I am now rethinking if I even want my trees on Ancestry anymore. I stuck with FTM because it offered the treesync function. I have been a loyal customer since 1997 and feel like Ancestry only cares about Ancestry.com. Well there is more to genealogy than attaching records. Running various reports, extracting section of my tree for the proper family member, and creating to-do-list, creating research notes, adding proper citations and more… are the backbone of a good family historian. Ancestry.com doesn’t offer all these items with Ancestry Trees. If Ancestry stops supporting FTM why do I need Ancestry.com? I have options to put my tree for free on other sites. There are companies that are supporting Genealogy Software programs. I agree with many on this site, Ancestry get your head out of your a** and seriously think what you are about to do!

  2677. Aaron

    Thank you for showing us how incompetent you are when it comes to retaining your loving customers, who now happen to hate you. Better reconsider, or else you are going to lose a lot of customers.

  2678. Robert Savary

    As one who has spent literally thousands of hours developing my family trees on FTM software, I cannot adequately express my disappointment with your decision. I find the Ancestry site by itself extremely limiting, in some cases sophomoric, and both inconsistent and inadequate in a number of ways. Ancestry only becomes significant when used in combination with Family Tree Maker

    There are many functions in FTM which have no
    analogs in Ancestry, such as the relationship calculator, which illustrates not just one relationship path as Ancestry does but all such paths. Another example: Ancestry does not provide a geographical tool at all. That is a valuable resource which will be completely lost. As well, the Publishing function in FTM is in no way replicated in Ancestry, and navigating a tree in Ancestry is very clumsy at best.

    In summary, you have made a short-sighted decision which will seriously damage your users’ efforts to develop accurate and meaningful family histories and to make those histories available to our living relatives and friends.

  2679. Rich

    I can not believe that you are doing this to us. The iPad web version is hard to use while the computer version is so easy to add obituaries, births, etc. from present day newspapers to keep files current. I have used the FTM since it came out and now what will I do? Syncing is important and hate to lose it. Sure hope that you will change your mind. Looks like I will have to drop my membership starting in 2017. Do the right thing for us. We do have laptops which sure work better than your web version.

  2680. Cheryl

    I’m also surprised, disappointed, displeased with your news about not supporting and selling FTM in the future. It would be nice if you gave us a head’s up on what your plan is post-FTM. Or are we just SOL? I strongly disagree with eliminating your desktop software. Genealogy is very much a personal endeavor. We family historians insist upon personal control of data we gather because it’s our family’s history, and we’ve been entrusted with the details of it. Putting everything in the cloud and on your website is contrary to how most of us genealogists work. Your decision is a bad fit with the way we work. And it needs to be visited.

  2681. Karen

    Please find a software company to sell your FTM software to…. I have 5 family trees with hundreds if not thousands of names – but also family stories about these people that I have printed out using the FTM reports – and shared at our family gatherings. I can never re-type all of this info. Ancestry only gives me maybe 10 percent of my info. Please do not shut down this software – sell it to a responsible company.

  2682. Rod Hirst

    I too an unhappy with this decision, I wonder if Ancestry will bother to comment on these responses or maybe even not go a head with its removal

  2683. Geoff Riley

    So… I guess you’ve either lost the source code all together now, or you’ve mucked it up so much by your tweaks that you can’t fix it… and so decided that it’s so much cheaper to kill FTM than try to get it working properly.

    Assuming that you haven’t actually lost the source code, then I can only echo the calls of others to make it open source – so many of us are actually programmers as well as family historians that there is a good chance that we would put our combined skills to the fore and produce a fully working system: whatever language it is written in.

    I still have a Windows VM running on my Linux system purely so that I can still use FTM – it is the only Windows program that I cannot do without.

    What are you going to do to shoot yourself in the other foot?

  2684. Marg

    Is this April Fools’ Day? You must be kidding. We have paid multiple times for FTM over 20 years, not once, not twice, but at least 6 times to always be up to date, and now you are pulling the rug out from under us. My tree is my work and it is my tree to always have as a reference. Now you want it to only be an online tree which you will always control. Next thing you’ll do is make it so we can’t access the tree without a paid membership. Seriously, you need to re-think this decision. We have all been extremely faithful to Ancestry paying hundreds of dollars yearly and now you are putting the screws to us. This very poor decision could have class-action written all over it. Seems to me that you left the customers right out of you equation. Please tell me what business survives without customers. You called this a “tough” decision, well buckle-up because you are in for the “roughest” ride of your business’s life!

  2685. May

    I have used FTM for years and am very disappointed in this announcement. I like having control over my own DB and having all the options the software has. I don’t want to just have my DB on the cloud. I have a lot of notes that I don’t want shown and do not want up on the Internet. The online access is not a replacement at this time at all!

  2686. Kathleeen Steingraber

    A terrible decision! I love being able to make charts and find duplicates in FTM. I don’t like the cutesy new interface of Ancestry either. Obviously you didn’t test market this idea before announcing. Money seems to be driving this decision, not what the customer wants.

  2687. Wayne

    Well thanks for the Christmas present…NOT! Another example of the customer taking the back seat to cooperate profits, may be if the EO wasn’t paid so much you could support the customer base. The web edition is a nice means of showing others your tree but it’s no substitute for the software. So much for the dollars and years I’ve spent at Ancestry. I’ll prepare for a new provider. Thanks for putting the customer last.

  2688. Dan

    Clearly you could have explained the business case better to all of us who use and rely on the application to do our work (even though it would still not satisfy most). I use both the online and desktop version of your product but I find the desktop the most useful and reliable part of your offering. I agree with most of the sentiment expressed here from thousands of people that have been using your product. It appears that this boardroom decision was not made with the consumer in mind and you might have misjudged what the value of the desktop application was. I for one can tell you I would never have had a subscription if it wasn’t for having the application on my PC. The cloud is not the only future for software. Good luck.

  2689. I think this is a big mistake until Ancestry can actually offer ALL the features that we’ve been paying for with Family Tree Maker. I feel like I’m losing years of research and information .

  2690. Steve Rockhill

    So I guess the days of taking my laptop out in the field (sometimes literally with visiting cemeteries) to save time and doing data entry right into FTM and then doing the Sync later at home are now over, right? I hope not. I think it would be important to reconsider. Besides, with all the feedback you are getting on this change – I haven’t seen anyone who is for this. Sometimes it is better to listen to your customers.

  2691. Richard Davis

    I had wondered where the morons who invented “New Coke” had gone. Now I know. Just out of curiosity, how many positive responses have you received??? If any???

    I’ve been a loyal customer for FTM since long before Ancestry got involved with it. Looks like you’ve made your last $$$ from me. I foresee bankruptcy in your near future–and good riddance.

  2692. Kathy

    This is ridiculous. You provide no details about why you are choosing to take this action and what you are doing to preserve the functions the FTM fulfills that Ancestry does not.

  2693. Becky

    I have been a loyal Family Tree Maker product user for many, many years. I have spent a LOT of money subscribing to Ancestry.com.
    THIS IS A TOTAL ABANDONMENT OF CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE SPENT YEARS BUILDING FAMILY HISTORY INFORMATION USING FTM.
    Do you think we all upload our personal data online?
    This last minute announcement to shut down FTM, given the impact it will have on so many customers, is just shameful.
    You have provided no believable reason for this decision and no path for transitioning years worth of information to any other comparable product.
    This announcement has just become the beginning of an awful experience!
    PLEASE RECONSIDER.
    Perhaps Ancestry should remove the decision maker of this announcement instead of FTM product support!

    AWFUL DECISION!
    I have MUCH information I keep in local PC FTM files that I would never upload online.

    CANNOT BELIEVE THIS TOTAL ABANDONMENT TO CUSTOMER PRODUCT LOYALTY.

  2694. Linda

    I’m absolutely SO upset about this decision (as I can tell everyone else is!!) What are we to do? We have paid a lot of $$ over the years to work on our family history. I, like so many others’ don’t want to or can’t work online! This was/is a decision NOT made where you gave any thought to the TONS of loyal FTM people!! Another sign of corporate greed with no thought to the people that helped them get where they are now! SO SAD! You’d better find a way to help us all continue. We need to band together.

  2695. Gayle Baar

    I am appalled at this decision. Clearly you do not think it will make a difference, but every poster here disagrees with you. I want finally control over my product, and without a software program, that won’t happen. I am bitterly disappointed by this decision and I hope you will reconsider. Seems you’ll be losing a lot of clients otherwise.

  2696. Karen

    I am looking at purchasing Family Tree software. I’m sooo glad that I didn’t purchase FTM last year. How disappointing. Maybe now it’s time to get something and work offline rather than depend on Ancestry.
    Sad as I have over 13,000 people on my tree!

  2697. Kristen

    Will someone knowledgeable about other programs, please tell me what they are and which you think are best. Once I switch, I will delete all my info from Ancestry. I do not want to give up control of my files. This is just a disaster.

  2698. Rebecca

    Not a good move. I sure hope you reconsider this, to remove such a valuable tool as Family Tree Maker does not make sense.

  2699. Kathleen Pendley

    I use to do my research on paper and leg work, then along came FTM. It was and is the greatest genealogy. Then Ancestry took over and at first it was great to be able to snyc between the two. Then you got some lofty ideas about a new Ancestry that stinks and now you want to get rid of FTM. All about money right. With all the negative comments, I really hope you will reconsider.

  2700. Rose

    This is just plain sad. Using FTM is so much easier to put notes, photos, add family members, etc. I have tried Ancestry.com and it is so cumbersome. So incredibly disappointed. I may have to reconsider my research options. There is just so much on Ancestry.com that is not needed on their profile. I do not need to see the life history on everyone. Way to much. Keep it simple. — I repeat this is so depressing.

  2701. Keith

    OK, so how do I update and maintain a local copy for backup and so that I can update when no internet service is available?

  2702. Liz

    I too agree with the comments posted already. I don’t want my family tree information to be only accessible online. I rely on the TreeSync and the report production a lot. I will also cease my subscription to Ancestry.com if I no longer have the TreeSync to my computer. Everybody else has already expressed my further concerns about this decision. Please reconsider.

  2703. Douglas Pittman

    This is awful. The explanation for dropping FTM is, in my opinion, ridiculous. Hope someone comes up with another option. I do not want my only copy of all my work in the “cloud” somewhere.

  2704. Lisa Ewalt

    I am very saddened to hear of this sunsetting of Family Tree Maker. I truly like the tree sync so I have a copy of everything, I’ve lost too many things other companies promised to keep safe. I like the upgrades to Ancestry but I also like many Family Tree Maker functions as well. I have only been researching for 4 years, but without these two programs working together I would have never gotten as far as I have.

  2705. Carol

    Extremely poor explanation of your intended change. Not all tools on the FTM are available in the cloud. Bad experiences on the cloud indicate it is not yet ready for us to store our precious data. I hope you read all these comments. Most are not from young users, but experienced adults. Know thy audience.

  2706. Joe

    ditto squared. Absolutely terrible decision! Stop thinking “desktop” and think of all those supersize tablets.

  2707. Sandra

    Disgraceful. Would not have just renewed if I had known about this, feel I have been sold goods under false pretences. Do not like nor trust the on-line service which lacks the versatility and functionality of the software I control at home. Agree with so many of the comments made above. Should have guessed it was coming when you failed to offer any updated version and from the fact that despite the claims made in your statement new record additions have been getting fewer and further between for some time. Looking forward to hearing about how you will be assisting members who want to migrate their Family Tree to other providers but not holding my breath, clearly all you seem interested in is profits. Well you will not be making any more from this particular user. I will be discontinuing any form of business with ancestry as soon as practicable.
    Trouble is even if you now decided to reverse this decision as many have urged not sure I would ever trust you again.
    Extremely cross and disappointed user.

  2708. Sheryl

    I agree that this is a horrible decision and I think an Ancestry boycott is in order if you go through with this.

  2709. Kevin Strattan

    I have been using FTM for just over 20 years now and have upgraded several times since then. I must say I feel like I’m losing something precious here. I have recommended FTM for years to anyone interested in Genealogy … now I can’t do that anymore. I don’t know what I’m going to do now.

  2710. Bryan

    This is a really poor decision. Both the website and FTM have good and bad points. I really like the ability to do what I need to in one or the other and then have them synced up. For example, I love the ability in FTM to standardize last name to all CAPITAL, which can’t be done on the website. I also like the ability to resolve/standardize place names. I also like and prefer being able to store all of the information on my computer as an additional backup for the work that I have done. Please reconsider this decision, or I too will have to reconsider my annual on-going subscription to ancestry.com

  2711. Victoria

    I guess I’m in the minority here that I’m fine with discontinuing FTM. I’ve been using Reunion for Mac since 1996 and only used FTM to have desktop access to Ancestry info without logging in. Only maybe 30% of my sources were from Ancestry anyway. Reunion is far superior to FTM. I always saved my Ancestry documents & data to my computer and other program to begin with so losing FTM is not a big deal. Simply sync with Ancestry, export to GEDCOM and import to new software. There are lots of better choices than FTM.

  2712. RKK

    I can’t read all 3000 comments to see if someone has already answered my questions, so please excuse me if this is a repetition. 1) If I buy the FTM software now, will I be able to download my online family tree from Acom to my computer? 2) Is it compatible with Windows 10? 3) Will New Ancestry screw up the data on FTM after Dec. 15 when it replaces Old Ancestry (which I still use)?

  2713. Mike

    Hear lies the problem with Ancestry cornering the market on Genealogy and most of the products that are available for Genealogy use. I have been saying this for a long time. Most genealogists years ago had their choice of different types of software. But ancestry bought most of the really great websites and as we all know smaller companies ended up by the wayside. This includes websites that were free. There are some free ones still out there but they now say provided by Ancestry as well. I never thought I would see the day that The Family History Center would be working side by side with Ancestry. Now they redirect you to ancestry to look at a lot of the images. Who remembers Foot Note? Yes that was the name of Fold3 before Ancestry bought it. and the second that happened the 1860 Census became a civil war record and we could not view that Census on Ancestry anymore. Oh of course we can now but that means we have to pay these new way out of hand prices. Lets not forget Find a Grave! Great Idea still love it and they redirect us to it from Ancestry. But for how long. Genealogy.com yup you guessed it. That also is Ancestry.com. It seemed like every time there has been a new site or product that is doing well Ancestry was not far behind to snatch it up. Well now that they have all the wonderful sites and product that we all loved and could not be with out. They do this. NO MORE Family Tree Maker. Oh and lets not forget once we put our tree on Ancestry It no longer belongs to us. One of the reasons I used family Tree Maker but never uploaded it to their website. I remember when we used to be able to go in any office supply or even a Walmart and be able to choose from many of the different tree maker programs that were on the market but their are not many left now. F T M is most likely the best one. I have a question for you Ancestry. Now that you guys bought all these great websites and tools that made a genealogist life much easier. Why are you leaving us by the wayside? SHAME ON YOU ! I guess their is not enough money it for you to keep it on the market after all of us who have had pretty much no choice but to stand by your side. No matter what it had cost us. Because of our love for family History. Most of us are just asking you to Take One For The Team. We stuck by your side and Trusted You when you made all of these Changes that affected the lives of Genealogists every where. Time to step up !

  2714. Gene

    The news is really of no surprise as the once great product which was once the pride of field has had a steady decline in value for over five years !! As with many other things, CORPORATE GREED !! This only proves, guaranteeing obsolescence does NOT enhance a product !!

  2715. Bob Gifford

    I just went on line to check the publishing capability. I don’t see the charts that are available on FTM. What will be done about this/

  2716. Linda Harrison

    I am most disappointed about this. I hope ancestry will reverse this terrible decision before the end of 2016. I am also not happy with the recent changes to ancestry. The integration of FTM and ancestry search is a key reason I have maintained my ancestry membership for over 10 years. Without this integration, I will most certainly be seeking alternate online genealogy subscriptions.

  2717. Roger Hastings

    Ancestry.com — can you see the little hint leaf shaking in this blog regarding the poor decision in killing off Family Tree Maker? Are you getting the hint that this isn’t what we – your paying customers – want? We don’t want to lose Family Tree Maker on our desktops and don’t want to lose support for it.

  2718. Darlene

    Ditto to all of the above comments. I am extremely disappointed after using and recommending FTM for more than 10 years. Please advise regarding what steps your previously loyal followers and supporters should take. Please, please reconsider your decision.

  2719. Greg

    Boo hiss! I have had FTM software since it’s beginning and have kept my information local. If you’re no longer supporting my software I will not renew my world subscription when it expires…

  2720. AnneH

    Disappointed to hear about the FTM being retired. What will happen when one is out of internet range? At present I am able to view and add information wherever I am. What about reporting? I have never had success printing from Ancestry.

    Please reconsider for those of us who do not have good internet reception as in outback Australia – also those of us who like the privacy and choose to sync when we know the information is absolutely as we want it, e.g. marking a person as private after reviewing information.

    Family History is my hobby and FTM my main tool. I am really disappointed and want to continue using FTM.

  2721. Marge

    I am breathless as I read of your decision to discontinue FTM! I have been using FTM almost since the beginning. So the Ancestry Company went from a publicly traded company to a private company and this is how you treat your loyal followers. I have no desire to have all my information in a cloud somewhere. Serious genealogists like to have all our hard work close at hand and private. Please, please consider selling the program to another software company who respects serious researchers and then e-mail me to let me know where I can take my $ for updates.

  2722. Richard Bone

    Sorry to hear this. Been a FTM and ancestry user for at least 15 years. I prefer to work on FTM rather than your site and then sync so that my work is on my desktop and Ancestry web site.Not happy about you decision to abandon FTM and will probably discontinue my ancestry subscription.

  2723. Sandy

    So….does anyone in your company remember the marketing nightmare that happened when you were too eager to release FTM2008 without working out all the “bugs”? Customers who had used FTM for years threatened to go elsewhere because of all the problems there were. To your credit, you took responsibility for the “bad” programming and offered FTM2009 free to those customers who had purchased FTM2008. That went a long way toward what could have been a huge, HUGE loss in profits for your company. As for myself, I have used FTM since about 1998; updated regularly, and have been a big fan since you updated the program about 7 years ago. I love the interactive map, the “shaking leaf” hints, and many of the features. I have recommended the program to many over the years, especially in the beginners’ genealogy classes that I help teach twice a year. I WILL NOT put my tree on Ancestry. I hope whoever made this dreadful and shortsighted decision will reconsider, because if you think you had a marketing nightmare a few years ago, I think you are in the making for completely putting your company under. Maybe you SHOULD consider finding someone else who can better oversee this company.

  2724. Rubyann Darnell

    Another slap in the face by a Stupid Corporation (certainly no researcher or real person actually makes decisions in this organization)! Though I don’t use Family Tree Maker it still is a valuable tool for REAL RESEARCHERS that you, Ancestry Thieves and Scoundrels, continue to ignore..

  2725. gayle

    I have been spending more and more time on wikitree and family search…… Seem like better ways to share information. Rootsmagic is a great software……..

  2726. Bob Gifford

    Do you intend to have one of the other desktop software packages such as Legacy interface with online ancestry?

  2727. LynnG

    So you want total control over our records. The report function is the end product of our research. What’s the use of having a database if you can’t sort and produce the data in your desired format with your desired records not Ancestry’s. Hope to be able to continue to download data in a gedcom so I can share and use in other software.

  2728. Janie P. MacBryde

    I feel absolutely BETRAYED. I have been a FTM user since joining Ancestry years ago. I’m shocked by this decision. I understand that businesses have to cut corners and cut costs, but to totally abandon a product and ALL the clients who use it seems like a very poor and shortsighted business decision. There are FAR too many unanswered questions for my liking. Just sign me. . . STUNNED.

  2729. Jeanne

    First of all, customers HATE “announcements” that basically translate to “we’ve decided we can make more money by cancelling something you’re all using and forcing you to do something different. The fact that you didn’t even tease something wonderful to come tells me that’s exactly what you’re doing. Guess I’ll have to rethink my renewal come February.

  2730. Bruce

    I cannot say more than has already been said. I rarely choose to use the website except when away from home and trying to do work on my tree. I agree with most that it is not as desirable as the software in so many ways. Hopefully, you will not be moving to some sort of subscription service. The seamless sync from your site to the desktop is what makes you my site of choice and the main reason I continue a subscription for more years than I can remember. While the website has much to offer, it almost seems useless without the desktop software. If you choose to no longer produce it, perhaps it would be a good idea to partner with some other company that might be interested in taking on the software development. I don’t much care if it never changed much since most of what I want or need can be done with the software linking to the site to pull down what I need or sync to my desktop. There are many reasons this is a bad move and most certainly will impact your business more negatively than finding a way to keep it even if it stays as is and the website will still work with it. Spend less on commercials and website. Their really is only so much that can be done anyway. Maybe using ancestry focus groups to help make change decisions would also work, especially if most of those decisions are made internally. Enough said, bad move. No one will appreciate your service anymore and likely move to other or free choices.

  2731. Peggy Mausch

    HUGELY DISAPPOINTED AND DISGUSTED !!!!. Have been working on my trees for many years and using Family Tree Maker for the last several years to be able to access my tree when internet is not available. Not everyone has access to the internet all the time when collecting information for their family tree. By using the software I can enter information as I travel and then sync it with my on-line tree and can compare the information I already have with other family members who may not have internet. I don’t know whether it is only the Canadian version of FTM that has had problems since an update in the fall of 2014 but I have finally after a year been able to get the program to work properly after downloading an update about a year ago. I have had to uninstall and re-in stall at least four times before I could finally get all of the information especially the pictures to sync properly and the support has been incredibly difficult to access which may be one of the reasons that the sales of the software have dropped off. Using the software has been the only easily accessible way to print information from my tree as the on-line program is sadly lacking in this respect. I am assuming from your email that there will not be an alternative program offered for the same reason the FTM is being dropped. The rates for membership to the on-line tree are very high and with the exchange rate to US from Can I paid nearly $500.00 this year for my membership in part because I could work off-line and Sync the info.and because I hoped to access more European information. This is a huge hit for a pensioner. I also purchased the FTM for my sister last year so she could work on her husband’s family. I will seriously be reconsidering whether to continue with ancestry at all when my membership is due in August. Will the next blow be that if we cancel ancestry membership the next time we go on line to search for information our trees will sync for the last time and all our FTM information will disappear?? i now understand why so many members of my genealogical society refuse to use ancestry.

  2732. Bob Reed

    What an incredibly short-sighted decision! You may save some costs by dropping FTM support, but you will lose much more in lost customer revenue and customer ill will. I for one will immediately begin to search for another software solution with a company who will remain loyal to its customers. I have 13 years worth of research invested in FTM and am extremely disappointed in your decision. I strongly recommend you reconsider.

  2733. Mary Helton

    I just bought this software! You should refund everyone who has bought it in the last 6 months at least!

  2734. Soo

    It does not surprise me one bit about your killing off FTM, which for so many years Ancestry have advertised as the biggest selling family tree program in the world, but you could have let us know you were abandoning FMT last July when Windows 10 became available. Owners of FMT14 who were still on Windows 7 and have not upgraded to the terrible Vista or Windows 8, will have problems using FTM14 as it doesn’t convert like it does from Windows 8. Not Microsoft’s fault as they give the programers good notice of changes in technicalities, but Ancestry just can’t be bothered to give us a FTM16 which would be compatible with Windows 10. I have waited and waited for FTM16 but now I know why it has not come out – you never had any intention of giving us an upgrade TO BUY yet again! You have in one email ruined so many loyal family historians work over decades. Yes I can transfer a GEDCOM copy of the data I have put into FTM but all the extras I have added over the years will be lost! I have never and would never give full details of what I have discovered about my family and that of friends to your public trees as so much of the data on your public trees is just copied from one person to another without any proof of the data being correct. When an America cousin’s wife came to visit, in 3 evenings I found her connected to Henry II, Matilda and Henry III, but all of the data from 1841 back was not referenced to any actual data. And one American subscriber to Ancestry had copied data from this tree and that with not one indication of where the data was obtained from. My cousin’s wife and I put the data in the shredder as it had absolutely no value as we could not prove what was there on your website. On other occasions people have put incorrect data online and even when on one occasion I proved to one subscriber that the person she thought was an ancestor of hers was not, she refused to change her data on your site. So all the public trees should be treated by everyone with great scepticism! If I can’t prove it, I don’t use it, but millions do! Is this really the way Ancestry want their brilliant records to be used by so many of the current world population??? Containing ones research in FTM is such a far more actuate and safer way to do research, but one person after another copying incorrect data just breeds inaccuracies. Pull you socks up, Ancestry, and pick some random family trees before 1837 in UK and see how little evidence is quoted and look at just how many people copy and copy and copy unsupported rubbish into their public trees. Think again, Ancestry, as when Generations stopped being produced I converted to FTM and I have upgraded thro 8, 10, 12 and 14, including buying the full copies for a few family members so I would need a refund of even more that the $40 some of your commentators above have quoted. AND YES! I HAVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM: I NEED FROM ANCESTRY A CONVERSION PROGRAM SO ALL THE TYPED IN DATA, SCANS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS CAN BE MOVED SEAMLESSLY TO A NEW, SUPPORTED FAMILY TREE PROGRAM, NOT OWNED BY ANCESTRY,AS YOU CAN NO LONGER BE TRUSTED IN THE FAMILY RESEARCH BUSINESS AS THIS ONE ACTION PROVES YOU ARE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY! WE WHO USE YOUR SITE AND PROGRAM ARE JUST THROWING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD! I am discussed at the decision of your men in suits who obviously never have actually researched their families but have grown rich enough on our subscriptions to employ other to do their family histories for them!!!!!
    REGARDING YOUR NEW LAY OUT: what ever programmer invented this system needs to look back at the old system and see that the new system complicates the history of families with similar names in different generations. It is not a case of familiarity, but with tiny writing and unnecessary large fancy boxes, the DATA is not as clear as it was. Why did you waste money designing it when to give loyal customers a reduced annual fee for continuing with their subscripting would have allowed more people to have more money to buy certificates. Also, as Ireland was British until 1922, why are these records not included with the British subscription??? Army members are classed as being serving at home up to 1922, but you decide it is not part of Britain. So your people need to learn a little bit more history as you are in error.
    In 2017, if you do not provide a full conversion program to another family tree program, I will seriously have to consider not continuing my subscription. Also, from now on , I will not be recommending your site first to friends who start family history, as you now have to prove you can be trusted. The ball, or should I say, the FTM program is in your court! And as you advertised, there are millions of us!

  2735. Brion

    This is starting to sound like the Netflix decision that cost the company so many customers that they never fully recovered. Simply put the online version can not do what the software does and it is so slow, but then again its your funeral Ancestry!

  2736. Caren

    I think you can see that not a single person has endorsed your decision. Most have stated that they will withdraw from your company. I personally will not put my trees on the cloud or your open site. Privacy is important to me and my family. But I have enjoyed doing genealogy for over 25 years. Fortunately a kind subscriber just posted a website with the ten most highly ranked genealogy programs. I saved it. I agree with others that your web access, the sorts that come out from the little green leaves, and other parts of the new website are faulty at best. I always go to the second page because that is where I have the best chance to find something about my ancestor – never the first one presented. I am pretty much in Europe to get my new work, and there are plenty of sites there that are better than you are. Sorry. This reminds me of the NetFlix decision. Perhaps you will change your minds, but your reputation is damaged by your own actions.

  2737. Derek Guyton

    What are you thinking! What a selfish thing to do. You charge us enough money for Ancestry.com that you can keep this going. Ancestry online does not have the same functions or reports. Did you even consider your customers? Looks like it’s all about making money. I have not seen a single comment in favor of this.

  2738. I have been using FTM software for over 25 years with full access.This has cost me a lot of money over the years. After all these years I can’t believe they are discontinuing this wonderful software. I absolutly HATE, HATE, HATE the tree on ancestry. I feel over the years the service on ancestry has declined. They have added a lot of fluff. All those family trees that are not documented should not even be allowed. I never published anything without thoroughly documenting it. I have found so many mistakes in those trees it’s not funny. I like ancestry for finding authentic information and then adding it to my tree with documentation. Fortunately I have all my info on my computer. As you can see there are a lot of people who are unhappy with this decision and I think this is a HUGE mistake. They seem to think they are losing money on the software but I really don’t think they have thought of how many people are going to discontinue their subscriptions and go elsewhere. I personally don’t understand why they feel they have to continuously have to update or add new features every year. I was happy with the old programs that no longer work on their site, forcing you to upgrade. I guess if you never used the old software you wouldn’t understand. One thing they had was the opportunity to see the information you already looked at. That is something I really liked. It had a little mark or something to let you know you already read it. Now it seems I keep looking at the same thing because I don’t know what I’ve already checked. This was a very useful tool. I personally will probably still subscribe to ancestry for the information as long as I can download or cut and paste the information to my computer. If I can’t do that I will be going elsewhere. I ws using this software way before the leaves. It’s a nice feature but I can work without it. As long as I can do a search. It’s an awful lot of money every year for a lot of fluff. Maybe I’ll just head back to the libraries like I used to do!

  2739. Lelia Sanders

    So very disappointed. I have been using FTM from the beginning. Now I will have to start all over……apparently with someone new…

  2740. Joe

    Notice in their announcement Ancestry mentioned the “declining desktop software market.”

    Here’s what this means. Remember back in the day when you could buy a package with a CD/DVD containing Microsoft Word, or Power Point, or Excel, or bundled as Microsoft Office — take it home, install it on your computer? Now, you no longer can buy these application. You must subscribe to Microsoft Office 365 — monthly fee, cumbersome software, but the money rolls in to MS.

    That’s the way Ancestry is going. No more buying FTM and installing it on your computer and upgrading from time to time online. Now, you must pay the annual fee (watch it go up) in order to use what amounts to FTM Online.

    That’s why I scour eBay and buy up old CD’s of Word, Excel, Power Point, and the like — also buy up older Windows OS software.

    I have enough stockpiled to last the rest of my life (I’m 71).

    Guess I’ll see if I can find OEM FTM on eBay.

  2741. Nancy

    It is obvious by all the comments that this is a horrible decision. Here it is Dec 8th and you are no longer going to sell the software in 23 more days. Big deal…..you will support it for another year. Anyone who knows better shouldn’t subscribe to Ancestry during the next 12 months for sure. Bet that will hurt your bottom line. You can’t run any kind of reports through Ancestry, but FTM has so much to offer. I literally hate the new interface and that is being shoved down our throats and now this. After all the money and time I have spend (and enjoyed) it might be time to call it quits. This is going to be sad for so many people. Such a huge loss of information for all of us really interested and invested in this research.

  2742. SHARON

    Please explain in “Layman” terms, exactly what we will be able to do or not do. What will happen to our tree that we put online, ancestry.com, FTM, another website?? I think we all who have supported you throughout the past 5, 10, or 15 + years, deserve an explanation more than you have given us, especially those of us who are not on the same level of knowing Ancestry as others do. There must be a lot of money for Ancestry to make this big jump. I hope it’s not for greed, but for making it better for most of its’ members.

  2743. Art Gray

    This sounds like a decision based on the opinion of some hotshot MBA’s that don’t understand the business they are running. Your business will be hurt badly as evidenced by all the comments on this blog.

  2744. Paulette

    I had a subscription with Ancestry for many years, from the beginning, but did not renew last year when they made changes. It was just not worth it anymore. I’m not surprised with more changes. I have always felt Ancestry in more interested in sales and commercials and not providing service.

  2745. Hal

    I believe this is a very short sighted decision. I want my work to be accessible to me on my laptop – not on Ancestry.com where it might disappear some day with the same sort of ill advised decision. I am going to reconsider all my contacts with Ancestry and my subscription.

  2746. anthony Johnson

    Boo. As you can see from most of the comments, usefulness of Ancestry.com depends in large part on FTM. Searches on Ancestry.com and manual updates of some other PC software is a poor substitute for the current pairing of PC and web. Send the folks that thought up this change back to the drawing board and ask themselves, “What do we plan to do to make our service useful and usable?

  2747. Ruth Lang

    I have the same question as so many others…how in the world are we to share our tree with future generations and those without access to your site? The reports and charts thru FTM are life-savers, and unless you plan to allow prints, sorts and reports in ancestry, I will be at a loss. Bad decision on your part to quite FTM before you have something to replace it’s capabilities.

  2748. Coleen

    I had to read this twice, not believing what I read the first time. Absolutely ridiculous and without explanation or options available. Just “we quit, see ya”. Very unprofessional. I, like many others, will be cancelling my subscription.

  2749. Jon

    This certainly seems to be the trend for personal service websites – continue to raise the rates while reducing the service. Several months ago, I had the same experience with FitBit. They too, without a really adequate explanation, announced the reduction of services. Like FitBit, I expect Ancestry.com will lose a great many subscribers.

  2750. Joanna

    The new leadership of Ancestry has been nothing short of a disaster. My membership was renewed without my knowledge. Since I have been a member since 2007 this has NEVER happened. This business with Family Tree Maker is just another comment on how little respect this new Ancestry leadership has for its longstanding members. If you seriously think that teenagers are the ones who are going to cough-up hundreds of dollars a year to conduct ancestry research on their Apple watches you are delusional. My membership already renewed for another year, but the focus of this company on making pretty graphics instead of doing research and being able to conduct that research with a reasonable expectation that I will be able to OWN and back-up my own work is making me question whether I need to find other sources. Very disturbed by the current management on this company which is becoming less and less ethical in their business practices on a daily basis.

  2751. Margaret

    I am very upset and feel like I have been conned, as I only bought FTM 2 months ago. You must have known you were planning to retire the software, yet you still decided to sell it. even now you are still selling the software, yet there is no mention of the very short support life

  2752. Clare

    How could you? Why would you? I feel stranded, abandoned. I loved having my tree on my own hardware, with links to your vast resource. I don’t want my tree on your site. I don’t store anything on the “cloud” and I don’t intend to store my tree on your site. I’m dumbfounded. I don’t know how to begin preparing for this. Please reconsider.

  2753. Patricia Quinn

    Very disappointed How can I save my information How do I get compensated Is my tree information able to be transferred to another site Looks like you have a lot of unhappy customers Help would be the least i ask for loyalty shown to your company

  2754. Ralph

    I am very disappointed to hear about the discontinuance of FTM. What are your plans to incorporate some of its’ features into Ancestry? I.E. FTM’s reporting capabilities?

  2755. Martha Goodwin

    Unbelievable that Ancestry would kick FTM users to the curb! Who do they think now will buy Ancestry products and services after they’ve shown their priorities. I’ve been a subscriber of Ancestry since they were a fledgling company and I’m willing to bet that the person who suggested that they drop FTM: 1. Has never used the product; 2. Has no interest in genealogy; 3. And probably was still in grade school when Ancestry first appeared on the market!
    Ancestry, it is a very huge mistake for you to drop FTM. I for one will no longer be your subscriber as of December 31 because of your callousness shown to us, your customers. Remember us? We’re the ones that have spent thousands of dollars over the years funding Ancestry. So, if your paycheck looks smaller next year, it’s because I’m not paying part of your salary any longer!

  2756. Jen

    Ancestry.com disgusts me to no end!!! I have had FTM from the beginning. It’s all about the mighty dollar, assholes.

  2757. David Haslett

    There are so many features in FTM that is not offered by ancestry. Why are we seeing hundreds of comments and no responses from Ancestry. Appreciate our feedback, that’s just bull!!!

    Ancestry’s has always prided itself as being a data base and search company and the tree app has been treated as if it’s a necessary evil of genealogy. Purchased FTM for a reason, you knew your app was lacking and FTM filled in the gaps. FTM provided you a means to retain subscribers. Without it your just a database company and there is lots of competition. Your going to loose subscribers and and most will not return. This is a HUGE mistake. Penny’s tried to make a change and it fell flat and they are struggling to get customers to return. This will have the same outcome. I agree with all the comments posted to date. It would be best to save face and change this decision before it’s too late. I have made calls for support and many times i’m told to use FTM for “that”. It’s been your crutch to keep you afloat. This will be a disaster for ancestry. Mr Hulet has only been with the co since march 2015!! Not qualified to make this decision!!! He knows nothing of what FTM can do and how it props up ancestry’s business. Very sad day indeed. Why are we seeing hundreds of comments and no responses from Ancestry. Appreciate our feedback, that’s just bull!!!

  2758. Tracy

    I, as well, see no need to renew my Ancestry membership if Family Tree Maker goes away. FTM makes Ancestry.com viable for me. Like many of the Ancestry.com membership, I joined Ancestry BECAUSE of FTM; the software came first. FTM allows me to work on my tree offline, when an internet connection is not available or not secure. By its sheer nature, that’s not possible with Ancestry.com. This is truly a sad day. I’d like to think that this backlash would convince Ancestry to reconsider this horrible decision, but something tells me they really don’t care what their members think. If they did, they’d have inquired among the membership first… Sad

  2759. Carol

    I have used FTM since its beginning, and was happy when Ancestry came along. In my mind, Ancestry joined FTM not the other way around. Since Ancestry has become difficult for me to understand and manage, I guess I won’t miss it when I cancel my subscription. Now, I will pause in my family research while I research a new software. There have been hundreds of pleas and good suggestions for the Ancestry folks to consider going forward, but I fear we are speaking only to one another; I doubt that anyone from Ancestry is actually reading or caring what we think. At least I have not seen any responses yet.

  2760. Brian M

    Ditto what a couple of thousand of FTM fans have already posted. I await your reply once you have digested all the complaints. I only became an Ancestry customer because your company bought the product I already had purchased and used for years–FTM. I like Ancestry alot, although I agree with many of the criticisms of the new look Ancestry. Yet I have far more information on FTM and rely on it to print off trees in a variety of formats. If Ancestry announced it would move the best aspects of FTM to the online tree before eventually discontinuing it, that might be understandable. As it stands now, your penny wise, pound foolish decision–unless it is radically scaled-back–is going to cost us all big time. I’m hoping Ancestry leadership is wise enough to recognize its mistake and suspend its plan to discontinue supporting FTM. The company’s future health depends upon a correct decision.

  2761. Richard Oppenheimer

    Ancestry.com without the features of report and chart creation becomes useless for those conducting real research and sharing information with others. The other tools such as eliminating duplicate entries and merging individuals will be a catastrophye. PLEASE make these features available on Ancestry.

  2762. Ken

    As a software development professional for a company with a SaaS product, our key mantra is customer satisfaction. SaaS is a subscription business, you want customers to renew their subscriptions to bring in revenue. And subscriptions are month to month, make the customer unhappy and they drop their subscription. Let’s look at the numbers here, almost 3000 blog comments (all negative) in under 4 hours. 3000 lost customers x $35/month (World Explorer) x 12 months = $1.26M in revenue lost in just hours. If the number of dissatisfied customers triples over the next week that’s a $5M revenue loss for the year. I guess that’s about your break even point for FTM operations. Genealogy by it’s nature is an emotional subject. I think you may have touched off a powder keg.

  2763. Sandra Fleming

    I sincerely hope you are going to answer all of the above questions and comments. I will reserve judgment until you respond to those inquiries above.. I have been a member for a lot of years and have thousands of records in my Ancestry software tool. I am very concerned on how to proceed. Please advise…thank you

  2764. Kathy

    so disappointed to hear this news. I also have paid a lot of money to ancestry over the years and love all the features included in the software, especially tree sync. Will start searching for replacement asap. Would love to see more answers/suggestions on how you expect your paying members to continue their genealogy offline. Sure hope a nice discount is coming our way to continue using the services without this feature.

  2765. Linda Owens

    Why is Ancestry discontinuing FTM? I will continue to use FTM until it stops working on my computer. What you should get rid of is those new features of trying to write family stories. Big disappointment. I hope some other computer will buy the code and update it to work with newer technology.

  2766. Brian Richards

    4 hours since the announcement and over 3000 comments. I have not read them all, yet, but 99.9% are negative. Are the members services team are ready for that?

  2767. Jim Harvey

    As another long-time user of FTM and a full World subscriber to your site, I join hundreds of others in protesting this decision. Please reconsider.

  2768. Dennis Myers

    This is very bad news indeed. Working with FTM is so much easier than with your online site. I have used this program since Release 6, whenever that was.I would hope there is a chance you will reconsider this poor decision.

  2769. Tom

    Does this mean we’re being forced to subscribe to your online service? Clever. I’m having trouble finding a favorable comment on your decision.

  2770. Vicki

    Wrong move!! I will be deleting my tree from ancestry…saving, printing and storing all my research locally. I’ll put my research on hold until I find a software program (and moral organisation) who will support family historians. Well I’m off to the shops to stock up on printer ink!!

  2771. D Miner

    This is a BAD BAD plan that will definitely tick your customers off. Most companies want to have happy customers….apparently Ancestry.com is telling us they don’t care about their customers anymore.

  2772. Andy

    Eliminating the desktop application is a sound decision as the technology is fast becoming redundant and unsustainable – however the current web based application is inadequate to the task of replacing it. I understand you have committed way too much time, resources and money into the interface to be persuaded by the user community that you made a mistake – but you made a mistake. The interface is clunky, requires far too many clicks to complete a transaction, it is too simplistic, un-dynamic and frustrating to use. Although I still visit Ancestry, I am going to stop using it as the central repository of data – the front end just isn’t up to the task.

  2773. Jan Kimbrough

    I am very disappointed. I want to be able to access my trees even if I’m not a current subscriber. You online interface is still very difficult to navigate and your search options are not user-friendly. Google has nothing to worry about.

  2774. Steve

    Switched to Roots magic a couple years ago when I started to smell a corporate rot similar to that emanating from Intuit and their Quicken products. At least there are alternatives to FTM which there aren’t for Quicken. Roots magic isn’t perfect but it has a much better customer vibe than FTM.

  2775. Becky

    I’ve already moved my DNA purchases to FTDNA. Guess I’ll be shopping around now for a new host for my Family Trees as well. What a shame after being a loyal, upgrading Anestry customer for nearly 20 years. I’m disgusted!

  2776. SuzyQ

    Another disappointed user… I’ve used FTM for many years even used TMG for awhile but came back. I wasn’t completely smitten with FTM as I had wishes for more features. But now I’m looking closer at the new Legacy 8 and thinking hmmm… I see Legacy also has the bonus of being able to talk to my Clooz software as well as a couple other nifty new features, like being able to make one census event entry and linking family to it rather than having to build the event on each person’s lifeline.
    This past year I’ve put by far more of my tree online with FamilySearch.org than I have with Ancestry.com the past 3 years and seen my tree grow faster for it. But none of the online genealogy services will have my full tree of 5,000+ I’ll keep paying for my website hosting package where I have control to modify/backup/delete my tree as I choose and keep my main research data offline.

  2777. Michael

    I have spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours of my life downloading records (census records, draft records, etc) that can only be organized meaningfully by FTM. What was the point of that? A waste of time? And how will the biographies I’ve written be saved on the website? How will my descendants access any of this? How will I work on my ancestry if I’m in a location where I can’t be online? I am 40 years old and planned to work on my genaology for the rest of my life, but I’m not going to pay a monthly fee for the rest of my life. You must be joking. When you make an announcement like this, you have to provide some details about how things are going to work from here on out. Really bad move.

  2778. I have been a member of Ancestry since 2000. I am so terribly disappointed your whom ever is making the decisions for you company. First your stop doing real DNA and now we will no longer have Family Tree Maker as a back up program.

    Aggravating your long term supporters is a very lousy business practice. You will eventually force us to go to your competitor because we want all part in the same place.

  2779. Robert Smithee

    Ancestry.com should be required to delete all family trees from its website and not be able to use all the work that has been done by subscribers in finding and organizing information. That should be the property of the owner of the tree.

  2780. Jean

    I would sincerely rethink your decision, as your customers are not happy and unhappy costumers move on!!!! I am not happy with this decision, I like FTM; what I don’t like is the new website, it’s very slow and not user friendly which makes it frustrating and at time unusable but I like the Family Tree Maker program, my recommendation is to keep it, as it works, your customer base will be happy; improve the usability of the new website and all will be good!

  2781. LHolt-Galvin

    I don’t know how you decided that people no longer use desktop software, but you are ill informed. When the Tree Sync feature of Family Tree Maker stops working, I will cancel my membership like so many others. I strongly dislike your new Ancestry and don’t like keeping my tree on your website. I keep my tree info on my computer and use FTM to keep everything organized. This is a very bad move on your part. Please reconsider.

  2782. MARY

    TOTALY inconsiderate, we used FTM for years and it is the program that prompted me to subscribe to Ancestry, because I could use the info from your site in my FTM program. There are still millions of us who prefer software programs and do not live on-line through aps. I like the control I have and do not want to have Ancestry control what I see and what I can do with it. If I want a report of any kind I can get it now. Shame on you for telling us that what we use and need does not matter. VERY disappointed, You do not need to keep changing and upgrading every year, but to drop us is very inconsiderate!

  2783. Bradley

    Because of this, I won’t be renewing my subscription or sharing my family information on Ancestry. I’ll just work off-line with my FTM and do my research elsewhere. What growth will you see next year if every FTM user does likewise?

  2784. Don Shardlow

    So sad to read of this decision. I feel totally betrayed. How dare you slam the door on your faithful clientelle?

  2785. Kevin

    This decision by Ancestry is comparable to the blunder made by NetFlix a few years ago. I am migrating to FamilySearch.

  2786. Robert

    Another customer you just lost. Thankfully I was holding off my renewed subscription until Xmas. Please explain how to ensure I am able to save all of my research, shoebox, information, documents, etc. on my computer as well as how I can migrate it all to another software.

  2787. Carol

    What this appears to do is entrap us into always being a member of Ancestry in order to access our personal records. This is entirely unsatisfactory! My only hope after developing extensive research on FTM is that a competitor will make it possible to transfer my entire tree to their site. My next step is to investigate Myheritage.com. Since I paid $40 for FTM with the understanding that it would make it possible for me to access my personal records without going online or joining Ancestry, at the very least I want my $40 back. I am also very concerned that I just spent $80 for my DNA. What happens to that if I leave Ancestry? Do those records remain accessible to me or do I have to pay for another sample from another company? If that is the case, I want my $80 back as well. And you can be assured I will not renew my Ancestry World membership when it expires. This is distressing and disappointing news. I am quite let down.

  2788. Betty

    Very disappointing news coupled with all the drastic changes in Ancestry. I will search for another company who listens to their customers. If it’s all about money, then why don’t you just charge for tree-syncing? Wouldn’t that be enough to keep FTM going?

  2789. J R

    I have just looked through the 2998 comments – all have one thing in common – it’s a bad decision to get rid of FTM. I bought my first FTM with Broderbund, then Ancestry bought them out. At that time there was one 2 other competitors, FTM was by far the best of the three. I much prefer to work with FTM on my PC where I could create a wide variety of documents and trees. I, as others have stated, do not like the NEW Ancestry format.
    At least now I see your end game in the genealogy arena – buy up all the good programs, get rid of all the competition, and FORCE everyone to use YOUR way and Like it. Next I suppose you’re going to destroy Find-A-Grave web site.
    Are you trying to be the biggest bully on the net?

  2790. Rick Sloane

    Very disappointed. I have been a customer for more than 20 years, back when Broderbund published the software. The online tools are a shadow of what the local software can do, and the “apps” are absolutely horrendous. This decision was clearly made without consultation with your customers.

    Since you have sold us a product that no longer will function as expected, nor as sold, your “perpetual” license to use my family’s personal information is also revoked. I will expect my family’s information to be permanently removed from your servers and databases when I cancel my membership and close my website account. I am sorry you have decided to make this move, and I look forward to you posting data removal instructions as soon as possible.

  2791. MIchael

    I have never considered Ancestry & FTM to be linked (though I know they are). For me FTM is to keep my records and an easy way to print out information for new found family etc. Ancestry is for research-using the data bases and looking at online trees before checking at source. I have tried starting an online tree but found it very unsatisfactory-clunky, things appearing that I did not want etc. My main problem with many of the online trees is the quality- a hundred years between generations, the same person listed several times as a son or daughter and so the list goes on. If Ancestry wanted to improve such input could be questioned as it is on FTM.

    My major concern is whether my FTM 2011 will be compatible with my next computer. If not at least I will have hard copy and can start again-never a bad thing every few years so we can review and correct our information. At least while I control my own information I can inform people of doubts etc. Any one with more than a couple of hundred entries can not be sure of accuracy-if they are they are delusional.

    Hope for the sake of those who do use the two systems in conjunction that Ancestry sees the error of it’s ways and attempts to make things better for it’s customers not worse.

    Incidentally I wonder how long Ancestry’s contacts with the various Nation & State Archives have to run.

  2792. I have a great deal of detail within my family tree that has been easy to categorize and account for, thanks to FTM. I committed to this application with expectations of it always being available in some form, while also being able to easily leverage ancestry.com’s web based facilities. I expect ancestry.com to provide a strategic direction fairly quickly to ease my concerns. It is irresponsible for ancestry.com to NOT provide such information as part of this announcement. SHAME ON YOU FOR YOUR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS ANNOUNCEMENT COULD CAUSE ANXIETIES TO YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS. CLEARLY YOU DON’T HAVE A CLUE OF YOUR CUSTOMERS NEEDS TO FEEL CONFIDENT IN ANCESTRY.COM’s SERVICES.

  2793. Susie Barr

    I agree with most comments and I am SO disappointed! I have used FTM since beginning and rely on it heavily. I feel like you’ve left us hanging! FTM had features that are not available on line. Do you want us to leave? Will be searching for other companies.

  2794. Blaise

    Terrible, terrible news. Knowing that my family history is a click away on my desktop has always been a great comfort. Can’t believe you’re pulling the rug out from so many loyal users.

  2795. richard clarke

    Your planned discontinuation of FTM concerns me. I switched from The Master Genealogist to FTM to be able to sync with Ancestry. I do hope you will provide a recommendation to other software with comparable or better features.

  2796. Jim

    A really bad idea! I hope Ancestry is planning to add all FTM features to the web version. I don’t need any new FTM features. Just keep it syncing with your database.

  2797. Nicky

    First the revolting new look site, and now this. Why aren’t I surprised! The $$$$$$ are all you care about. Your customers can just deal with it huh? MORE FOOL YOU ANCESTRY! This is no way to run a company, and no way to treat your customers.

  2798. Michael Schramm

    I will NOT have an ancestry.com subscription without FTM. I guess this means I will put my family history work on indefinite hold. What a disservice you have done here to promoting this hobby. Pulled the rug out from under everyone’s feet.

  2799. Diane

    Very disappointing. Some alternatives accompanying the announcement would have been nice. I think you are missing the needs of your customer base.

  2800. djarnet1

    I have to totally agree with all of the other comments on shutting down FTM – This is the only one I have ever used – Love the format and all of the uses that I have gotten from the program. I do have a tree on Ancestry and have been a paying member for many years – but I will now have to reconsider this – I have done sync – and have NEVER had any luck with the tree showing up correctly – Photos disappear and comments that I wanted included do not show up. That is why I would rather have my tree under my control on my computer – instead of Ancestry – Just from my own personal use – Ancestry, you do not have it right – FTM is at least at my beck and call – Guess I will be leaving the site and finding another way around – When there is a will – there is a way – and it will probably be cheaper on my pocket in the long run. It is a total shame you have just trashed all of your loyal customers – and I sure you will lose just as many.

  2801. Eleen

    I, too, have been using FTM and Ancestry for many years. At my age I really don’t like having to learn a new genealogy program, but I suppose I’ll get used to it. I remember switching to FTM from PAF. I didn’t like that either. I think someone at Ancestry has been making some really bad decisions, lately. I really hate the new Ancestry, and will begin taking down my trees soon. I have been using My Heritage’s Family Tree Builder for a few months, and now that I am getting used to it, I rather like it. Bottom line – This is really not a such bad thing.

  2802. Diane

    We are extremely disappointed with this news. We have no intention of only having our family tree available online and then having you make it available to others for a fee. We will be looking for alternate software (hopefully you haven’t bought everybody out). This makes Ancestry look really, really bad. Just read these thousands of negative comments. Do you still think you are doing the right thing?

  2803. Phil C

    I am now 65 years old & for the past 7+ years have been able to utilize FTM to learn fully organize & learn things that would have been impossible for me to verify in any other way. Through member connect & FTM I have corresponded with distant & no so distant family embers learning factual information totally inaccessible as my parents & grandparents passed on early in life & siblings still alive had no information either. I humbly urge you to please reconsider tour decision to end your discontinuance of the FTM software & support. Thank you for your considerations & please understand it is very difficult for older dogs to pickup on & master even simple software changes

  2804. Maureen

    Bad decision. As genealogists, we need to be able to backup our trees. An online tree is not sufficent to secure data. We need to have FTM continue with TreeSync. You don’t need to upgrade the software; just preserve the ability to upload and download to and from FTM indefinitely. Stop gutting out the heart of the service. Genealogy software is all about functionally and this along with the New Ancestry continues to erode what genealogists need. Listen to your audience and less to beancounters and programmers.

  2805. Dana

    After hearing the news I have been searching for a replacement. I discovered heredis.com they have a free trial of their software and to register it is 15$ . I have been testing it out on my exported file from FTM it works perfectly . Maybe an option for the rest of you 🙂

  2806. Lisa

    You know the more I thought about it the more I thought that other than the convenience of importing what records you have found into FTM where most of us that use FTM keep and store our main file/files do our reports from, corrections, notes, pictures, stories etc., that Ancestry more times than not for me at least is a pain in the rear end. I end up having to log on 10 plus times while searching info on a ancestor on my tree, every time I want to see something and go to it I have to log on. I don’t use the online tree. I do not like the online tree format, use, or much of anything about it. Not detailed enough for me. The shaking leaf hints are mostly other family files that are either repeat of the info I have with little or no sources for each fact, or they are a tree copied form another tree with little to no sources and are off on dates etc. You have to dig through a bunch of junk to get to any thing that is a good source. I usually ignore most of the tree leaves and go into searching records on my own anyway. What I am going to miss is once I DO FIND a good source is the ease of importing it to my FTM file to whom I need it to be attached to. Most of the time the source will not open in the viewer so I have to attach to the person, go to the person in my file go to the source open in FTM make sure it really pertains to the person and either keep or delete it. So not keeping and dropping the Ancestry.com is fine with me. What is not right is the amount of years I have had FTM all the upgrades I have done and now out of the blue they will not support it after 2016. I downloaded the program (newer versions) and do not have a hard copy of the program. So if something happens I am up a creek without a paddle. Therefore my only recourse of action would be to hunt and find another program that will be somewhat like FTM (though in my personal opinion is the best) buy it for the product support and move my files over to it. I have a data base of over 20,000 and have been working on my files first by hand then putting all the info in FTM when it came out for 40 years. I really hate to lose all of it on a program that a company will no longer support, or that I have no hard copy of.

  2807. Mark

    This is by far the absolute worst decision that could be made. The assumption by Ancestry that I am on line while doing any work with my multiple family trees that I research is ridiculous. Taking a laptop out in the middle of some field to enter data from a lost family cemetery just became much more difficult than it already is. As I am sure about most people – since the list of comments here are unending and all against your decision – proves that work is done through FTM foremost and not on-line. The on-line trees are simply for sharing information. The reliability and work is in FTM. Just because sales have dropped for FTM doesn’t mean it isn’t highly utilized. I – like the tens of thousands of others here – strongly urge you to rethink this and come to the correct conclusion of continual support of FTM. I can see though that perhaps there might not be any (or many) future releases, but to shut it down is not only ridiculous but also very bad business.

  2808. Carol R.

    This is a terrible idea. I thought the “new” look you gave Ancestry was bad, but this is even worse. I concur with dozens who have written before me—-Goodbye—I started genealogy with paper & pencil—guess I can go back to that.

  2809. Deanna

    I guess I was done with geneology after all. I’ve bought 4 copies of FTM and none of the last three were worth a hoot. Nor does the website fill my needs to print in ways that helped me think out my next steps, see connections. Sad, I was glad to share my info even though I knew you were selling it as long as I could still work on MY tree, MY copy. You’ve blown in Ancestry.com.

  2810. Gavin

    Well it looks like you’s have shot yourselves in both feet….from reading all these comments it looks like Ancestry is going to loose a hell of a lot of paying subscribers….personally I don’t use my phone for anything except making and receiving calls, I don’t have a laptop or any other mobile device……I do all my research through my desktop and use FTM to access records….I find the website more annoying than helpful.
    I am now starting to look at other sites that have been recommended to me by fellow family history researchers…..I strongly recommend Ancestry reconsider this decision.

  2811. Kevin

    I am disappointed that you are discontinuing FTM I have been using this software since starting my family history research. I guess that I will have to look for another software package. Others have already commented about the benefits of linking Ancestry to FTM will links to other packages be available. .

  2812. Wyble

    Anyone at Ancestry listening? …ANYONE?
    Well then, let’s find a company that will. Everyone, post names of competitors for options.

  2813. Peter Felton

    This is a GROSS breach of faith. Like many others, I chose to go with Ancestry because of the need for permanence.

    It is clear ancestry.com’s appeal to a greater good was little more than a shabby commercial ploy.

    An absolute and eternal disgrace.

  2814. Pam

    More than a little disappointed in your decision to abandon FTM and the loyalty of so many of your customers. My subscription to Ancestry will end if this goes through!

  2815. Well, I never could get FTM to work on any of my computers. So no big loss there. You can download your trees to your computer but that doesn’t save your pictures, census records etc. So this sucks but people will need to go through and save each one of those files seperately then add them to whichever program you use to replace FTW. I am using Legacy and have for years. It has a few quirks but for the most part I love it.

  2816. Marilyn

    Just want to voice my disappointment with your news. I have been a long term WORLD subscriber ( not cheap by any means) and user of FTM for my years of research. Very disappointing to say the least.

  2817. Roberta

    I’m completely baffled by this. When something is working, why change it. I do not want Ancestry to have complete control over all of my research.

  2818. Debra

    Very unhappy with ancestry right now. I just purchased FTM2014 (upgrade for new computer) because the new layout that ancestry has for family is crap. Don’t like the way it looks or works. I am right there with a lot of other commenters…….will probably stop my subscription to ancestry in January 2017.

  2819. James

    You are destroying my ability to do the research. It is hard at my age to keep learning new interfaces and such. I have been advising friends and family for two decades to just use Ancestry with FTM. It is not easy to learn but once learned, it was a package that would sustain decades of research.

    What you have done is listen to MBA’s and the bottom line thinking to continue your march strategically while screwing the heck out of us.

    We do the research loading all our treasured photographs, maps, documents and such to your site. We do the research building trees and share it with those DNA customers you attract and provide the matches they seek.

    We know how to do the work and you profit from it.

    We are going to lose the synch ability in a year anyway and won’t be able to load our tree to ancestry easily. Thus in the future we will either have to pay you more, have all our data only on your computers, and have to pay to see our data anyway.

  2820. Lee Goode

    I’m afraid that you have lost most of us. Very bad marketing and an abdication of your core responsibilities.

  2821. Angel

    By the looks of all these remarks, I think you should re-think your position of doing away with FTM!!! After all we’re the ones that keep Ancestry going. Without us, there would be no use for Ancestry. We pay the BIG fees to subscribe to Ancestry. Where would you be without us?? What are we supposed to do with all the info we have on FTM?? What are you going to replace it with for those of us with a desk top. I’m not ‘in the cloud’ and don’t plan on ever using it. This is disgraceful to treat loyalty this way. Shame on you!!! Go back to your boardroom and reconsider this awful decision.

  2822. This is very unfortunate news for the serious researcher. Many of us have put so many uncounted hours of our lives into documenting our family history.

    My workflow has always been to work in my desktop copy and then update my online tree after completing a research batch. The tree sync was a nice feature to have however I don’t see myself making the shift to work only from the online tree format at Ancestry.com. For those of us with trees that have been online for some time – many folks have benefited from our shared data. For those of us that transition to another desktop software platform how will those trees not end up abandoned?

    The thought of having to transition to another desktop software platform is quite overwhelming.

  2823. Charlotte

    Please, please reconsider. I have spent years building my FTM file. I am particularly worried about how to move the notes from FTM to another program. Also, I only put a portion of my data onto ancestry. I keep more sensitive or speculative information offline in FTM. I don’t want to lose that capability. I’ve loved the program! So please reconsider!

  2824. Jerry Moore

    Echoing all of the above. Bad bad decision. 16 years of using your FTM software. We expect a full explanation of how we are to maintain our files.

  2825. Jamie C Hall

    I have to agree with the seemingly hundreds of other disappointed commenters.

    While I understand the increased emphasis on cloud-based computing, having a local copy of our work is essential when working in remote areas that do not necessarily have Wi-Fi all the time. Having local software that synced up with the cloud is what gave you the edge, and is indeed the reason I’ve held on to a subscription with Ancestry.

    Without your software on my computer, I’m will have no choice but to purchase different software. But without TreeSync, what’s the point in keeping my Ancestry subscription?

    I have a lot to think on over the next year, but you’re really going to have to “WOW!” me with new features on the website if you are assured to keep me and many others as *loyal* customers. I do hope you reconsider.

  2826. I have only recently started to use Family Tree Maker, now it is going to end. I have found a member of the family that I have searched a long time for, looks like I have no hope of any further events like this. Are we having a replacement or what?

  2827. David

    Are we going to get a response to these comments? Looks like there is going to be a stampede away from Ancestry. Who has compatible software to which FTM can be exported? Will we get a refund on our subs?

  2828. Deborah

    I spent countless hours entering all my family data to FTM and sharing it with others on Ancestry. My hope was that this would preserve our family legacy. Without FTM as my data entry point, it would appear I have been wasting my time. At least give us a tool to preserve all the work we have done to the next generations. I can print out all of this, but I am back to all of the documents and notebooks that started all of this. Please reconsider.

  2829. Dale

    I have been a user of FTM for many years. It was and has been my may genealogy program since I started into genealogy. I have over 7500 people in my files. I do not want this information in the cloud nor do I trust Ancestry to control it. The main reason that Ancestry bought FTM was to kill it so they can control everything and make money. Good for them. Guess I have to find another program.

  2830. Caryl

    WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?? Has there been a change in management. Look how many people in a few hours have voiced their complaints. Where is your consideration. Your organization up to this point SEEMED like a great one, You have done so much good in the past so how can you just turn us out in the cold. I love the Family Tree Maker and do not like the new look of ancestry. You have sure MESSED UP MY FAMILY HISTORY TIME & LIFE

  2831. Rod Owen

    I’ve been using FTM since 1987 when we had modems. I can’t believe you are condemning many, many, many faithful FTM users to having to be online to use your service. I use both online and the desktop FTM interchangeably, but am not always online. Many places I go for information (courthouses, for example) don’t provide wifi, and I wouldn’t trust it anyway. I don’t want to be online there — I want to work on my family trees when I’m offline, too. I can’t believe you’ve been wasting time on the Android app, for example, which for research is basically worthless, as is the DNA matching system with its very poor UI and results. It’s very unkind of you to offer to support FTM and Treesync for only 13 more months. WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU PEOPLE THINKING??

  2832. Sue Lanter

    I am so sorry to hear this. I just received my late mother’s geneaology paperwork and was going to begin using FTM again to integrate hers with mine. I like having my records on my computer and not all online. This is a mistake!

  2833. lorne Cochrane

    This decision does not make me happy at all. I have been using Ancestry and FTM for many years. I have over the years purchased many copies of the disk for ftm I have 5 different trees on my ftm and refer back to them VERY OFTEN especially when wanting to send other family members copies of recent changes. What are our options? How do we access this information? Will we be able to link it with another program? Will we be able to print it off? Something that I and others do regularly. When will it end, I have seen Dec 2015 and 2017 which services are ending when:? Is the service only ending for purchased copies or is it still going to be available online? You have left so much unanswered!!! WHY ARE WE NOT SEEING ANY RESPONSES FROM ANCESTRY AS MOST OF US HAVE SOME VERY SERIOUS DECISIONS TO MAKE IN THE MONTHS HEAD………STAY WITH ANCESTRY OR MOVE ON

  2834. Marilyn Renshaw

    Very disappointed. Have spent a lot of money over the years with Ancestry online and upgrading the newer versions of FTM each year. If it is continued, will start looking for a new Genealogy Co.when my subscription expires.

  2835. Martin

    You can see the backlash on all the comments above and I’m sure all the comments that will follow mine. I have been using FTM for 10 years. I will now be uploading my FTM files to a competitor and will likely not renew my membership with Ancestry. Poor business decision.

  2836. Lisa

    I can see that this is not a popular move from the hundreds if not thousands of disapproving feedback that you are receiving. What you are doing is taking away something that many of your subscribers truly use in the name of the bottom line of your company. I’m not sure if the changes that have been taking place started when you got new top management but I have not been crazy about alot of the moves you have made over the last year. In the not to distant past, you removed DNA results that had been done years ago because you said you came up with a different system. You thumbed your nose at long standing good customers and made us pay to retake the DNA. Now this. I will be rethinking my subscription and I know your management will be thinking all this controversy will go away after the initial shock and anger over the change. Then for you it’ll be business as usual. I think you are getting too big for your britches and need a wake up call that all of us subscribers are your bread and butter. Your customer service stinks and your notification process of changes on your website stink. RETHINK YOUR CHANGES

  2837. Mick Mickelson

    I, as with most genealogist I know, want to keep and control our own copy of our own hard won research data. One of the advantage of both Ancestry and FTM was the ability to do research on-line, but to sync and keep that data on our own computer (and hard copy prints) from FTM. With out that synergy, most of us will be less motivated to use Ancestry, or at least have a personal subscription. I think this is a bad business decision. I know my interest in Ancestry just went way down. Regards.

  2838. Chet Flahive

    Sounds like the company let a Trojan Horse in the gate and a bunch of accountants and lawyers jumped out. Losing the ability to printout FTM’s charts, sync and have the security and peace of mind in having an off line backup will only drive customers away. Saying that costly improvements to FTM are needed is hard to believe. Saying that it is cost prohibitive to just support it for browser upgrades is going to be a hard sell at best. Lost subscription revenue will dwarf any anticipated cost savings. This is quite a Christmas present you have given to My Heritage, Genealogy and Family Search. Hopefully the egos of the people who made this decision aren’t so big that they won’t be willing to correct their mistakes.

  2839. Jason Cerny

    This is a mistake unless they make all the features of FTM available online. Don’t like the idea of not having full control of my tree. Have invested a lot of time and money with them. Ancestry will become almost useless to me if I can’t print out my reports.

  2840. Jeanette Hancock

    I don’t believe anything we say will change your minds but I am really sorry to hear this. The ability to sync the trees is a fantastic tool. I have information on my FTM that is not on Ancestry so what will happen now. Sooo very sad.

  2841. I can only share the sentiments of the other many subscribers who feel betrayed by this decision. Not only will does this isolate long-time customers of FTM but many of those same customers were also Ancestry.com customers who will most likely be taking their business to competitor services.

  2842. Ellen

    I read your message about discontinuing Family Tree Maker with disbelief and great disappointment. I do not like Ancestry and do not want to be forced to use it, especially with the very poor new design. I purchased Family Tree Maker with the expectation that it would be a reliable product. Now this. You are putting your reputation at great risk. If you think that this response from consumers is a quick blip that will go away, you are wrong.
    The decision makers need to retire, not Family Tree Maker.

  2843. Anne

    I love FTM software so much that my testimonial has been looping on your FTM.com sales page for five years. Why would you continue to sell a product that will only last a year? The sales page is still active! I just purchased FTM 2014, not knowing it wouldn’t last. To continue to sell the software to unsuspecting people seems dishonest to me. You can take my testimonial off your website if you are discontinuing the product while leaving people unawares.

  2844. Kathy

    You’re retiring the software that coupled with your website garnered your customers’ hard-earned money and trust, and replacing it with – I’m sorry, what did you say our options were going to be if we wanted our work to be available offline? Oh, wait, you didn’t. I’ve invested a lot of time and money in my Ancestry research, and have stayed with you guys, despite the lack of a chromosome browser and the frankly disorganized mess that is the new format (we’re all adults here, you don’t need to spoonfeed us a timeline, thank you), but FTM is a valuable and integral part of your service, and to leave your customers hanging like that because someone at the top decided software isn’t making enough money is ludicrous. I think I’m going to start doing all my testing through FTDNA, because who’s to say what Ancestry will decide to retire next? Bad decision, and a poor way to treat your customers.

  2845. Olga

    I am truly amazed at the how many replies there have been in such a short period of time. This should tell Ancestry something. I agree with all the posts that I have read. I like the reporting capabilities of FTM and do not want to lose it. It looks like a lot of subscriptions to the website will be lost with this move.

  2846. Dan

    Wow, is this incredibly stupid. Your on-line site lacks many of the features found in the PC version and is not yet a complete product. How you can think it’s OK to stop supporting a product that people have used for decades because its convenient to you is beyond me (and many others it seems). We donated our trees and made you who you are, and this is our thanks? Disgraceful. I will now seek an alternative.

  2847. Tim

    I’m brand new to Ancestry.com and FTM, and purchased the max membership for the first year. I did so with the syncing feature as the main consideration – to be able to preserve an offline record and use the FTM features that Ancestry.com does not offer. So, I’m disappointed in this news and will be looking for another alternative.

  2848. Rob

    Another disappointing decision from Ancestry. I’m actually still using an older version of FTM. The newer versions contained nonsense like scrapbooking that weren’t of much use, and the formats were rigid. You tried to be all things to all people and it was a disaster. Your prices keep rising, and many of the records you tout as having added aren’t of much use to a sizeable chunk of your users. I agree w/ other posters . . . no need to renew

  2849. Antony Marter

    This is a slap in the face for all FTM users and I am disgusted. I have been a loyal user of the program for almost 15 years and have detailed records of thousands of my ancestors and family members which I use to compile my family history trees and volumes. In addition, the almost no notice advice is, quite frankly, a disgrace and any customer service worth its salt would have made sure this did not happen. So, Ancestry, how are we supposed to compile our records? Maybe the eventual aim is that you will tell us that we can use an Ancestry, on-line recording facility which will make available to the company all our research data. Just ask us to upload our FTM backup files and away you go?

  2850. daveluke

    I feel sorry for the Customer Service Reps, they usually are the last to find out anything from Ancestry, and now they’ll have to deal with this…

  2851. David Faux

    I am still not over getting shafted by Ancestry in cancelling all MyFamily services and offering no alternative or way to download the data input by numerous cousins, and all the pictures etc. It is all gone – and I am $2000 out of pocket. Now you get us all to switch over to Family Tree Maker from other platforms, then tell us that in 3 weeks FTM is gone. Where are your scruples. Where is any even vague awareness of customer concerns? Now you will be able to control everything since we must enter everything online and have no personal backup – and continue to pay over $200 for the privilege. The new interface is as clunky as it is possible to get, and the DNA testing is a joke. I have 3 grandparents born in the UK but test at 6% UK? That fellow who was German in your commercials, but now “knows” he is Scottish due to the DNA test (although you have no Scottish reference database) better reconsider. All other services offer the ability to compare matching segments – so even the DNA offering has more than a few rough edges (although I like the leaf aspect). Get you act together Ancestry – I really don’t need this service any longer. Nor do I need to have my 12,000 name personally researched database on the Ancestry site. Do you really expect me to renew – all things considered? In desperation – yes – if there is ANY sort of viable alternative – no.

  2852. Gene S.

    This blog is 4 hours old, over 3,100 negative comments! Ancestry.com has damaged their reputation beyond repair! I am headed elsewhere, Geneanet maybe.. anywhere but here.

  2853. Robin Hugg

    I will also not continue my subscriptions once I figure out what to do with my tree without losing data. I believe Ancestry/FTM stands to lose lots of money and get bad press in the next year. Bad decision if there is not a replacement program for current FTM users that ancestry will offer at a discount.

  2854. Elizabeth Wheeler

    I’m so angry about this that I just have to add my comments…you know strength in numbers. I do NOT like the program on the Ancestry website because it doesn’t offer all the functionality of FTM. I keep basic records on ancestry but ALL my records on FTM. I’ve never been able to sync these records. The programs just keeps telling me error this, error that and goes on and on . Ancestry you are a dirty dog to put us all at risk of loosing 40 plus years of research.

  2855. Robin

    So we have time to get all our links and other information saved so we can delete our trees from Ancestry. That is, unless you are going to create a link function with some other software.

  2856. Bob Clay

    Times they are a changing and I do understand this is a business decision. I currently have FTM 2012. Would you consider offering free copies of the latest release? Thanks and Keep up the good work.

  2857. Rod Owen

    Just one more comment — you do not “really appreciate” our feedback, and you are not respectful of your users. What you say you are going to do is very hateful.

  2858. RKK

    Just when we thought Ancestry.com could not possibly show less respect for those of us who have spent decades on genealogy research, now we see that there’s always more bad news in store for us from you guys. Enough! I am now actively discouraging new researchers from using Ancestry.

  2859. Floie

    I cannot believe this!…. Is there a suggestion about what I do after 2017 to keep my family research indexed on my hard drive? It may come as a shock but, I don’t trust “the cloud” to back up my research and keep it safe. FTM made it possible to download my trees with related documents and keep everything together as a backup with redundant backups. How will I get new people in my index? This will force me to Legacy Family Tree software and if that happens there will be no need for me to keep a tree on Ancestry.com since my trees aren’t and never will be, tied to outside social networks. And, if that happens, I will simply downgrade from my World membership until such time as I absolutely need it. But, as I am re-attaching all of my documents to a new database I’ll be thinking of Ancestry.com

  2860. Jake

    I too have worked on teaching, and rolling out National Programs fro several hundred thousand employees. Anytime, we were given vague wishy washy excuses as to why the program was needed, it always turned out to be a program that was ill thought out and designed causing untold costs only to flop upon roll-out. Any program worth it’s salt sells itself. But, I have not seen nor have we been told of any fantastic features or improvements for the users. Trying to work with the new Ancestry is like taking three giant steps backwards. It is totally primative in design and usability. I suspect that they can’t get the new Ancestry to work with FTM because it is to advanced for the New Ancestry to sync with. So it appears we are all going to get a double whammy. I think Ancestry is going to get a great shock at the number of angry customers who will not put up with the garbage and bail out.

  2861. There was always a possibility of this happening I have been at this game 40 years and have changed software many times my heart goes out to all of you who are effected I went to Rootsmagic my software went through this

  2862. Sharon Featherston

    I am at a loss of words. Disappointment doesn’t begin to touch on my feelings right now. I have used FTM for YEARS (and still do) in conjunction with my Ancestry subscription. Contrary to your belief, I think it’s plain to see that the genealogists you rely on for your paycheck feel the software is a much more valuable tool for their genealogy work than you do. If you were hoping to lose clients then I think you’ve achieved your mission.

  2863. BKM

    I am a long time Ancestry.com subscriber, FTM user and now enthusiastic AncestryDNA participant. I’m working on testing every relative that I can get to participate. I’m comfortable with cloud use, mobile apps, subscription fees as well as change…but this seems like a terrible, terrible management decision. Loyal users that have contributed to and built up Ancestry.com need off-line access to their data. It is like watching a good friend make a bad life choice…Bad business decision to potentially alienate and lose loyal customers. Companies come and go, I sincerely would hate to see Ancestry.com go.

  2864. John

    I agree with Carol above and many others, I use and pay for Ancestry as a supplement to my FTM tree/database. The Family Tree on my hard drive is the anchor. I am not about to trust it to Ancestry alone, who eventually charge me to access it. I will transfer to another program and I will certainly not send Ancestry anymore money. I hope they are reading these and taking note of the reaction. Penny wise and pound foolish, this will cost Ancestry huge amounts in reputation risk/deterioration and customers

  2865. NM

    The sync function is horrible anyway. I lost 2 years work during a sync failure – twice. I’ve learned to just use Ancestry for research, which is their strength anyway and have reentered everything for a 3rd time and now no more FTM. Do we just lose all entered information? There are many unanswered questions here. Customer Service is going to be swamped and just a warning I may not be very calm when I call.

  2866. Claudia

    This is one of your dumbest ideas yet. You need new management that actually respects the needs of the customers that you have. I will never put my family tree online and allow you to have so much control.

  2867. Mike

    Thousands of complaints about your announcement, all on Dec 8th the first day. Not one positive comment. Surely, Ancestry will get the message that this is an utterly dumb idea.

  2868. Darlene

    I Have been using FTM and Ancestry.com from the beginning. With over 70,000 people on my tree, I need a hard copy of my work. I also work a lot offline. I’m going to the Legacy ged.com program to replace FTM. I’m very disappointed.

  2869. Greg Wood

    As you see from all the comments so far, you at ancestry.com have come across as big losers and, as many have said, clueless and heartless. There is nothing like your product, so what was wrong with you being #1 in an important hobby? Your tv shows clearly show the importance of documenting family. Families live on, so how do we record those facts in the future? Hypocrites!!

  2870. Laura

    I’ve used FTM for over 15 years and have enjoyed one improvement after another, then it’s over — really?? Your announcement is so vague with regards to “What now?”. I agree with many of the comments above: FTM report/chart features vs. Ancestry; working off-line then using TreeSynch to update Ancestry; the list goes on and on. Please listen to your users and keep FTM.

  2871. Chris

    I’ve used this software since it was offered by Broderbund in the 1990s, and have kept the desktop version updated each and every year. I only post certain portions of my tree online while I’m working on them, but my “master” genealogy is in the desktop version. This decision is very short sighted, and I’m already looking for a replacement DESKTOP software. I’m also reconsidering my knee-jerk decision to renew my Ancestry.com subscription because it’s not worth as much if I can’t sync directly to my Desktop tree, and there are SO MANY other sites out there with other record repositories, it will not be worth it to continue with services from Ancestry. It’s a shame to see a company implode like this. It was a wonderful service while it was available!

  2872. Dianne

    Well thanks Ancestry for ruining my day. What a terrible decision. I prefer to use FTM for my tree rather than your site which from 2017 I will no longer use. Please reconsider this stupid decision.

  2873. Cheryl

    Just want to add yet another note of stunned disbelief. Saving our own data and being able to use it as we do with FTM is what we pay for. It should not be put into a vulnerable “cloud.”

  2874. What a short sighted decision that shows that your company really doesn’t care about real, grass roots family tree research. The corporate machine has spoken to the detriment of the loyal user! Ancestry has shown its real colors as a money grubbing corporation that only cares about expanding the bottom line.

  2875. lacygtch1 (Janet)

    This is the biggest mistake. You did not consult your public before making this awful decision. I think FTM is a superior product and I like having it sync, but I more appreciate having a copy on my computer, to access when i’m not in Ancestry. I do not like the new format for Ancestry and I feel you will lose a large market base. I have been a customer for years and this may cause me to reconsider that. Please listen to the thousands of customers who are telling you this is a mistake you don’t want to make.

  2876. Janet

    I was just charged $455 for my years subscription. Thanks to your cancellation of FTM, I will notify Paypal that I do not authorize your charge to my account. You blew it.

  2877. ANN

    You say the following in the instructions to comment: “We really do appreciate your feedback”
    Well if that is true, you will listen to the 3,000+ comments that have been placed on this site telling you that this decision doesn’t please your customer base. In fact, you may just find that your latest irresponsible business decision has such an impact that you may find ancestry dealing with a negative financial bottom line as your memberships steadily decline. I suggest you rethink this through again.

  2878. Mary M Zashin

    As I understand it, ACOM is owned by a venture capitalist firm. Such firms make a habit of buying companies, “streamlining” the business by chopping off any parts they believe are unprofitable (and incidentally firing people), outsourcing (often overseas) whatever can be more cheaply done in that way, then reselling what’s left. Another name for this companies is vulture capitalists. I think this is what’s happened to ACOM.

  2879. Bob Gifford

    I have comparing the online capability to FTM. How are we going to resolve duplicate people, edit places, media and sources. How do we backup something that’s online?

  2880. Mark

    This is surprising and not surprising. FTM as a piece of software has been going downhill for several years and it was obvious you did not have the talent in your programming staff to produce a quality product. The last really good FTM was version 2006. It was beautiful – very clean and simple and intuitive. I made the move to keep my data in Legacy some time ago because I could see the decline in FTM. I didn’t think you would fold, but the way you have been going I think it is the only right decision. If you think a large body of dedicated genealogists are going to store their data and work with it on your cloud site you are going to be sadly disappointed. Will the last person to leave please turn out the lights.

  2881. Brad

    What a huge disappointment. Have invested alot of time and money with Ancestry and FTM for many years. Will not renew Ancestry subscription anymore. Unbelievable and very disappointing.

  2882. Louise

    Just adding my voice to the 3k+ comments on this article:

    It would be nice if you gave us some more details about what you expect current FTM users to do in the future. From this very brief/vague blog post, it looks like you expect everyone to solely use the web/app family tree stuff? That is unacceptable.

    I use the desktop software because I like the control + features it has that the web stuff doesn’t. Are you rolling in features like printing charts (on my home printer, without having to go through MyCanvas/Alexander’s)? Will you allow me to at least sync from the app back to FTM, even if it is unsupported, for storage on my own machine? And what about images/documents that I need to have hooked into the family tree but don’t necessarily want floating around on the Internet?

    Your new web stuff is shiny and more mobile-friendly, sure. This is coming from a web developer — I know that a lot of users are cranky about new platforms, no matter how necessary the upgrades may be. But just flat out cutting loose FTM is not an upgrade — from your users’ perspective, we stand to lose a lot of useful features and privacy!

    I will try to be patient and keep an open mind over the next year. Maybe you are planning on rolling a lot of good FTM features into your app and you just didn’t do a good job making that clear in this press release?

  2883. Janet Price

    Hopefully you have been reading through all the genealogy message boards tonight like I have regarding this very upsetting news and realize you need major damage control fast to stop the exiting. How can you make an announcement like this and leave everyone in the dark about what to expect next? Should be interesting to see how your stock reacts to this news tomorrow.

  2884. Cheryl Bittner

    So what exactly do you expect all of us to do now? Looks like you no longer have any interest in customer service. I guess I would be well advised like others to never renew my subscription after all these years. Familysearch is looking mighty fine at FREE.

  2885. Tom Robnison

    Well, Started this project about 35 years ago, found FTM and Ancestry through my brother, traced our family back to Scotland, 1610. So….. what happens now ? Didn’t mind paying the annual “fee’s”, updating, upgrading, upwhatever, but now I mind….. So what happens when “you” no longer support the software ? Have anything in mind ? Have anything to replace it ? Are the current on-line files to remain ? Where’s MY info going, and whom has access ? Can I just get it back ? Maybe you just let me take over FTM and Ancestry.com. I suspect this comment will be like the “customer service” I’ve received in the past …. I’ll be here waiting …

  2886. ksleziak

    don’t do this to us! I have used FTM for 10 years. everything is on it. What other options do we have?

  2887. Mike Freyder

    Have you considered that the decline in desktop app may be due to the slow data entry and the bugs you never corrected?

  2888. John Noble

    Thanks a lot – typical lack of customer concern. I recently renewed my subscription to ancestry.ca but I will certainly not be doing that again. I will be looking for other software as well. Thank God I never put my family tree up on ancestry.

  2889. Sandra

    I have been using FTM since version 5 but I will have to start thinking of leaving Ancestry. I have over 16,000 people on my tree, so it is going to be a massive job to transfer it all over to another system. I found only one small comment by Ancestry saying it will not be sold off to another company as they will have the same problems. As there is already hundreds of comments here I would suggest you start to answer some of the questions before they get so angry that they leave en masse.

  2890. Brenda E.

    I am DEVESTATED!!! I just received an email from Ancestry.com announcing that as of this month, they will no long offer Family Tree Maker due to “… declining desktop software market”…. WHAT??!! They say they will continue to make information available and continue to ‘support’ current on-line FTM users through Jan 1, 2017 (1 year). After that, on-line family trees, etc., will no longer be accessable…researchers will be totally on their own finding historic information! Personally, I think this is horrendous…ESPECIALLY since WE have invested billions of dollars in their product and monthly dues! I personally have paid $359.40 per year for who-knows-how-many-years?!!! Now, we are forced to once again locate and frequent LDS centers and similar facilities; history libraries, etc IF we can get to them, etc. Since genealogy is the #1 hobby in the U.S….how can this be happening???

  2891. John Parkes

    Given the Family Tree Maker decision, Ancestry may loose the subscription base that has made their database the best option. I am not sure they understand their user base. Users want control of their research like hunters want control of their guns. If I was Ancestry, I would find a way to leverage your software development to support all platforms or else you may loose it all. Change by force is not good, just like abandonment by spite!

  2892. David Flesner

    I am deeply disappointed that you will not be supporting the Family Tree Maker software after 2016. The product has been excellent! Yes, I do look up some information on ancestry.com, but my principal tool is FTM.

    I would hope that you continue well beyond 2017 and into the future to support major bug patches and compatibility updates. I can live without upgrades to new features, but hope to continue using FTM far into the future.

    If the decision to drop FTM is not reversed, it will take decades, if ever, for Ancestry.com to restore its reputation. The pairing of FTM with ancestry.com has been very powerful. Without continuation of FTM, I too will be dropping my membership in ancestry.com. It is very sad when giants in business make an uninformed decision that leads to their downfall.

  2893. Jane

    Dumb decision, maybe it is time to check out the other alternatives and jump ship as it is obvious that Ancestry does not value its loyal customer base.

  2894. Mary

    I gave up ancestry when the price got to be too much – I use the desktop version of FTM and host my tree on tribalpages.com where I control who has access – can print trees and charts, store photos etc.

  2895. Carole

    This is VERY DISAPPOINTING news. I love FTM and the iphone app, and especially the tree sync feature. I do not always have access to the internet and LOVE having a ohone app that contains my data. Why in the world is this happening? If you don’t want to support it anymore, at least sell it to a company who will and allow them to sync with you online tree. I am very upset.

  2896. StuMc

    I’m as deeply disappointed as the previous 3,000+ comments post above. Hopefully you’ll provide customer service to help me understand why the product I bought is no longer going to be supported, where I can access the same features that make rectifying mistakes, removing duplicates and producing charts. My software is my backup and helps me work offline when I have no immediate access to the Internet. I struggle with the app to make more than rudimentary entries and attach pictures, the software is my media of choice. Will you provide suitable advice or, like so many above, am I to be encouraged to seek a rival product?

  2897. Judy Talbot

    I have used FTM from the beginning of my family search 25 years ago because it did what I need it to do. Now that I’m in my 70s I have more trouble learning new things. I certainly hope this doesn’t bring my genealogy work to a halt. This is rude and shortsighted of you.

    Judy Talbot

  2898. April

    I too and extremely saddened at this announcement, I have used FTM over 20 years and have a data base of over 11,000 names in my own family tree and several smaller trees in progress for friends, I have also used the DNA analysis and family connections have been made,

    This space gives us a place to vent our frustrations, but gives us no answers or options.

    It is my hope that our programs should still work independently on our laptop or desktop, but no longer will we have the hints or instant access to information we can source in our program. (Something I value greatly)

    My hope is that we can research what is available and find the next product that will help us continue productively in our research,

    I will rely on my genealogy friends to help find a program we can transition our FTM program files without losing any data.

    Would be nice if Ancestry made a smooth shift for us to the next option. I still haven’t gotten the bugs worked out when I upgraded from the 2010 version to the 2014 version.

    Surely there is another option waiting for us.

  2899. Diane Oldman

    Clearly other people are as unhappy as I am about your abandonment of FTM. As a lecturer in genealogical studies, I have been asked repeatedly “which is the best pedigree program to use”. I always answer FTM ….. not necessarily for its features, but because of its durability”. They will feel let down, as I am. I suppose your online family trees will continue with something of a loss of control by your users who will be forced to subscribe in order to continue pedigree software with which they are accustomed. A typical commercial decision by a company similar to Microsoft who are only interested in a “new market” and NOT loyalty to long-term supporters like myself – an FTM user and subscriber to ancestry for over ten years. It is literally a bad business.

  2900. Doug F

    I am very disappointed, I have used FTM from the when they started FTM. I think they should read these blogs and reconsider their decision. It looks like most of the bloggers are complete against this. We happen to be the ones that supplied all of the money for them to survive. I do not believe they are listening to their CUSTOMERS. They may find that they will have allot of EX-CUSTOMERS..

  2901. daveluke

    They don’t care people, money talks, pull your subscriptions is the only way to get their attention!

  2902. Judy Talbot

    I have used FTM from the beginning of my family search 25 years ago because it did what I need it to do. Now that I’m in my 70s I have more trouble learning new things. I certainly hope this doesn’t bring my genealogy work to a halt. This is rude and shortsighted of you.

  2903. Lisa Haas

    Wow! What an unexpected announcement. And not a good one! I’ve used FTM for many years and have subscribed to Ancestry for many years as well. I was so pleased when they offered the sync feature with 2014–a perfect marriage for serious researchers. First they change the Ancestry user interface (which most users hate) and now they are discontinuing FTM. A double whammy.
    I spend a lot of time on genealogy with FTM and Ancestry and I am very disappointed and unhappy. Ancestry certainly screwed us dedicated users! They don’t seem to care for the needs of their loyal subscribers. Why didn’t they ask for our input? Guess I will stop telling friends and family how wonderful Ancestry and FTM are.
    If they truly follow through with this, I will cancel my subscription and delete my trees. I will start looking for genealogy program alternatives.
    We need a genealogy uprising! I plan to contact Ancestry every day to demand they keep FTM. We need FTM and the sync feature!
    Let our voices be heard!!

  2904. Bob

    I am very disappointed by this announcement. I am not a “pro” genealogist and my guess is that most of us are not. What works best for me is updating my family tree in FTM and, if and when desired, uploading the updated tree to Ancestry. The basic format of FTM works great for me. I am not a big fan of the Ancestry family tree format once I upload my tree. You will have a very significant negative impact on the normal every-day family tree efforts of many, if not most of the people greatly interested researching and maintaining family trees.

  2905. Bob Gifford

    I just compared the online capability to FTM. How are we suppose to resolve duplicate names. How are we to manage places, sort media, manage sources, publish a genealogy report or any of the other charts in FTM. How do we backup what’s online?

  2906. Gail

    Add my name to the list of those who will NOT be renewing my subscription when it comes due. I got the subscription to ancestry.com because of how easy it was to sync information with my Family Tree Maker program, not the other way around. 20+yr (soon to be former) user. I will be using this year to delete any trees I may have online since I will soon not be able to update them.

  2907. Ruth

    I feel that this is a ploy to keep those of us with FTM from being able to continue to create our own reports, etc. without paying a fee for Ancestry to create them for us. I have been a member for years, but will not hesitate to cancel if a suitable software program ceases to be available.

    Nor am I impressed with the supposed ‘new info’ the DNA testing was to have provided. It was a waste of my hard-earned money.

  2908. Bruce

    I’m not sure what I can say that hasn’t already been said. But you have to know who angry your customers are. I will never upload my family tree to the cloud. I will find some other software package to use. And, as much as I like the Ancestry.com service, I will cancel it and continue my family history research using alternate sources of information. Without customers, you will cease to exist. Without Ancestry.com, I will continue to build and manage my family tree. I would rethink your decision.

  2909. Bill Facenda

    I have used FTM since1998. I might add that I have NOT liked FTM’s new look since about 2010. Any serious genealogist will want their files on their own computer. If this is how you are treating your customers, then you can count on not having my several hundred dollars a year for your Ancestry.com in the very near future.

  2910. Debra

    oh and I HATE the new Ancestry interface. Cluttered, clunky, can’t find what I’m looking for, tools are hidden in the most unintuitive places. Did a dyslexic 10 year old design it?

  2911. Jesse

    This is disappointing news. Will you provide other resources to be able to download content to PC’s? Some of us could care less about tablet and online and would rather use the software. I may need to re-evaluate continuing using my subsription if I cannot sync my software after January 1, 2017. I have used the software for years would like to continue using this since I have a large number of documents, etc…

  2912. rockwallbob

    Fire VP Kendall Hulet and continue with FTM, before he bankrupts your company with all the cancellations, including mine.

  2913. Marielle

    I’m really disappointed. I decided a few months ago to buy FTM. Using only the website to store my tree was becoming inefficient and I liked to have control over my data and have it on my computer. Now I don’t know if I will renew my membership to Ancestry.

  2914. Monica S

    I’m not seeing too many positive remarks here Ancestry folks. You might want to rethink your decision, or give us more alternative information on what we do next. I’m not alone in my dislike of the new Ancestry format, and I still want access to the features FTM provides, as do so many others on this page. So what do we do next?

  2915. Donnie

    Always about the money; and control. Force us onto your website for our work, force us to subscribe, force us to be dependent on you for our storage, access, etc. Then what, like the Russian hackers you will demand fees/ransom to keep “our” data accessible? I will look for any alternative, anything to keep from giving you any more of my money!

  2916. Darryl Rowe

    Well. Guess I’ll have to make a GEDCOM (?) and transfer to FTM 2006 and Family Tree Heritage while I look for ANYTHING equivalent to FTM 2014.

    The OLD web interface was much better. I tried the Beta and moved back. If and when you finally cancel support for TreeSync I suspect you will be canceling much more than you intend.

  2917. Hedy

    So very very disappointed. Actually, I’m panicked. How are we to proceed? Can I still use my trees? What happens in 2017? I’m very confused by this move. Do I need to find a new tree software? How do I work on my trees? So many many questions that need answers. I hope you stand by your subscribers and give adequate information. I’m so very very disappointed and panicked!

  2918. M. Paul Cook

    Shutting down FTM is a huge mistake. Amongst many of its attributes are the better chart and printing options. Merging duplicates is also an important task that it performs. I simply don’t see the Browser being a replacement to all the benefits of FTM. I notice there are lots of customers who feel likewise. In light of these events I will have to consider other genealogy programs and websites to replace the lost functions of FTM.

  2919. Cynthia D. Payne

    Oh no! This is terrible! I find the Ancestry website very difficult to use directly. I use FTM and love to sync with information that it finds for me on Ancestry. I don’t want to use just Ancestry. A lot of
    we genealogists are older and we want to stick with what we know. I’ve been using FTM for many years and appreciate its ease of use and the ability to work on my tree offline. I have over 20,000 people in my tree. I don’t want all of my research to be on Ancestry. Some of it is sensitive. What’s going to happen to all of my many years of work?

  2920. Cynthia

    I am not happy. I would say that Ancestry.com, the 800 lb. gorilla in the world of genealogy, just did a hostile takeover of its customer base. With this change, all of our family trees will be your family trees. I know quite a few individuals who only put limited family trees on the website for various reasons. This will no longer be an option. You will own our content, and you will have control over what sources are in our trees. Of course, this is all the while we continue to pay you $$$/year for your service. So much for privacy. My next step is to find a new software program that is user-friendly, and up-to-date in its features. I will not allow Ancestry.com to take control.

  2921. Cathy Burcham

    You will not have my searching here any more. You have made so much $ off people, especially those who have contributed their trees to your site. I think we should all get a refund. I am removing my tree too. You are losing people left & right.

  2922. Kristin

    Ancestry member since 2001. I will echo what has already been said above – horrible decision. I will be rethinking whether to renew my subscription. Much less utility if FTM does not interface to the Ancestry site.

  2923. Patrick O'Brien

    I can only say Amen to all of the posts already made today. This is especially galling because of your unique process of charging anew for FTM every you have what other software vendors call normal maintenance.

  2924. Jan

    I have just deleted 3 trees from the Ancestry website and if no satisfactory response from Ancestry about this decision I will delete the others and go elsewhere

  2925. Sheila Most

    PLEASE don’t drop Family Tree Maker. I use it as a backup in case something ever happens to Ancestry’s online site. And glitches do happen on websites. I would be happy to pay an additional charge if necessary, but PLEASE continue supporting Family Tree Maker!

  2926. CeeTee

    How do I remove my trees from Ancestry.com? I had a feeling giving them all my info was a mistake…sorry I didn’t go with my gut. But they won’t be getting any more payments from me.

  2927. Jeff Lee

    Can’t believe you Don’t have a product to replace this. FTM expanded your data base.
    Hope an attorney files a class action suit.

  2928. Doris Reitenbaugh Wills

    As of this evening you rank right up there with my phone service- extremely unhappy! Your efforts to make your trees more (something) are a dismal failure. Too glitzy, too childish, too MUCH. I have been an Ancestry member for a very long time and appreciated the searches and connections with other ancestry members. I do not, will not, put all my family tree information on the Web- bad place for mucfh of it. You charge a great deal for much that can be found on other sites and the new tree format is for the pits! Please reconside this current decision and restroe the family trees to their former design.

  2929. John

    Not a good thing!!! The integration of the Family Tree Maker and the Ancestry on line tree is paramount to my use of Ancestry.com!! What will be available to replace FTM that allows this type of connectivity? Looking forward to entering the sourcing for the over 6000 people in my family tree is not good!!! It is time you rethought this one!! A lot of people use Ancestry.com because of its integration with FTM without FTM people will use other web sites for research.

  2930. Ron

    This is insane. There is no way I will continue if there is no way to backup my data. I have enjoyed Ancestry for a number of years, but I can’t see continuing if my only copy will be online. I will be cancelling my membership unless there is another viable solution.

  2931. Sue Tucker

    I used the LDS forms for years…then Ancestry.com came about and I entered all my collected info, which is also on Family Tree Maker so I can show it to relatives who do not have Wi-Fi. I enter their info on Family Tree Maker while they recollect ancestors in their home, and can print some of the tree forms before I leave. I then later synch with Ancestry.com on-line. The best part of FTM is that I HAVE IT ON MY OWN COMPUTER. Now I have to get on-line on Ancestry.com because it is ‘on your systems’ and no where else….It seems like THEFT of the members right to have it on their own devices and reeks of GREED in your business model. Please recheck your Mission Statement and Guiding Principles. This is shameful, just as shameful as the switch to the ‘new’ dumbed down Ancestry.com especially without the options to publish the same forms available on FTM.

  2932. Sari Swick

    Your developers have NEVER asked what we the customers want or need. You just come up with unnecessary changes, most of which just delay our work. This latest development is unconscionable. You have proven, beyond a doubt, that profit come first. There must be some sites out there somewhere that you haven’t bought out yet.

  2933. Kathleen Norman

    This is a bad move, Ancestry. A lot of us like having our stuff on our desktops. I just re-upped my subscription for a boatload of money, but will probably let it lapse after it runs its course in a few months.

  2934. John

    So, the only part of Ancestry.com that makes the data usable outside of the website, you’re doing away with it? Well, I suppose having the ability to make decent charts and reports ourselves rather than paying you ungodly and unseemly amounts of money to do it for us probably isn’t much of a revenue generator. While I’m sure this idea is great for your bottom line, it sucks for us customers. I suppose this is what happens when a company is driven by greed and not a love of and duty towards heritage. Your investors will be proud that you’ve made this difficult decision in spite of your users.

  2935. Walt Figel

    What moron made this decision? He/she should be fired immediately and banned from genealogy field forever. Talk about ignorant – this is a prime example of stupidity. I would rather have you dissolve the online version in the cloud than the desktop version. I want possession of my work that is mine and mine alone – not some clap trap cloud version. This action just proves that you can not be trusted in any way to keep and store my data. Your complete lack of integrity in appalling at best. Users should now be considering a class action law suit against your company. Rene,mer – a company that can not be trusted is worthless on the market – and brother you are worthless to me and thousands of others. I hope you all lose your jobs and reputations in the market place.

  2936. Laura

    I am sure glad I dumped Family Tree Maker some years back. It was NOT designed by genealogist and had several poor report formats. However, it was very easy to enter names. To leave folks using it ‘up shits creek’ is not a surprise from Ancestry. The new website interface is HORRIBLE. Please give us back the old Ancestry. For those in the know, switch to using FREE Legacy Family Tree. Download your gedcom from Family Tree Maker, and you will not loose anything by importing it to Legacy. Also, check out Legacy’s weekly FREE webinars.

  2937. Jules

    The comments above capture my concerns and frustrations. This is a retrograde step and it needs to be urgently reconsidered. The website version of Ancestry has nowhere near the functionality and features that are available in FTM. I guess I will need to go back to Reunion but if I do that then there seems less reason to subscribe to Ancestry

    And what’s the story with announcing this literally a few weeks before you cease sales and closing down this blog on the 22nd? Don’t you want to hear what the user community thinks?

    Shame on you guys and shame on Kendell Hulett for the self-serving, duplicitous post that announced this disgraceful move.

  2938. I have to say that unless FTM is replaced by an equally capable complementary capability, I will have to take my comprehensive memberships, and business, elsewhere. Ancestry is NOT the ONLY genealogy service available and after all the customer service issues I have experienced, it may be time to move on…sad.

  2939. K White

    I almost exclusively use FTM and not your website. My website tree will likely not be updated without the ability to sync from my home computer and I am probably not the only person that will let their web based tree become inactive. Many new researchers find the web based tree’s an important place to start their own searches and find connections that they may not have made without other people’s help. That is what gets people hooked into your service. That is how you make your money. I would not have joined Ancestry.ca without FTM. Your web based product is not as user friendly. In fact it’s cumbersome and counter-intuitive. I guess many of us will have a big decision to make. My loyalty is to FTM and not to your web based product. So I guess that this will be my last year with you. Like all large companies you think that people will just complain and get used to the change. Some will but many won’t. I suggest that you listen to all your subscribers and review this decision. It may very well be a very costly mistake for your company.

  2940. Michael

    Your assumption that the desktop software market is declining is in error. I am fairly certain that any “serious” ancestry researcher has their primary copy of their hard found ancestry data on a personal computer (DESKTOP) with several backups, NOT in an online only cloud resource. Your decision to discontinue what is (in my opinion) the best software available for ancestry research is a “slap in the face” to those of us who have supported you and used the software for many years and I am pretty certain that your customer base will see a major reduction as we all look for and find a “DESKTOP” replacement. Apparently your managers who are making decisions like this DO NOT do any ancestry research themselves or they would NOT have made such a STUPID decision!

  2941. Robert

    I really, really like the FTM program on my desktop much better then the web version. You can do much more with FTM and a whole lot easier. I’ve been with Ancestry.com for many, many years and I thought you were getting it right. I can’t believe you think this is good for your business!! Is it because you have pretty much a monopoly? Bad move on Ancestry’s part. In summary, I pretty much agree with every one else’s comments above. Please reconsider.

  2942. Sheryl Londerville

    This is a horrible decision. What are we to do now? FTM is such a good adjuct to ancestry. I don’t think you’ve thought this through very well. BAD BAD BAD

  2943. C. Stuart Callison

    I cannot believe you would do this. I have been using FTM since 1996, when it was supported by Broderbund software. It is a superb database program designed specifically for genealogical research and recording. I still have a couple hundred CDs by which Broderbund shared family trees and historical documents long before Ancestry started putting them online. I have collected nearly 14,000 names in my family tree, starting with several thousand compiled through original research by my cohort relatives and recent ancestors and including nearly 1000 individual stories. FTM provides an excellent way to store, update and store this massive amount of information. Why on earth would you even consider dropping this fantastic tool for genealogical research?

  2944. Chuck Greene

    I’ve been using FTM for 18 years, and only just upgraded from Broderbund’s FTM 9.0 on an old PC to FTM for Mac last week so that I could continue my work on a Mac! Needless to say, I’m more than extremely disappointed. I can do without Ancestry, which I also just subscribed to for 12 months, but not without FTM, although after getting into the features of the new version I actually prefer FTM 9.0. Barring a reversal of this reprehensible decision, and assuming I won’t be able to get a refund on my FTM upgrade, I imagine that I’ll use the remainder of my subscription through 2016 and then cancel Ancestry. Talk about a dumb decision!

  2945. Dawn

    I can’t believe your doing this!!!!!!!! I don’t keep my family history online, I use my computer to store my trees. How do we transfer all the accumulated information to another supported program? This is a mindless move and you should be looking at the person who made this decision and asking yourselves WHY! It looks to me that the person in question is selling you out. I can’t see what point there will be in renewing my Ancestry membership

  2946. Paul

    I can’t even keep up with all of the comments they are coming in so fast. I just cancelled my subscription. I see it won’t expire till Nov 2016, maybe you will change your minds and get some of us back.

  2947. Jamie Franklin Golden

    I can not be a member of ancestry anymore if you do this. I don’t like this at all. I want to be able to sync my tree with ancestry and family tree maker this is why I buy an ancestry subscription. I believe you will lose a lot of business and there will be a lot of disappointed people including myself. Please don’t do this.

  2948. Kenneth Strout

    How about some answers to the above 1000 comments. I sure Ancestry is not going out of business with the money they are making so most likely they will have some kind of online database rather than the desktop software on each computer. Many people don’t want to share their family history with ancestry to be published so I think they may have made the decision to collect the trees completely on their servers. Regardless it’s a move to give them more control and more income.

  2949. melinda

    I have not been able to get my FTM to work in a while with syn with ancestry I would like to be able to get that fixed before you discontinue it. I am hoping I don’t loose my data I have on ftm. However I will be researching another company to replace ftm.

  2950. Sandra

    I have already posted one hour ago, and checked back on all of the comments. I want to add, I am one of the people in the country, with limited access to the internet and my desktop version keeps things safe. I don’t want my tree on a cloud. I don’t have a smart phone or an app, I just want to use FTM and Ancestry together. As Ancestry sent me the horrible news, I received yet another email on DNA, I will not be purchasing that, and I will not use your Academy, and I will not share my tree online.

  2951. Roberta

    FTM is wonderful software. It has enabled me to share my tree with others and fill in the blanks or information I didn’t know was available. If you are going to do away with this most valuable tool, it should be replaced with something else. It is invaluable and well worth the money. Please reconsider your decision on behalf of your users, future users, and their families.

  2952. Cary

    Extremely disappointed to hear this news. I need to have my research and data on my computer, not in the cloud. This will change our relationship which will no longer benefit you.

  2953. Raymond

    Bad idea, just recently purchased FTM 1014. I have been a member for years. I will stop my subscription the day I can no longer sync my tree with Ancestry.

    I will continue my tree and research from other sites. This shows me a lack of care from the part of Ancestry and a bad judgement decision,

  2954. Soo

    Me again. One thing the commentators above may not be aware, and that is FTM uses our browser such as Internet Explorer for it to work, like a lot of other software. With Windows 10, there is a new browser called Edge. Perhaps someone with more technical knowledge can explain the difference to us mere users. I have never understood why Ancestry didn’t have a FULL FTM program for us who do the research, and a viewing only program for our relations who want to share our research. That would be a good way of increasing profits and perhaps save FTM. I agree with those who don’t need paid for upgraded extras.

  2955. Michael

    I am deeply appointed. I too, would like a refund. I doubt you (ancestry execs) will be able to read all of these comments, but the significant issue I have is that ancestry.com does not have the same tools as FTM. Frankly, there are some tools on Ancestry that should be incorporated into FTM as well, but FTM is far superior. I know this is all about profitability, but please reconsider. This may create an uproar you don’t want to deal with.

  2956. janetshaw

    not Happy.. I like to work on FTM and then sync. Dislike the new format on the website that I am forced to use. I will not be renewing and I will not be recommending this program to anyone

  2957. Peter

    Let me add to the cacophony of protests from your users.

    This makes little sense at all. It’s like Microsoft saying “oh now we have a decent iPhone version of Office, so we will stop making the real Office.”

    Where to start? There’s a lot of stuff that SIMPLY CANNOT BE DONE on your web site. Not to mention how slow and ungainly the whole concept of a web-based app is for something this complicated.

    And your iOS version is a decent start. But that’s it.

    At a minimum, can you partner with somebody that does sell genealogy software as a replacement route?

    Because nobody but NOBODY that does serious genealogy does just on the web.

    Look guys, if the business doesn’t make sense. Then say so AND JUST INCREASE THE PRICE. Tel us that we have two choices (1) you will discontinue on 1/1/17 or (2) we will continue investing but the price will now be $200/year. Whatever. Give us some option and don’t just give us this middle finger.

  2958. Shirley

    So sorry to hear that you’re dropping FTM……..but not very surprised. You stopped supporting those of us who didn’t like any of the FTM upgrades after 2006 long ago. Loyal though, we kept right on subscribing to Ancestry. We just found ourselves doing double work…..updating the online tree in Ancestry and updating the FTM tree on our desktops. We realized then that a good researcher didn’t need the sync between FTM and Ancestry. Then you stopped supporting the Paternal DNA tests we’d done in 2008. Still, we supported you and paid our subscription dues. When I reflect back on your track record, not surprised at all.

  2959. Dallas Smith

    I want my money back and since my time is valuable, I demand a refund for trusting that you would be there for my research! You take people’s money, jack up the price year after year, then when people complain, you close shop? Isn’t fraud, embezzlement, cheating, theft, misrepresentation, all prison offenses? What about lousy business practices? Get all the upper management’s names. I’ll never deal with any company that hires thugs who don’t give a crap about their customers…WHO MADE THIS FTM COMPANY POPULAR. SCREW ME WITHOUT VASOLINE WHY DON’T YOU! You’re the assholes!

  2960. Lynda Combs Gipson

    I’ve never subscribed to Ancestry, but been using FTM since 1999 and only use my desktop PC for genealogy. I’m understanding that I will always have my work as long as I maintain my desktop and the old FTM software, right? What scares me the most is what happens when desktops/laptops are no longer available.

  2961. Richard Bochan

    scanning a number of the comments already provided, I find myself siding with the majority of the replies. I think your response was very shortsighted…it should have addressed your plans to replace the existing functionality, and, give some reason why your customer base would welcome your new approach. You can still recover some of your reputation, but your communication on the consequential issues needs to be complete and soon!

    Dick Bochan – an otherwise satisfied user although your software could use improvement.

  2962. Sylvia Simpkins

    Please, please rethink this horrible decision. FTM is so much more user friendly than Ancestry. The only reason I am using Ancestry now is that my desk top crashed and I haven’t replaced it. However, I can tell you that I do not spend near as much time on Ancestry as I did on FTM. Do not like Ancestry format. Please listen to your customers.

  2963. Paul

    I see Roots Magic wasted no time:
    Family Tree Maker® users have a new home at RootsMagic; Upgrade offer and Free Book and Magic Guides,

  2964. Kevin

    I mean…really? Will see how fast ancestry changes it’s mind when they lose hundreds of $300 subscriptions! Really bogus..

  2965. Eliminating Family Tree Maker is a horrible idea. I have been using that software in its various generations for at least 20 years. Ancestry.com and the Ancestry app are OK, but they simply do not compare to the versatility of FTM. At least you’ve given me a year to research a substitute software and transfer over to it. Hopefully, I will find one where it is easy to seamlessly transfer all my data. Once that is done, there’s a very good chance that I will completely drop my expensive Ancestry.com membership, since I pay its high rates only because it interacts so well with FTM.

  2966. There is nothing I can say that has not already been posted except this.
    When will we see the answers to the many questions and complaints listed here?
    If we don’t get them, it looks like a return to “Brother’s Keeper, so please work out a suitable transfer interface for the data I have built up over the years.

  2967. Valerie

    I am stunned!! I really can’t believe what I just read!! As a long time user and fan of FTM, I am sickened to hear that it’s being discontinued, especially with such short notice and without any kind of replacement strategy for those of us you’re marooning into outer space. You are abandoning your oldest, most loyal usergroup, who have supported you through all these years, and it’s such a shame. Good luck with your new business plans. You will need it.

  2968. Penny Miller

    For me the time that I have invested here is a greater loss than the money I have spent in FTM and the ongoing fees. I feel that they would not be able to take advantage of us like this if the competition was good.

  2969. Rae J

    I was extremely disappointed to read the news. I was also affronted by the balderdash justification of other significant investment and rhetoric of best possible experience when the customer was not consulted, indicating a short notice notification due to other dealings. The result I interpret is that the value of Ancestry and benefit to the community is under challenge by subscribers. Ancestry should come clean why FTM is being dropped or revisit the decision if it actually is that business blinkered, as it can be observed that the majority of users that took the time to comment and provide valuable market feedback are influenced by the use of FTM to continue their Ancestry subscription.

  2970. Alicia

    I have been using FTM faithfully since shortly after it’s first version was released. I have over 25 year’s of research in that program AND I have been a full paying member of Ancestry as well as Genealogy.com (when it was still around) since 1997. If FTM is discontinued as stated, I will be cancelling my Ancestry membership. Please reconsider this, it’s a bad business decision.

  2971. Raymond

    I suggest Ancestry members boycott the website and when they stop supporting FTM to unsubscribe. There are other horses out there.

  2972. Karen Carney

    I agree with many of the comments above. This was a poorly thought out announcement as it leaves far too many questions unanswered. Too many people have used this software far too long to be left hanging without answers as to how they are to continue their research and what to do with it. I am assuming that we can somehow do this on-line at a cost of $20+ a month versus a one-time payment for software. Seems to be a decision built on money rather than service.

  2973. Willene

    I am shocked at this news. I tried the new form of Ancestry, was not comfortable with it and returned to the former format for my on-line trees. I knew I would soon have to “bite the bullet” and go with the new format as there would be no choice. To add to that bitter pill you are taking away the Sync of the online trees with the desktop software trees in just one more year! No more support for the software after 2016. I guess I had best count my blessings in that I have a bit of time to decide what I should do for new software. This is all hard to believe. I feel betrayed. Happy Holidays to you, too!

  2974. Chuck Mc

    I am also very disappointed in FTM decision to end the software. I also have been using the software for 20 yrs. Back in the Broaderbund Days! I like having my own information readily available ANYTIME on MY OWN DESKTOP computer without possibly having it hanging out there on some cloud, that I may have to pay to see our personal information. I too may be looking elsewhere for new software that will treat their customers right. Note: maybe you take some of that $$$$ you spend on TV Show and put it towards something more practical than entertainment value!!

  2975. Carl

    Well … I have been using Family Tree Maker Software for about Twenty years. Seems like a bad move to me. Couldn’t this software be spun off or sold to another company willing to continue it?

  2976. Bill Skocpol

    I use FTM to store my information. It creeps me out that the LDS wants me to upload genealogical information so you can pray over my ancestors. I use Ancestry.com separately to discover new information. DO NOT make the stand- alone functions of my current FTM software CRASH when you remove the connections to your new Ancestry.com. Given that you have broken faith with your customers, I will have to find software from an alternative company to be sure to protect my information. Once I switch I will try other subscription services for finding information. That is NOT a good business plan for you. It would be a lot easier for you just to fire Mr. Hulet, or send him off on a mission somewhere.

  2977. Julie

    This is a terrible decision. How are we supposed to generate reports? Also, what backup will we have for our trees? Also, as others have said, the new format is ugly and full of software bugs–we HATE it. Whatever new corporate person or team is suddenly making decisions is an idiot.You are going to lose the trust and loyalty of all of your Family Tree customers, and you will never regain it back.

  2978. Melanie Patton

    As someone who has been using FTM since 2000 and a subscriber to Ancestry for the same time frame, but also a a computer software developer AND a business owner, I have to question Management’s decision to do this. I would be delighted to discuss it with you (free of charge) so you may avoid alienating all of your devoted users, while still finding a way to make it worthwhile.

  2979. Pat Galovich

    I am at a loss to understand why you are discontinuing the FTM software when it has been such a profitable product for your company for so many years. And, what about loyalty to your customers? I’ve been an Ancestry subscriber for several years and have depended on my FTM software since beginning my research in 1997. I’m sure there will be many, many folk not renewing their memberships. BAD decision Ancestry.

  2980. Jill Halley

    Thank you!
    Yes, I am sadly disappointed that my ability to continue with the FTM program is being affected. HOWEVER, all these comments have assured me of the fact that I am not the only fool in the world who refuses to publish online and prefers to keep their research in-house, sharing discriminatingly with friends and relatives. Apparently there Are others who believe the cloud is not the complete answer to every problem. Sadly, Ancestry doesn’t agree with us or is unwilling to support us for monetary reasons. You know, it is a business. I suggest you vote with your check books.
    I recognize the gut wrenching ahead will not be pleasant but realize that more states, governments and extraneous documents are publishing online everyday. Ancestry’s sources of convenience, (or as Don’s so aptly put it “spoiling” us), though will be sorely missed. It WILL make me a better researcher. Thank you, again, (she says with gritted teeth).

  2981. John Parkyn

    Ancestry often airs promotional commercials. Why don’t you produce a TV commercial informing the public of this betrayal?

  2982. Chris

    Poor move. The online version does not have the ability to create reports. The software complimented the website. Not a good replacement. Roots Magic has a special offer FMT upgrade. may consider and cancel my subscription when its no longer available.

  2983. Cynthia

    Just this past week I was telling a friend how much I have LOVED working with FTM and its interconnectedness with ancestry.com and TreeSync. I have over 11,000 names in my file, a couple thousand images and hundreds of source citations. Lovely. And I thought the DNA decision was a downer. This is ten times worse. This is a committed genealogists worse nightmare, just short of losing all their data.

  2984. George Bassett

    Legacy is a good alternative. Download the tree using a Gedcom file and load it into the legacy software. I have been using both and they are pretty much compatible.

  2985. Tom West

    Interesting bunch of comments thus far, don’t you think? Ancestry, this decision may rank as one of the most ill-advised calculations ever seen. You may not survive as a corporation. Re-think!

  2986. My subscription will be up in Feb 2016 and I am seriously considering dropping Ancestry. Also my cousin will drop his in Jan. We will both go to the library for research. Also thanks to the people who have added additional sites for us to use in their comments. I am thoroughly discussed with your decision but money talks. I will no longer recommend Ancestry as I have in the past. Let your executives walk away with millions.

  2987. Corinne

    You discontinue Family Tree Maker.. I will delete my trees on Ancestry, will not renew my world subscription, purchase Legacy and use Familysearch.org. I’ve been with Ancestry since the beginning and this new policy will mean I will part ways with Ancestry.

  2988. Linda

    BAD MOVE on the part of Ancestry.com. To retire FTM just because you want everyone to use your web based family trees is like abandoning the serious genealogy researcher. There will always be a need for a desktop software to record our genealogy. FTM is not the best genealogy software–there are others that much better. The ONLY reason I work with FTM2014 is for the syncing aspect when researching online and keeping track of my findings. I have recently purchased Legacy 8 and will be switching everything over to Legacy during the coming year. Thank you Ancestry.com for making up my mind to abandon FTM for the better product. So very disappointed the direction you have taken a once very good company–your pandering to the newbies who think, from your TV ads, that they will be back to “Adam and Eve” within that 2 week trial period is so misleading. In your wanting to get more paid subscribers, be dumbing down the website, you have actually made real research more difficult with each of your pitiful “upgrades”. Being an advanced and much experienced genealogist, I know how to recognize a good match, but your “search engines” only muddy the waters and are so generalized now which is making for some very poor “hits”.

  2989. Clay Coley

    I am really at Aw about your decision. I enjoy FTM and have used it for years, Apparently you have made no allowance for our desktop needs. I do not want to rely on having my files outside of my desktop. Have you not considered us? What a way to run a business!! I could go on and on but you have heard all of us voice the same comments. Now it is up to you to make this right or suffer the consequences. Make no mistake I like it the way it is. What is your answer????

  2990. David K

    I’ve already started to look for a new program and funny thing….FTM does not play well with others. I would lose all my notes and pictures. If you are baling out, at least provide a program that will allow us to convert to something else without the loss of years of work. Over 30 years in my case.

  2991. Lisa Lawrence-Hudson

    As a veteran member of BOTH your Ancestry and its products I think this is a BS mistake that is going to devalue the usefulness of your site and will warrant a decrease in the already high subscription fees. FTM is an integral part of making Ancestry the leader in the market but I guess you are opening the market for new competitors and options for us to explore.

  2992. M Lavery

    Heaps of unhappy customers. Hope everyone at Ancestry reads all these comments. We love FTM – not online trees.

  2993. Brian Stevens

    I am at a loss for words to express my disappointment! I will spend the next next year searching for an alternative. I will not store my data in the cloud only. When a replacement is found, I will delete all my information from Ancestry from which you profit and will end my subscription. I have subscribed for more than a decade, but NO MORE!

  2994. Pat Kittelt

    I have been with FTM and ancestry since 1999..DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO SUBCRIBE TO YOU. YOU GUYS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES, TO TREAT ALL YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS OVER ALL THESE YEARS LIKE THIS. FTM IS MUCH EASIER TO LOOK AT YOUR FAMILY SITE THAN ANCESTRY ANYWAY

  2995. RC

    I sincerely hope you have a replacement software in your future plans and you grandfather all of us affected for no-cost access.

  2996. Jeff

    I too have been using FTM since the first iteration. This decision shows a complete and utter disregard for your loyal customer base. I don’t want to trust the information I have in FTM to the cloud or to any external service provider. Hopefully someone will step up to fill the void. Other than new primary sources being indexed and made available on Ancestry much of what is available online is no longer reliable. It is too convenient for new users to vacuum up names and create new trees. With little research or understanding many of the new trees are grossly inaccurate. This just wasn’t the case when I first started. With the demise of FTM I will have to seek a new solution. I certainly will not be considering anything Ancestry has to offer in the future. Customer satisfaction is clearly not part of the Ancestry business model.

  2997. Ray Justus

    I am really disappointed to read this. I have been using Family Tree Maker exclusively starting with version 3.0 over 20 years ago. Does customer loyalty mean nothing anymore? I tried other applications from time to time but none had the flexibility I got with FTM. I also had an original MyFamily.com group for over 12 years that had grown to 165 family members when Ancestry.com cut the cord last year after several years with no application improvements. I felt deserted then and now I feel worse. Is there any way to get in touch with the new owners so we can try to get them to understand the importance of having a system that is not totally dependent on the “cloud” that is likely to become obsolete and leave us hanging. I am seventy years old and not is a position to start over building a new database from scratch. Surely there is a way for a company to make money providing us what we want. If you need volunteer programmers to keep it going, please contact me!

  2998. LM

    This is one of the worst announcements I’ve received from a company who presumably wants me to switch to another service it is selling. Your team needs to do a better job at explaining what current customers of the Family Tree Maker are supposed to do with the information they’ve already collected over the years.

  2999. Mary

    I have over 2000 people in my file, how will I be able to convert this to a new program? I’m very disappointed in your decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker

  3000. Dee Burr

    I have never used the sync and did not intend to. All my work is on FTM and will continue to do this. I feel like with the exception of the actual data most of Ancestry is now unusable. The new “family page is all but worthless” Shared trees is very hard to use in the format they are. I have been with FTM since version 2 and Ancestry since the beginning. As said by others, Ancestry does not care for their loyal customers, only the new folks who have no clue on how to do genealogy. Just go claim someone elses’s work as their own. You will never own my data as I will not put it online. My 32 year and over 15,000 individuals stay our of your hands.

  3001. Ken

    I know you think you will make more money this way, but you will not. You will now charge a fee to do online what we do off line now for just the cost of FTM. I too will delete my online files and just use the free internet to do my work.

  3002. Margaret Bishop

    Sitting here reading your announcement and am feeling shell shocked. Are you out of your mind. Again am happy I didn’t let my tree and all that encumbers to Ancestry. Just had a gut feeling about losing control of years of my work. This is a huge error on your part and hope that you will rethink your decision. Your loyal customers deserve better than this decision.

  3003. EK

    This is so BIG BROTHER it’s frightening. Why on earth should I do all this research, and spend all this money year after year for a subscription that continues to make it more difficult for me to locate information about my own family and at the same time take my work as their own? Well, the saying goes fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. The first time was the ridiculous change to this new Dr. Seuss like interface that we are forced to use. 2nd is this decision to hold my hard earned research hostage. I have stayed around too long it appears, and believed that the consumers best interest was at the core of your business practices.

    If you had the same or comparable tools in place online, which have been great to use through the software, I could understand it more. Still wouldn’t like it totally, but could tolerate the displacement into the concentration camp a little better.

  3004. Gerri Dalton

    Dear Ancestry.com After the agony of getting into tree sync worked out and getting the hang of FTM it is now being stripped away from all the FTM users. I am beyond disappointed and I have expressed this view on your FB page and other sites. There are thousands of people that use PC based software and FTM is the most used program for family history amongst my circle of friends. Not everyone like web based, online trees. Ancestry trees are far too limited and really are only good for beginners who don’t want to write a book or share serious research.
    I have watched several of Ancestry you tube videos by Crista Cowan telling us how much she loves and uses FTM and even educated us to use Ancestry through FTM. What is going on? You are contradicting your own staffs and confusing all the FTM users.
    I note that no PC based software or app is being offered as a replacement to FTM. Does this mean that there will be nothing other than the Ancestry on line tree? Yes you are supporting this for a year, big deal when our research goes back hundreds of years. One year is a fly dot in time.
    Has anyone thought to take a pole on the FTM users and ask them how they feel about this?
    I understand profit and good business but what ever happened to the image that Ancestry portrays in their tv advertising, what happened to that image about Ancestry cares? Obviously you do not consider your users because if you did we would have been consulted about this.
    Looking forward to some sensible news that Ancestry will reconsider keeping and supporting FTM or offering a viable and affordable alternative.
    Not everyone has unlimited internet every day of the week – something that people living in big town and cities forget about.

  3005. Marilyn Withrow

    I also am VERY disappointed! I must have 8 older versions and always loved the program.
    I always got help with any of the programs and thank you for that. Now my feelings are hurt!!
    I hate to put my trees on the internet because people think they are members of my tree and have REALLY messed it up.
    Please do not do this.

  3006. Cecile

    I can’t understand this move. We bought software because we don’t want to have all of our valuable information in some cloud that may disappear the way you are making FTM disappear. What am I supposed to work on next year? I don’t want to put a ton of effort into an FTM program that won’t be there in 2017? HELP!!!!!! HELP!!!! HELP!!!!!

  3007. Charles

    FTM 2006 was the last decent version of your software. I still use it and recommend it to people starting genealogical research. As you can see from the thousands of negative comments, you have blundered again. There really is not substitute for FTM desktop software. What a colossal mistake from the obviously clueless.

  3008. Val

    I am very disappointed to hear this. I have been a subscriber for many yrs with ANCESTRY and also have FTM on my computer for my own use so I can syn my trees. Now with hearing this will not be able to. There have been a lot of changes with ANCESTRY and not happy. I don’t think I will be subscribing in the future as you have not taken into account US. Not a good decision as you can read from all the comments.

  3009. Andrew

    This is retarded!! I just started using the desktop program and my family tree project this year. So after 1/1/17 how can we update tree’s by storing everything online?? I don’t have my current tree saved online anywhere only my desktop and subsequent program.

    I hate that you’re going the way of MS Office etc. where its all online BS. Not cool Ancestry…not cool.

  3010. Janice

    “These changes are never easy, but by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community.”

    Really? And have you come up with a way to print the reports on ancestry.com? Just another slap in the face to your “loyal” FTM and ancestry.com user. You need to refund the purchase price and all the upgrades I have paid for over the years. On ancestry itself, you should lower your rates to reflect the downgrading of ancestry. Stop overthinking everything, we don’t need 10 additional clicks to see one item and we do need FTM to write our family reports. What is the matter with you people?

  3011. Linda Airgood Neal

    I am heartbroken. How could you do this to me? To all of us? And to announce it during the Holiday Season is just cruel…I agree with all of the others. This is so devastating. I loved TreeSynch even with the problems I’ve had with it. Maybe it’s time to just put together a little family history book, submit it to the local library and be done. How disappointing. Will watch the news for Ancestry’s decline…I was hating the “New Ancestry” format anyway.

  3012. Scott V

    If, (and that is a BIG IF) you could make the website work as well as the FTM I would consider this announcement a step in the right direction. I have spent the better part of two years on my family history. FTM is far easier to use than the website and seems to have so much more flexibility and far more features than the old website and the new website combined. I certainly do not know the financials that this decision is based on. I do however know that the FTM product is far superior to your website product. Again if you read any of this outpouring from your obvious current customers, read that you have a long road ahead of you. Please listen to the people that are a part of your revenue generation, provide the same FTM experience on your website. It would be my guess that if that were the case already, these comments would have be less numerous and far slower in being posted.

  3013. Carla millet

    Stopping the family tree make software is crapp. I just bought mine. Also have spent to much money on ancestry. I will expect a full refund of my money for buying the software. The day you stop it I’m done with ancestry. My family has well when I tell them what you intend to do. I’m pretty sure you people make enough money off us poor saps to keep the software going.

  3014. BobMcA

    First you mess with a perfectly usable product on-line and create a useless piece of crap. It had no meaningful changes that actually helped. Now you intend to discontinue the only product that lets us produce print reports for family, conduct and update/research records when not on-line. For those of us who are not totally comfortable with having everything “in the cloud” eliminating FTM is probabilistic.It would appear that the only reason for these changes is to “consolidate” all our research safely in Salt Lake. .

  3015. I second all the comments above. I didn’t see a single instance of agreement with your decision by your faithful followers. Please reconsider or if you still want to do what you said you would, tell us how to rescue our data.

  3016. Kiely McGregor

    So disappointed, I think Ancestry will now become one of the many sites that I subscribe to for a month here and there rather than a constantly updating subscription. But hey everything happens for a reason, maybe we will all find something better!

  3017. Ralph

    Of all the bonehead ideas! What are people supposed to do if they don’t want to, or can’t for some reason, get online???? For instance when traveling etc. and have no internet access. Are we just supposed to sit on our thumbs??? This smacks of techno-ego decision assuming that if you aren’t online you don’t count. How stupid can you get?

  3018. Erik Nielsen

    If the Ancestry website only provided 1/4 of the functionality of FTM I would not be upset. I will plan on terminating my relationship with Ancestry on your terms…January 2017….your content is not unique but FTM was….

  3019. Peter Nixon

    This is a very commercially driven act with no consultation with the users. You must surely understand that a lot of family history research is done OFF line and a lot of the time where there is no wifi or internet access. The web site does not have the features of FTM. I believe this decision has been made for the wrong reasons and should be reviewed at a higher level within Ancestry.com not just be left to a product manager who may well be working for Coca Cola or some other organisation next year, leaving behind a mess without being responsible for the consequences.

  3020. richard

    REALLY? With all these comments, all so negative and I also agree, WHY?? It is impossible to navigate and I am YOUNG! Nepotism at its worst??? Who the heck was hired to make this mess??? Please figure this out.

  3021. Betsy

    I am feeling angry about this. Why did you wait until now to say so? My membership was renewed 2 days ago and now you tell us? That is not fair! I did not get to make an informed decision. So now I am out that money and you have not even bothered to tell us what takes the place of using Family Tree Maker. Mine has been frozen for about a year or so and I was just hoping to get help to unfreeze it so I could actually work on my tree. Now what is the use? It would not even sync last time, so I am out whatever info is trapped in there and wasn’t synced to my Ancestry tree. Guess I need to carefully remove everything I can and go back to just using paper? Seriously wondering if I should just quit doing genealogy. No place in this house to store more binders – already over-run with genealogy on paper that never made into my FTM or Ancestry trees since my FTM kept freezing.

  3022. Will P

    It has all been said here above. I didn’t see one positive comment. Family genealogy is a serious business, with lots and lots of time and money and heart to it – all the photos, the tombstone transcriptions, the carefully deciphered hand-written letters from the early 1800s… These are what flesh out my family tree, all entered into FTM. Good grief, what were you thinking?

  3023. What in the world are you thinking??? I have used FTM since its inception and have well over 35,000 entries. What am I supposed to do now. This is a serious breech of trust You need to reconsider your decision as I believe you are making a big mistake as you are totally abandoning the loyal customers that make up your core group of followers

  3024. Marie

    I am NOT happy about the decision regarding Family Tree. I have subscribed to Ancestry for many years and this truly gives me a strong reason to not continue. I’ve been using Family Tree since BEFORE you bought it and utilize many reports that are not on Ancestry. With this decision I truly believe your empire will soon crumble.

  3025. jim

    This really stinks. Without FTM I don’t need an ancestry.com subscription. I’ll just print my tree in pdf format by family, stick them in a binder, and walk away. In our world today, literally everyone is in it for the money, and provider service means almost nothing. Apparently you’re no exception.

  3026. t.emmons

    It seems you are out of touch with your customers’ needs. By not providing this product which we longtime users have invested much time, it appears you are forcing us to rely on your online services only. The online services only option does not fill all of my genealogy needs.

    I was attracted by the dual power of online/offline tied together by Treesync. Without that synergy you are reducing your offerings/features to be on par (subpar) with your competitors’ offerings. I don’t understand why you would surrender the high ground to your competitors and dumb-down your offerings. Now I’m forced to look elsewhere for the right solution for me.

  3027. Kevin Smith

    Is this just a ‘ruse’ to get more people to pay your yearly fees? Will you please sell the rights to FTM to another supplier so that my 20 years of collecting family info can continue on to my children. What a POOR ‘slap in the face for users of FTM. You should be ashamed of yourself for this breach of trust.

  3028. Chris

    This is a REALLY bad move! FTM makes tree maintenance SO much easier! How do you suggest we go about exporting a particular branch of a tree or resolving place names or making mass updates? These are just 3 things of MANY that can NOT be done online. The new interface is OK, but it’s nothing to get excited about. It has slowed some functions down and has problems of its own. For instance, I’ve been sending examples back and forth to support showing how the Relationship Information doesn’t always show up when you go to view a profile, but FTM gets it right *every single time*. I hate having to click on an ancestor instead of just hovering in order to get to the Quick Edit and Profile options. There’s an excellent argument to be made to keep things lean and mean instead of pretty and bloated. This is where Ancestry is now with the new interface. And now you want to do away with an indispensable tool? That’s ridiculous!

  3029. Sam

    This is one of the worst improvements Ancestry could announce. There are many millions of us out here using your products, purchasing all of your upgrades, and continuing to pay fairly hefty subscription fees to access your website and to also keep copies on our desktop. Also, there are so many things we have learned to do in Family Tree Maker that simply cannot be done on the web. Now I have even purchased 5 of your relatively expensive DNA tests only to find you will be shutting me down on the software. I will not be using Ancestry any longer when the support for the last version has expired, and hopefully with all of the millions of people who have depended on you over the years for this research, I will just be another one of the millions who go elsewhere. This is a nice slap in the face for those of us who simply do not want everything in the cloud, or on our phones. Please, when you discontinue the product on Dec 15th, do let us know of a more respectable company we can sign up with as we leave your fold.

  3030. Carole

    Are you out of your mind! What a nasty Christmas present. I have used FTM from the very beginning and want to keep using it forever. I have been a loyal Ancestry customer and then you do this! Shame on you. I think this is all about “You” and “Profit” and not about all of your loyal customers. I hope you rethink this disgraceful idea and do it soon.

  3031. Rich

    It is disappointing that you made the announcement to stop selling FTM and didn’t include information regarding what products/services that will replace FTM. There are many features of FTM that are able to be used offline for research as well as ensuring backups. I have added many pictures and documents that I don’t necessarily want online. I will start my search for a replacement program as well as re-evaluate if I will continue my long term subscription with Ancestry.

  3032. Ken Decker

    You got to be kidding! After all the untold hours I’ve put into your program, what happens to that? FTM will not be able to sync to any other online program, will it? So all our work will be lost? What a disservice you are doing to your trusting customers. I opted for Ancestry because you HAD a good reputation. I can’t believe you are doing this, leaving us holding the bag! I am trying to control my comments, but what I think you are doing is a disgrace to you company. Is this the action of some newby officer? If so, he/she should be fired immediately. Merry Christmas, BAH, HUMBUG!!!!

  3033. Stu

    This is a horrendous corporate decision that not only reveals neglect of ancestry’s current and long term customers, but outright disdain for them. As a more than decade long subscriber of ancestry.com and user of FTM, this egregious corporate move will compel me not to renew my World Explorer membership and to activate a subscription with MyHeritage, instead.

  3034. Ann Morse

    All I can say is “Is this really necessary”? Like the others, I have been using this programme since 2006 and I hope you will answer all the questions in this blog and tell us what we are supposed to do after January 2017. Not impressed. Thank you

  3035. Julie

    I am very disappointed with this announcement. I have used FTM since 2008 and found it very good especially with the Tree Sync capabilities. However I find the new layout of the Ancestry website not very user friendly and much prefer the old interface.
    I strongly will strongly consider cancelling my membership it this continues.I have several trees on FTM synced to Ancestry. The use of computer software is not declining, I’m sure many prefer to have their trees on a Computer and not just a tablet or phone.
    I find this a disgraceful thing to do to many loyal users, with no definite explanation!

  3036. Joseph

    This is shocking news. What a stab in the back to loyal customers. Why couldn’t you sell it to someone who might have kept it alive?

  3037. Ken Ludt

    I have spent thousands of dollars over the years on your services and software. I don’t want to have to work online all the time. Really disappointed. This is the attitude of a company that holds too much of a market share. Time to vote with my wallet and explore other options.

  3038. Jim

    Wow can’t believe that FTM will be discontinued. Not a happy camper. What a terrible marketing decision. When I received the announcement I immediately clicked on the blog to see others reactions. Not surprising that everybody is posting negative feelings about loosing FTM. Please reconsider.

  3039. Annette

    I cannot believe this is going to happen. There is a lot more explaining to do on your part. This can be devastating for people who do not have regular access to the internet.
    After all the money I have I have invested in your company over the years, you do not feel you owe us, your customers any more than this. There has to be more information, a way for us to interact with the trees. I can only imagine that your fees are going to skyrocket eliminating even more people who have been loyal to you all this time.
    I will be rethinking my position. At this moment I don’t know what I will do. I assure you I am not happy.
    Annette

  3040. Ruth Baker

    Sorry but your letter to discontinue the FTM software set off a firestorm. You need to explain what will be available for us to continue our trees. Most of us are not crazy about the online set up it is hard to use and hard to make changes on. GIVE US MORE INFORMATION. Help us all undertand what this means for those of us who keep out tree’s private????

  3041. I’ve never put my family tree in ancestry and have used FTM since early 90’s. I have older version which no longer does Web search because i prefered that version. So does this mean I have to buy new version to put in Ancestry.com just so I can use ? I think I’ll be done with Ancestry also. Real nice to give such short notice….especially during such a busy time of year.

  3042. Robi Malone

    What!!??? I have been using FTM since it came out. To lose it is disheartening. I hope that the support and an update will continue long after 2017.

  3043. Roberta

    I cannot even comprehend why you would make such a radical decision, without leaving us with acceptable alternatives. We have used Family Tree Maker for more years than I know, and have enjoyed the ability to sync with Ancestry.com. As of this time, I am also considering not renewing with Ancestry.com in January. Your greedy approach to family research has gotten more & more apparent through the last several years–but this decision takes the cake! I hope other forum members will help me decide on choices available.

  3044. Cheryl Bisson

    Bad decision to discontinue FTM. If you won’t support me, one of your customers, I will not support you. When my subscription to ancestry.com comes up for renewal next month, I will cancel it.

  3045. Cheri

    I would say you’re kidding, but it’s not April. Like others who have commented, I use FTM to print reports that I cannot print from the online tree. Are you going to build that capability into the online trees? Another issue I would like to comment on is the image viewer. For the past two months, the navigation has not been acceptable. Browsing a census or book is nearly impossible. The image either does not respond, certainly not to a left click and drag, seldom to a scroll wheel, or over-runs uselessly. I hate it and have gone to other data bases to accomplish the same task. The image viewer never had behaved like this before the switching to the “new” ancestry format. I have liked the sync capability with the online tree and the FTM software, despite a few problems now and then. I do feel betrayed since you are not offering any options, just an apology. You all are probably thinking “they’ll get over it,” but from the uproar, I’d say you have stirred a hornet’s nest of faithful subscribers.

  3046. Brammell

    yep…pretty much a FU to our software users, you can pay our outrageous fee at ancestry.com or pound sand. sort of like the guy who bought the $13 per dose medication and changed it to $750 per dose…why? well because he can!!!

  3047. Phyllis

    I, along with all the other people above, think this is a terrible move. I, also, have used Family Tree Maker since the days of Broderbund. You have used, and sold the information I provided since that time. I, too, will cancel my Ancestry.com subscription. But, I won’t wait until 2017 to do so. Why waste the money for another year? I can find another program to transer all my data to, and go forward from there.

  3048. Terri M

    How disappointing… I will no longer use Ancestry for anything when that time comes! I love Family Tree Maker and I am sure there are other sites out there that would be more than happy to support us. I don’t like the changes that have taken place lately and I am sorry that you are not wise enough to see that these changes have NOT been for the better. How disappointing for all of us.

  3049. Mary Ann Raley

    I think this is a very bad decision and a very shabby way to treat your subscribers. Is Ancestry going to have all the functionality of FTM, such as exporting reports? How are we supposed to add information from sources other than Ancestry? Books still do exist, you know. Additionally, half the time when I attempt to access Ancestry from my desktop (as opposed to my laptop), it either crashes or simply won’t work. Please reconsider.

  3050. John Tuohy

    Just plain shameful. Your organization should be ashamed and embarrassed in the manner you are supporting your loyal customers.

  3051. Betty

    Well, Ancestry – these are your users who have created the best of the best family trees on your site. For the most part these aren’t the casual beginning users, they are the expert ones who have been adding important and correct data to your site. Remember – the family tree data to which you sell access? That data that your company didn’t have to pay for? the data and connections that users actually paid to add? the data that made your DNA info valuable? the data that made you more than just a collection of document references? While it’s been useful to be able to sync with the tree on Ancestry and pick it up on other devices, many of us will simply use ancestry as a general research tool and no longer update the online trees. The big loser is going to be Ancestry and its other users.

  3052. Don

    So. Now that you’ve steamrollered the competition, you can sit on your collective, monopolistic behinds and profit from substandard subscription software and the sweat and labor of the subscribers and government agencies that collect data. I could keep ranting but I’m just too disgusted.

  3053. Donna Thomas

    The ability to sync an online tree with FTM is a huge selling point for Ancestry. It allows to easily download copies of records and photos and attach them to the correct person, without a lot of tedious manual work. Good for those of us with sizeable trees. Why you would want to disappoint such a large portion of your customers is simply beyond me. A horrible public relations mistake!

  3054. Carole Pfisterer

    I cannot believe this news, and I do not believe that desktop software usage/need is declining! I agree with all those expressing their complete disappointment with this decision. I too use FTM exclusively for several very large family trees, with Ancestry.com as simply a research tool. FTM is by far the most intuitive software I have ever used. It is simple, concise, and logical. I agree too that the new Ancestry appearance is confusing & messy. Please, please reconsider–there is no replacement for FTM and your assumption that the online Ancestry is a viable option is incorrect. The joy I have experienced using FTM is about to end and I cannot express my sadness. Again, please reconsider!

  3055. David

    Strongly support the suggestions to make FTM open source. Unfortunately that will not drive people onto the Ancestry site (and lock them into ongoing subscription charges) which seems to be the objective of the exercise. Kendall, do the right thing and resign.

  3056. richard

    Oh please, figure this out. I have too much to lose and will be subscribing to REUNION again. OH PLEASE FIGURE THIS OUT! Would much prefer Ancestry but are you BANKRUPT or what???

  3057. Egbert

    Who ever made this decission I´m sure it’s a wrong one. Did you ever asked your customers, the people who pay for the software and memberships? Who pay for a different language version? I guess not! I hope you are reading these comments. I was relying on your software and I’m in the phase of finishing a printed family book. If you value the future of your company you should rethink your strategy
    – See more at: https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2015/12/08/ancestry-to-retire-family-tree-maker-software/?o_iid=9972&o_lid=9972&o_sch=#sthash.DP3ctDvQ.dpuf

  3058. Cheryl

    Ditto, Ditto, Ditto, Ditto, all of the above. Ancestry wanted too much money to download my family information.

  3059. Lora

    I will not be able to continue with my subscription on ancestry unless I have backup software. I have thousands of hours of work, and there will be a day I cannot afford the subscription and need to use the backup software. It is actually better than the ancestry site. I think you will lose a lot of customers who see it as I do, that if they work on your site, they are committing to a lifetime of subscriptions. No way. I’ll have to start all over and build my work on free familysearch.org.

  3060. LenL

    My wife and I have 30,000 entries in our family tree with 10 years of hard work. If you respected your client base and their years of commitment to this program you would find a purchaser who would be prepared to continue to support it. As soon as a competitor offers us the opportunity to download our data into a secure alternative program we will surely be obliged to at least consider it. Your goodwill , if there is any left, will rapidly disappear. Please change your course. 3500 comments in 4 hours should give you some measure of the disgust FTM users have with your decision.

  3061. Virginia

    Please say this is not so. I have used FTM for years and maintain my master genealogical database in this program. I can easily search it, print reports in that I can share in pdf format. I use the tree sync to maintain a backup of my work, but my master copy is on my computer. I do not find the tablet versions (iPad and droid) user friendly, so I carry my laptop with me to meetings and to the library. I hope the response to this announcement will convince you that this is a very poor decision and that you have not adequately surveyed your customer base.

  3062. Sheldon Rhodes

    Earlier today I suggested that a friend buy FTM and listed the features and benefits. I have been a user since your very first version I believe and have bought many updates over the years. I love the software. I’m guessing you figure you can make more money by selling subscriptions than you can software. So the decision was based on money in your pockets and not on what works best for the end user. I think it is a poor decision. Even if you don’t update the software, let us continue to use it the way you told us it would work when we bought it. Please reconsider.

  3063. Donna

    If you do this I promise to campaign to all of my geneaology buddies not to use ancestry.com. FTM is so much better than the mickey mouse way to navigate/research on the ancestry.com website. I have been using FTM for about 10 years and I have over 7,000 names AND thousands of hours worth of information, stories and photo/documents. I agree with everyone’s comments above … this is a BAD mistake. One last comment about syncing with ancestry.com … many, if not all of my stories, photos and documents do not sync and thus if you want to preserve this information and to share with others on ancestry.com you have to place it all over again which is not good and takes too much time. Offer us something that will allow us to continue FTM as it is today. Please …

  3064. Erik Nielsen

    If I can’t download and document the sources of information, what good are you….13 years of FTM and data subscription done….must download everything as soon as possible and investigate alternate information sources that can sync with software.

  3065. Howard Morris

    From the list of negative comments, I doubt that mine will make any difference, but like so many others, this decision to end FTM will cause me to no longer subsdcribe to Ancestry.com. My family tree is my information, and I will choose when and how much to post on the web. It sounds like if you continue with this stupid idea, you will loose an extreamly large number of Ancestry subscribers. If so, it is deserved.

  3066. dp

    I will agree with most of the comments made so far. Printed reports/trees better on FTM, website not great and not intuitive, not worth risking all tree info on a cloud server somewhere. Have been using family tree software since Broderbund sold CD’s of data and updating it every 2 years or so.
    Not a good decision to abandon so many; result will be their abandonment of your site and its costs.
    Hope you have very large server storage to hold all the comments between this announcement and 22 Dec.

  3067. Pierre A

    Looks like someone is going to takeover Ancestry, The buyer does not want to purchase FTM. What else could it be? I found that FTM was easy to use, and gave me all the reports I needed from the tree. Sorry folks this decision has got nothing to do with satisfied customers, Just how many desktop users are there using FTM? So many unanswered questions and our comments are going to be cut off 22nd Dec 2015. I’m keeping my trees on my computer. I’ll just have to find some other software.

  3068. Kathy

    This is very sad and from what i’ve experienced of the new Ancestry look, I don’t like it. I’ll be discontinuing my world membership next time renewal comes up. Thank goodness I never put any of my trees online. Members of the Mormon church have been given free Ancestry access, correct? It makes me wonder if eventually familysearch.org will get absorbed into Ancestry.

  3069. Jim K

    Very disappointed to hear this. I used FTM and Ancestry to write and publish a book that took me nearly three years of research. I was even looking at getting copies of the software for several relatives this year who were impressed with the charts and trees that could be printed (I took the files to Staples and they used their large-format printer.) After a recent family reunion, I am making massive amounts of updates and corrections (except for my carpal tunnel surgery, which limited the typing and keyboard entry I could do for several weeks.) I understand you are running a business and have a right to stop making products. But, do you have some sense of responsibility to the thousands of customers like myself who have supported you and your families and business over the years, loyally? Is this just abandonment by some Harvard MBA who sees the company as a cash cow to be squeezed dry for stockholders and quick profits, or by someone who has no appreciation for the work it takes to research and pull together a family tree over a period of years? I hope, in a spirit of corporate responsibility, that you personally research and recommend a next-step path for those faithful users of your FTM product. I’m not asking for a crumb or a bone. I would like to request your recommendation for whatever competing product best aligns and integrates with our current FTM software products. I see where others have indicated they may also be dropping their Ancestry subscriptions. When my current yearly subscription expires, I will probably do the same. For long-term research, we need long-term solutions. Thank you.

  3070. Octavio Choy

    Very disappointed with the news. I hope that we can find an alternate software program. It has taken me years to build up data, and now I have to either create a new data or transfer. I am 73 years old, and I hope I
    have time to finish my genealogy project.
    Very disappointed

  3071. Wanda

    Agree with all above comments. I too am one off your defenders through your…….New version??? I not only am upset, I feel betrayed. Thank you so very much for your loyalty. Any recommendations for new records and software? Anyone??

  3072. Lynne Martin

    BIG mistake! Do you think your loyal customers are kids who are into th cloud? We’re the ones who have been with you over several FTM versions and operating systems. I never use Ancestry.com because it is not user-friendly. I enjoy the program & finding other relatives but will proceed to look for another platform. My membership expires in March & I hope to have all my updates done by then so I don’t have to renew. I will not be considering your DNA program either. Watch as others go, as your bottom line hits rock bottom!

  3073. Joanne Peterson

    Count me as another VERY unhappy customer! I have loved FTM and used it ‘forever.’ I actually use 2005 because I found later editions too cumbersome. I have the later ones, but just do not use unless someone sends me a file I need to view with it. As someone dangerously close to 70, I cannot see me having the time/energy/brain power to cope with learning a new program. PLEASE reconsider this for us seniors!!

  3074. Jon Holcombe

    This is outrageous!!! And I thought I was relying on a reputable company. How do my interested grandchildren tie into my 3 decades of work?????

  3075. Debra

    I am in agreement with many of the other people commenting. I rely more on FTM than I do ancestry because FTM allows me to print reports and put together books. I do not see this option on Ancestry, nor does Ancestry allow me to back up my tree to my own computer for archiving except when I sync it with FTM. Without FTM, I will be losing too many features that are important to me. I also agree with the comment that the Ancestry App on the iPad is worthless. It is slow, and often crashes or freezes when used. I have found it a big waste of time. With this loss, I too will more than likely stop renewing my Ancestry subscription, and I wonder how having no subscription will affect my access to the trees by other family members who are currently sharing with me and searching for relations through the DNA part. I agree that this is a bad move, especially when it had such a negative effect on so many of your current users.

  3076. Lisa Lawrence-Hudson

    I want my money back for FTM 2014, I will be paying individually for sites and utilizing free sites. Other software is available to be used with FREE sites. We can go back to gumshoe. FTM makes Ancestry.Com convenient and sets them apart with and edge above their dna competitors. Without it, you are just another company with a database. There are many, many free we can access. Please, strongly reassess this poor decision. The ‘cloud’ isn’t the answer as most people in this discipline isn’t caring for that technology–preferring to keep our personal data under our own control.

  3077. Just a bad decision. sad to see what Ancestry has become. It would seem that the comments posted here are only the tip of the iceberg. Hopefully, someone at the company will do the right thing and address the concerns here that have been presented. How about simply reversing a bad decision?

  3078. Ray F.

    Although I am disapointed that Ancestry.com is giving up on PC genealogy software users, I can live without their support.
    I’ve been using Family Tree Maker ever since my computer operated with Windows version 2.1, and have updated to later versions as my computer operating system changed.
    I have manually entered 20,914 individuals into my primary FTMaker file, every one of which was manually entered and with at least one (and usually multiple) sources for every data entry relating to those individuals.
    Having used various versions of FTM, I have mostly favored versions 4.4, 6, 10, and 13 (2006). I have bought and tried later versions, like 2011, but didn’t like them and have stuck with versioin 13 (2006).
    Anyway, as long as my data files can be used by my friends and relatives, I don’t care if Ancestry.com quits selling FTM.
    The idea is to buy up on available older versions that are compatible with my favorite version 13 (2006).

  3079. Alan

    Discontinuing FTM is nothing to be proud of. I’m disappointed! And if you stop supporting a sync between FTM and Ancestry.com, I’ll be downright mad. I’m not going to abandon a locally stored repository for my work. If I have to manually transcribe entries back to FTM, why continue a subscription to Ancestry!

  3080. Diann

    Not sure what will happen when Ancestry “accidentally” looses all my media, like they have done once before, and my only salvation was that I had saved it all on FTM. And you had to walk me through retrieving it. I hope that Ancestry will also add some nice reports that FTM has available.

  3081. I am in shock I am in my late 70’s and felt so confident to pass this on to my children to continue with the same layout i have used for years. I started with FTM 18 years ago and loved the connection when I joined Ancestry. It was the only reason that I joined. Please please reconsider

  3082. Sue Goodrich

    I have been a member of Ancestry since 2005, and have used FTM ever since it became available. Sadly disappointed to hear of your plans to discontinue FTM support, and echo many of the unanswered questions listed above about how we as individuals continue maintaining a desktop top database with FTM and sync with what is online. I just renewed my world membership for the year, but will have to reconsider requsting a refund instead of paying membership for a full year unless you give better information and advice to your longtime customers.

  3083. Theresa

    I am very disappointed in this decision. I have been using FTM for more than 10 years. I have on-line trees but not with the detail that I keep on my PC version. I guess I’ll be looking for new software and spend this year getting everything moved over. And as far as my subscription to Ancestry…well that will be going away too. Bad decision on your part.

  3084. Lisa

    Guess I will be removing my trees from Ancestry. They don’t do me much good since I can really do much with them with out a membership which cost to much for me.

  3085. E Woods

    I am very disappointed. I maintain my tree on my desktop in Family Tree Maker. I do sync to ancestry, partially as an additional backup and I had just about decided to make it public. I probably won’t do that now. Is there another software that we can use on our desktop and then directly search ancestry? I do not want to rely on keeping hours and hours of work in the cloud, nor am I very comfortable with making all my data available to others. There are things for living people in my tree that are sensitive, like social security numbers and birth certificates. I want to control my data. I pay for an ancestry subscription to get data. I do not believe I should have to give away control of the data I worked hard to accumulate. Please reconsider this decision.

  3086. Chris

    Don’t count on Roots Magic working seamlessly with Ancestry:

    “UPDATE: We’ve had many people ask if we could work with Ancestry.com to integrate with their website, similiar to how Family Tree Maker has done. We’re very willing to make this happen and have let them know this. If this is something that you’d find useful, please contact Ancestry and let them know”

  3087. AbbyKatNZ

    You have got to be kidding!!!! I just purchased FTM Mac3 less than 4 months ago!!!! This has to be some kind of joke, right? Well, if that is the way you want to treat your subscribers – shame on you Ancestry, I am now off to search for an alternative. I would rather you spent your time and energy on keeping FTM going and less time on that slow and buddy app that keeps shutting down! Most genealogists are older people who prefer to work on their desktop, not on a small screen mobile device – myself included!

  3088. Glen Hamilton

    You have at least three other choices that I would ask you to please consider, and comment on: #1) Provide FTM as a free desktop application. Since you aren’t making enough money on application sales, use it to build the community. That would be a very powerful move… and in the end you can always change your mind and discontinue support if you needed too at some point in the future. Provide the FTM download for free but charge for premium (i.e. human mediated) technical support, for those that need it, on a per incident or per year/subscription basis. You could even include ads in the application and monetize the now much wider use the application, or #2) Charge much more for FTM to help offset the hard costs and limit feature creep in new versions. Those who need it will pay for the convenience and efficiency of the application, and lastly #3) I hope that, regardless, you will open your platform APIs to third party developers. They will invest in supporting the loyal community that has grown up around Ancestry, and that is the reason for your success. If you need to, then charge them per API request… but do so in an affordable manner so as to encourage a vibrant developer and user community around your platform.

    FTM is fundamental to serious genealogists who have Ancestry subscriptions, helpful to the beginner and much much more efficient than your user interface. Don’t kill the killer app. By killing FTM you will encourage the growth of WikiTree and other free and paid services and the development of applications that support them. People will use Ancestry.com for research but think about other options as the home of their authoritative current family trees online.

  3089. Don LeClair

    This is just a sad decision. I have used FTM since V3. Ancestry is nice, but there are basically no reporting capabilities at all. If you really are killing off FTM, it would nice to have at least equivalent capabilities.

  3090. Kitty

    Apparently Ancestry knows what is best for all of us. Genealogists are a tough bunch. Look how many seasoned researchers are commenting on this outrageous decision. New researchers aren’t impacted nearly as much because they haven’t devoted years of time and money in their research. Some are looking for instant ancestors and Ancestry seems to be accommodating by their new kindergarten style website. It would appear the Ancestry has made their decision and is unlikely to seriously listen to the comments here. Fortunately we have a bit of time to move our trees to other programs. Perhaps someone on this blog can create a new blog where we can support each other and figure out what it is we need to do while we go through A.com withdrawals….you know…another 10 step program. I feel your pain as we are all in the same boat…

  3091. Sue

    This is just awful! I agree with everyone on how horrible a move this is from Ancestry. I have used FamilyTreeMaker since it was Broderbund. I have purchased every upgrade. I have over 50,000 entries, thousands of photos, docouments, facts and sources. It is specifically arranged the way FTM wanted it down to date and place structure. I never tried any other software because I LOVE FTM.

    I keep my tree on my computer and do not want it left in a cloud with all of these treasures attached to it. It should be our choice what we keep on Ancestry and the rest must have a place for storage on our desktop.

    I easily download all information from Ancestry to my files with the top package. How will I get this information in my tree now? Hand extract everything? Why would I pay that kind of money for that. I could drop Ancestry and use free FamilySearch instead, but then rumors say that they are partnering anyway, so this is all quite interesting.

    Why advertise FTM as the #1 purchased family history software and then say it isn’t doing well enough? I just don’t get it. WE HAVE BEEN LOYAL TO YOU. Show us the same respect. Then if we keep using it regardless, we run the risk of software issues which you will no longer support or upgrade and this is a great threat to our information.

    PLEASE DON’T DO THIS. Thank you.

  3092. ShawnaW

    I am not a happy customer! The decision to discontinue FTM will ruin 15 years of work. With as many names as I have, there would be no way to add all the information to another site….I am at a loss, WHY!

  3093. Hank

    Stop whining people, there’s not a damn person up there listening to you. So they’re dumping their software, and their website is going to hell in a hand basket (recent “upgrades” are a mess). I may stick with these clowns for a little while longer, but I’ll be taking a very long hard look at the LDS site, or other alternatives. Been impressed with what I’ve seen on the LDS site recently.

  3094. Gerard Moore

    What terrible news. This really sucks! Like many people who have already made comment I have spent many years researching and adding to my families tree and now what? No options, no alternatives! This is one of the worst decisions I have seen this year – even worse than accepting Trump as a potential Presidential candidate.

  3095. Ron Williams

    More negative response from another long-time user of both FTM and Ancestry.com. I really like and use the integrated approach of a good program synced with the Ancestry data base. I do my searches in both directions. I just renewed by subscription to the All-Access Ancestry, and am now having second thoughts. I don’t see many positive comments above, and agree with most of the negative thoughts. But, again: Why?

  3096. Carolyn

    Just what everyone else has said before me. I am truly disappointed in the decision to discontinue FTM. At least I have some time to do some research to find another software and web site to host my family tree information.

  3097. Judy

    I’ll add my ‘Say it ain’t so!!!!” to those above. The desktop software is for serious researchers and has worked for me since its inception. The online only option is not an option here. And without continued support and ‘fixes’ from Ancestry… the future is dim.

  3098. Albert

    That’s disappointing. Love the desktop application – just bought the most recent one a few weeks ago. Again, disappointing…

  3099. Sharon

    So FTM is not going to be software any more. Anyone have a replacement out there? I will search with ancestry but no not happy. Prefer off line working

  3100. Louis Leurig

    It is unfortunate, and having gone through discontinued software since the 1980’s it will not stop for some time. But cloud applications also have a way of being dropped, sold and changed, or being changed by the places like Ancestry to fit their own needs, or like Microsoft trying to force changes with new operating systems. Now that I am 85, I like having a desktop for a variety of reason and use RootsMagic and an older version of FTM; but do not put any active trees on line. Also use TNG as well as my own website. And back it all up in cloud, aux drives, and dropbox. Hopefully that will last my lifetime — but I also printed out a book just to be sure!

  3101. Barbara

    I agree that a choice for a stand alone program that can sync with Ancestry is a good option. I have used both for man years; however, using Ancestry for recording my family tree is not going to happen. Paper and pen—here I go again.

  3102. Richard

    I am very disappointed by this decision. I prefer to keep my information on my desktop not in “the cloud”. I have taught genealogy classes for over 15 years and showing comparisons of various genealogy programs; FTM has always been the best product available. I won’t be recommending it anymore! I think this is a poorly thought out decision. Not everyone wants a “virtual genealogy program”. Check out the backlash that Adobe faced when they no longer provided hardcopy versions of Photoshop! If something isn’t broken, don’t try and fix it! I will not be renewing my membership. In fact I may just give up genealogy research altogether!

  3103. Sharon

    No, no, no!!! I take my laptop with me when I travel. I don’t have access to the internet in a lot of these places, and prefer to have my tree on my laptop, so that I can work on my tree at any time. What am I supposed to do now? What a monumental stuff up, definitely the wrong decision on your part. I think you need to re-evaluate your decision before you lose many loyal customers.

  3104. Joanna

    All these complaints and not a peep from Ancestry. Well that pretty much says what they think about their subscribers. When they do respond, I’m certain the spin will be dazzling. I just renewed for another year and I am stuck. So angry and really feel scammed. This company just gets worse and worse.

  3105. Dale Caron

    I just bought the latest, I’ve had almost every version since the beginning, and now you are quitting on us? Unconscionable! Using Ancestry online without FTM is like buying a 1950’s car in 2015. Reports??? none, editing out portions of your file??? So many things us Genealogists do won’t work. Will Ancestry.com support Syncing with other software, like Legacy?

    I really thing this is a BAD decision, and one that was not made by anyone that does genealogy research. Who would decide this if he worked with FTM at all?

  3106. We can be sure that this action is being done to create more income streams. Expect more options to buy products. I suggest that FTM users get a MAC and convert to REUNION software. It is very good, much better than FTM.

  3107. Beth

    If you really do appreciate our feedback (see above statement) then you need to reverse this decision. Watch your bottom line suffer as a result of this poorly thought-out and untimely decision.

  3108. Peggy

    I too, after many years of subscribing to Ancestry, will be cancelling my membership. I don’t see the point since the big advantage was being able to sync online records to my FTM. I don’t want my only current tree online. Bye bye Ancestry. This was not a good business move.

  3109. Over the years I have recommended ancestry to many of my friends and spent many hours and a great deal of money composing my tree.as many people have done. I will be checking to see if there is any legal options or recourse against ancestry.
    I also believe that you are using false advertising in the state of ND, that should be checked into.

  3110. I can’t believe you are abandoning FTM. I use it when I’m in the field to load in data so when I get home all I have to do it is to get on-line and it automatically upload all the new data and sync’s the on-line. Talk about talking a step backwards. Your new version of ancestry.com is a step backwards also and now FTM disappearing. Now I have to go shopping for a software package that will give me the reports and everything else FTM has. I invested alot of money on annually fees only to have item that my genealogy life easier and now you’re yanking it away. Are you going to include all the reporting, etc in the on-line ancestry?????? or are you going to leaving us all high and dry.You are leaving us high and dry.

  3111. Maureen

    I knew there was a reason I didn’t put my whole tree on line. I’m one of the original group of Family Tree Maker users and have continually upgraded with new issues. I urged many to use this database and now feel totally abanded. It seems Ancestry is just concerned with money. I recently had my DNA tested and was going to have my brother and 94 year old mother tested. I’m glad I didn’t, will go elsewhere. I’m totally discusted with the requests for money, money money. Ancestry no longer cares about customers. Thanks for nothing!

  3112. Patricia Watermeier

    This is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a long time. I have been using FT since 2002 and now you tell me it won’t be supported any more. This is a terrible decision and – like much of corporate America, your company has become greedy and shows total disregard for people who have been supporting Ancestry.com and FTM for years. I have continued to pay for an annual subscription even when the cost continued to rise, but now I doubt you will be hearing much from me when it is time to renew. A company that has no loyalty to their customers deserves no loyalty from the customers. This is a disgrace and if you really cared about your customers you would reverse this decision. Even CocaCola went back to its old formula when the public rejected “new Coke”. Lets hope Ancestry has the nerve to do the same and support their customers.

  3113. Joy

    Irritated and disappointed like everyone else; hate the new website and was considering not renewing my membership anyway. This just made up my mind for me. Adios, Ancestry, hasta the lumbago!

  3114. I can’t believe you are doing this. Bad, bad move. I have used FTM almost from the beginning, and every bit of my research has ended up being loaded only in FTM. I use ancestry.com for the research and record everything in FTM. I have over 6,000 persons on my FTM. I use your website sync feature as backup for my FTM. What do you expect us to do after 2016? I would expect you will lose significant market share. The decision stinks, and you had the gall to just let us hanging with no explanation as to what we can do going forward!!!

  3115. Paul

    The FTM software was glitchy and a memory hog and all around awful. But, it was still better than nothing. I hope this is just an opportunity to let competent software companies fill the void and allow syncing, while Ancestry does what it does best, namely provide a wealth of records.

  3116. J Giles

    Seriously!!!!! I just brought this software last week! I feel like I have been scammed. There was no notification of this when I brought it. If I had known this I wouldn’t have wasted my money!

  3117. Sharon Wilcox

    I use Family Tree Maker all the time! All my family history records are in this program. . .PLEASE DO NOT discontinue!!!

  3118. djarnet1

    Well they are still going to get over on everyone – Had just renewed world membership last month (After many many years of paying them) and they will not reimburse you – they will keep your membership open until it expires – NO REFUND!!! My trees are now gone!! What a way to scam!!

  3119. Bill

    Judging from the comments your announcement is not being well received. Over the past few years you have been buying up several volunteer gemology sites and started charging for their use. You are beginning to act like the “robber barons” of the 19th century did. You now charge for each type of access
    I like many of the posters fine the web version quite lacking. While FTM never was perfect it was easier to us that the web site and it was easier to backup. In addition with the data on one’s computer there is less worry about accidentally exposing ones family secrets to the world.
    I think that killing FTM is a poor and greedy move.

  3120. Robert Ross

    I’m not sure there is much more to add to the above 3600+ negative comments. (Although I have not read all, I have yet to see a positive comment of those that I have read.) An incredibly bad marketing decision. I keep 400+ years of family history I my MAC so I can work on whenever I want; none of it is on Ancestry.com — and I’ll add my dislike of the “New Ancestry”

  3121. Raquel

    Please, Please do not do this. There are things that I can’t do on ancestry.com and I really love having both. PLEASE!!!!!! This is not a change for the good at all.

  3122. John

    I think a lot of people don’t understand how software companies make money these days. Money is made by constantly bilking your existing customers for more and more “add-on features” and subscriptions. This is a brilliant decision in terms of making money. That chart you used to print in FTM? Well, that’s now $5.95 add-on to the $189/year you’ve already paid them (Or, buy 3 now and it’s ONLY $4.95 apiece!) Those Census images you used to download to FTM so you could create beautiful stories about families and print them out for Grandma to see? Well, now you can download them one-at-a-time for JUST 99 CENTS EACH! Want to fix all your disparate location data? Well, Ancestry.com’s NEW and EXCITING service will help guide you through the process, click here to UPGRADE for only $49.99/year.

    For all those saying this is a “dumb business move,” you really don’t have a very good grasp of what business is. Sure, maybe they’ll lose a few thousand customers… but they’ll make that up with all the add-on charges they stick their remaining customers with in the first year alone. Figure it out people, Ancestry.com wants money. They don’t care about your great-grandpa’s neat story of coming to America, they don’t care about the neat chart you’re making for your family reunion, they don’t care about your family or your ancestors any more than in the sense that you give them money to do this stuff. The End.

  3123. Sue Goodrich

    I echo many of the sentiments and questions listed above. As a continuous member of Ancestry since 2005, and the user of versions of FTM since it was made available, I feel at a complete loss. My world membership was just renewed for a year, but I will have to be reconsidering paying for a complete year with this news. It sounds I will need to begin looking for a program for my laptop to rehost my years of research on, and begin considering using other websites for my research. So disappointed in this move.

  3124. Carl

    I think you will regret this! The on-line version is no where near an acceptable substitute for the serious genealogist. Agree?

  3125. Gerald

    I like the hundreds/thousands folks above feel betrayed by this action. We have grown up together as a community with our research and record building and now that we have funded your growth with the tandem (paid) use of FTM and your web resources you choose to remove a critical tool that makes a subscription to the web services useless. That is unless we want to continue to pay you to sell our data to others while we pay for the privilege to upload it for your convenience..

  3126. I don’t believe your company is NOT making a sound business decision to abandon the very community of users that use your product through the software Family Tree Maker. You are creating a real hardship and wreaking havoc on any of my future plans using ancestry.com . I am truly saddened by this reckless decision by the world’s largest public company for genealogy. The board of directors should be ashamed!

    Letters can be sent to Investor Relations at this link: http://ir.ancestry.com/contactus.cfm

  3127. Karen

    U.N.B.E.L.I.E.V.A.B.L.E! Anything for the mighty dollar while all of your subscribers have to pay for information WE have Given you. I will use my FTM until the last moment but WILL NOT be renewing my subscription. And I agree with all the people before me, your on-line dumbed down version is unacceptable as a replacement for FTM. You can’t have my personal notes and my very long personal source list!!! Better have another brain storming session and reconsider or some smart young people are going to come along, steal your show and wipe you out of business.

  3128. Roger Hastings

    I like how the moderator is keeping 2 additional comments of mine off this blog. Nothing noxious, just my comments.

  3129. Richard Platell

    This is a truly awful, despicable decision and I think it will backfire badly for Ancestry. Personally I would never switch to an online-only system, and if FTM disappears I am sure there are plenty of similar programs out there that will be ready to fill the niche – I will simply switch to an alternative software. It’s a shame really as FTM has many useful features, but I will not be bullied by Ancestry into conducting my research in the way you say I should, or only using the tools that you provide. I wish you had stuck to simply being a provider of quality genealogical data but it seems as though you are trying to become a one-stop, automated, “push-button-to-make-your-tree” shop, and if the customer don’t like the way you do it then tough! My sub expires next week – I will not be renewing, instead I have taken out a sub with FindMyPast. Bye bye, Ancestry :wave:

  3130. Al

    FTM on the desktop is the only solution for managing a tree with in excess of 30,000 distinct names. The app based Android and ios systems is useless unless you wish to speed hours downloading everyone you make one change. This decision was not well thought out and will result in the majority of serious, dedicated users dropping Ancestry!

  3131. Barbara Dean

    I have been working on my data-base for 25 years and have thousands of names. It would take the rest of my life-time to print out everything I have and retype it into a new genealogy program. How in the world can we save our years of work on our own computers??

  3132. Bill Anderson

    Not happy. I am really not a fan of the on-line interface (which I did just try again tonight and while it has changed, I still don’t like it). I do realize that the overall market for desktop software is shrinking. It’s an inevitable march sad to say. I also do not like the fact my only editing choice will now be the cloud. I have other programs and web sites I feed this data to on a regular basis and the exporting from FTM includes all the picture references and links automatically. I am still processing the impact this will have on me, but I will definitely be looking for another desk-top solution.

  3133. Gwendolyn

    Ancestry.com’s announced retirement of FTM is very disappointing to me. Given the lack of recent FTM enhancements, I sensed that the software had been abandoned quite some time ago. TreeSync was the last good change. I still find the New Search inefficient and the new UI is big and unwieldy for no reason so I am avoiding it until the last minute. Now that FTM is a goner, I hope resources are redirected to making access to the only remaining jewel, the data bases, more user friendly. One can hope.

  3134. Cheryl

    Wow, talk about being ‘tone-deaf’ to your customers. If the web-based program was as easy to use or included the same features as the desktop FTM, there wouldn’t be more than 3k comments, mostly complaints. Add mine to the list. Do. Not. Drop. The. Desktop version.

  3135. Very disappointed in this news. I use FTM a lot for things that should not be online for all to see. I like the old Ancestry format much better than the new one also.
    I would hope that you continue to support FTM as it is very good software and has a lot of followers. You would not have anything on ancestry.com if it was not for the people like me that started an still use FTM

  3136. Paul Skeels

    Your notice is lacking details on what is the heart of our genealogy research. Am I now out of luck without internet access?? Will EVERY feature of FTM be available in Ancestry.com?? I need some non-internet software. Many of my family members do not have internet access. They don’t care, don’t need it and live just fine. Believe it or not, there is a world beyond 24/7 Facebook, Google, etc. Maybe not in the cities, but in rural areas, a simpler life still exists. How do I show them the results of my work, if I cannot open my laptop & review it with them??? How do I work with them on adding to the research? On paper with later update to website? Double work. Not fun. Heck, I have internet at my house 24/7, but I don’t live on it. It’s a tool, not how I live. Plus, it is not available everywhere I travel. Simply, I enjoy opening FTM when I have a few minutes to review, study & evaluate my work to date – wherever I am – without internet access. How will I do this absent FTM?? Let all of us know. Granted we have a year before the curtain falls, but we will need some time to evaluate alternatives. With what I know now…. NOT HAPPY!

  3137. Monty

    Without my own desktop option I will no longer continue my subscription for the same many reasons previously stated.

  3138. Joan Kellyq

    What is our alternative? I have 2,000+ ancestors documented in my tree and hoped to pass it along to my grandchildren. What happens now? Ancestry online is not a substitute for FTM. If I have to go elsewhere for software, I will cancel my ancestry.com subscription. BTW, I have been a faithful subscriber for many many years as well as a FTM purchaser since the very beginning. I am so terribly disappointed. This is really just unthinkable.

  3139. Lindsay

    What a dumb move. Clearly the motive is simply money and not customer service, but then again I have notice in recent years the fall off in customer service. Time to hit Google and find a new package.

  3140. Without a program on my desktop there is no reason to use ancestry and I am going to but something out there that is not under my control, I like the program and the search function tied to it this just means I have to find another program

  3141. Virginia

    I have been using FTM software since it first came out. I am not even sure it had a version #! I have over 50,000 names that I have added to my tree whilke searching various connections; some of which have only recently come together. I use my FTM while I am search8ing on Ancestry.com, and working with the DNA matches that are connecting, I definitely do not wish to reenter any of these names into another program…………..IF there even is a compatible one. Sometimes a business needs a business needs a customer service item to keep customers connected and give them a reason to buy other things. If you do away with the FTM program I will really have no reason to subscribe to Ancestry.com because I use the two in conjunction while I am doing my research,. My subscription, by the way is up this month, so if you’re going to end FTM, your timing is perfect………I however, am extremely disappointed. I do not choose to 0put my research out on the web because it is just that, research!. I share it with people through email and snail mail. PLEASE reconsider,

  3142. Steve

    I am gone and taking my tree, photos, documents, notes and knowledge with me. I do more done offline in FTM than I can ever get done online with the new interface. I don’t have good internet all the time but I do have FTM. But I have downloaded Legacy and will be moving everything to it. Legacy and Familysearch.org will be connection. Bye Ancestry

  3143. Andrew Daft

    Ancestry.com does not have the same functionality as Family Tree Maker. They are not interchangeable. As a loyal Ancestry subscriber for the past ten years, I am very disappointed that I will now have to turn to your competitors for my genealogy needs.

  3144. Becky

    I am disappointed. Are you recommending an alternate program/software? There are other online sources for records, the advantage of Ancestry is that the record can be quickly and easily imported into the family history software. Without this ability, Ancestry LOSES A GREAT DEAL of its usefulness. I will be taking a hard look before I renew Ancestry next time. and will be carefully looking at other choices. Thank you.

  3145. Judy

    Unbelievable! Don’t you have any loyalty to your users? I hope I can continue to use the software long after it is discontinued since I have years of research data inputted. Why can’t you continue with the basic software and eliminate some of the newer features that seem to be causing you problems. I don’t need all the bells and whistles, but I do need to know what I have documented will not be lost.

  3146. Tom Lee

    Pretty disgusted. I’ve got years worth of work now and I will have to keep my fingers crossed that your software holds up. Glad I hesitated on upgrading.

  3147. Nick

    From your ^blog: “We remain dedicated to helping people gain new levels of understanding about their lives, and who and what led to them, harnessing the information found in family trees, historical records and genetics. As a company, we’re also continually evaluating ways to focus our efforts to provide the most impact and best product experience for our users through our core offerings”. What an out right lie! Final nail in your coffin as far as I’m concerned, you are an absolute disgrace to the world of genealogy! I will be removing my tree on the 15th when your gross changeover takes place and never ever again will ancestry get one more cent cent from me. I’ll bet familyheritage and other like sites are laughing all the way to the bank! That’s where I’m going! Did you really think your customers would stick around and just put up with being treated this shabbily? You are thieves and liars! You have taken years of hard work from your customers and stuck it to the lot of us! Hope you are proud of yourselves and the outrage you have caused. There are PLENTY of other genealogy companies and DNA companies out there. It is they who will benefit from this … not you! So Congratulations … enjoy going down the gurgler … you asked for it!

  3148. Richard

    Not sure what all this means going forward. Will I be able to access my tree(s) after 2017? This all seems a bit high handed on Ancestry’s part.

  3149. Mary

    I just got started, was enjoying the history and info then one day, all my information on FTM was gone. If I keep my sub to Ancestry, will I loose my info as Jan 1, 2017 arrives?

  3150. Terry J

    Please reconsider this decision, I am not happy with it. Is it possible at the very least for you to move the functionality of FTM onto your online platform?

  3151. Martin Lison

    If you follow through with this “threat”, then I will deleting my online tree and I suspect many other users will do the same. I will have to think long and hard before I renew my subscription. It is more convenient to use online resources rather than drive to DC to the National Archives or the State Library in Harrisburg but is that convenience really worth the subscription price? I would never trust any website to be the only repository of my 30+ years of research. Additionally, I will contribute not one more piece of data found outside of Ancestry.com unless this decision is reversed. And, if you’re interested, your android app is full of glitches and is only minimally functional.
    Are you really picking up enough new business from those absurd commercials you’re airing on TV to offset the massive exodus of long-time users who are going to cancel their subscriptions?
    I have not seen one comment supportive of your decision and I doubt one will be posted. Does that tell you anything about your subscribers?

  3152. Geoff

    Bad decision. You should fire whoever made this move. This will not be good for Ancestry.com. Please change your decision on this matter.

  3153. Dick J

    Another half-baked corporate decision to increase the bottom line at the expense of loyal users. I have been an FTM user since the early 90’s and have loyally updated versions throughout the period. Now you want to force me to a cloud-based system so you can increase the annual fees on a yearly basis. Bad decision! You have definitely pissed off a lot of loyal users. Keep your eye on the ACOM stock price and see where it goes!

  3154. Gill Bates

    I agree with the masses, this is a bad idea for those that prefer to use a real computer and like to keep a local database as others have stated, I will not be returning as a customer.

    However, I can fully understand why you are doing this, you are pushing for data mining, this is great for you as this in return turns very profitable for you.

    You will force your users to post there databases on line so as you can then in return sale the data to future users and users who are “happy” to share or might I say, a little clueless.

    And this is how you make more money, people upload their databases for free, you collect the data and intertwine them into your service, and in return sale it back to your users and the database owners don’t get any form of compensation or even a thank you!

    Data mining is nothing new, this is how every entity from the feds to your boss know all about you…do you think when you post something to your Facebook (or alike social media) that these service are truly giving you a service for free? Heck know, once you post it, its there baby now, try to delete it? Its gone from your view but not theirs, it will live forever…

    Like Google, all their free service, why its great they “give” it to use! But in reality they datamine (save) all your searches forever! Log in with your cell phone and they track you, heck Google that and you’ll see where you have been the last 2 years!

    Ancestry is no different! It’s all about control and money!! You know, the Mormons also datamine, go to Utah if you need family history, they got it! Ancestry was fantastic before it sold…to that fun lovable and zany group in Utah….yes, the same ones!

    Please don’t read to deep into that, I am NOT a bigamist, just a realist!

    This is why, I never upload anything of substance, always use proxies and other forms of shielding.

    Peace Out!

  3155. Germaine M

    I am VERY VERY disappointed that you are not continuing the.FTM!! Thousands of thousands of people have put so much TIME and MONEY into researching their families. Ancestry is not the perfect tool, I read where my husbands obit had the Catholic priest “father” as his Parent “father” . Just another reason I do not want to loose the FTM and my hard drive software. I need to be able to confirm the info I have found not just share because I think it is right. I have not even gotten anywhere near how far I want to get in my research. There are so many including my parents that don’t have internet access. I want to be able to take my work with me while working on it, as in a laptop not necessarily always with internet access.When I am away from my internet I still want to work on the tree! I wonder how many cemetarys have internet access? How many family reunions people take their FTM to update in real time? How many geneologists, Geneology Societies gave you their information, their hard work, How can I put info in on the go if I can’t have a software program? I don’t want my tree only accessible when there is internet connection! I plan on exploring other options and pray that I can transfer my tree to the next software since you have made this decision. FTM was my first choice Ancestry was the extension of it. You are shooting yourself in the foot and will lose more customers than you can imagine. The bottom line Ancestry will loose in the long run. All these posts should tell you something, Reconsider

  3156. CAH

    This is SO disappointing! I have used FTM and Ancestry together for YEARS! I can only assume that Ancestry is trying to force more people to subscribe by using a web-only tree. I will not use a web program for my research and leave hours and hours of work in someone else’s hands! It’s clear by the sheer number of comments that you have angered many of your customers. So much for uploading my tree on Ancestry and giving you free information. Legacy here I come.

  3157. Chuck Becker

    Better than nothing. I will cancel my decades long subscription as w/o FTM you have only records with no platform to work them. I assume competition demonstrate the stupidity of your decision. Rotsa Ruck.

  3158. Nancy

    I’m adding my name to the long list of Ancestry subscribers who are sad, disappointed, amazed, shocked or just plain mad about your intention to discontinue Family Tree Maker. I like Ancestry.com, but FTM has ALWAYS been my FAVORITE tool. I’m really feeling like my loyalty to Ancestry.com (up to now) is waning. Lately it seems like there’s been one unpleasant surprise after another…it’s like waiting for the other shoe to drop. Your latest decision really bites. When my current subscription expires, I think it’s time for me to move on. I’ll use 2016 to find a new home.

  3159. Harlan

    This is just so wrong. I can’t believe I spent all this time and money so see it go to waste. Please provide more information on what our options are to protect our research.

  3160. Chris

    I have used FTM for years, faithfully upgrading the software. I have shared my information online to help others; however private/sensitive information has always been stored in my FTM desktop files. Desktop files are also valuable when you are still confirming the accuracy of the data you find before uploading information to public trees. It also allowed trees to be merged.
    It appears I have just wasted my money, as I just upgraded my software to the version that would sync all my trees with Ancestry and you have now removed this feature. The new software also included 6 months membership which I was expecting to use next April when my subscription is automatically renewed – Will this also be redundant? As I have subscribed for many years I had been thinking this was a ‘good deal’!
    Most of my research is offline, you have just re-enforced my belief that storing and backing up my data myself is more secure. I paid my subscription last year, with very little access to my Ancestry tree, just to ensure I had access to my tree. This change has the potential to increase the cost of maintaining online trees, if you only provide cloud storage and no desktop software. As previously stated I only just purchased the sync version, and now it appears I will be reverting to the previous software to maintain my desktop family tree.
    It appears Ancestry is trying to ensure customers maintain a paid subscription to access their own work – I have felt this was the case when I had access to my desktop files, but it is more obvious now.
    When the syncing stops, so does my subscription. If I can’t have an automatically updated tree on my hard drive, Ancestry loses the added feature I just paid for . . . As my online tree will not be able to sync with my FTM files it will not be updated in future. The FTM software maintains extra information, especially with media, that Ancestry does not provide. The software makes it great to work when you don’t have internet and then sync later.

  3161. I feel like someone died! How very unreasonable and unthinking. Does that mean I will have to pay money to access my own tree(s) online? All those years work and just getting my FTM program the way I like it. I have loyally supported ancestry.com for many years and now hear this news – great Christmas present, thanks! I am sick to my stomach with disappointment. I am getting on in years like millions of others and to have to make changes is very stressful in elder people like myself. Not fair.

  3162. Dave B

    A really ill advised move! You must have hired an old CocoCola employee to help develop your greedy business model. Good by Ancestry.com

  3163. RichardLWalker

    Drop a bomb and then what? Go on vacation? There are people with concerns here. Do you plan to continue with the online Family Tree Maker tree or just dump everything. What is this great guy Kendall Hulet? Simply a hatchet man brought on board to dump employees and customers? Egad. Time for some ANCESTRY.COM answers.

  3164. Sarah H

    I strongly agree with the points made above. I’m very disappointed in this decision and even more so since you’ve offered no alternatives or reassurances as to how we will replace the functionality that we’ll be losing. While I will not (yet) be canceling my subscription, I will no longer be recommending Ancestry to other people.

  3165. thomas g

    I can only hope that the storm of all these comments that express nothing else than indignation and disappointment blows this decision from the table. There was a similar thing with MyCanvas 2 years ago. In the end they kept going, apparantly in a different business setting.

  3166. Jeannette

    Don’t like the fact that you can only save to “cloud”. I’ve only had family tree maker a couple of months and like it better then on line ancestry. Add to the fact that I do not always have a reliable internet connection. Should of stopped advertising FTM as #1 several months ago if you are really planning on canceling the software. Also interesting on your facebook no mention of this of the discontinued software program.

  3167. James

    Well, I just unloaded my entire tree – 6643 individuals to GEDCOM format – for loading into some other software. Frankly, in some respects this makes my decision for me. Your software has been going DOWNHILL since about 2008 or so. I have not been able to print a full tree since about then. And the CDs I bought some years ago – I can’t even READ them anymore with the new software. As for your company – GOOD RIDDANCE. I was a customer since 1994 – good job driving away loyal customers.

  3168. Robert Hamilton

    This is the wrong thing to do. If as a company transition to a new program and will still allow us to have all our prior tree info, you should have stated that initially in this press release. If not (as suspected), you have made a poor choice. I buy occasionally when I have both $ and time to dedicate to updating my tree. I use the android app to show to someone on the run or a quick check of dates. When I need to do serious research, review, reading, the FTM program on the desktop is the only thing I use . EVER. PERIOD!!!
    Short term gain with long term loss here is my solid opinion.

  3169. Lori

    I’m really frustrated by this news. I’ve had a membership with you for quite a few years and have used your FTM software faithfully. I feel really let down. I hope you’ll reconsider.

  3170. Mark Byrum

    I think what happened here was that Ancestry ran out of fresh information to supply to the subscribers and ultimately Ancestry started loosing subscribers.

  3171. Barbara

    I am yet another long-term user of FTM and a part-time user Ancestry as I prefer to keep some of our family information private. I agree with all the previous comments regarding this irresponsible decision to abandon FTM and it’s many loyal users. Legacy here I come!

  3172. Gary

    So let’s get this straight…you expect me to use your website software….which is sadly lacking as many have pointed out….to put my trust and private data on your servers somewhere in cyberspace and expect, guarantee 100%_never_ have it hacked or erroneously deleted?? For generations??
    Well in the real world, in today’s day and age of so many data security breaks and leaks and dumps onto the world’s open sites I cannot allow that exposure to happen with me.
    Plus expect all your customers to simply drop their desktop software to do this??
    No way. You have failed and underestimated your customer base immeasurably…
    If you do not reverse your unfounded decision, I will be forced to revert my tree data to my previous personal database. Maybe not as flashy but at least its not going to lose support.
    Did you ever consider the reason DT software is used less is because you haven’t upgraded/refreshed it for 3+ years??

  3173. Margo Broehl

    Oh, no. This is bad news. I have always used both FTM and Ancestry, but consider FTM to be my genealogy record site and Ancestry a research aid. The Ancestry platform is so awkward that I would never consider it as a stand alone product. The thought of migrating the FTM data elewhere, with all of media files that are not included in a Gedcom is terrifying.

  3174. Bill_Sieb

    I am reading a lot of hysteria here by people possibly not understanding the situation. Before I explain let me say that I think that this decision by Ancestry is totally misguided, but unfortunately consistent with software developers recent trend of taking an F-You attitude toward the end users.
    Now to the explanation…Many are reacting as if at some magical date next year the FTM software will go poof and stop working. It will work exactly as it always has on your current operating system. The limiting factor will be when it is no longer compatible with whatever half-witted operating system comes out of Microsoft in the future. This is not an “if it will happen’, but ‘when it will happen”. But then the question is do you need to upgrade to the new operating system, but that is for another blog.
    The two most immediate concerns with the stoppage of support is the ability to sync and the access to hints. They may disappear well before the software becomes incompatible with the operating system.

  3175. Mike T

    Know this was a financial business decision driven by the shift from PC to mobile. Know they expect this backlash but were looking and short term loss but long term gain. Love to be in boardroom when the numbers come in. Just maybe the short term loss will be greater than thought and the long term gain further away. Believe they pulled the trigger way too soon. Be interesting to see if they overplayed their market share to pull them through. The PR will be hard to calculate and could be the most damaging.

  3176. Kelli

    Ancestry’s aim is to be a social network for people who think copying and pasting is genealogy. The “new” Ancestry is poorly designed and clumsily executed. FTM was the only professional platform they offered … and even it was weighted down with links to Ancestry “family trees” as clues (a feature I disabled immediately). They’ve clearly decided the money resides with people who would rather not actually research.
    This latest move is more than even greed: it’s an outright betrayal of business and customers. I’ll look forward to seeing their stocks plummet while they try to become the DNA Facebook. Meanwhile, I’ll be moving on …

  3177. Roy W Shiflet

    Another “business” decision to save the new owners $$$$$$.????? I will look for alternatives

  3178. M. Popkin

    Absolutely appalling. I don’t think your marketing department thought this announcement through very well, did they? Have a quick scan at the comments of who keeps you in business; not a lot of happy customers. You can only have monopoly so long when your customers are unhappy. This becomes an issue of personal information data. Time to rethink and send out another quick email to retract and relook at where you want the business to go.

  3179. Ron Carnegie

    Please identify the name and contact information for the business entity that will take over FTM and continue to refine and develop it as a primary interface to Ancestry.

  3180. Cathy

    How tragic. Not everyone is tech savvy. This program made it easy to be a keep y99ur information organized.

  3181. While I understand that new desktop application software sales are declining, FTM is a viable and widely used product that meets a genealogist’s need for software to organize and maintain their family files. I have used FTM since the 80’s and continue to prefer it over all the others available. Is your decision based upon declining demand, declining sales, or declining profit? Why not just spin off or sell your FTM unit, rather than simply shutting in down?

  3182. Pamela

    I have spent hundreds of dollars on subscriptions to Ancestry. I posted my tree with hundreds of photos which draws many customers to your website and helps YOU make money, all the time paying well over a hundred dollars a year for subscriptions while you pay me NOTHING for using my tree. Your online tree is very limited and I rely on syncing the information with my Family Tree Maker program for the numerous extra features it has. I am really fed up. I will not renew my subscription when it expires and will remove my tree from your website if you discontinue your FTM program and support. Just how much money do you think you have to make? Too expensive anyway. Very unhappy.

  3183. Mahlon

    I encouraged my Mom to try FTM back in the Broderbund days (on a Win98 386!) and she’s used it practically every day since. With over 55,000 entries and countless pictures and transcriptions in FTM, she is devastated. I’ve assisted her through countless upgrades of FTM over 2 decades and she loyally subscribes to Ancestry every year. I don’t know what to tell her. Maybe somebody at FTM would like to call and explain to her how this is a good idea?? 🙁

  3184. The reason I use Ancestry is that it syncs with my FTM program. I will not stop using that program and probably will remove my files from Ancestry. I will not enter all the data frommy tree by hand into Ancestry. Additionally Ancestry simply us not as robust as the FTM program and is at best a supplement to the serious genealogist. Best reconsider this decision before we abandon the ship.

  3185. Michelle

    You underestimate your loyal customers…from all comments received already, I can completely relate to them all. I have spent many years and many $$ on my research with subscriptions and software purchases and now, for what?? A kick in the teeth? Very bad business and terrible decision Ancestry!

  3186. june perry

    Really! Discontinuing Family Tree Maker! What software is replacing it! I am VERY disappointed in Ancestry. Will have to rethink my recommendations of Ancestry to other people. What do I do with the 10000 names I have on Family Tree Maker? Totally disagree with your decision and am disappointed with your decision.

  3187. Daintry Pohlman

    Very disappointed. Have used only your programme so will have to find one that I can navigate and understand. Will we still be able to access material?

  3188. Kathryn

    Count me as one of the thousands of loyal Family Tree Maker usuers who is very disappointed in the actions taken by Mr. Hulet. As you can see it hasn’t even been 24 hours and your loyal user base complaints and comments number just under 5,000 and counting.
    For over 17 years I have used Family Tree Maker and subscribed to a yearly subscription to Ancestry which comes to well over $7,000. No small amount by any means. Add in all the books, CD’s, maps etc and you can easily add another $3,000 to that. I made that investment in your company and to help pay for all the records you have made available to to genealogists. It was my “good faith” effort to acknowledge the outstanding work Ancestry has done. After all that and then have the company pull a key feature off the market is reprehensible!
    Maybe Family Tree is a “loss leader” but it more than makes up for it with all the subscriptions to your databases that you have. Why have all the e- seminars and online products if there isn’t a program out their that connects them all. Mr. Hulet, you had better clean your glasses. Without a doubt Ancestry’s bottom line is going to be deeply affected as you have lost the support of the very people who pay your wages….not purchasers of FTM but former supporters of Ancestry. This decision ranks right up there with IBM’s decision to let Microsoft to retain a version of DOS, Excite passing on Google at $750,000 and Western Union putting their noses in the air when they first saw the telephone!!
    Yes, the millennial generation does everything on their “smart phones” , but that isn’t your audience here. If you don’t think desk top computing is a viable market anymore, than why are so many people fed up with anything that has “cloud” , why are people fed up with the powerless “all in ones”, why are people fed up with no customization of Microsoft Surface!! I have an I Pad and it’s just a toy…can’t do any “real” work on it….too much touch screen!
    Better get your resume together, your kind of decision making died with the Dinosaurs!!

  3189. Robert

    I have just read My E-MAIL from Ancestry, and I am just sick over this that has been called to my attention. Will my genealogy be some where in our clouds in the sky (in the air) I can not see anymore on my computer or what? What will all of us in genealogy do now? Will this mean the “END OF OUR OWN PERSONAL GENEALOGY” or WHAT?? This just makes me sick and I am already “depressed”. “I Still Do Not Understand”, ” I Do, But I Do Not”. Now just how will all of us go on and what will we have to depend on. Please for all of us members here do not do this=A PRAY REQUEST. I Will Request An Answer From Ancestry, Please.

  3190. James

    Bad bad bad decision on your part.

    What software do you recommend to read the data stored in the FTM files?

  3191. Frank Hanzel

    Assuming Ancestry proceeds with plans to discontinue support for Family Tree Maker, it’s critical that Ancestry properly fix its GEDCOM support for the web site. Nearly a year ago, while attempting to export trees created on Ancestry, I discovered how incomplete and incompatible Ancestry’s support for GEDCOM was. I’m not an FTM user and refuse to purchase additional software just to have a way to back up my genealogical work from Ancestry, or to have a way to maintain an independent, personal copy. Useful GEDCOM support in FTM (along with the TreeSync feature) sounds like one of FTM’s most valuable features, and yet that is going away! I for one will not continue creating any trees on Ancestry without adequate means to offload the results of my research for my own use elsewhere.

  3192. Antony

    I’m 86 and have gone about as far as I could go with Ancestry so discontinued my annual subscription but kept FTM for occasional use and syncing to Ancestry – not worth keeping up the full sub for occasional use. Your decision is most disappointing.

  3193. Chet Mowrey

    I have had two Ancestry.com accounts. The first from 2000-2005, the current account since 2006.
    I first used Wholly Genes, Inc. The Master Genealogist software. FTM never compared but eventually developed SYNC resulting in my dedication to FTM-with-Sync to avoid processing the same data three to four times for each entry and the endless hours spent cross checking for transposition errors. TMG ended in 2014. FTM now proposes ending in 2016.
    There are no absolute GEDCOM applications available as GEDCOM’s design is purposefully flexible. If FTM goes away there is no way for a complete download and storage of Ancestry.com data.
    I recognize the business model you are forcing. It is not new. Adobe for example went to subscription based cloud applications. For many years I spent from hundreds to thousands of dollars for updates and new applications. I have not bought an Adobe product or upgrade since they dropped legacy, infinite licensing. I will not use any application or service that does not me complete control and offline storage especially on a subscription basis.
    If the complete array of features such as download with images and sources and including all publishing features is not made available whether by a substitute program or online, then after sixteen years I will be ending my Ancestry.com subscription.

  3194. Jerry Honeycutt

    Subscriber for about 15-20 years I think. I have yet to read a positive comment on this discontinuing of FTM. I’ve purchased multiples of these to get family interested in purchasing a subscription to Ancestry. That’ll end now for sure! Simply put, not everyone does their record keeping online 100% of the time. Many can not afford it. Not everyone has “UNLIMITED DATA” available. Many of us are elderly also and the FTM interface helped solve many issues for us. Who is going to refund our purchases? I don’t think you’ve thought this one out very well at all. Bad, Bad, Bad idea folks. You will lose many yearly subscribers and I think I’ll possibly cut back on my subscription or maybe stop it all together. I don’t think you have the ability to fix the damage this is going to cause to your reputation that I thought you deserved. Hope you make lots of money selling your “Smart Phone Apps” that you’ll be trying to sell.

  3195. Jim

    I think everyone needs to take a deep breath and realize that the sky is not falling. Try out the offerings from other companies. I am lucky that I had decided to get the most out of my genealogy I was going to basically run two different software programs. Yes I will miss my shaky leaves but I have 13 months notice before I might run into a problem. Sync is great but so is a good backup regimen. I was finding features in the second program that FTM 2014 was not giving me and I could not control how the software responded to what I wanted to do. I just have to get better at using my new software and using Family search and their version of hints. I read a bunch of the post most of which people were venting about wanting refunds and a ton of other negative comments. We all have almost 13 months before anything really happens, plenty of time to for a plan B The only thing that has happened so far is that people only have 3 weeks to buy FTM 2014 if the want it. Everything else goes on. It is not like they shut everything down today with no warning. Your software will still work. Just make sure you keep your online trees synced and do a GED-COM backup when you do your normal backups. New information will still be available and it may not be as fast or easy to add as with FTM and ancestry as it is now Ancestry is no going away. I have always chosen to make my changes to my tree on my computer I just do not care for the web application. It does force me to enter my new information and I see the errors that are sometimes in the information. I am making sure I correct as I go and by taking the extra time I catch my mistakes.

  3196. Marian Parkinson

    How could you????? FTM enables us to add more info into our tree. What a waste of time and money. Please reconsider this stupid decision. Will be looking for other sites.

  3197. Carol Dimond

    Is this some kind of a bad joke? I agree with the thousands who have already written of their dissatisfaction. Family Tree Maker is an important aspect of the Ancestry experience.

    What is missing from this cold announcement is the strategy you are proposing to support and provide realistic alternatives to all of your loyal customers whom you are hanging out to dry.

    Please reconsider this flawed business decision, we deserve better.

  3198. Debbie M

    1st you create a new user interface that most of our older family members cannot use. You created a SLOWER interface by requiring multiple steps to do the same 1 or 2 step tasks in the “Old Ancestry”. Now you provide ZERO ways to print effective reports, customize reporting, print for older techno challenged family members. As a family we are electing to let our memberships expire, delete our trees, explore Roots Magic and others who offer alternatives and discontinue all association with Ancestry as quickly as possible to remove over 60,000 entries from Ancestry and contribute somewhere else. Ancestry is only valuable if they have a user base. A Virtual Walkout may get their product management team and executives to listen to their customer base…or become obsolete.

  3199. D Sparkes

    I have been an avid user of FTM since version 8 debuted.since that time, I have paid good money for updates and more recently paid to transfer to an I-pad.
    All this time, I have paid more good money to Ancestry UK on an annual basis. I really feel that you have now s**t on me. Goodbye Ancestry and hello to Friends Reunited and Find My Past.

  3200. Cathy

    Have had FTM since the Broderbund days. Want to keep it and have updates. If you don’t want to maintain it, sell it to someone else. On line trees are not an option for me.

  3201. Chris

    I can’t believe this. I have used FTM for years and have thousands of names and thousands of hours of research. I used Ancestry as a tool and the desktop is my main thing. I feel it’s all a waste of time now. No need for my subscription now….

  3202. Bruce Harshberger

    I want my $300 back! 25 Nov 2015 I renewed Ancestry.com world for $300 for one year. Little did I know, and It was never mentioned to me that, Family Tree Maker would be abandoned. Is there such a thing as lying by omission of all the facts? At minimum this was deception, at most abuse of consumer trust, and the wielding of Ancestry.com’s market power over people. Was this a decision of bean-counters by the London owners who know little about genealogy? Others in this response page have said a local desktop FTM is important. It’s syncing to an online tree is the best part of our subscriptions. I want my $300 back…now.

  3203. Bruce

    This is reprehensible! Does Ancestry think we will naively simply upload our family trees to Ancestry.com under the assumption that we can trust Ancestry to safeguard our access to our data online, and that we would expose ourselves to that? No way! What age 20-something penny-pinching MBA lacking big picture insights (i.e., how important the integration of FamilyTreeMaker and Ancestry.com is to Ancestry’s subscription base and growth of Ancestry.com) came up with that naïve and short-sighted recommendation? Nobody is going to upload their family trees to Ancestry anymore. This move is a typical situation where a company goes public and then management seeks to maximize their bottom line in the short-term so that they can maximize their bonuses in the short-term, which then sets up the company for a steep decline in the future. Of course, current management does not care because they will have already collected their bonuses from squeezing out the maximum profit for a year or two by the time they leave. Then they leave, and the employees and stockholders and subscribers will suffer from the decline in business. So much for renewing my subscription to Ancestry. This is a strategic blunder that ranks with classic Harvard Business School case of when Coca-Cola announced it would stop making the classic Coca-Cola – only to reverse the decision a few months later after a huge consumer backlash. Ancestry should reverse this decision ASAP, before the damage to its franchise is irreversible.

  3204. Chris

    I cut my teeth in the computer industry many years ago doing technical support. It isn’t easy and it’s true that the company doesn’t make a great deal from it, but chasing away loyal customers will cost FAR more in the long run by doing away with a tool that makes numerous tasks so much simpler and less time consuming. Someone at Ancestry is looking solely at today’s bottom line without an eye on the future. This is what happens when a company with the most market share gets too arrogant.

  3205. Do you have the professionalism to tell the folks how to print out reports (as available in FTM) in new program or is this just desertion with my data and money? Run by a religious organization???

  3206. James Brown

    If you are not going to renew your subscription to Ancestry.com you need t notify them, because most subscribers have automatic renewal. I have been using Root Magic and it works very good and is easy to use. Roots Magic also works with Family Search.org

  3207. Bert

    I can’t even begin to express how disappointed and mad I am. I have been an Ancestry member for 15 years and used FTM from the beginning. I don’t want to be forced to but all my info into your family trees. If I can’t use FTM in conjunction with the info my expensive subscription provides, what good is my subscription? Ancestry is betraying all the people who have brought them to where they are. I feel like I’m being tossed aside solely to profit Ancestry. Perhaps when there is a mass exodus from Ancestry you will understand the depth of your error. I’m totally disgusted.

  3208. Steve

    it isn’t often that a company makes a decision that is unanimously opposed! This is a very retrograde decision and one that will seriously (and negatively) impact my future paid use of ancestry. The strength of FTM was the ability to run reports and sort data in ways that, for reasons that escape me, you have never incorporated in ancestry. If it is your decision to build a sorting facility into ancestry, you might salvage some business, otherwise folks who wish to be able to USE their trees for practical use (i.e. print the names of all folks buried in a certain locale prior to visiting that cemetery) will look elsewhere for on-line and desktop genealogical support.

  3209. Andrea Roberts

    This is the last straw. First you force the ‘new ancestry’ on us when it is. Rap, now this. My subscription is due in January. I won’t be renewing, I have used FTM since version 2, it’s been through different owners, why not sell it instead of ‘retiring’ it, what arrogrance, to treat your customers like this, you won’t have a business soon. I have been an ancestry member for over 10 years. NO MOORE.

  3210. Ron Smith

    There are a lot of questions above but I don’t see any answers. What are we supposed to do now. I’ve been a loyal FTM user since the mid 90’s!

  3211. Michael D

    This is a big mistake worse that Ancestry’s last major update that brock the interaction between FTM and Ancestry merging. FTM is an intuitive tool that helps provide report, chart, and provide the ease clean up problems in a family tree. None of those tools I have not seen on Ancestry. If you remove FTM from Ancestry.com it would be like cutting your heart out. Until Ancestry can do the same functions of FTM is not a good idea. Also your customers should not do all the Bata testing for a new update. I hope this is not going to happen.

  3212. Mike O.

    An explicable decision. Please take note of the thousands of comments here and reconsider. FTM provides a lot more than the Ancestry online tree, which is why people use a desktop program for tracking their research notes and processes, not just sources and data. A couple of years ago I switched from Reunion and have been tweaking my records for FTM ever since, especially appreciating the synch option. Now that time seems wasted. Not a good customer relations move.

  3213. Mark

    Those of us in rural areas with limited access to the internet still rely on desktop software to complete real work. Until reasonably priced fast internet connections are universally available, Ancestry’s provision of service only through the cloud is highly discriminatory towards the rural internet user.

  3214. keith Blackburn

    Appalling. Big Brother is alive and well! Ancestry want greater control of my records. Family Tree Maker is currently the permanent repository of all my family history records. This and its capacity to synchronise with a tree in Ancestry is integral to my use of Ancestry. Like others, if this turns out to be true I will NEVER subscribe again to Ancestry but will find a non-affiliated alternative for all my on-line searching needs. Fortunately I have largely completed the research I set out to do but I feel concerned for the next generation of researchers and the limitations and level of control this change will place on them (assuming they don’t find better alternatives). Having seen how other software businesses have used updates to deliberately cripple legacy software in order to force customers to move to their replacement (more profitable) vision for the future, I will be very wary about any ‘updates’ offered between now and phase out at the end of 2016. I know this is cynical but having seen this before I feel such caution is justified.

  3215. Betts

    I wonder if we will still be able to export GEDCOM file onto our computer and import it into FTM? If that works it will be a pain to do but at least we will be able to use FTM

  3216. Jaimie Mc

    I feel betrayed. I became a member of Ancestry, as opposed to other genealogy sites, specifically because of the sync function. Other sites have increasingly good online tree functions. Many of the records on Ancestry are free elsewhere – FamilySearch, census records, local vital records sites. Other commercial sites have the main records, with online functionality almost equivalent to software. After Christmas – pretty lousy timing Ancestry, bu you seem to have lost your soul – I will start exporting my trees to the free and affordable alternatives. I can’t support a site that makes drastic arbitrary uses. Look at the comments above. The customer is always right. You’ll find that out the hard way. What really happened? A contract dispute? To top it off, no answer the many legitimate questions above. Shameful.

  3217. MARIE COLES

    I am totally dissapointed as I have used FTM since it was first released and am also a member of Ancestry. If you do this I will cancel my subscription for sure. And I HATE the new Ancestry as most people I speak to do as well. You are going to ruin your business by doing this to your loyal customers.Think again before you loose many many customers for good.

  3218. Jane J

    My husband and I have both used your software for years. I understand that desktop software is on the way out and web-based services are on the way in, and I am willing to accept that. But if you want us to pay much more for a subscription to Ancestry.com, why would you offer us fewer features online than there are in FTM? PLEASE, if you want us to switch – give us the same tools, reports, tree charts, and all the rest of the features!!!!!

  3219. Mitch Hoffman

    I too have been using FTM since 1994, and have thousands of names, photos, and other pieces of information in the database. I survived your crazy rewrite a few years back (barely), and I survived the move from Windows to Mac. THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS WE ARE NOW ASKED TO PUT OUR PERSONAL DATA ON YOUR SERVERS – ONLY. That’s not acceptable, for most of us decades of effort are NOT your property, they are ours. If you do not reconsider, then like others, we will find other pc-based applications that will help us.

    The other comment I read that’s right on is your child-like interface for the web product is too slow and clumsy for genealogists – your primary user. Don’t think that baby boomers are – they don’t get computers like we do, the next generation down. Try surveying your customer base next time before dropping a bomb like this. Seriously, your short-term decisions and waffling design and platform inconsistency has really degraded the trust we have in you all! Stop the madness!

  3220. Buzz Jehle

    Isn’t it obvious. First they take away your ability to work off the system, next they will change the user agreement so they own everything you develope on their site, and countless hours of free work are theirs to resell.

    The combination of your own Family Tree Maker coupled with the online services worked well, First they made a pretttier but less functional new Ancestry and now they want to take away your ownership and backups.

    One of you lawyers consider a class action for theft of our work product. See how well their shareholders like that. I will not be recommending Ancestry until they clean up their act.

    Corporate greed at its finest!

  3221. Marilyn

    I have just received the email from Ancestry.com about retiring FTM! I am totally gobsmacked and, like the other comments on the blog, I have to say this is a very BAD decision!!! Can Ancestry tell us what will replace the ease and functionality of the FTM software – because I sure don’t find that on the website. I have been researching my family (and done some for other people too, and also have their trees on my FTM software, as they don’t want it published on the Net) for over 10 years and have no idea what will happen with all the information/photos/documents I have. I will now have to look into how to upload the entire trees to GEDCOM format (I am not very clever with computers!) and try another program. NOT HAPPY!!!

  3222. Robert Rowe

    There is no way I have time to read all these posts, but the ones I did read make it sound like FTM is the only software package out there! I quit using it years ago and went with a package that I feel is far better and it is even cheaper – Legacy Family Tree. And you can start using it today for free!

  3223. Mary

    I’ve been a member of Ancestry for about 15 years and have formulated two books using FTM. I will still use Ancestry because a researcher can’t find this volume of information elsewhere. I appreciate all the records that have been added over the years. Since I still use FTM2012 an upgrade from FTM2006, I appreciate the continued support. Hopefully, we will be able to continue using it since we own the software. Thank you.

  3224. Charles Schwartz

    For my purposes, FTM and Ancestry compliment each other well. Without one, there is no need for the other. Unfortunately, my membership recently automatically renewed. Not likely to happen again. Will now try to figure out if there is a way to withdraw information that MY research has contributed to Ancestry.

  3225. Vicky

    I am very disappointed and probably will not renew my membership. This is not a customer friendly decision. Having a software program on my computer that could be synced with ancestry.com was one of the main reasons that I have continued having a membership. I will start looking for other genealogy websites.

  3226. John P

    Very Bad business decision. Just look at all the blog comments. I myself had to rebuild my tree using tree maker backups because the Ancestry website corrupted my tree and they could not figure out what had happened.

  3227. Laura

    Wow, I’m stunned. Many of us rely heavily on that software. I’m angry beyond words. I can’t imagine how this seems like a good decision. I will absolutely cancel my Ancestry membership if/when this takes effect. Very soon software we purchased will become useless as new computer OS’s are released and our older Family Tree Maker programs can no longer be updated. What a terrible thing to do to your customers, who might I add spend an exorbitant amount of money on your software and membership services.

  3228. I agree with those persons who are upset about loosing Family Tree Maker. I have 1000’s of people on my tree and have not published it to Ancestry, but I continue to find valuable information from others. Family Tree Maker is an essential part of my research and records and it will all be lost and there is no way to use Family Tree Maker now. PLEASE do not do this.

  3229. Ray

    So how many NEGATIVE comments will there be by December 22, when comments are closed? Will there be more than a handful of positive reviews?

  3230. CraigT

    In the fullness of time you’ll realize this was a bad/unprofitable decision. I think you’ll find many users, myself included, will not store their private data on your site and utilize an online only service. I will spend the next few months transitioning to another program and will not renew my subscription. I now regret giving your program to family members and advising others to use FTM over competing products.

  3231. JP

    I’ve had problems since upgrading to FTM 2014 and integrating with Ancestry. Customer support was not friendly or supportive. With this new information I’m leaving Ancestry and finding new software that cares about their clients, not just grabbing for money and client’s family information for their database to further market themselves!!

  3232. Greg

    It’s apparent this is a business decision. You hope we will all keep our trees on line so that they become your property, and we (and all our relatives) will have to subscribe to access our family histories. You purchased the software from Blue Banner some years back. (Yes, I’ve been using it this long.) Please consider selling it to someone else. This is especially upsetting because I’ve been recommending your software to everyone for years.

  3233. Linda Hill

    Well, for one I will NOT be renewing my Ancestry membership. I will be putting everything on to Family Search or some other… what a waste of time and money … Bad move Ancestry!

  3234. thomas g

    I can only hope that the storm of all these comments of indignation and disappointment blows this decision from the table. There was a similar thing with MyCanvas 2 years ago when we were told that it will stop. In the end they continued in a different business setting. Let’s see.

  3235. Matthew W. Carver

    Disappointed that you have made a decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker. I have my family info on my laptop in Family Tree Maker almost since it’s beginning when I first looked into software for my computer. Family tree maker has always been the top of the line in genealogy software when it comes to ease of use. I have a full Ancestry/Fold3/Newspapers membership and will have to reconsider this when it comes time to renew. I believe your decision will be the end of Ancestry just like you killed Genealogy.com. I am not in favor or your decision and it seems like no one else agrees with you. I guess it is time to look elsewhere for the same types of service.

  3236. Mike

    Although the previous 3400+ comments have said it all, I will add my 2 cents worth to the mix. I have been an Ancestry.com and FTM user for many years, and I love the way they interact with one another. I suspect that I am probably closer to the type of user Ancestry envisions than most – I do most of my work on my online tree and sync occasionally with FTM to make sure I have a good backup of all of my data. So as far as that goes, the loss of FTM will not affect me as much as it might others. However, I think Ancestry is making a big mistake by overlooking the powerful reporting features in FTM that just don’t exist online in Ancestry.com. If those features are not somehow incorporated online by the time FTM syncing is discontinued, Ancestry will be doing a huge disservice to their loyal customers. Another obvious point that seems to have been disregarded when this decision was made – when genealogists are out in the “field” doing research, we may not have access to the internet, so having a copy on our laptops is the only way to access our trees while doing research. In my opinion, one of two things happened when this decision was made – the people making the decision are so incompetent that they didn’t consider such an obvious issue, or they just don’t care about their customers. In either case, I am not left with a good feeling about the future of Ancestry.com. As so many others have stated, I will be looking for new genealogy software, and will strongly consider not renewing my Ancestry subscription.

  3237. Stephanie Mago-Eagle

    So what happens to Our Family Tree’s we have on ancestry? Do I lose my family tree I have on there its the only place I have my tree at.all the time I put into it will it be gone?

  3238. Sandy Dean

    Nice you wait until I’ve paid my $189 for the year..I, like everyone else – it seems – don’t like your new format and am appalled by this abandonment of FTM and those who invested years of time and treasure learning and using both . shame on you. Think again – no one approves..

  3239. RG

    Are you all blinded by your grief over this stupid decision? Don’t you know ancestry has other software to do family trees they’d rather have you use? Also if you have to use their online cloud clunky system, they have control over all your data and have stuck you with paying for the use of your own data. The only problem is their other software as well as their Ancestry access from the internet is bulky, cumbersome and just plain difficult to use. One of the main reasons I’ve stuck with FTM since Banner Blue, is it’s simple, easy to use, works well with both PCs and Macs so if you think that those folks who have already written above are stupid enough to want to go online or buy your other software to keep their trees and ultimately PAY you for the extra priviledge instead of using Ancestry as a primary source of new material, you’re nuts.

  3240. G Nickel

    Four years ago I recognized a struggling company when I lost the first ~400 entries because of a glitch in the software. Much time spent during that time told me that the software support/engineering group was immature, not up to the big-time, but their software approach was unique, I said to myself, so I soldiered on. Several glitches later I had completed my project; nothing much, 850 people growing toward 957. All along, through my conversations with software support, it was obvious that everyone was over their heads (my business is database design). Now, with this decision, it is clear that the exasperated finance department has thrown in the towel; thrown their undoubtedly “unruly, un-organizable software group” out on their ears. “And good riddance to them. Now we can concentrate on revenue stream”.
    It takes a special perspective and talent to manage software development. They do not teach it to CPA’s; no aptitude.
    And to the rest of us: create a site where we can organize and find our escape route through efficient migration to some new home.

  3241. Terri

    I am not happy! I just signed up for a 6 mo subscription. I have always had FTM. First we get it sprung on us that eff 12/15 we only have your new format. And then this? I have to think a lot of people will dump you, me included.

  3242. Linda

    This is a major setback! Why??? We have come to depend on the interaction of FTM and Ancestry. YOU ARE REALLY LETTING US DOWN.

  3243. Jennifer

    I am so angry. First you dump this new website on us which is ugly, poorly designed and cumbersome. Now you are robbing us of FTM. Shame on you. This has nothing to do with serving your “Loyal Customers” because I am one of them and I feel anything but. I paid an annual membership or I would be gone now. Shame on you.

  3244. Kimberly

    Your web program is not an acceptable substitute. FTM is a superior tool for serious genealogists for the following reasons:
    – offline access 24/7
    – superior interface
    – more features
    – improved file management
    – greater security for sensitive data such as SSNs
    – photos and lifestories storage
    – enhanced printing and editing
    I get it that you want to make more money and that FTM is not as profitable as your other ventures. But you are abandoning the best tool you offer and losing the goodwill of your base clients. A GEDCOM is not as rich as an FTM file. Please reconsider.

  3245. ceejayh

    I can’t be the only person who wants to keep my own data on my own computer. What alternative software can people recommend which is capable of preserving and importing my facts, notes, references, media and links from FTM into another format?

  3246. B. McCombs

    Well…Well… I for one am not “surprized” by your decision to dump FTM.
    You see , you had already shafted me with scuddling of my YDNA surname project several years ago. You took our money then dumped all DNA testing but you properous AncestryDNA (autosomal) testing. Seems it didnt matter then about all our work and it dont matter now with our trees that you make money on. But you made me suspicous with your previous decision and I “didnt trust you with my trees on you site” seems was a good decision by me because I kept my data on “my desktop via FTM”.. If you think that you will flush the benefits of our FTM and “expect” us to follow you to you paid ancestry service …. You have badly mis-calculated !
    People remember when they feel shafted… I have invested a lot of money to your many FTM programs over the years and the ancestry.com subscriptions… You are making a very serious error flushing the FTM program.

  3247. Charlene

    Ancestry just admitted to a friend of mine that they are tailored toward the newbie. That newbies like doing everything online. That newbies like the new interface. That they are not concerned about those that have been doing genealogy for many, many years. Wake up Ancestry, because when the newbies drop this fad and move onto a new “latest” thing, us dedicated genealogist will still be doing our research. However, will the dedicated still be with Ancestry? Looking at all the responses on this blog, I would say NO! Let me do some math for you Ancestry. If 1000 people don’t renew their $200-$400 subscriptions that is lost revenue of $200,000 to $400,000 each year. Now what happens when you lose 5000 or 10,000 customers? Good Luck Ancestry, because I was doing genealogy before Ancestry showed up and I can do genealogy after Ancestry folds up and falls by the waste side because of the biggest mistake they ever made in the history of business.

  3248. Randy Lyndon

    It’s hard to believe that after four years of paying for ancestry and buying family tree maker that you would discontinue the service and not provide another way of keeping my work. I suppose it will probably provide information for a third-party to interface ancestry and family tree maker that will cost additional money. I can’t understand what was wrong with the system you had that worked fine. As they say ” if it’s not broke don’t fix it”. I am hoping that you will change your mind on the new “fix”!
    Regards, Randy Lyndon

  3249. C. Leathley

    Removing a primary winning aspects of what makes Ancestry unique from all of the other significant subscription based archive providers is mistake but, then that should be clear by the overwhelming negative responses to this announcement.
    As a 10 year subscriber and a long time user of FTM I have recommended the combination to many friends based primarily on the tight integration between desktop software and the online archives.
    You are removing the primary reason I have stayed with Ancestry and for so long. i have subscriptions with other archive providers; this may be one that I no longer need and can use the savings to apply with another provider. it also frees me up to investigate other desktop software options that I would never have considered before.

    Very unfortunate.

  3250. Debbie

    I saw someone’s post about a program named Legacy, has anyone used it? I have been a member of Ancestry for years and FTM user as well – please Legacy users share you comments, think it is time to save some money and not renew Ancestry.com.

  3251. Chuck Holter

    I will not be renewing my Ancestry membership. With the decision to stop Family Tree Maker, the software that makes it useful, there is no point in ancestry.com anymore. There are many features available in the software that are not available online. This is a disturbing situation. I am very upset that this decision has been made. I believe you will see your subscriber base decline due to this decision.

  3252. Andrea

    This is the last straw Ancestry, first you force us to use the ‘new ancestry’ which is crap, now this. I have been using FTM since version 2 and been through different owners. Why not sell it and not ‘retire it’? I have been a member of Ancestry for over 10 years and my subscription is due in January. guess what – I won’t be renewing it and I will be deleting my trees from Ancestry. What arrogance to treat your customers like this, pretty soon you won’t have any left,

  3253. I have not been happy with FTM 2012 since I purchased it. Previously I had the free 2005 one and it found that one a lot easier to use. One of my main complaints is that in reports I cannot get the children in chronical order. I had already thought of trying another FTM like the one on Find My Past or IGA but not sure how to transfer existing information over, You must at least organise a system organised for transfer for everyone who is currently using FTM

  3254. Sarah

    I think this is a terrible decision and will affect many people adversely. Possibly this move is to force everyone to have their family history on line rather than stored on their computer. I appreciate your great troves of information that is accessible with an Ancestry membership, but I do not support this move on your part. WOW! I never expected you to do this!

  3255. LIBBYP

    That is a REALLY BAD decision. How can you upset so many of your devoted customers. I have used FTM for many years now – long before I joined Ancestry, and will continue to do so whether you support it or not, but you take away my need to use Ancestry if you aren’t going to sync my tree with it. Ancestry has been a useful backup for FTM but I will go back to using it without your help. And the way you are doing it without showing any real interest in all your customers and their concerns shows just how little you care about our needs. A ridiculous decision and handled very badly!.

  3256. Rose

    Wow. Guess you’ve gotten the message. I will be deleting my tree and doing whatever I can to remove and close down my DNA files as well. No more money from me. By the way my tree may remain open till December 22

  3257. J.

    FTM and Ancestry need each other. Ancestry is lacking the reporting capabilities of FTM. This is a very disappointing decision.

  3258. Sarah

    I agree with the majority of the other commentors that this is a very bad decision. The reasons why I purchased FTM are for the sync feature, to have a backup of my family history data on my computer, and to be able to print reports to share with relatives. I certainly hope that Ancestry will reconsider.

  3259. Tim

    This has to be one the bone-headed, inane ideas ever to come out of Ancestry. I suspect future business majors will be studying this stupidity in their graduate programs as how not to manage your customer base. Ancestry obviously doesn’t understand how their customers really use FTM. I am beyond distraught with this decision. I have used FTM since Banner Blue days and really like and use all the power of the FTM 2014. Why didn’t Ancestry consider selling the desktop business to a competitor like RootsMagic or LegacyFamilyTree? What will happen to all the data in findagrave (owned by Ancestry). Will it become a subscription service too. I sure as hell don’t won’t to contribute anything new to Ancestry and am seriously considering removing my tens of thousands of pictures from findagrave. Seriously pissed!

  3260. Henry

    The first thing I said, and thought when I saw the headline was a naughty word! I feel bad for those folks who use FTM. Then I looked at the number of comments and said another naughty word. What a betrayal! There is no loyalty anywhere in business anymore. Enough said!

  3261. Cindy Roberts

    Very upset about this, just paid my $79 again for the renewal and now your stopping the program….now what in the world am I to do….I think you owe me a refund! I have been using FTM since 1996 and was considering to upgrade my FTM software and couldn’t decide which one was best, well you just answered that for me! And I will be using Family Search a lot more and it is free!!! I just pray that my program works when not online so I may enter my information and print my pages for the books!

  3262. Bruce C

    The comments here are overwhelming endorsement of Family Tree Maker, don’t you think? What is the chance that the corporate decision-makers can reverse this decision? My Ancestry membership renewal is up this January…now my only decision is whether to wait a year to cancel while I figure out alternatives to FTM which has been working beautifully on my Mac. So sad, so short-sighted. I was “orphaned” once before and it took me years to start doing genealogy research again.

  3263. RG

    My last sentence should have read …extra priviledge instead of JUST using the online Ancestry as a primary source of new material to use with their LOCAL trees, you’re nuts.

  3264. Nev

    bad move, FTM is the thing that makes Ancestry better than other historic search sites, without it you loose your advantage

  3265. Jane Drover

    What a disappointment 🙁 If you do not have a change of heart I will be cancelling my subscription.

  3266. Ann

    I’m very disappointed by the news about discontinuing FTM; like many others I feel let down and the situation has been compounded by no explanation on how we should manage our research in the future. It’s definitely time to reconsider my subscription with ancestry.com.

  3267. Kathi M

    So very disappointed to hear the news of the demise of FTM, I hope that you will reconsider this decision for the many of us that rely on it to record our history.

  3268. Patricia Fuller

    As a long time FTM user and subscriber of Ancestry.com, I am very displeased to read this. I will be researching other Desktop software to use and am considering cancelling my membership all together. I have agree with someone else’s post her that he hates the new interface. I do to. I appreciate the ease of navigation with my own desktop software while researching. I don’t appreciate having to navigate through all the senseless story telling gui crap on the new interface between my desktop and the website.

  3269. Mark

    Did Google buy you guys out? This is the same thing that Google is doing. Changing programs and eliminating features. In your case you are dropping a program that has features that are not in Ancestry and are making no attempt to port those features over. A main concern is that there are still a lot of places in the US and elsewhere where this is no network connection. It is absolutely critical to have access to ones files and software everywhere. FTM has done that for years. Ancestry cannot. Pluse everything everyone else posted above.

  3270. Pieter

    You just spoilt the party by this action. I was getting a subscription for Xmas but will now decline it

  3271. KStadelbauer

    I deeply disappointed by this decision. Whoever made the decision does not understand that FTM is the backbone to our genealogy work, and Ancestry.com is an added benefit, not the other way around. Discontinuing FTM will drive me to find another desktop solution — I agree with other commenters that the website does not do half of FTM and the new interface is mediocre. more importantly, I will never trust a cloud based host with 20 years of my geneaolgy work. You must understand that your decision will drive us away from your website, not towards. Please reconsider this ill-conceived decision.

  3272. I AM SO UPSET. THE ONLY REASON I PURCHASED FAMILY TREE MAKER WAS SO I WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO MY TREE WHEN I WAS OFF THE INTERNET. IT APPEARS I JUST WASTED MY MONEY.

  3273. Anne

    I have used FTM for about 17years and unfortunately I have promoted the program as well. It is a sad day when this happens. How about thinking of the Users of this program.and all the money they have generated as well. When is enough money enough for the company. This program has generated and filled your pockets. You mob make me sick.

  3274. Connie

    This is not good. I just invested in this software, paid for 6 month member ship. Move my tree from my old software to your new family tree maker. I talked to a customer serves for an hour to make sure I made the correct change of software. Now to find out that this software will be gone in 2017. What is the point in continuing just to have it taken away in 2017. I waste 50.00 on software and 149.00 for membership. So is this considered false advertisement or what???? Very Very unhappy.

  3275. Patricia Persinger

    What a shame, but business is business, and the online Ancestry must make a profit. However, It s alright if the FTM is no longer connected to the search or records online Ancestry. The FTM software is still viable, if the owners of the desktop program know how to do Records Research. Many other sources which are free and public are accessible for Census Records, Vital Records, and general research information. One just has to learn how to find them; more than 90% of the records and investigative information in my FTM desktop came from outside Ancestry Online Services. My Online tree is small compared to my desktop trees. I have been very happy with my FTM Desktop Program and find its tools extremely simple to use and independently from Ancestry Online. Sorry it doesn’t bother me.

  3276. Sharon

    I have used FTM longer than Ancestry.com. Their reports are better and the addition of Smart Stories instead of having to send your report off to a printer is wonderful. The only reason to use Ancestry.com is for research, which sometimes has flaws due to typing or difficulty reading, so the matches are not always there. However, there has been times that the information was remarkable and surprising. If there must be a choice made FTM will have to be my choice. I can learn to open two screens, to save a document to my FTM file and name the source with better identifying info (just like I did with Find A Grave.com) which is a free site that I used before Ancestry.com. Yes, Ancestry put several sources together for research and assisted in finding items however, as large as my tree is I will not rely on a website (1st rule of genealogy keep a hard copy as well as a backup).

  3277. Steve

    Don’t you realize that the website continues to grow because of the FTM users? Once you shut it down you will definitely see a mass exodus to other sites.

  3278. Benedict Arnold

    CIO for a $500 million company…total misrepresentation of how Software as a Service works as a business model. UNBELIEVABLE!

  3279. It seems that the FTM management have lost leave of their senses and are determined to force their business completely out of business, hopefully somebody will post a list of good alternative pc based software so that FTM and Ancestry will become a distant memory

  3280. raymondg

    Very short sighted decision. While there is a decline in Desktop Computer sales, the PC platform is very much alive. Windows 10 and new products like the Surface Book and Surface Pro, along with a whole new generation of high performance Windows laptops, Windows-based software is very much alive. I will be cancelling my subscription as well.

  3281. WesP

    I am very disappointed you are sun-setting FTM and I urge you to reconsider. Based on the number of responses so far to this blog I think you need to seriously reconsider. I want to make sure you are considering my use case. I use both FTM and Ancestry.com. I keep my master private records on my PC using FTM and I use ancestry.com for my working copy and for provisional records so that I can be deliberate about what I add to my master data. There is a lot of junk genealogy on ancestry.com. I recommend that, given the decision to stop sales, you continue to support the sync functionality for existing licensees for an extended period of time – not just one year.

  3282. Stephen

    I cannot understand your thinking. I have been using your products and the old Mormon dos based software since the 80’s. I cannot overestimate the loss that this decision will create throughout the genealogy community. I only hope I can print it all out, including the notes and stories before it all goes away. Please reconsider.

  3283. Kendall, I think that you are doing a big disservice to both your customers as well as to your company. I think that you may be looking at certain statistics and reaching an incorrect conclusion. Yes, there is a decreasing desktop market, and yes, there is also a declining market for traditional desktop software. I also know that Ancestry has also struggled to make the Mac version of FTM to be well behaved, and that it is expensive to support a website, a mobile app, and a desktop software product.

    I understand the desire to keep expenses in check, and product lines under control. That said, there is certain functionality that exists on FTM that does not exist on your website or in your mobile app.

    The right approach, however, is not to simply turn your back on your loyal customers, and to walk away from one of your products along with its exclusive, and very valuable functionality. Rather, a more prudent approach would be to plan for the migration of this functionality (the value of the product), to a product that will not be sunset. By transitioning the value to your mobile app, by significantly enhancing its functionality to the point that it does most of (if not all of) what is most important to your customers. This approach will enable Ancestry to continue to deliver the same value to its customers while still eliminating the expense of maintaining an additional product line.

    If this is, indeed, Ancestry’s plan, then an announcement like today’s, should have included an explanation of such plans so as to avoid unnecessarily upsetting your customers.

    I frequently get the impression that the people in Product roles at Ancestry have little to no experience with the products as genealogists.

    This is very disappointing news, to say the least.

  3284. Gerald L

    I have spent a good amount of time reviewing all of the comments posted on this latest development and none of them are anyway near to agreeing with this development. I have been upgrading FTM software from the mid 1990’s and a World subscriber of Ancestry from before 2010. With his arrangement, the web has always been thought of as a secondary backup to FTM, with my external drive as primary, which has worked well through a laptop replacement, operating system upgrade, or re-installs. All during this time, FTM has been the main deposit of all data gathered, as well as the custom reporting design tool. Now Ancestry makes an announcement without any meaningful explanation to it subscribers, who from all of the blogs, seem to have spent thousands of dollars buying upgrades and renewing subscriptions, just to be told, “See ya!,” All of the hours spent cleaning up the Indexes. Nothing, other than an escape valve to let up blow off some steam. Does any of this interconnection of software, programming, free review of databases, contribution of information, media and subscription fees mean anything to Ancestry, not to mention all of the DNA data provided? Your announcement falls way short of anything approaching an appreciation of your loyal followers and subscribers. From the remarks above, there appears to be a mass exit of subscribers due to this very unwanted step.

  3285. Kelly

    How will I be able to do reports, charts and all the features of the software program that are not available on line? The online version is missing many features!

  3286. CD

    Have you lost your collective minds? Or, is this a fishing trip? What say you Crista? You are working for a bunch of morons, obviously.

  3287. Nobel Lugo

    My concern is we have a quick reference, for our personal family information, that we could use readily and share with our families. Will this be on the Ancestry Website? How would that happen – will we have sections for each individuals? 2017 is not that far from December 2015. Are you going to provide an information soon regarding the possibilities for this process? Any information wold be greatly appreciated. Nobel Lugo

  3288. Anna

    I have FTM but have had trouble using it since I’m a Mac user. After it froze my online family tree and I was told via phone that the person I was talking to had no idea how to fix it and I would have to figure it out on my own I stopped using it. (I did figure out the solution on my own). However…I agree with most of the many comments–haven’t even been able to read them all because there are so many. I don’t feel any loyalty to ancestry.com because you don’t seem to have any loyalty to your members. Many of your decisions do not take the interests of your members into account. I’m going to begin looking for an alternative because I don’t know when the next rug will be pulled out from under us.

  3289. Mary Lou Taylor

    I am very unhappy with your decision. I will be considering stopping my membership to Ancestry.Ancestry does not do all the things I can do with FTM. I guess I will have to buy another type of product that will take the place of FTM and stop Ancestry.

  3290. Baxter

    What can I add to the above thousands complaints…… My favorite software of 15 years had been bought by Ancestry and then destroyed it. The DNA program that was so important to 250 with the same sir name was brought by Ancestry and now it is useless. …and your new format ??? I would cancel today if I didnt have 15 years of work and a tree of 20K to consider. From your actions on this matter and the cheap tv commerials I see daily it is obvious that you have no interest in the serious genealogists.

  3291. Ralph

    I posted my objection to this stupid (almost too polite a term) idea. But here’s a thought. All of us need to start contacting Legacy, Roots Magic etc. and suggest to them that they work on a direct import of the files from FTM. I have no idea what is involved but this could be a huge win for one of the other desktop programs.

  3292. John M Bourne

    OK, all that I have seen today convinces me that it is time to cut my link with Ancestry. I am not going to put my FTM data as only an on-line subscription. In February, I am going to cancel my subscription and pull my data. I will find some off-line application that will sustain it. It may be not as good as FTM, but it will have local data capability.

  3293. Leslie

    RootsMagic has a wonderful deal right now that I just took advantage of. I’ve been very frustrated with FTM recently trying to do citations. It is not user friendly in that area. My only real reason for using FTM was it’s connection to Ancestry but I won’t keep my tree on Ancestry and have to continue to pay the ridiculous fees without having the software on my computer. I understand RootsMagic has a similar link to Family Search. A good friend of mine has been using Rootsmagic for years and loves it. I will join her now. So sad. I loved using Ancestry with FTM. But no more.

  3294. Diane Black

    Are you out of your mind?! Ancestry.com has become good for casual researchers who are lazy with their research, and will unquestioningly download information from someone else’s tree without examining the sources or even the data itself. People who take their work/hobby seriously use FTM for superior record maintenance and reporting features. Why are you deliberately sabotaging your own website by running off the very people who are actually contributing to helping Ancestry.com grow in meaningful ways, and instead encouraging “pop genealogy” and superficial “name collecting”. It’s insulting, not to mention killing the very geese that are laying your golden eggs. I dislike many aspects of the new interface — you’ve put in so many “user friendly” bells and whistles that I feel like I’m fumbling around the hard data wearing heavy gloves and goggles, trying to get at it. NOT a happy customer, here.

  3295. Sarah S

    You’ve hurt yourselves with this move. Maybe you should reconsider after all the comments up above. Did you think your LOYAL customers would at all be happy?

  3296. John Blackburn

    Kendall Hulet has certainly got a response from users with this announcement

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  3297. Lew Jenkins

    I am a long time FTM user and a new ROOTS MAGIC user. I have some observations about the two products.

    We can only hope that Ancestry chooses to release an API to open up the sync function. The mad dash in search of a replacement product now begins. I have been doing this for over a year and finally settled on ROOTS MAGIC as the hands down best alternative product. I have been using it in addition to FTM for nearly a year. Other than the ANCESTRY Sync it has most of the same functionality and in some cases far superior reporting.
    It does support a kind of Sync function , unfortunately it is with the LDS Family Search database (FS). That is a severe problem for me since I have abandoned Family Search as a promising experiment which in my case has been an unqualified disaster.
    For those of you that do not know the LDS Family Search family tree database attempts to create a single database for everyone which is by default open to the world. This is a similar concept to the Ancestry One World Database which was abandoned .Whereas in Ancestry , hundreds of people can have John SMITH in their ancestry file and each person can have slightly different information about the same individual person, the LDS Family Search family tree has ideally just one entry for John SMITH that everyone shares. This is a great idea in theory . In practice I have found that it is impossible to maintain a family tree since any know-nothing cousin can come along and delete years of research when they believe they have different information which is correct.
    In my own case we have several families who have “adopted” a single ancestors and have created duplicate and conflicting information about that family.
    The Family Search group refers to this as a “dispute” and leaves all of the information in the database . The internet genealogist log on and download this information and begin to propagate this garbage all over the internet.

    After trying to work with this system for over a year I have abandoned my effort to keep my families information correct on Family Search.

    This is my one big problem with ROOTS MAGIC . It is currenly very LDS Family Search – centric !! which I consider very problematic.

    If Roots Magic has any smart marketing types on their staff , they will see a golden opportunity being handed to them by the Genius at Ancestry who decided to pull the plug on on FTM. (Somebody please get me his name so I can follow his career !)

    If RM can make the transition to being less FS-Centric and at least more agnostic about FS and Ancestry , they will have tremendous growth.

    They need to do some work on their User Interface to bring it up to more modern look and feel but the fundamental architecture of the product looks like a winner to me.

    PS. I am a software designer with 30 years experience and the past CEO of several software companies, none of which are in the genealogy business

  3298. Denise

    I’ve been using FTM since it first came out and was thrilled when Ancestry provided the sync capabilities. I have spent decades building my trees and maintain trees for friends as well. I have subscribed to Ancestry for years and just sent you $400 for the entire package. A decision I now regret. I don’t like the new Ancestry but figured I would get used to it and would still have my FTM to maintain my trees where I could produce reports any time on any thing I wanted. I don’t see being able to do that with Ancestry.
    I see no need to renew my Ancestry membership if Family Tree Maker goes away. FTM makes Ancestry.com viable for me. Like many of the Ancestry.com membership, I joined Ancestry because of FTM. I’ve been very happy with the FTM/Ancestry arrangement and planned to continue for years. Your decision today gives me the remaining time on my subscription to do all I can until it runs out. Then I won’t renew.
    I see that I am not the only one that is upset over this decision and will definitely discontinue my association with Ancestry. There is a lot of free information on the web and I don’t need for you to keep my trees on your website. I only put them on there because of the DNA projects. Obviously, Ancestry doesn’t care about their membership otherwise they would have proposed their plan to the membership first. It’s been a great ride… Too bad it’s over. You will not get another dime from me.

  3299. James

    It’s all about money folks – you buy FTM then get a lot of your data from familysearch.org and input into FTM. So Ancestry drops FTM forcing you to input data on the Ancesstry site or move to other data entry programs. Oh well – back to the pen and paper method!!

  3300. Alawi almogbel

    Totally wrong decision as from end users if no replacement is provided hence i will search for alternative in that case.

  3301. Dru

    I am so sorry you are discontinuing a valuable genealogy software program. I am unable to access the Internet on a regular basis and will not add my family tree online until I have sourced all my information.

    Until then I’ll be researching other software. I’ve been using FTM for about 25 years. Please rethink your decision. All your recent upgrades have been internet related and have little effect on my usage.

  3302. Barbara

    Ancestry did the same thing with their DNA; chose to just drop all but the autosomal. You need to make sure you have the actual images for all those records you’ve found. If you just merged through the web workspace you only have the links not the actual image; so get busy downloading the images. You can export your FTM files as GEDcom files and then import into any other software. I guess we will all start shopping for new software. My Heritage offers a free one I’ll be checking out.

  3303. Mark Lackie

    I am so disappointed in this news. I find the desktop version of the program so much easier to work with and to keep my files organized. I never have liked the website version of the program other than to do quick research.

    In addition, reports on the website are horrible unless you pay for a fancy service.

    My subscription expires in January and I was considering going to the full package including Fold3 and newspapers and the world docs but I don’t know anymore.

    I think you are making a HUGE mistake and you will find a massive drop in revenues if you do not continue the program.

  3304. KellyLaurent

    Oh God NO! Don’t give up on the best thing you’ve got going for you!! That is an even worse idea then your new platform, which is useless.
    I’ve seen you through a lot in the last 15 years but held on because of Family tree maker. It is or was quite frankly the best out there and now you are getting rid of it? Bad move, very bad move.
    It looks like I’ll need to start looking for a better alternative then your useless internet based tree. Because I’m not going to deal with it. If you continue on this course I’ll be taking my business and tree with me; and from the looks of it I’m not alone in this thought.
    Your old and very unhappy customer.

  3305. Josie

    While I was happy to pay for Ancestry worldwide membership which I have had for many years now for research purposes I prefer to have all my documentation in one place which I am able to produce through FTM. My desktop family trees contain much more than Ancestry allows and I will be discontinuing my membership and no longer sticking up for the usefulness of Ancestry.com in my genealogical discussions if this change takes place.

  3306. Beth

    I do not believe you care about your subscribers. If so you would not be going down the road you are going. The changes to the new ancestry are absolutely crazy and I hate the changes!! I have even written many times about it. Now you are going to stop FTM? Have you no idea what the people who subscribe want?? Really. Seriously in doubt about if I will continue to subscribe if ancestry does all this. Again…. hate the new ancestry. I have been a subscriber for many many years with the old ancestry.

  3307. Janet H

    I am in total disbelief, I just cannot believe that FTM can be stopped, just like that. What a bombshell, yes indeed as people have said. I don’t see how the reasons given correlate withr stopping FTM Like many others, I upgraded this year, what a waste of money but more importantly what an earth are we to use in the future?? We all still need to use a database like FTM, whether we use online resources or websites. There is just no justification for stopping this magnificant programme, when there is no other programme as good. We still need FTM whether we use Ancestry or not, but now I wonder if I will use Ancestry at all, after this very very wrong and bad decision. Its more than disappointment, its just incomprehensible. I don’t know where the idea that software programmes like this are in a category of a declining desktop software, because as I have just said we still need to use a programme like FTM. I will seriously have to consider whether I re subscribe to ancestry, given its exhoribant fee. Another reason is that if you have slow internet speeds, using online software is totally impracticable. We just hope that everyone’s collective comments force you to re consider. I regret recommending this programme to other people.

  3308. Melissa

    I wish there were a ‘like’ button for all the comments above. I’d be going right down the line and hitting it for all of them. I am another FTM user since way back in the day when it was put out by Broderbund. Most of my research was done the old fashioned way, in the days before ‘Ancestry’ and the availability of online digitized records. Then came ‘Ancestry’, and as I watched as ‘Ancestry’ gobbled up sites that were once created by both professional genealogists and the family hobbyist, until they were nearly all obsolete, it became evident to me what your aim was and I learned not to put my trust in you. Thus, this news comes as no surprise. ‘Ancestry’ has never really been interested in what is best for the people, the bottom line has always been about money and control. You may have been able to pull the wool over many people’s eyes for a long time, but now it has been removed and they can see. Yes, I am a paying member of Ancestry, and have detested that fact the whole while that I have fed your incessant greed. However, I have never shared my tree with you because I knew this day would come; when once again those who have posted their genealogies, all their hard work, would lose either their total access, or ease of access, to all that they have contributed to you. With Ancestry it’s your way or the highway; you don’t listen to what any of us have been saying. Your ‘new and improved’ Ancestry looks as if it was created by a third grader. Users keep telling you what we like and don’t like, but you refuse to do anything. If you cared you would. So, there’s no reason for me to believe that you will listen to any of this feedback from a multitude of users, or that it will change the outcome in any way. I think you’re cutting your own throats with pulling FTM out from under us. Remember as you go down… that was your choice.

  3309. Richaed

    Please don’t stop supporting FTM. Will other programs like Brother’s Keeper and others be allowed to down load information.

  3310. Michael Riser

    I use FTM-2012 and was planning to upgrade soon. Thank you for the heads-up on your intentions to further solidify your efforts to have us pay you good money into what appears as an act of trickery so that you may control and with all intents and purposes own all our hard work and leaving us FTM users with nothing to show for it after January 2017. I too shall cancel my subscription if nothing equitable is resolved for FTM users within a reasonable amount of time.Thank You.

  3311. Nutfield

    Time to switch to MyHeritage (both online and their desktop version). I’m also buying Legacy and RootsMagic for myself to Christmas. I’ll also be looking for other alternative software. I’ll be blogging about the switchover so everyone else can learn how to replace both Ancestry online and Family Tree Maker on the desktop. Follow along with me online to learn the benefits, tips, and how to migrate files, media and sources. It’s time to evaluate all the other genealogy apps and online services.

  3312. Kay Ross

    Well this a far from positive move, what are you thinking. Will there be any reimbursement on this product!!!! Very disappointing

  3313. Jim P

    Ancestry – you have slapped all of us in the face with your decision. Many of us have bveen using FTM for or 20 years and I personally have been a paying member of Ancestry.com for almost 15 years. For you to make this decision without consulting those who have the most to lose is unconscionable. Worse you have bveen offering upgrades of FTM online for $60 a pop! Have you gotten so big that what the customer wants doesnt matter. Wise up or you will lose those who made you successful!

  3314. Brenda

    Disappointed beyond words. The migration to online only does not fit your target audience. Family history recording is done at the PC with software. The internet is a research tool and not my favourite way to store my information. I appreciate the portability of online as a research tool, but I still prefer working on my PC with software and my own documents and records. I don’t want my tree in cyberspace. I hope you reconsider this misguided decision. Perhaps ancestry.com wants my information in order to sell it for their own selfish means. I can’t believe this is happening. I’ve been using FTM since 1997 and I will continue to use it with or without your support. This decision is ridiculous and made by someone who obviously has no idea how FTM is responsible for ancestry’s success.

  3315. carolyn

    Whose stupid, dumb idea was this? It is obviously NOT a genealogist. Must be getting ready to sell the company again. It is parting itself out. Dumb Butts You all are.

  3316. Gail Barnes

    Sad to hear about the loss of FTM. BUT, ever since Kendall Hulet was promoted in Mar 2015 to manage products, Ancestry has gone down hill…especially starting with the ‘new website look’ in June….now he’s discontinued FTM. Ancestry Management should take a serious look at this 37 year old Hulet and determine if he really knows what researchers want. Has he ever seriously researched a family long term and does he understand the effort that it takes to do this? It makes no sense to discontinue the #1 best selling genealogy software out there! There is something to be said for the old adage: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ It is neat to have ‘on-the-go’ Apps, etc., but there is a lot to be said for PC’s, especially the all-in-one models that can be taken anywhere almost. To all of those who have commented about recently purchasing FTM or just renewing their Ancestry subscription, ask for a refund. Ancestry knew this was coming and they continued to sell and renew as if all was well. Shame on Ancestry. If Ancestry wants to do right by their loyal customers, find a way to make FTM work. Just.Do.It!!

  3317. Susan

    You are discontinuing the most valuable product/asset in your catalog. It is essential that users be able to have their entire tree and documentation available as a standalone/no network needed product for MANY reasons. Roots Magic states that it is willing to work with Ancestry to create a compatible product – sure hope that happens (much like the saving of the on-line publication that was discontinued).

  3318. Anita

    What a shame! I use FTM everyday, I share my work with other family members, I have two trees for other people I’m working on! Just like the stupid changes to Ancestry.com another set back for all the members trying to save their history to pass it on! And like you stated it’s all about the money! How about all the money I’v spent over the past twenty years for Ancestry.com. Wonder what would happen if all your members decided it was not cost effective for them to use Ancestry.com anymore

  3319. Graham

    I am flabbergasted by Ancestry’s decision. I have been using FTM for over 20 years and have generated a data base with over 14,000 relatives.I have done little to upload family trees to the Cloud. I am very concerned about losing some of the reporting functions in FTM. I am concerned about importing my data into other genealogy. About ten years ago I try to bring my FTM data base into PAF and found that it was not possible to import all of the data in my FTM data base, even with using gedcom. My FTM data base has grown slightly in the last ten years, so I am concerned that I will be having great difficulty using other genealogy software to bring in my entire FTM data base.

  3320. Melissa

    I just spent $140 adding TWO versions of FTM to my Mac computer and then to my PC. I think I should have been told that the software I was purchasing would be obsolete in a year!! I have worked using FTM for almost 20 years, don’t want to switch to an online version with no hard backup. VERY unhappy with this decision. At this point I have not joined Ancestry.com because I don’t have much time to do research and most of what I have done was in libraries, etc., but was planning to join in the next year to get some information. But not if it won’t sync with FTM. You’ve lost a customer, and I feel ripped off, too.

  3321. Rex Brown

    What a gift you’ve sent me for my 85th birthday! You’re really letting down your thousands (millions???) of loyal subscribers who’ve dedicated part of their lifetime and a lot of money to working with Family Tree Maker. I couldn’t have dreamed that you’d just abandon us! BAD, BAD MOVE on your part! I hope you’ll be providing us with detailed instructions on how to move our files to other programs!

  3322. Duana

    I am another long time user of FTM with a huge tree and could not agree more with the hundreds of comments you have received in the last few hours since we received your email. I love FTM and seldom go to the website to do research. I also teach others how to work on their genealogy and always recommend FTM to them. Guess it will be roots magic from now on as it will sync with Family Search Family trees. this is a horrible decision on your part and I hope with all the negative responses you are receiving you will reconsider this decision.

  3323. HomerGirl

    You should be ashamed. You make this announcement with offering nothing in return. What happens to the millions of us who are using this software, all of our research, etc.

  3324. Neal Smith

    This is the final straw for me. The new website format is ridiculous, and with the desktop support on its way out, I’m on my way out, too.

  3325. Margaret

    As I have only just spent $90 to upgrade to Family Tree Maker Software, I am truly flabagasted to learn that Ancestry will not be supporting FTM after 31.1.17 and will be retiring the sync facility. Like all your other dismayed customers I too believe you should rethink your strategy, at least for existing FTM owners!

  3326. Thom Blake

    Ancestry – are you crazy. FTM is the best family tree software on the market by far and the intregation with web site as well as mobile apps. Ancestry please do fall for the trap of thinking you have to constantly upgrade your software. FTM is fine like it is and does not need major enhancements. I think in its current form, it would suit most family history researchers for the next ten years. Please think again.

  3327. Laura

    Ridiculous, mean and greedy! I’ve been using and upgrading FTM since V.1. I use it for all my reports, not to mention the number of people I’ve encouraged to purchase it over other software! The new Ancestry leaves a lot to be desired. What are you thinking?

  3328. Kristie Wells

    We know you have more questions on Family Tree Maker. We are currently reviewing every single comment that has been left here and will provide responses to you over the next couple of days.

  3329. Connie Miller

    I have never used FTM – have always used another genealogy database and have no problem at all using Ancestry. I don’t like it when a computer program does my thinking for me, so I don’t depend on Ancestry telling me to whom I am related! Your company discontinuing FTM will have no affect on me or on my use of Ancestry.

  3330. Jim

    Like Gordon, I am very disappointed, I have been using Family Tree Maker forever, paid a lot of money to you, what software will I use to for my Family Tree?? Over the years I have bought every update.
    This is one poor decision on your part. Once again I am very disappointed!!!!!!

  3331. Louise V

    Very poor decision by an organization that obviously does not understand it’s customer base. As many others have stated FTM has been my repository of family history for years under my control on my desktop. I have no intention of moving all of my data to Ancestry.ca where I must continue to pay annual membership and have no control over what you do with my data and have less functionality. I guess I will be evaluating other desktop software as well and will be re-considering renewal of my Ancestry subscription. If you were wise you would be reconsidering your shortsighted decision.

  3332. Richard

    I’ve been with FTM since the Broderbund days, and that is along time. I have over 5,000 names on my tree over these years. The sync capability was an improvement. Ancestry does not have the capabilities of FTM. It would seem that FTM should be the surviving program because of its superiority over Ancestry.
    In my opinion, since ancestry bought FTM, lit has been degraded to the point where you felt the decision must be made. I hope I can find another program as effective as FTM has been. A reversal of the decision would benefit Ancestry and retain many loyal clients.

  3333. Betty wollenberg

    Have already removed my trees from Ancestry. I will use my FTM software for the time being, but will be exploring other options, both in software and geneaolgy sites for research. I like others have seen that the bottom line for ancestry is the almighty dollar. I am a committed genealogist, and I don’t just add information to my tree willy-nilly, and never from an online tree, unless the documentation for the information is there. I have found to much incorrect information on people’s trees. I use the trees sometimes as a direction that I might research, but never do I take the information in those trees for fact without documentation to back it up.

  3334. Dale Mundwiler

    I have scrolled through the comments and no one seemed to be in favor or your decision. Like many others I do most of my work with FTM and use the tree sync feature with the hints to build my tree. I do not build my tree in Ancestry. I think this move is a move in the wrong direction.

  3335. Carol

    The large number of serious genealogists who have just said ancestry.com will be of much less value without the strength of FTM behind it are absolutely right. Leaving users with no means of saving work on a personal computer, entering notes, and printing out data in various formats is a ridiculous business decision.

  3336. Craig

    This is very short sighted and I think Ancestry will come to regret this decision, at least I hope they do unless they reverse this decision. People will vote with their feet and go else where. Shame on you Ancestry.

  3337. Ian Patey

    Although I have both FTM and Legacy Family Tree – I preferred FTM. Base on this I will have no option but to migrate as best I can to Legacy Family Tree or any other equivalent. Given that you have not offered your membership what the alternative could be or do you mean that we only use the website only is unclear and poor customer communications. I agree with most of the above posts to save typing more, overall not happy!

  3338. Peter Bolton

    I sincerely hope – in light of the many dissatisfied comments you have received – that you will rethink your decision to end FTM. A very short-sighted decision indeed…

  3339. Robert W

    Big mistake as Ancestry will see. And I’m one of the ones who still uses FTM version 16 because all later versions were a step backwards. Ancestry should realize that not everyone uses a smart phone to do genealogy. Pretty expensive service if there is no computer program to interface with. P.S. Hate the new Ancestry look and feel.

  3340. Linda

    The last version of FTM, I did not purchase the disk, but had it downloaded to my computer. Is the disk still available for purchase?

  3341. J

    I bought FTM as a gift for relatives and now it’s discontinued? My wife and myself both have separate large trees which we are going to merge for our kids. Ancestry.com does not offer this functionality, but FTM does. Guess I better get with it.
    That coupled with no longer being able to work on my tree when I don’t have internet access is just a cherry on top.

    We are going to seriously have to consider whether Ancestry is the best alternative there is when our subscription fees come up for renewal.

  3342. David Brooks

    Agree with all the above. The only part of Ancestry that is any good is the FTM software. Use The Genealogist or FindMypast or Family Search for searching but NEED FTM for recording it all.

  3343. Eileencw

    I just turned on my computer to renew my subscription. NO THANKS when I saw this. I was already upset about the new Ancestry.

  3344. Diane Threat

    I must agree with most of the comments here – Nooooo! Please re-think this! I like the sync’ing between Ancestry and FTM, but at the same time have privacy of my own version(s) of family trees. Thank you.

  3345. joan

    NOOOO…. The reason I have the desktop is to preserve my work outside of the dependency of Ancestry to view and add to the content of my trees.

  3346. Sue M

    I have no idea where to go from here – are there other similar products available for not very computer savvy people like me? – I certainly hope so. This appears to be a very short sighted decision which will result in ancestry losing a lot of business.

  3347. Bob

    I value my desktop family tree far more than the on line tree. I’ll begin the process of deleting all I can from the on line tree, then cancelling my membership.

  3348. Bruce

    Very, very disappointing!!! Why take something out that is so popular and widely used. Read the feedback, no one is happy.

  3349. Erik Nielsen

    Can I remove all of my information from your sites when I terminate my relationship with your company???? You don’t keep copies after we have quit? Your decision sucks… Your data bases were great and FTM was the only real serious way to use them…

  3350. Julie

    Without FTM I will find it hard to see a reason for keeping my tree on Ancestry as I won’t be able to create reports or charts or even books, making all the research useful. Ancestry will only be a resource site for records. So sad you are taking one of the best parts of ancestry.

  3351. Leigh Bratcher

    I’m going to add my disapproval to the list. I just renewed my subscription, I want a refund!

  3352. Jo R

    Shocked that Ancestry would do this to so many of their LOYAL customer base. They pride themselves on customer service? What a farce.

    Whoever their Communications Officer is that put out this bulletin should be fired for lack of information to their customers.

    It’s like you’ve just been given your PINK SLIP without cause.

    Very disappointed customer!

  3353. Susan Shirey

    Clearly Permira, the private equity that bought Ancestry and now has it up for sale, is just interested in skimming off as much money as it can. See article at https://www.pehub.com/…/ancestry-com-to-issue-third…/. The company is certainly not interested in serving Ancestry’s customers. At one time, I thought about buying Ancestry stock, but will certainly not do so now!!

  3354. Justin L. Smith

    The only feature I see going away is the sync option. One can still purchase some other tree software and make reports. Also, one can keep the FTM sooftware one already has, it won’t stop working – it just will not be updated. I used PAF for years and it was discontinued, but the software could still be used.

  3355. Steve C

    Ancestry will have the most success when they offer solutions that meet the needs of their customers. Do not underestimate the extent to which FTM is a part of the solution you offer. I have countless hours invested in research. I am not likely to risk that with a “cloud only” solution. I have been involved in Information Technology for over 30 years. I have seen many products fail because they offer a solution that the customer did not want and did not need.

  3356. Craj1983

    There must be thousands and thousands of disappointed customers here. Not only does this breach the first law of marketing ie it’s much easier to keep an existing customer than win a new one, but from the point of view of ancestry’s balance sheet – and that has to be what’s driving this – why doesn’t ancestry put FTM up for sale. That would not only put cash in their bank but it would go some way to placating a very angry customer base!

  3357. Schur

    Like so many other people are saying, discontinue FTM & I will never use your website again. This is a horrible decision. The service has gotten worse and now this, goodbye!

  3358. ddg

    When are you going to answer all of our questions? You owe the users of FTM and Ancestry the help we will all need to preserve and update all of our research. I am due to renew my Ancestry subscription this month, but there doesn’t seem a good reason to do so now. Bad decision on your part.

  3359. Kori

    This is a poorly thought out decision with respect to the users in the community. Luckily MyHeritage’s software is free.

  3360. Paul

    I just clipped this from your homepage: “The #1–selling family history software now has TreeSync™.” Really? The #1 selling software can’t make money? How are #2 & #3 managing? C’mon what’s really going on?

  3361. Sharon

    After spending over 40 years in software development and seeing products come and go, this is a very egregious development. The fact that you are ostensibly a financially viable company who is slapping your customers in their face is appalling. Some of us have been with FTM and Ancestry for years and love it. We despise the new Ancestry format and loved the old one. Now we are told that our beloved FTM will no longer be supported when 2016 ends. As that famous poet from the great state of Minnesota, Bob Dylan, once said, “You’ve got a lot of nerve. . . ” As soon as I find a reasonable substitute for FTM and my Ancestry subscription runs out, it’s adios!

  3362. John Champine

    Have you figured out yet that this is a lousy decision? I get regular promos from Mytrees.com & Myheritage.com. Maybe they are a better option than depending on diminished & ending support of FTM.

  3363. Sandy Harrison

    I can’t believe this! How am I supposed to keep records up to date on my machine and attach all the source documents for the thousands of people in my tree?! It would take years to do all of this by hands. I am outraged that you would think, in this day of high tech, that genealogy researchers would want to keep all their research only on your servers. You don’t give us the capabilities to print reports, create charts, etc. We need those capabilities without having to pay extra money to Ancestry and wait forever to get the reports in the mail.

    I hate the new look of the website and the searching has become more difficult because instead of searching the specific entry I typed, it brings me names that are nut even close in countries that are nut the one I’m working. Website had gone downhill and now you’re taking away my software too! We pay a lot of money to you for our research. Did you ever consider doing a survey of your subscribers and purchasers of Family Tree Maker to ask us how we feel? The people making this decision are obviously not genealogists our techies to think this is good for business. Roots Magic is a great software program, but it won’t sync my data and auto download and link the sources.

  3364. Bob

    I have been with you since FTM was a Broderbund product and have been doing research for over 25 years. This is more than a hobby but rather a passion. Thousands of hours have gone into my research and it is a very personal thing. You have many times asked for our comments when changes were in the wind. Why not this time prior to this stunning announcement? It might even have been more comfortable to know in advance what actually will replace FTM! I find it hard to believe you don’t make a profit on your desktop software. Do you actually lose money on it? I have worked many times through problems with you as a customer. All the bugs, features that were dropped and brought back because you responded to your customers. Even most recent when you were hacked and the system went down, I was confident that you would respond. This announcement is quite shocking and upsetting. I am among those in this blog who are upset about this announcement. I don’t know if I have ever seen such a strong response to something like this. I certainly hope this response causes you pause, followed by a reversal of this decision very soon. My FTM file is over 19 gigs. I don’t even want to think about having to move to something different, but I will, because like many, I don’t want to do my work in the cloud. I have your app on my iPad and it comes no where close to the functionality of FTM.

  3365. Lisa Lichtenberg

    You have got to be kidding! As if the 12/15/15 “Scrooge Day” wasn’t enough, you announce this in the same month, NOW WE’VE BEEN DOUBLE SCROOGED. I have been trying to get somebody’s attention in senior management, but it appears that “there is nobody home”, so when the dust settles, don’t say we didn’t try to stop you! I’m so done…….

  3366. Anthony Lewis

    This is an excellent example of one of the liabilities of storing data in the cloud–the owner can cut you r access to your data at any time. I keep all my data on my own computer (and back it up); I only post enough online to allow other researchers to contact me. If you have a MAC, I suggest using GEDcom to export to REUNION.

  3367. Pamela

    Wow, more than 3900 comments so far in less than 24 hours. Ancestry, are you listening? I suppose this was the plan when the software was bought from Broderbund; purchase / shut down to remove competition. To-day Wikepedia says “Family Tree Maker was discontinued 31 December 2015.” I wonder who updated that already. Ancestry you are annoying a lot of people. I hope we will all vote on this decision by not renewing subscriptions. Then, perhaps, you will listen to your customers.

  3368. Sharon M.

    For those of us who have dedicated decades to finding our families and recording the data for ourselves and our descendants, this is more a personal affront than you probably realize. These ancestors are a part of us. Giving up our records and our way of preserving them is a very difficult thing to do. To you it is just a business; to us it is family. I agree with the others that we need to have personal control of our data, and that is achieved through our software. Seeing the huge amount of responses here, maybe your company should rethink this decision. It will definitely make your consumers happy.

  3369. Vivian Smith

    I use the software to resolve conflicts on my trees and tons of reports. Huge lose for me! You need to many features to Ancestry to make up what we will no longer have. What software do you recommend? The appeal is they sync. Sounds like you are making more work for your consumers.

  3370. Horace

    You have some nerve!! “Abusive comments may be moderated” – really?? You are the one being abusive. One month’s notice is insufficient and unacceptable to those of us who have used your product since before it was your product. Years, no decades, of faithful support is rewarded with a curt, “we have decided to discontinue ..:” I have not seen any support for this decision in these comments. I just hope that everyone follows through with their promises to stop paying your exorbitant fees. You deserve nothing less.

  3371. Dave Roper

    Not Happy. I don’t like this decision. I for one thank you are wasting everybody time and money on the DNA. Everyone I’ve talk with disappointed in it so it’s not just me. Now you want to do away with FTM. I have been a member since 2007. I may cancel mine before the January 2017 died line. I’am sure I can find some else to take my money and do nothing. Not Happy.

  3372. I have been using FTM since I can’t remember when, probably 1990, and been a member of Ancestry for many years. I’ve been a firm believer in Ancestry, and have recommended it to others. In fact, I have one who will enlist in January, unless he changes his mind after this. Like me, he views Ancestry as an extension of FTM. Please reconsider.

  3373. Kristen

    I have downloaded all Gedcom files and removed my trees from Ancestry. Please advise when you are going to re-index your files so I know when all trace of my files has disappeared from your site. I assume all my media files will be totally removed as well. Please advise.

  3374. W. Mading

    DO NOT RENEW MY SUBSCRIPTION!!!!! Ancestry is no longer the program I signed up for. From now on it’s Legacy.

  3375. lgritzo

    So greed got the better of you, Ancestry. Too bad. I still like Version 17 because it does all that I need for it to do. And I will certainly NOT try to do genealogy on my smart phone — count on it. You’re making a really bad management error.

  3376. Sara

    At what point will Kendall Huitt and/or other members of the management staff at ancestry.com wake up and respond to these posts? My ancestry subscription runs out in July – don’t be surprised if I choose not to renew it. We bought our first desk top computer in 1993, and Family Tree was one of the first pieces of software loaded on to it. Now what?

  3377. Brenda

    I’m stunned by this decision! I’ve been using Family Tree Maker since 1994 – that’s over 20 years – having invested hours and hours loading information into the program, and making charts, books, etc. – and you now decide it’s not longer a good thing for YOU. Well, what about all the customer’s who have donated information to you, and helped in other ways, that has helped your company grow – just tossing us aside?! What knuckle head thought of this idea??!!

  3378. Larry Whitsell

    PS… Does anyone actually believe that Ancestry is reading these comments? I seriously doubt it and would be surprised if anyone ever geys a response or if those in charge care what we have to say. Sad.

  3379. Elaine

    For those cancelling their Ancestry membership and wondering where they can upload their family trees…switch to using LegacyFamilyTree software and use FamilySearch.org. Best part about FamilySearch.org is that it’s FREE! So, all is not lost. The software has a free version and is upgradable if you want all the bells and whistles. Most of the upgrades are free, too.

  3380. Sandra

    FTM has NEVER worked for me as advertised. I certainly hope it is replaced by the ability to pair another program with Ancestry. That’s the only reason I bought it, and have had nothing but problems, possibly because my tree is large. Also…the new Ancestry forces many more steps to do what used to be easy. Gonna work on that? Hope so.

  3381. Ruth Rodriguez

    This news saddens me very much. I have been using FTM for a long, long time. I use it to print hard copies of my family tree and various charts and reports that I make on FTM. It is very helpful to have a hard copy when you are doing indepth analysis.
    I truly believe that you are being short-sighted about getting rid of FTM. Sometimes, the fluidity of Ancestry on the internet makes it difficult to go back to see exactly what information I actually have in my records and what info I still need to look for.
    And, How about the folks who cannot afford to pay you $200.00+ yearly to do research on Ancestry.com????
    I know some older, money strapped people who use FTM, but cannot afford to pay for an online account. Many of them still do research the old fashioned way.
    Don’t get wrong, I appreciate all of the records that Ancestry has provided, but I really want to have a desktop program to use, also.
    PLEASE, I BEG YOU…..RECONSIDER THIS DECISION TO GET RID OF FTM!!!!
    IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO KEEP A HARD COPY OF HARD WORK!!! I have been doing serious genealogy research on my family for 35 years.

  3382. Paul N.

    You have no plan for replacing Family Tree Maker. You give yourselves a year to dream something up. Give me a break Is there any real reason I should continue my subscription to Ancestry? Have you been ripping us off all these years just to get our money? Is that all you care about: MONEY?

  3383. Lena

    First it shut down myfamily.com now FTM, and to what end…now you are proposing we move all of our data to another product, RM, which is by far sub-par in the features and capabilities compared to FTM. Saddest part is that as a teacher of genealogy and software programs available I have instructed people that Ancestry products and specifically FTM was a great product and now after people have purchased it you are CLOSING the door on loyal and good customers who have put their trust in you!! A refund would be great but that in itself does NOT resolve the issue. VERY FRUSTRATING!!!

  3384. Lew Bowling

    I have been using FTM for years & it is the heart of my research. Ancestry has been an on-again/off-again tool to search for additional connections. If this action isn’t reversed, I will keep FTM as my tree database and withdraw my tree from Ancestry. Reading the comments has given me a lot of alternatives to Ancestry for replacing it. I haven’t been too happy with the new format with it’s inane, repetitive structure anyway. I think Ancestry will come to regret this decision, which will probably result in the exodus of a huge number of members, raining their trees with them. I can’t see any reason to stay with a company that cannot be depended on to maintain service.

  3385. Sandra

    PS. Since I only got it to interface with Ancestry, I would like a refund. I like Legacy…will probably just leave Ancestry altogether.

  3386. Nancy Hoit

    Just reading the comments it is unanimous that this is an appallingly bad decision! It really makes me (and obviously everyone who wrote on your blog) reconsider the considerable expense of using Ancestry!
    Either you should reconsider or acknowledge that you have no interest whatever in pleasing your loyal customers. Shame on you!!

  3387. Mel Birch

    Bad, bad call. You have a loyal user-base in numbers that many software providers can only dream of – with an inevitable flow-on business to Ancestry.com. The impact of this decision on Ancestry.com membership will be enormous. Please reconsider.

  3388. Theresa

    While disgusted, I can’t say I’m that surprised. After the last FTM fiasco when the software changed to the “new and improved” version a couple of years ago, I had enough (after many loyal years) and switched to Legacy. Living in an area that had only dial-up at that time, the “new version” was almost impossible to use. Yes, I called the company; the standard response was that it was a new and improved version with the implication that the problems I was having were my fault. It couldn’t possibly have been with their software. That did it. I now use Ancestry for its databases and records only. I’ve never uploaded a tree, nor will I, as I like to keep control of my own research and records.

    My comment is for those who have asked for suggestions. I find Legacy to be easy to use. It’s user friendly, and similar in look to the older version of FTM, but much easier to use than the newer version of FTM for me. In addition, when I search for information online, one of the places the Legacy program will search is through the Ancestry records, so if you’re logged in to your Ancestry account and you click that button in Legacy you have access to research records in Ancestry. No, it won’t automatically link the records into your program, or sync them, and you don’t get any little leaf to give you pointers, but you can download and save the records to your own computer and attached them to your Legacy program then. Having worked on my family history for close to 20 years I find this a workable solution. I don’t give my research and work to any company, I don’t trust the website versions for safety or permanence, my work can be done and maintained on my own computer whether online or not, yet I can still search for the primary source records I need through Ancestry person by person in my file. Just for info, I did get the deluxe version of Legacy…not sure if the basic version works the same or not.

    For the record, I’m adding my displeasure to that of the many voices here. Just one more layer to the problems I had earlier. Had they kept the older version of FTM, I’d still be using it. Now I’m almost glad they didn’t. It saved me a lot of grief now by forcing me to make a change a year or so earlier. I’m very satisfied with the Legacy program.

    Another bad idea, Ancestry. It will take a great deal to earn back the trust in your company that’s been lost.

  3389. Bill M

    Wow. It’s almost as if you came to me and asked, “If Ancestry.com wanted to not receive another drop of your money for the rest of your life, what would we need to do to achieve that goal?” — and then you followed my recommendations exactly.

  3390. Hilda

    Appalled & upset! This is nothing short of traitorous! Would some other company please come forward that’s actually INTERESTED in genealogy & genealogists rather than JUST making money.

  3391. Bob Buchanan

    First, the printing capabilities on the ANC website are seriously inadequate for anyone doing any serious genealogy work and wanting to present it to others to see. FTM makes up for that, although it too is limited. Will you add decent print capabilities to the website? The company you use to print ‘books’ is very expensive; it is useful (but still very costly) only to print formal items that are in final form … which is mostly never.
    Second, one advantage of FTM is that I can work on my trees when off line and have a copy of the tree on my computer (and its backups.) With your new approach I will have to download new GEDCOM files regularly for backup, but won’t really be able to work on them offline. I might just as well change to MyHeritage or FamilySearch and not pay you guys for not much.

  3392. Gayle

    Well, I guess I am not the only one unhappy with this decision but like many others my primary reason for staying loyal to Ancestry was FamilyTreeMaker..and the FTM interface along with the ability to keep records offline.. shocking as that is. In terms of DNA I prefer your competitors and in terms of graphics and charts I prefer another competitor that works with my DNA preference so once I get those sites updated they will become my primary cloud solutions. It would be great to know if you are pursuing any alternatives with respect to an API.

  3393. Bob

    This is incredibly disappointing. My 86 year-old father and I have spent YEARS researching and entering data about or family… dating back to the 1600’s… into FTM. Judging by the thousands of comments from your customers you’ve already received, your customers strongly feel you’ve made a mistake. If you MUST move to a subscription model, please consider an approach similar to that used by Adobe for their Creative Cloud Photography product. A key part of their subscription product is extremely high quality, constantly improving software designed to run on both Windows PC’s and Mac computers at what I consider to be a reasonable price for what you get. And, their customers don’t risk losing any of the content they’ve entered.

  3394. As the years have passed, Ancestry has made things more and more difficult. I am not nearly so advanced as most of these folks ^ ^. As it is, I have difficulty “forcing” my current home version to access the $1500 worth of data CD’s I purchased. DISGUSTING MOVE!

  3395. Richard Grady

    Having been in the software business for nearly 30 years, I can understand the need to change platforms and applications. Focusing solely on a web-based platform is certainly an interesting decision. You should know, however, that when I am doing research and using my notebook computer there are times where an Internet connection is not available. When I am recording materials or documents in the deep forests of Northern Wisconsin or in a parish basement in central Ireland, I must rely on my computer software and my latest backup that, with the new material, will be synced back to the web-based application at a later time when I re-establish a wifi hot spot.

    Now, having spent nearly 15 years recording family history and an untold number of hours in the process, I am not going to make rash decisions as I see others have voiced. My time is much too valuable to flush thousands of hours just to try to duplicate the work on another site. What I will suggest is choosing one of three alternatives: (1) Continue to maintain the current PC-based application and let technology slowly migrate it over time to tablets or other devices, (2) Maintain the current application but outsource the system engineering to a third party whose system engineers are looking for additional work rather than grumbling about the platform they are working on, or (3) sell the application to my company (or someone elses) with a perpetual and exclusive license on name and tie-in rights (among other things) and let my company (or someone elses) sell the PC, tablet and mobile app versions to the end users.

  3396. Bob Schroder

    Pretty poor announcement. You tell us that you’re discontinuing something that many of us have put huge amounts of time and effort into but don’t tell us what to do after you pull the rug from under us. A good customer focussed company would have ensured that there is a migration path and that we understood how that migration works. Frankly, this raises an issue for me now that I have not had before (and I have been a user of your software – or its antecedents sine 1996!) and that it my reliance on a single source supplier for a significant product. Rest assured now that I am out there and looking for alternatives and will be trying to find any migration path for myself that does not place money in your hands.

  3397. Bev

    Will discontinue Ancestry forever. Not to be trusted. I agree with every negative comment. I wish Ancestry all the bad luck in the world. Spin it anyway you want but you are a disgusting company and I hope you crash and burn.

  3398. Ailsa McKenzie

    I too have been using FTM for many many years and I am very upset with this decision. Can our info be transferred to another programme or are we just left floating?!!!!!!’

  3399. Andrew

    This is a disgraceful decision. Ancestry has deteriorated into a crass money machine oblivious to those many serious genealogists who long since built and shared freely of their work. Now, just take and sell that work but abandon the tools best suited to doing that work. Shame on Permira. Boycott Hugo Boss and their other brands.

  3400. Chris

    Dear Ancestry – You seem to be making some bad decisions lately. The “new” ancestry is definitely a step in the wrong direction. I have yet to find anything that betters the family research process within it. In fact, it takes more clicks of the button to get where you are going now. The layout is like a bad DIY remodeling job. Leave stuff alone. Now, you’re taking away a tool in which you have no replacement. A tool, I might add, that people have paid for in good faith that you would support. I’m all for change when something good comes from it. In this respect, you have failed greatly.

  3401. Vivian Smith

    How do you suggest we resolve conflicts and print reports. I switched back to old Ancestry months ago since new Ancestry does not have all the features of the old one. How do you expect us to back up and trees and records without doing duplicate work?

  3402. Pam Kerschner

    Please say it isn’t so! How can you even think of such a thing – abandoning your loyal customers? I’ve been using FTM from day one and been an Ancestry subscriber since 2000. I can’t imagine not being able to generate charts, trees, and reports. I can’t live without those. Will these features be made available as part of our trees on Ancestry?

  3403. Scott

    I am currently using FTM 2008. It continues to work just fine. Whatever version you are using, just keep using it. So what if new versions are not released? The software is STILL on YOUR computer. You will not be able easily integrate online content, so just manually type it in. Also you can always EXPORT you data in a GEDCOM file to another genealogy program. I use a few different programs because I like their different reports! This isn’t the end of the world, your current version will still work after 2017.

  3404. Shana

    Back up your FTM, link with ancestry to get all your information, documents, etc. You can always use another online source to upload a GED of your family history. I don’t like that they are retiring FTM but I think it all has to do with needing more online subsciptions, ($$$) in my honest opinion. I have become increasingly disappointed with Ancestry over the past couple of years. Sad they are ditching a great tool now.

  3405. Tony

    It’s interesting to note that comments about VP Kendall Hulet are written in almost past tense [a man for the “hatchet” job, perhaps, given his short tenure in his current position?] … because that is what will fast become a real sad and sorry state for many who have posted here in the past few hours – we too will be “PAST” members … A very quick calculation shows that NEGATIVE comments about Ancestry.com’s decision to pull the plug on MILLIONS of LOYAL Family Tree Maker customers [= REAL people – with feelings!!], is reaching epidemic proportions with extraordinary post rates of 11.25 comments per minute – perfect storm proportions!!! The PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY with what is obviously a real “BEAN COUNTER” decision, and yet again, those of us in the very much latter part of our lives, trying to leave behind something that we consider is of VALUE FOR OUR OWN DESCENDANTS, feel BETRAYED!!! Also noted by the fine print at the bottom of this blog, is that anyone who wants to add their displeasure, has only 2 weeks further [14 DAYS] to do so…. then what??? A Merry Christmas???? You’ve got to be kidding??

  3406. Tammy

    I will cancel my subscription for good if this isn’t reversed. Your changing the biggest tool there is for people who have used your product since almost the very start….very sad, and the worse decision in history of this company~ whoever decided THIS should be fired!

  3407. What a mis-step to think that anyone serious about their Genealogy would trust anyone to store their information for them. I want to be able to work on my tree ANYTIME I want without having to be ‘online”

  3408. P. Woodcock

    I agree with 99% of the previous comments made. I too have used the Family Tree Maker now for over 10 years and rely on all my information there to verify, print reports etc. I do not want all my tree info to be on the web. Please reconsider as I too may have to rethink whether it will be worth my time and effort to remain a customer or look elsewhere and start all over again!!!!

  3409. Jeff Sengstack

    Using Ancestry.com as a genealogy application is like building a house with Stone Age tools. Family Tree Maker, even with all the flaws that have been added with the two most recent releases, is far and away more feature-rich than both the old and the new Ancestry.com.

    This strategy to force family historians to use an expensive, subscription-based service simply to update their trees that they might not even want to post online is dishonorable and greedy.

    That you have yanked the rug out from under the huge family history community is egregious.

    I have been a long-time user and fan of FTM, going back to the Banner Blue days. I taught FTM in the local community education program and created a course featuring FTM for lynda.com.

    But your shameful, profit-based decision has killed my long-standing loyalty and support. I have started my quest to find a replacement for FTM and Ancestry. At first blush Legacy Family Tree 8 and Family Historian 6 are the top candidates.

  3410. Martin

    On the (possibly flawed) assumption that you do know what you are doing, please could you explain your product strategy to your customers – you never know, it might help!

  3411. Hans

    You’ve made an incredibly dumb decision which I hope will be reversed.
    I’m using Version 2011: What is the latest FTM version and can I purchase it on an DVD?

  3412. Elizabeth Bullard

    Just to add in my two cents: I also have used FTM for years and I faithfully purchase upgraded versions when they become available. I will always want to keep hard copies of my databases on my computer and I will never rely on Ancestry.com to keep my data completely safe. Without FTM, I see little reason to renew my monthly home membership. If I need Ancestry.com for any kind of research, I can always utilize the site by using my library access code… for free. Guess that I may as well stop purchasing the DNA tests as gifts, too, since I will no longer have trees at Ancestry.com to which I can link the results. Bummer.

  3413. Pam Sandbo

    I have spent many years recommending Ancestry and Family Tree Maker to local family historians. This is very disappointing news. It seems obvious that your decision needs to be revisited.

  3414. Jim

    I can’t believe you would abandon so many people and their research. The online solution is not nearly as usable as the FTM desktop tools. I wish I could say I trusted Ancestry with my family data, but I don’t. This move just proves that I was right to keep most of it in FTM and not upload it to Ancestry.

  3415. David

    Well, you will loose me, I refuse to pay a monthly subscription to maintain my family tree on line. Ancestry are racking in the money on the skirts of a lot of volunteers who actually do the copying & transcription of records

  3416. John Pemberton

    Excellent, forwarding thinking decision. I admire the brave business decision. A rapidly increasing amount of my family tree activity has been on line with most of the syncing from the cloud to FTM on my laptop. I do use the Gedcom file produced on line to up date another program on my website – as an online backup. I’m hoping that implementation of your decision will see a concentration of resources and thus further development to your on line product. I’m also hoping this further ability to develop will be balanced with a drop in price to your online services – a win-win to all of us. One last comment – the ability to easily print off “hard copy” records of my tree for old fashioned storage, should always be available. Good luck, be brave … and survive the barage of the anti blog comments.

  3417. Tammy

    I will cancel my subscription for good if this isn’t reversed. Your changing the biggest tool there is for people who have used your product since almost the very start….very sad, and the worse decision in history of this company~ whoever decided THIS should be fired! Considering the problems i’ve had with the software, and I don’t like entering my 30,000 plus info on line , i have no choice then to get a new program where the company will give its customers support.

  3418. Richard

    I have used Ancestry and FTM since both started operation. I am becoming very frustrated with Ancestry’s inconsistent business decisions such as deciding to no longer support FTM or failing to continue Y DNA testing, to name a couple. I now question each product that I buy from Ancestry and whether it will still be around next year. If you are looking for business focus, I recommend that you stick with FTM, a popular product, and drop Newspapers.com which lacks a full range of coverage in the South and wants you to buy extra subscriptions for newspapers after 1970. Why not focus on improving core genealogy services like FTM, the web interface, and search accuracy. Just the basics. I find myself using Family Search more and more often and why am I spending so much on Ancestry.

  3419. Robert Miller

    WOW!! Huge dip in trust level. We now ca not trust Ancestry.com will be around either. How will you possibly be able to sustain it, when subscribers bail because you pulled FTM out from under them causing mistrust. I believe you are doing this because you want control of our information. I for one have not been putting everything on Ancestry.com because there is some information I don’t want floating around online. Especially now, you are proving we can’t trust you with it.
    You have just made my Christmas shopping a little easier. My wife has been wanting to do a DNA test, so I am going to get it for her as a Chrstmas gift. Your DNA test was one I was considering, not now. Yep, your decision is UNBELIEVABLE!

  3420. Bill_Sieb

    In all the various sources do you know how many variations on Allentown Pennsylvania there are? hundreds. In my FTM? one. That is because FTM gives me an easy way to standardize all to Allentown, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, USA. Then I can use that one to find everyone in my 14,400+ person family tree who ever lived there. Can I do that with Ancestry.com? nope. But then on Ancestry there is no need to since you can’t do anything with the database that you construct anyway, so I guess it doesn’t matter.

  3421. Debbie

    Can not believe this. Disappointed does not begin to cover how I feel. I will be working to transfer all of my info into another program. You are killing off the part of your service that made research fun and exciting. Not being able to share info, etc with other researchers will make your other services too expensive in price. The people who have made this decision have harmed not only your subscribers but will be doing a great harm to the reputation and trust everyone has given to your company.

  3422. Karen

    This is terrible news and will mean loosing anyone who has problems with using technology. The current problem with its leaves is very good for these people. They may jump ship to another companies software.
    On the other hand this must mean downloading FTM onto tablet will continue to be a free tool that is continually updated for members whether they subscribe or not.

  3423. Yvonne

    Off all the researchers, both amateur and professional, that I have spoken to don’t use the online tree but use your site for research only. This relates to both privacy an ease of use concerns. The majority of people researching, that I have spoken to, start by purchasing a software package that maintains their records and has various reporting functions and can be backed up easily. They might then progress to a subscription and not all of them publish their respective trees on line so you are somewhat short-sighted in your approach.

  3424. Richard

    I am actually angered by this decision. The person/s who made this decision does not have a clue or understand that FTM is the backbone of my and many others genealogy work, and as stated by many Ancestry.com is an added benefit, Not the other way around. The failure to continuing supporting FTM will force me to find another desktop/laptop solution — I agree with others comments that the website does not do half of FTM and the new interface is mediocre. more importantly, I have been working with computers for 35 years and will never trust a cloud based host with the many years of my genealogy work, much of which is done OFFLINE. You need to understand that your decision will drive many away from your website, not towards. I believe you need to reconsider this ill-conceived decision as I for one will certainly consider jumping ship and NOT renewing my annual subscription. I also find it interesting that there has been NO response to any of the comments made thus far.

  3425. IK

    Truly disappointing – you’ve got a long ways to go to get the app and website up to par. FTM for pc was what kept me a customer.

  3426. JB Sr.

    I am extremely disappointed! We aren’t excited about the “New” Ancestry product but we’ve chalked that up to your young techno- IT guys who feel that they have to make their own mark even if it isn’t an improvement. But your FTM decision is more than short-sighted, you’ve abandoned your customers in the name of some gobbledygook about “core offerings”. Forget about all of your self-justifications about “doubling down our efforts” and start listening to your customers. Then, find a way for FTM to stay viable.

  3427. Phyllis

    Please reconsider this decision. I was just getting into it again for my great grandchildren to be added. I have already spent 20 years researching the past, now I want to add the future kids so they can see the past too.

  3428. Mike

    Large companies have tech geeks whose only job is to find things to change – whether then need changing or not. Ancestry apparently has one – or more! I’m with Ancestry BECAUSE of its link to FTM. This is a very stupid decision. I will not be renewing when it is time and will move my work to another site. I can’t believe you fell for this recommendation.

  3429. Debdtexas

    I am obviously in the minority according to all of these posts. I started using FTM in 2000 and I thought it was the best thing ever, and continued to update with newer issues until around 2013 when I started having so many problems with it. Then I bought FTM2014 and had so many problems that I decided to try Legacy. What an eye opener that was. I LOVE Legacy. If any of you source as you all should be doing you will find that the source helper on Legacy is to kill for. It is so easy and I have not had one technical problem with the software since I’ve started using it. Yes, at this time you are not able to sync it with Ancestry but for me that isn’t a problem. My tree on Ancestry is kept purposely sparse and everything is kept on my software program which is backed up many places. I have an Ancestry subscription which I will continue to use because I only use it for my DNA and searching for documents that I can’t find other places. On the few trees that I have glanced at from those silly shaking leaves 98% of the information is not sourced correctly because it’s only been attached from finding it on Ancestry and that makes it so easy that people don’t take the time to notice if it’s correct or not, they just say “oh it must be family” and attach it. If you actually have to take the time to download it to your pc and then manually add it to your Legacy software hopefully you will notice the mistakes and not have a gnarly tree with people that don’t belong. This action will hopefully push Legacy to get something that is easier to use with MACs for those of you that don’t have windows. We don’t own Ancestry and they can do whatever they want. We only pay them money for the use of THEIR services. Does the cable company or electric/gas companies care what you think? No, it’s their option and there is nothing you can do except not pay them. It costs a lot more to make the rounds to the court houses or cemeteries, etc. than what a subscription costs for Ancestry. I’m done with my rant. Good for you Ancestry on recognizing that you can’t keep up with superior products and know when to cut your losses.

  3430. John Williams

    I guess you have sort of shot yourself in the foot so to speak. Huge marketing blunder. You don’t put a major change out there and not assure your customers that they will have the best program available still. The main thing I’m hearing here is that people have no clue what they will have and your current website cannot at this time provide the same features. When you consider the years and hours that many people like myself with almost 19,000 connections have put into their research, and then you throw something like this news out there what were you thinking.or were you. People are going to start looking and you may never get those who leave back just because you think you have the most bad ass product out there. I hope you have answers for all these people.

  3431. Mary

    I am speechless. I have put so many hours in to my tree. I cannot even comprehend it not being available. I have been a member over 15 years. It truly makes me sad.

  3432. Drew

    Obviously all of the “loyal Ancestry community” , who like myself who have commented negatively on this decision on the Ancestry blog do not understand the “declining desktop software market” We are not asking Ancestry to introduce FTM enhancements every year, just continue to support the existing software indefinitely – it is part of the cost of a long term business relationship between Ancestry, its subscription paying customers and purchasers of FTM software. Please reconsider this otherwise I will be removing my tree from Ancestry and taking my genealogy records search elsewhere. Everyone else should consider doing the same. By the way, Ancestry should stop selling FTM immediately, not at year end, and not drag more unsuspecting people into a deadend without full disclosure.

  3433. Kim

    Member since back in the day when the software wa sold in store and came with cd’s that stored records you could search. And you could order more cd’s if a certain set sounded promising, I counted up what I’ve spent on ancestry just since you’ve kept track and it is about $1700. Obviously you didn’t have a focus group before this decision was made. We long-time users are your bread and butter. If we stop, some youngins may sign up over the years, but they’ll lose interest. You’ll see. I’m hoping that we band together and you see our value OR we all stop subscribing and upload our gedcoms to another platform. There is a comfort and convenience to having our data on our computer. I really can’t believe this decision was made and really think you should reconsider. Signed: A loyal customer since 1995…until now

  3434. Leanne

    I am VERY disappointed to hear that Ancestry will no longer be supporting or selling Family Tree Maker. I often do not have access to the internet but still work on my family’s history using Family Tree Maker. I can then synchronise what I find whilst doing this online later. I will no longer be able to do this. The online interface is simplistic, inflexible and frankly annoying to use. I will be looking for other software to continue my research and will probably be looking for other options to use then Ancestry

  3435. Ruth

    TO KRISTIE WELLS: You seem to understand nothing! Your post is patronizing and insulting. I have changed my primary tree status to private, have downloaded/deleted the other trees, and have begun to explore other options. How many paying customers can Ancestry lose before your job will be in jeopardy?!? Perhaps you should understand THAT!!!!

  3436. David

    This is a sad day for all of our ancestors. Your customers have an enormous amount of time invested in their family trees. Many of us have been loyal customers for years. Now what? Your announcement gave us no hope for the future. Please reconsider this disastrous decision.

  3437. Michael Thurber

    PLEASE make arrangements with Roots Magic so that data can be directly transferred from Ancestry to Roots Magic.

  3438. Chuck Crannell

    Although I quite disappointed with Ancestry’s decision to cease FTM production and support (sometime in the future), it is not surprising considering the direction the company is embarking on.

    The comments that the desktop sales are diminishing somewhat flies in the face that big box stores are excited about the increasing interest in desktop computer sales. Also, as people shed their large boxes for laptops, this does not mean they are ignoring tradition PCs. All-in-ones are also rather popular and are not considered “desktop” computers in that narrow category. The Surface Pro also mixes the tablet and “desktop” category.

    The tablet is fine for cursory users who are infatuated with the TV programs and “finding their roots”. I enjoy the table app for minor tree research and use the website on my iPad as well. However, it is the combination of FTM and the prior ancestry site that I have willing paid (well over $1k) for over the years – on my iMac.

    There have been numerous comments already made about the unique reporting, geolocation, and duplicate people tools (among others), that neither version of the website offer. The ones I mention among my favorite.

    Perhaps the one I most value is the tree syncing feature. Even as fragile and problematic as it is (but it has improved significantly this year), the ability to download all of the source data to my, cough, desktop computer is invaluable. I suspect it will be even more valuable as the Ancestry site degrades and become a race to the bottom to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

    Ancestry is becoming sort of like gym memberships that sucker folks in. They come by once in a while to work out, but then forget. All the while the gym continues to collect dues. The dedicated folks who are regulars (and actually use the facility) will gradually find other avenues to express their interests. These are the customers you really want to keep – if anything to attract new customers.

    I hope Ancestry allows tree syncing beyond 2017. But, if the current bloated, limited, inefficient design of the new Ancestry (which I have previously commented on in detail) is any indication, I suspect that when my subscription concludes, I will use FTM to suck down any additional sources and proceed elsewhere.

    I have really enjoyed Ancestry.com over the years. I’m truly am saddened that the company’s C-level execs and investors have focused on sizzle instead of steak. It seems companies everywhere are dumbing down their products to appeal to a wider customer base. Empty calories are tasty in the short term, but we tire of it quickly.

  3439. Alice

    We were encouraged to buy your product with the knowledge of passing our research on to family members. As a Senior – how will we be able to have someone manage our trees after we are gone? Are you going to eradicate all of our trees – or hopefully
    they will still be available forever. So disappointed
    that I have spent so much money believing your
    advertisements – and now I have lost all trust in your
    promises..

  3440. Craig P.

    I am shocked and disappointed at the news. I have used FTM for over 20 years and don’t know what I’ll do without it. It is so much easier to edit, review, and document your family tree with FTM than using the website alone.

  3441. Nicola

    Well I have to agree with most of the comments above, about what a terrible decision for you to make. Not all of us like to use online based product, particularly for media. I’ve only been using FTM since 2011, but it was a god send when the previous company withdrew there support. What about considering the loyalty we have given your company and the fees we pay to subscribe to Ancestry. Very grumpy with the news today.

  3442. Kathleen

    I join the legions of people who feel that you are ripping us off by choosing to discontinue Family Tree Maker. You charge us for the software; we spend years adding research and data; and then you conveniently decide “it doesn’t work for you any more.” Gravely disappointed in Ancestry. Essentially this guarantees that we will have no recourse but to continue forking over membership fees for the course of our lives if we wish to continue to have access to the data we ourselves have provided for you! By the way, your new design is awful. Your giving us no choice about whether we choose to use it smacks of this same arrogant disregard for the needs of your customers/members. Not all of us are glued to our mobile devices! Greed seems to be getting the best of you.

  3443. Cathy

    I presume we will still have our own existing trees on our own computers, but will be unable to continue research via Ancestry? Is that correct? I don’t think you have communicated the implications of this change adequately. Please supply more information. It looks like you have a deluge of confused and upset people. I think you need to explain better what this means for all of us or you may lose thousands of customers.

  3444. Robert Miller

    Hey everybody, I would appreciate a little feed back on other genealogy software that is TRUSTWORTHY, that I can buy and move my information to. We should probably start discussing alternative online search sites as well.

  3445. Taxing m ybrain

    Vote with your feet. Two thing they are doing to us: locking us in to an annual subscription (cloud) for the rest of the time we wish to have access to our family trees and second, delivering an inferior product that we will never have any rights to as the programmers will tell us what is good for us. Shame. Walking out next March when my subscription is up for renewal. Please go in now if on annual renewal and stop it before you are charged for another year if you want to stop using the service. BTW there are two other competitors and one is free.

  3446. mary

    I’m sure what we want or don’t want counts for very little these days with any company. I will move on and see what other companies offer vote with your money and move on.

  3447. Vonlafin

    Are you nuts!! Please, please, please, sell it to someone else!! I have used FTM since day one. The only reason I even use Ancestry is because of the link with FTM. This is a HUGE mistake!!!!

  3448. David W

    Can I just add to the screams of protest. Top be honest, I mostly use the Ancestry website & keep everything uploaded. However, I still use FTM on a regular basis for it’s error checking facilities & printing options. I have been a FTM customer from it’s very first version and will be very disappointed if the full range of FTM tools are not included in the Ancestry website. I also think it’s very important to be able to keep an offline back-up version of my research. I also will seriously be considering migrating my tree to an alternative provider.

  3449. Doug

    Get your head out of your pocketbook or wherever it is and wise up. Look at these comments your customers are pissed off. I was always told that the customer is always right. But your customer service must only be for you, because we as the real customers are not happy. Someone with a brain needs to take charge and throw out the person who thought this one up.

  3450. Valerie R.

    I agree with everything as stated above…. HUGE disappointment as I have spent many years, and countless hours using the FTM software only to have this jerked out from under everyone with a very short notice! I use my FTM more than the Ancestry site, and always have. This decision is an absolute disaster!! I believe you need to rethink this decision because from the sound of everyone else’s comments prior to my own, it looks like there are going to be an awful lot of people dropping any and all Ancestry.com affiliation… So much for “best product experience”…. looks like the “impact” will affect Ancestry.com as much as your announcement has to your customers. NOT HAPPY!!!

  3451. Karen

    Discontinuing FTM is a bad decision – it will probably cost you a LOT of Ancestry members! If you do drop FTM, I really hope someone will buy it up and keep it going. The “new” Ancestry is horrible! Go back to the old version, or at least give us a choice of which to use.

  3452. Leanne

    I wonder what would happen if everyone who use FTM deleted their trees from Ancestry? I suspect they would lose a sizable chunk of their linking information which make their databases far more informative to researchers.

  3453. Ken Brown

    I am an older person and have Parkinson’s and dementia. I have a difficult time completing my family research now. I was about to call Ancestry and find out what happens to my data when I stop my subscription. It sounds as though I better get to it, now. After 40 years building my family’s story(with a lot of shoe leather, prior to Ancestry), I look back on the excitement of using your Ancestry and FTM tools. It has been an amazing journey. My wish for the holiday season is that you can come up with a solution for all your loyal family historians who have worked so hard to make their families proud of their heritage.

  3454. Dave Lynch

    I am amazed at the sheer number of comments on this! I, too, am dismayed. Ancestry online is for sharing, FTM is for serious work. Can’t do serious work online. I’ll probably update my Ancestry tree every year or two.

  3455. Andrew

    Shame on Permira. This holiday season, fight back. Boycott Hugo Boss, Doc Martens, Atrium, Akindo Sushiro, Galaxy Entertainment and their other brands. This decision is only about money – redirect your elsewhere and tell them why.

  3456. Scott Scheuermann

    So in effect my father and I have literally now just donated generations of my family’s work to your company. I am not happy about this at all. I am about ready to try to delete my tree from your database. I have no desire to continue paying you to house my information when I will no longer have it in my possession as well.

  3457. Gary Ross

    Definitely a retrograde decision; to leave thousands of loyal users in the ditch. Our data means so very much to us. We have paid you annually in mutual trust to help preserve our trees. You have let us down something terrible.

  3458. Jim

    why would you do this, your software and website are a great combo, without the software i could never have researched my family as far as i have, please reconsider this move

  3459. Julian

    Very bad decision indeed. You are closing your eyes and ears to a large segment on the genealogy community that values having a genealogy program. Not all of us want things only online or in the “cloud”. Please reconsider your decision!

  3460. Larry

    My Ancestry family tree exceeds 16K individuals and 12K photos/citations, and FTM permits analyzing this data..Viewing the amount of responses to this announcement and how quickly the responses are arriving,and the consistency of the comments, and after digesting the news and the comments, I too see no reason to continue Ancestry without FTM and will drop my annual Ancestry membership at time of renewal.

  3461. Patricia Webb

    We did years of detailed research on our Tree and many related family lines. I am horrified by the Ancestry marketing ploy of having new customers “just type in a name….” and annex work done by other amateur genealogists. Just because it is on a tree – doesn’t mean it is correct. I guess that is why you would cancel the desktop – to get everyone to post on line, so people pay to get info posted by others. I won’t. I loved my early FTM software combined with many years of Ancestry deluxe subscription & I can’t even access most of the data I transferred to the upgraded 2014 FTM version. It is dreadful.

  3462. Bill_Sieb

    A few weeks ago I ran customized reports that I could download to a spreadsheet. I went to Pennsylvania with several spreadsheets, one for each cemetery I wanted to visit, with nice columns with names, birth and death dates. I walked into either a public library or cemetery office to access records and left with the locations of each person.
    Find-a-Grave is richer now by over a hundred fifty gravestone photos, and several dozen new memorials, each with stone photo, gps coordinates, and links to others in Find-a-Grave. If I did not have the spreadsheets I wouldn’t have bothered. If I had only Ancestry.com and not FTM I wouldn’t have the spreadsheets.
    While looking for Moses Brown I could not find a stone. I went to the car and fired up the laptop and found he was related to the Kissingers. I went back and found the Kissingers, and Moses Brown. Did I use Ancestry.com? How could I…graveyards are not WiFi hotspots. Good thing I had a local version of FTM.
    Rethink your decision to kill off FTM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3463. Jan

    I, like many others are very disappointed in your decision. No explanation has been given on how we, the owners of a FTM are to maintain the information stored. Does this mean that on January 1, 1917 we cannot log into our FTM and therefore we lose everything!! We would like your feedback!

  3464. Terry Bond

    I had posted earlier when I first got the e-mail about this today, many of the reasons why this is such an awful idea, but now as I read more of the comments, I realize how much even worse it is. People are threatening to remove their trees from Ancestry.com. That will have a huge impact on DNA matching. We have already had mine, my husband’s, and my mother’s DNA tested. I just bought two more DNA test kits when they had their recent Black Friday sale to test my mother-in-law and my brother. If people start leaving Ancestry that makes the DNA testing worthless!

  3465. Rex

    I am, like so many others, disappointed by this decision. It sounds like I will have to pay to see the family trees I have worked so hard to construct on FTM. If I don’t, they are just gone? I think this is profit motivated and not service/satisfaction motivated. PLEASE reconsider this!

  3466. Mike

    FTM is my interface to ancestry.com, which has no value to me without FTM to manage it. When FTM goes away, my need for ancestry.com goes away. The website does not offer the functionality to manage or view a tree with over 9,000 entries (and growing) assembled in FTM over a period of two decades. Ancestry.com allows easy sharing of the data across the family for the several dozen of us using FTM. I would urge you most strongly to reconsider discontinuing FTM until you can provide the same managing and viewing functionality in a SAS product…which assuredly is not the case now. You current decision, with an unconscionably short deadline between announcement and action to discontinue selling the product that makes all the other products useful is a really bad customer relations approach, and the inability to provide a functional alternative to the discontinued product is even worse. Again … no FTM for me, no ancestry.com for me. The latter is of no use to me without the former. And I will ask to have my data removed from your servers at the point where that happens. If I can’t use it and update it, I see no reason why it should be available on your site at all.

  3467. Tammy

    Tim Sullivan needs to be fired! Let him go back to Match.com. Look at how many comments this post has received in 6 hours and tell me what you think is going to happen to your online subscription membership over the next year. The death bells are tolling for Ancestry.com.

  3468. KimMcC

    I agree with all the comments above and express my disgust at your ‘corporate’ greed. The FTM family has provided a hugh amount of data and information which you have fed off. One of the main reasons customers use FTM is to include all their family into their trees but rightly store the data of living members of their family on their laptop. Afterall , if government BMD agencies won’t release BMD data for 100, 50 or 30 years for privacy reasons why should your customers even consider putting such private data onto your Cloud – it can not be trusted to protect our data. Such a bad decision, poorly marketed without any explanation or advice on what next. Lots of wasted investment by customers and we have every reason to request our data be returned and not used by Ancestory again – sort that problem out!

  3469. PamB

    FTM is really the best part of Ancestry — without it, there is no incentive to pay for a subscription. If FTM goes, so do I.

  3470. John B

    The door to your shop needs maintenance but the door itself doesn’t generate profit. So you have decided that the best solution is to brick it up…..

  3471. Fay Clark

    Add me to the mass exodus from Ancestry. I will be removing my trees from Ancestry and planning an exit strategy to another software program. This is just a continuation of Ancestry’s long pattern of buying up competitors, then doing away with the websites or software. It’s evident that the people who are making these decisions haven’t a clue about what drives genealogy research or customer loyalty.

  3472. CJ

    I literally started with Family Tree Maker 1 the first year it came out. I still have all the discs for each and every version that I bought and upgraded to up until about 5 years ago. I had become increasingly frustrated with FTM because it was soinflexible for data entry. I hated putting info into it. I started searching and would respectfully like to tell those of you who are worried about losing FTM about Legacy Family Tree. Legacy was awesome when I first got it and has become even better. They have been so inovative that some of the improvements to FTM have been in response to trying to keep up with Legacy. Their latest software, Legacy 8.0, has becoming very powerful.
    I took my FTM files and turned them to GEDCOM files and imported them to Legacy software with minimal problems. The options in this software allow any user to decide for themself how much or little feedback they want from the program. I prefer to have whatever I put in a field be accepted without comment. I can do that or you could have it tell you whenever dates, names,places etc are wrong or improbable. It is great for the beginner and the most advanced genealogists. So much fun to set it up like you want. There is a standard version you can download free and then if you want to pay a nominal price you get a key (number) to unlock and get the Deluxe version with more features. The features for citing sources are amazing. It has the feature of letting you search for a person on literally any genalogy site you can think of including Ancestry, Family Search, Find a Grave and dozens more across the internet all at once.
    Everybody who has been with FTM forever, I know change is hard. I went through it when I left FTM and it takes a little to get used to a new program, but Legacy is very intuitive and you will be breezing around on it as fast if not faster than FTM very soon. There are a few free webinars on how to start using Legacy. There are others you can buy to tell you more of the features as you advance. There are two books that tell step by step how to use the program. The company has free Webinars every week that you can get sign up and sign into free to listen to and participate in such as Researching in Scotland etc. If you miss the real webinar, you can watch it free for a week or two online. After that you can buy the CD to keep or subscribe to all of their Webinars at familytreewebinars.com for $45 to $50 a year. This allows you to go back and watch any of the hundreds of webinars they have had in the past on almost any subject you can think of. Research any country, any documents, any war, digital pictures, etc. So much information.
    I would not use FTM to tell about Legacy if they still would be supporting their program, but if you have to change, I want you to know there is another option in Legacy that will allow you to continue your research and possibly be able to do even more than you could do now on FTM. I am in no way connected to Legacy except I use their program. Legacy has always been open to suggestions for improvement from users.
    The only downside I have with the company is that they have had growing pains in the last year or so since version 8 came out. It has incredible features and they have been overwhelmed with new sales. They are a small group of people who have had great concepts and are outstanding talent at programming and making their visions come to life. They have become so popular evidently though that they have had to start having you leave your number and they call you back, especially tech support, within a couple of days. They don’t mind addressing issues or questions but they were spending all their time answering the phone.
    Please don’t fret on losing FTM. You have a great option that can replace FTM and keep you doing what you are doing now in your research. Did I mention Legacy has great reports. Happy hunting. I am sure our ancestors had a few setbacks along the way.

  3473. Deb

    Was waiting for the day this would happen. IMHO….Compared to Ancestry’s format, FTM’s format is extremely easy in ALL ways to gather, view and edit not only individual persons, but also locations and media! I’ve given myself more time than should be required to adjust to Ancestry’s format (new & old) and still, I absolutely HATE it and find it extremely time consuming compared to FTM. and….If I wanted to add all the historical facts to my tree, I would do it on my own, thank you very much! Guess I need to start a directory of addresses for all my Ancestry search & DNA buddies so we can continue research and contact after my subscription is cancelled.Extremely disappointed! I hope you reconsider based on the number of negative responses about this decision. Gotta go back up my FTM – which has NOT been syncing with Ancestry over the past two months.

  3474. Robert

    Well I was going to subscribe but with this happening there’s no longer any need for me to.Have been using FTM since it was a Broderbund product

  3475. Michael Pierce

    Very, very disappointed to hear this news. Although the web site is great, it is by no means a replacement for the desktop software. And what are we supposed to do when working somewhere without a solid internet connection?? Ugh.

    This decision causes me to reconsider Ancestry as my main source for research. Nothing like giving your loyal customers a reason to shop around.

  3476. Sherri

    We can’t really make the same kind of reports on the website as with FTM. Will you add these functions to the site?

  3477. Patrick

    What is your purpose in making this announcement without telling your users what will be replacing FTM? I’m thinking Ancestry missed the boat with this announcement. You are giving yourselves a pat on the back for the millions of new records available to search and at the same time you slap the users of Ancestry in the face by taking away their FTM software. I started my family history with Personal Ancestral File, Release 2.31, for MS-DOS Computers. I still have the box in my home office. My suggestion is to listen very carefully to your users. I did not see any supporting comments from over 3,600 comments posted so far. Looks like I have a year to finish my family history work. By the way, great marketing strategy you developed. I have no trust in Ancestry going forward. It is very hurtful to be treated in such an unprofessional way.

  3478. Erwin Matthews

    The response to your announcement suggests that your marketing suits should have surveyed your loyal customers before making this stupid decision. We do not wish to have our data stored/archived only on your cloud. Is your next step to force us to access Ancestry only by branded hand held tablets with rounded edges? Why not survey your customer base to learn how many of us are prepared to pay for a separate FTM licence, or farm it out to a 3rd party? Ancestry management is incompetent if unable to make extra money out of we poor disillusioned genealogy fanatics!

  3479. Mike

    I think the new senior vice president of product destruction really stepped in it. Hope you rescind this decision with the haste that it deserves. Without FTM, ancestry.com withers and dies. It is the foundation upon which everything else — everything else — is built.

  3480. Virginia

    Your subscription service and website become useless to me without FTM. I have used the FTM program since it was v1.0. I have over 50,000 names in my files. Please reconsider. It is an extremely tool to my research

  3481. Shirley Acheson

    If you don’t listen to ALL THE ABOVE, and I mean ASAP, I will not be renewing my subscription. Thanks for rewarding my loyalty with NOTHING!!

  3482. KevinA

    You’ve made an extremely poor marketing decision! You’ve lost track of your customer base. You’ve forgotten your roots…all of your customers’ family records submitted willingly and at no cost to you which you have found the means to turn into revenue.

    You’ve forgotten that not everyone has access to the Internet. And others don’t have access continuously. The allure of web-based service is clouding your vision of what it takes to do serious genealogy. I get managed service. Updates are controllable and pushed. Response to OS changes can be shorter cycled. Development cycles and new product offerings (increased fee structures?) spin faster.

    But from my chair, you’re catering to a group of family historians who consume each other’s’ mistakes and perpetuate bad genealogy. Those that dip into their own pockets to go onsite, get dusty and make genealogy breakthroughs are being told they don’t matter. That a stand-alone resource, available as long as their laptop is powered, won’t be supported. Where’s the new content going to come from when armchair genealogists have copied everything from each other and Ancestry is a genealogy wasteland?

    We have been FTM users since the Broderbund days. We subscribed to Ancestry early on and currently carry a World subscription. We’ve given Ancestry thousands of dollars. Our subscription is due in weeks. It just might not be renewed. We will continue to use FTM for its audit functions and report capability until either a replacement is found or Windows upgrades make it unusable.

    Finally, the email directed us to the blog for additional info. What? It’s the same info verbatim as the email. Where’s your FAQ speaking to the very important questions being raised in the thousands of responses posted in the half dozen hours since the announcement? I hope you have it up tomorrow to give us some answers. As others pointed out, Ancestry has known for some time this was going to be the course of action. The short notice, poor justification (I give a damn about a pretty user interface, cute stories or DNA-just another revenue stream for you.), lack of info, and obvious disregard for a large segment of your customer base speaks volumes about where your priorities lie. Not very professional and certainly a black eye for what used to be an honorable and genealogy focused company.

    Rethink your decision before Ancestry/FTM is no more. (Of course all that personal data has tremendous value to marketers. Now there’s another revenue stream!)

  3483. Jan

    As noted by previous posters, I am simply stunned by this decision. I have stuck by Ancestry through thick and thin for the past 13 years, and use Family Tree Maker as my genealogical base. I want my database under my control, on my computer. It has been invaluable for me to add my tree to Ancestry and sync it with FTM. I have had many people contact me and have made many wonderful connections this way. I use the reports all the time. I simply don’t know what I will do. I don’t often comment on web sites, but I want my voice heard on this matter. Please reconsider.

  3484. brian

    HAD ENOUGH……….1st you change everything then you spring this on us……well guess what arseholes, I am leaving you guys and going to Heritage.

  3485. Jan D

    Hopefully you will sell this software to another company and let us continue on with our work. I have also had FTM since the floppy days. Over 20 years. I am still on 12…due for that upgrade. Anybody know if their other software that is good? How about that RootsWeb?

  3486. Jeff Sengstack

    It is now the responsibility of Ancestry.com to provide the means to transfer FTM files to other genealogy desktop products. Ancestry needs to create transfer methods that ensure no loss of data while retaining all online links to Ancestry.com and all links to files on individual user’s computers.

    The BIG PROBLEM now for FTM users is what to do with all the Ancestry.com links connected to their sources. My thinking is that FTM users need to access those links and save the source files to our hard drives so we no longer need to reference Ancestry.com.

  3487. Peter

    I too tried the new interface and reverted to the old one so I could get things done. You should have a user counsel to recommend and approve changes. The changes you are making show you have no understanding of your client base.

  3488. Lee Bennett

    Not again! We had a hell of a time when Ancestry.com suddenly shut down MyFamily.com, and jeopardized 15 years worth of family news and photos. Now, you are eliminating the most important family research tool in my toolbox? I’ve been a subscriber to Ancestry.com and user of FTM for more than 15 years. Twice disappointed is enough!

  3489. KMC

    Please please reverse this decision.

    The software offers a way to keep one’s trees in a permanent form, to pass them on to other family members – in fact, to really OWN the work on which I – and my mother before me – spent so much time and effort. It also allows one to print reports and to control multiple variables in those reports which the website does not.

    The current Ancestry interface seems geared to amateurs, and is inefficient and clumsy.

    This move feels like undisguised greed on the part of your company. If that is not the case, then hopefully you will reverse this decision. If I can find another software that works with another site, I would certainly switch. I have loyalty to Ancestry ONLY in that I have loyalty to Family Tree Maker – and I’d bet that is true of any of your customers who are serious researchers.

    I don’t want to spend 2017 removing all my info from Ancestry as I search for another company, but I certainly will if I can find what I want on offer elsewhere.

  3490. Evan

    There are so many functions that FTM does to clean-up and customize a family tree that Ancestry will NEVER be able to duplicate. Not to mention all the different reports that FTM produces.You can’t even get the sync to work properly. Standardizing place names and more! You have really screwed up. I have been using FTM since the first version came out, When are you going to answer all our questions? We need time to make the transition to whatever comes next!!

  3491. Kathy

    I can’t believe this! FTM has so many features that Ancestry does not! How can you leave your subscribers in such a lurch? This is all about making money and greed. I think you will regret this decision.

  3492. Bre

    A couple of months ago I ordered DNA test kits for my family and updated my Ancestry.com subscription. Then last week I wrote asking about my outdated Family Tree 2006 software, I didn’t want to upgrade to 2014 if the company had plans to do a 2016 version. I was assured there were no current plans. Unfortunately, I was not informed that only DAYS after purchasing the 2014 version I would receive an email notifying me the the software was being discontinued! I haven’t even received my back-up disk in the mail yet! Today I was informed that my $79+ purchase will now only be valid for one year!!! Not a happy customer!

    VERY Unhappy Customer,
    Bree Loggins

  3493. Ted

    I have used FTM since it started. I still use it, and I will continue to use it indefinitely until my operating system on my computer will no longer run it. The announcement has no effect on using FTM on my computer. I have plenty of time to consider using something else down the road. Over the next year I expect the online tree interface will be improved to make it more useful. I see a lot of people venting their frustrations, which is normal I guess, but you have full control of your future. Nothing is being taken away from us. I choose to remain in charge of my family information regardless of what Ancestry does. As long as you keep a backup of your GEDCOM files, you will be able to use your information in any other family tree program.

  3494. Tammy

    A family elder once gave me sage advice: “Vote with your feet” I have now cancelled my subscription. I hope my vote to keep FTM is counted, and this decision is reconsidered. Although I have enjoyed the online access to perform searches in the comfort of my home, FTM has so much functionality that is not available online. For example, FTM on my laptop is the only option when scanning/sharing/printing pictures and gathering data at the homes of my relatives – most who are elderly and don’t have internet! We also have family information we don’t wish to share on the internet or online version – particularly as there is not robust enough security for us to suppress information to the level we’d like (including for those that have been long deceased). I now wonder how our family will continue our tradition of a family reunion every two years – where family world-wide is invited and we decorate the entire room with plotter printed family trees 4 foot high and hundreds of feet long as a method to better understand how we are all related, and gather/scan additional family pictures and information. What about my young niece who has an interest in genealogy, and has enough money to buy software she can use for a few years, but not enough to pay for an ongoing ancestry subscription. How would she have access to her data if it was all online and she could no longer afford to keep the subscription active – would all her data, that belongs to HER not Ancestry – be taken from her? Is all her time and effort for naught if she cannot continually pay for her subscription? What about my older mother, who inspired my own interest in genealogy, and is an absolute wizard at researching paper records, and is comfortable with FTM which she has used since the first released version, but has no comfort “with all this internet technology”. Not to mention, she lives in a location where dial-up modem is still commonplace, and broadband is a luxury. In summary, I add my voice to a chorus of others in hopes that Ancestry will reconsider and continue the support and development of FTM for years to come.

  3495. Steve

    If FTM is really unprofitable, how about having a 3rd party support and sell it? Or is the real reason to force customers to store all their data on the cloud, where you are guaranteed a revenue source by charging customers to access their records? Your notice raises far more questions than it answers.

  3496. Ann K

    Shame on you, Ancestry. It would appear that you have little respect for the many, many, many hours your customers have invested in their research work and FTM. My entire work career has been spent in marketing and I think perhaps you and your staff are overlooking the demographics of FTM and Ancestry and the type of programs and computer equpipment that they prefer. The “cloud generation” probably has not aged enough to be as dedicated to genealogy research as your current customer base. Your decision may be years too early. Sincerely hope you are planning to offer an extremely good alternative.

  3497. Rich

    Here is the text of an e-mail that I sent to corporate headquarters:

    Dear Ancestry,

    I was shocked and disappointed to learn of your decision to discontinue FTM. The resources offered on the ancestry website and associated apps fall short of those in FTM. In fact, I view ancestry.com as an adjunct to FTM, not vice versa.

    I will renew my ancestry membership this month because of your continued support of FTM during 2016. I trust that you will add additional capabilities to ancestry to replaced lost functions in FTM, such as tree printing, checking/editing, the ability to download information from ancestry for backup or exporting to other platforms, etc.

    In the meantime, I’ll begin my quest to find an alternative to FTM and Ancestry in anticipation of an unacceptable loss of service and a corporate lack of concern about me as a valued customer.

    Your decision was poorly thought through and will prove to be short sighted. I’m reminded of last year’s decision by Intuit to pull a bait and switch on TurboTax users. I suggest that you review that case history. The reasoning for their decision was similar to yours as they chose to value on-line customers over their traditional base. It appears that the response of your user base on the ancestry blog is much greater than that for TurboTax last year.

    You might consider H&R Block’s approach to the Intuit decision. They gave away their software to Intuit users and poached a large number of Intuit customers. If your competitors are paying attention, they will do the same thing and take your FTM (and Ancestry customers) with them. As with Intuit, I will be taking advantage of their offers. Why wouldn’t I want to switch to someone who values my business?

    You now have an angry and vocal community expressing their disappointment with your corporate strategy via social media. Good luck with that public relations nightmare. I’ll certainly be recommending alternatives to Ancestry in my circle of genealogy enthusiasts.

  3498. Edward

    I could understand if the software was sold and maintained by someone else but it was not. This decision reeks of extortion by requiring a membership to access YOUR information. VERY poor decision and a slap in the face for those that have been dedicated to FTM for years.

  3499. Jeanette Sheridan

    I’m not impressed at all! I have recently upgraded so it appears I have wasted this money. It would also appear the saying “greed is good” in business didn’t die out after all. I suggest to those in control you do a spot of family history research on Ancestry.com and remind yourselves of your original aims AND remember where a fair smack of your income comes from – subscription holders.

  3500. Michael

    Adding my voice the chorus of dissatisfaction with the decision. This decision certainly isn’t considering the users’ best interests. No doubt I’ll be off elsewhere with the others. You seem to have forgotten that the other users supply us with as many or more leads than you do (either that or the decision-maker thought he or she was more important than the users). Once those users leave you, you aren’t as much use to me either. And I will not use that infantile Ancestry app with only a fraction of the functionality. It seems to be designed for children – and most of them are not interested in family trees.

  3501. John

    I initially started my genealogy journey with MyHeritage but moved to FTM because it provided increased scope. I have never placed nor will place my family tree on the internet.
    With this absolutely ridiculous decision by Ancestry, I guess I will be returning to MyHeritage or another suitable desktop based program.

  3502. Nev

    What an appalling decision. The people in charge clearly do not talk to the people who BUY and USE this product. Yet another major company run just for profits.

    Rethink this decision otherwise people will leave Ancestory – like many others I joined after getting FTM.

    The web based and iPad programmes are a joke and do not give the power of FTM.

    Time to look elsewhere.

  3503. Ashley

    I share the concerns of the other commenters. I waited several years and finally got the latest FTM only a month and a half ago as a birthday gift. I was so excited about TreeSync, because my FTM tree and my Ancestry.com tree were developing separately and I needed them to be in sync. I’ve been loyal to FTM since the 90s; it’s what ultimately got me sucked into the Ancestry.com environment in the first place.

    I still prefer my desktop tree to my cloud-based one, but as long as I have TreeSync, there’s no need to choose; the two systems augment each other nicely. But if you’re decoupling the link, I’ll find myself forced to choose between the two, and I will stay with my own FTM desktop software. You will have made it a hassle to maintain my online tree. So I’ll spend 2016 trying to glean whatever info I can from Ancestry and download it all to my local FTM tree, because once TreeSync is gone, so is my reason to stick with Ancestry. I’ll use my local FTM as long as it functions, but there’ll be no more reason to keep my online tree up-to-date.

    Please reconsider what you intend to do.

  3504. Brenda C

    I am shocked and saddened that you are taking this step, coming from a World Member of Ancestry.com for many years. PLEASE listen to your loyal customers and do not eliminate Family Tree Maker.

  3505. Hugh

    I agree with Jane J at 1208/15, 9:13 pm.

    I spoke with a woman from your service department today. She was saying that she had just received the same information your customers. If this is actually true, this is pathetic. Your service department should be appraised of the announcement so they can respond to the customers. If you want loyal customers, don’t abuse your customers.

    Frank Hanzel reports on 12/08/15 at 09:10 pm that “useful GEDCOM support in FTM is going away.” I think your Ancestry management has LOST ITS MIND!!!

    Obviously, you did not consult your customers before you made these decisions, or if you actually did consult your customers, your certainly did not listen to them. Therefore, you will see many customers leave.

    Also, I agree with Michael on 12/08/15 at 08:23 pm.

  3506. Robert

    Another user that has been with FTM from the beginning and I believe if you are listening to your audience you will reconsider this insane ideal. The folks that are upset are the ones that helped make you successful. We all realize that the younger generation lives in the cloud, but to abandon those who made you great is the wrong decision. Your desktop software is what makes all this work. My time online is reserved for research using Ancestry. My offline time is reserved for my files in FTM.
    I agree with most folks in that I do not intend to let you sucker us into having all our data on your site. I only upload what I wish to share, the rest remains on my desktop.
    I look forward to your reconsideration and rededication to making the desktop software the best on the market.
    Listen carefully to what everyone is saying. Ancestry is a research tool not the answer to how we maintain our data.
    If you do go through with this crazy ideal, please post a procedure for deleting member trees because I would like to delete mine.

  3507. Terry Harris

    Very disappointed that Ancestry si dropping Family Tree Maker. I have used it for my entire genealogical experience since at least 1990. What options do we have now? Are they (Ancestry) pushing a program of their own? Is it a disagreement between Ancestry and Family Tree Maker? Over all of these years I have given thousands of names I have researched to Ancestry and Family Tree Maker and worse yet I have paid them both for the privilege of donating my research for free to both organizations. I have watched others who raid my tree for info and keep their tree private and when I protest this raiding, Ancestry moderators of the forum come back and threaten me. At age 75 I will now have to learn a new program that has taken me years to master. Not cool Ancestry!

  3508. I build and manage customer-focused websites. And I am a soon-to-be former user of Family Tree Maker, and of the Ancestry.com website. You should have made the website a better experience than the desktop version, with superb screens, superb reports, and good reliability for the individual family tree. Then you could have seduced people to give up the desktop version more gradually AND more gracefully. This conversion was done too abruptly with poor planning, poor customer focus and will have vastly poorer results than a better thought out plan. Businesses succeed or fail by decisions such as you are making, and by the quality of the transition plans. Not impressed so far. I’ve read hundreds of these several thousand comments so far, and no one else seems impressed either. Good luck. And goodbye.

  3509. Bill R.

    To be honest, that doesn’t surprise me. With all the recent changes they made on their website lately, this was just one more step saying “We don’t care about your hard work, we only care about the $$$”.
    Luckily, there are some great alternatives out there. My aunt Sharon has been using Family Tree Builder by MyHeritage for the past 2 years and she’s very satisfied with it. She says they have great support and decent pricing and you can import your GEDCOM there easily. All reporting options should be similar as well. I’m definitely going to give it a try.

  3510. Todd Shewchuk

    Saddened by the decision. Shameful way to hang your customers out to dry. Loved the product… obviously more than your greedy executives do. Good luck retaining your customer base.

  3511. Craig G

    I just purchased this software a little over a month ago. Primarily because of the ease of use with ancestry.com, the backing and support from ancestry and the ability to synch my tree to my own computer. How does a company that is all about genealogy not offer a family tree software? This is ridiculous and I for one am not happy about this decision. I am totally new to genealogy and this software made my experience enjoyable. All the reasons that I paid extra for FTM compared to other family tree software out there, you are doing away with. Perhaps if you had this software priced more comparable with others you would have sold more. I am extremely displeased about this decision. PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS DECISION!!!!!

  3512. Sheila

    Very sorry to get your notice about discontinuing Family Tree Maker. I will not upload my information to a cloud/web. I only want it on my computer where I can access it when off line. Guess I will start looking for other genealogy sources and consider terminating your service.

  3513. Rand

    I suggest that the Family Tree Maker client application is the cornerstone of Ancestry.com’s enterprise since all of the other features support the work which each user catalogues in her or his own database in FTM. By design the client application is far more robust and responsive than a Web application can be, while at the same time offering confidentiality for certain information entered into it which a researcher may not wish to post online, whether or not with controlled access. Without FTM, the repository for information gathered elsewhere will be gone.

    FTM is also not subject to the potential unreliability of a Web app, and as a result is far better suited to be a permanent archival record not only of a family’s relationship but of all the supporting data.

    FTM 2014, which I believe is the most recent version, is a remarkably advanced relational database interface. As such it may be the victim of its own success because it may be very difficult to incorporate new, value-added features. That, however, should not lead to its demise, but perhaps to a different support and licensing model to keep it alive and viable long into the future. It is virtually certain that the operating systems on which it will be called to operate in the future will continue to evolve; while it may run for a while unsupported, eventually the compatibility problems will accumulate and if unaddressed will render FTM as an archival repository unserviceable. Two approaches to longevity through updated coding, even without enhanced features, come to mind. First there could be a very modest annual licensing fee, which when accumulated would support maintenance coding. Alternatively, a coding user group, e.g. Linux, could be formed and the code could be made open source. There may be other approaches, although the notion of charging for Web-based storage is neither acceptable in principle nor suitable for long-term archival use.

    What is important is that the core tool for user-based family genealogy and history research not be lost.

  3514. Ray

    Suck Eggs Tim. When we have left, what will you have left. The Consumer groups will be after you and destroy what little reputation that there is left with Ancestry.

    I pity the Customer service folk, if they will even answer their phones tomorrow. Not a good time to try to shill Ancestryl

  3515. wow! What a horrible decision. Are you aware of how many of us have our “lives” tied to FTM? Decades of work that now has to be transferred to some other program? Are you going to provide that service and supplies for free? I am really MAD about this. Good, hard earned money, down the drain!

  3516. Cathy

    I’ve had FTM ever since it first came out by Broderbund. I believe that was back in the mid 1990’s when my husband gave me the program as a Christmas gift. This is very sad news. It is frustrating anymore that doing genealogy research anymore is no longer free access. Ancestry bought out RootsWeb and Genealogy.com and FTM.com. Talk about cornering the market. And for those of us who are retired, live on a fixed income and work on our family genealogy as something we love and keep us occupied is very frustrating. I can’t afford a membership to Ancestry. I only use the 14 day trial about once a year. I’ve relied more on FamilySearch.org even though some of their records cannot be accessed without having to go through Ancestry.com. I once had one of my family branches on Genealogy.com that several extended family genealogy members accessed. Not anymore. Ancestry killed the website. Thankful I still have my FTM program on my home PC. This may all be well and good for the professional genealogists, but for those of us who do it for the love of it as a hobby, this change of direction by Ancestry is appalling.

  3517. Jan D

    Sorry, I meant RootsMagic. Also some people mentioned Legacy and Heritage. Any thoughts? I will stay with FTM as long as I can and it is supported…get the most out of Ancestry before I drop also.

  3518. Maria Cole-Starliper

    Well that was a stupid decision! I hope who ever made that decision will be fired immediately! It would be in your best interest to take into consideration the number of negative comments that were written in less than 24 hours and do some back peddling and change your mind. It’s obvious the features that are available in FTM are not available in Ancestry.com. Maybe you didn’t realize how many users use FTM off line. I am not a fan of the features on your new Ancestry.com. I find it cumbersome and missing a number of features I utilize in FTM. I was a PAF user for over a decade and decided if there was ever a software that allowed me to download sources automatically…I would change the desktop software I use. And, that is what I did a couple of years ago. I like the more advanced features in FTM that are not available in Ancestry.com. I use FTM daily and majority of the time off line unless I’m searching and downloading sources. And, on occasion sync to Ancestry.com for sharing with my family and viewing out in public. Yes, it takes money for your software developers to enhance and maintain desktop software…but, that is what majority of your users are paying you for. We would be more impressed if you went back to the old Ancestry.com and use your software developers more wisely and maintain FTM. You think you will be saving money…but you won’t be. I have already deleted my online family trees in retaliation. And, if you don’t support sync and FTM I will not renew my subscription. If anyone has any stock…I’d sell immediately! Because it’s going down!!!

  3519. cec ryan

    VERY disappointed,BUT after reading all the coments I see that I was not even aware of “sync” & other things…obviously there was no communication. ALSO find your website very limiting and so inaccurate IF one starts to look at “other trees” where homework hasn’t been done correctly.

  3520. Terresa

    I’m appalled by this decision, and by the short notice you’ve given. I’ve been a user of FTM since the first issue and JUST had to repurchase 2014 to download to a replaced hard drive. As well, at least a half dozen of my family members have used FTM for years. FTM has features Ancestry doesn’t have, and I don’t always have internet access. And what about storage? Am I supposed to trust the cloud to keep my data? I’m so very disappointed.

  3521. Gary

    The costs and talent necessary to maintain a distributed/stand alone software product like FTM is certainly appreciable and a range of IT programs are migrating to “the cloud” environment for reasons of efficiency and cost containment – not necessarily to provide the best services and functionality to their customers and clients. But Ancestry’s decision to scuttle FTM is both mystifying and a marked sign of disrespect for the FTM community. The mystery is: What has compelled Ancestry to terminate production of the FTM software? Was it simply a cost:benefit decision? Is Ancestry’s underlying business plan and financial integrity at risk (with concurrent risk to subscriber data currently posted on your website)? Or is it simply internal corporate intrigue where different internal departments are wrestling for control of Ancestry’s direction? But what is more concerning and will, unfortunately, taint Ancestry for years to come is the lack of respect demonstrated for its user community. Ancestry and its flagship FTM software has, in large part, been responsible for the explosion in popular interest in genealogy nationally. FTM put quickly understandable software tools in the hands of millions of professional, hobby and novice individuals that otherwise would likely never have occurred. Ancestry’s FTM brought genealogical interest out of the shadows and into day-to-day conversation and activities. Certainly, web-based and online searchable databases hosted by Ancestry, Family Search, JewishGen, Ellis Island and an array of others would never have become so popular and would never have led to the mining and digitizing of such enormous amounts of information to make so much of the past accessible to those of us fortunate enough to be in the present. I say that Ancestry has “disrespected” its FTM user community because we were mutually dependent upon one another and enjoyed an exciting environment of discovery together, inciting loyalty and synergy, and the quest for knowledge. This is where I am most deeply saddened by Ancestry’s decision; we will no longer be partners in this world of discovery. You have abandoned us as a community, discounted the journey we had been on together, and damaged Ancestry’s branding. My only hope is that you will release FTM software from copyright and make it open source so other innovators can step in and carry the standard FTM once epitomized forward in your stead. I am utterly disappointed in Ancestry.

  3522. Carole

    PEOPLE!! Stop and pay attention. FTM has always been a sub-par and problematic program. There are far superior programs out there. Ancestry has changed their search methods in the past and this has turned out to be sub-par and problematic. NO ONE likes scrolling through thousands of non-essential documents, never finding what they are looking for. Ancestry has now changed their website format to this ugly and difficult new website that will become problematic. They like doing that in their best self-serving, profitable interests. FTM will continue to work on your computer for years to come. Ancestry has stated they are not supporting it after a certain time period so there won’t be updates or special little perks to the program. If you are concerned with your FTM tree interfacing with your ancestry tree, face the fact that it was going to end some day anyway. Download your Ancestry.com tree to your computer in a ged.com file and back it up. download all documents attached to your online tree into a special folder and all pictures into family folders. Label them properly. Then go out and buy yourself the superior user-friend Rootsmagic 7 program and upload your gedcom file to that. Rootsmagic interfaces with FamilySearch.org which is a FREE website. It also connects to Heritage.com which has become a boon. Heritage.com offers newspaper archives searches which is better than ancestry’s newspapers.com. I have subscriptions to both newspaper websites and much prefer the Newspaper archives. More small town newspapers and easier to search. Do it! Ancestry is out for only one thing. Your money. They are losing subscribers by the droves and will be far overreached by other free websites one day.

  3523. Helen Fredell

    Hey folks! I just looked at Legacy’s website, they have their arms spread wide for us. Clearly FTM/Ancestry have no interest in us. As PamB observed, “if FTM goes, so do I.”

  3524. To say we are shocked is an understatement as no polling or questions were asked of your users community. Our extended family has a desktop file of almost 6,000 going back to 1700’s which has taken my wife endless hours of creation. We are very knowledgeable about web servers and cloud computing but have no faith in this type of date being stored by a corporate entity which is why we prefer desktop software storage,. We have backups and we share with family via PDF’s , We also are ful subscribers to research material of the world and appreciate that data , What is amazing with this blog announcement is the fact no true option has been given to your subscribers.. Reason we subscribe to your research is so we can supplement our family trees with data others have placed on the web, The desktop is the tool we use to formulate our reports and data. You will loose many subscribers for the research data as we will locate from other providers. If you do not want to maintain staff I am sure many small companies would offer to create a product for you . Get back to the drawing board and know your clients

  3525. Erika Gottfried

    I have been researching my family history since I was a child. It was tough sledding until the Internet and resources like Ancestry.com and Jewish.gen became available. But once having located the data none of it would have been usable without a good software program in which to store and retrieve the data and to create reports from. By discontinuing this program you will have destroyed one of the most meaningful and valuable parts of my life and more than half a century of work and about twenty years of data entry on my part, not to mention the ability to put the pieces together in patterns that yield still more information.

    Ancestry’s decision to post the announcement of the retirement of the program without any indication of how and where FTM’s users might convert the data they have stored on FTM is unconscionable and disgraceful. Absent a very timely and appropriate response on the company’s part I will, of course, be canceling my Ancestry subscription.

    If the protests of the program’s longtime users have no effect on Ancestry, I am hoping that a lawsuit (or lawsuits) will get its attention. I volunteer to be part of the class of any serious and creditable class action suit filed.

  3526. Gayle

    I think ancestry has lost it’s focus. The “new” ancestry is horrible. Not continuing FTM is horrible. I jsut downloaded my family trees to gedcom and to my desktop computer and then went in to “manage my trees” and deleted them. If more people do that, they won’t be able to advertise so many records. My subscrition is up in February and I will not be renewing. Not sure which alternative I will use yet, but ancestry is no longer an option.

  3527. Linda

    I am more than disappointed. I always thought it was just me that did not know how to navigate in ancestry.com but hearing what the above have written I see that it is tough to work with. I love my FTM and have had it for years. You are making a BIG mistake.

  3528. Ian

    I don’t usually respond to online blog announcements, but this crazy decision has me fuming. Like many other respondents, I regularly use FTM off-line. It would appear that we will still be able to do this after Jan 2017. Of course the kicker is that all of our collective new research will no longer be synced with the web, so there will be a consequential devaluing of one of Ancestry’s selling points – that of shared information between researchers. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! Easy solution – delete tree from web, transfer subscription to another provider and keep my research to myself ON MY COMPUTER!

  3529. TreeTop13

    Should be looking at price structures instead of dropping merchandise which compliment the site. I had been looking to purchasing FTM but decided Ancestry is just too costly in general and cancelled my subscription. A lot of unhappy customers by the looks of it so far.

  3530. Patti

    Just as the MANY other posts, I am not happy about this decision. I HATE the new website format – it is not user-friendly, confusing, and ugly. I could forgive all that if it was useful – the whole reason for using FTM is charting, reporting, cross-referencing and not being dependent on Ancestry for storage & security. Very disappointed, no question.

  3531. I am appalled at this decision. SO disappointed. I’ve been a FTM subscriber since the Broderbund versions and, incidentally have been building my Family Tree since then. FTM is far superior to Ancestry! What are we supposed to do now? I am heartbroken at your decision. I echo Michael Pierce’s sentiments . . .

  3532. Kelly

    So glad to see my fellow genealogists provide serious and critical feedback to Ancestry.com. This decision is a slap in the face to customers who have been loyal to FTM and Ancestry.com for years. I suggest we continue to post feedback here, but also, send Tweets to Ancestry: @Ancestry. So far those FTM users who have sent a Tweet, have received a reply from Ancestry, but the responses are full of platitudes like “we are listening carefully” but at the same time say they aren’t changing their decision. Feedback on both this blog and through Twitter might help Ancestry be better listeners!

  3533. Robert

    You are going to lose lots of customers over this, please think carefully over this, keep FTM as I also like the majority who keeps the their tree on the desktop and uses Tree Sync, using the online ancestry database isn’t the same as FTM, with FTM you can access the person no problem or finding them easier than going online. If you have a good software like FTM don’t lose it keep it, and keep Tree Sync access all the time to FTM

  3534. Leanna

    What good is the research if we can’t produce printed reports. Apparently we have to come up with some other desktop program and manually sync it with Ancestry.com. I don’t see that being a good option. I don’t know what you people were thinking. You just set back our process about 20 years or more. All the data in the world won’t do any good if it is too hard for the users to use it.

  3535. Lynda

    I agree with all of the above… very disappointed that FTM will be discontinued… I want to have my tree available on my hard drive so I can work on it off line… as well as on the ancestry site. I’m really worried that the years of work are all going to disappear… the treesync was a godsend… I didn’t have to do double the work… reconsider, please… it looks like you have upset a lot of your very loyal members…

  3536. Kerry

    I am like all the rest I like ftm & ancestry but don’t want my family tree on the internet. I have been a subscriber for many years to both. I hope u change your mind as we have over 5000 names with info in ftm. This will be tragic & I will also be closing my ancestry account down.

  3537. Wayne Streat

    I agree with everyone. You may not know it, but your advantage has been Family Tree Maker and the Sync function. (not your TV program, nor the info you offer, and certainly not your service) It might surprise you to know that your clientele is mainly older people who like to “own” their research. Most feel uncomfortable with using cloud style storage. I subscribe to other organisations and they provide exactly the same info as you can. I will sync. once more in January and I will not renew my subscription. Rootsmagic sounds good. Thanks.

  3538. John Blackburn

    This decision looks like a candidate for future MBA schools to use as an example of how to spring a poorly explained decision on long term customers – just before Christmas, with a predictable outcome.

    Was the potential FTM strategy tested with users before this decision was made I wonder? The hard information associated with the announcement seems very light on detail and I suspect this has contributed to the adverse user comments. I have not noticed too many supportive comments in the 3,900 above entries in the past 6.5 hours). Many users are threatening to cancel subscriptions and change software packages.

    I once saw this situation described as a service recovery opportunity and respectfully suggest to Ancestry that there is an opportunity awaiting if they choose to accept it……….

  3539. Dawn

    So twenty years of my work, now going down the tubes. I have never liked working in the Ancestry interface, so 99% of the time work through FTM. I bought my first computer in 1996 specifically for my family history and recording. Can you suggest where I go from here? The “New” Ancestry site is garbage….hard to read and follow, so juvenile. I am 70 years old now and not “in tune” with the weird upgrades you have been making. Consider who has the most information…not the younger set.

  3540. Gene

    I’ve been using FTM for 25 years building my 2000+ family tree and documenting my sources via thousands of hard copy documents cataloged in notebook sleeves. I have never uploaded my tree to Ancestry because my FTM contains privileged information and I did not want to have to maintain two data bases. Also, I take my FTM to locations where I don’t have internet access and update FTM directly on site. Now you are telling me I have a subscription to Ancestry and start over? If I do it will be with another PC based package.

  3541. Frances Withrow

    Terrible!!!!! I am on a fixed income, and can’t even afford Ancestry anymore. I have just deleted my family tree from Ancestry. Should have seen this coming…did DNA and now can’t even get to my husband’s own DNA records. Liked Ancestry when it remembered where it came from before it became a swollen money grubbing entity.

  3542. Gary

    After reviewing the comments about this bad decision, I can’t find one that is in support of it. Seems to me you should listen to your customers…

  3543. Anne

    The sky is not falling. I have been moving everything to Legacy anyway. FTM was a clumsy, top-heavy, designed-by-committee POS. Functionality was always sub-par with FTM, particularly with 2012 and later versions. The hideous mess that is “New Ancestry” is one more thing making me pull my tree off site completely. At this point it is privacy locked and only there for backup purposes. The only reason to keep ancestry around: running searches…and library use might suffice for that.

  3544. Mark

    Bad decision guys. Been with FTM for a long, long time. I was getting ready to spend more money to access your newest records. I guess there is no need to do that now. Time to move on. Sad

  3545. Kate

    Such a shame you are doing this to all of us who have spent years researaching our family histories and are now being left in the lurch, just at the busiest time of year with holidays approaching and very little time to make other arrangements. Please reconsider this decision in the light of public response or if there is another provider out there who can supply the FTM service please help us.

  3546. Dear Sky is Not Falling user,
    We have read the blog ” Our subscription business and website, on the other hand, continue to grow and we are doubling down our efforts to make that experience even better for our Ancestry community. ”
    Many of us do not want to place our private data into the Web now wait for a corporate server to process and respond which is why we use a desktop software and back up privately . Most of us are heavily invest ed with the subscription services and $140 a year plus software is not small change –
    Not polling the client base and just saying suck it up is bad customer service,

  3547. Plenty of comments, but no answers posted. What are FTM users to do? Obviously many of us use FTM as our main tool with the website as an assistant. Not saving the data (for future generations) and trusting the integrity of the technology (website) is not optional. Most of us have years invested. Also – many of us have spotty or sometimes no internet access. Please send me an email directing me to the answers to the very legitimate questions everyone seems to be asking. Thank you.

  3548. CJ

    If you have done the Ancestry DNA, you should be able to log in and see your DNA info without having a paid Ancestry subscription.

  3549. Ken

    Well I must say I am deeply disappointed in your decision to discontinue FTM. What brainiac made that decision? This is obviously another money grab and forcing us all to do this online. Well, my research isn’t always online and that’s why I relied on your software for so many years as it allowed me to do this in places that there isn’t any internet. You never even had the courtesy to survey us and ask for our opinion and I suppose you will continue to bill us for the same amount since there won’t be any more software support. I have used you for many years as you were very reliable, now you do this to all of your loyal customers you should be ashamed of your selves. The way I see it, your board of directors has decided this is the best way to make more money with less support, typical corporate America! Looks like I will be looking for a different company that will take care of my needs. Good bye Ancestry.com greed seems to be your driving force!!

  3550. Michele

    I just want to add my voice to the thousands before me – WORST decision EVER Ancestry! Who did the market research for this decision? They should be fired. And so should anyone who thought ditching FTM was a good idea.

  3551. Yvonne Howard

    well I guess the best option is to work hard get all onto your ftm and drop ancestry like a rock.or thats my plan

  3552. Ian Gotts

    Well, how to shoot yourself in the foot! You might have guesssed how many people are NOT going to upload their trees to Ancestry, and I am one of them.
    Just cancelled my subscription to Ancestry.
    Idiots

  3553. Gail Helton

    I hate hearing this and am also very disappointed. I see no point putting our family trees on to Ancestry if we can never again update them. I will also probably considering cancelling Ancestry and taking my trees off if Family Tree Maker is discontinued. I hope they reconsider.

  3554. Karen

    This is a really silly dumb move.. People will not renew subscription’s including myself so no income which in turn will eventually be the downfall of FTM . people will lose their trees. So suggest the powers that be rethink this rather stupid move as with the change of the layout on FTM which is not user friendly at all.. That also was a very dumb stupid move to change what wasn’t broke.

  3555. Larry

    Never seen so many comments on the same thread all saying same thing–multi-thousands in just few days all not happy with ancestry. Hope you change your mind when you see the firestorm you have wrought! I bought FTM just last month for reason many others site–good to have desktop backup and more detail notes available in FTM. I join the chorus urging ancestry to keep FTM. Gonna lose lot of customers if you quit supporting.

  3556. Rich Cunningham

    I have to admit that I think this is a very short sighted move. By discontinuing a software based solution for users and researchers you are forcing them to rely on web based services. That means that whenever someone wants to do some looking or exploring their family, they have to be connected to the Internet. Hello, not everyone uses the internet. Even Microsoft still has hard copies of their Office Suite available, as well as using it online. I’ve been using Family Tree Maker for almost 20 years. It’s a quality product, and sets the benchmark for all other genealogy programs. Now I will have to find a new program, and will also be evaluating whether I wish to continue using Ancestry.com.

    One feedback item for you. The Ancestry DNA thing you have going. That is a total waste of time and money. You should have invested the funds you spent on that into developing a product that will allow users to work off line as well as online.

  3557. Joneil

    I have been involved in genealogy for over 12 years, and paid for a subscription to Ancestry for many of those years, plus purchased FMT and upgrades as they became available. About all I can say is this “really sucks”, and I hope it comes back to “bite” your company. I will be deleting my information on Ancestry and taking it elsewhere!

  3558. Curtis

    $$$$$ is all you seem to be interested in! I have used FTM for years an have just end renewed for the next year. How do I get my money back. You need to reconsider do to the above feedback from all of the people that use this software.

  3559. Bill

    I’m about to restart my family history and clean up sources and the like. Now, I see FTM is going to be dropped in the future. I HATE the android/online version/mobile app versions. Desktop version is what I use. I guess I need to get my butt in gear and finish up my family history and pull the records off and then dump all my other work. Thanks Ancestry…NOT!!!

  3560. Carolyn Stone

    Just received the Ancestry letter & have spent a great deal of time reading the responses to this unfortunate letter. I agree with most of the responders in that I have used FTM since version 4 & have enjoyed it greatly. I have never uploaded any of my trees to your online area & have no intention of doing so. To me, Ancestry is strictly a search facility for finding additional info & records re the folks in my trees. Due to this scandalous & greedy letter from Ancestry I will be finding other avenues for this research & ending my relationship with Ancestry.

  3561. Elizabeth McEwan (nee Heffernan)

    I for one will be cancelling at renewal. I cancelled for a period while I was away and then resubscribed! I found when I came back that even after deleting my tree from Ancestry, All my data had been retained by you and had been made public – even through it was a private tree. FAIL!!!

  3562. Susan

    I agree with many of the comments above. This is a very bad decision! I looked at other software about a year ago and decided to stay with FTM because of the tree sync feature — I only had to enter data once to have it show up in both places. I have multiple family trees on Ancestry. Over the next 2 weeks, I will be converting all of them to GEDCOM files and removing them from Ancestry. I will also buy another software program to maintain my data on my home computer, which, by the way, is a laptop. Other online programs offer access to many of the databases available on Ancestry. I expect that I will use Ancestry less and less. Over the years, I have benefited from the research done by others and available to me on Ancestry. My trees are not perfect but future searchers will no longer have access to my work, either. I am really disappointed in this decision!

  3563. Sandra

    The loss of FTM will be huge, the problem I have is that the new version I bought a couple of months ago does not work with windows 10 and my old version cant be linked to the new one, so money wasted. That may be one reason why the are dropping it, did not want to spend the money to make it compatible with 10. I don’t use the cloud and have no intention of adding my family history to it.

  3564. Charlie

    About 800 replies in just a couple hours, every single one outraged or at least complaining. Do you think you just might have made a mistake here?

  3565. John Blackburn

    I am shaking my head in disbelief… >3900 comments in 10 hours….

    Future MBA course writers are going to love this – best example of how to spring a decision on users of a popular and long standing product – just prior to Christmas too. The explanation of the decision did not address how existing FTM users could manage the transition – let alone the benefits.

    I would respectfully suggest that Ancestry have created for themselves a “service recovery opportunity” – and should they wish to accept it, here is a great opportunity……

  3566. Kevin

    This new interface is a bust for US. This move is going be a bust for YOU. We do all the work while you rake in the profits. Very slick; very shrewd indeed. I spent 9 hours today out in the field in an effort to improve the accuracy of a family tree. My efforts serve to improve your product, and I pay you a handsome fee every year for allowing me to do so. FTM was my reward. It was something I could keep. You take away my reward; I take away my effort and my money. End of.

  3567. Sharna

    Really not happy at all about this. I purchased the product not very long ago at all just to be told now that support will eventually be discontinued? Complete waste of money. Not impressed at all.

  3568. Andreas

    MONEY MAKE$ THE WORLD GO ROUND or so it seems at Ancestry.com (Did you know this news doesn’t yet appear on the Ancestry UK blog?). As I really detest the new interface on the web I will be looking round for a desktop-based software product and a new web-based provider to continue my research. I am very disappointed in you, Ancestry.

  3569. Leanna

    I am at the point in my research that I was ready to go to the Worldwide membership. Don’t see much reason for that now.

    I’m also sorry that I spent money to get the DNA test done. Again, what good does it do if it’s a completely separate and manual process to work with any information that we get from the website? Decades of work down the drain.

    This decision is absurd.

  3570. Phil

    As soon as the FTM is withdrawn so will my subscription. I do not want my hard earned family data residing on the web, and I certainly am not paying a subscription to access my own information. bad move guys.

  3571. Mike Stickland

    I am HORRIFIED! Had big plans to majorly use FTM next year and subsequently to research my and my wife’s ancestry. I need software on my computer to do that, and the links with Ancestry to find missing data was invaluable. Please reconsider!!

  3572. Susan Shirey

    John Blackburn – You raised a really good point (copied below). Why on earth would a company discontinue a product just before Christmas? Maybe they thought announcing this after Christmas – and after many gifts of FTM – would be grounds for lawsuits. I thing that might still be the case. OIRIGINAL COMMENT BY JOHN BLACKBURN. This decision looks like a candidate for future MBA schools to use as an example of how to spring a poorly explained decision on long term customers – just before Christmas, with a predictable outcome.

  3573. Kat Baker

    I’ve been a member of Ancestry since the beginning, those of use who do research do use desktops, there is no way I can get the same experience with a tablet or smart phone app, the comparison is ridiculous! I do hope Ancestry will reconsider this decision to shut down FTM after seeing the anger and disappointment voiced in these posts. It’s foolish at best and very bad PR at worst.

  3574. MoGuLza

    Come on Ancestry !! Are you simply dumping the product? Are you selling it onto someone else? Why do you not consider open-sourcing the code. I am a software developer and would be very keen to see this product continue one way or another. Please contact me directly

  3575. Dan

    Seems like with the tons of comments above that you may have vastly under estimated the value of FTM to many of your users. Seems like you have not listened to them and sadly I will following in the footsteps of others and will be canceling my subscription as well when the support for FTM ends. I hope the loss of all the subscriptions do not hurt you too much because you are a great informational source. Good luck but in this case I believe you made the wrong decision for your customers. 🙁

  3576. Floyd

    I add my voice and disapproval of this news. I realize that no one asked me and maybe that is the problem. I haven’t liked the direction Ancestry has been going in the last few years moving everything to the web. It has always felt like Ancestry charged me a premium price to access their data (which I have paid for many years now) and they took my information and then profited from it without giving me any acknowlegement. This is not cool. I am interested in knowing what direction most people are going because I too would rather cut ties with Ancestry and move in a more amicable relationship with another company.

  3577. Jane

    First you mess web site up our pages and now family tree maker is Ancestry falling by the way side and next we see you out of business . Time to be honest !

  3578. Richard Oelkers

    I am shocked and dismayed that you have decided to discontinue FTM. What a greedy and shortsighted decision. I did not see this coming. You have an excellent product in FTM, which is very convenient for your customers because it syncs with our online trees. Whatever lies on the other side of 2017 will never match that. You may be the 800 pound gorilla of genealogy, but that does not mean you will have my business after you scuttle FTM. I will take my business elsewhere.

  3579. Ian

    What a really shabby way to treat loyal users of FTM I have bought every update up to FTM2014. I have now cancelled my subscription and will move to one of your competitors. I am disgusted at your company

  3580. Don Matthews

    This move is a very backward step! I am not particularly computer literate but agree with others that the web version is an inferior product and is why I do not use it. I like the aspects of FTM which allow me to work offline and store my data offline. Looks as though many years of work will go down the drain! I will look forward to any advice as to what we might be able to switch to and keep finding our ancestors. I’m in Australia.

  3581. John P

    I am appalled by this decision. As a user of FTM since 1995 you have betrayed the trust of thousands of amateur genealogists and left us in no mans land. I’m leaving Ancestry.com immediately: who knows what you’ll do to it in the foreseeable future!!

  3582. Dave Marsh

    This is terrible news! I can’t imagine continuing on with my Ancestry subscription without FTM, as I do 95% of my work in FTM and sync it to the Web site. Things are just so much easier to do in FTM. Here I was waiting on an announcement about the release of FTM 2016 only to hear that the app is being discontinued. Horrible business decision. At the very least, consider selling FTM to another software house and license the TreeSync functionality to everything continues to work seamlessly. I have researched other genealogy software extensively, but from what I’ve read, FTM is the best of them. I can’t believe you’re just letting it go. Please reconsider.

  3583. Charles Blackburn

    I would like the 90.00 I just spent this week on My Obsolete junk then Better than that I will processs a request for refund with my Credit Card.

  3584. Ivan Tchernegovski

    Along with the “new look” ancestry.com coming into play in a week this is the next major decision ancestry has made in quick sucession which does make me wonder if the is a new management team or style in play here as these are significant changes.
    The new look ancestry site has one major oversight thus far. Namely no story can be attached to an individual date event in a person’s profile.
    And this decision to phase out FTM leaves me agasp. How are members mean’t to save their much earned research of 1000s and 1000s of hours to their PCs or other electronic devices? Do they loose it all once they cease membership? I think ancestry.com needs to provide a helpful answer to this question.

  3585. Charles Blackburn

    I would like the 90.00 I just spent this week on My Obsolete junk then Better than that I will process a request for refund with my Credit Card.

  3586. Tony

    @John Blackburn – the response is epidemic and bordering on insane viral – Ancestry.com is leaving a very bitter taste in everyone’s mouth.

  3587. Cheryl

    This is the last straw. I will be discontinuing my subscription and will encourage my friends to do likewise. Perhaps after you’ve considered these more than 3,000 negative responses you will reconsider this very poor decision. I can only imagine what your motivation was to make this move to begin with. Dollar signs would be my guess. Shame on you!

  3588. Is this a skit for Saturday Night Live? No responsible business would terminate the most important part of Ancestry with such a short lead time. I recall usinf Family Tree Maker in the early 90s to print out giant trees that took my extra wide dot matrix printer many hours to produce. They were a big hit at family reunions. FTM wasn’t even owned by Ancestry back then. Do you think that the absurd huge pictures telling me that my relative was born in the south when it was growing a lot of cotton are really relevant to my research results? I’ve seen insane things like this come from boardrooms before. Did you hire the man responsible for persuading everyone at Coke that they needed a new formula? Wake up, Ancestry employees. You are looking at Act One of the Death of the family history giant, Ancestry. Is your job safe?

  3589. secunn

    I have already ordered my copy of RootsMagic in the hopes that at some point in the future it will sync with Ancestry.com. RootsMagic has already posted a gesture in that direction if Ancestry if willing to cooperate. Please make this happen.

  3590. Corrine Corbin

    I have made backup copies of my trees that I created on Ancestry. I have downloaded GED coms after each major discovery and it’s safe on my hard top PC. And a backup on an external hard drive. While I have several trees on Ancestry and my DNA also I’m sure there are other software programs on the market, probably on a par with FTM which I can load one of those GED coms into and other search data bases (not with the same amount of information records as Ancestry but good never-less. I’m not going to worry if they don’t continue to support FTM because it still works on my PC and I still make back ups. Until we find out more information I’m going to reserve criticism. After all we do still have one more year.

  3591. Anne Leonard

    I run a One Name Study and chose Ftm as the best product for my purpose at the time, I now really wish I had not. Treesync is a feature I just cannot believe you are get rid of. Coming just after the transition to the new Ancestry which is definitely inferior to the earlier version, the company seems to be intent on driving customers to other suppliers. Why Ancestry? It makes no logical sense. And how are you replacing the report writing capabilities? Please rethink this approach completely.

  3592. Rayfan

    Having put up with all the changes on your website in the past couple of years, and I do mean ‘Put up with’ this is just another bad choice being made by your directors. And, I must agree with the majority of those who have already spoken. We must all do what will make Ancestry take note of our wishes….and that is for us to no longer support their website with our subscriptions. This is frustrating and will be difficult to deal with. But, we will all be looking for another software to use to replace FTM. Ancestry – this was a bad decision.

  3593. Yves Gagnon

    Unbelievable and very very cheap decision. After the thousands of working hours on our part spent on building our trees on FTM, what does Ancestry has as an alternative to replace it ? Any new tree making platform ? Will we be able to transfer our datas to a new software or platform ? Or is it just simply our problem to find another software and start from scratch with it ?

  3594. Do not like the new interface at all. So sad after 8 years of work Now I will have to find a new program, and will also be evaluating whether I wish to continue using Ancestry.com.

  3595. Janette

    Taking FTM away is an insult! I feel robbed & I will be moving away – Ancestry owners are going to take our information and tie it up – no thanks! Anyone have suggestions for an alternative program.., please anyone?

  3596. Bill

    You owe us a much better explanation than the few vague paragraphs above. The website simply doesn’t have many of the features of FTM–and the recent revision has only dumbed it down more. This decision certainly removes serious researchers from your potential client base and further skews your user base to the casual user. I will be dropping my Worldwide subscription.

  3597. Bob

    Why is it that many big businesses today think that the future direction for all dealings with all their customers will ONLY be via the cloud? I am very uncomfortable with putting all my eggs in one basket. If you don’t want to continue maintaining the FTM software, will you open the door to others who will?. I have cancelled my subscription in disgust.

  3598. D Hannemann

    Very poor decision on Ancestry’s behalf. Customers are going to go elsewhere to get what they want if you will not provide it….including myself. Wake up Ancestry, listen to your customers. Back in the day the motto was ‘The customer is always right.” Clearly there are many people who don’t want this new change. Please rethink this decision or you may be in for a huge loss of members including myself.

  3599. Helen Gardner

    You are setting up a disaster for our family. If you persist with this change, I will cancel my ancestry subscription and look for a better alternative. The problem is that while I use FTM on my computer, my husband uses ancestry on his and we sync the changes each of us makes. If ancestry drops FTM and the sync option, we both have to use ancestry, which is not nearly as good as FTM. eg I cannot find an easy way to publish charts without having to pay for several different options depending on the sort of chart I want, whereas the charts are included in FTM. There are better programs than ancestry around. I’ll find one.

  3600. Barb

    So you think you are as good as Microsoft?? Even their new cloud based Office 365 allows for a download for desktop use. They don’t assume you will always have internet. What about all our “documents”? Do you think once we put them on our tree, that is the only time we need to look at them? For “CLICKERS”, that might be true. But for those of us seriously doing genealogy, we constantly refer back to our documents we have tagged. The software is so much better as a true research supplement. The online site enables us to get more information easily and quickly, but WE STILL NEED TO ANALYZE the information gathered. Someone who doesn’t do genealogy research made this decision!

  3601. Dave

    I use FTM because being on a fixed income I cannot afford to keep up a continuous Ancestry subscription so will you now offer me a 75% discount so that I can keep my online tree current instead of using FTM.
    A very poor decision and I am sure based only on a profit motive despite all the “Corporate Speak”.

  3602. Connie Sims

    I assume you will stop the whole dna testing site which aids in helping to connect with others who have posted family trees. A big disappointment, but hopeful all the people who lock their trees, but can still view ours will take this last chance to upload those trees and make connections.
    I am anxious to see what you can possibly come up with to overcome this huge step backward that will make us want to continue to spend our money on your website.

  3603. CeeTee

    Bazaar…they are stilling FTM on Ancestry website. Guess someone should tell the webmaster Ancestry threw the baby out with the bathwater.

  3604. cjfey

    This is unbelievable! What a dirty trick! How is this supposed to work? No FTM! Is Ancestry still there – and it is nowhere as personal as ftm. Some good informative feedback is in order. I expect to get answers from you? You have a lot of dissatisfied folks frowning at you. All the help you tout and now nothing to show us!!

  3605. Cathy

    I don’t know who is doing your market research but they got this one wrong!!! Out of the 3,000 plus responses I don’t see one happy person! Ancestry.com ARE YOU LISTENING! You are going to lose many loyal customers, me included if you go through with this insane move. I have been using FTM from its very first version and paid you an insane amount of money over the years for full access to your site. Your desktop software market is in no way declining. Where is your loyalty to your customers?

  3606. Clive Burnett

    What a pity I was about to renew my subscription, it’s quite expensive and with FTM removed not worth the bother, will have to look at other sites. Very short sighted outlook.

  3607. It isn’t all about an online world. I have had FTM since it started and have brought many versions. I have spent hours pouring over the program understanding connections and possible mistakes. You must have tree software that integrates with the search on ancestry which isn’t tied up to being online at all times. A backward step/ Unless of course it is all about churning the profits yet again. Suddenly coming out with a fantastic new product taht we all need to buy to support our already expensive membership.

  3608. Pat

    Like Carole said a few minutes ago, other Genealogy Programs have the capability to import .GED files that can be downloaded from our trees on ANCESTRY. Some have FREE versions (Roots Magic Does) that allow users to build and their trees minus some features that most users can get by without.

    Some people have mentioned features they like about FTM, such as problem searches, place standardization, and people merging. Roots Magic includes those and I’m sure other SW does too.

    However, FTM users (I’m not one) do have the capability to sync their local databases with ANCESTRY. Users of other programs can only “” manually – I do that, but only so I can share info, documents, and photos with others and so I can benefit from the HINTS.

    If you’re really going to go through with dropping FTM, I think it would be a great selling point if you were to make the syncing capabilities available to other genealogy SW. I know I would sure like to be able to sync my Roots Magic trees with ANCESTRY – it would save me a lot of typing time.

    And, so far, I am not impressed by the “NEW” Ancestry.

  3609. David Scott

    This is an appalling betrayal of trust, I have years of work synced into familytreemaker which at least gives me control and security of my data and investment in time and money. It also allows me to transport my data to places where online is not readily available (yes they still exist). I will likely look for an alternative to Ancestry.

  3610. Marlin

    I have been a long time subscriber to Ancestrys world membership . This last year I also subscribed to Fold 3 and Newspapers.com which I believe are in the Ancestry holdings. Whenever their was a new upgrade in FTM I purchased it. This past year I needed a new computer and everyone said get an Apple product. I said no that I liked the FTM program for Windows and that I would get a pc. That is the only reason I purchased a windows based product. I loved the FTM and Ancestry and how they worked together. I do not have my tree online nor will I ever. So I will not be renewing my memberships to your products. Yes, Ancestry has the best data, but you are not the only game in town. Money is the name of the game but not from me anymore.

  3611. Pat W

    Ridiculous greed. Why would you expect all the people who have worked so hard over the years building up their tree to have their data held hostage on the web.

  3612. Hilda Lee

    Oh no! I have never been completely comfortable with the online site, but I LOVE my FTM software. I only subscribe to Ancestry so I can use the search, but I keep all records/info on my FTM. Without FTM, I will be seeking other software with an online support and will therefore have no reason to continue subscribing to Ancestry. PLEASE RECONSIDER. I really hate to leave Ancestry but without my FTM support I feel I have no choice,

  3613. Beve

    Almost 4000 response in less than 8 hours! Most all agreeing that FTM is superior than the Ancestry version, but with the sync feature they work well together and Ancestry helps FTM. Ancestry without FTM is not robust to a serious long term user.
    This is a poor decision, I hope someone rethinks this based on the over whelming response!

  3614. Douglas Chism

    What comes after Jan 2017? Will your site shut down forever? What do you suggest I do to at least retain my present tree and capability?

  3615. windi spears

    and tonight i tried to get a disc for my legal FTM that i downloaded into my computer. my daughter is getting me a laptop for christmas and wanted to move the “family” to the laptop. what a joke. call, nope need to contact ancestry. go to their site. nope already not available. so in essence that have already they have already dropped the program…….. i want to be refunded for what i downloaded since it IS MINE but now cant transfer it…. think that would be a breech or something.

  3616. Duncan

    Clearly a decision made by someone who has never done serious family research. I do not want to have to connect to the internet to view my tree. If this is a cynical way of getting us to buy a new software package I will be disappointed but if you are dropping it altogether I will be cancelling my membership

  3617. Robyn

    Sadly, I agree with the dozens (and soon to be hundreds or thousands) of disappointed users who will not be able to use FTM with their ancestry subscription after 2017.

  3618. Carole3375

    That’s done it. I can’t even Sync my trees any more, probably because everybody is trying to do so at once.
    So I spat the dummy and chose to UnLink from FTM. Nope, that doesn’t work either…”Try again later”. So I pressed to delete a Tree from Ancestry. Nope, “Try Again Later”. So I am downloading GEDCOMs. Color me GONE! Oh, Happy Christmas to you too, Kendall Hulet. “Ancestry is proud…” Huh?

  3619. Stephen Constantine

    I have been a long time ancestry subscriber and I contribute my documented research for all to share but if I don’t have an option to keep traditional ancestry over the “New” ancestry I am withdrawing my subscription, deleting every document I have uploaded.

  3620. Russell

    Once you disengage yourself from Family Tree Maker you will lose a lot of loyal customers including me. I will be cancelling my subscription once you implement this action.

  3621. Veronica

    I just purchased FTM 2014 16 days ago! Don’t you think you should have informed me of this decision prior to my purchase? I feel ripped off and totally abandoned. I’ve wasted my money. FTM is a great tool you just ripped the rug out from under me. I’m at a loss in your decision making a poor one at best. I must say your new and improved online platform stinks. I want my money back from the software I just purchased. I would not have bought the updated version had I’d
    known. What is wrong with you people? Extremely poor customer service, not everyone upgraded to Windows ten I’m using Windows 7 and have no intentions of upgrading and FTM works fine. So how will I do reports?

  3622. John

    Beside thinking that Ancestry.com’s decision to kill PC/Mac based software is a very bad decision, the content of the announcement is equally bad. Cloud based computing adds to but does not replace the need for many computer based software programs and yours is one of those. I immediately cancelled my World membership. That’s a $150 now and every six months that you won’t be seeing. I didn’t purchase the latest upgrade because it didn’t offer anything new in helping me further my family tree. If you would have come out with some truly useful changes, I would have spent the $30 dollars. But with this decision, you lose $300 in 2016 and every year thereafter. Bad decision.

  3623. Donna Kennedy

    I just bought Family Tree Maker a couple of months ago. The only thing I truly like about it is TreeSync. I would still be using Easy Family Tree if it were compatible with Windows 10.

  3624. Cheryl

    I have been a into genealogy for the last 39 years; I started before the advent of computers when I was still in high school. I have used FTM since it’s inception and upgraded several times over the years. I have also had an ancestry account off and on through out the years. I have transcribed records, I have made corrections, I have shared my research so that I can connect with others. Genealogy, 39 years ago seemed to only hold the interest of the old ones. As a fledgling genealogist it was the room of white and gray haired ones that helped me find my way. Computers are not everything as without the lifes of those that went before us and their stories, we would have nothing to search for.
    In my opinion, Ancestry wants to stay a viable company able to leap tall buildings and line their pockets with the cash of other younger researchers. I get that they will also have to stay up to date with technology to offer that service. I understand that, I really do. The problem is you have built your company’s infrastructure on the backs of the people that shared their everything to get you to this precipice. It appears that you are now willing to leave behind the very people that built you up and in my book, that is the complete opposite of integrity.
    So go forward and become one with the cloud, dumb down the website and remove all the tools and options that allow those of us that actually research rather than copy and paste, remove the tree sync tool since it is wildly popular with the older folks. Go ahead and move forward in “progress” and leave everyone not connected to an IPad, tablet, smartphone, and whatever other new technology is in the wings of discovery by the wayside.
    I too will be deleting my tree and and cancelling my subscription and there will be no more word of mouth referrals to your site as apparently you are now practicing age discrimination as well as an all out assault on the folks that cannot afford any of the new toys!

  3625. JimP

    I was shocked beyond belief when I saw the Subject line in your email announcement of December 8, 2015 announcing that you will discontinue the desk-top software FTM with three weeks notice to your loyal users. I have been a subscriber for over 10 years to the World Tree Subscription Plan and a user of every edition of FTM with immediate upgrades every time you release a new version. Until now my greatest fear was that I would experience some catastrophic failure in my Backups which would destroy the desktop records and databases that I have spent hundreds of thousands of hours assembling with meticulous source records. I keep at least 10 Backups in various places and with numerous family members so that I could make it almost impossible to lose my own records, databases, and source links and copies of images of everything that is downloadable to my own database.

    I do not put my Tree(s) on Ancestry but am willing to share a researchers of common interest. The reason that I don’t upload my Trees and sync them is because I did this when it was a new feature and I was a fairly new and naïve researcher myself. I quickly found that most trees quickly become corrupted with the speed of a virus due to users blindly merging trees that do not fit at all or contain numerous errors.

    Do your quality engineers keep a record of how often users merge public trees that result in descendants having birth and/or death dates that precede the birth dates of their won ancestors?

    Your Public Trees are useless as reliable genealogy for more than 2 or 3 generations at which point the indiscriminate merging of family trees by inexperienced, careless, or just plain lazy users have destroyed valuable generations of reliable records by corrupting them with branches that are unrelated to the correct trees.

    Please reconsider this proposed action to allow dedicated genealogists the opportunilty to protect their hard researched, sourced, and multiple validated trees from the sloppy “fast food” approach to building a tree quickly without regard to the quality of the information. Once a error is introduced into a well researched and sourced tree, it reproduces so quickly that it is impossible to recover the original reliable information from the slop that your less careful users create.

    If you are compelled to become the “McAncestry” of genealogy with the largest volume of lowest quality shared information by allowing only online Family Trees which are hard to keep secure from the viral errors, then you have already accomplished that.

    If on the other hand, you wish to maintain some genealogical integrity by allowing serious researchers the ability to protect their own personalized, archival quality, desktop genealogy by sourcing records from your excellent collections without having to store their heirloom Family Trees in your contaminated, dirty, and untrustworthy “warehouse” of errors, assumptions, and unsourced data points that you call Public Trees.

    I look forward to a more robust consideration of how Ancestry might restore the trust to your numerous users who will surely abandon Ancestry rather than risk the destruction of years of painstaking work to create accurate genealogical records and links.

  3626. Carrie

    Roots Magic has a deal going on right now. You can get a CD and a book (imagine that…a book!) for $20, plus $5 S&H. You can import a FTM file directly, plus some other formats.

    It will take a GEDCOM file. But remember folks, the GEDCOM utility has not been updated for many, many years and the only guarantee of what gets included is BMD and places, of course.

    One good thing I can think of, with a GEDCOM file (file extension: dot ged) you can load it into a word processing program and do a search a replace if you have a lot of place names you would like to globally change. Save the new ged file and import that into your new software. Just be careful unless you are very familiar with GEDCOM files.

    Download the free smaller version of Roots Magic and play with it, and then if you like it, buy it, but be sure to get the CD and register. They are a small company but they have been around a few years. I think they are hungry. I also think they have a decent product.

    No matter what software you get, you will probably have much work to get all your media, pictures and etc into it. I wish everyone good luck. You have a year to make the transition.

  3627. Bill Strehle

    I feel really bad! Family Tree Maker has been my security, because I have it on my hard-drive. It makes me feel secure to know that my sacred information is protected. I have other info on Ancestry, that I am willing to share. I know that Ancestry says, the info is secure. I know general computer environments. They have hole’s in it. If Ancestry is not selling and making enough money with family tree maker, why didn’t they do a blog when they were starting to loose money? I would have told them, they were going in the wrong direction. They were going in the wrong direction after Family Tree Maker 16. I think ver. 16 is fabulous. The only thing wrong with 16, is that you can’t print a big mural of a Tree.
    Respectively, Bill Strehle

  3628. Kathleen

    Will you be adding error checking and more reports to Ancestry? I use FTM for error checking. Use FTM to run reports.

  3629. Robyn

    So what is the alternative? Are you saying that there is absolutely no way of syncing our trees on to our computers and laptops???? I also can’t believe that only a few days ago I spoke to a representative about updating at the cost of about $100-00 and thankfully I did not do it immediately as I would have been out of pocket. Never was I told that it was becoming obsolete! That is pretty disgusting. I also do not like the new format at all…it is very dull and the colours all run into each other making it hard to distinguish the information….Also way too much effort goes into American data and us Australians are not getting enough for our money. Enough said..not happy at all.

  3630. Robin

    This is not at all the news I want to hear. FTM has so much more capability than Ancestry and I will lose a lot of information and work. I am not happy with the new Ancestry and rely on my desktop. I have been a strong advocate for the company due to the varieties available, but now I have to rethink it. I guess I will start tomorrow locating new software as this will be a monumental project. I sincerely hope this decision is reconsidered as it is very evident on this blog that customers are not happy.

  3631. Terry

    Well in less than one day there are a huge number of posts here and absolutely not one thinks this is a good idea. Ancestry has made a lot of loyal customers very angry.

  3632. Shameful profiteering by Ancestry. The current revamp of the Ancestry screen is rubbish, with individuals details obscured by a clutter of other family member events, and the rather archaic FTM screen view is much easier to navigate for individuals. I keep several trees offline completely and often work on the FTM versions of my online trees when the internet is not available (I travel a lot, and the online Ancestry freezes all the time now, especially when USA users are online). I need FTM to tidy up various duplicates etc that occur with the online version and are not easy to correct online. And for all sorts of reports, of course. Totally disappointed, after transferring all my family trees from PAF and Pedigree to FTM

  3633. Nancy

    Wow. Just wow. I feel like the last 10-12 years of subscribing to ancestry has been for nothing. I love FTM for so much and really rely on it. Bad decision.

  3634. Anne

    Ancestry are getting too greedy!! So many of us work quietly in the background on our Family Tree Maker software, adding information which also complements the Ancestry records by adding extra detail for other users. I’ll be leaving too if this proceeds. PEOPLE POWER may change Ancestry’s poor decision on this! More people should
    voice their displeasure!

  3635. Jay

    Declining software market! From the number of comments above I think not. I haven’t and don’t want to put my tree on line and only have access while I keep a membership with Ancestry. After reading comments from people who find the online tools inadequate I have even less inclination to do so. What is the point in selling FTM for another few weeks. Why would anyone buy something that will not be supported in the near future? I think it is very sneaky saying it will be supported until 1st Jan 2017. Just like saying the price is $2.99 to make it sound less than $3. At present I can hand my entire tree to another family member to carry on research when I can no longer do it. How do you hand online access to someone else?
    Not a good move in my opinion.

  3636. Phil

    Like all the above I am VERY disappointed with this decision. i like others rely on FTM to record all my research activities, Collate books etc. A very disappointing & un thought out decision. Unless there is a re-think on this issue then like so many others I too will have to be looking at alternative software to replace FTM & possibly cancell my subscription to Ancestry. This needs a big re-think and some CUSTOMER SERVICE advice from your organisation.

  3637. Brano

    I love FTM as a tool but you made a lot of people extremely unhappy, but Ancestry have a good tradition in doing that. I don’t like your attitude towards customers for some time already, to be more specific European customers as I was not able to upgrade/buy a new software version because it is US only (!) WTF that’s unbelievable in 21st century!

    At least PLEASE MAKE IT OPEN SOURCE. We’ll continue to make it better. You can even rip out the online features from the code, I don’t care about them.

  3638. CJ LaCour

    4,000+ comments this far all agree: are you out of your ever loving minds?

    It’s pretty obvious that the people that makes decisions over there don’t actually do any genealogy.

  3639. ML Johnston

    Have you lost your collective minds? This announcement should be an April fool’s joke, not a Christmas present. I’m another long time user, read payer, who sees this as a huge betrayal.

  3640. Beverley

    I am totally confused – I am not especially computer savvy, but have found FTM wonderful. I have no idea what to do after it is discontinued. I have read a lot of the foregoing comments from people who are obviously a lot more switched on than me, and if they are wondering what is going to happen, and what they will do, what hope does a numbskull like me have? People mention ‘ the cloud’, which is Greek to me. I have had Ancestry for well over a decade and when I bought FTM I loved it. Hopefully Ancestry will be giving frequent future updates on where all this is headed, and then numbskulls/twits like me might be reassured. (Though I seem to be the only twit commenting so far. Everyone else seems frighteningly clever about computers and the like.)

  3641. Chris

    I think this is stupid decision. It also confirms the doubts I have about entrusting my data to a proprietary format. I ask that you release the format to the community so that those of us who are software developers can work to provide migration tools and other applications that can use FTM files. Gedcom export is inadequate.

  3642. Eddie

    Having just paid for the upgrade to FTM, I am a bit peeved by this crass decision to say the least.

    FTM was one of the reasons I keep using Ancestry. The new look Ancestry has gone the way of Apple – flashy looks but no substance.

    Clearly Ancestry is not to be trusted anymore.

  3643. Sandra

    Well, I for one am very pleased to have got this notice today. I was on my way home tonight to upload my new credit card details for subscription renewal ( as I have done for many many years) but not now. Will withdraw my trees and cancel any further membership

  3644. James V

    My mother has collected 30 years of family history from 6600 people. Most of the history is stories from individuals over the past 150 years. From this and using Family Tree Maker we have been able to create 15 books ranging in size from 150 – 550 pages, including pictures, graphs, and much family history. These books have been great to pass around to many generations who may not have internet access.

    We recently uploaded our tree to Ancestry.com and started collaborating with others online. My mother has been thrilled with this as she enjoys sharing the information so many people have shared with her. In addition to this we recently subscribed to the US Membership for much of the great research Ancestry has available.

    However, since the books are the most important part of my mothers information, we will be forced to switch to other software, cancel our US Membership, and remove our tree on Ancestry.com (as it will become outdated, and maintaining 2 separate trees in 2 separate programs would be a nightmare).

    We will likely make our tree private immediately as I don’t see a reason to use a service I know we will be leaving in the next year.

    Very very disappointing.

  3645. Gillian

    You cannot be serious – for larger trees expecially, Ancestry is almost unuseable without FTM. Where are the search and sort facilities in Ancestry? Where are the facilities on Ancestry to copy a citation to ANOTHER person, such using Baptism source as the citation for parent residence and occupation data? Where are the print/report/chart facilities on Ancestry? Where is the facility to merge to individuals WITHOUT having to keep both names? I could go on and on. this decision has clearly been made by someone who is not an active genealogist. It is appalling. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw your e-mail. is there any plan to replace FTM? I was shocked, stunned and absolutely devastated. New ancestry is an imnprovement on the old version but still has far, far too many faults and problems to be used on its own. I suspect that many genealogists will now look elsewhere for their online software. Ancestry and FTM together are, in my opinion, unbeatable, and I tell everyone so but Ancestry alone? No, never fo I want to give up having a copy on MY Hard Drive under MY control. I’m too shocked to write more, although there is a lot more to be said.

  3646. Brenda

    I call for the resignation of Kendall Hulet, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Ancestry, due to incompetency. He must be clueless. He clearly has no idea who is client is or what his product is used for.

    Ancestry.com has forgotten their origins, their core values and their target customer, the serious researcher. Instead, they have introduced useless bells and whistles created by website designers who have little understanding and no appreciation for the needs of the researchers they serve.

    You made your fortune by swallowing your competition. You take our submitted information and sell it back to us in the form of subscriptions. You took the pen and paper information acquired by small volunteer historical societies and sell It to the very citizens it was created for. We still have alternatives, software and websites.

    Do you seriously think that you can sustain membership with the iphone generation?

    Perhaps we should all just submit our DNA and let Ancestry.com sell that info too! Oh wait, they already do that.

    If we all withdraw our subscriptions for a year, perhaps Ancestry.com will find their revenues are supported by the baby boomers and not Gen Y. Your response to all of our protests will predict your destiny.

    Oh by the way, thanks for the ‘shaky leaf’. Don’t know what I’d do without it. Not!

  3647. Gary

    Mr. Hulet, I bet either you’re under 45, or report to someone who is. I think you are completely misjudging your user base and market, which I would guess is heavily represented by baby boomers and older. In other words, the people with the most disposable income and assets on the planet who happen to not trust the privacy or security or internet dependency of the cloud, or just don’t understand it and like the desktop/laptop software just fine thank you. This is the same demographic who does the lion’s share of genealogical research, wants a highly functional set of tools to work with and really doesn’t like being herded into quasi-monopoly subscription services. We already have enough of those, starting with cable. You folks are making a big mistake and I expect will generate a lot of ill will. Which is the opposite of the good will you probably have on your balance sheet. Large companies have a way of being unable to recognize bad decisions or walk back from them if they do. Maybe you’re different, but likely not. The next thing we’ll learn is that you’re sharing ancestry data with the outside marketers or the government. So, have fun with your user base as it erodes and we all continue to use aging copies of unsupported FTM and regress to paper records. Unless of course another company can provide a competitive solution, in which case you’ll have a declining user base and a new competitor to boot! We can only hope. Dumb. Very dumb.

  3648. Liz

    Sorry to hear about your decision on FTM. I use it offline and many years of work are stored into my files. I like the software and will continue to use it. I wouldn’t want to live without the reports. If I need new features I can always download a gedcom and transfer to new software. My tree is not on ancestry because I don’t want to be trapped into having to subscribe forever. So I guess I will be ok.

  3649. Hilda Lee

    Does anyone know if there is another software program that sincs to an online service that has a really good search feature. There is no way I will continue my subscription to Ancestry without FTM… and its not out of spite. It simply makes no sense to NOT have your info on your hard-drive,

  3650. Janice

    Does this change mean that information we have on FTM (all private information that we do not wish to share online on Ancestry for personal reasons) will somehow be now available online? I understood that it was not linked if you didn’t want it to be. I don’t understand enough about the technical side to know all this affects what I have on my FTM files on my computer. It is very disappointing.

  3651. kevin

    Well folks,
    Forward this e-mail we all got from Ancestry, to as many people as we can, with our own editorial attached, encouraging every recipient to look for other vendors of genealogy software if they were thinking of signing up with Ancestry.

  3652. Bob

    Shame on you. I have been a customer since the DOS days and have had a subscription for years. I only use FTM never work on my online tree which I do sync to. The new interface is junk but I can live with that. It looks like a lot of use will have to switch to another program. Thousands of people have given you their information which you have sold and I have gladly bought it. YOU HAVE BETRAYED YOUR CUSTOMERS !!!!!!!

  3653. Bob

    A bad move by someone who doesn’t care. It will probably happen no matter how many people complain or quit using Ancestry because some people can’t admit they may be making a big mistake. I will most likely be dropping my membership when it comes up for renewal in July next year. There are other sites to go to such as My Heritage and others.

  3654. Gary A

    Disgusting!!! You obviously have not thought this decision through with us users, you are only thinking of your bottom line. FTM is the only way to create and print reports. Ancestry can not. What good is a database that can’t generate reports? What now? How do I pass my work on to the next generation? I have years of work with thousands of people, links, documents and photos, etc. I will begin searching for an alternative to Ancestry.com. By the way, I think the New Ancestry is terrible and will not use it until you unplug the Old Ancestry.

  3655. Jelle Hoogland

    You had a really good thing going and now you’re gonna drop the engine of it all: FTM. Did you really do research on how the users handle FTM and Ancestry online, or do you just wanna lure us into a yearly subscription. The search for a new genealogy program starts…..now!

  3656. Mike Ashton

    Cant help but agree with all those who say this decision is crazy. Have used the desk top version for years and like to keep some things to myself. I like the idea of making it open source as suggested by Brano.

  3657. Pam

    Over 4,000 comments and I can’t find one that is in favour of Ancestry discontinuing FTM!! I’m guessing that Ancestry WILL NOT LISTEN to us but will discontinue FTM. I, for one, shall NOT RENEW my subscription but WILL CONTINUE to use FTM and any other genealogy site I can find. Okay, so tree sync won’t be there, but it’ll still be better than being HELD HOSTAGE by Ancestry!!!!!!!
    Yours disappointedly, Pam H.

  3658. Teri

    I realize this was a business decision and someone will receive a huge bonus for their cost cutting idea, but in this case I believe it would be wise to listen to your customers.

  3659. I Burgess

    I have only just Purchased tree maker and was so impressed i was about to transfer to you totally from Heritage, the point being WAS

  3660. Peter Ellwood

    Actually, we will all survive…

    My fault, I’m sure, but I’ve never been able to make my treesync work in the first place. But since it is still possible to download the entire on-line tree separately as a gedcom, I do that from time to time, by way of backing up my online tree. It really is a matter of liking what you’re used to – I do occasionally venture back to my off-line FTM software, just for fun – but I much prefer the on-line version now… Bring it on Ancestry, see if I care!

  3661. Harald Young

    Ancestry is trying to take away the customers control over his precious family data.
    It seems that Customer Care & Relationship have come to an end @ Ancestry.

  3662. David

    This is not good news…I strongly urge you to re-consider you plan to discontinue Family Tree Maker.
    Family Tree Maker was great when owned/sold by Banner Blue and then Broderbund. It’s been downhill since taken over by ancestry.com.

  3663. I agree with most all that has been said already. I have been using FTM ever since it first came out. I tried other products as well as other online sites but always came back to FTM. Have recommended it to many people over the years. I was planning on purchasing the newest version this month. Now I guess I won’t. I also am anxious to hear how and what they are planning to replace it with. VERY unhappy with this decision.

  3664. Kathy White

    Not good. would be nice if Ancestry explained more instead of just Ancestry to retire family Tree Maker.
    I will be cancelling my membership.

  3665. David

    Why is it a surprise that an organisation that has done so much to antagonise its’ users in recent years now wants to be even more to promote itself as anti rather than pro genealogists and family historians. They really DO NOT CARE what users think as their calculated introduction above shows! I have been saying this for years, but they have remained the best out there. I have recommended FTM many times to people and in many cases they have invested hard-earned money (some have been on very low incomes!) to purchase it. It is difficult not to be abusive about an organisation that has such little regard for its customers, but attempts to promote itself as pro-customers! I hope people vote with their feet and stop paying their memberships.

  3666. Ken

    Bad news. Please rethink Ancestry. I’ve not read one positive comment so far and I agree with most. I was close to uploading and now will definitely forgo that dubious pleasure. If your decision is set in concrete, Ancestry, I foresee a mass exodus…

  3667. barbara james

    i cant believe taking away what will we be using , i find this sad when all the control is in your hands and none in ours,you can say your the biggest and the best but remember we are the ones that put you there , you give us some information but remember we give a heck of alot more to you,we dig the family for information and dates and we record this and you have all this and claim it , remember WE BUILT YOU ANCESTRY YOU DIDNT DO IT BY YOURSELF ,and you feel justified to take away something we use , sad day for ancestry

  3668. jwin1948

    Oh I am mortified about the finish of FAMILY TREE MAKER. I too do not always have the internet on and I rely so much on the actual program on my computer. What am I going to do now.. I honestly think I will seriously have to look elsewhere for software to use. I have been a loyal subscriber to Ancestry.com.. beginning with 2003 or earlier software. I perhaps should have stayed with Genes Re-united. I hope that you will rethink this stupid decision. I have spent a lot of money and time using Ancestry.. Its not fair and I am very angry about this decision as will be a lot of other loyal users.

  3669. Nev Carter

    Online Ancestry is not up to FTM for ease of use and facilities. Decision is a bad one.
    My trees are now deleted from ancestry. I will keep FTM and look for other info sources.

  3670. Tony

    Over the past 7 hours, your decision at Ancestry.com to drop Family Tree Maker has attracted the anger and disappointment directed at you from over 4000 loyal customers. I suggest that you’ve NEVER before been so inundated with so much NEGATIVE PUBLIC CHASTISEMENT as you are currently having to endure …. 4033 negative posts have been made in just seven hours, which equalls one bad comment every 9.6 seconds through the latter part of the day … wait ’til the word REALLY gets out about this!!! If this DOLLAR GRAB by Ancestry.com does not SERVE AS A WARNING to the decision makers in your business, then be it in their heads that YOUR FUTURE IS DOOMED///

  3671. Heather

    I was very disappointed to see this little blurb on Facebook this evening. I have been using FTM since the very first version before you took over the Now is the time for another company to come along and create a new program that all of us can move over to. Think about it Ancestry. I use FTM at home on my desktop and use my iPad and iPhone when away from home.

  3672. Gary

    Thanks! I’ve been a loyal Ancestry.com member for 10 years and have used and updated my FTM software for even longer than that. Please tell me what us paid subscribers using FTM are supposed to do after Jan 1, 2017. Is there some new software coming to replace FTM? Then if not, maybe you could recommend right now the next best available software and someone else that provides the same online services you do? There’s no one? You don’t recommend any competitor’s software? That’s fine, I’ll find what I need myself! And when I do, I’ll cancel my Ancestry membership, too! Thank you, again.

  3673. Marcia

    Family Tree Maker users, unite! I am both dissatisfied and outraged by the decision of Ancestry corporate to “retire” FTM. I suggest that we all use whatever means we have to let the corporation know that this is a poor business decision and should be reversed. By what means can we publicize our opinion and requests? Via Ancestry’s Facebook site, via Twitter, via emails to Ancestry customer service and to the corporate office, via Genealogy blog posts across the internet, and even via suggestions of a news item to business news editors across the land. Because this is a case study of a poor business decision on many levels, and particularly, a poor customer service and public relations decision. I urge Ancestry to heed the feedback–4600 strong and counting on this blog alone, so far. Heed your “loyal customers” and make a decision based on customers, and integrity.

  3674. Martin H

    I have had an issue with Tree Sync for three years now. It appears to have happened after a ‘denial of service’ attack which resulted in the port number changed. After numerous attempts with the help line I figured what had happened. In the course of these ‘helps!!’ I have purchased the latest version of FTW. I want my money back!!.

  3675. Alf

    What an arrogant & high handed way to treat your loyal & long standing customers. I whole heartedly agree with the comments of the myriad of contributors. I certainly will not be coerced into loading my PRIVATE family tree onto Ancestry’s website. Thank you to earlier writers who have suggested alternatives to FTM & Ancestry.com. My membership is due for renewal in the new year & I have no desire to continue to support an organisation who treat their customers with such contempt.

  3676. Dai

    The Ancestry.com website is terrible, and now you have discontinued Family Tree Maker. We can only assume that your programmers either do not understand the requirements of genealogists or they lack the skills needed to maintain FTM, or both.
    I suggest that you sack your current IT staff and employ a skilled software architect with the freedom to recruit his or her own team of programmers.
    In the meantime, listen to the flood of complaints coming in from your disgruntled customers. You have created a PR nightmare.

  3677. Cathi Gross

    I have been doing my family tree since before 1984. I started with Family tree maker, it broke with to much data. So, I broke apart the different parts of my Family Tree and worked on the many different parts of my tree as separate documents but still Family tree just didn’t have enough storage place. In the mean time I have boxes of documents out in my garage that I really want to log and place into a program that worked. So, I started using Ancestry.com. I’ve been using Ancestry for many years now and appreciate what you have. BUT through every change you’ve made I loose what I saved. And then you want me to pay again to do it all over again. that is just maddening to have to pay for something that you already payed for, because who ever is making the changes isn’t careful. And you can’t fight with whats lost if there isn’t any trail to prove that you actually paid for that. Boy is that convenient for you to make more money of of me and others. But I have still continued to be faithful and I started to put my family tree up on your sight over the past 3 years, and even in the last month I was able to sync family tree maker all the different part and finally just have one full tree again. Of course there were issues and I am in the process of correcting. BUT now you want to change that. . .WHY. . . I am SO Tired of Changes. Is there anywhere a person can put their family tree up and be safe for all the changes???? I’m about ready to throw everything . . All my boxes of work . . .everything out in the trash. Don’t you understand how hard it is to keep changing the way things are done. I understand totally what everyone is saying above. AND I very disappointing. I just got use to having Family Tree work again and it Sync with Ancestry.com. That’s really cool. . .AND now your changing that after I just made a change and got things working again. I don’t know what to do. AND I can’t keep up with progress. To Old. . .

  3678. Amanda

    Amazing there has been no further explanation, will one still be able upload gedcom files, and download. if not it certainly makes ancestry expensive, especially as most of my history is UK and Australia, familysearch and findmypast are certainly appearing to be better options

  3679. Brian

    This just removed the one differentiator for Ancestry! I use other websites for research but I only maintain my subscription to Ancestry as a convenient backup to my FTM tree. There are lots of very valid comments about functionality that have already been detailed that I agree with. But I am also concerned about the integrity of the data in Ancestry. Typically people can presently RESEARCH off line using FTM and then sync when it is correct (not at the end of that days research). By removing that option people will research on-line and totally invalidate any credibility for the hints (that some people seem to see as facts), it will be unsubstantiated data passed on and on until people believe it is true. You could argue that people will still do off-line research but the majority would not want to input it twice so they will just do it online, mistakes, errors and presumptions all embodied !

    I work have worked in IT for over 35 years so I understand the different virtues of local stored data and internet based data, the key word is different ! Web based data, whether it is wrapped up in such current buzzwords of Clouds, Apps, is an asset that a company can and will exploit and sell.

    This could well be just be an financial asset stripping exercise, by removing the costly overhead of supporting FTM the data in the website becomes a much more attractive asset to financial speculators. The work that thousands of individual researchers have undertaken can be harvested and sold for profit.

    I am lucky that I have the skills and capability to store my information in other off-line databases and repositories, I will then back up those files to a private cloud, but it is an investment in time that should be unnecessary !

    Ancestry could have asked via opinion surveys if they cared what we think, or they could have agreed to support FTM but not develop it any further, or they could even of done the intelligent business decision and out sourced or sold off the FTM part of the company. That would not have alienated a large proportion of the subscribers and maintained a long term loyalty. Presuming they are not so naive as to be surprised by peoples responses teh only presumption that can be made that long term is not too much of a concern. The message is get your data out whilst you still have an option !

  3680. The only way I can manage my SE QLD cemeteries project, with over 70000 people and over 3000 headstone photos, is to use FTM. The website version has no facility to add unrelated people. Merging two people is impossible, and the relationship functions don’t work as well as they should. People still manage to stay related… And what about all the reports that FTM can generate? And the ability to categorise media????

  3681. Lesley Ford

    I am appalled at a todays news regarding the fate of Family Tree Maker. As a member of Ancestry since 2006, I have found the FTM a massive help in sorting, recording and understanding my family history. Its features have helped me explain our story to other family members. In fact only this week I was recommending Ancestry to a person trying to organise his own research. With close to 2000 people on ‘the tree’, I have relied on the programme to record a huge amount of research that comes from many & varied sources. The Ancestry online option always seems unsatisfactory, not very sophisticated and clumsy in many ways when I have tried to use it. In addition it is visually confusing. Ancestry must EXPLAIN itself to its customers at the very least, as our ‘to date’ loyalty appears to have no value to the company. There is clearly a strong demand for the services of FTM. I am requesting that this community of users receive BETTER COMMUNICATION FROM ANCESTRY , with OPTIONS AND ANSWERS. Users have after all entrusted some of their most precious information to FTM and, as up to now loyal customers, EXPECT SOME RESPECT for our Business.

  3682. Marcia

    Sorry, typo above. The current number of comments at this moment is 4076. I expect it will hit 4600 easily. Add your comment, here and elsewhere!

  3683. Marion

    Delighted that there are 4K people of like mind! I never want all of my info online – I have worked hard for it! Here I was thinking Ancestry’d do something useful like make a FTM app for me to sync and carry around. Frankly, the number of Shaky Leaves that were so wrong, and the number of people with inaccurate Ancestry tree information, makes it easy to drop Ancestry (I can always wait and go to the library to use it) and just treat my FTM with greater care and wait for a product I can load my content into by someone with greater insight into and respect for genealogists. Not such a happy new year with death knells for my software companion…AND as Jelle said, what of user and product research? What a crock.

  3684. Julie

    Fellow Members, I need your advice.

    I know nothing about how FTM or the others work, or how to use them, and was just about to start doing some comparison shopping.

    I want to save my trees somehow, as Ancestry is seemingly preparing to be purchased, has become a repository for junk genealogy, is forcing the hideous and annoying New Ancestry on us, and apparently doesn’t care one bit about its members.

    Is FTM the only one that works with Ancestry? Pat mentioned RootsWeb. Is it similar?

    Downloading the GEDCOM is text only! What about all the other stuff? (I am not technically savvy.)

    Where are we going to go after we bail from here?

    Will someone please advise me? Thanks very much.

    (Were we supposed to be notified of this? I only saw it just now in a post on a FB genealogy group.)

    PS Amen, JimP!

  3685. Chris S

    What a disastrous decision. The online site isn’t a patch on the desktop version. A terrible decision dressed up as an advance: surely time for the CEO to be sacked.

  3686. P J Day

    When you dump your Customers in the mire you might have the decency to explain what will happen after. Do we buy new 3rd party software? Are you expecting that we will entrust you with all our trees and records? How will they be protected & backed up? What?

  3687. Tom

    VERY BAD DECISION. You people do not have any idea what the value of FTM really is. I have used FTM since the beginning of time and Ancestry.com CANNOT DO what FTM can do. You are blinded by greed and $$$ to the bottom line. Just because you have TV programs does not make you the best. The RIGHT thing to do is find a buyer for FTM. A buyer that has enthusiasm and technical competence to take the product forward. For the past couple years your organization has demonstrated an eroding competence and impersonal customer service.
    I promise you that my days with Ancestry.com are over. I have been subscribed to your service more years than most of your employees have with the company. There are a number of other companies out there who offer robust research capabilities and have a better customer attitude than Ancestry which gives me some level of comfort in leaving your service.
    Also, I feel bad for the many employees who have such a strong commitment and especially those who have served as your “face” to us customers. They will ultimately negatively feel the impact of your decision.

  3688. Rosalind

    You can see by all of these comments that FTM is very valuable. I have my tree on line, because I cant afford to update FTM all the time. But the records that FTM allows us to make and also to keep our own research on our own pc is the reason we love it. All these folks cant be wrong. I mean come on. I hate your new design to the website as well.

  3689. Graeme

    Disgusting and what a callous manner in which to receive this FTM advice. It’s obvious that your management has not the faintest idea of the impact this decision will have on a vast proportion of your own paid up members. The ramifications could be huge for your company and so it should be. Have you given any thought of providing further advice to your members as to their alternatives after FTM is gone? I think from a public relations perspective, your organization has just shot itself in the foot and big time.

  3690. Rainer

    Now I understand better why Ancestry was giving the last version of FTM away for free here in Europe. A classical try to lock in customers om the web based version. So this move is logical, but what I would like to understand is: Why do you think that people are still trusting you with valuable private data after this move? On my part, I will definitely not use the web based version after FTM is discontinued, and I will actively look for alternatives in the meantime.

  3691. Lamar

    I am totally flabbergasted with this what seems like is a final decision. Please rethink the decision as it seems you are being bombarded by opposition to this sudden change. If you must change then please creat some program that would be as good or better than the current Family Tree Maker (FTM). FTM combined with Ancestry.com is such a good tool for those of us who are serious about genealogical research. I can NOT immagine not having this or an equivalent to compile and research with. Please rethink this extreme decision. Should you carry thru without viable alternatives it would be great to know how many customers will dump Ancestry.com, entirely including DNA. What a shame.

  3692. Carole3375

    What a classic clanger of product mismanagement !
    Push it, push it, push it, then pull it.
    I am just reading the claims made on the case for my FTM Deluxe 2014. The product always fell way short of the claim, was fragile, prickly, with terrible error messages.
    But just dropping it like this? NEVER leave the customers without complete and reasonable answers.

  3693. Fred

    I can understand the move to more webbased because of a declining market but that doesn’t mean desktop stuff has to be dropped.

    Personally I own high end desktop accounting software. Obviously it works from the desktop. But it also has a full blown remote interface. I can easily access it over internet all over the world. I can also have it hosted and access it from any browser.

    THAT is the future for Ancestry and the best of both worlds.

  3694. Judi Alexander

    Unbelievable! I am in utter shock. The usual story – never mind the user – just look after corporate. Used FTM since 1990 and love it. My tree is not on Ancestry – nor will it be so I now have to change to another family tree program after 25 years of bliss :(. Please advise the next best program as soon as possible so I can get the heck out of this mess.

  3695. cm

    Does Ancestry.com, have in it’s legal statements, that it owns the content (trees) users have put on their website?

  3696. Jenni

    I am very disappointed Ancestry. I do place much information on an Ancestry tree which I DO NOT sych to FTM. I make data linkages that are no doubt valuable to you, I do not intend to keep doing this without the opportunity of an offline tree through FTM. I will be looking at another offline package though. It seems you might be more interested in making money from DNA.

  3697. Cheryl

    I am furious!… Question? Will Family Tree Maker still work? And how do we transfer our information from Ancestry to the FTM??? If this is not possible, I too want my money back!

  3698. Bob Wemyss

    Crap decision to lock us into the cloud – their cloud! Will be looking for alternative software to keep the records within my control.

  3699. Bev

    Like thousands of others I am extremely disappointed in this decision. I pay a lot for my subscription, mainly for the convenience of the sync feature with FTM so that I can then work offline. If I can’t sync with my online subscription then there really isn’t a good reason to continue with my membership, especially when I can go to a family history centre nearby and use Ancestry, The Geneaologist and Find My Past for research for free.

  3700. Liz

    Very unhappy about this decision. I moved all my info to FTM a few years ago and I am disappointed that I shall have to spend a considerable amount of time and effort moving it again to a new program. (No, it isn’t as simple as just make a Gedcom and move) I like the Ancestry site and felt it was useful to have a program linked to it. A very poor decision. Please rethink.

  3701. Gerald

    Bizarre that you’re so keen to throw away your competitive advantage – the pairing of well-liked, user-owned software and control, and online convenience and connections.

  3702. Ruth K

    What a horrible decision! FTM is one of the best parts of Ancestry. As a longtime FTM user, World subscriber, and DNA kit purchaser, I am angry, appalled and disgusted by this move. Hoping you listen to your customers and reverse this decision.

  3703. Paul Hellyer

    This is fast moving blog with thousands of comments. To those that wish to understand who made this decision, you can no better that look at the leadership of ancestry.com and their resumes. None, I repeat none, are genealogists or have experience with genealogy outside of ancestry.com. It shows in this decision. I imagine many of them will be surprised at the depth of anger expressed by those that use their product. Their contempt for their users is palpable.

    http://corporate.ancestry.com/about-ancestry/leadership/

  3704. Peter Nicol

    As always, it is money not people that matter. You have led us up the creek and now you leave us without a paddle.Some family!

  3705. Schroeder

    very bad news…
    i created two Ortsfamilienbücher of towns in pommern wirth 7000 persons, maintain or edit people online is not possible. i’m a member sind 6-7 years but i never used your webpage to add information.

    FTM is the best software on the market, because you can adjust the interface and copy/paste sources. The Treesync let me view it everywhere.

    When you have to add a lot of information to a tree nothing is better than a native software on your mac/windows pc.

    When you stop FTM i can stop my membership.. very bad

  3706. Chris

    I think this is a very poor decision and it has made me feel angry. I have only recently converted my considerable family tree database to FTM. It took me many hours to do it and now it looks as if I am going to have to do it again.

    I thought that I was making a wise move in using a well supported and great product. I even purchased the necessary software to enable me to use it on my Apple Mac. Also, your email is very negative – no guidance as to what to use as a replacement. I am not usually a complaining person but this is going to be a huge nuisance and disappointment. Please think again.

  3707. Craig Carey-Clinch

    This is a very poor decision. You will lose more than you gain in terms of goodwill and trust. I suspect that profit motive is behind this, plus perhaps a desire to ‘capture’ more personal data online for reasons of your own. But by doing this, you are striking a huge blow to those who have stayed loyal for many years. Suggest you reconsider this ill-considered move. Fast.

  3708. Barry

    I was recommended to purchase and use the new FTM from the staff at Ancestry in early 2015. I displayed my loyalty and embraced FTM. I have installed the software and I have since been able to properly manage my extensive family tree. Whilst I understand progress very well, it would be innovative of your company to at least provide a seamless package to ensure the hard work associated with investigating, analyzing and maintaining relevant records has not been for nothing and are not lost or destroyed in the process. Your email does not provide any detail whatsoever to the world wide FTM community on how you are going to do this or tackle the issue at hand, nor does it suggest any resolution to what Ancestry intend to do in order to “assist and provide ongoing service” beyond 1 January 2017. I feel abandoned. Thankyou

  3709. Gregory Melle

    I have been a user of Family Tree Maker for about twenty years. I have upgraded several times but neglected to do so in recent years since my copy of Family Tree Maker 2011 is working so well.
    If you had sent me an email touting new enhancements in FTM I might have been tempted to upgrade. Alternatively, if you had started a good online cloud-based version with all the bells and whistles that would also be tempting.
    Instead I am sitting here late at night researching the purchase of an alternative that will import my FTM files. (Roots Magic? Legacy Family Tree?)
    The one thing that I am now definitely not interested purchasing is a long-term monthly subscription with Ancestry.com!

  3710. Kinfused

    I can understand, as I use the site a lot more. But I will not be able to print reports like I wish to.. How will I print my own books? I do not want the expensive and limited capacities of online books. Many features will have to be moved to the web. What about privacy that is held in the online version?

  3711. Mary Meyer

    By my way of thinking, this decision is in the same category as pharmaceutical companies not making “orphan” drugs (based on profit margin). I understand that–like a hospital–you are a business, not exactly a service, but what we want you to appreciate is that FTM users are not an insignificant segment of your customer base (and that all business decisions cannot be based on profit margin).

  3712. Susan Griffin

    CHANGE IS INEVITABLE __ I have really enjoyed FTM3 for Mac. It did not work for the first years when and its only the past 12months that the SYNC is REAL along with the MEDIA.
    NOW its all going ~~~~~~~~ just over one year to get our $$$ worth then WHAT?
    I paid for the Original FTM for Mac and then had to pay again for FTM3 for Mac — all up about $300 Aus Dollars.
    I actually LOVE the new Interface of ANCESTRY and find it so easy to navigate. The Profile View is sensational. DNA I don’t have any use for this BUT FTM ——- being given the Chop is just unbelievable.
    JUST SO SAD as I really love it but hey who in Ancestry World cares?
    PS: I use ONLY my MAC and no APPS.
    Would love to see this decision REVERSED but I guess the chance of that is
    Susan from Western Australia

  3713. Ken

    Your organization forced me over to your new format. Still wandering around in that maze attempting steps that used to be quite simple. Expect the next improvement (?) will put the program back into the ’80s with blinking icons and scrolling banners. Whoopee!!!
    Spend more time chasing various options than actually working with my records. Gave up on FTM three years ago, as the sync feature wouldn’t function all the time. Resulted in more lost data than I even want to think about.
    Now operating with Ancestry and another totally unrelated desktop program.
    Your outfit is getting too big, only working for the bottom line, and disregarding your users. Wasted so much $$ over the past years, and now with your increased complexity and my rapidly failing mind, will have to revert to paper. Unwilling to see your addition of a database on dinosaur families. Thank youl

  3714. Kelly

    I am beyond not happy about this! I have been using Family Tree Maker for over 15 years! What am I supposed to do now? How am I supposed to keep my files intact by moving them to a new unknown software? Why would you do this to so many of us who have used this program for many years? Please rethink your decision. We rely on this program to keep all of our hard work together, and easily accessible on our PCs and laptops. Without FTM, we will all have one big headache of deciding on a new program and hope for the best outcome! So please, as many of us have spent A LOT of money on Ancestry.com AND Family Tree Maker over the years, please reconsider and keep your customers happy.

  3715. Chris N

    Unfortunately I renewed for a year last August. I started out 5 years ago on the website and have graduated to mainly using FTM now because it is too easy to make mistakes on the website. I have time to find a new program at least. More and more databases are available online so I need you less anyway.

  3716. Tim

    Let’s make it mutual!
    I receive no support from Ancestry for Family Tree Maker from 1st Jan 2017. I give no support to Ancestry from the same date.

  3717. Jiff_T

    This is terrible news, FTM maker has some better features than the web based system including printing. My 80 year old aunt has no computer but I have provided her with a paper copy of her part of the tree by using FTM. She was overjoyed and still phones me months later. Please reconsider the linking part even if you do not support the software anymore, However 5 years is the usual software support so 1 year is unacceptable & could probably be challenged in court, especially as it is still on sale on the website with no mention that it is being discontinued & unsupported a year later. That is theft

  3718. Ditto to all the comments already posted. I have been using FTM since version 2 in the 1990’s. I have built up over 30 years of research onto this program and spent 1000’s of hours. The best and most popular program in the world as far as I know. I do not have my tree on Ancestry for many reasons, but one it does not offer everything I want and also I cant always subscribe due to finances. So if I did I would not have access to my own information. A very disappointing decision. If you did this just to get a reaction, you certainly got one. By the look of the replies, I think you should seriously relook at your decision. Who is going to pay if we have to change programs. All the time and effort to reconfigure the data is time away from research and therefore being on Ancestry. Think again.

  3719. Mike

    The main reason I use Ancestry is because of the linkage with FTM. I will be comparing the options and Ancestry has just lost a unique selling point.

  3720. Elisabeth Bartlett

    Well, Ancestry, in just a few hours I guess you are getting the feel of how the majority of the responders feel about your decision to ditch FTM! I am very disappointed, I run a family history group, and belong to a second. I encourage other members to use FTM and Ancestry as the best around. I have ‘sold’ many an Ancestry membership and FTM software package. The online family tree is nowhere near as useful, easy to understand and user friendly. I am sadly bound to agree with one comment that you seem more interested in the corporate pocket book than in your faithful membership. Not good enough, Ancestry, you besmirch what I had always thought was a great customer relationship.

  3721. Denny

    With FTM as my primary tree, I was trying to decide how to keep synching it to my secondary FTB tree with MyHeritage. Now you make my decision for me. FTB will be my primary tree and you are telling me to make MyHeritage and FamilySearch my primary online sources. With the mass exodus from ancestry, note that raising your prices only accelerates the abandonment.

  3722. Paul

    This is fast moving blog with thousands of comments. To those that wish to understand who made this decision, you can no better that look at the leadership of ancestry.com and their resumes. None, I repeat none, are genealogists or have experience with genealogy outside of ancestry.com. It shows in this decision. I imagine many of them will be surprised at the depth of anger expressed by those that use their product. Their contempt for their users is palpable.

    http://corporate.ancestry.com/about-ancestry/leadership/

  3723. Barb

    Outrageous! I only bought FTM in September this year now it is going to be useless!!! Plus I only got a download from a company here in the UK.

    I agree with all the negative comments above and thank you CJ for your great response about Legacy 8, I shall be buying this when the time comes.

    Ancestry this is a very poor day indeed, you are assuming everyone is attached to a tablet or a mobile phone snapping up other people’s trees on a daily basis but some of us are old school and rely on proper research methods which means sometimes we actually have to go offline and print out paper and work things out in our head!! Ever considered the more serious researcher? No I thought not with your new dumbed down, kiddie version with big pictures and big words new “improved” ha version of Ancestry. Some people here have used your website for YEARS not popped in for a few months then left when it got too hard.

    Do not disregard your loyal long term customers or it will be to your cost as people will look elsewhere for somebody who actually cares about their customers.

  3724. Frederick

    I cannot believe this, I was just getting familiar with the software & now it’s being discontinued. What if you don’t have reliable Internet?
    But then don’t think of the customers not all of us want to have off site programs.
    A BAD Decision!

  3725. Hi! I can see all viewpoints and respect that resources and cost is a concern for software but at the end of the day no new versions should be done just make this software still available to any new tree creators and permanently keep the tree sync going for those who still continue to use the software The biggest concern I have is that Ancestry may never get hold or access to the new 1939 Register for its members, as this is a great addition to the genealogy.
    this is a great product like all things if they are cheap enough everyone will buy it, and its cost that’s always the let down.

  3726. Thomas Atkins

    I’m very clearly not alone in being upset and aghast at your decision to discontinue FTM. It truly was the most creative and useful tool Ancestry has ever devised. None of the upgrades to the online tree come remotely close to doing what FTM enabled. In just the first hours of your announcement you’ve received an overwhelming negative response- some 4,000 so far! You obviously don’t care about that as you proceeded when anyone could’ve predicted the negative feedback you’re now getting. You probably will use the excuse the “site was overwhelmed” to not really directly answer anyone. For goodness sakes, your e-mail directed us to see “Blog” for more info- and all we see there is NO more info but thousands more questions. You’re not off to a very good start PR-wise, to put it mildly!
    Off the top of my head I can think of these FTM functions that I love and rely on: Publisher; exporting/e-mailing trees; locations mapping; private notes; relationship calculator; identification of possible trees to source that includes whether they have photos or not; easily choosing and merging alternate ancestral information; easily switching between preferred spouse so the resultant different trees show; showing adoptions; copying articles and photos directly from the web; date calculator; global spell check; convert names; resolve all place names; tasks; find and replace en masse; find duplicate people; failsafe backup for Ancestry; ability to easily edit/crop photos; use of different fonts and colors in Stories; melding photos into Stories; being able to create as many specifically named media categories as I chose; searching by media names I’ve created, such as “Indian”, or “Saint” or “Has Story”. Egad! The more I think of things the more I realize you’re sending/setting we FTM back years, to the darks ages. So I’m imploring you to at least SOON publish an exhaustive all-in response, that includes:
    The specific identification of ALL functions- big and small (to include at least the above)- that presently only reside only on FTM and then indicates:
    1) If they will be rebuilt into Ancestry, and when
    2) If they’ll be able to migrate to Ancestry- how and when;
    3) If they’ll be neither rebuilt into Ancestry or somehow migrate, then specifically indicate what you suggest FTM owners do about those lost functions, and what help you’ll give with that
    Thank you.
    Thomas Atkins

  3727. Sue

    Such horrible business practice. If you could at least sell the software to a reputable company that can continue to develop it and support it.

  3728. Over 4000 users comments about the end of ftm, but no clear information from your company. Can we transfer all of our hard work over? That is what I want to know. Or has everyone waisted money and time on their projects. Ancestry need to be more clear and honest.

  3729. Brenda

    So disappointed!!! I’ve used FTM since the 90’s. Pay an annual Ancestry membership so I can access information, not load up my personal family information. So how am I to continue collecting and organizing this information for my nieces/nephews and their families? I have no interested in putting it out publicly. If you drop FTM, then like so many others have said, there goes my membership. So very disappointing. I hope that you realize from these many comments that your software service is necessary. Perhaps some thinking outside of the box is required rather than just hacking off one end of your business.

  3730. I find it amazing that this decision has been taken. Will the source code be made available to other companies interested in taking the software on?

  3731. Rod

    What an extremely terrible decision Ancestry has made! You are destroying a very good thing. What is wrong with you? Who made this decision? Please reconsider! You were the premier site and product and what you are going to do is to rip apart something that had a great following. Why? Why? Why? Time and money down the drain! Greed, ignorance, and stupidity drives corporations often and this is another example.

  3732. Judy

    I just upgraded to FTM 2014 four days ago…. It cost me $49.00…. but nothing was said that it was going to be discontinued….Doesn’t seem quite fair….Actually your FTM version 16 was your best product and easiest to use… later ones tried to connect families for us, when there was no documentation…appreciated the thought, but we had some digging of our own to do and the family public trees were so helpful in helping us connect with people doing the same family research as us….I hope it will be easy for us to finally copy everything to hard copies or CDs so that we don’t lose any of our long time research is my hope and prayer. … This is kind of like the mistake that ancestry has made in telling the message board administrators to not allow any obituaries placed on a county’s message board unless the person died in that county…that is a joke here in our little county. The nearest hospital for major care is 150 miles from our county and pioneers from here have passed away in that hospital and the administrator took down their obituary from our message board….we had no choice but to quit recording them on ancestry’s message board for others to see but have moved them to our local web site… perhaps it is time to take a look at all facets of ancestry and FTM…. Blessings, Judy T

  3733. Bernie K

    I have used FTM since the 1st program came out. I have upgraded it every couple years. This is a HUGE slap in the face. I have only used Ancestry as a resource to verity records. I never planned nor wanted to use it as an FTM replacement. You can count on my subscription to end when FTM support ends. I scanned thru the comments and did NOT see a single positive comment about this change. Does that tell you anything? I would not risk all of my years of research (40+) on a cloud based ap. FTM was a huge step up from my notebook based tree. Now, in effect, you’re condemning us to go back to stone tablets. How many negative comments are there compared to positive comments? Take a hint and reverse this poorly-reasoned-out course of action. You stand to lose more than you could possibly gain by ending FTM support. I doubt any commenters above will use Ancestry again. An apt saying comes to mind – The toes you step on today may be connected to the butt you have to kiss tomorrow! I also have to agree with another comment about the new format of member trees. I really don’t care if this person was 2 years old when her first brother was born and 4 years old when her second brother was born. How is that relevant? I can figure out the same thing by looking at their birth dates. I much preferred the older layout. If you can’t replace something with a better version then don’t mess with it in the first place!

  3734. Linda

    I honestly thought the abrupt announcement was a joke. I purchased the original version of FTM many years ago. And, like a fool, purchased my most recent upgrade TODAY! Not a peep about this impending change. FTM led me to Ancestry.com and I’ve been a loyal annual subscriber for many years. FTM is my “real” genealogy base. Ancestry.com is my research tool. My genealogy research is a private thing. I have two basic online trees in order to connect with DNA matches. I don’t want all my research online, even if Ancestry.com offered everything that FTM does – which it doesn’t. What a slap in the face this is to me and the rest of your loyal customers. Please reconsider. I will wait to make any changes, but will need to find another software program and research site if/when you follow through with this. So sad.

  3735. Denny

    It’s too bad too FTB makes its synch API available for other vendors to synch with MyHeritage, but you have chosen to keep your synch API proprietary so that other desktop applications filling your FTM void will not be able to synch with ancestry. That even more limits the usefulness of ancestry for maintaining a tree. Someone screwed the pooch on this one.

  3736. Pat

    Very bad decision to drop Family Tree Maker. I have been a user for many years and use FTM as my back-up and safe haven as well as to publish reports. I feel anger and disappointment towards your company for the first time; like you are throwing it in my face that I can never quit Ancestry without losing all my data.

  3737. Linda F.

    Please reconsider! It’s obvious that the majority of your customer base is unhappy with your decision. As one of many senior citizens using FTM, I won’t have the time or energy to start over with a new product. I will spend the next year printing out everything I have researched and entered in FTM and Ancestry.com since it was first available, share the copies with family and give up my lifelong hobby.

  3738. Val

    This is very disappointing. I’ve been a loyal user of FTM and Ancestry for MANY years. FTM offers many features not available on Ancestry. Are you planning to include these features on Ancestry? Won’t help me because internet access is patchy for me so it’s essential I have EVERYTHING on my own HD. I’ve already lodged my disappointment with your new Ancestry look – much more difficult to use for the deeper features which aren’t apparent. If this goes ahead, I’ll have to consider other options. I need a desktop program and the sync feature is great. If it isn’t there, it may mean a parting of the way for me with Ancestry. I’m sure there’ll be other companies ready and able to pick up all the users Ancestry will lose by doing this.

  3739. Terry

    I am not surprised at your decision, but disappointed nonetheless. I don’t use FTM as my main software programme as I guessed this would happen one day. What you have not made clear is how long the website will support synchronisation to FTM. That is the all important question. If you are actively looking at breaking the link in the future, then shame on you. Storing family research on FTM is totally different to storing it on the website. I don’t need any extra features in the software, just the ability to synch to the website – forever.

  3740. Ella Patterson

    I use Family Treemaker to hold my totally verified data. I use ancestry to add details to be checked. Will Ancestry provide a means of creating pdfs and charts etc? Will they also provide a link to the “classic interface” as this new one is horrible!>

  3741. John

    This is a poor decision. I also like to keep a record of my family history on my on computer. I do hope that ancestry,com reconsider their decision and put in place some mechanism in which my records are not lost.

  3742. Graham Dixon

    What a stupid decision. There will be a price to pay for this nonsense. Do not bother rescinding this decision – you have lost me – permanent. Half baked stupid – arrogant – customer unaware decision.

  3743. kevin steward

    lets think about this logically!
    the more we ask them the less they care i dont use an ipad, do they care about people who dont? NO!
    i am nearly 60 years old why would i want to learn how to use an ipad?
    this is all about money, this isnt about helping their customers, this is about the cents, pennies that they get.
    so at least be honest Ancestry, you dont care abut us it is the users that allow you to make money.
    i think what will happen when ftm finishes a new piece of software will come out twice the price , half as good. Ancestry let me ask you a question will you allow the users who have spent so much money on ftm to take ftm over and you donate the rights to a user group so we can take it forward? i mean you are just gonna destroy it all? so come on donate it to a user group from your users and let them take it over and dont charge a cent or penny for it! by the way people did you see that pig fly over them moon?

  3744. Chris Cuss

    I’ve been a member for years. Just got the email today. I’m totally in shock! A state of panic even. Please don’t do this!

  3745. David

    Take the hint guys! I’ve never seen a reaction like this – you are really alienating your customers with this stupid decision. For family tree research the Desktop is a fundamental tool and if your need to generate more ‘green backs’ is blinding you to that fact then it’s time you woke up before you lose thousands of customers.

  3746. Rita Kotsoglo

    I really can’t understand this. I feel betrayed. How will people follow their trees in future?? As a pensioner it has been quite an expensive exercise for me. How does one protest? Do each and every one of us remove the information we have supplied? I suggest you think again.

  3747. Margret

    I don’t know where to start. I am disappointed with the layout of the ‘new’ Ancestry online setup about which I sent comments about why I didn’t want to use it. Oh, no, absolutely ignored and a fait accompli and the visual ‘verbiage’ and overuse of white-space that is like drivel of repetitive data that is sometimes not relative to that one person’s ‘profile’. I’ve now read, hundreds of comments and would almost agree with everyone that is upset about the projected changes. I did not have my tree online for a long time, not trusting the system. Then, always editing my information to be best practice, I thought I would chance my hand and go Public and let others benefit by my work; my unpaid time, my unsolicited paid-for certificates. If I did not want the shakyleaf hints telling me what I should do with the fuzzy logic hints, I would probably have the biggest tree under the sun. To have to argue with a computer telling me that my ‘Maybe’ should be a ‘Yes’, fair bugs me. I do have a brain for reasoning or choice and now the advent of the change of support for future use of FTM is out of my hands. Saving time, I am not happy and want a future that lets me keep my FTM files safe and sound and interact with the Internet when I so choose. I’ve had enough trouble with negotiating with Help Assistants in the past and dread the future of how to handle the changes.

  3748. Gillian

    I would like to know what Ancestry proposes to compensate for the loss of FTM? Will there be a SYNC facility with 3rd party software? Does Ancestry propose to modify the web-site to contain all the functionality that will be lost with the demise of FTM? If so, that is not very comforting if such work is to be in the hands of the team that rolled out New Ancestry with all its attendant faults, not all of which have yet been fixed, and more are being created day by day. I am so angry that this move has been made without any alternatives being offered by Ancestry. What cavalier and casual disregard Ancestry has for its subscribers. The claim that Ancestry continues to grow and prosper is cast into further question when this news is added to the fact that FMP got the UK 1939 “census” – that was astonishing in itself. I am mortified.

  3749. Godfrey Andrews

    There are other programmes out there. Will take a lot of hard work on my part but I will be moving and will no longer give any of my hard earned cash to anything associated this company.

  3750. Martyn Woolf

    I opened my mail this morning (in the UK), to read this appalling decision. I have used FTM since 1992 and in that time have purchased almost every fresh edition. I see that I now have a very little time to ensure that I extract everything that I can from Ancestry before I cancel my subscription to what has now become an unprincipled organisation. It is a ridiculous decision taken, I guess, by an executive trying to make a name for him or herself

  3751. Ros Duck

    I am very upset about this decision. I like to have control of my own family tree via my pc and not on an external website. The reason I use Ancestry.com is because of my FTM and not the other way around, which means I will not longer use Ancestry once the link goes. I find the online family tree online difficult to use and the FTM is brilliant. I agree with all the above comments. I think it is terrible that you are giving one year only – what happens to those who have just bought it. This is all about getting more money so people cannot dip in an out like they do now. If you insist on this happen you should at least continue with the link to FTM for their life span. Disgusting.

  3752. Angela Turner

    Big mistake, huge! You have made your money from our purchase of this software, AND let’s be very clear the knowledge that we have synced to Ancestry. Now you want to leave us high and dry, without the ability to update our trees. If I thought that it would have the desired affect I would remove information that I have already submitted. As it is I won’t be adding anymore info unless this decision is reversed. The Ancestry app is not yet up to the task and relegates us back to dark ages of software development. I find the app clunky and much prefer FTM.

  3753. Charlene

    Like everyone else here, I am appalled by this decision – there is obviously a huge customer base for FTM that Ancestry has total disregard and disrespect for. I also ask that the decision be reversed otherwise my support of Ancestry will cease. The new interface is rubbish, it is the second worst decision Ancestry has made …. ceasing to sell and support FTM takes the cake for the worst decision!

  3754. Anne Geddes

    Have just cancelled my subscription which was due to renew at end of December. Can’t believe they have done this – financial suicide?

  3755. Candy

    I suggest all of you that are not happy to just go to The FREE Family Search Website and set up an account there. It has more information than Ancestry. I only use ancestry to be able to sync information from Ancestry.com. Most of my information comes directly from Family Search, Geni or Find a Grave (which are all Free as well.)
    I predict this will cripple Ancestry in the near future. Too many sites are now offering inforamtion that others have already found and connected…… and it is Free.
    I will do all I can to copy what I have this next year at Ancestry. Then bye bye Ancestry. I also know my club, which is dedicated to research of which many members are using Ancestry, are going to do the same. I spoke to several of them this this evening.
    In the end I will save a lot per month too. That I am happy about.

  3756. BarbaraW

    I had been considering getting FTM for the ability to download and save all the records I’ve attached in a simple way (love your company, don’t really trust any company to stay around forever, and I’d rather not go back to folders and folders full of photocopies); is there a good way to do that without FTM?

  3757. jmlansdale

    Can you please explain what this actually means. Does this only affect trees held in your own computer. My main tree is 56,000 people and is obviously downloaded,and I only do small trees for friends without downloading.I presume we will still be able to view and enlarge census pages on lap-tops since correcting the huge number of mis-transcriptions would be impossible without blowing the images up to very large size (especially as older users can see very little on phone screens). I have made thousands of corrections over the years as have countless others with serious historical accuracy as their goal. If anything changes to hinder such corrections your data base will not improve – the 1911 census transcriptions varied from superb to total nonsense in many cases,and without people willing to sort the mess out you are perpetuating garbage.I hope you get local people to do the next census because it was obvious that a lot of the last one was transcribed by people who had no knowledge of British names,occupations or addresses.
    JML

  3758. Annette

    I have been bothered by all the changes recently but I guess it really started when I was told by Amcesry.com there really wasn’t a need to obtain a copy if my autosomal DNA results when every “expert” stated otherwise. Ancestry.com finally gave in on that point. But still they steadfastly refuse to add a chromosome browser for their clients to use forcing those of us who wish to use it to upload our results elsewhere that incorporates the chromosome browser.
    Now this? No ability to sync with our home computers?
    I wish someone would start a “Kickstarter” fund and give us everything we need for family research. Perhaps more competition will make the consumers’ wants/needs be heard?

  3759. BarbaraW

    Also, since you’re saving money on this, please add Newspapers.com to your regular database as part of the subscription price.

  3760. Carole3375

    Dear Ancestry Directors,
    Products sometimes need to be retired. It takes serious management talent. FTM customers have not received proper attention. These are your most serious and informed customers.
    You think there are big bucks to be made from millions of newbies just discovering their heritage? Sure, online trees are full of published bunkum like parents younger than their offspring. But when your best customers go elsewhere, your reputation goes too.
    Burning FTM is not the mistake here. The mistake is burning your customers with it.
    The New Ancestry is a flop. All sizzle, no steak. all gong and no dinner. And introduced without proper trial. You are making a lot of big mistakes and it is your top execs who need to be retired here.
    Sincerely !

  3761. Rod

    I see many pages of outraged user posts, and I cannot see any posts at all that are in favour.

    I started my family history some decades before Ancestry.com came on to the market.
    Wonder if we will see any posts from ‘the powers’ on this wonderful blog that they set up?
    Otherwise, what is the point of the blog?

  3762. Mark

    What a ridiculously short sighted decision! the silly interface on the website bears no comparison to a god database OS based software. I will be starting my search for a decent laptop based software for my research, and then planning my move away from ancestry.

  3763. Catherine

    I’m another customer who began subscribing to Ancestry because of FTM- have now contributed hundreds of items to public trees on your site to share with others but will now have to just keep them on my computer- and hope the software still works in the future (even without being able to synch it you should still support it for offline use for years to come). Guess you’ll lose lots of subscriptions and I won’t be recommending Ancestry anymore on the Genealogy forums!

  3764. Robert

    An atrocious decision. Someone in Ancestry has presumably come to a conclusion that the company can make more profit by dropping the excellent software package, but they have failed to factor in the cost of alienating a loyal following and under-estimating the loss of revenue related to the inevitable subscription cancellations. I strongly suggest that Ancestry reverse this poor decision. Also, recognise that insufficient information has been provided so far as to how people can manage without the desktop software….. highly disappointed.

  3765. Karen

    I didn’t renew my membership this last year because I couldn’t afford to but felt good that I had FTM to backup the work I had done. I can’t believe they are discontinuing this when people want to be able to edit and print reports, etc from their own computer. I was considering renewing my membership but won’t after hearing that they are discontinuing FTM. Another case of corporate bigshots who don’t know what people want. I will look for another program to use with a more user friendly company.

  3766. Mike Prewer

    Yet another poor decision by Ancestry which ignores the Family History community and their requirements. I have repeatedly pointed out errors in their records over several years and asked for them to be corrected without success. So this is just another example of their lack of care for their users.

  3767. John Nicholas

    This is VERY poor service. To tell us that you are ceasing support without any information on what software we can progress to leaves all of your customers in total limbo. This is DREADFUL service for a company that purports to help customers with their research.

  3768. Sarah

    The reason I have kept up my expensive subscription to ancestry for over 10 years is because it ties in with the software I use which has been a fantastic feature. I believe you will lose my custom and many, many others custom for this reason now. What a great way to let down your subscribers.

  3769. Eddie

    I can’t understand this decision. Are you replacing FTM with the iOS app? It currently has very limited functionality are you going to expand its capabilities?
    To give over responsibility for storing all the media and stories associated with the family tree to Ancestry would require a great deal of trust, which quite frankly has just gone out the window!
    If this isn’t sorted I will stop my subscription?
    Yours
    Eddie Brittain

  3770. Cee

    FTM users have a new home at RootsMagic; upgrade offer with free book and magic guides. Over the past few years, thousands of Family Tree Maker users have made the switch to RootsMagic. They’ve enjoyed its amazing new features such as color coding, Problem Alerts, Shareable CD’s, running straight off of a flash drive, FamilySearch integration, DataClean, multi-provider WebHints, Mac and Windows versions with a single license, and more!

  3771. Barb

    I’ve been using Ancestry for many years now and syncing with my Family Tree Maker Program. I have done 2 complete Family Tree Books using the FTM reports and have 3 more complete family trees to do. This is a very poor decision on your part and you will lose many people because of this. This will force me to try to get my books done in the next year and then GOODBYE ANCESTRY – you don’t need my $300 a year from my fixed retirement income.

  3772. Joan Taylor

    Like the 4,000+ other comments I am extremely disappoingted at losing FTM. I see it as just a cash grab so that people have to use Ancestry.com. I do not keep nor do I WANT TO keep all my information on Ancestry. I have been using FTM for years and love the programme and its functions. BAD DECISION. Joan

  3773. Chris Hopkins

    I agree with Terry. The sync link is important. It exists. Why would you remove it unless as Kevin suggests you plan to introduce something else at increased cost to your punters? Interesting how many negative immediate responses you had. Like many, I do not do everything on line and don’t wish to. I have just renewed my subscription but may well not do so next year!

  3774. Tony

    WOW, I’m guessing this may be a decision you live to regret, unless the size and scale of this response enables you to re-think.

    As a long term Ancestry subscriber and FTM owner, it is the combination of both that keeps me here. No one, not the other alone, both combined.

    Without one, I may have to rethink subscriptions and move to an alternate provider.

    One question though, why no feedback survey? prior to making the decision

  3775. Gillian Croad

    I am no going to renew my ancestry subscription when it becomes due. Unfortunately next year. I have already begun transferring files and exiting from reliance on ancestry. the comments on this blog i totally endorse especially as regards having to constantly pay a large annual subscription just to keep one’s own research. I have learnt from this not to rely on an organisation like yours which is all about domination, the removal of choice to monopolise the market and profit profit profit.

  3776. Phil O

    Have been wondering how to rationalise my family history records. This announcement simplifies things. I will NOT be using Ancestry in future.

  3777. Nick Grimshaw

    Totally and absolutely amazed at this decision. I would guess that the vast majority of Ancestry subscribers use FTM to store their data as we all want to have control of our data. Taking FTM out of the equation will alienate your customers and they will be leaving you in droves. Please reconsider and listen to your customers its not what they want.

  3778. Pat S

    Agree with a lot of what has been said. FTM has reporting options that are not available on Ancestry itself. Also, it is good to be able to back up the online data onto my PC for safety!

    I have a lot of trees up there and have been using you for years. I am not as annoyed at the new Ancestry as some, but saw no reason to change. But getting rid of FTM???? Reconsider!

  3779. Derek

    I believe that those members who are considering cancelling their subscriptions if FTM is retired and syncing with online tree ceases will in fact do so. Despite the cleverness of the apps, serious researchers use PC’s or Mac’s for compiling their family history. Some members have been maintaining their subscriptions so that syncing can be achieved and to lose this facility there is no good reason to continue to renew their subscriptions. It looks as though this decision will cost Ancestry dearly. The loss of revenue in selling copies of the software is because serious users are happy with the version they are using. Loss of renewal subscriptions must surely make a huge hole in Ancestry’s revenue

  3780. Phil Vickers

    So, loyal and faithful customers who have spent large amounts of money, just get kicked into the long grass. Thanks Ancestry for nothing.

  3781. Colin

    I’ve been with Ancestry for many years and always stayed because of the link between FTM and the search facility of the website. The recent changes to the online screen have already made me think about moving my online data and in looking at alternatives the latest version of MacFamilyTree provides an excellent program on which to store my offline data. I’ll be sad to see FTM support disappear – I presume the program will still be usable as a standalone item, but such a move will now put my continuing use of Ancestry in doubt as a searching site. Like everyone else who has commented, I feel let-down by this decision and hope that Ancestry realises its mistake before its subscriber base disappears.

  3782. AnnB

    This is horrendous news ! Like so many others , I use FTM for my Tree and Ancestry for research. I have never tried the Ancestry Tree but am not happy with this option. I shall look at other options such as Roots Magic or My Heritage to see what they offer that can compare with FTM.

  3783. Chris Carlson

    Acutely disappointing but somehow not surprising. I’ve used FTM since V4. I have 18 years invested in the product and have been an Ancestry subscriber for many years. The changes at Ancestry aren’t working for me, and haven’t since we lost Old Search. I’m open to suggestions. I have a lot of date and over 6000 people in my database. I hope another company will step up and offer something to serious genealogists.

  3784. Alison

    I have loyally supported FTM for many many years, recommending it to my family and friends. However, if Ancestry’s strategy is to keep client records online only in the future, accessible only via subscriptions, then goodbye. Find My Past is a far better record research resource anyway, so I have lots of options. In 2016 I’m going to print off my family tree books and pass them on to my family in the old fashioned traditional way. I will not be renewing any subscriptions.

  3785. Ruud Jackel

    This is a very ill conceived plan, FTM is my solid base for maintaining a 50.000+ person family tree, I cannot imagine doing that with the much more limited on-line version.

  3786. Graham Rice

    How incredibly short sighted – my Ancestry.Com membership was as a direct result of purchasing the software. Unfortunately Ancestry does not provide some of the facilities of other sites. This is simply an attempt to increase your profits – well here’s another one, you no longer have to administer my account, goodbye

  3787. Kevin Stoové

    Unbelievable stupid decision. I have tried a lot of genealogy software and FTM is the only one i stick around with, because it’s simply the best. I don’t use the website since my family all are european/asian (i mainly use, and have a paid subscription for european based geneanet) but for the software i only like FTM. It’s also the only genealogy software i thought was worth buying. I think ancestry.com will lose a lot of clients…

  3788. Linda Deveau

    I am unclear about how I don’t lose the product of my work. We need more information in an understandable form. Can I move things? Please more info and examples

  3789. Robyn Weed

    You didn’t ask my opinion when you changed Ancestry’s interface. You didn’t ask what I thought about doing away with FTM. Why should I trust anything you say? I have invested a lot of time uploading documents and photos to my Ancestry tree. Will it still be there in two years? I see that you have zero loyalty to your customers. I need to re-evaluate our current relationship since you seem to be slowly going out of business. There is no way that my research will exist solely on a ‘cloud’ that I may or may not be able to access every day. Thanks for bringing this to my attention and thank you for 13 years of advancing my family history. 13 out of 14 ain’t so bad.

  3790. Gillian

    SHOCKING! This is the second time this year, that a huge company has pulled the rug from under me. We may be small insignificant people to you, but collectively, how many of us are there, worldwide? Just how many disappointed loyal customers will be saddened by this stupid move on your part? Thanking you for dropping this bombshell at Christmas. I do not use the cloud, I have no intention of using the cloud. Any family historian worth their salt, will NEVER store their valuable research in one place and certainly not just on online. I like many others have tried other software and returned to FTM, as it was the most helpful, useful and easy to use. Syncing trees was an added bonus, as it was a second place to store our precious data. I did not make my data available to anyone else, as it was private for my eyes only and ongoing. Now you treat our loyalty with contempt. In the long run, your God AVARICE, will get you nowhere at all. Please explain how anyone can trust you again. You are trying to manipulate your loyal customers to use your site, which can only be accessed online. FTM can be used offline, when our research is updated, scanned certificates and photographs added, lists and charts printed. Next year I plan to visit siblings to show my research so far. To do this I would open FTM, as the internet will not be an option. So thank you very much for considering how best to line your pockets, whilst totally disregarding the hardship you will cause your loyal customers. Now please explain to me why you think, I should continue to subscribe to your greedy, selfish firm. If you decide to go down the road of only accessing your data collections via the cloud, then you force me to cancel my subscription. Removing FTM will mean I no longer require an annual subscription to Ancestry. So thank you very much for putting the needs of your loyal customers last and your greed first. Just how much do you appreciate all this negative feedback? You forget that not everyone has use of the internet at home, nor are they all techno minded. Listen carefully, the majority of your customers want to work on their trees, on their computers, when they want to and not to rely on when the internet is available to them. You forget, your site does not store all the available data. Some data can only be found by diligent searching through physical archives. This information does not require internet connection to be added to FTM. I really am unable to think of any reason, why I should maintain an annual subscription to your site. Will this negative feedback cause a change in policy to put users first, only time will tell?

  3791. Gordon

    Kendall, You joined the company in 2003. I bought my first FTM programme many years before that; it came in 3.5″ discs (yes three and a half inch) and there were five of them. I have bought every new update since then, except the last few years and that was because I didn’t like the way Ancestry was going with them. I have over 5,000 people entered over EVERY generation line from me back and in some cases to the 1500s (thanks to Ancestry). I have been a paying member of Ancestry for many years and still am. I have never looked at another recording program as FTM met all of my needs. You, with so few years of experience in Family History have decided to scratch the lot. Where are my records going to go? I now have to find people who have knowledge of other programs and decide which is the best to use; you have given me a year or so to complete this task – I started researching my Family History in 1985, 30 years ago.

  3792. Conrad

    I am utterly dismayed by this decision. The desktop software market is far from dead, and the superb functionality of FTM can never, ever, be matched by your website. The two complement each other, and your overall offering will be much less attractive without FTM. Please reconsider your decision.

  3793. Brian

    If Ancestry refuses to accept the warnings that are quite obvious here it will have no subscribers at all and be out of business. I have not been able to do much family history recently but was just about to start again during the winter months. I shall not be doing it through Ancestry.

  3794. Aaron W

    I cant believe you’d make the mistake of discontinuing the FTM software. Your web product doesn’t come close to usability and productivity and entering data through it is so much slower than with FTM. It should be kept, even if you need to charge a subscription for it to sync data to the web, I’d be happy with that. If not, I guess a competing product will be getting my money as Ancestry web, by itself, does not fulfil my requirements.

  3795. Teresa

    I am so upset! I have been a FTM user since the Broderbund days – back when there was no internet availability where we lived. 15 years of my late mother-in-law’s research, as well as 20 years of my own research are invested in FTM & all of the updates I have purchased over the years.

    So much of our research is not for general publication & a great deal of it I will not post to an online tree until I can document it. FTM has allowed me to continue that research off-line & in areas where the internet in unreliable or unavailable. It allows me to work with aging family members who are too intimidated to go on-line to look at a tree they can’t understand without an interpreter.

    The reports that FTM generates are great & very useful – & unavailable on Ancestry.com. The Ancestry.com website becomes more useless with every “update.” When the 15th of December arrives & we are all switched to the “New” Ancestry, it will become even more useless to serious researchers.

    I sure hope that Ancestry will put some real genealogy researchers on their decision making committees or else ask some serious researchers for input before making any further decisions.

    I will now be researching other software & will discontinue my Ancestry membership when I find a new home for my family trees.

  3796. Richard Jacobs

    What terrible news. I have supported Ancestry for many years and have kept and upgraded Family Tree Maker throughout. I insist on having my data under my control, accessible through a piece of software I have purchased and control. I do not want many years of research at risk of a data failure at Ancestry or Ancestry going out of business. So many points to be made:
    We do not always have access to internet when we want to work on our tree. Family Tree Maker is a professional interface for the serious researcher, all its features are very important. If I lapse my Ancestry membership for a reasearch break do I lose access to my tree. A Research Tool (Ancestry) and a database tool (FTM) do not sit well together. I could keep going but it has all been said by many others.
    Ancestry has a choice – blindly continue down this path and lose a significant part of their user base, or think again. Ancestry have completly misread their customers, a common mistake by a business just before they go out of business. I will be spending the Christmas break looking for alternative companies and solutions.
    If Ancestry are willing to ditch FTM, then one day why not Ancestry Online and take their millions to a beach to retire.
    Ancestry are no longer worthy of our thrust.

  3797. Sarah W

    I only purchased this software from you less than a month ago. Why was I not warned of this when I made the purchase? That is very poor customer service. What software is going to replace it? Or are you just abandoning family tree creation software altogether. This is very bad form Ancestry.com. I am seriously not impressed.

  3798. Peter

    I do hope that Ancestry think again about their proposed changes and their pooposed withdrawal of Family Tree Maker. Having an offline facility to access yoiur family tree is good, not evrybody wants to share their data with the world. Also the changes to the online screens are not user friendly at all, please revert to the old screens. The problem seems to be with the software developers not understanding the real world users and have their heads stuck in developing ever increasing complications to their software.

  3799. Russell Riley

    Seems to me that Family Tree Maker will still work, it just won’t be linked to Ancestry. So if you want a back up of your data you have to double enter every detail. Once you have entered new data on the ancestry site you will have to enter everything again on your family tree maker. I thought the idea of sync was so that you had one copy on your computer and one on ancestry as a safety measure. What measures will Ancestry be making to ensure the safety of your data ? Also the Ancestry version of your family tree needs to be much more user friendly before it replaces Family Tree Maker. I’ve found it almost impossible to make the connection between people on another family tree and my own through the Ancestry tree. I’ll wait and see what happens but it may turn out that we’ll all need to start using another source other than Ancestry.

  3800. Barb

    I am still ploughing through the comments but one thing that made me sit up and take notice was a comment about the “shaky leaves” hints, now for some reason I always thought that it was devised by an incredible search engine sifting through all the indexed records and presenting these tips in a much easier to find manner. Now from what I understand the only thing the “shaky leaves” searches is OTHER PEOPLE’s TREES. Is that right? Oh that makes so much sense now for some of the incredibly WRONG hints I’ve seen, they’ve no doubt come from the name gatherer’s trees that are a jumble when you look at them…….

    My tree is set to PRIVATE so from what I understand I am not part of this search. Or am I? Could somebody please explain how this works. What if everybody was to have a private not public tree?

  3801. Charlene

    I just cancelled my Ancestry subscription … if we all do this then they will get the message – the only thing that is going to make Ancestry reconsider is if they are financially hit. I encourage everyone else who is outraged at this decision to cancel their Ancestry membership!

  3802. Liz

    I am part of the “loyal Ancestry community” because of FTM – and have been for 10 years. I won’t have any reason to subscribe to Ancestry if it no longer enables me search and update my FTM tree. I will NOT use the Ancestry online tree. Ancestry will regret this, it’s a dreadful decision.

  3803. Dee

    I have paid good money for FTM, so when do I get a refund?

    You have ruined the web interface, it is clunky, takes longer to navigate and doesn’t even work properly. SO I am much less inclined to stay with Ancestry anyway.

    Now you want to remove the excellent reporting tools that we enjoy from the synched FTM software. I do not for a minute believe that it is no longer commercially viable to provide FTM, you have wasted millions on the new interface so obviously have plenty ion the bank to pay for software developers. What I do believe is that FTM users don’t have to pay extortionate amounts to you for even simple reports and so you are killing it off. Unless you provide much better reporting tools in Ancestry – at no extra charge – I too will be voting with my feet. Ancestry is now very expensive but really offers no more than many other sites, I for one will probably go to FINDMYPAST. I have no close American relatives and so find that paying worldwide subscription just to get Irish records is a complete waste of money. UK coverage is provided by many other UK suppliers so aside from the pain of having to transfer my trees what is there now to keep me on Ancestry?

    Thanks for nothing Ancestry.

  3804. Jody Pace

    Where is the integrity in this business decision? In Oct. I purchased the latest version of FTM and sold my friend on the same purchase as I helped her start her family tree. Surely you had discussed the idea of not supporting the software by the tome you took our money. Not only am I disappointed as a user of FTM, I am even more disappointed in the less-than-honest manner this came out time-wise.You reap what you sow.

  3805. Alan

    Ditto all of above.

    Terrible decision, made without understanding what your client base values from your ancestry service and FTM package .

    The feature rich FTM (which makes editing your tree easy) and it’s ability to sync with online tree and access to record sources makes the package unique.

    Remove the feature rich FTM means ancestry is nothing more than a record source with a sub standard web functionality.

    Remove FTM and I am no longer tied to ancestry – end of membership.

    Based on comments above and avg £100 per person, I reckon you’ve just lost £400k already and that’s just the first day of announcement.

  3806. E. Stuart Dolan

    I can’t believe you are doing this.!!! I have almost been with FTM since it’s beginning and taught the software program to senior citizens in Florida for two years at one time. THEN ANCESTRY STARTED PURCHACING everything they could get their hands on taking most of the genealogy sites so they could do as they pleased leaving us out here in ‘computer land’ wondering what they would do next and ‘BY GOD, they are doing away with Family Tree Maker after they had purchased it aa few years ago!!! Now leaving all of us without FTM and lots of what we have on FTM can’t be transferred to Ancestry,meanwhile YOUR PRICES are unbelievable for seniors living on social security…I am one that is going to have to leave your company next year with over 17, 500 family members. I am wondering what you will be doing with Find a Grave, 3 Fold and the others you purchased….start to charge for all of the sites that are free at this point as you charge for everything else. My genealogy was a hobby in the beginning, but as I have grown older it is my passion until I leave this world for another. MANY THANKS FOR MAKING MY LIFE MISERABLE NOW TIL MY END!!!!

  3807. Connie McKinley

    BIG MISTAKE!! I have been using FTM since the mid 1990’s and I’ve been an Ancestry member since 2002. While Ancestry has been a wonderful source for convenient research, FTM has been my go-to program for writing my family stories. It is so much easier to use and gives me what I need to put a family history down on paper while Ancestry does not and, NO, I DON’T LIKE the Lifestory on Ancestry – highly inadequate. You see, while we like Ancestry, we love FTM and, well, without the two being compatible, Ancestry just doesn’t have the allure it did before (and double entry again is just exhausting to think about). By the way, I’m not super fond of the new format. I know corporate is thinking “they’ll get used to it”, but it’s not the best design and after reading several comments, I see I’m not the only one who feels that way. We all know this is a bottom-line move. I suspect based on all the “dead” half-baked trees floating on Ancestry that the special trial offers are not resulting in full-blown memberships. I don’t know what I will do, but at this point in my research, keeping Ancestry for the long haul probably won’t be in the cards for me. Familysearch.org here I come. I’m sure I am not alone in that consideration.

  3808. Joe

    Very poor decision on your part. I look forward to some detailed _answers_ to the many questions from Ancestry subscribers above.

  3809. Nigel

    I do understand that commercial decisions need to be made but why not spin FTM off to someone else. The ability to link online with desktop software is very important for most home genealogists, as you no doubt gather from the comments above.

  3810. Jean Cloke

    I’m just angry that Ancestry would do this to the thousands of loyal customers. There will be no need to keep my membership now if I can’t sync the online trees with my offline trees. I have to have a genealogy program, to be able to work on it when out researching in courthouses or cemeteries, etc. If I have to buy a new program that isn’t compatible with Ancestry, there is no point in paying for the membership. And that is besides losing all the things that can be done in the program that cannot be done in the online trees. This is just disgusting!!!!

  3811. Annette

    I just had to come back and post the following after I read it on Ancestry.com’s own Facebook page:
    A lady asked a question about downloading images to her computer “more than one at a time” since this can be quite time consuming.
    Ancestry.com’s reply: they asked her if she had FTM and told her that would be the best solution. ..IRONY…much?

  3812. David Gardiner-Hill

    Appalling decision

    I have been using Ancestry for 5 years+
    I have purchased FTM in June.
    I would expect at least THREE YEARS notice of withdrawl of support from a responsible software provider …. The product is still in Distribution!!

    Apart from all that – the ONLY thing that has made the NEW ANCESTRY storyline usable for me is the Location correction function in FTM!!!

    Much of my Ancestry data currently added to my tree from Ancestry databases has incorrect Location data – FTM has the only function which allows this to be corrected properly …….

    Please would Ancestry use FTM Location correction against their own data!!!

  3813. Darryl Justice

    What is the point of subscribing to Ancestry if you can’t use the info to build a family tree? What will happen to the tree already built which took me 5 years? I will not be renewing something that is useless to me. You have destroyed your business

  3814. Niall

    The mass of comments above say it all – “we won’t support FTM after 2017” with no suggestion as to how one continues researching and adding to the 2500+ people on my database – this isn’t customer support it appears to show that you have no idea what makes a good business- it is communication and keeping your customers with you!!

  3815. 1) please communicate plans
    2) I am only interested in Italian and marginally french ancestors. Your subscriber offering on Italy is of no help to me; therefore:
    3) I am no potential subscriber for search reasons
    4) at best I could subscribe to SW functionalities
    Again, please communicate plans

  3816. Bo

    What a scam! Google Family Tree Maker and it takes you to the Ancestry website WHERE YOU CAN BUY the FTM software for $69! So business as usual for the Accounts Receivables. Disgusting!

  3817. Jeff

    So does that mean that we will have to use ancestry as a web based application? If so it is very poor form and will not go well for those of us who are on limited internet connections or very expensive plans.
    I to will be cancelling my subscription when support ends.

  3818. Pam

    Having received a very casual e-mail at around 11pm last night, I’m speechless! How can you do this? I guess it is all to do with saving costs rather than serving customers. I expect there are other aspects I will find no longer achievable, but I use Sync so much; I suppose I will now have to download all search results twice – I’m not at all impressed!

  3819. Jenny Swanson

    Profoundly unhelpful announcement and very disappointing news. What are you offering to the many people who already rely on FTM for extensive genealogical research?

    And an aside, as someone with many years of research experience,I also find the new interface on Ancestry unhelpful.

  3820. Brian Thomas

    I can only concur with the vast majority of comments made on here. I purchased this software less than a year ago and now I find that you have decided to abandon it without any consultation with the many people who use it. I do not wish to be permanantly connected to interenet in order to work through my family tree I much prefer to work off line, as much of the time I do not have an internet connection. I manually enter the data and then when I can connect it syncs up. What do you suggest I do once you switch off that ability?
    I sincerly hope you read the comments posted on here and reverse this poor decision.

  3821. Tim

    I am a loyal user since FTM first started. I can see by the huge negative outpouring of comments that you may have made a fatal decision. So sorry to have invested all my time and effort building several family trees only to have to start over somewhere else. I don’t work on it often enough over the year to afford the membership all year long so I only pay when I need access to Ancestry files. I guess like the multitudes before me I will be looking elsewhere for a non-online only service. Sometimes the cloud is not the answer to everybody’s needs. So long and sorry to have to leave you. As your sponsored TLC program title indicates “Who do you think you are?” Obviously not a company that really cares about your faithful customers.

  3822. Kate

    Very, very disappointed to hear this. The internet is not always available to me and I want a hard copy on my computer. What do I do now – look for another program? And if I do that, how can I transfer all the data I have accumulated over many years of using FTM. It is very doubtful that I will continue my Ancestry membership in the future. Please reconsider.

  3823. Barbara

    I have just updated my FTM software and spent a considerable amount of time tidying up my files. I am so disappointed by Ancestry. I have used the software for over 20 years, have tried most of the others – and although it isn’t perfect I have found it the best. But I won’t be forced online and will go back to pen and paper to make sure I have an easy to reach and safe place for my research. Shame on you Ancestry!

  3824. Colin

    Just purchased Family Tree Maker to migrate my tree to, only to find out I have wasted my money. The reason I chose FTM was that it integrated so well with Ancestry. I will now have to find a new platform to host my Family Tree. Will I stay with Ancestry? My feelings at the moment are no I will not because you have shafted me.

  3825. Karen

    I just opened my email and found this bomb waiting for me… there are over 3,000 comments to your “FTM retirement letter”… and after reading for over an hour now, they all seem to be in agreement! You have hit below the belt in your lack of responsibility and consideration to your loyal customer base! I am 100% in agreement with my fellow genealogy family researchers! “Retiring” FTM is a shock! The ability to Sync our family trees to our computers was a feature no other company provided as well as Ancestry… This action by you is disturbing, to say the least!!! You can still right a wrong, but you need to act now! The clock is ticking…

  3826. Dave Clare

    Without FTM, how can I maintain a local copy of all the documents and media I’ve painstakingly uploaded and researched? I understand the business decision, but please ensure all the features of FTM are available on the website or apps – especially synchronisation.

  3827. Lee jones

    Kendall Hulett, in an electronic letter, right before your very eyes, just committed “corporate suicide”. Probably the shortest tenure as SENIOR Vice President (since MAR 2015) in a corporations history. Man, it is almost sad to see yet another greedy self-serving corporation undermine itself of all the loyalty, respect, and income that took decades to build with a single letter of 100 or so words and the cast of uninformed clowns that supported the letters release to loyal customers. People, people . . . Quit fooling yourselves into thinking that Ancestry.com “cares” about “your” family history . . . It is just an avenue to a corporate stream of income. Nothing more, nothing less. Just bite the bullet, and convert over to the online version because what other choice do you really have at this point ??? Don’t get too emotional over this purely profit-based corporate decision . . . Ancestry.com will help you feel all better about what is best, more profitable, for them within the next couple of months once you all just calm down a bit. You’ll see . . . You will actually better see “their” profit-driven motivations and understand this phased implementation of how easy it is to herd individual consumers once we consumers have grown comfortable / accustomed / addicted to their product. Don’t worry . . . Be happy !!! Your personal connection to the content, your countless hours invested . . . Is a sure bet in Ancestry.com’s favor. I mean, who really “cares” if FTM makes it easier for YOU ??? We’re counting on the fact of your obsessive, personal interest that you will come to see this purely business decision on our part. Oh yeah, we’ll give you further details when we get around to it . . . Let ‘s work all the disappointment out of their systems first. We’ll be back in touch after we’ve enjoyed our time with our families over the holidays. Cheers !!!

  3828. Tony Scott

    What a barrage of adverse comment – and in such a short time!
    Of course, we can export GEDCOMs from The Ancestry site and import into desktop software of our choice, but I for one, don’t upload PRIVATELY facts to the website. Users in a similar situation should consider exporting a GEDCOMS from FTM to the desktop software of your choice.
    A migration to Family Search is now planned for me!

  3829. Barbara

    PS – I subscribe to Ancestry because it integrates with FTM. Find My Past is better so I will probably subscribe to that when my current subscription ends.

  3830. Kenneth

    LIVID! is this Ancestry customer! I would tell you what I think but I am not a swearing person.

    Not only is the “new and improved” interface a STEP BACKWARDS in terms of customer use and friendly user interface with a clean, crisp look, and forced conversion is a SLAP IN THE FACE, added to this the POOR CUSTOMER FOCUSED choice to discontinue the offline alternative is from the CUSTOMER POINT OF VIEW inexplicable.

    You have lost this CUSTOMER’S RESPECT for Ancestry.com

    Just LIVID.

  3831. Wayne Flynn

    After many years, and upgrades, your true colors finally show. Do you feel that there is no more money to be wrung from you customers? I stopped paying for an annual subscription to Ancestry a long time ago because of the high cost but still upgraded my FTM software because that is what I started using when I began my search for my roots. Now to pull that rug out from under me feels like such a slap in the face. Thank god for Family Search.Org.

  3832. Tony Norris

    Typical money grabbing tactics as usual. Its time the suppliers of your records i.e. London Archives, etc., woke up to the fact that your monopoly on these is destroying the future of genealogy research.

  3833. Andrew Bluss

    Dear Ancestry, like the vast, vast majority of people who have already posted, I am bitterly disappointed that you have decided to cease using Family Tree Maker. Your argument that the “desktop” environment is shrinking may be true but the limitations of your website based trees make it a very poor “second cousin” to the FTM software. I for one use the software in the first place and allow the web trees to be amended from that and NOT the other way round. The website, for me, is purely a “backup”. Unless you have decided to fully augment the functions of FTM into your website then you will have one very disaffected customer who will consider taking his business elsewhere. How will your business model function with a large reduction in subscription income when your “loyal” customers have defected to (for example) Find My Past? Very shortsighted!!

  3834. Roger Neilson

    This is atrocious behaviour. The functionality that the desktop software gives is not duplicated on the web version. This is ridiculous. Based on this I may well cancel my subscription and move elsewhere.

  3835. Cathy

    Sounds like good news for your competitors. I switched to one of them several years ago, after the disaster that was FTM 2008. I still use your site for research, but the newer versions of FTM have pretty much been a failure. Perhaps their demise is a blessing in disguise.

  3836. Stuart Coghill

    This will be cited by business schools of the future as the worst commercial decision of all time!

  3837. BOB BARKER

    Perhaps the community out there should vote to retire Mr Hulet instead of the FTM software. I am sure that would make substantial savings Ancestry.com.
    Because he holds a good track record within the organisation, it doesn’t necessarily follow that his decisions are always the correct ones for a situation or circumstance.
    I always check my emails at the start of the day, and this is not a good start to the day at all.
    I urge YOU, Mr Hulet, TO RETHINK your decision.
    Invariably in life, there are alternate ways to achieve a goal or quest. Perhaps this is the time to look for an alternative.
    To my fellow researchers out there, you have a choice — vote with your feet. WALK AWAY !!!
    The seasons greetings to you all.

  3838. Chuck Foster

    I have to say that one of the reasons I moved from using Genes Reunited to Ancestry was because of the ability to research and build my tree offline, and then being able to sync it online for others to have for their own research. I’ve never really used the web interface for anything other than looking, it simply hasn’t got the power to make the tree links that I have, or the ability to quickly merge in some new data, or mass change items when I’ve needed to.

    The other advantage with FTM was being able to have the sync and not continually have to upload the entire tree onto the site each time to keep it up to date.

  3839. Andy Morris

    This sounds like the worst business decision since Gerald Rattner called his own products crap – and look what happened to his business. Do Ancestry not realise that there are perfectly good alternative Companies that will be jumping for joy at this news.

  3840. Paula Pettis

    Very unprofessional. Hugely stressful. No help offered to tell us what to do next. Losing features. Huge cost that many people can not afford. I think you may have just put yourself out of business. You may have just stopped all of the good genealogy work and interest people have in it too. People can not continue like this. I would like to know how to save the last 15 years of my work. And I expect a good answer with a lot of quality customer service.

  3841. Brad Tolhurst

    It started with the new format, which is terrible, and now you getting rid of my compatible software. It’s called Corporate bean counter greed. I foresee many lost subscriptions because of these decisions. Me being one of them…

  3842. Mike

    This a real disaster. I have 1000s of names entered into my desktop version of FTM. This news and higher subscriptions will mean that I cancel my annual subscription when it is up for renewal in 3 weeks. Very disappointing.

  3843. Greg Lamberson

    As someone very familiar with genealogy technology and trends, I understand why Ancestry would reach this decision. However, I think you’ll find that this is an incredibly bad decision, if it’s not already clear to you.
    With this decision, you’re abandoning your most loyal and devoted customers, and you’re hurting yourselves as a company and the genealogy industry as a whole in the long run. One of the most significant problems professional genealogists face is having the proper tools to house and work with the very large amounts of data necessary. There has been a steady erosion in the number and quality of software tools available recently,and now you, as the biggest player in the market, are resoundingly accelerating that trend by discontinuing FTM. The chasm between professional/scholarly genealogy and junk genealogy is widening, and you’re now part of the problem rather than part of the solution. If your online tools had equivalent capabilities to FTM’s, there would be less of an issue. However, the two are extremely far apart in capability and are likely to remain so for many, many years.
    This is truly an unfortunate and disappointing bit of news. I’m extremely sad to hear of it, and I hope you’ll reconsider.

  3844. Louise

    My understanding is that we can still use the software as a standalone system to store our research but we won’t have any software support and it won’t link in with the Ancestry website. I’ve cancelled my subscription and will be depending on Find My Past from now on!

  3845. Marjorie Watson

    I wish to add my comments to the above. I am gutted! I have used FTM since 2009 and absolutely love the programme, as others have mentioned I have updated each year since. I have recently bought a Macbook and was ready to transfer to FTM 3 which of course I will not be doing. Very disappointed but I do understand that nowadays it’s all about income for the business and the customer is secondary and it makes one lose confidence to such an extent that we are uncertain as to who we can trust or can we place our faith in anyone?

  3846. Lewis Woodward

    Your announcement is a bit of a farce, you tell us no more FTM software but where is th emessage advising of the alternative. I for one would stronly prefer you go back to the old 2066 version, I found this to be superior in many ways, with out all the extra decoration around the edges. So, where to from here. ??

  3847. Terry

    If you do not provide your customers with full functionality as we do with our tree software…reports and etc…then I am done with Ancestry. Never thought I would see Ancestry as the greedy corporate types….but there you go and proved me wrong. No report, book functionality then I’m gone as a customer. BTW…you’re new web interface….SUCKS!

  3848. Melanie Dunstan

    This is crazy and I am sure most of the things I will say will have already been said. I am very disappointed with this decision and have been very very supportive of the program for many many years and was an active promoter of your products. Going online is not the same and ancestry doesn’t deliver all the functions that you can do with family tree maker. I work in a remote area of Australia and at time I have no phone reception let alone Internet access and not having family tree maker would mean I cannot access my tree while away. After the amount of $$$ I have spent on ftm and purchasing the new edition each year I’m furious. Being a younger researcher age wise (37yrs of age) I still don’t think it’s a good move its a backwards move not a forward one

  3849. I’m really disappointed: I’ve used the pairing of FTM with Ancestry for years and it really suits my method of working. Please provide the current FTM facilities within Ancestry for future users.

  3850. Norna Hall

    An utter nonsense. The tree sync means I have a hard back-up copy of hours an hours of painstaking research not only via Ancestry but also local history archives and much much more.
    The new version of Ancestry is a joke… a Noddy version for those that cannot think for themselves.
    . Any business can only be successful if it puts its customers requirements first.and listens to their feedback. You are already failing spectacularly in that respect.
    Please think carefully before you lose all your customers and also your reputation as a serious research tool.
    I shall have to think very carefully about whether to renew my subscription.

  3851. Kenneth

    What a BETRAYAL to your CUSTOMERS!

    Added to that, FORCED CONVERSION next week to the “new” INCREDIBLY POORLY DESIGNED online interface – This CUSTOMER just HATES it!

    Very, very poor customer interface and marketing choices. Some folks at Ancestry in marketing and business staff need to be replaced with managers who RESPECT THE CUSTOMER instead of BETRAYING us!

    Livid beyond expression. NO RESPECT FOR YOU is deserved.

  3852. Susan willi ams

    Really disappointed about this. As others have said I have spent a lot of money and time in my research of my family history. I will too not be renewing my subscription. Please think about the money you are about to lose.

  3853. Martin

    The is very disappointing. I do not intend to rely solely on anyone’s cloud based service, and especially not one managed by the company that so callously dropped FTM. I have stayed with FTM through a number of its poorer iterations, and was hoping to see some of its remaining niggles pass into history. Instead, I will have to look to its competitors who’s owners will hopefully seize the opportunity and offer an easy migration path to a product where the customer’s needs are better understood.

  3854. Anita Erickson

    I have found much information on Ancestry is incorrect and because I don’t want a pile of garbage in my data base, I have elected to only use FTM. With your discontinuing your support of FTM I see no further need to sync my information to you. I will remove the personal data bases that are on your site and will not upload any further information. This is terribly upsetting, although not unexpected. I really thought your greed outweighed any thought for any correct information. With all the flawed information in your family trees online, I think you need to rethink any uploading of family trees. I have been researching for over 50 years and I am not willing to step backwards to using your flawed system. It may be easy for a newcomer to use, but it certainly cannot come close to the features available in FTM. I am sure that I will survive without Ancestry and will be able to continue to put out good historical books without it. Bad decision on your part. I agree with all the comments by all the previous responses.

  3855. Marie

    I agree with the vast majority of comments made. I do not wish to permanently be on connected to the internet and much prefer to work offline. The best thing about ancestry is the tree sync and the hints. Please change your mind on this and continue to support the requirements of your loyal customers.

  3856. Steve

    ahhh, a page full of backlash… my fear is it will all be for nought. Not that I expect anyone to actually read this but I’ll add my name anyway to the ever growing list of disgruntled users who cant believe you would do this to us.
    As others have mentioned FTM is the thing that sets you apart. I can doodle & play without having to go online, write reports, backup, search for people, places, duplicates etc. Not something I want or can do on the web interface.
    So I’m guessing the money is not with avid genealogists but with the mass online market. That fickle mass market..
    My loss, so be it, Ill start looking for a replacement site for my money…and my families money… and my friends money… don’t think that will matter? ask myspace 🙂

  3857. Alison Bollada

    Most disappointed to see that you are planning to discontinue FTM – I personally don’t use the web based tree, only the desktop version of FTM – and now that findmypast has so many records online I can’t see that I will still need a subscription to ancestry as well – so I will not be renewing my subscription when it expires. Very shortsighted of you in my opinion.

  3858. adrian Mullins

    I have used FTM for years and as can be seen above it is great for syncing both with desktop and Ipad. Does this mean Ipad app will also go. Like others there is no reason to keep Ancestry once support and Sync had gone. This is good news for other software makers but Ancestry will lose ALOT of custom as they are destroying their biggest asset. Do they now realise that the customers need somewhere other than online to store their reocords. At least continue support and syncing with the current version in perpetuity. It will need no development costs and maintain their USP. In my mind this a very shortsighted view. Also, what a way to repay a loyal customer base with 20 days notice!

    Shame on you Ancestry for not doing joined up thinking and valueing their customers. They could have asked customers for feedback before this shock announcement

  3859. Mark Head

    This is a rather foolish move. Total reliance on ‘the cloud’ for storing important research like family records is nothing if not stupid. I for one shall not be forsaking my desktop programme which is NOT reliant upon internet links for its full functionality. FTM is a GREAT way of developing one’s family tree and reproducing it in whatever way one choses. The problem now will be compatibility with future platforms. I do not think that this move serves anybody any good.

  3860. John Claxton

    If this goes ahead I will cancel my subscription and go back to My Heritage as without being able to sync makes this substandard compared to present system.

  3861. Mike

    As an ageing FTM user I am truly disappointed in your decision to withdraw a truly useful product. It is a HUGE mistake on your part and will leave to a mass withdrawal of support for Ancestry. Do think again and consider those of us who don’t want to have our heads in a Cloud!

  3862. Denny

    You seem to think your value is a place to casually browse through people in a tree and muse about what what going on during their lifetime. You used to have a reputation for value to serious genealogists doing research and validating their data. You are trying to turn a serious profession/hobby into a scrapbook viewer. That is not what your customers need. I agree with the others that have no intention of inputting or storing their private research into a cloud database. I will not trust a cloud database for anything I value. It is great for low value info that can easily be recreated if lost, but not my research.

    I already use Family Tree Builder as part of diversifying my research onto multiple platforms. I will have to also look into Legacy and others. FTM was my primary tool because I liked the many features in a fairly easy package. I find FTB does most of the same functionality but often with a few more clicks. Get it? We are looking for efficiency of use and your web tree is anything but efficient with all the distractions.

    As with others here, I first tried some family tree input/storage tools and settled on FTM. The only reason I use ancestry is not because of your ‘fabulous’ record collections. Frankly I’ve made many more connections with extended family on MyHeritage in one month than on ancestry in years. I only use ancestry for research because I use FTM and I do publish a trusted subset of my working tree online for relatives to access while I keep my full tree offline on my own computer. It contains a lot of speculative information that needs more research and corroboration before I would feel comfortable posting it anywhere online.

    You know, the more I write the more I realize you really must have a very poor understanding of why your clients use your products and what their real needs are for the kind of services you can provide. Starting tomorrow I seriously reassess the tools and sites I will use for my research. At this point I highly doubt that will include continuing to pay a subscription fee for ancestry. Say goodbye to being a top tier genealogy company. Good luck trying to stay in business.

  3863. Ross

    Wow, it is an awful decsion from Ancestry to get rid of FTM! We thought this announcement was a misquote, but it was for real. We couldn’t believe it as FTM software is the very best tool one on the market. It”s going to be an hardship for genealogists without this program Please reconsider this bad decision as to allow the subscribers to keep going. The rule of thumb for successful business is to serve clients and subscribers to be happy. If not, Ancestry will be awarded as Corporate Grinch from thousands of negative comments here plus millions of world genealogists being upset. We will be dulled without famed FTM. We hope Ancestry will reconsider its unthinkable decision as producing an huge uproar.

  3864. Another moronic move.I have been finding it very difficult to find anybody I search for since the old search went. The old search was brilliant. Ancestry have just wasted endless money over the last five years making it harder to find people you look for. Impossible ..if I try to search for someone I already know of I can’t find them..so there is hardly a chance of finding anyone new .it is very frustrating. The online tree is useless. And the seem oblivious to complaints.

  3865. STUART INGWELL

    I though long and hard before committing my records to FTM but eventually decided that with the backing of Ancestry it would be OK in the long-term. What a let-down.

  3866. Judith Berry

    How arrogant! We’ve had your money and now we are leaving you in the lurch!! That may be the way Ancestry thinks but many people will be devastated by this decision and vote with their feet. After 40 years of work and paying my annual subscriptions and Family Tree fees, I feel disgusted that my loyalty is to be repaid in this way. Presumably the DNA aspect of the business is more profitable and we are to be sacrificed. Bad move Ancestry – shame on you!!

  3867. Joss

    This is a sad day and a retrograde step. To just announce this move without any warning is very bad business practice. What we want to know is what happens now, how do we update our trees?

  3868. Frankly, with the appalling ‘improved’ Ancestry and now this, you aren’t going to have a “loyal Ancestry community” for much longer as we’re all going to go somewhere else!

  3869. Anne Holmstead

    Oh no! I only ever work from FTM and then sync to Ancestry. It gives me a control point. I really struggle to look at my tree without the solid report views. And does Ancestry support printing out like FTM? I will have to start investigating other software options for my PC. I want to be able to look at my tree without going online, and show family members when visiting them at rest home where I do not have online access to Ancestry. And the screen layouts are easier on FTM. Do any of you others have any recommendations please ?

  3870. John

    Disgusted by your decision – a decision taken without consideration for the inconvenience and annoyance of existing customers.

  3871. David

    Bad move Ancestry.. FTM set you apart. As a user who has purchased and upgraded to every new version for nearly 8 years I cannot understand why you have done this.. If you must stop development.. release it as open source and let the community keep it alive..
    However I feel you may be losing a lot of customers, especially in the UK where we have plenty of alternatives/providers to move to..

    Its been fun with you, but i fear I will be moving on..

  3872. Michael Stoker

    This is a disgrace! I can only echo the above points –
    NONE of which seem to think this is a good decision by Ancestry. I too cannot always work on line and like on off line record of my family tree. FTM gives more varied access and features than the online version does, but the two systems mesh well enough (nothing is perfect).
    When the day comes that I need to stop my Ancestry subscription (I’m now retired and funds are not limitless.) I will want an up to date version of my tree and years of research to work with. It now looks like that time may come sooner rather than later – and from choice rather than necessity.
    Once again, Ancestry, give this a rethink, and don’t ride roughshod over your loyal subscribers.

  3873. David

    I am absolutely amazed at a marketing decision to throw away the only competitive advantage you have over the competitors. You say you will be putting your resources into the subscriptions business – well, judging by the 5000 or so comments you have had in less than 24 hours I suspect that you won’t need as much resource for the remaining subscribers. I certainly won’t be one of them

  3874. Dorothea Meek Coleman

    WHAT pray tell am I suppose to do? I have worked collecting info since 1951, and only about 3-4 yrs ago I purchased search infor= from you and have made good headway. Now, having the problem of loosing content of it thru technical problem that so far 8 Dec have not recovered but Ancestry assures me its still there. How can I publish that info for my own cause before you SHUT me down? Please help me! Who will provide the service that you have provided me. I am the last of my generation and if I don’t get and keep a record of our ancestors what will my grandchildren and great grand children do?

  3875. Paul Field

    When FTM goes so does my long term international subscription. I have paid you thousands over the years and you thank me by dropping my means of recording my research. Your customers will no doubt punish Ancestry for this huge mistake.

  3876. I think the main issue here is that people who have spent decades researching their family tree don’t want to be handing it all over to a third party to look after – only to find that a few years down the line they have a change in strategic direction, decide to withdraw the facility and leave them high and dry.

    Those of us who paid for the original Ancestry DNA test only to find it dumped a few years later when a new improved DNA test was launched will know only too well the fickle nature of these strategic direction decisions.

    While I think that Ancestry provide an extremely useful service for searching and finding data – I’d rather retain responsibility and control for storing the research I’ve done. GEDCOM exports don’t really cut it with all the rich media content currently included in most trees so no serious researcher is going to want to use Ancestry or any other family history site as the single repository for all their data.

    Also – tree syncing works both ways so Ancestry are going to be missing out on a whole bunch of free content generated by their members if their FTM users continue to use the desktop application when Ancestry turn off tree syncing.

    Ancestry, the number of comments already on this page speaks for itself, please don’t bite the hand that feeds you and seriously reconsider your decision.

  3877. nataliepowell

    Excuse me!! Is this the end of Ancestry? I suggest you must continue supporting the off line FTM forever for those folks who have thousands of records stored there.

  3878. Kenneth

    Kendall Hulet and his product and marketing colleagues have clearly demonstrated that ANCESTRY.COM HAS NO CLUE ABOUT THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS. NO RESPECT. NO UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.

    Who needs to be fired to REVERSE this FATAL marketing and sales decision? Anyone on the Board or in a key decision-making role who is LISTENING TO YOUR CUSTOMERS?

  3879. Joe Hannah

    I think this is disgraceful. Even Microsoft do not behave this way! At least when they discontinue one version of software they replace it with some thing better. We have an option with them. We also have an option with you… We can spend our hard earned money elsewhere! By concentrating on app based / cloud use you are alienating all those people who do not own iPhones / iPads and will probably never desire to either because its to expensive or the technology is slightly beyond them.

  3880. This is not a good move by Ancestry! Their software is the ONLY reason I keep paying my subscription – and having used it a good number of years both personal and professional I am pretty miffed to say the least that you are withdrawing it as of the end of this month WITHOUT any replacement or information about how Ancestry’s records can be downloaded and saved in a workable and compatible package! I don’t think I will be renewing my subscription in January at this rate and you will find thousands of others will feel the same way!

  3881. Margaret Berry

    The final straw! Some years ago I researched other software programs since Ancestry did not provide the same functionality with Windows 7 that I’d enjoyed on XP. That was my first problem with Ancestry and you provided no solution then – or now. I never found another program that would let me print trees in the form I’d grown used to, so I kept one old laptop with XP on it just to manage this. There is no real alternative I’m happy with, but I was then, and remain now, very disappointed in the way Ancestry served its existing customer base. I’ve paid full price for a world subscription for over a decade and I expected better. Well, I assume my software will keep working without your support, since it was never great support anyway.

  3882. Lindsay

    Such a breathtakingly arrogant and shortsighted decision. I will now spend this period of grace researching alternatives and plan my exit from Ancestry. FTM is the only reason I have maintained my subscription for as long as I have. I have been thinking about changing for a while, Ancestry has now taken away my only reason for staying.

  3883. Anne Patrizio

    I can’t believe the latest decision to stop FTM. I have struggled with the new Ancestry, which I really dislike and find difficult to use, mainly because of FTM. Eight years of research, 16,600 people on my main tree, hundreds of pounds spent and you suddenly cut the chart making and offline facility. I had already been looking for FTM 2016. I hope you reverse this disastrous decision and if it goes ahead I will sadly be one of the many looking for other alternatives to Ancestry.

  3884. Lindsay

    Ancestry must be going out of business altogether. Without FTM what is the point? So many including me have spent money to buy, upgrade, DNA tests – and for what? Money back? Where do we go now? Why subscribe when there is no FTM? I won’t be.

  3885. Michael

    You have to hand it to them – an absolute masterstroke by Ancestry.com. They have persuaded enough users to put their trees online to reach the critical mass required to capture that “forest” of data and hold it hostage in their cyber-space. They have clearly taken the concept of rooting the forest in cyber-space to a logical conclusion. They believe that people will be too inexperienced, too lazy or too complacent to uproot their trees from Ancestry and plant them elsewhere. Those users who remained resistant to the concept of trusting all their hard-earned research to the Ancestry cloud by retaining their data at the desktop level are then given a choice – **** off elsewhere or upload and pay the perpetual ransom charge to access your own research. Personally I will **** off elsewhere. What a bunch of arrogant profiteers / racketeers / pirates / crooks / swindlers – take your pick.

  3886. Rose

    My children were buying me FTM for Christmas. Do I now advise them to return it as unwanted? I was looking forward to being able to print off trees etc but apparently you in your “wisdom” have decided otherwise. I won’t be renewing Ancestry when the time comes – this, after the dumbing-down changes (telling your tree as a story?? For goodness sake!) – it’s just a step too far.

  3887. Michael

    Like so many others I deplore this short-sighted move. FTM is the reason I’ve stuck with Ancestry and much prefer to work offline and will not be forced into “the cloud”. It all seems very hasty, ill-thought through and with no clear guidance to FTM’s/Ancestry’s loyal customers & users. If you stick to this decision you must surely provide comprehensive guidance and help to all of us who have spent time and money working with FTM and Ancestry. As others have said I think you’ll live to regret the day you took this decision. A disgraceful and totally disrespectful attitude.

  3888. Alan J Brown

    Typical big business attitude – get all the money you can from your customers then drop them in the proverbial. FTM software should continue to work for years without any support or updates, I’ve just upgraded to Windows 10 and it works fine with FTM. Keep backups on a separate hard drive (as we have done from way back before the internet, cloud storage etc.,) and use FindMyPast for searches. Job done and Bye Bye Ancestry!
    Perhaps the huge number of comments on this blog in such a short space of time might make them think again, but who is holding their breath? I’m not!

  3889. T

    I’m very shocked to have read today about the discontinuation of FTM I have used it for a very long time and like all of the other comments will be reevaluating my use of Ancestry.com It’s a really poor decision that smells of a drive to increase profits, pity about the accuracy of researched data & those that have loyally used their product for a long time. It’s a very poor decision!!!

  3890. Ken C.

    What an unfortunate retrograde step to take! Ancestry is an excellent online research tool but as software it does not compare with FTM. Its ‘new’ online format is poor, it frequently duplicates information making editing necessary and the tools it provides for presenting data to others simply do not compare.
    Apart from that relatively poor online connection speeds and reliability make working offline here a necessity. I can appreciate that ‘cloud based’ storage and software are the current way to go, however I think you have an urgent need to think again about providing FTM users with a way forward in the future and one which does not render 1000’s of streams of data going back to the 1700’s redundant.

  3891. Mike Peaker

    An appalling decision, with no consideration for those like me who have used FTM for years. What is the alternative? I’m up the creek without a paddle.

  3892. W Richardson

    I bet your competitors are rubbing their hands with glee,you must be mad, people will drop ancestry like a stone which will be a pity,because ancestry’s strength is it’s members adding their information which in tirn makes ancestry the best site.

  3893. Nigel

    I want to keep a copy of my tree on my own PC. This means I shall need to migrate to another program, which is a pain.

    Then I doubt if I shall need Ancestry as it was there to provide backup and access to on-line resources. Other organisations can provide this access cheaper

    Nigel

  3894. Vince

    I must agree with all of my fellow Family Historians.FTM predates Ancestry and was my introduction to storing Records. I for one will look at alternative software and online storage. This decision may very well be the begining of the end for Ancestry/

  3895. tim

    What a ridiculous decision. Your finance team must be looking hard at this list of people cancelling their subscriptions. Good luck.

  3896. Hilary

    Supporting all those who are outraged by this. The new interface is tedious, buggy and patronising, FTM is the tipping point that was keeping me with Ancestry.

  3897. Dave

    It took an absolute age to get to the end of these posts and not a single one in favour. FTM will still work offline just not have support. I have only maintained my Ancestry World subscription because I use FTM, I also subscribe to FindMyPast which I prefer. Guess which one won’t get renewed. Bye bye Ancestry. A better solution would be a requirement for FTM users to have a current valid Ancestry subscription for the software to work with a 28 day countdown from last verification controlling offline usage or some sort of online token system. That would maintain your loyal customer base and satisfy your desire to tie us in to subscriptions. you could also make the tree synch function non optional.

  3898. Margaret van den Beuken

    I am extremely unhappy with this decision. I have close to 100,000 individuals in the various branches of my family tree all meticulously documented using information available through the ancestry site as well as other sources. If I cannot use FTM, what is the use of continuing my world annual subscription that I have held for twenty years? Unless ancestry plans to use another family tree creator to store and link the information, what are long-time researchers expected to do? I have always used FTM to store my genealogical data. I am not only disappointed; I am more than a little annoyed.

  3899. John Hurfurt

    Just to say that I agree with virtually everything that has been said before. Please listen to your customers and don’t do it!

  3900. Barbara

    NOT HAPPY AT ALL!! It appears Ancestry has gotten too big for their britches. I purchased this my software update a year ago and NOT ONE WORD was mentioned to me that support would be discontinued. Had I know I wouldn’t have purchased it; but then Ancestry is getting so greedy that they would even continue to see software they have no intention of supporting in the future. Wasted time on maneuvering a site that they had to change, and now software support is going away. Truly Ancestry. I pay the premium monthly price for the coordination, etc. but there truly is no reason to pay for any of this any more. Family search is much easier to use, and I can find stuff on there I can’t find on Ancestry. Truly there is really not a reason to continue subscribing to Ancestry once the year is up and they quit supporting the software that goes with the site. Adios come December; I will spend the next months getting ready to move my information and money elsewhere.

  3901. Dena

    Why? Why? Why? FTM has all of my family info and now you want us to do away with all of what we have gathered over the years? Shame on whoever decided this. What program are we to use now? Have you offering another program that we have to buy? DO NOT discontinue FTM!

  3902. Steven

    What a terrible way to treat loyal customers and seems to completely ignore how valuable our data is, often representing years of work and research. It seems the trust we placed in Ancestry to look after our data has been misplaced. I use FTM all the time and really dislike the online interface. I am also wondering if this might be the start of a bigger process to make the FTM software into a subscription service, similar to the direction Photoshop and Microsoft Office seem to be moving towards. If so they might in due course welcome us back to the software providing we are prepared to pay them a monthly subscription for it. That would also not be a smart move. I am left HUGELY disappointed with this company.

  3903. Jeremy Goff

    I can understand the decline in the market for desktop software, but could the facilities not be offered as a paid download? I purchased this product as it includes facilities to produce genealogy reports and tree charts – will this instead be offered via the website (like MyHeritage.com , a competitor)?

  3904. Graeme Rodgers

    Quote from advice concerning the FTM “retirement” as delivered to my email address.
    “As we strive to provide our customers with the best experience possible………..we’ve made the tough decision to stop selling Family Tree Maker”.
    How am I, being who should be a valued customer of Ancestry, even try to attempt to interpret this alarmingly contradictory statement. The management of Ancestry should be ashamed of itself, not only for the intended removal of FTM, but the appalling manner in which it’s advice was delivered.

  3905. Coral

    You therefore have taken our money under false pretences. i presume you will be refunding us on a pro rata basis. I shall after Jan 2017 nver subscribe to your site again. For me the reason was Tree sync and all its benefits…hopefully you will review your ridiculous decision and change it.

  3906. Colin

    Am very disappointed at this news. Over the years I have spent lots of money on Family Tree Maker and the updates and now you tell me you are leaving customers high and dry… not good enough to loyal customers.

  3907. Christine Hasman

    So what are we supposed to use instead? I’ve used FTM for years as well as the Family Trees function on Ancestry, and the simple reason is that I know for sure that the records on my desktop version are private. I owe that to all the people who are included on my trees who are still living. Unless the whole online Ancestry tree is private, living people are still shown on a tree, even if there are no details given other than whether they’re male and female, and I’ve never felt totally comfortable with that. Also, with a copy of FTM on my computer, I feel fairly safe in the knowledge that the interface isn’t going to unexpectedly change every few months. It’s software for serious family history researchers, rather than the Ancestry trees on your website, which seem to be mostly for newcomers to the hobby. Please, Ancestry, reconsider your decision.

  3908. Phil Lovell

    Received subscription reminder a couple of days ago, was going to renew but this has changed my mind. Goodbye Ancestry

  3909. Robin

    Been using FTM for a while now and very disappointed with this decision. Hopefully Ancestry will either reverse this decision or allow a third party to take over the product. Desktop & laptops are still very much in use by users – it’s also very important to have backups of trees and the easy ability to show an offline copy of a tree is invaluable – not everyone has 24/7 internet !

  3910. Roy Barton

    I updated my FTM for Mac in July as the previous version no longer worked properly; this cost me £40. There was no mention then of this software being made redundant within the next 5 months. In fact Ancestry are still advertising this product today (i just checked) knowing they are terminating it. Like many others who have commented I use a desktop version for convenience, security and speed. Also like many others I have spent a large proportion of my life researching and maintaining my records to suit how I work; most of this will be wasted if FTM is not maintained (which it won’t be) and I have to migrate to another system (GED only transfers certain data). There was no mention of the iPad version, is this also going to stop?

  3911. Kym

    With erratic internet connection a cloud based system is worse than nothing. The current ancestry on line fails badly when compared with FTM. Has anybody any suggestions for alternative software? Surely it would be profitable to find a third party software developer for FTM to develop into an ongoing desktop program interfacing to the cloud based data concurrently with your online program.

  3912. Diane

    Very disappointing decision. FTM is a wonderful back up with reports, charts and so many more functions that are not duplicated on the main ancestry site. I love my ancestry tree and enjoy working on it BUT like many others on this blog will certainly be reconsidering my subscription come 2017 if extra features are not updated / upgraded onto the main site
    Please reconsider or offer a viable / inexpensive / free service for current subscribers & users.

  3913. N Rendle

    I have been using FTM since 2005 and the invention of the tree sync has been such a huge help in keeping 2 trees in sync saving me so much time . I use FTM so much that I just cannot believe that you will let loyal customers down so badly. Some of us have huge trees and I dread to think what will happen when we try and transfer our trees to another software. I am afraid that many softwares have glitches and we may loose information/photos etc which we have spent years working on when we try to move them elsewhere.
    Hopefully my copy of FTM will continue to work and I will use it for as long as possible along with FMP because I will no longer have any loyalty to ancestry.

  3914. Jim

    I’m astounded that Ancestry don’t seem to understand their customrrs’ needs! If FTM is scrapped I can get everything I need from Findmypast, so I will have no need for Ancestry. I think they have lost their way with this decision. Hopefully the comments here will help the re-find it!

  3915. Rob

    Like many commenters have already stated, I think that TreeSync is one of the best functions of Ancestry – it’s certainly one of the reasons I chose to continue my subscription here instead of staying with FindMyPast. In many ways I prefer the website for searching records and expanding my tree but, for one thing, having the desktop sync makes looking through one’s large accumulation of image records much easier (not all of us have the luxury of fast and reliable internet connections). Also, do you plan to make the web app more sophisticated – allowing for merging and splitting trees, for example, as one can currently only carry out with FTM? In its current state, the Tree function on Ancestry is usable but not of a high enough standard.

    I understand that the software market is moving over to cloud services, and this might be a better niche for Ancestry – but you’d better provide some sync/API functionality for users to continue integrating their web work with other desktop software, or you’re going to lose a lot of custom.

  3916. The withdrawal of FTM will be a big mistake. I have spent thousands on building my tree which I have chosen to make available publicly. I will cancel my subscription and withdraw my tree from Ancestry if there isn’t a rethink on this. One very angry long term customer. FTM sync is the main reason I use your website. My subscription is due for renewal in Jan 2016 so your decision not to support this any longer has made my decision easier. Good bye Ancestry.

  3917. Like everyone else who has commented, I am appalled at this stupid decision. I also will not be renewing my subscription and moving to Find My Past – CRAZY DECISION Ancestry

  3918. Nigel W

    When FTM and treesync stops working I will swap to another PC based Family Tree Software package, as the alternative, Ancestry’s online offering is not suitable for what I want. I also have no intention of storing my years of research into some 3rd party cloud where I have no control of it or guarantee that I will still be able to get at it in year to come.

    I will then seriously question if I need Ancestry.com anymore as it’s the ability of the site to work with FTM on my PC that I want.

  3919. N Leaney

    Very disappointing – it seems more like a way of enforcing subscriptions to Ancestry than any other reason (and do you not recognise that I and presumably many others, only came to Ancestry and paid for a subscription having purchased FTM first? Its a great way of dipping your toe into the water of genealogy without committing to a subscription, it allows you the freedom to locally transport your research data to a range of other products without the need for an online connection. Perhaps I can understand a decision to stop giving away free Ancestry membership in the box but to discontinue what must be the most successful application of its type (especially given the feedback received so far on this site) seems to be a mistake.

  3920. Jimmy

    Another example of Ancestry more worried abut profit, and would rather screw the genealogical community over said profit. Blow back on this will be immense.

  3921. John

    We will look back on December 2014 as the beginning of the end for Ancestry. I have no confidence that you will actually listen to your customers, suspend the imminent imposition of the new style format and reverse your decision about FTM. If instead you asked your customers what they think would improve your services, and put your energies into delivering their wish list, then you might still be able to turn this round and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. You’d better act quickly though. You’ve been hole below the waterline and the good ship Ancestry is going down.

  3922. Andrew Barker

    This is very disappointing news ! Like most people using FTM, they use it to manage, sync and maintain an offline copy of their tree not to mention the assets associated with their trees.
    When my Ancestry sub last ended, I realised you can’t view records that you had attached to people. on Find My Past, when your sub ends, you can STILL access the records because you have in effect bought them. At least Ancestry need to match this model, so you can still view what you have ‘purchased’ otherwise you’re just wasting money.
    Maybe by this time FMP will get better and more people will be jumping ship. Shame, because I like the way Ancestry works on-line, though I don’t like the new layout. It takes longer to navigate and change information.
    Unless Ancestry is going to use some similar FTM software, it’s not going to be good for many people…… disappointing !

  3923. John

    We will look back on December 2014 as the beginning of the end for Ancestry. I have no confidence that you will actually listen to your customers, suspend the imminent imposition of the new style format and reverse your decision about FTM. If instead you asked your customers what they think would improve your services, and put your energies into delivering their wish list, then you might still be able to turn this round and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. You’d better act quickly though. You’ve been holed below the waterline and the good ship Ancestry is going down.

  3924. Paul Gioia

    You’re joking!? I just paid my money and have yet to get the program to work, and now this! The whole reason I got the desktop version was because of how lame the web version is. So how to I get my money back? I’ve been going to and from with support for months trying to sort this out. Very poor form.

  3925. Madeleine

    This announcement has made me angry.

    I have been paying the annual sub for the highest level of access in Ancestry so that I can research worldwide data and compile family trees in Ancestry which I then sync to FTM.

    I use FTM reports to identify errors, to create lists and for various other things.
    I use FTM reports together with charts from Charting Companion to create my family history books in a format that is unique.
    I cannot do any of that in Ancestry.

    Fortunately I have FTM 2014 and FTM is fairly robust so I believe I can continue to use it with or without the sync function. But I shall remove my 5 trees from Ancestry and cancel my sub the minute the sync function is withdrawn.

    One question, has Avanquest Software had a hand in this decision? After all they are the makers of FTM.

  3926. Jen

    Here in rural England, our broadband is very slow, erratic, (2mbps on a good day) and frequently down, no mobile signal either, which is why I must have FTM to access my tree at all times. So this decision, together with the imposition of the ghastly new interface leaves me having to find an alternative as soon as possible.

  3927. David

    Well the research for a new solution has to start. I will NOT allow the only copy of my data to be in the cloud risking 30 years of work.
    The desktop interface is so much easier and BETTER to use than that of the cloud, especially where there is poor broadband.
    I understand the issues but there is such a huge user base of FTW and it CAN NOT be fully replaced I see no commercial or piratical logic to this decision.
    Time to start trying other solutions from providers who value the desktop.

  3928. Les Parsons

    A am appalled at this decision. We all know that FTM is MUCH more user friendly than the website. How can I print off family trees? What about hourglass charts, descendant charts etc, etc? If these issues aren’t addressed I will be withdrawing my membership and going elsewhere!

  3929. John Gibson

    I recently purchased FTM and now feel that I have been conned. If you withdraw support I shall cancel my membership.

  3930. Scott Haskell

    I hope that some other records database, such as familysearch.org or cindi’s list, figures out a way to incorporate FTM with their search engines. That way when we all dump our Ancestry memberships before 2017 we can use FTM with them.

  3931. Daphne

    I am also very I happy about this decision. Nearly every comment here speaks my mind for me. I’m so disappointed. I’ve spent so many hours putting my tree together and now I’m worried about losing it.

  3932. Peter Rogers

    4342 people against so far, if we all pull out that’s a loss of income of approximately half a million US Dollars, would Ancestry be bothered about this loss of income? And presumably more comments to come

  3933. Sandra DiGirolami

    I’ve been using FTM for about 20 years. I don’t want the internet to be the only place to keep my Family History. I want to be able to print out information for my family members. I am disgusted Ancestry is discontinuing FTM. I think I will end my subscription to Ancestry then next time it is due. Ancestry really needs to rethink this stupid decision.

  3934. This will make a big difference to my decision to continue membership. I have already been tempted by FMP but the ability to sync with my Family tree maker programme has kept me with ancestry. The ability of printing charts and reports from FTM is a great advantage not available on the online tree. Besides which as a pensioner I live from subscription to subscription not knowing if I will be able to afford the next one – safe in the comfort of knowing that I had my own copy – At least I did until now. If it means having to update two trees then forget it. Don’t forget that it is the subscriptions from your customers that have given you the means to buy all the new records so don’t you think you should consider their needs?

  3935. EJ

    Will you come up with another way to sync the trees offline? I feel a bit uncomfortable having all of my efforts only stored on a website. If things go awry, I might lose everything. Please reconsider.

  3936. Chris Moore

    I have just cancelled my subscription to this overpriced unreliable website.
    I have been using FTM as my research tool for many years and now you are no longer going to support it. Ancestry however, is more than happy to take clients money and stick their fingers up to those who support them most – FTM users. Fortunately, I use FTM mainly as a scratchpad transferring results to “The Complete Genealogy Builder” when I’m satisfied with the accuracy of my research.
    Looks like I’ll be moving over to Genes Reunited from now on.

  3937. Anna

    I have only just purchased (2 weeks ago) and started populating the ‘international’ version of this software thinking that I would have years to explore and document my family tree. Obviously NOT! I would like a refund please.

  3938. Davaid T Bellamy

    You cannot be serious !!. Do you really expect customers to continue to subscribe to Ancestry ?. You must have a viable alternative FTM product that can be used to take the place of FTM, and synced with Ancestry. This is the only way to make Ancestry a viable investment for FTM users. Without an alternative compatible software, Ancestry will be viewed as a Very Expensive research tool. This is definitely very bad news for Ancestry. Can’t you see what damage, and faith in Ancestry this will generate. ? Why not simply freeze further development of FTM and stop customer support for the product. ? Why are you so determined to shoot yourselves in the foot. ! And a Merry Christmas to you.

  3939. Jacqueline

    This is a very short sighted decision – and begs the question of who owns my family tree – myself or Ancestry?
    If you go ahead with this decision then the software should be opened up to other companies so that we continue to get support after 2017 – after all a Family Tree is never finished! Fortunately I do not have my information synced to Ancestry and will not be renewing a subscription, instead I have gone to Find My Past.

  3940. EstelleWolfers

    I’ve been using FTM since a very early, pre-Ancestry release, and while I don’t much like the current user interface, I don’t like storing everything online either. You are assuming that everyone has constant access to decent broadband and that is just not the case – to take this country village as an example, when it’s on it’s very fast, but when it’s not we’re stuck – and it only takes a storm or a power outage. Please, please reconsider what is a customer-unfriendly and, frankly, arrogant and insensitive move.

  3941. Ed Hamblin

    It is obvious that Ancestry did not check to see what the customer base wants. Bad corporate move! It appears that many folks will bail. I have felt for a long time that the 2 products (Ancestry and Family Tree Maker) go hand in hand, not one exclusive of the other.

  3942. Christopher Whitmey

    Why kill the goose that lays the golden egg? FTM or its equivalent is the FIRST and key step in FH before uploading to a website. I guess I’ll be quitting Ancestry.

  3943. Anrigaut

    Is this a (very) bad joke? Apparently not – so I can only add my small voice to the many others here who are appalled by this sudden and brutal decision, a real stab in the back to all those ‘loyal’ supporters of Ancestry who – unless you have a radical change of heart soon – are unlikely to remain loyal for much longer.

  3944. RWP

    I find this a very poor decision on your behalf and protest most strongly for you to reconsider this pronouncement. Can you please answer some of my questions / concerns re this decision, namely: –
    I’m presuming the existing tree on the website will stay exactly the same ?
    A feature of using Ancestry is preserving my work outside of the dependency of Ancestry to view and add content etc; question is, will this be possible as a “guest” user ?
    Are Ancestry building a reporting feature of Family Tree Maker so we can at least generate the information to print ?
    Please answer ASAP as frankly I will not be renewing my subscription.

  3945. Dave Garland

    A terrible decision and one that may destroy their business. Answers to the questions posed and a further statement must come soon.

  3946. John Bell

    The desktop sync you provided was great. You are making a huge mistake, I too will be searching for alternative software permitting the stability of off line work. I am disappointed.

  3947. Alan Bunting

    Without FTM I would have dispensed with Ancestry some time ago and used the other one as my data source FTM has always allowed me to have a safe backup, off line record of my data and the ability to produce reports that I find extremely useful. If FTM becomes unusable then I am afraid so is Ancestry and I will save myself one subscription per year. I don’t need updates or any other fancy “improvements” just a simple and safe way of storing my data safely on my devices and backed up her at home. If FTM goes then so do I; and from the comments on this blog so do many others.

  3948. Nina

    Very disappointed in your decision. I have used FTM for many years & love tree sync because when I am out doing research I can still have access to my tree when internet is not available.

  3949. Kevin Taylor

    Ancestry was one company I felt I could trust to support the genealogy cause. Hopw wrong was I? I have lost my trust for them completely now.

  3950. Colin MacGrath

    So, no more sales after 31/12/2015 – then ?no support after January 2017,, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Think about all the upgrades you have sold, now all these users have been sold down the river. Then to pour salt into the wound, you are trying to sell you DNA test at £99. What is going on in your corporate minds?

  3951. Howard

    This does not seem to be a particularly valid marketing model. The sync feature of FTM works very well in the Mac version and seems to be the main reason many subscribers subscribe. RM is a good program which could replace FTM if the sync feature could be incorporated. Otherwise, many members will leave Ancestry, I am sure.

  3952. Andrew Pickering

    Bad choice. So you know, if I have to choose, I choose desktop software. Ancestry membership will have to go.

  3953. Brian R Pepper

    Sad news, but maybe the spur that we need to look at alternatives; RootsMagic, Legacy, Family Historian etc.
    In a competitative world, FTM is not the only software and Ancestry is not the only one of its type either! FMP, The Genealogist, FamilySearch……They’ll think again, I think, but only as subscriptions are not renewed throughout 2016.

  3954. Vince Carty

    Thank you for the advice that I will need to find and alternate product for the management of my Family History research. I initially selected FTM due to it’s seemless integration with you online archives. Since you will no longer be supporting FTM and most probably my selection of FTM was an obvious mistake. I will now have 12 months to source an alternate software solution. At least I can thank you for the advance warning giving me ample time to find an alternate. A REFUND of the purchase price would be requested since you are no longer providing the service contracted for via my initial purchase and subsequent upgrades. An UNSATISFIED customer.

  3955. Jeffrey

    I am very disappointed in hearing Ancestry’s announcement to discontinuing ftm desktop software today. It is a software that I rely on for day to day genealogy research, editing, viewing and printing of parts of my tree. FTM is a big reason that has kept me using Ancestry’s website and services. With so many other websites offering the same information (and some more), I have stayed with Ancestry because of 1. Quality of service. 2. Familiarity if the system. 3. Ease of not needing to change.

    Doing genealogy on the scale that I do is not an option without a desktop software for many reasons (some which may be obvious to you already).

    If this FTM discontinuation happens, Ancestry will lose many paying customers for their core service subscriptions where these customers need both the offline-online, desktop-web relationship and will probably only be able to find this in a competitor. I don’t know of another desktop solution that connects to Ancestry. I do know of some that connect to other services.

    In addition, people like me that publish trees for clients to Ancestry actually have to send our clients and their thousands of family members to Ancestry to view the trees that we have created for them causing free exposure to Ancestry’s website and services and giving the website service votes of credibility by their research genealogist. What will happen if their genealogist is forced to choose a different platform such has MyHeritage? It would cause both Ancestry not to gain this exposure and for their competitor to gain new exposure slowing growth at Ancestry and creating a stronger competitor.

    I urge that you reconsider your decision and issue a retraction as early as possible because in the next month we are all going to be scrambling to find replacements and afterwards, it may be too late.

  3956. Gordon

    Shock announcement!
    There was much said about what had been achieved, but not much about the future. What will become of the online tree making facilities?
    For some people with large trees, migration to another desktop app will be difficult.

  3957. Andrew Mowat

    I think you can see the strength and depth of feeling among users. I think you have miscalculated this commercial decision, and may now be beginning to see that you will lose vast numbers of members by discontinuing the software. At least you have given us a year to change to different software. You have also made clear that you have no intention of helping us to do so, which is sad, and loses you any goodwill that you may have accrued.

  3958. Rose

    I have used FTM ever since its beginnings and have only ever used it on line with a GEDCOM file – I have always kept my main database on my PC. Never did like the idea of freely giving away all my research to an independant company. I still use as my main software my 2016 version of software but also use the newer 2012 version for reports only. I am not surprised at this move . Don’t rely on commercial websites like Ancestry – your research is entirely in their hands, keep your main database with all your research notes, photos etc., on your PC with plenty of backups.

  3959. Jeremy Waters

    This is an appalling decision. I feel cheated. Forty years of research is on FTM, and I have no intention of putting all of it on the web. First you bought an earlier competitor, Family Origins, and then killed that off; now you are intending to do the same with FTM. You are going to lose a lot of your loyal customers by this betrayal.

  3960. Phil

    I WANT my research on MY computer – not on a subscription site. Sadly FTM was the best of all such programs but I’ll transcribe (or port) my records to something else. I’m not going to be held hostage to your commercial desires.

  3961. Kathleen Garwood

    I think this is not a good move on Ancestry’s part. I use the FTM as a backup in case Ancestry is down and I can still work on my Tree. I DO NOT WANT TO USE THE NEW LAYOUT. I cannot understand it. I shall certainly be considering not renewing my membership with Ancestry when it comes up for renewal. Please, please rethink this as I have always been happy with Ancestry up to now.

  3962. I have a 2005 version of FTM, which I still use to store information, especially private and confidential records, and to print out reports. I have been considering updating to a newer version, but there is no longer a point. I am very disappointed!

  3963. Steve Hyde

    Well it looks like aside from making a very poor decision you have failed to explain to people that FTM that they own will continue to work It simply won;t be developed any further and in 12 months there will no longer be any support. So you have caused much much more angst and confusion that was necessary. It is however a bitterly disappointing decision because FTM is an excellent product. I do not keep my FTM database synched with the web version because there are confidential details recorded there that I do not wish to have visible online and you provide no mechanism for hiding them.

  3964. Kevin Port

    A terrible decision which has clearly not been thought through and with no consultation or alternatives proposed. I will also be withdrawing my subscription when it falls due.

  3965. Keith Truman

    I’m not happy about this decision at all. One of the benefits of using Ancestry was they way it integrated with FTM. If Ancestry are not going to support this linkage then I may as well cancel my membership and focus on only using FindMyPast.

  3966. Danny Mink

    Ditto on the 4000+ above. After Microsoft dumped XP it became quite apparent software producers have no interest in loyal customers. My only concern is: Will everything on my software transfer to my online subscription?

  3967. Alan Cohen

    A very sad and bad decision. I have used FTM for many years but will certainly cancel my Ancestry subscription if this change goes ahead as there will be no point in continuing with it.

  3968. Michael Thomas

    Another way of extracting more money from users, once FTM has finished you can jack up price , lets hope a White Knight comes along to stuff you.

  3969. Thomas Higgerson

    This is the worst news I could have gotten from ancestry.com. I have been a subscriber for several years, faithfully paying your monthly fee, and the links between your site and Family Tree Maker are indispensable in my research. I can only echo the sentiments expressed in the THOUSANDS of comments that have been expressed here. When these thousands of customers express their displeasure and state their intent to quit your site, do it mean anything to those who make these foolish decisions? Do you take notice of what your customers are saying? Does it bother you at all that your customers feel betrayed? I am at a loss to understand the reasons for your decision and for your seeming indifference to what your paying customers want. I will resign my subscription to ancestry.com when I can no longer synchronize my tree with your site. You have truly driven me away.

  3970. Derek

    Very disappointing !!! If the sync function will no longer work, I have 30 years of work down the pan ! With my main data on Ancestry, I have Family Tree Maker on my laptop and also the Ancestry App on my iPhone – what will I have to do now to keep them in sync ?

  3971. Jimmy

    and btw Ancestry. If this decision is not reversed I along with the majority of your users will (1) delete all my trees, (2) Cancel my subscription.

  3972. Malcolm V

    Here in UK you were already losing market share to FindMyPast who must be bracing themselves for an avalanche of new subscribers.
    Following the release of your new UI, the only reason I didn’t move was FTM.
    I respect your right to optimise revenue. I won’t be part of that process. All my research is now on hold whilst I secure my FTM data in preparation for migrating away from Ancestry.
    Furthermore, I have brought you several subscribers and will have to help them find another home for their trees.
    And yes, your new UI is infantile to experienced researchers although it will look enticing to novices. They will soon tire of it as they gain research experience.
    Goodbye!

  3973. Andrew Howson

    After all these years of research I will have to start all over again and compile my tree on different software.
    Don’t they care about us mere subscribers, 10 tears of world membership, seems like this counts for nothing…..

  3974. mary

    I can’t believe you think the desktop app is declining. Not everyone upgrades every year as we do. Why not come out with a new version every other year? But don’t discontinue this very very valuable software to the family genealogist. I for one do not want my information in the cloud. I want it on my own computer with my own backups. Please don’t stop this program. It is way too valuable a product.

  3975. David

    CANCELLED MY ANCESTRY membership – My Ancestry membership only has about 3 weeks to run – I have just cancelled it – I have been using FTM since about v2 or maybe even v1 and am completely disappointed and quite frankly gobsmacked at this decision. – The research for an alternative has started.
    If everyone does the same maybe they will see scene as it is obviously a decision made on financial grounds – hit them where it hurts as they have hit us where it hurts….

  3976. Thomas Higgerson

    This is the worst news I could have gotten from ancestry.com. I have been a subscriber for several years, faithfully paying your monthly fee, and the links between your site and Family Tree Maker are indispensable in my research. I can only echo the sentiments expressed in the THOUSANDS of comments that have been expressed here. When these thousands of customers express their displeasure and state their intent to quit your site, does it mean anything to those who make these foolish decisions? Do you take notice of what your customers are saying? Does it bother you at all that your customers feel betrayed? I am at a loss to understand the reasons for your decision and for your seeming indifference to what your paying customers want. I will resign my subscription to ancestry.com when I can no longer synchronize my tree with your site. You have truly driven me away.

  3977. Roger Wilson

    I would just like to agree with all the comments made so far. I too find the web interface far more clumsy than FTM and also worry about having all my data “in the cloud” with no local backup.
    I assume the program will continue to function after January 2017 but without the sync and web search features. Can anyone from Ancestry confirm this? At least this will give us the choice of using FTM as a standalone program, albeit with manual updates from research online.

  3978. Ros Loades

    Very disappointed in your decision. I have used FTM for many years & love tree sync, so I can use with or without internet connection. Had just renewed my subscription too. Will be looking for alternatives.

  3979. Stuart Coles

    As a professional genealogist I use FTM software for recording & storing information and production of charts, data files etc, which my clients find useful. I am disappointed with Ancestry’s decision but is probably time to move on anyway.

  3980. Nancye Cowan

    I cannot believe this decision has been made. I have used FTM for over 20 years, it will be like losing a wonderful friend. The reporting system in Ancestry is not nearly as comprehensive as in FTM. You will lose a lot of your clients!!!!

  3981. Donna Hertha

    I agree with the other comments and am extremely disappointed with this decision. I have been a loyal customer for 15 years, but no more. I will cancel my ancestry.com subscription if FTM is discontinued.

  3982. Jim

    TERRIBLE MISTAKE and a BIG lack of understanding on your part. I purchased Family Tree Maker to manage my tree and only subscribed to Ancestry.com because of the smooth integration it has with this software. You are throwing away the BEST and most useful aspect of Ancestry.com (that is quite unique in the industry IMO) to discontinue TreeSync. I use my FamilyTreeMaker all the time without connecting to broadband, and find it MUCH more useful than the online product. This decision will place you more and more OUT OF SYNC with what consumers want and lose you more business than any of your business decisions yet!

  3983. David

    I will carry on using FTM until I find an alternative. The software will still work for a few years yet. However I will not be spending any more money on the Ancestry site… I will certainly be looking for a site that has integrated desktop software, but I doubt I will find one!

  3984. Sooh

    Ditto to the comments above … This is terrible news. I have been researching my family tree for over 25 years and accepted the changes over the years. FTM is far superior to Ancestry with its functionality. The website version is cumbersome. You are losing your customer base … fast! Time to look elsewhere.

  3985. Sacha B

    I don’t believe what I just read! Surely not?! This is a completely crazy move and one that not many people would be happy about or support. Please rethink this move, on behalf of EVERYONE that uses ancestry!!!

  3986. Mark

    I WILL be storing my research on my own pc. I will sync to Ancestry where I feel it is appropriate. I have used FTM since it came out and have been a subscriber to Ancestry because of that for many years. There are plenty of other resources out there such as Find My Past. I’d like advice from Ancestry as to which is the best software to move my data from FTM into. Depending on what advice Ancestry offers loyal supporters such as myself, I will then decide whether I continue with Ancestry or just continue with my Find My Past subscription. Please can Ancestry comment on this?

  3987. jwaghorn

    After a lot of investigation, I decided to use Family Historian a couple of years ago. I can recommend it. It’s the best one I’ve found. I don’t do “cloud”, I prefer everything on my own hard discs. This Ancestry decision proves my point.

  3988. Trevor Williams

    That means the end of my Ancestry subscription. Finish up current research, print hard copy, and look for another site that supports my work. Not good enough Ancestry! This is a major breach of consumer trust.

  3989. Jim Staley

    My wife and I have taken mountains of physical notebooks, photos, and family history and transferred nearly all of it into the electronic Family Tree Maker and used this software for over 10 years. When you added TreeSync, it was a tremendous help. The iPad app made it easy to use our tree on the road. Now you want to eliminate much of this capability! What a giant step backwards! From the comments on this forum, your (formerly) loyal users are highly disappointed! I hope you are monitoring this forum and are reconsidering this decision.

  3990. Arnie Johnson

    I know that this is a blow to many of you who have been using FTM for many years. I too used it in the early days, but I made the switch to Roots Magic and have been very happy that I did so. I have found it very easy to work with. Roots Magic started out as Family Origins, probably about as old as Family Tree Maker, so they are not some fly-by-night outfit. Roots Magic might just be the genealogy software you need to look at.

  3991. Jackie

    As a long time member of Ancestry, to say I am disappointed at this announcement is an understatement. I was recently thinking of upgrading my version of FTM. I have three trees that I am working on – my family, husbands family and best friends’ family. What I would like to know is, what is going to happen to the trees plus all the notes, reports etc that I have generated? Will I still be able to access them from my desktop? Or will I have to spend goodness knows how much on printing them before they disappear? I agree with Christine Hasman ‘s comments regarding tree privacy, software etc. Ancestry – it would appear you really haven’t thought this through. Where is the full breakdown on what will and will not be available via Ancestry, to us serious genealogists? Because from the comments above, it seems you may well have shot yourself in the foot.

  3992. Graham

    Very disappointing and short sighted decision. I selected FTM as the best of the bunch 20 years ago. I only subscribe to Ancestry because of the links with FTM. I will be off as soon as I find another programme to use. I need the desktop software and refuse to have Ancestry’s online copy as the Master Copy. I find the hints interesting but not That interesting and where would I get the reports and relationship calculator. Although you are, through the small print, allowed to use what we submit in any way you see fit, there is something unpalatable about you taking the work we have created and then not allowing us to access it unless we pay your huge fees. In short, I want FTM not ancestry. Please reconsider.

  3993. Kathleen Lord

    So as a relatively recent purchaser of FTM I can expect one more year of support and then I’m abandoned?? What then? I don’t see any answers from Ancestry in the blog so far! The point of using FTM to build my family tree was to be able to leave a legacy of research for my children to build on in the future. This is a terrible decision from Ancestry and I hope some answers will be forthcoming very soon.

  3994. John CAMERON

    6000 people in my FTM tree, 40yr work, 10,000hours in past 4years, backup FTM twice a day. When I had a problem with my online tree I was able to avoid catastrophe by uploading FTM tree, without FTM my lifetime work would have been lost!! It makes no sense at all to have online Ancestry tree without my FTM backup. Malicious cyber-attack of website would also result in loss of my online tree – in the past there have already been minor cyber-attacks on Ancestry so the future remains precarious. Surely today’s news is just a bad joke? PLEASE continue to support FTM – without FTM,Ancestry would be hopeless.

  3995. Eric PERKINS

    Well you have just lost another customer as I will not be renewing my subscription. Yet another example of a greed driven company. All in all a PR disaster don’t you think!!!

  3996. Jeni

    To add insult to injury, I see Ancestry is still advertising this software for sale – no warning to new buyers. I too am quite upset by all the recent changes but as yet, I.m not sure of my alternatives.

  3997. Rhoda Boutin

    Sera paying members,. If I have this right,, Mr. Hulet has all this experience and all theses innovations under his belt. He gets promoted in March of 2015 and makes this horrendous decision. The Board of Directors should reconsider and “retire” him, NOT FTM!!

  3998. ronatfin

    Good Bye Ancestry. I only use Ancestry because of the ease of importing facts into FTM. Its search engine in poor. Its transcriptions are appalling. Searches produce very large numbers of results that have nothing whatsoever to do with what you are searching for. Without the connection to FTM I will not renew my subscription so it will be Ancestry’s loss every year. Their online App is appalling to use compared to FTM. If large numbers desert Ancestry which could happen their future could be in danger together with all the trees on their site. Beware.

  3999. Shon

    Very disappointed in this decision. You are not thinking of those who have used this, wanting an offine, safe avenue. I would like for Ancestry to give precise information on alternative ancestry research sites and how to prepare our trees to be downloaded to them. Exact information please. Rather, I would prefer Ancestry to change their minds, thinking of their loyal customers.

  4000. Annie

    PLEASE RECONSIDER! We all seem to be saying the same thing–we went with Ancestry because of the software in the first place. I am not interested in only working on-line and storing vital information only on line. I will cancel my subscription with Ancestry.com if you continue with this decision, and use another software company.

  4001. Tim Herrett

    Mr Hulet. One thing you should never do in business is to propose ending something without giving clear guidance as to what the alternative is in the future. The huge amount of negative feedback on this page confirms that and you should be ashamed. This is potentially one of those mistakes that brings a company to it’s knees. Maybe some clarification would help matters in the short term.

  4002. Tricia Watkins

    I think this is VERY disgraceful. Research takes many, many hours and I too use FTM to backup Ancestry. Will you please reconsider? If not will there be a replacement that we can upgrade too?

  4003. Michael

    Ridiculous. Although FTM was lackluster compared to many other desktop software, at this time there is no other way to download a GEDCOM with the images we have spent so much time linking (census, our own photos we uploaded and shared, etc.). I DEMAND, yes DEMAND, that some option be made to either find a way to allow us to export our GEDCOM on occasion WITH our documents and images, so that we can update our OWN desktop programs, otherwise Ancestry becomes useless to me. If I have to save the images and then also link them manually into my own PC software, it’s almost not worth the trouble as that will triple the time spent building a family tree. Better figure something out, I’ve had ancestry for a VERY long time. If I can’t download my research with images, it’s useless to me, and I will probably cancel.

  4004. ClareG

    I can’t believe this decision. I, like many others have been fully paid up member of Ancestry because it syncs with FTM. Please reconsider.

  4005. Tor Gunnar

    I have used the FTM for many years. The termination of updating FTM was sad news. I hope Ancestry will help their customers to convert the their files to other family programs.

  4006. Roger

    It would seem that Ancestry needs to take note of the vast amount of feedback given on here and rethink their policy of abandoning Family Tree Maker. I would suggest that a major reason why fewer people are buying the programme is because the vast majority of those wanting to build family trees have already got it. Like many others I have been using FTM since its very early days and have stuck with it for so long because I still believe it is the best around.. I rarely use the on line sites as I am very reluctant to allow my personal details to be available to anyone else. It looks as though I, like many others will have to transfer to a different tree building programme which will mean that I never again will use Ancestry for any of my research needs. With many others doing the same thing, Ancestry will soon find that they have killed the goose that lays the golden Egg

  4007. Daver

    Well, it’s pretty obvious from all of these comments that it is a poor decision and hopefully management will reconsider.

  4008. Jim Bisset

    Stupid, stupid decision. No more Ancestry subscription for me. If anyone finds a plot anywhere, it belongs to Ancestry – they’ve lost it.

  4009. L Hopper

    I agree with other upset customers. I am very annoyed you won’t be continuing development of the software. The least you could do is support the latest version with updates and compatibility for the next 10 years, this will give time for someone else to build an equivalent tool. I think you have missed a point when software is in decline – in general it might be, but hard-core family tree makers like those 100’s that have commented here, like to have a software on their PC. Not only this, the software interface is easier to use when you have many people, files, photos, sources, etc. like most of us do. Please reconsider your decision with justification from these comments. Have you ever thought that because you haven’t brought out a new version in 2 years that people are waiting until you do before they purchase again? I know I am. I have 2012 version and was hoping for a new version this year – but nothing. Please do not leave your disgruntled customers like this.

  4010. Lou

    It sounds to me that the decision maker at Ancestry thought that ftm itself should make profits from ftm sales alone. It doesn’t seem like this decision maker is taking subscriptions that the ftm buyers are paying for into account. It is part of the lifetime value of the customer.

    In addition, perhaps raising the price of FTM (to $99 or $149) will fill the profit gap for the nearsighted visionary that feels that the profit needs to be seen directly from the sale of the software and not from both the software together with the subscription revenue that Ancestry receives from that same customer. In my case the $49 software doesn’t come close to the $200 subscription fee that Ancestry also charges me, which of course is only coming to them because of the software that enables me to do my job. No software = no subscription.

  4011. Alan Elsegood

    My personal investment in genealogy research amounts to around 12 years and several versions of FTM. The cost/value of that is immeasurable, but I’m now over 70 and can’t contemplate starting over with new and possibly incompatible software. Surely Ancestry recognises that such research extends over many years and the whole point of developing a family tree is so that you can pass it on to future generations and they don’t have to start again asking the same questions. Is this just a wind-up so that you can come back and ask us for higher subscriptions and increased software prices?

  4012. Roger Peek

    I agree with the vast majority of posters here who are appalled by this decision. If you really did appreciate feedback, as you say you do, then you would have consulted with the membership before making this decision rather than announcing it as a fait accompli. One can only hope that the prospect of loss of loyal membership that it seems will result from this decision will prompt a re-think!

  4013. Steve

    I agree with all of the other comments about the fact that this is a totally shabby move by Ancestry, the desktop software is really the “workhorse” of the whole thing, the online page is very clunky and unfriendly. I hope you will reconsider the decision after so many extremely loyal users have supported the company over many, many years – ensuring that you become the company you believe you are!

  4014. BarryD

    This is not a good strategy for Ancestry unless you wish to lose customers. For all the reasons mentioned here, FTM seems to be essential in terms of maintaining one’s own records. It works hand in hand with the web facility. You’ll have to continue support or provide a similar facility or lose market share and a lot of goodwill.

  4015. Mary Pearson

    I am so very concerned about your decision to cease supporting FTM. I have recently upgraded my FTM for Mac and in the last week or so have reinstated my Ancestry sub, and now am feeling that this was a very poor investment. I would not have reinstated my membership if the advice re your abandonment of FTM in Jan 2017 had come a couple of weeks earlier. I also have a subs to your competitor, Find My Past, and the major point of difference which informed my decision to resubmit was the capacity of Ancestry and FTM to sync. I am happy to use cloud technology as a back up or way of sharing, but there is no way that I would trust any entity to protect and control access to the very precious intellectual property which is closest to my heart, and represents so very many years of work. Clearly I will need to source an alternative database that I can manage on my MAC, and once I have done so, can see no value in continuing to subscribe to both Ancestry and Find My Past. As a customer, one of the attributes that I projected onto Ancestry was a strong values base and commitment to family and quality family history research. Perhaps you will be surprised by the outrage and disappointment of your subscribers, (who consider themselves members of a community) and will reconsider your decision knowing that the commercial impact is likely to be far more significant than you have discerned. As other users have suggested, change is inevitable, but transition to a another system that preserves the “ownership” and “persmanency” and “confidentiality” of data would be a win win rather than a lose lose. Thank you for considering my feedback.

  4016. Martin Tolley

    I suppose with 2 million subscribers Ancestry feel they can lose a few thousand (over 5400 negative comments as I write this) without it denting their income a great deal. They must have done the calculations, they can’t be that stupid. I mean they have a world-leading product with masses of repeat subscriptions year after year, folk logging in to their site (reading the adverts) every second of every day, contributing data and trees for other folk to see, building up their databases for them, there are folk who correct the errors in their databases for them on a world-wide basis. So it has to make sense to retire a key part of that interface and send people off to competitors doesn’t it. No wait….

  4017. Darren

    Other than being able to search online the main reason I pay the annual fee is to maintain the Desktop product. I want the option to keep my Family tree on my own hardware. Poor Vendor Judgement.

  4018. Jim Dupler

    A very poor business decision. As a FTM user for over 10 years, this will be devastating to my research and 1000s of records. Please reconsider this poor decision.

  4019. John

    You actually have a great piece of software in FTM, which cannot compare to the clunk box of the current web interface and functionality. SURELY you should at least maintain the ability to use of the existing FTM software with the SYNC option until an alternative becomes available. Even beyond 2017 I am sure that your marketing and sales people no of the 7 multiplier and the negative feedback you have generated here will be generating a big number of unhappy campers. Not too many positive responses here.

  4020. Rhoda Boutin

    Dear paying members, After 4400+ mostly negative comments, I posted one saying the Board of Directors should reconsidering their new Senior VP’s status and their horrendous decision. It was immediately removed.

  4021. Having just read through a lot of these comments, I must just add something else which you appear to have forgotten: Huge numbers of genealogists (yes, including me) do their research in spurts. We work on it for a year or two, then come to a brick wall and stop researching for a while. Often it is several years before we feel we are ready to continue our work, which is when we decide to subscribe again. So .. what? Do you SERIOUSLY expect us to keep up an expensive yearly subscription during these ‘down’ times, simply to keep possession of, and access to, our own work? You might WISH we would, but only a complete idiot with money to burn would actually do so!

    Keeping all your data online is universally advised against.
    Your new interface is truly awful to a serious researcher.

    Your decision to stop supporting this software WHILE STILL SELLING IT to an unsuspecting public is nothing short of outrageous.

    You will get no more subscriptions from me.

    I have had no notification about this decision, probably because my subscription is, at the moment, lapsed. But guess what? I have at least two emails begging me to update my payment details so that you can subscribe me for another year! I hate to use this word, but I am simply gobsmacked at your audacity.

  4022. David Nangle

    As soon as I read the email I had to look at the calendar thinking we had transported back to April 1, and of course it’s not an April Fools joke you really are serious.
    What a crock of poo. You guys must be absolutely crackers to abandon FTM, I’ve went through this before with my Cycling Diary software when so called entrepeneurs just abandon their product and it is just too traumatic to go through with all my family research. Thanks for the great Christmas present Kendall Hulet, you must be the ultimate Grinch.

  4023. Sally

    There is really nothing more to say. Except add my support to the other 5000 people. I have had FMT since about 1990. This is totally unbelievable! I have thousands of records on it & linked to it. This seems a very thoughtless action that you are undertaking. What about your loyal supporters over the last 25 years? I do have a reduced version of my tree on ancestry – & reduced is how I wish it to remain. This is MY information! that I can access at any time with or without internet – it is NOT ancestrys!

  4024. Sharyn Young

    How disappointing…no past disappointing…shattered….I have been using ancestory for many many years and about 5 years ago switched form Brothers Keeper to FTM, the reason being that it is compatible with ancestory. How can you possibly “retire” it , when thousands, if not millions of people use it. You have become too focussed on money……How can you do this and without providing a solution.

  4025. Den

    What an unprofessional way to make a highly contentious announcement to your supposedly loyal customer base. Just a bald, commercial statement with no indication or suggestion as to how we loyal users are to continue to record our research. You have made the mistake of assuming that Ancestry online recording is equal to and a substitute for desktop offline software.Most of us merely use Ancestry as cloud backup for our FTM, syncing for us being the main selling point for Ancestry. Ancestry does not have the flexibility of reporting, printing, error checking that FTM has, and whilst having pretty coloured family trees, it is more clunky and over complicated.
    Having clearly made what to you is a good commercial decision, you have thrown out the baby with the bathwater. Please make the FTM software available to some other organisation who fully understands the needs of family historians, but allow them to still sync with Ancestry if you still wish us to use your site.

  4026. Chas

    Very disapointing, I use the pc software as my main tool and use the sync to back up the date. I will not be using the site without the pc software, WRONG move ancestry.

  4027. seecan05

    Are you addressing any of these concerns? I only see the comments. Many questions here are valid and deserve a response. Where are the replies?

  4028. Kerry

    This announcement should have answered a few basic questions that everyone has about this decision before it was announced. 1) will other software be able to sync into ancestry now that you will not have your own proprietary software? 2) will you put all/most of the ftm features into ancestry site (reports/tasks/search).
    I would not be able to organise my research properly using the ancestry site as i dont think or havent been able to find a way to search through things, ie how do you find everyone that served in the army? I can do this using ftm but wont be able to after 2017. Where are tasks/to do list going to be held. the numerous reports/charts etc that can be run through ftm.

    If these questions arent answered I will need to start investigating a new software tool as I although I have loved ftm and ancestry there is not way I can research my tree in an orgainised manner using only the ancestry site.

  4029. Jim

    Passing the software to NOVA a year or two back sent a signal that Ancestry were less interested in keeping the software going, let alone “state of the art”. I hope they have a way of getting this back on track otherwise I don’t see a great future for their business model.

  4030. Sean Lathey

    I for one prefer the FTM to using the online or app versions, as it’s more flexible and easier to control when adding data. Very disappointed by this. I presume once the support ends, sync will automatically stop. I will only be using the FTM software, as i won’t be doing it online.

  4031. Michael

    As a second note, you know what you are going to be left with, which is fine if you’re just after money. I consider myself pretty serious about my research, and I think most of the other serious people here use ancestry with FTM in concert with other desktop software. Without the ability to download the images and docs we link, it’s useless, therefore, you will lose a lot of serious researchers. Why is this important? Because many people that you will have left are “light” researchers, who just lean on others trees and “link, link, link”, with no research our other sources linked to validate, and we “seriious” researchers are also the ones who upload a lot of valuable data such as our photos, histories, bibles, etc. When this is all gone, you will be left with a bunch of light researchers who have nothing but suspect trees based on just linking back and forth with other suspect trees. You are going to lose a lot of serious personal depth in the database. Think about this…

  4032. Kirsten

    When you disagree with them, I love how they can label posts as “spam” and wont allow them to appear…. so instead of being able to see my carefully constructed criticism here, I have gone and cancelled my yearly subscription that I’ve had for several years. Time to find a new site.

  4033. John Sillitto

    Mr Ancestry – do you not realise that your subscription service and website are so successful precisely BECAUSE of users using the Family Tree Maker software. The two services go hand in hand for the majority of users and each one individually is of little benefit against competitors services.

  4034. Graham Beard

    Sorry, but this is the same as eBay has gone. The ‘About the Ancestry Blog’ box above should more honestly read: “We hope you’ll notice just how determined we are to make as much money as possible out of our customers’ passionate interest in family history and the products we’re building to help connect families over distance and time.” Ancestry, the software market may be declining, but it isn’t yet by any means dead. You probably have many thousands of customers who do not want to put all their eggs in one basket (ie on-line). The very least you should do is produce reliable transfer software so that users can transfer their considerable data (eg mine is in excess of 3000 individuals) into another software program. This is VERY poorly thought through!

  4035. Mick

    I do hope you’re going to improve the reporting and search options in the web version then. Those are FTM features I will seriously miss.

  4036. Anne Perry

    Can only assume the ‘bean-counter’ who dreamed this up is not a genealogist himself and doesn’t appreciate the time and effort put into creating Family Trees and therefore the disruption this will cause to many researchers.

  4037. Audrey Willingham

    It would have been nice to be told via the Ancestry website and not picked up via a link on facebook, I prefer to use the desktop version and then sync with the web so I can use on the go but like to have all my docs available on my PC this is very unsatisfactory one years notice is not good enough, I had not after 25+ years intended to give up my hobby in 12 short months I am not intending to die this soon….

  4038. Gjdavids

    You have a responsibility to make a buck for your shareholders – I get it. But when your customers OVERWHELMING reject a decision, do you really think that decision is sustainable? There is no evidence in this feedback that the clientele effect will save your new business plan.

  4039. Ged Parker

    what’s missing from your announcement is any reference to enhancing the functionality of the online tree to match- and better- that of FTM. I suspect that the vast majority of FTM work offline and view the online version as a useful but severely limited addition.
    It’s a bit odd forcing your customer base to separate out online and offline activities, which only drives them to competitors.

  4040. Jeremy Hales

    First you treat us like children in your new look web presence. We’re apparently unable to create a coherent sentence without electronic assistance and are incapable of using what should be a research program without having it look like a fourth-grader’s pastiche. Now you want to remove the most useful part of the whole package. My subscription will not be renewed.

  4041. Jeremy

    My first thoughts are that this is an utter betrayal and disrespect for Ancestry’s loyal customers.

    Then my thoughts turn to how to make the transition from the excellent Family Tree Maker to the purile new online interface. A cursory comparison gives cause for concern. Where in the online version is the information entered under “Notes” for a person in FTM? Also, for a particular individual in FTM I have 59 media items. That same individual in the web version only has 58 items, despite showing that the trees are fully synced. I’m sure there must be many, many other bits and pieces missing from the online version. If Ancestry is retiring FTM it shouls at least make sure that the replacement FULLY reproduces the original.

    In FTM it’s easy to see media libraries and source lists. In the online version where do you even begin to look to find a list of all your sources?

    FTM users have spent YEARS faithfully entering data into a professional software package. All of this investment of time, not to mention cost of the purchase price, will be lost.

    I hope and pray that an enterprising company will come along and issue some software that will fully and accurately sync from a FTM tree and present it in an adult manner. When that happens I will willingly give that company my money, and am considering ending my longstanding association with Ancestry in favour of The Genealogist, Find My Past, Genes Reunites and others. From today I will be researching contingency plans and looking for other ways to store and expand my tree. I don’t trust cloud computing without having a local backup.

    My impression is that over the years Ancestry has moved from treating its customers as passionate fellow genealogists to merely being cash cows. At present, I believe you don’t need an Ancestry subscription to access your online tree. My fear is that once FTM has gone that will change and you will effectively be held hostage and have to pay to access and work on your tree.

    I am devastated and disappointed by this news and challenge Ancestry to actually LISTEN to its customers.

  4042. Tren Torode

    This is a tremendous disappointment! I settled on FTM from the long defunct Family Tree 4 which I still mourn for. Now you are doing this to us all. It is deplorable! But does this decision mean that FTM as a program will cease to work all together when support is withdrawn? If it doesn’t, I will continue to use it for as long as I am able.

  4043. Diana

    How sad that we will no longer be able to use a link between FTM and Ancestry. It was so useful. I have always subscribed to Ancestry because of this whilst keeping all my found information in FTM. I am glad I bought the latest version because I can continue to use it but will be reviewing my 2016 subscription and may check out other providers.

  4044. Colin Martin

    At our Family History Group of 25, most of us use Family Tree Maker and have subscriptions with Ancestry.
    We were just about to embark on an study of the finer points of FTM. Now there is no point in it. This is like striping away the arms and legs of the body of Ancestry.
    It wouldn’t surprise me if most of our group looked to another company.

  4045. Gordon Griffiths

    The writing was on the wall with the failure to produce an update version for two years – but that doesn’t make it a poor decision which will harm Ancestry’s business. I won’t post my tree on the main Ancestry site because of copyright issues, so I’ll look elsewhere

  4046. Margaret C

    I’m very disappointed that FTM is to be killed off. I upgraded to the 2012 version purely to allow me sync with ancestry, thinking that this is bringing genealogy into the future. I was quite happy with FTM 2005 which has features that 2012 does not have. Also, FTM 2005 duplicate persons report works, but 2012 certainly does not, which is a pain. I don’t see the point in using Ancestry hints after Jan 2017 if I can’t sync to and from my laptop. Please reconsider this crazy decision, as it does not appear to suit your customers, only Ancestry.com.

  4047. Helen Barton

    I need to know what will happen to my family tree data on FTM and whether it will still work the same for me. Would you please explain all I need to know in simple layman’s language for those of us that are not too computer savvy?

  4048. Dave Deeming

    This is the lousiest bit of news yet! First you force your “New improved” version of Ancestry upon us, despite thousands of complaints, and now you tell us you’re going to stop supporting a brilliant piece of software that’s been working wonderfully with your old system. Like many others here, I use a desktop PC, and, to my mind, you can’t beat ’em, especially as you get older and your vision isn’t 20/20 like it used to be. Well, thanks a lot, Ancestry! – and a Happy Christmas to you too! – BAH, HUMBUG!

  4049. val

    Shocked to read this. I have just upgraded my FTM. So much was brilliant with FTM, I loved the A to Z of Places feature. Surely you have the IT knowhow to leave FTM functioning for reference. It horrendous to think about even facing the loss of all that input. Please reconsider this very bad decision.

  4050. Hutcho

    An unbelievable decision – even worse than the change to the horrible new website format! I echo the thoughts and comments of the many users who have got here before me. FTM and its ability to synch with the online site was one main reason I started with Ancestry.com and have stayed there – including buying FTM upgrades as they have appeared. I fail to see why declining use of traditional desktops should be used as an excuse. Not only are there still millions of desktop users, but FTM also functions well on many laptops and tablets. I will seriously have to consider moving elsewhere as my current subscription reaches its end. . . . Bah! Humbug! Mr Ancestry Scrooge .

  4051. Martin

    What a cynical, soulless, exploitative decision! And Ancestry are still selling Family Tree Software without any mention of the planned discontinuation of service. Please explain that? Will obviously not renew my membership and move to another supplier. Ancestry knows the price of everything and the value of nothing as the accountants and profiteers take over. The new normal. These things are always presented as for the benefit of customers. Nothing could be further from the truth.

  4052. Andy

    SHAMEFUL – your web site is still selling FTM without any warning that it is expiring / not supposed beyond Dec 2016!!!!

  4053. KELVIN SMITH

    I have been using FTW since it’s first concept and usually update to your latest release. Your support until Jan 2017 is pathetic. You should follow give your loyal users at least 5 years worth of bug fixes if nothing else. Like everyone else I think your attitude is very poor.

  4054. Andrew Stainer

    What is so unprofessional about this announcement is that customers are not offered any positive ways forward. For example you could have tied up with another software provider to provide easy data/media transfers at a special price. But all we get is a direct cut-off. Very poor and it will hit you hard I fear.

  4055. Lisa Weedman

    Will Ancestry be providing the reporting features that are available in FTM that are not available currently on the website? That was one of the reasons I purchased the software was due to the robust reporting capabilities – among others. This is disappointing to hear.

  4056. Mike Barnes

    This is outrageous.

    I can understand the logic to this, but have to question the validity. FTM is a great tool to be able to work on trees away from the Internet, and provides a far superior publishing facility. I have only recently upgraded my FTM specifically because of the sync capability. Without this capability I will seriously have to question the value of my Ancestry subscription.

    I would suggest that Ancestry may want to reconsider this decision which is very negative. At least keep the sync facility with FTM packages.

    Regards

    Michael Barnes

  4057. Ian

    Appalling – money grabbing – profiteering. Whatever happened to customer service??? You should be ashamed. Another fine example of take the money and damn the customers. Think again Ancestry or lose a massive number of your customers.

  4058. Darren T

    I’ve been loyal to ancestry since I started my research. I think the software package is the best around and I always upgrade to the new version, I also like the sleek way the software and the online records merge. Without the software however I feel there is now more incentive for me to use other companies. Needless to say I’m not very happy about this announcement.

  4059. Mark

    I will add my voice to the chorus. The only reason I have stayed with Ancestory is because I can work offline but also share that work with my family via the web. But the key for me is to be able to have an offline version of my research and my tree. If this is available through third party software then sober but if this facility is not available in the future then I will also withdraw my support. Do not remove that with makes your team of offerings special.

  4060. Jimmy

    Too bad Ancestry is privately owned by PIRMIRA (holding co.). I’d make a ton of money shorting this sucker. This decision is like killing “Classic Coke” on a genealogical scale.

  4061. Jim

    This is upsetting to say the least as I’ve just paid my world subscription last month. I really think I deserve a refund as you must have known this was going to happen at this time.My most important question is will I still be able to use the programme to store the vast amount of info I’ve gathered since 1996!.I will certainly drop Ancestry next year(if Idon’t get my refund!) and stick with Find My Past – their records seem to be more accurately transcribed as well.I can only agree with EVERONE on here too.

  4062. Lise Hebert

    I am so disappointed. My tree contains data that is very personal as well as information gleaned from a wide range of sources. I do not have an online tree nor will I let Ancestry have access to all the work that I have done for more than years. This may go down in history as one of the worst business decisions ever.

    PS. I hate the new “look” of your service.

  4063. Terry S

    So now I do not have anywhere other than your website to store my information. How do I access it offline? Where do I store all the documents I have collected over many year? Oh – on your paid for website! You just smack of corporate greed and verging on the same kind of corporate attitude as Martin Shkreli ie not giving a toss about the people who use your products and grabbing as much money as possible. Ancestry YOU SUCK!

  4064. Brian Payne

    What an AMATEUR announcement, a genuine example of how to alienate your clients, ever thought of including some proper explanation of what it means!!!!!

  4065. Katherine Thomas

    Very disappointed. I use my desktop software almost exclusively. Hate the way the software works on web and ipad! Plus I can back it up, keep it safe myself, and print from it. Won’t continue my subscription either. Will begin looking for another site and another integrated software provider!

  4066. Alan Elsegood

    Further to my earlier comments .. for several years, Ancestry has been building its facilities with the active assistance of many thousands, perhaps millions, of subscribers and purchasers of its software. It is they who have provided the funding for and the bulk of the body of research data you can now draw on. When I started working on my family tree, there was NOTHING and now I’ve built a rich site for the international Elsegood family, to which Ancestry has access. I’ve always considered this to be a reciprocal obligation – I’m sharing my data with other subscribers and your company for the purpose of conserving it, not allowing you to decide you’ve done and gathered enough, so now you can focus on more profitable areas. Shame on you! What you must do if you expect to sell any future services is provide a platform of software onto which existing members/users of FTM can port their data and use similar functions to access, print and distribute it.

  4067. Alasdair Macnair

    I’m at a loss to understand what software I can use to support all the work I have done using Ancestry after January 2017. Can you advise ?

  4068. Paul

    Very disappointed and feel let down and abandoned by Ancestry. Please reconsider your decision.
    Working with FTM much easier than online.Don’t like the new design for online tree on Ancestry website. Love the Sync to FTM.
    What does Ancestry recommend we do in the future?

  4069. Unfortunately just the kind of high handed approach I have come to expect from Ancestry. I do not like my data on line on someone else’s website and can only assume this move is to persuade everyone to put their trees on line with Ancestry so Ancestry can make even more money by selling off this information. I retracted my data from being on line with Ancestry when I found them selling it on a CD without my permission.
    I have used FTM since it was first issued and updated to every new release, quite an investment in time and money. I now have 45 years of research in that program. Even if I can find a replacement, it will take me months if not years to move all my data to a new system. GEDCOM’s will not port over all the information I have in FTM.
    About the only reason to stay a member of Ancestry, which I am, is for the treesynch facility, without that Ancestry has no value to me as I am also a subscriber to other better services.
    Ancestry obviously do not care what people think or they would have consulted with users rather than just abandon FTM.
    I don’t expect Ancestry to be a charity and they have a business to run, but the continually reducing price of FTM was a indication a long time ago of their intentions to the product. The fall out implications of this are massive in terms of lost subscribers to Ancestry. This financially driven decision may well prove to be one they wish they had never considered.
    The decision makers may wish to return to business school and read up on all the disasters caused by businesses cutting out a product that seemed non-profitable only to find it was key to the success of other parts of the business. Its rather like a car manufacturer deciding they will not make steering wheels any longer as they are not profitable on their own, ignoring the fact they are essential to their final product.
    Goodbye Ancestry.

  4070. Michele Swindell

    I have also just bought a new copy of the Platinum edition after I lent mine to someone & they lost it !!! Obviously the main reason to subscribe to Ancestry was that you could use the 2 together, I will not be renewing my subscription :o(

  4071. Peter

    Will you be adding the locations feature to your web site? I like to be able to look quickly at where my family came from. That was why I “bought” the software from you. I concur that a refund is in order if you really do cancel this.

  4072. Jane Clucas

    I don’t know what I’m going to do. I have over 7,000 names on my FTM. Why are you doing this? I don’t begin to understand why Ancestry should make such a decision that will adversely affect so many people. Please reconsider.

  4073. Tim Hill

    Wrong decision – the whole point is the way that FTM and Ancestry work together. Taking away FTM means in the UK “Find My Past” is the online site to use. I hope they fill the gap in the market left by your withdrawal.

  4074. Gillian Gibbins

    I really don’t understand the implications of this. Can you explain what effect it will have on me

  4075. Chris

    Silly move. I can only echo the previous posts – I will continue to use FTM as my main database, and look for other web sources. Think you may have shot yourselves in the foot here!

  4076. Ben Washington

    I hate the new online Ancestry, and was about to migrate to Family Tree Maker as an alternative when we are forced onto the new version next week. Now you’re telling me I don’t even have that option. Please reconsider.

  4077. I am trying to understand how or why a business would comit suicide, and I’m stumped. You cannot possibly not realise the importance of FTM, it is the core of your business. You will be plucking out your own heart. Please reconsider this rash action which will end your business.

  4078. Alan

    This is a real blow as Family Tree Maker is the only reason I subscribe to Ancestry and will not continue to do so if/when it does not sync with my online tree.

  4079. Bonita

    I currently have ten trees posted to ancestry and had planned to add several more. However, now that you are discontinuing FamilyTreeMaker, I will be removing my trees from ancestry and canceling my membership in January 2017.

  4080. Dan

    Just want to add my displeasure with this decision, who’s a lawyer on here, we’ve all wasted many many hours making our trees, we bought the software because of the description given to us by ancestry of what the software could do for us, the software will no longer be fit for the purpose it was sold to us for. Can we launch a class action for refund plus damages. Money is the only thing ancestry understands after all….

  4081. Janet Good

    How will we sync our tree’s now. I have spent many yrs building my tree with your help. But will not be renewing my subscription in the new yr which is what I was going to do, since I have got some new leads. Like every one else on here, not happy about this.

  4082. James Mackay

    Others have explained my feelings more eloquently. My long attachment to Ancestry looks as if it will end in August 2016 when subscription expires.

  4083. David A

    This is the worst business decision Ancestry has ever made (and lately they have been making a few). If you think FTM is expensive to maintain, try costing the loss of your most passionate long term customer base. You are turning your back on the very people who built Ancestry with their data and hard work. I can’t imagine how a risk analysis didn’t identify the repetitional risk of an adverse social media campaign as a result of this ill conceived decision to no longer support FTM. Or maybe you just don’t care anymore. Loyalty is a two-way street.

  4084. Laura

    WOW! After reading most of the previous posts there’s really not much to add other than – If you continue with your plan I believe you’ll lose a great many supporters. PLEASE DON’T DO THIS!

  4085. Andy Morgan

    As a programmer, I understand the complexities of creating both a web-based product and a pc based product, and the issues regarding syncing these products together. But rather end FTM altogether – maybe a better idea would be to turn it into a read only type system where Ancestry.com users could still download their data – but that all data entry must now be completed online via Ancestry.com’s website. This would enable reporting, and use of 3rd party products, and moving/securing data – all while limiting your programmers need to sync systems back and forth. Without FTM – downloading all my tree data and citation media is nearly impossible. Very sad development Ancestry. I’ve been doing genealogy long before this web came around – I’ll still be doing it after FTM. And I’ll still be using Ancestry. But it sure won’t be as easy 🙁

  4086. Kit Pemberton

    A REALLY BAD and STUPID DECISION! I too am a long standing customer and have thousands of records which represent many years of work. Unless you reconsider, you will have killed your business by alienating so many people.

  4087. JM

    Worldwide subscription cancelled this morning. Now have a few months before it ends to transfer to new software. Ancestry tree will be set to Private and no longer up-dated. Good job, Ancestry.

  4088. Tony Guster

    What an astonishing litany of condemnation I am reading! And who can blame us? By taking away their mainstay, in one stroke you have turned a world wide community of committed researchers and appreciative customers into an hostile, angry and anxious hoard. Have you a death wish?

  4089. Richard Hill

    Can I see a supportive comment? No. Does that tell you something? Yes. Will you listen? That’s the real question! This is a terrible idea! ‘Product Management’ hah!

  4090. Ricco Dublin

    Disappointed bought FTM 3 (OSX) because I found that online was not as reliable as I would have expected
    iPad app is a disaster
    But I have to say I am not surprised as quality has been dropping
    Overall I would call this a very poor commercial decision
    But as things

  4091. Susan

    Terrible idea. Please change your mind. I don’t want to have to work online. Guess I’ll have to give up on Ancestry and go elsewhere.

  4092. Rae Knight

    Final nail in the coffin, Ancestry! Just who is it that is making such awful decisions on behalf of your company? I suggest you get rid of them while you still have a company of any worth. Awful new (but definitely not improved) website, everything dumbed down – just who are you trying to attract? At least you’ve made it easy for people who were trying to decide whether to stay with you are not. I never work on my tree in Ancestry – always in FTM and sync up to Ancestry. I will have no use for your site any longer.

  4093. Colin

    URGENT ACTION PLAN
    1. With immediate effect make your online tree private. Don’t allow Ancestry to benefit from your research.

    2. Over the coming weeks check out other UK (not US based) sites and see what they are offering to ex-Ancestry users. They will be very keen to help with transitions.

    3. Having chosen your alternative make the transition and check that all is functioning correctly.

    4. Now delete your entire tree from Ancestry and cancel your subscription.

    Footnote:
    Please bear in mind that Ancestry is, I believe, a privately owned company in Utah and they exist for one reason only – to make money. Most of their millions of subscribers probably don’t use FTM and just use the site for research purposes. Supporting FTM is no doubt an expensive overhead and without it their bottom line will show better results.

  4094. Don Fava

    Well that’s pulled the rug from under my feet!! FTM is quite simply the best software I’ve used for Ancestry research. It is the glue that binds together your database records and I’ve spent many hours producing charts, reports and finding new links. But you already know all of this – it’s your core business – so you must have something else in mind that you’ve not told us about? Otherwise, I have to ask: Are you having a laugh?

  4095. Nigel Richards

    Shabby treatment indeed. The whole point of a FTM/online Ancestry combination is the synchronisation functionality. RootsMagic (tacky & amateurish to my mind) does not provide for that. One advantage of FTM is that you can take it on a laptop someplace where wifi is perhaps not fast enough to allow online Ancestry to function properly and still display up-to-date information about the tree you are working on. One of the earlier posts mentions the lack of decent hard copy data output from online Ancestry – something you really should be looking at rather than wasting time on a glitzy new version that doesn’t fix something that wasn’t broken anyway!

  4096. Tim Gosselin

    I have 20 years with you and you just pull the plug on us? I will not be renewing my subscription next spring. Going to take a hard look at Legacy and working with LDS for data. I can’t believe you!

  4097. Rick Knecht

    FTM is what makes ancestry.com most useful to me. Like many others I now find that I must race to preserve what I can before 2017. I don’t want to entrust all my work and family history to some bloody cloud. Please listen to your feedback on this.

  4098. Pam Hurley

    Shame on you. Yet another company that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing, and what fantastic timing – just before Christmas and what should have been a happy New Year.

  4099. Freddie Barman

    Nothing but a cynical ploy to drive users into a permanent membership cash-flow, rather than dip in and out of membership. Your data is to be held to ransom!

  4100. Karen Seckold

    Great, just got used to using 2014 and was hoping for 2015. Are you people mad, yours is the most popular software in the world and you are throwing it away???

  4101. Helen Warburg

    Have you considered offering it to a third party to carry on supporting / developing the software? I seem to remember you bought it in in the first place.

  4102. Paul Miner

    I also agree with all the other comments here – I do not want my tree in the cloud and the apps for mobile platforms are terrible. There is no longer any reason to continue my Ancestry membership once it runs out and I will immediatly start my search for a solution that I can rely on. In my opinion, this decision is an absolute disgrace and the person making it should consider their resignation.

  4103. Bernard F

    I think the earlier posts say it all – you have upset a lot of people. I too have spent years and a lot of money using FTM and Ancestry. I will continue to use FTM but it’s good-bye Ancestry.co.uk once my current subscription ends. I refuse to be bullied into paying for a cloud service. Microsoft and Adobe have already gone down that route. I have in effect paid for one for years (ancestry.co.uk) but that was my choice to do so for research but this smacks of corporate greed. Ancestry seems to prefer the business model of regular income by locking customers into making regular payments rather than the more moral model of product sales. But I guess that’s what happens when the majority owner of Ancestry is a Venture Capital company (Permira)
    Bye!

  4104. Pauline Watts

    PLEASE PLEASE do not do this to all your loyal customers who rely on Family Tree Maker. ” If its not broken don’t fix it” !! You will have a lot of unhappy customers and cancelled subscriptions including mine.

  4105. J L Bailey

    Well, thanks a million, Ancestry! I changed to FTM because my original software became obsolete and I had to re-enter all my data by hand. I can’t possibly do all that again with lots more data. When are firms like yours going to realise that storage in places like the cloud are not permanent? The whole system may crash one day, you know. The whole point of creating a family tree is to leave a record for one’s descendants. Is this the start of a move to follow the trend of making everything subscription based instead of being able to buy software?

  4106. Jim

    I use FTM as the tool for storing MY research on MY computer. As others have said, I only have a back up on the website and only share a cut down version. I have no plans to work exclusively in the cloud as I want to keep my data mine. As such, I guess I can continue to use it for as long as it still works. This should be long enough for someone to recognise the gap in the market and develop another solution. In the meantime, I can choose my subscription based solely on the online service. Today I think I would have to choose Findmypast.

  4107. Renato Schulman

    Shame on you. The reason I started to use Ancestry.com many years ago was the fact that it linked with FTM. I was looking for a software with multiple capabilities for printing reports and FTM’s main advantage was that it synchronized with Ancesty.com. I never looked for another alternative since, until now that is.

  4108. Don

    My subscription was due on 14th December. Needless to say I have cancelled it. The best part of Ancestry was FTM on my desktop. I didn’t have to go online to show family members my research. What happens when the net is down? You put money before customers then you won’t get much of either.

  4109. Tony

    I really enjoy using FTM as I find it much more user friendly than your website. It has great features that the website does not offer.
    Can’t comprehend why a company would dump such a popular resource in a growing market.

  4110. Peter O'Loughlin

    This decision to kill off Family Tree Maker at very short notice is incredible in itself, but the way it was announced is an excellent example of absolutely terrible Public Relations. Almost no information at all as to what your many members using FTM are expected to do in the future except the negative information that the ability to use the programme in conjunction with Ancestry will shortly come to an end in only 12 months.
    I presume the actual program will still work, frozen in time and in isolation just like Windows XP Pro still does all I want, and if it won’t connect with Ancestry’s information there will be no point in my paying an annual subscription to Ancestry – what would it be for – no information on this.
    FTM, though not quite perfect, is a very good and up to now extremely useful program that must have brought Ancestry many thousands of subscribers. I hope you will issue a detailed e-mail as to what you suggest as alternatives, as at the moment it just seems a crass attempt to cut costs and totally against your statement that you strive to provide your customers with the best experience possible. In fact you seem to be about to destroy my chief retirement interest.
    Happy Christmas.
    From Peter O’laughlin.

  4111. Please explain what will be the point of keeping a membership with Ancestry.com after 31 December 2017? I use the syc facility to access other members’ trees and verify or add to me tree. Will I still be able to access other members research? What facilities will Ancestry offer me? I am at a Loss to understand.

  4112. Elizabeth

    Maybe we all leave Ancestry and go to My Heritage or the like 🙁 Very poor Ancestry. You are going to loose a lot of customers if you go ahead with this 🙁

  4113. Jeremy

    As an after thought to my earlier comment, I would suggest that everyone makes their tree private… why should Ancestry offer other people’s research and pass it off as their own?

  4114. Joe H.

    It appears that the European hedge fund “Permia funds” is treating Ancestry.com like the manager that raised the price of a pill from $1 to $750. To heck with the users, it’s all about the investors.
    A lot of us don’t have I-Pads or I-Phones and still rely on desktops, disks and paper. I guess that’s like the stone-age for some of you managers. Go ahead, run it into the ground and let someone else clean up the mess. My thanks to all those who cared about these family histories and records BEFORE Dec. 2012 when “Permia” took over.

  4115. Nicola Imrie

    Terrible decision. I don’t upload everything to Ancestry. I have a lot of my unverified info on the desktop software because I only attach fairly definite data to Ancestry.co.uk. I’ve paid a lot of ,oney to ancestry and added value to their database. I.e. if I stop subscribing they still have my info which can feed into others trees and if no-one else in my family wants to pay the subscription the info is lost to them but Ancestry have those connections I have built to inform their development and produce hints and tips. Also, when I don’t have internet access or just want ot be working offline how do I access. My mum bought FTM before we had internet access and the reasons we got it remain the same. We wanted to keep the data on computer and accessible to us. Having the online trees has different advantages – NOT THE SAME product. Please reconsider.

  4116. Mark

    This is a bad decision, and probably due to costings….However, If you did your research before you made this decision, ie, ask the members of this site, you would probably find that the members would want to keep this…..and I don’t think that how may people put comments on here, you wont comment on any of them…I wonder how many people will leave due to this…..a bad move indeed…….

  4117. Angus

    Disappointing – I purchased FTM as to complement my Ancestry tree and TreeSync was a key part of that decision. I wish now, in retrospect, that I had looked elsewhere. I suspect the clamour for a refund will go unheard – but I sincerely hope that you will look to link up with another brand of desktop family tree software. Sure, we can download/upload GEDCOMs, but that’s not the same as being able to link to the source. If your apps had off-line capability, that may go some way to filling the void, but that’s not the same as fully-functioning family tree software.

  4118. Mary Bourgeois

    This is so totally unexpected and unacceptable. Considering the enormous amount of money that I have invested in your software and also the ever increasing cost to access your website I can’t understand what you could be thinking. I predict that everyone will change their setting to private and remove as much of their content as they can over the course of the next year. Good luck staying in business after that. This is the dumbest move I’ve ever seen.

  4119. Judith Beattie

    A dreadful decision. I just purchased my FTM a month ago. I purchased it because I want to be able to keep a copy of the records on my own computer as a backup to the online website. I do not like having only an online copy and I frequently like to work on FTM in locations where I do not have online access. I have a large tree of over 24000 people and the iPad app is extraordinarily slow. I do not wish to break my tree up into small sections as I have parts of it DNA linked. I’m really not happy with this at all.

  4120. Rick Massey

    After an ill considered, and unilateral bad decision like this customers are left with only one good decision – Goodbye – there are alternatives. The route to corporate suicide merits reconsideration.

  4121. Alan Smith

    Oh dear, your announcement has gone down like a lead balloon, you really do need to reconsider otherwise you are going to lose a lot of customers, not to say the income you receive from our subscriptions. I started doing my research in 1997 using FTM and followed it through to the current manifestation which to be honest isn’t as easy to use as earlier versions. So where does this leave me, I’d hate to lose what information I have built up over the years, Please reconsider.

  4122. Robert Flood

    Why do I continue to bother with Ancestry. You are about to force me to use a crap new interface with annoying, irrelevant timeline garbage and you are now using the excuse of the relatively small number of people who only use apps on tablets to withdraw a program used by many people. The tablet app is a useful portable addition to desktop programs, not a substitute for them.

  4123. Deb Morrison

    I am upset to learn this news. I have been using FTM for many many years. Please do not take this great tool for family research.

  4124. Judith

    I, too, am shocked and disappointed. The ability to link to Ancestry [$300 a year for me] is one of the best benefits to owning it. Recopying info into a new database will be punitive and time consuming.

    Why not just forget trying to update FTM; leave it as is with the linking service. Ancestry on its own does not provide a viable replacement. There is no room for notes or any gurantee that personal notes and observations will not appear publicly in Ancestry itself.

    I see no point in sourcing via Ancestry. It will do me no service at all but will enhance the Ancestry product with the results of my research.

    Please rethink this!

  4125. It seems you don’t listen to your customers. We also get the new software on the 14th Dec whether we like it or not. I think you have had your last subscription from me.

  4126. Wrenda

    I prefer to use FTM so I am able to search for duplicates and errors, run reports, print charts and trees and do all the work I do daily on my tree. It’s Ancestry I can do without, and I will, especially since the site has become so cumbersome, unreliable and unstable with the new interface. How many times did we hear Crista Cowen describe her preference of FTM because it is “far more robust than any website could ever be”? And that’s the one they choose to discontinue. Sad.

  4127. Alan

    Very disappointed. FTM is generally a great programme and its interface with Ancestry makes it the best. I don’t want to keep all my information on the Cloud and want access within my home. The new interface is not actually very appealing. Bad Decision, please rethink as numerous emails above say. Don’t think I need to renew subscription next year if this happens.

  4128. John McIntosh

    Extremely disappointed to learn of your proposals. I, like many others came to Ancestry from alternative providers, simply because FTM was so much better. We have all invested much time and money in FTM. Your web site, regrettably, leaves a lot to be desired. .

  4129. Paul

    The reason I joined Ancestry.com was because of the FTM. Loved the way I can use Ancestry to search records add them to my on-line tree and then sync to MY PC. In FTM I have all my notes on when I have searched and where I have not, ideas and where I got information – far more than the basic facts recorded on-line. Without this sync to FTM I would be in a right mess. I had been thinking about subscribing to another of the FT search sites, but kept coming back to ancestry as all my data is synced to FTM. Now I will be free to subscribe to another sites as there is no loss of functionality. Thankyou Ancestry for the time I was with you.

  4130. Dave and Lyn

    You have demonstrated that you do not understand your customer base, nor do you care. Substantial numbers of your customers are saying that the FTM programme is central to their research, ancestry.com etc is used merely as an aid. You are dictating that we change the way we work.
    We will not be renewing our subscription in January although we have been a loyal subscribesr for many years. There are other options available that are cheaper, and seem at least as good.

  4131. joanne

    Really? Now what???? announcement 12/8/15 to be implemented 1/1/16 — this decision creates a lot of very unhappy subscribers — who benefits from this decision?

  4132. Steve Frampton

    Diabolical decision. I love FTM which is far better than your online website. Will now reconsider my subscription

  4133. Iain

    This is a most disappointing decision. If I want to access my tree that I have painstakingly created and updated through FTM, I will have to upload it to the Ancestry website or transfer it to another program and manually access data from Ancestry to update my tree. The whole benefit of FTM is that it syncs and searches the website effortlessly. So post 2017, I’ll have to use another program to gain support at a cost and subscribe to Ancestry and manually link……or stop my research altogether? A very disappointing commercial decision that penalises users, I wish you would reconsider this decision.

  4134. Brian Reynolds

    FTM is a major advantage over your competitors. The so called declining Desktop software market is irrelevant even if true because your web product is reliant on the desktop computer. The job can only be done on such equipment and local storage and manipulation is frequently of paramount importance. The additions to manipulate GED files without FTM would surely be required on the web as many facilities only exists if you have FTM. Many of us use Android or other laptops to carry and display to others while the PC is our primary workhorse for research. Desktop software will not be replaced until all those facilities are web based yet you say nothing about developing the site to take over what you are deleting.
    Your competitors will love you for it. They must be overjoyed by your announcement.

  4135. Jean

    I certainly will not be renewing my subscription. Had I have known about this last month I would not have spent £189 to renew. I like everyone else prefer to use my FTM as also have poor internet. Please re consider. I have spent a considerable amount over the last 15 years both on upgrades to FTM and subscriptions as I have always thought Ancestry to be the best programme but it could all have been a waste of money if I cannot use tree sync and other features.

  4136. Nancy

    This is it for me, I will not be renewing my membership when it becomes due. I will be going with Legacy. I don’t know who is running Ancestry, but the new website is awful and the ending of the software ruins it for millions of experienced genealogists.

  4137. Kevin Stephenson

    You are making a HUGE mistake in retiring Family Tree Maker, unless you’re replacing it with something better. This is how 90% of your customers ACCESS the information that you have compiled. I’ve been using Family Tree Maker since it first came out. I haven’t been able to renew my subscription lately for financial reasons, but I fully intended to soon. If you’re going to dump your software and leave us out in the cold, then I have no intention of supporting you any further. What are you guys thinking?????

    Kevin Stephenson

    Glenwood Springs, CO

  4138. Garth E.Staples

    After 30 years I have come closer to ending my research and have been recommending to others FTM and Ancestry to carry on my work. Any recommendations?

  4139. Vince Dooley

    Thousands of negative comments and still complete silence from ancestry??? “Chooks with their heads cut off” come to mind. Come on Ancestry management… answers please!!!

  4140. Ian

    Massively disappointed by this decision, yes I can see the decline of pcs/laptops in favour of Android tablets, but real family history research demands the larger screen that pc computers provide. Small display screens are for kids and are too small for real researchers. Having grown up with FTM, I am sad and annoyed to have to move to another platform and therefore away from being able to save/view my synchronised tree online at Ancestry. As for me FTM is one of the main unique selling points of Ancestry, and I can see me spending less with Ancestry and more on subscriptions with competitors. Big mistake, Far too early a demise.

  4141. M Hopper

    If this is a publicity stunt for FTM 2016 – they are doing great and I would be happy to purchase! haha. Nearly 5000 customers and counting…

  4142. Sam

    I regard FTM as a key part of Ancestry’s offering. Without further information and a way forward it calls into question the entire value of Ancestry and my renewal scheduled for this month.

  4143. Sylvia

    I dislike the new screens on Ancestry and they have merged facts and come up with nonsense. It is long winded and does not print up people concisely as it did previously. FMT is a fantastic product where all our private research can be stored and found again. Fortunately I have printed a lot of critical information. When you search on Ancestry now even though you know the information is there and you have found it before, it just does not come up any more. You are only concerned with PROFIT you are not taking customer loyalty into account. Shame on you it is unethical. We will be researching a new product along with everyone else here by their comments

  4144. Mary

    I started using Family Tree Maker when it was a DOS program. It definitely is time to find an alternative. For those looking for another genealogical program I plan to check out familysearch.org

  4145. Philip

    I have used FTM and Ancestry as my main research tools since 2002. This move just shows that Ancestry is all about PROFITS and does not believe in supporting their user membership.
    This was also demonstrated when they withdrew usage of the World Deluxe Package from the LDS and substituted it with the lesser value Institution Edition over money issues. That was another dumb cost cutting decision made by Ancestry.They have a habit of biting the hand that feeds them.
    I will be cancelling my subscription and spending my money else where if cancelling support of FTM actually does happen.

  4146. coleen

    Will county Genealogy society posted info on switching to ROOTS MAGIC. does anyone have any experience or recommendations on this familytree software? I hope the commenters on this blog can help.

  4147. Tony Sawyer

    Have been a member since 2004 and used FTM to build a tree, and so connect with family across the world. Like to keep personal data on my PC version of FTM, and share public tree with family elsewhere. Putting private data on a cloud solution is too risky (ID theft), so this will bring my tree work to a close in about 12 months. Thanks for ending what has been an enjoyable hobby. Hope your business similarly comes to an end.

  4148. brian reynard

    Had the company forgotten PR.
    Some questions:
    1. What is the situation in relation to the data you hold on subscribers families?
    2. Are you in the process of merging with another FH company (eg Find my Past)?
    3. Just what servics/information will a subscription to Ancestory provide?
    With so little information I cannot see any purpose in renewing my subscription, as I just do not see what I would be paying for.
    In my opinion, the powers that be at Ancestory have just killed off a company that had a faithful following and quite unusdualy provided a good service. Must be the worst Xmas gift to many of your members will receive
    Brian Reynard

  4149. Louise

    This is terrible news. I have had FTM since it first came out and maybe this explains why you had no FTM stand at the WDYTYA exhibition last year. I have just bought it for my sister in law too. I can only echo everybody else’s comments about the way forward. Could you not sell FTM to another company so that at least we can continue to use it as a programme for our family research? You will be the loser in all this as nobody will want Ancestry to have exclusive use of their data.

  4150. Suzanne

    The IT business world has first of all enticed us to the internet and then to cut their own production costs stopped providing us with software we could have on disk/usb and forced us to purchase and download online if we wanted it. Then charged us to be able to download again if we needed to reinstall or install on another computer.
    You promoted FTM and changed it from home computer only software to one that integrated with ancestry site to allow us to search and save faster and more efficiently.
    You got plenty of new subscribers through this unique tool provided within FTM.
    Now you blame downturn in software production for your decision. Just because other software companies decide to stop doesn’t mean you should especially when your market base is dependant on this partnership between site and software.
    I for one will now not be encouraging people to subscribe to ancestry for hand in hand I usually recommend FTM for them to use.
    Imagine doing all the research having it in cloud but then Ancestry opts to change its conditions blocking you from your own files or worse the site goes down. No way to download all that data to your computer other than as gedcom file, all that media lost.
    Nope you need to keep up with FTM.
    I have Rootsmagic7 I can use but FTM was faster and easier to add data, media and automatic source citations to a tree.
    If you want OUT then at least give the technology you are abandoning to Rootsmagic or Legacy or any company so we can have that unique ability to search and save with their software.
    You promise to support those of us who already own FTM but if that is the case what is the difference between that and allowing more people to continue to buy current or older version from you.
    I wanted to buy 2014 for windows but wary as it was not initially not compatible with my new Windows 10 system.
    I am wondering if the problems with 2014 edition have prompted this sudden decision to opt out of software market?
    Operating systems evolving to fast for you to keep up software wise?
    If it is a monetary decision I hate to say it but I think it will come back to bite you in the bum.
    I can only hope public outcry will have you reverse your decision.

  4151. Floyd J

    FTMer had some great benefits to other members and you as well so I have to agree with the above posts. Your members can contribute pictures, document, and other information through this platform. So why delete it from your business? You will run the risk of losing member for 2 reasons. First is people do not like uncertainty and a gradual shift would have been prudent and second you run a certain risk of a decreased number of new members as I, like many other, became addicted and joined after seeing what a friend using FTMer convinced me to join and buy this product so your company runs a huge risk financially.
    On a person note why do you continue to sell and I just receive a CD yesterday for a product you will discontinue and YOU continue to sell it on your website as of yesterday.
    Why not keep FTMer and add something else?

  4152. david

    I echo just about every single comment above. Like many others I have “invested” in FTM and various upgrades as well as subscribing to Ancestry for several years. I’m appalled that at practically the last minute you have decided to withdraw this very useful, for some essential, tool. I guess this is a short term measure to cut costs. I think you will find the long term consequences for you are greater.

  4153. Marja

    I’m really disappointed and consider stopping my Ancestry order. This is a stupid desicion, FTM is a market leader and people like it, together with Ancestry it’s very good.

  4154. Toni

    Well there goes several annual gifts plus memberships to Ancestry. As a researcher who has encouraged others to seek out their roots I will no longer encourage others to get an Ancestry Membership….. Thanks for dropping the bomb just before Christmas…..

  4155. C.Chandler

    This will no longer be of any use to me. I WILL NOT be reliant on external storage/ programmes.
    I guess I’m left up the creek without a paddle.
    This high handed attitude is typical of too many software companies.

  4156. Lyall

    Hugely disappointed with this decision. I love FTM – it has been a life-saver for organizing my research and visualizing the results. FTM is a huge asset and the interface with your services are (we’re) truly unique. Well, not anymore. Like many others who have posted, I do not and will not store my personal information and research on your site or a remote facility. I can already see where it is going – I’m not willing to pay to have access to my own information, built through years of hard work and research – not all of it from ancestry. I’ll keep what I have where I have it and explore other options. Thanks for your help over the years.

  4157. Malky

    There seems to be a helifa lot of panicking perople writing comments here. It’s the end of my genealogy world. What can I do. Note, there will be support until at least 1st Jan 2017, that gives you a YEAR to work with, to find an alternative. So calm down, take a deep breath and enjoy the season.
    Peace! sisters and brothers.

  4158. Chris

    I think Ancestry should make it clear as to whether the FTM program is being discontinued or if only the sync service is being discontinued. Also are we still going to be able to download a GEDCOM to open in our own software? The loss of the program itself will devastate very many of us.

  4159. Mark Poulter

    Looks like you are screwing up your “loyal” customers. Your audience thinks you have got this badly wrong!

  4160. sue varley

    Disappointed in the new online Ancestry. Having FTM was the only consolation. Gutted about this decision. Time to find the door. Count the ‘no’s today, Ancestry!

  4161. Lyn

    Ancestry has just reduced itself to nothing special. In fact, they are less than special as they used to be special in the realm of family research and have just threw their edge away. Family research is more than just about records availability.

  4162. CSC

    Wow. Thousands of disgruntled customers generated in a matter of minutes, in a P&L model that is based on owner loyalty and ongoing subscription fees. Shorting ACOM massively when the market opens this morning. Thanks for all the free money, Ancestry management!

  4163. Megan Roberts

    How disappointing that yet again a company can have so little regard for its clients, that it can’t even consult with them before taking a decision that will adversely impact many of their users.
    However, I guess that you don’t value loyalty, you simply want to pick up quick easy money from new customers.
    I will now be giving serious consideration to the question of what value is there to me in remaining a subscriber?

  4164. John

    Seriously! Another customer you will lose. After creating a virtual monopoly with FTM because its so good you then abandon us all- on principle wont renew Ancestry – HOW TO ALIENATE CUSTOMERS IN ONE FELL SWOOP!!!!!!!!!

  4165. Cristina

    SOOOOOOO lucky. For years I have made manual records and a friend showed me FTM (an old version) and I loved it. I had asked father Xmas for a copy this Christmas, but luckily my hubby had not bought it yet (I don’t think he has done any xmas shopping) when my friend forwarded the email from ancestry. I was using the free start on Ancestry and copying my tree from FindMyPast, now I won’t bother.

  4166. Peter

    I suppose this means you will no longer be selling all the hard won research your customers have donated to you? No? I thought not? It’s always bee a one way street, we give – you take.
    Anyone looking for an alternative might try
    http://www.family-historian.co.uk/
    It works with GEDCOM files, and automatically links to Charting Companion.and other “plugins”. I don’t have much experience with it, but it looks good.
    The only plus side I can see to this idiotic decision is that FTM will still work as a stand alone desktop program without linking to Ancestry. But then that was its major USP.

  4167. Kris Nelson

    Building and maintaining complex family trees is a “creation” activity and requires more horsepower like a PC. Unless/until your web app offering is close to equivalent, the experience will be very hard, slower and not optimized for heavy activities. The web app is cute, but I do the real work on the desktop app. In fact, I have a VM with Windows running FTM on my Mac! I understand the decision, but I would like to see some thought put in the path recommended for heavier users.

  4168. Chris

    Like all of the comments above, I’m really disappointed with this decision. Perhaps the strength of feeling shown by loyal users of Ancestry AND FTM will persuade you to re-consider. The fact that there is the integration between Ancestry and FTM is clearly a major selling point for both: without it, you look set to lose a lot of custom. I wonder what consultation with end-users took place?

  4169. Julian Hopkins

    This is a terrible, totally misguided, decision and should be reconsidered by Ancestry at once. Tens of thousands of Ancestry users have invested in FTM, like me, and find it to be an essential tool for researching and documenting family history, integral to having an Ancestry subscription. I trust that in view of the outpouring of sincere and well argued objections this decision will be reversed without further ado.

  4170. Glenda

    I am very disappointed! AND, just in time for my renewal. For many years, and so much money, I have used your website and I, personally, liked it better before you dumbed it down. I think you need to spend my money on the FTM program instead of “beautifying” your website! I have some of my personal information on the web tree but all of it on FTM!

  4171. Sandy Beatty

    I agree with the others. I’ve invested in your products but in this age of identity theft, I choose not to publish my research. Now I will be leaving as a customer effective Jan 2017 when the support ends. What a poor business decision you’ve made.

  4172. Chuck

    I guess you have made enough money from all the information we have corrected you for free all these years. You have made money off of the trees people have uploaded that they can not access if they don’t keep their subscription current. I feel your company will not survive without FTM. I have been a memeber for over 8 years and I am afraid I will now have to find another program and move on without you. We can most of the info you charge us for free at Familysearch.org. I hope you change your mind before I do not renew my subscription in April.

  4173. Judy

    Having just read through a lot of these comments, I must just add something else which you appear to have forgotten: Huge numbers of genealogists (yes, including me) do their research in spurts. We work on it for a year or two, then come to a brick wall and stop researching for a while. Often it is several years before we feel we are ready to continue our work, which is when we decide to subscribe again. So .. what? Do you SERIOUSLY expect us to keep up an expensive yearly subscription during these ‘down’ times, simply to keep possession of, and access to, our own work? You might WISH we would, but only a complete idiot with money to burn would actually do so!

    Keeping all your data online is universally advised against.
    Your new interface is truly awful to a serious researcher.

    Your decision to stop supporting this software WHILE STILL SELLING IT to an unsuspecting public is nothing short of outrageous.

    You will get no more subscriptions from me.

    I have had no notification about this decision, probably because my subscription is, at the moment, lapsed. But guess what? I have at least two emails begging me to update my payment details so that you can subscribe me for another year! I hate to use this word, but I am simply gobsmacked at your audacity.

  4174. Peter Clark

    Does this mean that data collected over some 20 years will all be lost.? I have used FTM exclusively since starting my genealogical journey. I found your 2014 edition appalling and tried to obtain a copy of the original 2004 that I had previously used quite happily. As I said at the time “If it weren’t broke why on earth did you fix it”, and fail so spectacularly.
    Now we know !
    Goodbye Ancestry.com, it’d been good to know you.

  4175. Tracy

    This sounds like a lot of Blog with no one listening. A shame as I recently paid the money to upgrade to the newest version.

  4176. Bob

    I too used FTM since it’s early days. I did buy Roots Magic to try it out. I am all MAC, but they have bridge software that let you run it as if your on a Windows system. They are having a special offer for FTM users to switch. You can check it out on http://www.FTMUpgrade.com I hesitated to use it, as I was a faithful FTM user and wanted to input my data, into 1 program. As I said I was only looking at Roots Magic, as an alternative. I exported my FTM file as a GED and imported it to RootsMagic. The only issue I had was with my pictures. They would not import with the record, but maybe they have that fixed by now, as that was about a year ago. The only other items missing were making scrapbooks, and the ability to print pictures in descending order (oldest relative to youngest which is how I had my scrapbook pictures in FTM books.) I asked for them to put those in and they submitted them to the developers. Again, I don’t know if they ever did. They have always been helpful and responded in a timely manner. May be a good alternative, if your like me and like to keep your data local (on your home system) as opposed to having it in the cloud. Just be sure to backup any data early and often. Backups in several places is always recommended for any software data.

  4177. Sally

    Never felt moved to comment on anything before but I am a very, very unhappy customer. Absolutely disgraceful announcement with no indication of how we are going to continue to maintain our family trees. I don’t want 220 million Mexican records…. I want FTM with Ancestry. Unless there is a change of heart from Ancestry then I am one more customer that Ancestry will lose from 2017. Come on Ancestry – get your act together!

  4178. Mike J

    A very poor decision. I am not prepared to rely solely on cloud computing: internet connections are not always reliable and after all the hours spent on research, I want the facility of being able to have the files on my own hard drive. Apart from this, the ftm interface is superior to the web based interface. Unless the decision is reversed, I will be migrating way from Ancestry.

  4179. Tony

    Congratulations to fellow FTM users for finally waking up and smelling the roses and not sitting back like lumps on a log. Sometimes it takes a 2 x 4 upside the head. In this case it was a 4 x 6.
    Ancestry wants money and data so ALL of you immediately DISABLE the upload data exchange option with Ancestry (the dumb paralell lines). That will deprive them of your hard work and sweat. I am diall-up and won’t see the reaction of my suggestion. I had 25 years of working in corporate telecommunations . They are stripping assets.

    Good Luck and a Merry Christmas ! .

  4180. Kay Shields

    I have used FTM for decades. I use Ancestry mostly as a huge reference data base. My family tree is on my desktop and I do not feel comfortable with my family information on line or out in a ‘cloud’, especially the current stuff. Could the software and properties of FTM be taken up or sold to another genealogy company and then continue? This is sad.

  4181. English

    Ancestry.com is useless without Family Tree Maker. I do all of my editing in FTM, and then sync with my online tree. If this is not rethought, I, too will be cancelling my All Access membership. There are too many other products/websites out there that offer the same information for free. Rethink this, Ancestry. You will lose customers.

  4182. misterc6

    As a long-term worldwide Ancestry member and contributor to the beta trial of FTM for Mac 3 and am amazed and disappointed in equal measure by this dreadful news. FTMM3 is a far nicer product to use than the Ancestry web site. Checking for anomalies and duplicates is much easier in FTM and the biggest loss for me will be the inability of the Ancestry site to produce and print trees and reports. I’m going to have to assess the viability of my continuing to subscribe to Ancestry.

  4183. John

    My subscription is due for renewal Jan 2016. IF !!! anybody is reading this cancel any renewal with effect from the renewal date

  4184. Nick Veit

    Sad, FTM filled a vital gap.

    Ancestry provides an excellent service helping us find information (matching to formal records and other people’s tree) and then making it very easy to selectively apply/add this information to our tree (manual transfer to PC being slow, laborious and prone to error).

    And, PC software like Family Historian (FH) and FTM enables our data to be possessed by us, moved between software and presented in ways not available on-line (tailored charts and reports, PDF and web output etc.).

    I recognise that dual development work (PC and web) by Ancestry may involve some cost and duplication and distract the company from its primary goal (records), but surely it is essential for its customers that our data including attached images (not in the GEDCOM):

    1) can be moved to local software or some other web service provider (monopoly)
    2) reported upon, maintained and exported in far better ways than currently available on line.

    Technically, the main issue is not the demise of FTM, but the absolute need for an open standards interface from Ancestry that enables synchronisation. If such an interface existed (continued to exist but as an open standard) it would enable developers such as FH to provide a mass market with the full set of tools required, release Ancestry from it PC software maintenance burdon and keep researchers happy!

    Is FH working with other software houses and users to lobby Ancestry for such an facility (or is Ancestry planning one anyway?). I believe there are legal precedents relating to this.

  4185. Pat

    Not happy about your decision and hope you will reconsider. I’ve been using FTM for years and am not happy to have all my information stored in a public place. I will be discontinuing with Ancestry.com if you continue with your plans.

  4186. Suzanne

    Given the opinions expressed here, it would be nice if Ancestry management at least tried to show some concern. The silence is deafening. The complete lack of customer care is apalling.

  4187. Virgie V. Martin

    This is exactly the reason that I have built my own presentations on ppt. Knowing that each new upgrade from Ancestry was headed for the deep six. This move is typical of all software based companies. Their only goal is to have a sustainable income off the backs of their loyal customers. The new upgrade is ridiculous and most of the ftm information is erroneous. People are saving information that is not correct to their family tree. Maintaining an offline tree is what enables one to correct and review the correct information to their tree. It appears that most people are not verifying their sources and simply using Ancestry to plagerize any information. What will you pay the customer for the information, pictures and etc that is submitted to your database? Since we have shared info with Ancestry, paid our annual membership, paid for new versions of FTM, and worked through each upgrade and now we are dumping all the years of work. What a way to treat your customers who do not have unlimited internet connection.

  4188. Janice Beaver

    You made my decision for me. Come May when my subscription expires I will be canceling my membership.After the last go around with the “bug” on your site my FTM was so corrupted that I ended up having to buy another copy. Thankfully I got smart and purchased Roots Magic as a back up of a back up. I for see you losing some of your valuable memberships. To bad.

  4189. Michael

    Another note, maybe others will do the same, I’m now making my tree private, so ancestry will not have the ability to allow others to leach my documents any further than is already out there. So ancestry can consider my part of their “database” gone to new subscribers. Perhaps others will do the same. I wish I could “get back” what’s already out there.

  4190. George

    Very disappointed in your decision to stop support FTM. I have used this for over 22 years it has been this best thing I have used. Like others what are we to do we want our years of hard work on our backup systems not a website we cannot control . Like others will look elsewhere and move on with FTM and Ancestry.

  4191. Paul

    Having just bought this software I am extremely disappointed. I find the tools that the software offer extremely useful and being able to sync back for others to view a bonus. I guess like others we will look to other ancestry sites/products that offer the tools and functionality of having software tod do our investigation and collation of info, nice knowing you but sadly I will be looking else where.

  4192. Bob G

    I’m not surprised by the thousands of responses expressing my thoughts exactly.

    I’m extremely disappointed in this decision. Your current web interface is atrocious and insulting to one’s intelligence.

    My subscription ends Jan 1 2016. I plan to delete all my trees from your site. You’ve lost a 20 years FTM customer.

  4193. Stephen Laundon

    As a loyal user for many years, and the removal of FTM as well as the push to use the new revamped site, time for a rethink on who’s site I use as my subscription is due at the end of this month.

  4194. Martin

    I rely on an old version of FTM, which doesn’t sync to Ancestry.co.uk, and I continue to use it, because I am familiar with it’s behaviour (and quirks). I look forward to hearing suggestions on how to ‘migrate’ to ancestry.co.uk only. Over the years, I have enjoyed the constantly growing family history data on ancestry, but will now be reviewing options – looking for other suppliers (I used to use PAF – Personal Ancestral File in days before ancestry). So, time to make a shift again.
    I also help out at the local library, encouraging people to use ancestry.co.uk, but that is likely to stop too, if I am using other providers.
    I sincerely hope you will reconsider to avoid forcing people like me to switch.

  4195. Renee

    I am shocked and dissapointed with your decision to “wash your hands” of FTM. I have read many of the comments made and I agree. I have supported all of your improvements by increasing my membership payments and now you have decided to eliminate a wonderful product. I am not a happy camper!!!

  4196. Mike

    Stupid, stupid, stupid decision. I will also drop ancestry.com if you go through with dropping FTM. Of course this will also mean I/we will stop uploading documents and photos to your site. You might want to rethink this decision and fire whomever came up with this “cost saving” brainstorm!

  4197. HLW

    Bad decision. And VERY unhappy. I have been a subscriber to Ancestry and use FTM. I think you should reconsider the decision. If you want to attach FTM use to online subscription, fine. But to discontinue the software will force me to look to other companies that currently or will now produce similar tools. That will probably affect my renewal to your online subscription when it’s time to renew. Strongly suggest that you incorporate the reporting piece of FTM into your online product.

  4198. Brian Skingsley

    Its all take take take with you people, money wasted on FTM that I constantly use so that “I Own” my research. Most of the “improvements” you have made I don’t like anyway. I have grown to like FIND MY PAST which I have used for 1939 etc and will probably now use them as my main resource. I refuse to give you any more money.

  4199. Robert

    1 bad idea
    2 number of comments above scream bad idea
    3 if you did not check with customers before the announcements bad idea
    4 If you are worried about decline of desktop sales only but failed to take in to consideration the number of sales for records from people who have bought FTM bad idea as i am sure those sales far out way declining sales of desktop versions.
    5 In short bad idea FTM is what make Ancestry Ancestry. Also this has become an integral part of peoples families and alot of time has been invested by people in this and in essence how ever which way you want to sell it you are messing with peoples ” families” and you know what they say dont mess with people families.
    6 this can have a major negative effect on you company just putting it out there.

  4200. Shannon

    …and the genealogists of the world are in an uproar. This is nothing more than their way of trying to make people who refuse to put their trees on the website (like me) start doing it. I will use FTM until there no longer an OS supports it. Its my repository of choice, ancestry’s website will never be. I (and my mother) have been using FTM since it first appeared in the 90s under the Banner Blue name. I’d like to think ancestry is going to listen to the complaints, but in light of what they’ve done to the ancestry “brand” and its now crappy website, I seriously doubt it. I find myself using family search a lot more often these days.

  4201. Fiona W

    For me the close integration of FTM to Ancestry records is the only reason to buy into the Ancestry membership which is far from a cheap subscription. Take that away and I doubt I will subscribe again. If your developers are telling you the mobile apps do all we need – then they are lying to you. It’s not a research tool for anything more than simple searches. You really are making a huge mistake as your main customers are likely to be those of us who still use desktop software and consider mobile apps as primarily for entertainment not real work.

  4202. barry1395

    Very unfortunate decision. Don’t do it,. Not everyone will agree with me but I say If it costs more to maintain FTM, then charge more. Or provide ‘ancestry’ interfaces to all other desktop providers so that they can seamlessly update ‘ancestry’.

  4203. Dee

    It is disastrous not to have Family Tree maker unless ALL its functions are made available in the free online tree portion of Ancestry. The error checking feature alone is an invaluable time saver.

  4204. Sandra

    As usual there has been no consideration taken for those for whom working on line isn’t their preferred or practical method. Not all of us have the necessary IT connections that are fast and reliable and how are we expected to produce the reports etc that can be generated from FTM.

    Yet again the accountants are dictating to the users – we pay the bills and our wishes and needs should be considered.

    Remember the backlash when Find My Past made it’s changes – I don’t believe that it has ever regained the respect of its previous customers. Ditto the furore when Coke (or was it Pepsi) changed its formulation.

    I for one will be removing my trees immediately – why should you be selling my research without giving something back (even though we bought the software and provided the data).

    Yes software development and maintenance costs money but would you be where you are now without the support of loyal users / subscribers.

    DON’T DO THIS TO US PLEEEEEASE!

  4205. Gillian Taylor

    Well, that settles it, I have to leave Ancestry after years of pleasure and pride with it. I was intending to buy FTM so that I could work on my Ancestry tree without having to see the life stories full of distressing errors and irrelevancies. Now that’s not an option, I have to go. It’s so sad. Ancestry was a really big part of my life.

  4206. Stephanie

    I think you could have cut down on the number of negative responses if you had supplied some information about what you were going to replace FTM with. I’m not one, but I recognize that this is an important pastime for seniors without a lot of technology experience – FTM is extremely easy to use for those folks [and us.]
    Your company can’t be THAT much in the hole that you can’t afford to support FTM beyond 2017. Greed may have finally gotten to you. You will see a huge drop off in subscribers if you don’t.

  4207. Joyce L

    I agree that a refund is in order. Having purchased FTM due to its stable reputation, when Master Genealogist was abandoned by Wholly Genes, I expected more than a couple years support from Ancestry. Story has it that Ancestry will not be involved in DNA testing, etc.. I have not found Newspaper research on Ancestry to be useful. Fellow genealogists have complained that Ancestry dumps information into their tree that is duplicated or totally inaccurate. There are other FREE sites that are beginning to offer efficient tree administration, genealogical assistance & methods of efficient collaboration. May I remind you that we are giving Ancestry our valuable family information, which they use as an incentive to charge us a very high annual fee. From the previous comments it sounds as though many are planning to leave Ancestry. Reconsider…review your business model and remember who your customers are. There are those waiting to jump on your missed opportunity.

  4208. Ian

    If Ancestry’s management think that offering FTM-lite to its subscribers is going to sustain the present level of business and of support by volunteer indexers, they’re suffering from serious delusions. And, where do they think the business growth is likely to come from? A lot of their new data is from developing countries where potential customers have poor access to the Internet and face high charges for using it. Lot’s of joined up thinking there!

  4209. David

    Well, you have really mucked this up royally; you rip us off with expensive annual subsctiptions, you have a web page that replaced a functional site and replaced it with a messy difficult to use one, and, now you discontinue desktop software. What are we supposed to do now? Your crap doesn’t run on other software and I will be damned if I am going to renter 28K entries into someone else’s product. You have made a terrific blunder. Must be you listened to some moron in finance and got more worried about the bottom line rather than the customer. You had better rethink this or you will lose me as a customer along with thousands of others as this blog indicates. All about the money and nothing about the customer.

  4210. Pete Hall

    Ancestry and FTM have been head and shoulders above the competition for years and that is because THEY HAVE EACHOTHER. You only have to read the hundreds of comments above to see that without FTM, Ancestry will lose subscribers in massive numbers.
    I cannot understand why you are abandoning your most loyal customers who have each invested thousands of pouns/dollars in the FTM-Ancestry over many years. Be prepared for a mass exodus.

  4211. Sandra

    Reviewer on Amazon UK site is warning unsuspecting Christmas purchasers of this daft decision. Would hope public are made aware in other countries so that potential purchasers are not under any illusions what they are buying – perhaps a hit in the pocket with a lot of unsold software might help to focus minds.

  4212. Mary

    I am also considering ending my subscription, but I guess it’s about the money, not the customers. Hate the new ancestry.

  4213. Milt

    Good thing I am as far along as I am with my ancestry. I had just linked my ancestry data to the online so I could give other family members and users access to the information. I will now create a hard copy of my data in preparation for the loss of FTM and the removal of my data, including the DNA, from ancestry.com. I think you are about to have a much smaller database when people go away and take their data with them. I have promoted your product for years to friends and acquaintances even up to yesterday. That will now stop. Again, are you ready for the loss of customers, new and old? I have not checked out the new online stuff yet but the initial look was not that impressive. Like the others, I do not always have access to the internet when traveling and wanting to add new information. My wife and I were in the British Isles the last two summers and many times we could not have added data to our ancestry without FTM. It is time to fire the person(s) who made this decision. I do not care if there is ever another update to FTM at this point but without the link I will be totally gone. Only a fool would want to make the “CLOUD” the only repository of such important family information. I have information in FTM that I do not want in the cloud. I will be gone by Jan 1 2017, lock stock, barrel and baggage. It is a real shame. I have enjoyed the products so much over the years.

  4214. P Timms

    What a disappointing decision. I have used FTM for years and have found the Ancestry facilities very unfriendly. Level of Reporting available via FTM is not possible via Ancestry. I want a desktop program and do not want to rely in the internet to work on my research. Much of my information if found by visiting Record Offices etc and am able to record my findings on FTM without the need for internet access.
    PLEASE THINK AGAIN.

  4215. Virginia DeMarce

    In the long run, I believe, this will prove to be an unfortunate decision. After Ancestry took over FTM, I admit, I bought your software (which kept only the name of the original program) and then went back to Version 16 because of the simpler, less cluttered screen. Most of the time, I do not work on line. I have imported some of the things I have on my PC to an Ancestry family tree, but I find the Ancestry onlinw trees almost impossible to work with, update, or correct.

  4216. Lesley

    Really disappointed at this decision. a Being able to work offline and then sync was invaluable. Please reconsider. If you won’t how will we be able to print our trees with the same format choices that Family Tree Maker allowed? Will we be able to export data to alternative software? Will you be reducing your subscription rates to reflect this loss of service?

  4217. Daniel

    I am incredibly disappointed and request that you either re-consider this decision or make the software open source and/or available to another company to maintain.

  4218. Tony

    Terrible decision! Will be migrating FTM data to Legacy. GEDCOM will only do so much. The remainder will have to be manual.
    Another cancelled subscription, Ancestry!

  4219. Brian Broughton

    Thank you Ancestry you have just made my life much easier; I had been trying to decide which subscription to cancel in the New Year; no prizes for guessing which one is to get the chop. I started my subscription to Ancestry after buying FTM 2012 and have upgraded the software regularly. I abhor the thought that my work would be available only on-line and fortunately do have copies using other packages on my computer. I became dis-illusioned with Ancestry following the “new improved” interface & just do not like it. I also long ago learned not to blindly accept other people’s “research”.

  4220. Gary Jarrad

    I will join the others in complaint of this action. I have used your software for years before I became an Ancestry subscriber. I don’t wish to be locked into a subscription service to store my data.
    Maybe is time for some new software and Findmypast.com to get a new subscriber!

  4221. Tom

    Check out – http://www.rootsmagic.com/ftm/
    I have already started to investigate alternatives. Over 4,600 negative feedback views (and climbing) speaks for itself. Even if they give in to public opinion – which is unlikely – it will be short lived. They have made their position clear and the contempt that they have demonstrated for their customers – even including the timing of, and way in which this was announced – is shocking. I understand the need for change but customer loyalty and consideration should be a major consideration. Clearly, it has not been!

  4222. Al Grosser

    Wow. Just, wow. Here’s another example of a company “Jumping the Shark”. Ancestry.com just joined the list of companies that will be used as a business case in every MBA program. The smarter thing to do was to at least consider spinning the software business off, selling the IP to a competitor, releasing it as open source, publishing the tree sync APIs, or anything else besides just killing the product. They may have considered the cost of development versus sales, although I’m not sure what sales they were looking at since the last time the software was sold as an update was 2 years ago. It’s true that most people have moved to smartphones and tablets as their daily information consumption and communications device. However, the best platform for content creation is still the PC, and will continue to be for a very long time. Genealogy research requires a great deal of web browsing to many websites (not just Ancestry.com), editing, document and photo scanning, database management, working in places with little to no Internet connectivity, etc. Having a genealogy data management and research tool on a laptop is critical. For me, without FTM, I no longer have an incentive to maintain my Ancestry.com account. Granted, Ancestry.com has a huge number of databases, but it’s also not the only source of information, by far. Without FTM, I no longer have an incentive to check Ancestry.com first for information, but rather last or not at all, especially if I can find it elsewhere for free or less than the cost of Ancestry.com’s membership fees. Grasshopper, it’s time for you to leave.

  4223. Gail

    I was going to renew my subscription next week. Well, I won’t bother now. I guess you have made enough money from your customers now and will leave us hanging. Time to switch. Shame on you.

  4224. Denny Carter

    I would highly recommend this decision be reversed or another solution offered. This move has the potential to alienate a significant amount of customers as evidenced by this blog.

  4225. Barbara Buckley

    There are tools in FTM that are just not available on the web site, for example, finding duplicates, or making all the place names the same etc. Plus, I like having a copy of my tree somewhere for safe keeping. I’m hoping you all have a plan to put all the tools in FTM on the web site. We pay a lot of money for our memberships, and then we had to buy the FTM software as well. I understand that you are running a business and you are the best program out there but please don’t leave us all in a lurch as I know I use this software because of the lack of the same type of tools on the website. Thanks

  4226. George Anderson

    Family Tree Maker user Since it was 1st published, and Have over 2600 individuals in my data base and a very large media file, publications, books and reports. These powerful features are not available on my iPad version. The pad was not made for these intensive features. FTM3 is extremely powerful and provides a superb vehicle for managing big family trees. PLEASE RECONSIDER THE DECISION TO CEASE FTM the tablet is not the smart way to go, it is a valuable portable subset of the total management of the Family Tree.

  4227. Dennis OBrien

    Big Mistake!!! your web version totally lacks the functionality of the software version. But this is not about the customer, there is not enough profit in it for you. I guess when I pay over $400 a year for subscription it is asking to much for you to support software I can use it with.

    your web version totally lacks the functionality of the software version. But this is not about the customer, there is not enough profit in it for you. I guess when I pay over $400 a year for subscription it is asking to much for you to support software I can use it with.

  4228. Marlene Brennan

    I find it really hard to comprehend this decision. I have been a member with Ancestry for many many years but do all the work on my desktop, syncing with Ancestry mainly for a backup. It seems a very unpopular decision that is likely to lose a massive percentage of your customers. I do hope Ancestry reconsiders. The FTM program is much easier to work with than the online program.

  4229. Deb

    TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE decision. There are features in the software not available on ancestry.com. May be time to reconsider my membership.

  4230. John

    Can’t believe you’re dropping support for the app when the website doesn’t even come close to offering the same features. I hope you’ll reconsider, or work hard to make the website offer at least as much functionality. I suspect Ancestry is hungry for monthly subscriptions rather than people benefiting by paying one time. Shameful greediness if that’s part of Ancestry’s reasoning – but that’s what it looks like to me.. Seems like everyone single one of the comments you’ve received are negative. Well done.

  4231. Pat

    I am adding my voice of opposition. This is an operational mistake on your part. I use FTM as my place to ensure that data is correct through the tools that the software gives me, weeding out errors of fellow researchers trees that I find on the Ancestry site. FTM is also the software that I will give my children as a permanent record of the work that I have done. If Ancestry will no longer support the ability to sync you are increasing my work load. Since no other site syncs and I would have to go back to doing everything by rote, what is the advantage of your subscription over the many sites that are out there? Surely if you lose the support of your clients you will also lose the revenue stream to support your mission.

  4232. If you do really appreciate these comments and take on board what is said , you will reverse this stupid decision
    add my name to the list of thousands that will not be renewing my subscription

  4233. Georgie

    Although I have not used FTM in some years, considering the changes that have been made to Ancestry just this past year, is doesn’t surprise me. Actually I believe it is about consolidating the customer base and has little to nothing to do with improving Ancestry, You have all but destroyed what was just a few months ago a workable product.

  4234. Graham Beard

    I HOPE YOU’RE READING ALL THIS, ANCESTRY, BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE SET TO LOSE GETTING ON FOR 5,000 MEMBERS!!!!!

  4235. John Watts

    I am puzzled by this extract from the blog post. It reads as gobbledegook and I think attempts to justify your decision. Desktop software is very often downloaded and installed to PCs and laptops via the web as a modern distribution method. CDs are no longer needed. Updates are also managed this way very effectively. (Microsoft recognise this for its Office products) Ancestry already provided this facility so why change it?

    Its is a big mistake to pull the plug before Ancestry can run equivalent functionality to FTM via the website. Many users rely on the FTM functionality to develop and maintain, accurate and comprehensive family trees, something that cannot be done as well on line. Are you trying to dumb down the service and dis-enfranchise your core competent and enthusiastic users?

    Using ancestry on line can be very slow and tedious to navigate between elements when inputting information. I do not link direct to census returns and other information because they invariably contain transcription mistakes. I always input elements separately per person correcting mistakes and adding comments on the way and then reference the source. I think it is going to be quite some time before Ancestry has a fully acceptable set of features and speed/ease of inputting.

    Lastly, I value the presence of shared family trees on Ancestry and am happy to share mine. I endeavour to provide quality information for my own satisfaction and others use. Currently I can only do this satisfactorily on FTM.
    ‘As we strive to provide our customers with the best experience possible, we are constantly evaluating our services and product offerings. True to this focus, we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market and the impact this has on being able to continue to provide new content, product enhancements and support that our users need’

  4236. Keith J

    This would have to be the worst business decision Ancestry have made as to date, the reason i and many others use the FTM program is to be able to continue to do research while not on the Net and to be able to sync your work to Ancestry makes it a workable package, If anything Ancestry is the ad on, it is over priced and my subscription is due in fe. 2016, i will not be renewing it, good luck with your moving forward Ancestry.

  4237. John O

    Yep. Stop the “one-time purchase” users and make ’em pay dearly just to keep their trees. Great idea – for Ancestry. Sucks for their loyal customers.

  4238. Jackie

    I always fought against the notion of uploading my tree to Ancestry.com as I felt like I was giving my information away – even though it is listed as a “private” tree – because I have given it away to Ancestry.com. Silly me !! I built this tree using FTM desktop and it has been a labour of love for 18 years. Obviously, I will still be able to use FTM desktop even if it doesn’t link to Ancestry.com. Therefore, it would seem sensible to cancel my subscription renewal when the time arrives – I think that it what you would call a “own goal” on your part Ancestry ! Thanks a bunch 🙂

  4239. Toni Phillips

    I am fascinated that all these researchers are posting comments and there is not one reply from Ancestry. I am appalled at this decision. Will we still be able to use FTM on our computers without linking to Ancestry? I only upload basic facts to Ancestry and then, only for 2 of my trees. I actually have 6 trees which I just keep on my computer. All the stories are not made public. There are also so many errors in the trees online on Ancestry, if you think that we are just going to use Ancestry now you are very wrong. Also your new Life Story format is ridiculous. Guess I will also be changing if I will no longer be able to use my FTM program on my home computer. Oh and by the way, I don’t think you have taken into account the number of older users who are uncomfortable with the whole cloud thing.

  4240. You ask for respect from commentators. Where is YOUR respect and consideration towards all your loyal PAYING members who have not been consulted or respected in this decision to withdraw a service and who have respected it and Ancestry as well as fellow members for many years? Are you surprised at the reaction or do you not care about us?

  4241. sheelagh mcallister

    All these complaints with which I agree and not a single response from Ancestry. Years of work down the drain!

  4242. Dag Arne Danielsen

    Very bad idea to stop FTM.
    You must immediately tell us what we get instead on our PCs.
    Not everyone wants to be in the clouds.
    We do not get new software for FTM on our PC’s, you lose very many customers !!

  4243. Ivor Watson

    Just had an e-mail from ancestry that you are going to abandon FTM but do not enlighten us as to what, if anything, will replace it. After reading through many of the other blogs on this site I do not seem to be alone in thinking that you have acted in a disgraceful way, I have only had FTM for 5 years and have had many hours building up my Family Tree with, not only the bear branches, but with the meat of the tree as well. I think along with many others that the time as come to cancel my account and go with one of your opponents.

  4244. Anita H

    What can I say that the hundreds above me have not said? Extremely disappointing. Don’t have an Ancestry subscription because I use my Library’s for research. The thought that all my research, links, photos, etc. have been put into software that will no longer be supported is frustrating and maddening, to say the least. Compounding frustration is I’m a Mac user and the best other programs don’t work with Macs. I will not be spending a penny with Ancestry, though.

  4245. Steve M

    I usually do a winter subscription to Ancestry to catch up on my family research. Now that you no longer support a stand alone software product I won’t be subscribing for my usual 6 months this winter. You need to rethink your business model. Provide a stand alone software and a reasonable subscription model ($50) per year and allow your site to show ads to subsidize.

  4246. James Mars

    Just bit the bullet and purchased the software in November which you happily sold me with no indication that you would be discontinuing. Not Happy!

  4247. John Tunnicliffe

    Big big mistake. I cannot stress how disappointed I am with you. FTM is a flagship product and I like many do not want 30 years plus research depending solely on an online system. Please, please reconsider.

  4248. Paul

    Having heard the news that you are soon to be discarding support and interactiveness with Family Tree Maker software, I am seriously considering not renewing my subscriptions with you. Will the decision to cease this support affect the many local libraries etc who also use the Ancestry website? What happens then? Will all the research that many, many folks have done over the years – using FTM software – be for nothing? Will any other software from other providers be compatible with the website, or are you sticking to a purely online for of fleecing your loyal customers? This is a very poor decision that you have made, in my oppinnion. If you value you ever increasing user-base, please reconsider this proposterous decision.

  4249. Nemesis

    All the comments above are universally negative. The selling of FTM is surely fraudulent as this is a decision that must have been made some time ago. Furthermore, restricting use to the web version may be in breach of UK/EU data laws. Very bad decision and I will use Legacy Family Tree software (my back-up to FTM). Farewell ancestry.co.uk.

  4250. Robin

    I have been using FTM since the beginning. I have upgraded with every upgrade. When Ancestry joined them I upgraded them to get full advantge of the hints and syncs (though I never understood why you could only sync to one computer) I can see where I will be saving money every year when I cancel Why so little notice? My world subscription was renewed just a few weeks ago. Shame on them for such little notice. Refunds are in order and this divorce should not happen.

  4251. Gerry

    Very disappointing. FTM works very well and I have used it for many years. In general I use the ancestry.com website as a backup for FTM, not the other way around, primarily because I don’t have good internet access. However, the main point of consideration is that the withdrawal of FTM means we can no longer work off-line. I live in rural England where the Internet connection is not good. We have a very low speed connection at the best of times. When the rest of the village is online it is extremely slow. In effect this means that our access to ancestry.com is very limited. What is the point of the exercise if we cannot get access to the online site and have no FTM to use offline?? I am sure there are many places around the world with poor internet access where people use FTM offline. Ancestry please note we do not all live in suburban USA with high speed connections……….!!

  4252. Nicola

    I will be lost without Family Tree Maker. I’ve used it for years. As others have already said, Ancestry is making a huge mistake.

  4253. David Simmonds

    I am saddened by this news. Can you advise an alternative Mac family tree program that is compatible with yours please? Ido believe that you owe us that.

  4254. Reenie

    Like the thousands of comments before me, I am also, disappointed, angry, upset, etc. I have read through hundreds of these comments, and have not seen one positive response. This is probably one of the worst decisions Ancestry.com has made, besides forcing us now to adhere to the new “format,” which is not only annoying, but in many cases, does NOT get the information right. It is NOT user-friendly. And many of us don’t need Ancestry.com to “tell” us our family “stories,” we already know them! And although it has been wonderful to be able to sync/link FTM with on-line Ancestry.com, the “shaky leaf” hinting system has become rather annoying. Right now I have more than 8,000 shaking leaves on my family tree, but when I begin checking them, 90% of them have nothing to do with the family member they are attached to, and the other 10% of hints are things I already knew, and have already documented. As you can imagine, it has become a waste of time. I mostly ignore those “shaking leaves” now.

    It would be nice (and also SMART) if Ancestry.com would get some valuable feedback and insights from it’s millions of loyal users before making major decisions like this one. What I don’t understand is how the subscription pricing of Ancestry.com seems to go up and up every year, and the product quality (format), and customer consideration seems to go down and down every year. Instead of spending money on fancy formats that are unnecessary, Ancestry.com SHOULD spend their money on making their record searches better, and more accurate. I can’t begin to tell you how frustrating it has been to find transcription errors that are simple spelling mistakes. For certain, Ancestry.com will lose MANY customers over the FTM issue. And probably MANY more over being forced to use the new format. I have been very happy with FTM, and will continue to use it off-line, until I can find another software program that I can easily change over to, but since I’ve got 9,000+ ancestors in my tree, that might be difficult.

    Kendall, if you, or one of your assistants, are reading through all these negative comments, I hope that you would reconsider the decision to discontinue FTM, and also, to reconsider forcing everyone to switch-over to using the new format when we don’t want to! Please! Please! Please, take to heart all the comments in this blog, and work to change the Board’s mind about these decisions! Surely, thousands of us can’t all be wrong!

  4255. Kath

    I have used FTM for years and was even thinking about an update. Does this decision mean that I won’t be able to access my information from my own compute?. I am not happy to put all my years of work on to any website. What happens to FTM and everyones work after Jan 2017 do we just loose it all if we don’t upload every little bit on to your website. Answers please.

  4256. JamesBrown66

    This is just another example of Ancestry trying to make another dollar. Very short-sighted and an example of a company telling their customers to go the hell.

  4257. Martin

    As an existing Ancestry.com subscriber I only purchased FTM in June this year, as an upgrade from the free version of Legacy, so that I could use the tree sync and hints features. What a bad move that was.
    If I only got 6 months use out of a TV I would be demanding a full refund as it would not be fit for purpose.
    How can you possibly justify £40 for 6 months use. I can’t.
    I need a full refund of my £40 so that I can now purchase a copy of Legacy and go back to what I was using before.

  4258. Gail Tiessen

    I am adding my voice of opposition. The link of FTM to Ancestry is the only reason I have purchased ancestry.com.

  4259. Sue

    I have spent the last 15 minutes reading other researchers’ comments – I haven’t seen one out of the seemingly thousands of comments which agrees with what you are doing. Ancestry – does this tell you something? Have you even read any of the comments? Your powers that be need to make an urgent about turn and scrap a decision which could potentially lose you a huge number of subscribers.
    BAD DECISION

  4260. Mary

    It’s all been said already – but I want to add my name to the many who have used Family Tree Maker and Ancestry for many years, and am bitterly disappointed. You are alienating thousands of loyal supporters here.

  4261. James Bernsen

    FTM offers serious genealogists more control over facts, sources, and how those elements are displayed in reports. I’ve been waiting for FTM 2015 or 2016 so I can upgrade again. This application is your most important foothold into that customer segment. I do hope you’ll reconsider your decision. Even taking the step of releasing FTM as open source with TreeSync intact could still save you many Ancestry subscriptions that will otherwise disappear if FTM ceases to exist.

  4262. Jason Lee

    Over 4,000 negative reactions to this announcement in 12 hours? What a backlash! But Ancestry is a shrewd company. They crush the competition so they don’t have to be terribly concerned about what their customers think.

  4263. Jeremy

    I have just opened FTM and logged out of ancestry.co.uk from within it. I will no longer be syncing the fruits of my research to the ancestry website.

    I have NEVER automatically added records from ancestry into my tree, as I have never quite trusted it. When I find a record I add the information manually into FTM, creating my own source categories etc and then sync the tree into ancestry. FTM has ALWAYS been the master file… sync to ancestry has just been a backup and a way to share. Well, no longer. My reseach stays with me.

    Incidentally, for those in the UK, I’ve been looking at Family Historian. It’s a UK based company – I like the idea of giving my money to a local company rather than a faceless American conglomerate.

  4264. Shephurley

    This is another bad decision. First you play with the search format and now you get rid of the feature your loyal subscribers use consistently that keeps them tied to your service. Since these subscriptions are your lifeblood you would think you would have more loyalty to your users and respect their input. In reading all the comments it seems the more experienced users are saying good bye and we can use someone else! You probably won’t but you definitely should consider rethinking this one. As a long term customer, I see no need to pay for data I can get elsewhere.

  4265. Geoff

    I am extremely disappointed in Ancestry for both its decision to drop support for FTM and in the manner it chose to announce the decision. It is clear from reading the comments on the blog that Ancestry’s change management process is broken. The announcement should have come with a complete description of what would take FTMs place and how to use it. I routinely access my FTM to review information and clean-up files while on travel without access to the internet. How am I to accomplish this under whatever the new process is? I’m not asking form new versions of FTM every year or any new versions for that matter, only that the interface between FTM and Ancestry maintained so I can continue to research and add to my tree and safely store my efforts in multiple locations.

  4266. Mark Wallbom

    WOW – talk about a “fire storm” of negative reactions!! Clearly this decision has stirred up a lot of negative feelings and it might be a good idea for the “big boss” to reconsider this decision!! The fact that comments will be cut off as of 22 December indicates that additional negative feedback is not welcome. At least for now we all get to vent but that doesn’t make this very poor decision any better!!!

  4267. Leonard Davis

    I sincerely hope that you will reconsider your decision to drop FTM. There must be a way that you con continue to serivice that you have provided in the past.

  4268. My previous polite yet critical message has been rejected as ‘too long’. As a response to request for respect and consideration I simply commented that paying members had not received the consideration and respect they deserve.

  4269. John

    So Judas has a family tree too! Shame on you, Ancestry – selling out on the more serious family history researchers for the cheap dollar of the mass market. When will people learn – a web-based app is prone to the disruptions of the Internet – we loose broadband when ISPs go down, and the cloud evaporates when the providers systems go down – this is reported weekly in the IT press. On top of this, it is considers that hacking will increase on the back of ever more available software, so our on-line trees will become ever more vulnerable. No doubt it will have been said before in the long list of blogs I haven’t read but get the gist of, but we should all seriously consider boycotting Ancestry – they may well reconsider if it is going to hit their pocket. I echo other’s sentiments – shame on you, Ancestry – you’re hitting hardest the very people that have helped create your success.

  4270. Susan Tyson

    Just to add my voice to this chorus of disapproval. I use my Family Treemaker all the time to run off individual histories for friends and family and to do various analyses of relationships. This is a poor and brutal decision. As many others have said, why should I now stay wit Ancestry? Your one USP is Family Treemaker and the only reason I have stayed with you. I hope you think better of this short-sighted decision.

  4271. Toni P

    Surely we can still use FTM on our home computers. Where will Ancestry be if we all remove our online synced (is that a word) trees?

  4272. Bette Collins

    As a subscriber and FTM user, I am not seeing the positive in this. I do not feel confident at all about having the only full copy of my tree exist only on your website. Then there is the skeptical side of me that wonders if a declining software market is the only reason that FTM is being retired. Currently, FTM is the only way to view images of already attached documentation without a paid subscription. Makes me have to wonder.

  4273. Jim

    Very disappointed. You’re treating our software-based data as if it is your own, trying to force us to put it “in the cloud” to have it become adulterated with the many, many incorrect and specious matches you propose as “hints”.

  4274. Gerry

    Interesting comments made above regarding data laws. In many countries it is illegal to store personal data without that person’s permission if the server holding that data is outside the country of residence of the person involved. For example, Russia is currently setting up a huge databank inside its territory to cover this eventuality. The EU is also investigating this idea. As ancestry.com is the repository of large amounts of personal data from all over the world and its servers are (presumably) in the US, the removal of FTM, which is by definition local storage, may well contravene these laws. I would like confirmation from ancestry that this matter has been considered prior to the discontinuation of FTM.

  4275. Walter

    What an absolutely awful decision and I agree with the majority of comments already made. FTM is the most useful tool available and does all that is wanted and thankfully is not internet connection dependent. I keep my Ancestry membership to support FTM and not the other way around. A serious rethink is needed before I cancel my subscription and move elsewhere.

  4276. Bob

    I am quite a newcomer to FTM having only been using it for 2 years. However, I have details of over 600 people stored together with documemts, photo’s notes etc. etc and I am dismayed that we are all just being abandoned by Ancestry. I presume that the desktop software will run indefinitely on my PC after support & sync stops that is of course until you I want to move to a new PC or hit a problem which I cannot resolve myself. I was an IT manager for many years and this is as bad an example of being left high & dry as I can remember. Ancestry should at least provide users with a selection of export options which would allow users to transfer their data to major competitors desktop software as I agree that the Web based system is not particularly user friendly. FTM is a great product to use and along with everyone else I am disappointed at the proposed withdrawal not to mention the waste of £400+ over the last 2 years. I hope that the outlets still selling FTM are aware of the situation and are able to advise potential purchasers over the next few weeks that they are wasting their money.
    .

  4277. Vicki

    this is wrong….I have updated my Family Tree Maker all these years and now your doing away with it….your tablet version of Ancestry does not have all my data in it…..

  4278. Charles Dietrick

    FTM has been a very efficient way to access the ancestry database and disabling it seems like a big mistake, even you’ve got third-party backup software in reserve. I hope you continue supporting and updating it. I’m sure many will never again subscribe to Ancestry if this ill-conceived plan is carried out. Are you sure you want to be another Intuit, which is withdrawing support from the Quicken accounting program?

  4279. Roz

    I cannot believe you are doing this. Now what do we do? I doubt I will subscribe again to Ancestry once my subscription runs out.

  4280. Rhonda

    Bad decision…the integration between FTM and ancestry.com was your best feature. I will be looking at other family tree sites now.

  4281. Neil Wilkes

    I am very disappointed by this.
    Not only because I want to be in control of the ownership and storage of my data but the Ancestry website does not have the same visual representations of the information or the ease of use of FTM. The hints section does not allow the same ability of checking against the non-preferred data on facts and the App is even worse for being able to check the hints against all of a person’s data.
    It may be the case that I will have to continue with FTM offline and manually search data on Ancestry (if I continue my subscription).

  4282. Peter

    DISMAL decision. No doubt to try and lock in users and then start gouging the price when they have few viable alternatives.

  4283. Ron

    Your email arrived 12 hours ago and all ready ther are close to 5000 comments, all negative. This appears to be a reverse marketing technic, HOW TO GET RID OF CUSTOMERS. You best read all the feedback and see all the positive comments about FTM that Ancestry does not provide. My search for software begins today as my membership renewal is doubtful.

  4284. Tom

    I have used FTM for 20 + years. I am very disappointed in this decision. I have multiple trees on my computer but on one online. I do not want to put all my fact online as computer security online is very bad. Cannot believe the cost to maintain 1 software package is that much. Really would like to see the real reason you are dropping FTM.

  4285. Suze

    Leaving aside what an idiotic decision this is, could we have some more detailed information on the website as to exactly how this will work – or not – excepting the fact that we will lose tree sync. Can we still download gedcoms to use with other software or is that stopping as well?

  4286. Tom

    Please note and spread the word as far as possible:-http://www.thepetitionsite.com/520/758/907/save-family-tree-maker/

  4287. Jeremy

    Within minutes of mentioning another genealogy software product it looks like my post was removed, so this feed IS being monitored.

    So much for “We really do appreciate your feedback”!!!

  4288. Debbie

    Rants and raves – a lot of unhappy people – you need to address how to give FTM’s value to the website and build in functionality that only FTM offers to the website…. and quickly

  4289. Paula Jacunski

    I can NOT believe this. Wow. What incredibly bad news. I very much dislike your online tree program, and I use it to sync my FTM tree and research. I dislike the android app even more. Given that people don’t start (usually) becoming curious enough about their ancestors to start investing time and money in the research until their 30’s (if that), you’re way ahead of the demographics of who is using your product. Yours is not the only software out there, and yours is not the only site I subscribe to, so I will be looking for alternatives. And I am so bloody upset that who can tell if I will resubscribe????? This is ridiculous and poorly thought out. Did you actually ask any of your subscribers????

  4290. Di

    I am soooooo disappointed in you! What do I tell my family when they ask for updated pedigree trees? Sorry, Ancestry let me down? That was the best way to keep family members in the loop with the new changes in my research……and they liked it!! I feel betrayed!

  4291. Stephen Kent

    Dear Ancestry,
    You clearly have a lot of worried customers with your decision to close down FTM at the end of next year.
    You need to tell us what we should be doing or confirm that your Ancestry website is going to contain all the functions currently present within our FTM software so we don’t all lose much of the information we have saved within FTM.
    I hope to receive an email soon with some good advice – we have paid for it after all and we all are used to working with FTM.

  4292. Canela

    I am very disappointed in this decision. Your on-line data is not as valuable to families as having the data on their personal computer and sitting down with family members to review the generations of ancestors. Not everyone has constant access to a web site. When I research in other countries I take my laptop and sync when I get good internet connections; sometimes that’s not until I’m back in the US.

  4293. mcarp555

    What a bunch of fools. I’m already having a battle with Ancestry over Private trees being able to slurp up information from Public trees without returning the favour. Now this. Time to GEDCOM my online tree and think about calling it a day.

    Kendall Hulet, you’re just another beancounter who couldn’t care less about the people who pay your salary. Not a single positive comment in this entire list, and we all know you’re going to completely ignore every one.

  4294. David Dixon

    HI EVERYONE
    FIRSTLY IF YOU ALL HAVE FAMILY TREE MAKER CD THEN YOU SOFTWARE WILL STILL WORK, REPOTS AND ALL, ONLY SYNC, HINTS AND RESEARCH THROUGH THE PROGRAM WILL STOP. YOU WILL HAVE TO USE THE ONLINE SITE TO LOOK FOR YOUR FAMILIES AND COPY BY HAND THIS INFORMATION INTO FTM.
    THIS MEANS YOU CAN USE ANY ONLINE FAMILY TREE RESEARCH WEBSITE (FIND MY PAST ETC ETC) I SUGGEST YOU ALL MAKE SURE YOUR FAMILY TREES ARE ALL STORED LOCALLY ON YOUR PC ALONG WITH THE SCANNED IMAGES.
    THEN DELETE ALL YOUR ONLINE TREES, IF THIS DOES NOT MAKE ANCESTRY THINK AGAIN, THEN ON YOUR NEXT SUBSCRIPTION (STOP YOUR SUBSCRIPTION) TRY SOME OTHER ONLINE SITE.
    THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO TELL THEM THEY ARE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE, I WOULD GUESS DELETING YOUR TREES WILL MAKE THEM SIT UP.
    MY FAMILY TREES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN STORED LOCALLY WHICH I HAVE 22 OF (FRIENDS MINE ETC) ONLY 2 OF WHICH I HAVE SYNCED WITH ANCESTRY, I WILL BE DELETING MINE TODAY ON ANCESTRY.
    I TOO FIND THE UPDATES ON ANCESTRY TO BE A CHILDISH INTERFACE.
    IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY THE TREE SYNC IS ONLY ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD ANYWAY, BUT THE ADVANTAGE OF DOWNLOADING THE INFO YOU FIND INTO FTM HAS BEEN WITH US FOR A LONG TIME.
    AS BEING A EVERYDAY USER I WILL JUST HAVE TO HAVE TWO WINDOWS OPEN (FTM AND ANCESTRY.COM (OR ANOTHER SITE), LOOK FOR INFO ON THE SITE AND THEN COPY BY HAND THE INFO INTO FTM, ALTHOUGH THIS WILL BE A LITTLE LONGER I WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO RESEARCH.
    JUST LIKE MANY OF OUR ANCESTORS ‘LOYALTY HAS DECEASED’.

  4295. Ernest Beabes

    Really?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I understand the concept of demographics and with the popularity of chasing the shaking leaves with the younger NOOB users. These folks all live in the larger internet accessible cloud environment but the die hard researchers that I know do most of their work off line and will sync to the cloud with their final and proven results so to share with their community.
    Limited internet service provider access like mine and other non serviced demographics do not have cloud environment or can not afford the file transfer costs applied to a work in-progress tree research.
    When you take their work environment away they will find another work environment to use. It will not likely be in the cloud, but in your competition and your database will start to stagnate as it falls to a source citation rather than a location where researchers share there work results. I have been with you for a long time (mid 1970’s) and have seen you grow now I am concerned that I will see you start to diminish. If that is your goal (can be seen from another product you dropped a couple years ago) to get to a more manageable database, then you are downsizing in the correct direction.
    DO NOT take this as a vote of confidence as I disagree with you removing the off line environment that syncs easily to the on line.

  4296. Brad

    Very very disappointed. No way to spin this in a positive way. How can you do this? At least maintain the sync feature!

  4297. John Hancock

    I am devastated that ‘Ancestry’ is withdrawing the very tool (FTM) which enables research to be accessed, managed, built and accessed with ease outside of the Ancestry site! I do NOT want my research to appear on line until I am satisfied with my work. I suspect that a new company broom is trying to sweep clean and it demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of what we, as researchers of our ancestors, require. This management decision is amazingly flawed and will loose the company much revenue through subscribers not renewing their subscription.

    Why has no contact been made with actual users to take account of their thoughts and thus facilitate a sound decision which is based on customers’ requirements and not finance. It appears that loyalty to Ancestry customers/users is totally unimportant.

    I feel that all the time and effort, care and planning which I am able to undertake with FTM directly linked to the Ancestry site will now greatly impede my progress and way of working. I refuse to use the Ancestry site as the repository for my research!

    I would like, also, to take this opportunity to say that the current format of displaying information on the Ancestry site is long winded, distracting and less user-friendly than its previous format. I do not like at all the current format of ancestry.

    In all seriousness, I would ask KENDALL HULET and other members of the board of Ancestry, to hold an extraordinary meeting to reconsider their decision to end all support for FTM AND ITS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT and have the courage to be a company which considers and listens to its users.

    Ancestry could now be on the verge of loosing thousands of customers!!

  4298. john bennett

    This decision makes absolutely no sense! It looks like a decision made by “bean counters” not genealogists.

  4299. John

    I am incredibly disappointed. I’ve stayed with FTM even after reviewing other desktop apps. There are so many things that don’t transfer over well when you change software, such as notes, sources and links to media files but it looks like I have no choice. I have removed my trees from Ancestry.com and will be scaling back or eliminating my very expensive subscription.
    This news is a tremendous opportunity for the providers of other genealogy software and websites.

  4300. Lenny C

    This is just a bad thing!!!!! I am fairly certain that I will have to stop paying for my yearly subscription to Ancestry.com. The sync feature which allows me to keep all my data on my own computer is why I use both products.

    Could it be, that after a user has done much of his research, and has all his “media” stored on his own computer he may have no need to keep paying a fee to Ancestry.com. In other words, is this just a way to force people continue to pay for Ancestry.com. And/or the fact that it is much cheaper to have a family member buy FTM so that one can “give” them an exact copy of ones tree (including media) without them having to get a subscription to Ancestry.com.

    It seems to me that everyone who uses FTM should sync their trees, quit paying for Ancestry.com, and delete their Ancestry.com trees.

  4301. Clayton

    You have definitely lost customer focus with this decision and will very shortly lose revenue. As was mentioned earlier, I use FTM for my primary research and the slower, clumsy, less user friendly and output report lacking ancestry.com website only as a backup. Good luck with this new course you put your company on. I won’t be along for the ride.

  4302. Rosemary Meadows

    FTM is a fine product with many great features. I do not wish to place all my data online and use Ancestry to support FTM. If this decision is not rescinded I will be cancelling my long standing subscription to Ancestry.

  4303. Cathleen

    I just barely bought FTM a couple of months ago. I subscribed to ancestry.com as well, but I wanted the software on my computer as backup. Someday I won’t be around, and I wanted my family members to be able to retain my research through the software, NOT through the subscription online. I totally understand why you are doing this…why ask for a one-time fee, when you can milk $$ from people for the rest of their lives! Sorry, it’s not going to happen from me. I will be dropping my subscription to ancestry.com. Such a shame that $$ is always the bottom line, not people.

  4304. Mark Sills

    Like many others, I have been using FTM for more years than I can remember. Also, like those who have taken the time to comment here, this decision should be thought of as Ancestry’s “New Coke” decision! This decision is absurd and arrogant!

  4305. Ralph Danielson

    Can’t you sell it to someone else that wants to continue the program? If you just drop support the program will go down with the next version of Windows and millions of customers will lose their research. What will be the reaction of your customer base then? It won’t be pretty.

  4306. Robyn

    I too have used FTM for 20 years and am really concerned at such a decision. My subscription to Ancestry has been governed by the services available and this included FTM. I certainly won’t be putting any of my research onto an Ancestry Tree.
    Please rethink this decision.

  4307. Bob Meany

    Cancelled my subscription today, Hated changes several years ago and this is the final blow. Have had subscription for over 15 years and have continually seen Ancestry ignore customer resistance against their changes.

  4308. Alan Moll

    Wow! Don’t force us to use your inadequate Ancestry family trees. My wife and I just spent a week working on our trees, she on Ancestry, I in Tree Maker. She was constantly asking me to do things for her that she couldn’t do in Ancestry.

  4309. Lulu

    I wonder if all these comments will change their decision? In any event, I’m done even if they decide to keep it. Just them giving thought to trashing it is enough for me.

  4310. Ernest Beabes

    Really?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    One day and nearly 5K negitive comments since your announcements. One can not read all of these. That should tell you something alone.
    That being said if you do read mine, I understand the concept of demographics and with the popularity of chasing the shaking leaves with the younger NOOB users. These folks all live in the larger internet accessible cloud environment but the die hard researchers that I know do most of their work off line and will sync to the cloud with their final and proven results so to share with their community.
    Limited internet service provider access like mine and other non serviced demographics do not have cloud environment or can not afford the file transfer costs applied to a work in-progress tree research.
    When you take their work environment away they will find another work environment to use. It will not likely be in the cloud, but in your competition and your database will start to stagnate as it falls to a source citation rather than a location where researchers share there work results. I have been with you for a long time (mid 1970’s) and have seen you grow now I am concerned that I will see you start to diminish. If that is your goal (can be seen from another product you dropped a couple years ago) to get to a more manageable database, then you are downsizing in the correct direction.
    DO NOT take this as a vote of confidence as I disagree with you removing the off line environment that syncs easily to the on line.

  4311. Jack

    So how do i manage my tree now? Depend on a “cloud”? Am hoping your competitors will come up with a solution.

  4312. Rhonda

    Very upseting I have used FTM for many years always up date when new software comes out this way I can keep copy of not only my ancesters but also those living I just payed to get a new copy for my new computer I want my money back. I will not put living people on line and I will stom my sub. to ancestry this is so sad

  4313. Jean

    I am shocked and saddened. I only hope Ancestry will reconsider. I use FTM daily and have for years. Ancestry is my search tool but FTM stores all my research and provides the charts I need to do my research.

  4314. Ernest Beabes

    Really?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    One day and nearly 5K negative comments since your announcements. One can not read all of these. That should tell you something alone.
    That being said if you do read mine, I understand the concept of demographics and with the popularity of chasing the shaking leaves with the younger NOOB users. These folks all live in the larger internet accessible cloud environment but the die hard researchers that I know do most of their work off line and will sync to the cloud with their final and proven results so to share with their community.
    Limited internet service provider access like mine and other non serviced demographics do not have cloud environment or can not afford the file transfer costs applied to a work in-progress tree research.
    When you take their work environment away they will find another work environment to use. It will not likely be in the cloud, but in your competition and your database will start to stagnate as it falls to a source citation rather than a location where researchers share there work results. I have been with you for a long time (mid 1970’s) and have seen you grow now I am concerned that I will see you start to diminish. If that is your goal (can be seen from another product you dropped a couple years ago) to get to a more manageable database, then you are downsizing in the correct direction.
    DO NOT take this as a vote of confidence as I disagree with you removing the off line environment that syncs easily to the on line.

  4315. Linda

    Over 20 years of data has been input into my FTM software, now what? Are you putting out any recommendations of other software and how to transition? Maybe you should think of your loyal customers – and the opportunity your competition has now been handed.

  4316. Annie

    Cannot believe that you have made this decision and that you haven’t even indicated whether people will be able to continue to export or share their trees. You make over 400 million dollars a year in revenue yet can’t even be bothered to maintain a simple software program???

  4317. Terry

    Sad. Sad. Sad. I have been using FTM for almost 20 years; I will not be switching to a new program, I will not be keeping my information only “in the air”. I will be telling my family that I no longer wish for an Ancestry.com membership for a Christmas gift. P.S. I don’t like the new interface.

  4318. Aileen

    I am shocked, and feel like you have delivered a gut punch. I have been using Family Tree Maker from the very beginning, and have had a top-of-the-line Ancestry subscription for more years than I can count. When you added tree sync, that was the icing on the cake. Even if you dropped that, I still think FTM is way better than your online tree (both the old version and the new one). You preach and preach about correctly attaching sources to every fact, and through FTM I’ve been able to do it. It is easy to copy and paste a source from one person to another if needed. But in your online tree, the way you have source attachment set up is extremely cumbersome, and it tends to attach a source to a fact it doesn’t belong with. Case in point – look at how many trees have a census report attached to a birth fact of (for example) “April 3, 1890.” There is no way a census report should be attached to that specific fact. It is very awkward to try to attach that to a new fact of “c. 1891.” No wonder so many people have awful trees online. There are too many times, too, where you attach a new source as “preferred” and it wipes out the old preferred fact instead of making it an alternate. Also, if you want to attach that source to multiple people, you have to go to each one individually and look up the source again, then attach it to that person. With Family Tree Maker, it is super easy to copy and past that source to multiple people.

    For heaven’s sake, Family Tree Maker is the only thing you are doing RIGHT! As a genealogist with 50 years of experience (yes, I started as a teenager), I have been so proud of my FTM tree and the care I’ve taken to get sources right, and document everything. I have watched as Ancestry has basically demolished that with their online trees and the randomness of how things are merged and sourced. Your recent online changes to reduce alternate facts (by deleting old facts & sources when you merge) just because lazy people didn’t like having too many alternate facts goes against everything you preach about attaching good sources to every fact. Practice what you preach! Don’t add ways to ignore good practices to your online trees. And keep Family Tree Maker for those of us who want to continue to do it right. If you don’t, then at least tell us how to transfer all those documents and photos to a new program that will work in a similar manner. Just dropping FTM after all our painstaking work is mind-boggling. Thanks for the gut-punch. Thanks for not caring. I am shocked at your decision. As are thousands of others, judging by the 4700 comments here in just 24 hours. Shame on you, Ancestry.

  4319. Jane

    I just started Ancestry and bought FTM. I have NO IDEA what to do with the information/documents I have found. I was going to spen this coming year organizing each person in FTM. As a new researcher, I have no idea how to save all I’ve found and store it. I think my husband just bought a 2016 subscription for me for XMAS and maybe I wshould tell him to cancel it? Again, I am completely in the dark as to what this means for a newcomer, like me. Do I buy a new database and manually move all info into it? What the heck are you people thinking? You, Goliath, are slaying the Davids….should not be surprised, since the individual is no longer important. What irony..we are trying to find our individual ancestors and you dangled the carrot and am now hitting us with the stick.

  4320. Mscbriz

    Please re consider as it is a great differentiator and part of the whole experience
    May have to join the throngs and seek elsewhere if you don’t change

  4321. Jeffrey Gould

    Rather than just add another complaint, although I certainly agree with everyone here, I’d propose 2 things. 1) Every last one of us cancel our subscriptions and 2) anyone who has any experience with similar software, let us know the pros and cons, so we have some idea where to move.

  4322. Joelle

    Sorry to hear of the retrial of the very popular fm program. I have two queries.

    How will this effect the DNA results in people’s trees?
    I have no confidence in putting my data in only one place so will the website still do online family trees and if so what backup is in place?

  4323. Mickey Flaville

    Pissed off. You people ought to be ashamed of your self. Take our money, then take your product, and then give us nothing in return. You are like, nothing more than a thief in the night. Why don’t you just put a mask on your face and a gun to my heads, because, I feel like I’m being robbed.

  4324. Donald

    I think this is a bad move. But not surprising. The newest FTM is already outdated compared to other software. While I do have FTM, I also have Rootsmagic 7 and Legacy 8. I use both and I highly recommend them. But if you want just one, the overall best is RootsMagic. They are offering FTM users a good deal too since Ancestry did this. Apparently for $20 you get RM 7 and the RM guide book. Just letting yall know if you didn’t get the email.

  4325. Ed Veeneman

    I’ve looked through the many many comments made so far. I’m impressed by the number and the universal dislike of your decision to discontinue FTM. I don’t think I can add anything new to whats been said but I echo much of what I have read and add my opinion to the negative reaction of your other subscribers. I belong to Ancestry.com because of FTM. The online data comes nowhere near meeting my needs. It is difficult for me to navigate and I believe it encourages posting of information that has not been well researched in order to achieve quick results. If I’m not using FTM, it will be some software other than Ancestry.com. Any research I, and others like me, do going forward will not be available to Ancestry.com without syncing capability. Neither your new online system nor your dropping of FTM seem like wise strategic decisions to me. I hope you reconsider.

  4326. JoAnn

    Ancestry does not care what you say, they just go ahead and do what ever they want. I absolutely hate all the changes!!! I to have paid a lot of money to them.

  4327. VERY BAD DECISION. Very BAD.
    I have been a subscriber for a long time. I have purchased every FM update since Windows 3!
    I use my desktop as most of the above subscribers say they do. I think eliminating the support of FTM is a poorly thought idea. I have several DNA tests completed and had plans to continue but I feel the need has vanished.

    Please reconsider this plan.

  4328. Randy

    Long time user of Family Tree Maker, hope you will sell the software to someone who will keep it going. Maybe it’s time to find another hobby and save 300 dollars a year.

  4329. John Cox

    This action shows a total disregard and I must say a certain contempt for long time and users of Family Tree Maker Software and loyal subscribers to Ancestry. The long established and excellent Family Tree Maker and its the direct links to World Ancestry database is what marked out Ancestry the leader among Genealogical web sites. This move is totally negative, and there is no mention of what software will replace FTM? Without this valuable link to Ancestry through FTM then Ancestry becomes just another genealogy database among many excellent rivals, and I will not be renewing my Subscription to Ancestry when it expires. It seems unlikely that this outpouring of negative reaction will change anything, and I don’t feel a whole lot better for adding my comments but in my opinion Ancestry has gone from Hero to Zero. A Very Bad move!

  4330. Susan Reich

    It’s ALWAYS about the money. Goes to show what is really important to your company. Profit above all else.

  4331. Tina

    By looking at the shear numbers of comments since the word got out, you must be getting the message that many, many of your customers are extremely unhappy with the decision to not support FTM. Somehow I had a feeling you would do this to us. I, and along with all those above, ask that you reconsider. Of at least, offer a solution to how we may be able to use both Ancestry.com and another program jointly? I will have to re-evaluate soon, whether or not I want to continue my long-time membership to Ancestry.com. I have a lot of people on two family trees who rely on my hard work.

  4332. Jon Myers

    There are so many things in FTM that don’t work on the site. Finding dupes, cleaning up locations, all of the printable reports for taking on premises for research. You can’t even fix the phantom hints on the site. How can I trust that my research is going to be available if you decide to shut down shop because you lose all of your business with this short sites decision.

    I hope this was just a feeler email and you change your mind. Losing the FTM and synch will lose your edge in the community. If you do not open the API for other software to synch then the first one that does will take away all of your business. Software is a “me too” industry and you are throwing away your only differentiator.

    Also, blogs should be sorted descending. I will post back with a list of othe products for people to review.

  4333. Joan

    Very disappointing news and quite frankly very suspect!
    I will spend the year reviewing other software options and likely will not renew membership.

  4334. Kurt

    Wow oh wow after 2 cups of coffee i made it to the bottom to put in my 2 cents worth. Truth is it’s been said over and over What a bad ideal this is and If Ancestry.com Didn’t listen to you /us before about the change to the new Ancestry.com and the millions who didn’t want it there not going to listen now. The fact is it’s all about profit NOT about customer care. I am just glad i started looking for a new place for my tree and work when they started with the new Ancestry. I moved my DNA work over to Family Tree DNA and they are amazing people to work with yes real people and at no cost to belong. They all so have the tool to actually do matching and other amazing things with your Raw DNA info. I have found and met many 2ed and 3rd cousins.Using Family Tree DNA and Gedmatch. And now thanks to the Adoption program they have i found my Biological Grandparents after so many years of searching. Something Ancestry.com never even came close to doing i wasted so much money doing DNA on Ancestry it is not even funny. Matter of fact i just tossed a kit in the garbage couldn’t see the point in sending it in. Dear Ancestry.Com Users Wake up Don’t hesitate and jump ship ASAP there are to many other company’s out there. That are willing to be there for you. And What ever you do if you been getting the E-mails like i have to let them help you do you searching PLEASE PLEASE shop around there are many other Company’s that are so much cheaper. And yes i am a Worldwide subscription Holder and as soon as i finish moving every thing to other places i will join the mass canceling Drive In hope to Put Ancestry.Com in it’s grave

  4335. Robert

    I am very disappointed in this news. What will I do with all my information and documents. It’s like destroying a library. Please reconsider.

  4336. Alan J

    Very disappointed in your decision. I feel betrayed and cheated. It was so easy to update and change items on FTM and then when I had the chance sync. I hope that someone with more common sense would reverse your decision or at least continue to service all of FTM options especially the sync long as you are in business, not just to 1/2017. If not, I wonder how long I (and others) will continue to use your site! Looking at all the negative comments, how much business are you willing to lose!!!!!!

  4337. Jeff

    The online application is a far cry from what is available in FTM. Please communicate your plans for updating the website functionality with the tools and reports that are currently in FTM.

  4338. Rngmaddy

    Ancestry is relying on a statistic that 12 million people have downloaded their mobile app. Well I am one who downloaded to my iPad. I am a guest on a tree. I don’t use it. It is useless just one descendant chart! Compared to all the reports available in FTM. And they use that to justify cutting all development on FTM! What happens when Microsoft updates to Widows 12 and 14 as it will eventually? I moved to FTM when they took over Ulimate Family Tree which had been Roots. I thought it would be secure but it is not. I do not have any trees sinced to Ancestry of my own work and am not likely to subscribe to do so. A major security breech of their cloud would be all it takes to send people fleeing. And that is quite likely to happen given the activity of hackers.

  4339. Tina

    By looking at the shear numbers of comments since the word got out, you must be getting the message that many, many of your customers are extremely unhappy with the decision to not support FTM. Somehow I had a feeling you would eventually do this to us. I, and along with all those above, ask that you reconsider. Or at least, offer a solution to how we may be able to use both Ancestry.com and another program jointly? I will have to re-evaluate soon, whether or not I want to continue my long-time membership to Ancestry.com. I have a lot of people in two family trees who rely on my hard work. PLEASE reconsider! Thank you

  4340. Stephen Salzer

    What a greedy stupid move Ancestry to discontinue Family Tree Maker. I would have expected better from you. Who do you think builds your database? Now you and you alone will own all my hard work. My efforts will turn from building my tree to finding a way to archive my data in a way that is safe from you. A user revolt might get your attention. How would it affect you if thousands of subscribers made fake trees containing random data and links. Read the comments. Your previously loyal and happy customers are apoplectic. Please reverse this stupid short sighted decision before you entirely ruin our trust. You have reduced yourselves from the status of trusted partner to grubby corporate utility. Someone should see this as a great opportunity. If there is a competitor who will let me keep a copy of my data, I am ready to switch.

    To the social media manager who will respond to this post:
    Don’t be a mindless drone. Don’t be a mindless drone! This is NOT a personal attack , but your hundreds of cut and paste replies to similar posts are ridiculous. Telling us you considered this carefully and we will be supported through 2017 ignores the reasons for our upset and is insulting. Instead of responding with infuriating platitudes, notify your boss, and their boss of the outcry before more irreparable damage is done to the company you work for and are trying your best to help.

  4341. Marg Young

    Did you not get the Memo the it is Christmas not April Fools’ Day – a time for giving not playing Jokes because this is a JOKE! I purchased FTM because I was always going to have a desktop programme & the ONE thing that sold it to me was that it was synced & I did not have to manually transfer all my hours of work from Ancestry to a programme. Since owning FTM I have found it to be possibly one of the best Desktop programmes available. The reporting etc is above excellent. And in one Stupid, Stupid decision you are going to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” as my mum & grandmother always said. You’re kidding!!!!!! As a long term advocate of Ancestry, that has convinced many sceptics to join, you have LOST me & from nearly 5000 (probably more noting the numbers that have been removed!) I am not on my “Pat Malone”. All I can say is if you continue with this terrible decision “Good Luck with your business” because the Stock Market Crash is going to look pretty tame to what you are going to receive in backlash. I am just LIVID!!!!

  4342. Drew McEwan

    I have used FTM since broderbund first brought it out, it is the best bar none. I believe ancestry is making a big mistake by discontinuing FTM. They could end up getting a severe kick in the wallet by alienating a large chunk of their customer base. If any of the ancestry board bother to read the feedback here, then be warned and rethink your decision. If not it could come back and bite you in the ass.

  4343. Paul Robinson

    My question is, where are the responses from Ancestry.com to all these comments? Or are they (Ancestry.com) burying their heads in the sand hoping for it to blow over and go away. It appears they are about to lose a lot of subscribers, me for one, and surely with that loss in revenue, that will hurt more than spending the small sum it takes to support a very useful and good software tool.

  4344. Alan Brookese

    Another example of “Planned Obsolescence” aka Vance Packard. American Companies are always doing this

  4345. Steve Bailey

    I feel abandoned, disrespected and robbed! So you’ve produced a rubbish new web site, “pulled the plug” on loyal subscribers who have paid for FTM and alienated those of us who built Ancestry by paying hefty subscriptions for all these years. Merry Christmas to you too!

  4346. Jeff S

    I have already deleted my 4 high-quality trees from Ancestry.com. With the next re-indexing all that information will no longer be available. I must re-iterate that our hard work is making money for Ancestry.com. Delete your trees or make them private until Ancestry starts treating us with a little respect.

  4347. GaryI

    I to want to add my disapproval with the other 4,772 previous comments. The decision to abandon FTM software is short sighted, but worse is to announce that Ancestry.com will no longer support FTM functions. You have a huge installed base which used to be loyal supporters of Ancestry/FTM. This is a stupid and short sided decision. Please reconsider.

  4348. Miranda

    Why would you kill off “the World’s No. 1 selling family history software”? It doesn’t make sense… People rely on this brilliant program. What is ancestry.com without it? Please reconcider. My life project as I see it lives inside FTM and I know there is no other program I would be happy with.

  4349. RL Bloomer

    Are you getting the message? Potential FAILURE on the level of the “New Coke” debacle! So the company has “taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market” and determined it is not cost effective to maintain FTM software for your paying customers. Then you give us about a three week warning without even testing your market. I would venture to say that most of your customers are NOT millennials looking for a way to stream their action movies and games to their cell phones. We are mainly “old school” adults who have reached the age where we realize that we have family histories that need to be preserved for future generations. We have also reached the age where we can actually afford to subscribe to your services. This really seems to be a matter of control of data, a very dangerous path that we are marching down with the “cloud” concept of having operating systems/software that are stored remotely. Who then decides when we no longer deserve to have access. How can we trust you?

  4350. Ian S-K

    I’m still using FTM version 2009, after starting back in about 2000. Surely I’ll still be able to use what I’ve paid for – and others too- or is the new 2015 FTM version not one you can use unless connected to the internet?

    Ceasing to let FTM operate is pathetic… it remind sme of bank mergers- the costs go up, and the service drops. No benefit to the consumer, only to the shareholders.
    I do not, and will not, upload most of our data to Ancestry- I’ve had too much ‘stolen’ and incorreectly linked to impossible unrelated families.

  4351. Bernie Roberts

    I 100% concur with C. Maarie Steele’s comment above. I hate your new platform. I have worked in the Digital Marketing space for almost 14 years and believe you guys made a wrong turn on this one. Now you just drop a bomb on your customer base without any solutions, recommendations, or alternatives. I do not want to operate in the cloud and I want the option to keep all of my information out of your servers.

  4352. Marty

    So sad.
    Please keep the software!
    Doing family research is not just about surfing on a cell phone or using an app. Having the software allows me to easily work on my research and vet all of my notes, media. sources, resources, etc.
    Please reconsider!!

  4353. Catherine

    Without FTM Ancestry is going to need to make some major upgrades to it’s on-line product. Currently, there is no easy way to: 1) scrub data & make it consistent 2) print a list of missing dates 3) look at families by location.
    This decision is a huge disappointment. After a decision like this with such short notice, I no longer feel comfortable using ancestry.com as the main source for my data.

  4354. Gerry Turpin

    What an amazing and stupid decision. But ancestry will get their come uppance when all the committed and experienced researchers leave and take their data with them. Ancestry’s online databases will become even more full of inaccurate junk as casual users happily accept all those spurious hints and link to each other. Then what will the company be worth?

  4355. Greg

    Since I am canceling my subscription with Ancestry because of the FTM fiasco – can anyone speak to Rootsmagic? Pros/cons – can we transfer our FTM? Any other excellent software that would benefit those of us cancelling our subscription to Ancestry?

  4356. Mark Cottrell

    “we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market” Of course the # of Tree Makers sold is declining because you have already sold millions of them to us. I don’t need 10 of them. It’s sad when a supposed service is fueled by profit driven executives. There are many millions of records provided by Ancestry but many million more records are provided by our own research & all Ancestry does is sell your research back to you & others after they get you to enter it. I believe Ancestry’s $ first, service second posture will eventually cause them to implode. I will drop Ancestry when the integration ends.

  4357. Damian

    Unbelievably poor decision. You might have considered how FTM helped you gain/maintain subscriptions versus just the profit from sales. Funny to see you take such a short view for a company that looks at the past.

  4358. Jean M Horn

    I am VERY disappointed in hearing this. I have kept my information on FTM since I started genealogy research. Please reconsider this decision.

  4359. Colin

    You’re joking, right? You’re eliminating FTM by the end of 2016!!!, with its powerful desktop capabilities, a user interface consistent with Windows standards, and it’s fantastic graphics capabilities that can only really be supported on a PC.
    Are you saying that your web site is going to include all the features of FTM?
    • I and all 25 of my local genealogy group prefer working with FTM much more than the Ancestry online. We spend on average 80% of our time off-line and only login to Ancestry to do searches.
    • At a meeting this morning, our members have decided to cancel our subscriptions and move to Root Magic or another provider if the planned changes go ahead.
    • The FTM user interface is much more detailed and shows more information without having to move back, forward and the back again through the online site.
    • All professional and amateur genealogists/family history researchers will be amazed and disappointed at this VERY BAD decision.
    • Do you realize you’ve caused what will be a mass exodus to other competing products like Root Magic.
    I for one I will be leaving Ancestry and Ancestry DNA when my subscription is due for renewal in March 2016.
    • I’ve spent £100’s of good money over the years, upgrading to each new version of FTM as it was upgraded – where’s your loyalty to customers like me?

    A VERY BAD COMMERCIAL DECISION and made without consulting your customers!

  4360. Laura L.

    This is really, really bad news. I am a heavy user (and big spender) on both Ancestry.com and FTM. The ability to sync and store offline and use the additional function of FTM are a large part of my genealogy ecosystem. This decision by Ancestry will mean big decisions for me and I will be looking for alternatives to Ancestry.com, something I would never have considered before and really don’t want to do!

  4361. Paul

    This is a “me too” note. Like most of the comment, I’ve used FTM & Ancestry for many years & consider this to be the worse decision made by Ancestry. I often meet with friends and family in places that either don’t have wifi or wifi that I don’t trust, so use my laptop to discuss and share. I wish you had polled your long term users before deciding for us. Incidentally, you are forcing me spend valuable time to look for & learn a new program that will accept my Gedcom file and transfer all of my notes. Thank you for being so considerate, NOT.

  4362. Donald

    I think this is a mistake. I just recently bought the software and had I known I wouldn’t have. And the new look on ancestry.com is not an improvement. The interface doesn’t seem to work as well and freezes often. For example when you put in a name to search not all of the possibilities appear and if they do there isn’t enough distinction between them to choose the right one so you have to do a work around. You will probably lose many customers including me. Thank you.

  4363. David Burnett

    I am about four years into a major project and the changes you have made to ancestry appear to be only cosmetic and now the safety net of FTM is to be removed – is your decision purely financial because if so you are going to haemorrhage customers at a very high speed.

  4364. Linda W

    I too HAVE BEEN a long and LOYAL customer of FTM and Ancestry.com. NO MORE. I will continue to use the FTM software I have, but will not resubscribe to Ancestry.com. You are not the only company/group that has information online, and I researched in dusty courthouse basements, libraries, turned cranks on microfilm machines (remember them?) for many hours before I started using FTM. 43 years to be exact, total. As the old country song says “I got along without you before I met you and I’ll get along without you now.”
    I will find another software program to replace yours when I find it necessary. There are many out there who care about their customers more than you do.

  4365. Robert Wooden

    This is probably the worse business decision I have ever heard of. If they are trying to force me to do my genealogy work exclusively on the ancestry.com website, they don’t understand the business they are in. I am very disappointed.

  4366. Paul Wilson

    Wrong decision. The ability to use the leaf icon in my FTM entries to find data directly on Ancestry without having to log on separately to Ancestry.com is a unique and invaluable feature that speeds up my research by at least 300%. It doesn’t matter to me whether or not you discontinue the software itself, but please don’t take that feature away. _Please_.

  4367. Susan

    I now have the incentive I need to switch over to FamilySearch.org. Folks, you can go online to find out how to download your data from FTM and Ancestry and upload it to FamilySearch.org. This is a free website by the LDS church.

  4368. Malcolm Dickman

    I have been a user of family tree maker going back many years and recommended family tree maker to my friends and family . Why retire FTM now , what about the people that have just invested in FTM as a Christmas present , Hope some other company has the sense to take it over . VERY BAD MOVE not happy

  4369. Deborah Long

    I lead a group of more than 50 active genealogists and we could not be more disappointed in your decision–not to mention your lack of response to the growing criticism and questions on this blog. I hope that I do not have to regret recommending FTM to other beginning genealogists and buying the software as a gift, even as late as yesterday.

  4370. Malcolm Dickman

    I have been a user of family tree maker going back many years and recommended family tree maker to my friends and family . Why retire FTM now , what about the people that have just invested in FTM as a Christmas present , Hope some other company has the sense to take it over . VERY BAD MOVE not happy.

  4371. dvprunier1

    I haven’t read all the comments, but I hope Member Support sees the pattern. Doing away with FTM is a bad idea. There are some parts of the country that do not get decent internet service. Many people prefer not to use the internet. Having online access to the trees is a “nice to have” function, but like so many others have said, my primary means of managing my information is a standalone database not dependent on internet service. I will not renew my ancestry.com membership just so I can manage my family tree. Please reconsider this business decision.

  4372. James McVoy

    Ancestry.com only cares about the almighty dollar. This is the latest evidence that they don’t actually care about their customers. Not much of a surprise, but still extremely disappointing. Once I figure out what to do with my massive FTM database, I will be cancelling my subscription.

  4373. Nick

    Very disappointed in your decision, I spent years developing my family trees and now you are pulling the plug on it with no replacement? You have made a lot of money with the information we supplied and what we purchased from FTM.

    I am going to move to another platform.

  4374. Mike Sewell

    I also have paid a substantial amount of money to Ancestry. My family tree has taken a considerable number of years to build and all the research relating to every one of the 1800 members in the tree are held in FTM on my home PC and I want it to remain private. Just last week I receieved an email reminding me that my subscription was due, I must now consider moving my research to some more stable environment.

  4375. Antony

    What an incredibly blinkered decision! I started my Genealogy Research using Genes Renuited, but switched to FTM / Ancestry purely because of the desktop software facility. Luckily I’ve still maintained my presence on Genes Reunited and will be upgrading my subscription on there as soon as my current Ancestry subscription ends. You don’t seem to have taken into account how much business FTM brings to your online site. After being repeatedly beaten to the punch with the best data facilities in the UK such as the 1911 census and now the 1939 data perhaps you’ll quickly see your user base dwindle.

  4376. Donna

    I too am a long time user and very upset with this news. If it does actually go thru I will have to cancel my subscription and look for something else.

  4377. Cindy Englan Wentz

    This is the most poorly thought out business decision I’ve seen in decades. Who *doesn’t* want their family tree available to them offline? Guess I’ll download my GEDcom file now and you can cancel my subscription. If you’re going to drop me like a hot potato, I will do the same in return. Thanks a lot Ancestry. Even if you change your mind, I’ll never be able to trust you again.

  4378. Kevin

    I’ve been a loyal customer for a long time. Can’t believe this! Two words come to me – You Suck!
    Oh yeah, and Goodbye!

  4379. Elizabeth

    I am VERY disappointed and look at this a proprietary way for ancestry to control all data and access to it. I have synced my tree and often use Treemaker to review data when I have no or limited internet access. Also, the user interface and searches are far superior on Treemaker to those on ancestry.com. I HATE the ancestry com user interface that bumps me to the “story” after every search I do and then have to navigate my way back to search results. (It is certainly not intuitive) I HAVE PAID for access to ancestry.com through Treemaker. Do we get a refund when capabilities like this are disabled?

  4380. Mary

    I hope your are reading each and every response here. I’ll have to hurry to complete my tree so I can print the reports for each family member. Are you suggesting you will add all of the functions of FTM to Ancestry.com?

  4381. Steve

    If the PC version goes then so do I. I’m not subscribing to something that can only be used online. How can I print reports and charts? THAT IS WHY WE MUST HAVE A PC VERSION.
    I have spent man years of my time using FTM since day one and will not put up with rubbish like this just because there isn’t a Thick Client development team anymore.

  4382. Gary Johnson

    Can you even imagine the decades of work that some people are going to lose? While the website allows for SOME continuity, it does not include all the content that the software does. For example the “person notes” are not available in ancestry. I have tons of information in those notes. PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS PLAN.

  4383. Victor

    A lot of these comments seem to not understand what FTM is. The program will NOT stop functioning on December 31st. You can continue to use the program for many years down the road, 2017 and beyond. True, some minor functionality like the synching features may be lost, but the program will still work just fine. It is also very easy to export your file from FTM and import it into a new program, if you so desire, but there is no real need to change software unless you just want to change because you no longer like FTM/Ancestry. Your information, your years of research, will not be lost just because Ancestry is not releasing any new versions!!!

  4384. Jared

    As a consideration to your loyal members you should have at least informed us of what happens after you pull the plug on FTM. Based on the comments you have received thus far – you at least need to address our legitimate concerns! At this point I feel abandoned.

  4385. David Morgan

    Based upon the feedback there is a lot of personal investment in our family trees. I have been a member since 1999 and have sync’d my tree with Family Tree Maker.

    The decision made ignores the time and investment. It makes sense to have both web and a backup interface. If things can be backed up into a public export file that can be used with other services, then it might work out.

    Also, if ancestry can work with a partner to maintain the FTM formats, maybe you can move forward.

    Bad decision, not well thought out. are you listening ?

  4386. Robert W Carter

    Mr. Hulet should read this email as if he was a user of a Family Tree Maker (FTM) program. In paragraph one you pat yourself on the back by telling me how great you are. In paragraph two how you are going to “provide our customers with the best experience possible” really! This “best experience” includes the end to FTM and the supporting in a year of your FTM customers. Great job Mr. Hulet.

  4387. Laura K

    I agree. This is a terrible decision. Are you going to supply us with all the capabilities FTM has that you do not? Clearly, a BAD choice. Get rid of Kendall Hulet before you lose your customer base.

  4388. Barb

    Without FTM and the tree sync capability, there is no reason for me to continue having my tree on Ancestry. As soon as I loose this capability, you will loose my trees and me as a customer.

  4389. John Wynne

    OK, but only if your Ancestry web site reproduces ALL the capabilities of FTM, including printing options.

  4390. Cal C

    I agree that this is a HUGE mistake. I have used FTM since it was a Broderbund product and rely on the print/publishing capacities. I will not place my hopes that an online resource alone will protect my years of research. I have enjoyed Ancestry and have been a member for years, but in a choice between the tools, Ancestry will lose yet another loyal customer. Given the fact that the current look-and-feel of the web based data, it seems that Ancestry is seeking a youth market instead of serious genealogists. Ancestry should look at who has been loyal and not at the “anticipated” dollar signs.

  4391. Kathi

    This decision borders on fraudulent practice as 1000s of your customers have purchased your FTM upgrades expecting to use them. You charged my account recently knowing it would be discontinued soon. I have been a member for many years, but will not be renewing my subscription and will delete my current trees. Bad business decision folks!

  4392. Larry

    As a customer who has used FTM for 20 years I was saddened when Ancestry BOUGHT FTM then decided not to continue the FTM format – instead changing it to Ancestry’s software. Now this – I guess the ROYALTY FEE Ancestry has to pay original owner of FTM is more important to Ancestry than the customers they serve. If they go thru with cancelling FTM I too will be among the missing. Poor decision on your part.

  4393. Murray

    Your decision reminds me of something an old farmer once said to me: “You know, there’s a lot of intelligent people out there — It’s just that some of them ain’t too smart!” Please reconsider and do the right — and smart — thing!

  4394. Jim Davis

    This is the same kind of decision made by Intuit to change their products in the search for profit. They reverted their decision in the face of overwhelming opposition from their customer base. I’m sure you realize that even Ancestry.com has competition from sites like MyHeritage, FamilySearch, etc., and that consumers can vote with their feet by moving off the ancestry platform? Let me repeat what another commenter said: Ancestry without FTM is not worth the price. Please listen to your customers.

  4395. Janet

    I am very shocked and saddened to hear this. The tree sync feature is a big reason for my subscription to Ancestry. I’m hoping you’ll soon announce another new product with similar features in its place with no additional subscription costs! …. and of course at no cost to those of us who have used FTM for years.

  4396. Martha

    Your ads make such a big deal of the little green leaves popping up-where will they pop up now? I am so disappointed in this development. Where will we be able to access kinship charts, print out Gedcoms and family trees with a beautiful background?

  4397. Mairead

    Unbelievable! Not one single mention of what will be happening to the members trees or their plans for what they are going to do with our data that we have painstakingly used and paid for the joy of working with Family Tree. And the new interface is rubbish. Bad idea boys! Cancelling subscription seems like the only option available especially since you have not told us the future. So much for loyalty and customer care!

  4398. Nancy Young

    Bad decision to throw FTM away. I don’t trust the cloud therefore don’t use it. I am contemplating deleting my trees.

  4399. Kate

    Have used FTM for years and only resubscribed to Ancestry because I could sync my tree (and still keep it private). Certainly won’t be subscribing again. Dreadful decision on Ancestry’s part.

  4400. William

    I’m very disappointed in your decision and hope that you might change your mind. I don’t buy software everytime there’s a new release, but I do buy it when I feel there’s a real enhancement. My children purchased me a 6 month subscription to Ancestry.com, I’ve taken a hard look at your decision to discontinue the software part so I will not be renewing. YOUR LOSS

  4401. Linda

    I record my genealogy work on the latest version of Family Tree Maker for Mac, and use Ancestry ONLY as a resource for records. Now this link is to cease! Ancestry’s announcement talks about its “significant investment” to expand its records files. What about the increased income the company must be getting from the new members whose interest in genealogy has been piqued by Ancestry’s numerous television ads? When Ancestry drops FTM, I will erase my tree from Ancestry. There are other options.

  4402. Robert

    A lot of your date and records come from users, them pulling there tress will impact on you being able to provide a quality product also based on common sense for every 1 comment here there are more than likely 10-20 people who cant be bothered to response and will just leave ancestry over 5000 comments = 1,000,000 users.

  4403. Martin Neill

    Removing future support for FTM is a backward step as other people have stated the online database is not a patch on the desktop software product. I saw this coming as there hasn’t been an update to version 2014 released in 2013 and have already cancelled my ancestry subscription as from the end of the month. I would urge users to change to Roots Magic v7 where you can import your FTM files including photos and data and take a subscription out with my heritage or such like and dump ancestry altogether.

  4404. Kathie

    You are making a big mistake abandoning FTM. I have been using it since it came out and will not change. It is easy to use and you can see numerous information at once. My ancestors are happy living within FTM. I love it and don’t like your decision to drop it.

  4405. William Lander

    Well. This tears it. I’m transferring all my efforts to WikiTree.
    As the saying goes, information wants to be free. It will find its way out of Ancestry and the money grubbers who run it and set policy. I’m just getting too old to put up with all this commercial crap. I’ve been researching since 1974. I I can’t see any future for a retired, fixed income, researcher when when its already hard to justifty the membership fees to my spouse.

  4406. Reinout

    A cry of despair from The Netherlands. I a willing to pay much more for FTM as long as you continue. When even a Dutch guy says that you are a fool to quit. I am losing 10 years of work.

  4407. Gary Johnson

    You will lose all the serious hobbyists and hardcore researchers and have left only those folks who think genealogy research is typing a name in a search field and assuming the response is correct – the same people who proliferate bad genealogy information “because if it’s on the Internet it must be true,” You’re cutting off your base of support and your content will suffer. This is shortsighted.

    In any event, please consider selling the latest version of the software near the end of 2016. Those of us with thousands of entries will no doubt need to limp by until another alternative becomes available. Many of us have only downloaded versions, which cannot be reinstalled on subsequent computers.

  4408. lbrownson

    I have had a subscription to Ancestry.com nearly from its beginnings and have used Family Tree Maker even longer. I’m also very disappointed in this decision and will be looking for a new desktop solution. I frequently do my work off-line. The “sync” feature has been nice but I don’t find it crucial to forwarding my research as I am generally more capable of finding new leads rather than clicking on leaves that point me in the wrong direction. As I look at new desktop software, I will also be looking for other services that give me access to records to reassess my Ancestry subscription.

  4409. Howard Morgan

    This is a very bad decision, but consistent with the pretty shoddy reply I got when I queried why I could not re-install the software.
    The replies here show that there is a market for non web based software – you have built that market, and you are now just walking away, with no regard for us. loosing the sync facility means we have to transcribe .
    If I can find an alternative provider, I will quit ancestry.co.uk right away – because I value ancestry service, but am always looking to improve my tracing and recording experience (to parody the customer service platitude)

  4410. Susan Sailing

    I’m very disappointed in this move. I’ve been a Family Tree Maker user since the early 1990’s. I need my family tree data on my pc. How am I suppose to look up my family info when I’m in my RV at a campsite out in the middle of nowhere with no WIFI. This move will force me to find some other software program for my family tree data that will let me store my data locally instead of in the cloud.

  4411. Steven

    This is a very disappointing move on your part. I do not lie having my family tree only based in Ancestry. I want to have a copy on my computer. Also FTM is the only way I can produce hard copies for family and for archival purposes. I don not know who is making these decisions, but they should be discontinued.

  4412. Betty Putnam

    I have used FTM for years but have never put my files on Ancestry. I have always felt that I need to control my own files and not let some company do it for me. Therefore, everything is on my home computer, not out there in cyber space. Others have used my info, but I choose whom I want to share with and if they put it on Ancestry, then that is just bits & pieces of my files. I think it’s wrong for Ancestry to “pull the plug” so to speak, to all the people who have their info on there. Now I’m glad I am not one of them.

  4413. Alex

    The software was the only recent I kept records and use your website. Your last update had many of my files removed, but the software kept them. You need to rethink this plan or extend support until 2019 or later.

  4414. Maureen

    This is heartbreaking, I’ve used FTM software since I started in the early 1990s, I’m sure the reason for this is to create dependency on an Ancestry subscription. Wise business move to rake in the bucks, but foolish alienation of long term customers. This is truly devastating.

  4415. Heather

    As a long time user of both Ancestry and Family Tree Maker I am amazed that you are shooting yourselves in the foot in this way. I run a small group of family historians and we recommend to new members that we all use Family Tree Maker which, of course, feeds into an Ancestry subscription. Without Family Tree Maker I expect we will begin to find alternative solutions and alternative subscription sites for our research. Have you actually checked to see how many of your subscribers still use pcs and laptop solutions before taking this decision?

  4416. Larry R

    Bean counters win, again. Just joined ancestry.com with their 6 months special. Guess how long my membership will last after this brain cramp.

  4417. Geoff

    This s is ASTONISHING..I think Ancestry have treated their loyal FTM customers appallingly. They have left so many unanswered questions. Will they sell on FTM to another software provider to continue its development. . I will be leaving Ancestry and using a UK provider of genealogy resources in future.

  4418. Sarah Percival

    I bought FTM because I wanted the desktop software package. It came with a free introductory subscription to Ancestry. I won’t continue to renew.

  4419. Vishi

    This is a very bad move. FTM is a crucial part of my research. I’ve been an ancestry member since about 2000 and I’m shocked at this decision. I use that software several times a week in my research. What are you going to replace it with ? I need that software and its search connection to ancestry. The new interface online is kinda weird, not as intuitive or easy to use as when I search from FTM. Plus, I use the publishing tools on FTM alot. What the replacement going to be ? How will I be able to create gedcoms to send to other researchers? will sync still work ? Please propose a replacement.

  4420. John

    As a long term member and user of FTM I am disappointed. Your sync feature as well as the ability to archive my trees locally are features that keep me a member.
    Hopefully your decision is not one to attempt to retain users and users trees inside Ancestry.
    If you feel the software is too expensive to maintain perhaps you will consider making the product open source so a community of interested users can keep it going, but I for one feel the software makes my subscription worth keeping.

  4421. Kris

    The sync tree was the best part. I too like a hard copy as well as the online Ancestry. Information should be saved in multiple formats and sync worked., Please reconsider and don’t just replace FTM with something else. Consider your members and their needs.

  4422. Jim Federlein

    Canceling the desktop version is bad enough, but, as anyone can see from the multitude of comments here already, not caring enough about your loyal customers to fully explain the situation and what will happen with all our hard-earned data is the ultimate mistake. Talk about a marketing failure. Absolutely no concern for the customer.

  4423. Laudie Buresh

    I realize the FTM program will contnue working fine after Ancestry no longer supports it. I have been using FTM version 16 even though it is no longer supported before I prefer it’s features over the newer versions. However it would seem that Ancestry should listen to it’s subscribers and continue supporting the program. With version 16 I do have to research at time when I run in to a problem plus there is a compatibility issue with some of the newer programs.

  4424. JanAC3

    How to ruin so many people’s Christmas in one quick move! I agree with so many of the comments above, particularly those of Nick Stuchbery, Sheila Kell, Charles, Norry Sponse & Sharon. If I won’t be able to sync FTM with Ancestry in future there is no point in paying for a subscription. An alternative software program goes on my Christmas list immediately and a reminder not to renew Ancestry subscription next year on my calendar. I too have used and recommended FTM since before Ancestry was involved with it and deplore the decision to retire the most user friendly program on the market. Open source – what a great idea.

  4425. Shelly

    I too have been a loyal paying customer since day one! SO VERY DISAPPOINTED in this decision. If this decision stands, I too will discontinue my Worldwide ancestry.com membership along with my Fold3. I started my research in 1983 on paper visiting dusty courthouses all over the country and Canada. There are many on-line sites that have information out there that I will be using instead of Ancestry.com. What were you thinking?????

  4426. Tony

    I don’t see any reason for panic but I have been supporting users of Family Tree Maker for years. However I have also been supporting users of a program called Family Historian and that has proved easier due to its reliability and it is excellent at reports and charts. Check out a free 30 day trial download at ‘My History’ in the UK

  4427. coljac185

    WRONG, WRONG, WRONG move. I never comment normally but this terrible decision requires all users to let Ancestry know how they feel. It has taken ages just to scroll down the comments so I don’t imagine Ancestry will read them all, but surely the volume alone will persuade them to re-think. Subscriber numbers are going to nosedive unless something is done.

  4428. David Bond

    I’m with the overwhelming majority on your decision. Read the blogs before this one. It speaks volumes. You appear to have a total disregard to your customers. Like the many others before me, I urge you to reconsider.

  4429. Pat

    Ancestry.com does not have large areas of functionality that is available on FTM. In addition, the new version of the online application is made for newbies and is not efficient for anyone who is a serious genealogist. I considered not renewing after trying the new online process. It looks like there is little or no reason to continue my subscription.

  4430. Hillary

    There’s nothing to add to this thread. This is an absurd decision by Ancestry. Or is it not? Maybe they only care about our money, and once they got all our personal data, that we worked so hard to gather, they just throw us under the bus wheels?
    Well, the only option is to move all our trees to their competitors, who would appreciate it. I know there are other companies who continuously update and invest in their desktop software. My cousin is using Family Tree Builder by MyHeritage (www.myheritage.com/family-tree-builder) and he is very happy with it. They have more than 6.3 Billion records and the charts and reports on the software are great, according to him.
    Importing my GEDCOM from FTM should take a couple of minutes, so I’m going to do this and update with my thoughts.
    Please share your experience as well.

  4431. PK

    Wow..how long have you known this! I JUST bought FTM last month and now you are telling me within little over a year it will not work with your web site. This is really shoddy business! Your customer service rep should have told me this was coming when I placed the order last month. I think you owe me a refund! Looks like I spend the next year getting everything I can off your website, and then canceling my subscription. Really STUPID!

  4432. Andy Warren

    This is very sad news – I have used many versions over the years and, in particular like the book and summary report functions and will be very upset if this cannot continue in some way for the future. This appears to be very short-sighted.

  4433. David Probert

    Please think again I will look for another platform if you do FTM desktop is why people buy it. This is not a wise decision by you.

  4434. Valerie Tennant

    This is so incredibly disappointing! I have been dreading the day the “new” ancestry comes into being b/c I just don’t like it. It does very child-like; it’s hard to find what I’m looking for; it’s just “pretty”. I have an older version of FTM and I rely on it heavily as a backup but was considering upgrading so I can print better reports and sync it to my Ancestry trees. Now that option will be gone. Interesting that a new version was just introduced in 2014 – a year later and it’s become obsolete? How can you sell a product and a year later deem it unnecessary? Are you saying these 10 Reasons to buy FTM listed on your website no longer exist? http://www.ancestry.com/cs/apps/P-5194

  4435. Pam Mullinax

    I concur with much that already been said. I need desktop software; not solely web-based software, because I do much of my research, data entry and reporting from it without linking to Ancestry.com. I don’t even sync my FTM desktop data to Ancestry.com, because there is much speculative information others would just take and copy to their trees without questioning source. The announcement is what you needed to do; however, you also needed to follow-up with what, if anything, you plan to do in lieu of FTM. If nothing, you needed to state that as well. I bet you would have received less harsh comments had you completed your announcement of what you already know.

  4436. Maria

    If it wasn’t for the fact that you have a wealth of records available (for which I’m paying a significant amount of money to access) I’d be gone! Between the childish change to the website, and now this, it is obvious that you are pandering to the least common denominator, the hobbyist, instead of the serious researcher. I don’t know who advised you to do this, but it’s a BAD decision!!!

  4437. Carl koch

    Have been using ftm from the start over 3,000 people in my tree more than 20 years. Very sad by this news. that’s must be why roots magic is steping up to the plate but better than nothing. The new Ancestry is a joke.

  4438. Bill

    This is both terrible news for customers and a confusingly bad decision. Sure, the SaaS model is booming and can make sense. So is Ancestry management just jumping on the bandwagon to justify this decision? Because this decision ignores so much: FTM is feature rich and includes tools that are extremely valuable, not the least of which is basic, fundamental reports, and much more, local back-up, much easier and functional interface, not dependent on internet availability or connection quality, and on and on. Ancestry.com is a valuable research tool but a weak genealogy tool. Ancestry.com isn’t even close to replicating the functionality of FTM. I always thought that the combination of the two was excellent for me as a user and probably made more money for ancestry since I paid for both. Honestly, did the decision makers actually evaluate these things or simply feel good that they are following a popular trend?

    I just can’t imagine using Ancestry.com alone as my genealogy tool.

    Ancestry, be humble and change this decision.

  4439. dennis

    I have been using PAF since the mid-1990s, and only updated versions when necessary for Windows XP. Really, just about any software works well, forever. It’s a database program, with search and reports options.

    When the “Church” ended support for PAF, I saw the 3 options, and did buy RootsMagic, and tested the conversion- appeared perfect, but I still use my PAF. Ancestral Quest and LegacyFamilyTree were also highly rated and recommended by the PAF folks.

    To me, an exceedingly important feature of any software is the creation and upload of a GEDCOM file to Rootsweb-World Connect (although we always might wonder if Ancestry will end their hosting of this). I’d just as well maintain storage on my computer and backups, and not on Ancestry, BUT SHARE the material with the public.

    Of course, FTM was marketed with a free connect for some period of time to Ancestry, and it has been recognized that this was a great cheap backdoor. Ancestry appears to have recognized that. It wasn’t to be forever. Please don’t blast me for telling the truth.

  4440. Gillian Fox

    I have recently sent an e-mail expressing my disgust at the imposition of the so-called new improved site, and have received nothing but an acknowledgement and the promise of passing it on to the correct people, and then I receive your e-mail about Family Tree Maker, which was the reason I chose Ancestry over Find My Past – tell me, are you trying to put yourself out of business, or are you so unbelievably arrogant that you think it is OK to behave in this manner?

  4441. Susan

    – Terrible customer relations idea!!!! Your decision is not based on customer needs and wishes, but the all-mighty dollar and corporate greed. I echo the dissatisfaction felt by the others comments here!!! Ancestry.com has steadily increased in price year after year and I have paid the membership price year after year in order to continue my research using FTM. I also will cancel my membership and remove my research from your site.

  4442. Diane

    Like others, I have spent much time and money keeping my FTM upgraded and my Ancestry account current because I COULD sync them. I also enjoyed the features of FTM which are not a part of the website. Without FTM support there is no advantage for me to keep Ancestry, so unless this decision is reconsidered, I guess I will be saying goodbye to Ancestry ! Please reconsider this decision!

  4443. Patrick

    This is a very bad idea. Someone is not thinking clearly. I would recommend all current Ancestry and Tree Maker users to take the next few months and find a new place to do our research and to store our findings….one that is trustworthy and won’t abandon us after we have paid money to purchase the products and trusted that they would “be there”.

    That is what I intend to do.

  4444. Keith

    I understand your desire to move to the web and focus on that product offering. However, it requires that I either completely trust you to hold my entire library of media or construct my own complicated back up. With FTM, I was able to have both, with your software keeping everything in sync.

    I’m not ready to trust you with all of my media, so you just made keeping my records more difficult with this decision.

    As I said, I understand the business decision from a software perspective, but I think you have underestimated how protective the community is of the data we have worked hard to collect.

  4445. Larry Vanderburgh

    You have betrayed the trust we put in your company. Why should we believe anything you say, unless you can wring more money out of us? Enhancing the software with internet access to records has been great; holding us hostage to your website is not.

  4446. paul

    Hey FTM, WTF?! Besides being extremely PO’d about this announcement, there are still questions you DIDN’T address in your notice:

    – Am I supposed to move my life’s work to the cloud?
    – Will the cloud solution be included in the $99 fee I’m currently paying or is there going be a fee for using a new web application?
    – How do you people breathe with your heads up your butt?

  4447. Lynn Wright

    I began my research using Banner Blue (the parent of FTM) 30 years ago, when this software was limited to 500 names. Over the years I’ve updated FTM every time a new version was offered, and a Ancestry.com subscriber since the very beginning. It appears you are forcing folks to migrate to the online/cloud of Ancestry.com, for an additional subscription cost. Business decisions should be guided by the bottom line, but you may consider how many will abandon your service and move on. People don’t like to be treated like this, but if you’re willing to withstand the migration good luck to you. People are pissed and you’d better listen!

  4448. Hilary

    How arrogant of ancestry. Treating us with disdain. This is all about getting FTM users to upload their trees to ancestry cloud therefore having the monoply on OUR trees. It is MY tree and I will do what’s best for it, not you.. On my Computer. Ancestry was a back up to my research, that’s all. FTM was the CORNERSTONE of Ancestry. The new ancestry is no longer any useful so will make other arrangements.

  4449. suzi

    well shocked to hear the new i have over 21000 family members on my tree and will now have to change as i dont like the new website the good new is root magic which i use is now offering a discount and videos on how to move your trees (http://www.rootsmagic.com/ftm/) but i wish ancestry would change its mind or at least ask its users what they think.
    suzi davison

  4450. Ron

    I have thoroughly enjoyed Ancestry.ca for a number of years now, and I love the new format, but the plan not to continue with FTM saddens me greatly. Ancestry is good, but I won’t subscribe to it forever, and it’s not a permanent record of all the research I have done. I need to be able to continue to sync it with FTM. Please reconsider your decision.

  4451. Ray

    I’ve used FTM since the beginning. I can’t believe that they would take my money all those years, through all those updates and then leave me hanging – and hold ALL my data for ransom on their website besides! (Did you ever try to remove your tree?)

  4452. Theresa

    I migrated all my work from AncestralQuest to FTM in August to decrease the amount of work attaching files to all my people [at present +22,000]. This has been nearly four months of a steep learning curve but I felt it was worth it as it meant all my work was now in one place and could easily be synced with my online tree. I do not always have access to internet as I travel collecting info for my family tree. I have been a loyal follower of Ancestry since the late 1990’s. The decision to abruptly change the online interface to a very difficult and non-user friendly format and now to discontinue FTM with what appears to be no replacement shows your monetary greed and thirst to control all users data and access to said data. As I will no longer be able to print reports for family or have control over my work, my membership will stop on 01 Jan 2017.

  4453. Sue S

    I am at a loss for words! I too have spent so much time (and money) on my family trees and do not want to only have an online access. I am extremely disappointed in this decision and I sure did not expect this to happen. I will search for another way to keep my trees and family information. I KNEW this was too easy.

  4454. Richard Gilbert

    I have spent thousands of hours over many years using FTM to build our trees. The program has evolved and improved. What a shame to dump so many loyal users without an alternative.

  4455. Adam Rose

    Cloud-only / cloud-primary storage of important and sensitive personal / family information is an absolute non-starter. Kind of like if Intuit were to eliminate desktop TurboTax and expecting me to do my taxes online. Ain’t gonna happen!

  4456. Robert

    I do believe after this stupid move you will see a great deal of loss of membership. I do hope you are prepared for that. The biggest question is what do we do now with all of us using your FTM at great urge from you people to buy it now you are getting rid of it, make me wonder who is running the show there. Not pleased at all after putting so much time and effort into my history. What now for subscribers? Will you be explaining that?

  4457. linda

    well if i buy the new current software before the cut off date and gedcom my tree to it will i still be grandfathered in for continued syncing till 2017 and even after you stop your link can you still gedcom your tree info from the main website

  4458. Suzanne

    This news is frankly heartbreaking. I originally received Family Tree Maker 2011 as a gift from a cousin and have spent literally hundreds of hours since, exploring my family roots, even encountering some English cousins in the process. FTM has been one of the real joys of my retirement and I am now at a complete loss as to how to preserve all my finds. My yearly membership to Ancestry is one of my few luxuries but what point would there be to continuing it if there is no link to a tree? Let’s hope this is just a bad publicity stunt like Coke’s misguided attempt to introduce a new formula! – and we all know how that worked out……. This is no way to treat your customers!

  4459. Simon

    I’ve tried to understand what was going on in their minds. As a software developer, There is evidence of a different database design between Ancestry and FTM. But rather than abandon one over the other, they should hire some real/true engineers who can tackle such a challenge. And give alternatives when it come to the online user interface. Forcing a “social media” type interface on people is just plain stupid. Let customers decide, don’t force decision on them. Abd don’t misread information. A stable customer base of PC software is different than these mobile devices whose fashion changes with the wind. Ancestry needs to revisit its business model.

  4460. Sue

    I am so disappointed in this. I use FTM almost daily as it is MY family database that I have worked on for 20+ years. My tree online does not have all of the information that I have gathered over all these years that I have in FTM. Please explain to us what good a membership to your website will do us now. I am really going to have to rethink what direction I want to go in with my genealogy. I hope you rethink this!

  4461. Hilary

    ARROGANT that they announced this without any thought to addressing any of our concerns that may arise from this. I have heard that if you have physically UPLOADED files, photos, documents and stories etc to the online tree and afterwards synched to FTM then all these files will DISAPPEAR from your ftm???

  4462. Grusmann

    This is a disaster!

    There are functions in FTM that are not included in the online program. I routinely sync my tress so that I can use the following functions on FTM and then upload them:

    Under Edit:

    Find Duplicate People

    Under Tools:

    Global Spell Check
    Resolve All Place Names
    Names

    Are you going to add these functions to the online product?

  4463. This is the largest STAB IN THE BACK from Ancestry in the last few years of back stabs!

    First, in my count, is their discontinuance of the Y-DNA and mtDNA sales, combined with their discontinuance of support for the data from the tests they had already sold, then they seriously slashed their online services such as RootsWeb, then they reneged on their commitment to maintain the SMGF DNA database (despite that being a condition of their purchase of that database!), and now this.

    This series of events has all been done in the name of cost-cutting . . . despite their continuous statements that the company is in good shape financially. One has GOT to wonder if those statements are trustworthy . . . certainly their word to their customers on other matters has proven to be less than trustworthy as demonstrated by their actions.

    I predict serious back-lash from Ancestry users, though how that will impact Ancestry’s bottom-line is not foreseeable at this times. Will the subscribers of Ancestry, who have not been treated well by the company, continue to put up with this treatment? If I were a decision maker at Ancestry I would be worried . . . AND I would be wracking my brain trying to see how and where they can make moves to soothe the wounds they have, in poor judgement, inflicted on their customer base.

  4464. Phil Ritter

    This is a pathetic decision. I am going back to Reunion. Cant believe you leave your customers high and dry like this. I just bought FTM two weeks ago!

  4465. Jimmy Bryson

    I am greatly disapointed in your decision. I use and will continue to use FTM. The fact that I don’t have to have internet access to work on my family tree and also that the response to adding or changing information is immediate vs the sometimes extremely slow response of Ancestry. It makes you want to throw your computer when your web site is so slow. Also, I hate the way you have decided to display data. I much prefer the way FTM displays the info. For that reason, I may be requesting a refund on my just paid subscription to Ancestry. For you information, 4893 comments against you decision times at least $200 yr. subscriptions equals $978,600 not counting the updates or new sales of FTM. That seems like a lot of money you will probably lose. And remember, those comments are in just one day after your announcement.

  4466. Cathy

    Now I’m glad I bought myheritage.com’s product as an experiment. The program works well and the tree sync works well too. I guess that desk top program will now become my main one. I understand the move away from desk top based programs. It is the future for all programs but I still want to have my genealogy program on my computer. There are some things I enter in it (I have an older version to FTM that does not have tree sync) that I do not want to make public. That data lives only on my computer.

  4467. Ray Myers

    Please reconvene your strategic thinkers and reconsider this decision. You will be losing a significant number of loyal customers plus a good name. Just say – “we heard you and have reconsidered.” Your goodwill will be restored. Otherwise it is lost.

  4468. Mark Codding

    With over 34,000 people and a file size of over 132 MB move my database over to another program will be a PIA. I’m still fixing the problem when FTM moved all the people with only a first name to making it their last name. I’m now looking for something to replace FTM, and as soon as I find it I’ll drop Ancestry and delete all of my online trees.

  4469. Linda Rainey

    so you double the membership and now take FTM away. I am guessing that was the plan all along. That way you think more of us will increase our membership. I can hardly afford the cost now.

  4470. Dian

    I have been using FTM for years and have found it very easy to build my family tree and research individuals on my tree. I don’t see how dropping this soft wear is going to be easier for the work I do. Plus I have printed several booklets from this program I won’t be able to do that once this program is dropped. I think you may lose customers by doing this.

  4471. Dennis Wheeler

    I do not like to do research using ancestry.com, I like Family Tree Maker. The ability to sync with ancestry is a great asset. I cannot believe you are stopping FTM. I am very disappointed in your company. I have been a loyal member for many years. I think you need to reevaluate your decision.

  4472. Darrell Kyle

    This is a stupid decision someone that made should be fired, they are not working in best interest of its costumers, the users.

  4473. Mary C. Boyd

    Here is the reality! Some people do not thoroughly understand the distinction between software and “the cloud.” The cloud is where our program goes, and so our trees become more nebulously ours. Couldn’t avoid the pun! The thing is, I prefor to have both. I supported family tree maker when to print you did it on scrolling paper. I stayed loyal to you, even deciding to stay when you only gave me credit membership since 2002 or some such thing. I have no problem with big business, and many times corrected less informed that what you sold was a clearinghouse for access to records, not records that you owned. And now, I feel my loyalty is being betrayed completely and totally. I promise to use the same calculated business thought to how I will address this move. My business will most likely slowly move elsewhere!

  4474. Jen

    Shocked at the complete lack of response from ancestry to any of the questions being asked – are you introducing new functionality such as reporting to the website? Will you be able to save a backup from the website to your computer?

  4475. Don McMillan

    I can only add my voice the protest being expressed about this decision. I have used FTM for years. Now I will have to spend time looking for a competitor’s product when I cancel my membership. Why are you doing this? Why? Why? Why?

  4476. Guy R

    How will I access my trees in the field, away from networks? How do I enter and access all the comments and stories that are not part of the web page? If Ancestry continues on this path, we’ll find another provider and remove our data from Ancestry.

  4477. ljv0711

    So many similar comments with same message to Ancestry – not happy. Like many I like the portability of the program on laptop/desktop as most often you don’t have internet access when visiting elderly relatives or research areas or campng on the beach, where and when you use it. I have 20 years plus research and am computer literate, but my heart goes out to so many, particularly pensioners, retirees who get so much pleasure, social intereaction from their research. I used an early family tree programme back in the DOS days and it was great, downside when information was transfered from floppy discs to the new GEDCOM format, lost all history notes as there was no where to import to match too. So it seems, dejavu …with so much more information. programmes should continue to work but it will be the computer operating system as they phase out early progarmmes to Windows 10, will put the final nail of useabilty. Here is a great opening for a young computer programmer to fill the vast void that this announcement is making. Already begun looking at new options – MyHeritage and Findmypast are looking pretty good. My subscription also under reconsideration. FTM updated programmes often appeared under our Christmas Tree – not any more. Its seems that Scrooge has been visiting Ancestry Head Office – Bar Humbug, this decision has it seems upsets thousands of people all over the world- I truly hopes someone takes the time to reply to each of us and management rethinks their decsion.

  4478. Jack Gill

    Shocking and sad!! What a cold, curt announcement! With your decision to discontinue FTM, I along with the thousands of other customers will no longer do business with Ancestry. I have used versions of FTM since it was first introduced 20? years ago, was an early contributor to the World Tree initiative, and was impressed with the innovations and features introduced through the years. Hopefully, reaction from your customer base will result in reversing the decision to retire FTM. If not, other providers like http://www.mudcreeksoftware.com/ may getting a lot of new business; and hopefully Ancestry will choose to answer the many questions submitted below.

  4479. Larry Vanderburgh

    This is the biggest blunder since Coke pulled original Coca Cola off the shelves. I’ve got 3,400 names in the TreeMaker database, which I planned to pass on to my kids so they can know their roots. Will they have to pay money to see what I’ve already worked on, most of which is my data, not yours?

  4480. Gail SImpson

    I echo all the sentiments. I have been a member of the Ancestry family for what, 19 years? Since its inception! Faithfully put my money into updated versions and web membership. You get money for both and the cost of the web membership should be enough to cover software/web integration administration, even if you don’t upgrade the product. In fact that’s what we all pay for – the ability to have and share our information on line with the integration into our personal PCs. Most of us don’t display “living” persons online and never will, but need to maintain that in our personal files while retaining the ability to synch up. You are telling yourselves that the online part is the primary focus, but without the desktop software, the online community would NOT exist and for the most part is rendered useless to those of us serious enough to have spent as much time and money on our histories. Such a shame.

  4481. Valbee

    Dear Ancestry, if you treat your customers with such arrogance and contempt you will not have a ” loyal Ancestry community”. If you spent less of our hard earned money (i.e. subscriptions) on frivolous, pointless “improvements”, you could continue to support FTM and your loyal subscribers.

  4482. Sarah

    I am not impressed by this decision. I hope Ancestry lose a lot of customers (aka profit) as a result of their poor decision making. This is beyond belief!

  4483. Jane

    This decision shows that you do not understand your customers. Genealogy is not a weekend exercise with quick answers and a stopping point. It is a lifelong hobby and a passion that gets handed from one generation to the next. I have 30 years of careful, documented research and over 6000 names in my tree. Over half of those names came from my mother and her sisters researching the hard way by writing letters and visiting relatives, libraries, courthouses, and cemeteries across the U. S. I have an entire closet filled with hard copy records that you do not have online yet, and that you may never have online. I am not even remotely interested in uploading my file or using a cloud-based solution. I want complete control of my data and I want it locally on my desktop. I have shared very little of my research on Ancestry.com, and what I did share was taken by others and twisted and distorted until it was completely unrecognizable. It makes me physically ill and angry every time I see it. I have told other researchers that in many ways Ancestry.com has done more harm than good because you have no allegiance to the art of research or to the accuracy of data – only to building more and more files. To say that this is a bad business decision may be the biggest understatement of all time. You are taking a critical tool from a user base that has depended on your software for 20 years. Imagine what the business community would do if Microsoft announced on December 8th that as of December 31st, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint would not longer be available? That is the impact of your decision.

  4484. Susan

    A sad decision, as the above posts show. They also show that the communication of the decision was bad, leading people to believe that FTM would suddenly stop working, and causing much unnecessary grief.

    However, possibly Ancestry has done me a favour by making me consider what I am doing and why, rather than automatically renewing my subscription every year. I am still using the excellent FTM 16. It works well with Windows 10 apart from having a different colour on the interface and the .pdf reports not working. I can export reports to a spreadsheet though, and that is extremely useful for sorting, searching and looking for gaps. I can’t synch with my online trees, but I prefer not to. Best of all, I have it on CD, and was able to install it on my new laptop with no trouble at all. Some day, with some Windows upgrade, FTM 16 is bound to stop working, so I should consider options for new software before it is too late.

    Ancestry does provide a good range of source information, but there is little new coming up that is relevant to me, and I don’t like the new interface. Maybe I should look elsewhere. FindMyPast was good before they trashed their website, but they are responding to suggestions and it might be worth going back soon. They do have certain parish records that Ancestry doesn’t have. Nothing rash or hasty, but I shall consider carefully whether it is worth renewing my Ancestry subscription.

    I am uncertain about my online trees. They have been useful in making contact with people working on the same families. They have also been useful for comparison with other trees, and some people have added helpful comments. On the other hand, I have been tempted to include more and more people whose connection with my family is increasingly remote. Time to let them go and concentrate on people who really are related to me and worth putting in FTM. So, do I leave my trees and walk away, or do I dismantle them? Pretty much all the information has been copied to other trees, sometimes correctly, sometimes not. This includes the information that did not come from Ancestry, but from visits to record offices etc. Maybe I leave them in place for the possible benefit of fellow enthusiasts.

    Thanks to all who have suggested alternative software. One feature of Legacy struck me. “Legacy includes a pop-up alarm that can be set to go off at any time and to display a user-defined message.” Great! It could be set to say “Go to bed now!”

  4485. Alan Roberts

    I know that my daughter has bought me FTM for Christmas. Have I now got to tell her that she has wasted her money?

  4486. Matt

    I hope you folks are reading these. It looks like everyone who’s ever used the Family Tree Maker software agrees the PC application is a must. Clearly you lack the true passion to support your customers. Your early cliental are still with you because of their need to hold their heritage in their hands, not float them into a cloud where they can only be seen when there’s a good signal. Fine. Don’t update the software any more. It works very well as it is, but don’t discontinue the Tree Sync. It’s the only way I will ever renew a subscription. Find another way please!

  4487. Christine C

    What a terrible decision. The syncing is the most important feature for me! I can’t see why I’d continue with an online tree if I can’t sync it to my desktop. I am aeriousky considering terminating my subscription, just as I was scrapping money together to do more testing and to upgrade my account. Hopefully the big wigs will see all the negative reaction and reconsider this greedy decision. Definitely not a customer centered company if this doesn’t get reversed

  4488. Judy

    I am sure there is no point in deleting online trees. Ancestry has backups. As for the software being supported for another whole year, I can’t imagine how spotty that will be based on the current climate at Ancestry. As for calming down because the FTM software will be useful long after that, the absence of updates will render it useless in a rather short time. Folks, Photoshop just changed from a purchase-to-own into a subscription-only software. Everything on computers is transitioning to subscription only. The industry is frothing at the mouth over the promise of such sustained future profits. The general public CANNOT afford to subscribe to every piece of software they use everyday. Transition to some other software is probably not a long term solution. All those cloud options are subscription folks too.
    Should we be looking for typewriters and filing cabinets again? Follow the money. Business does not care that users are emotionally involved with their data OR that we have limited funds.
    Notice that NEW posts are at the BOTTOM of this blog and not the top. It will be open til the 22nd, but it took me 20 minutes to scroll to the bottom today – the 9th. AND… obviously no one is moderating or responding. Ancestry please stop wrapping yourself in the church and asking for volunteers to engender false feelings of trust and caring in your customers, that is just low it gives me a shiver.

  4489. William Duling

    Worst possible decision. There are many researchers who just don’t choose to build their entire genealogy online. I am one of those. I have used FTM since its inception from Broderbund and have never considered any other. Please reverse this decision.

  4490. Jeff

    A bad move on Ancestry’s part. Cloud applications are nothing more than a method to separate consumers from their hard earned dollars by forcing them to pay for continuing access.

  4491. Paul

    Unite! Use social media to spread the word of this horrible decision to alienate their customers. #FTMWTF

  4492. CC

    Been using FTM since 1995…..not pleased by your announcement….too many unkowns……and I just encouraged a newbie to use FTM….what should I tell them now?? Believe I heard the old rootsweb project was ruined by you and now this…

  4493. Normand Bourdon

    Très mauvaise décision. Si vous avez l’intention d’inclure à l’avenir les fonctionalités de FTM à votre interface web, il fallait l’annoncer en même temps. J’en déduis que ce n’est pas le cas. Si vous avez l’intention de céder votre logiciel à un autre éditeur, il fallait attendre que ce soit fait avant d’annoncer votre décision. J’en déduis que ce n’est pas le cas. C’est honteux.

  4494. I been a loyal customer for many years and when the sync stops so will I at least I have a year to transfer and find a new software package and search engine, You say about cost how much will you lose when everyone leaves? Another loyal member about to leave Ancestry (THINK AGAIN)

  4495. John Green

    The only thing corporate understands is money. How about someone starting a blog
    a website where we can unite as a voice and withdraw our subscription. I don’t have technical know how but someone must.

  4496. Susan

    Proud? You are Proud??? You must be kidding me. I have used FTM forever, that’s where I keep my info safe on my computer. I have trees there I don’t sync online. If you didn’t want to support the software, sell it to someone else who cares about ancestry customers. Kendall Hulet? That’s a name I’ll remember.

  4497. Robert Trimble

    Lots of questions, but I don’t see many answers from Ancestry on what we as customers are to do! Looks like lots of people will be dropping ancestry with you providing answers to their questions….me too!!!

  4498. Bruce

    Its possible that Ancestry will reverse its decision. But now that it has destroyed its trust with Ancestry subscribers and FTM users, it will have to pay them to keep subscribing to Ancestry and using FTM.

  4499. Peter Allen

    INCREDIBLE. What are you using for Market Dynamics and Focus Groups – someone in a cubicle related to the CEO. Such a great product FTM and you are going to trash it…..this is a very bad decision. Equal to the new look on the online site – which is a disaster. Your ‘new online look and format’ is a step back and is difficult to maneuver, understand, and the look of it is terrible. Now, as if the online disaster was not enough, you will bail out on all the FTM users.

    I have no choice but to look at your competitors now and start the process of migrating my work to one of them then dumping all three (three world subscriptions that I get for my extended family) memberships.

    What happened at Ancestry????? You were the ‘go-to’ people for Genealogy. Now you are slowly becoming the ‘has been’. Who ever took over the company in the last three years should be fired and the previous crew brought back.

    Who are you listening to in making decisions – not your members, that’s for sure.

  4500. caith

    Bait and Switch? Is Ancestry planning to introduce a new software to replace FTM? Wiping the slate clean with FTM, and starting the process over with a new product and new dollars.

    You can move your tree from Ancestry, but they still have a back-up. Just guessing, but if youi want to eradicate your tree from their site, logically, it would seem you could do so by going to the back of each line and one by one deleting each name. But, that would be very time-intensive.

  4501. Margaret Brady

    Really? Have you lost your mind? What do you expect people to do? !! I am extremely disappointed in the service I have got from Ancestry. What a rip off.

  4502. gjboulton

    Please advise which other program I can use to download by GED com file to. Obviously FTM won’t be there. I know I can use it on my own computer but without new software every so often, a replacement has to be found. Any suggestions. Leaving it on line with you is not an option as you have shown you are thieves and robbers and not to be trusted with our data, and your staff does not have the business acumen to run such a division. He is your Achilles heal. He needs to be fired. We cannot keep paying to see our tree even as a guest we would not be allowed to update it so it would be obsolete very quickly. Your publishing is non existent so for running off reports and family reports or charts is not an option either.

    The only way we can make our intentions clear to you is to take down our on line tree, stop our subscriptions and go somewhere else. Then you will be left in the lurch like you have done to us.

  4503. This is a terrible decision to drop FTM. I work mostly off line and use Ancestry and Find My Past and other databases as input to my FTM. I guess that my stand alone FTM will continue to work on my PC and I will be able to enter in data and print reports, etc, from my PC. Just no upgrades. I have used FTM since 1996 and, again, think your decision is a very poor one. Please reconsider. David..

  4504. Mary

    I don’t use FTM, so this does not affect me. I think it is a terrible decision, designed to push people to pay for annual subscriptions to Ancestry – forever in order to access their records. If you have FTM switch to one of the other programs out there – always download the records you find on Ancestry and then attach them to the new software program. It takes more steps than FTM (that was the appeal of FTM – easy synch) but at least you will not have to depend on an Ancestry subscription to view your records.

  4505. RMH

    I am very disappointed in this announcement. I do not like the new format you have out there now. Also please explain exactly how this will work in the future. I have enjoyed Ancestry and my research. I do hope that I will be able to continue to do so but I wont be paying for a product that is not going to work for me.

  4506. Helen

    I am really scared. What happens to my family tree and what can we do. I have used family tree maker for years and years and have only recently begun using ancestry. We need much more explanations.

  4507. Brian McEwen

    I add my voice to the many dismayed and disappointed FTM users. I too have several FTM trees from different branches of my main family tree and I NEED to be able to view and control them from my personal PC and not some database in cyberspace that someone else has control of. Thanks for the warning because now I have time to find another family tree database software to transfer all my info too. My family research isn’t about sharing it with the world but preserving it for my family.

  4508. Geoff

    You do not appear to appreciate the customers you have, & your announcement letter is not credible. Get rid of FTM at your peril for I for one will move my service to you & join Find My Past especially as you have raised your fees by 25% & now no FTM. Goodbye Ancestry altogether, I think you ought to think again.

  4509. gboulton

    So now we cannot even state our concerns. Shame on you. Truth does hurt though doesn’t it.Goodbye Ancestry.

  4510. Please change your mind. I have been using FTM since Broderbund days and have 15,493 people on it. The desktop software is my primary data viewer and I loath the on-line clunky presentation of family data in the user trees and never view my own on it. If you persist at some point Windows will upgrade and FTM will become unusable and then I will have to use other software and will, no doubt, link with their on-line services.

  4511. David

    Well I am very upset about this.. I will now start the move to My Heritage website and look for new software. like Family Historian. Sorry but I will not renew my subscription in 2017.

  4512. George Bass

    I was disappointed with your announcement to discontinue Family Tree Maker. I have been a genealogy researcher since 1972 and a loyal user of Family Tree Maker and Ancestry for many years and am not looking forward to change you are forcing. Being a retired software developer I can understand the apparent desire for corporate bottom line issues. However, I believe the synergy between Family Tree Maker and Ancestry has been a growth strategy that you are going to loose. I do believe that your user base will shrink as other companies move in and captalize on you short sighted evolution. I am not looking forward to the changes I will have to make. Best of luck in the future, you had a good product.

  4513. Denise

    This is really NOT a good idea. I am hoping that this is something that is being thrown out there to see what the response is before a final decision is made… in which case let me point out something …. We are Genealogist… we enjoy looking for the past and digging up dead folks… well not literally, but you know what I mean, we like things to stay the same no bells or whistles needed, no new lay out with “new and Improved” features we have to take classes, to understand… it takes away time we could be using to search and save the family history we have found. If it isn’t broke then leave it alone until it does. IF it does then explain it and fix it making as few changes as possible. For those of US that bought FTM your breaking a promise, which may make some of us question the rest of your operation. The ability of FTM to sync and automatically update any new findings on Ancestry is why I paid for it… I bought it for what I was told I would be able to do with it. Now your saying that I will only be able to do it for a little while longer…your sales people didn’t tell me what I was paying for was only good until you decided to drop it.. Think about this… there are going to be a lot of people walk off from ancestry because you’re throwing too many curve balls out too close together…

  4514. purrfectquilts

    I am still in shock having just now received a notice in my email that FTM will be discontinued. The timing is suspicious. Ancestry goes to new format on 15 December and now today I find out FTM is going also. The new format on Ancestry has many serious drawbacks that make it not as helpful and comfortable to use. I was counting on FTM not only for backup of images and other media but also for reports, charts, books, etc. I don’t quite get the reasoning. Yes, less people use desktops, but how is that different from laptops or something. People still want to be able to save their work, including images, and access it to print. The only reason I have stayed with Ancestry was that I could keep my work private. As far as I understand, any of the other choices would make my work public.

  4515. John Owen

    I just gave a talk to Rotary yesterday extolling the virtues of Family Tree Maker including the ability to produce genealogy reports and charts, the relationship calculator (not fully or consistently available on your new system) and above all the ability to synch with Ancestry. Many of us will always want to use desktops so what do you propose we use as software when you abandon support for FTM and how do we maintain the thousands of records we have got? As well as being appalling customer service this doesn’t even make business sense since the major users of your service will always be the older generation who invariably use desk tops. Please. please reconsider

  4516. Anne

    Well, the Grinch lives. So, terribly disappointed in Ancestry. I really hope a huge decline in Ancestry members takes place in January 2017. We REALLY need to “put our money where our mouth is” as that is the only thing that means anything to most companies today. It doesn’t pay to be a “loyal customer” to any company. SO terribly sad. I agree with all comments written here, especially in regard to printing reports for our families. Happy Holidays!??!

  4517. Wes

    The vision to make as much money as possible rather than make genealogy as easy as possible makes it a no-brainer for me to find a committed company in my ancestry research going forward.

  4518. John

    FTM is my primary research tool and recordkeeper. Ancestry.com is secondary. I will search for an alternative. Terrible decision.

  4519. Kim Rae Nugent

    This is very upsetting. What option do we have for downloading information to our computer? I don’t wish for all my research to be solely on your website.

  4520. Barb

    This is really shocking. I was just about to begin porting my Ancestry databases into FTM so I could produce reports. I have kept up to date with the software by purchasing updates which I was going to install Now I have lost the money I have invested in the software and the time I have spent in Ancestry and need to find another software and start over. You have created a black day

  4521. This is a very disappointing decision. I think most people like to have their tree on a desktop for obvious reasons. This I believe is just a money spinner to force people to pay for ancestry subscription rather than pay as they need. FTM works well, please reconsider.

  4522. Helen

    Great decision. As so many people have said, FTM contains YEARS of research. The latest “essential” update a few months ago has meant my FTM, which was fine before, now no longer works – a different customer services adviser has answered every one of my emails, telling me to try the same things over and over, which don’t work. I was hanging on in the hope that a new version, which INCLUDES the update, would be released soon. Now I can’t access any of my information (except online which, as so many people have said, is a poor backup version to the software). This is yet another loyal customer you are leaving high and dry. Shocking behaviour.

  4523. Gloria L

    I just started discarding old printed copies of census records because they are now available to merge with my FTM file. I will now continue to print records as I find them. Alternatively, I will copy and save to my computer or burn a CD. After the projected date of 2017, I will probably cancel my subscription and go to my local library to use their web access. I am sorry to hear of this decision.

  4524. Larry

    Incredibly poor customer consideration! After making me split my Ancestry tree into 12 seprerate trees because Ancestry can’t handle the size file that FTM can, and continous sync problems, not to mention ‘hints’ that won’t go away, and really poor merge and duplicate management – even when the matching spouse IS linked in Ancestry the web based system will create a new person! FTM is by far the better of the two tools. I’ve been a member a long time and this is the straw that will stop my membership.

  4525. Mike Cruz

    I am soooo glad I never uploaded my family tree information onto your website. The way you just cut loose all the loyal customers — like myself — is a bad omen of things to come with your company. I appreciate access to the information by subscription, but now I will have to find another way to keep all this good information.

  4526. Chip

    This is really sad. Have you tried using the online version? It lacks a huge number of features that only the desktop version has.

    Maybe you can sell the FTM product line to a third party so that they can continue to update and support it? If interested, please contact me!

  4527. James

    Gee, judging from the overwhelming NEGATIVE comments here, it looks like you made a hasty decision to kill FTM, huh? Just remember it is a very slippery slope you get on when you kill off the parts that make your business valuable. The unintended consequences you set in motion may very well prove to be fatal to your whole operation.

  4528. Teddy B.

    I started my family history in 2000, but did not like my work being available to all. I therefore bought FTM2005 to put my information on to my computer. Then Ancestry decided not to support FTM2005, so I updated to FTM2014. Since then I have had more problems than pleasure, and have been without service for months on end. Yet Ancestry still helped themselves to my money for renewal of their so called service, an American trait I detest. Yet another reason for termination of association. Have they yet to work out the problems of a stress free life without customers?

  4529. Tony

    Transfer your DNA results to FTDNA or gedmatch. They have family trees on both sites. You will also be able to compare chromosomes. Use LDS and other free websites on the internet. The new Ancestry looks cartoonish and designed for children. It is very difficult to navigate. How long before they dump the DNA resultS. What will they do next? We all need to find other options.

  4530. Brigitte

    I am so disappointed that you are doing this, I have been using this product for some time and have updated continuously. I use it extensively, and there are options that I use on extensively FTM that are not available online including deleting a family branch and moving it elsewhere, printing specific information etc.. I moved to Ancestry specifically because of the links to the printing service and Family Tree Maker, and while we can use the printing service with another provider, I am disappointed that we will also be losing the FTM.
    In addition to this I contribute (albeit periodically) to Ancestry by typing up records for no reward and my family tree contributions are available to all members as guests. Some of us give as well as paying for your service and software. Please don’t cut us off.

  4531. Kim Rae Nugent

    If you aren’t offering FTM I probably won’t be renewing my subscription in the future. You have gravely underestimated the demand for this product.

  4532. Rick Spears

    What I don’t get is why Ancestry doesn’t comment on any path on how FTM customers should continue forward. And as far as I can see no comments on these 4000 comments either.

  4533. Chris

    Bad Bad decision, the only reason that I subscribe to ancestry is to use the sync facility. I find that the online version is child like in its display. I can get ancestry world wide free in the libraries so why do I need to be loyal to ancestry now. I will have to switch software programs and the cancel my subscription later next year. Please rethink the decision.

  4534. Lois Rose

    I am deeply disappointed in your decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker support. I have been a user of your software for over 20 years and have continued it because it has capabilities not found in other software. I could understand if you decided to no longer upgrade the software or to only sell it via online downloads, but to discontinue it entirely is to do a great disservice to your customers. If you must persist in this path, may I suggest that you make a deal with a reputable genealogy software provider such as Roots Magic to allow them to import/sync data downloaded from Ancestry and provide other functions that you will no longer provide.

  4535. Marylin

    Along with the 5000+ comments of disappointment about losing family tree maker, I will add mine. It’s so important to have a desktop researching tool, especially for those of us who are older and want to leave our work to the next generation. I am 82 and have made arrangements for my granddaughter to inherit my genealogy records including family tree maker. Please rethink your decision.

  4536. John

    Receiving an suggestion to buy your DNA test app as a gift, just over ONE HOUR after being notified of this scrapping of FTM, displays the utter contempt in which you hold all your past and present subscribers – can we hope that the originators of this action are soon treated in the same manner?

  4537. Carol Burns

    I did not like that you discontinued the old Ancestry & now you have discontinued FTM. The old ancestry at least gave a full family not just one person as the new version does. In your sync from FTM none of my stories about ancestors ever carried over so it is necessary that I keep FTM. This is a very disappointing decision. You are blackmailing subscribers into paying for Ancestry forever. And your prices never come down no matter how many subscribers you have. I will keep my subscription until it runs out. Then not renew.

  4538. Brenda

    NO NO NO NO NO I like FTM been using it for over 20 years…. Others tree software does not hold a candle to FTM What am I going to do with my information stored?

  4539. David Dickinson

    This is the worst decision you have ever made. The tools (like the reports) on FTM are the best. To take these away is just irresponsible on your part.

  4540. Roger

    I get it. Knowing no one would be pleased with this. You relent but it will cost more for everything else! Big corp. You got’a love’m.

  4541. David Gardiner-Hill

    Guys at Ancestry

    This seems to come in several bits

    1. Revenue (always comes first)
    2. Development
    3. Support
    4. Syncing with Ancestry
    and there may be a few hidden issues

    1. Revenue is always fixable with a bit of guile

    2. Development – I sense you don’t wish to continue with the PC platform development – so don’t!

    3. Support – One years notice is somewhat unreasonable – why not offer a support subscription model from 1/1/17 onwards. ask members for interest and then decide whether to proceed and at what price

    4. Syncing to Ancestry, my guess is that this is a major support headache – so charge extra for supporting this feature – WE LOVE IT!! We will pay!

    YOU HAVE TAKEN A MASSIVELY TO QUICK and MASSIVELY OVER SIMPLISTIC APPROACH – it will cause ENORMOUS DAMAGE

    WE LOVE U TURNS!

  4542. Lynda

    Corporate suicide. I have used this software since 1994 and loved it….then along came the awful 2008 version. And now this? I can hear the opposition software designers right now banging away at their keyboards with glee.

  4543. Thomas

    I agree with most other commenters. This is a very bad decision. I depend on the desktop software to work on my tree, not on any on-line version. If this moves forward, like many others, I will likely drop my subscription to Ancestry and seek another software program. The on-line tree is difficult to use and the duplication of information from other people’s trees makes the site confusing and, in many cases, useless. I have much personal information in the Family Tree Maker files that I will never put in an on-line system.

  4544. David

    DavToday I removed my family tree from Ancestry. I did so because they no longer feel the need to support my efforts at increasing the data base for others by stopping support for FTM.

    I, along with many others have used FTM for years. We have shared our trees, posted them on line and build a very large data base for Ancestry to use in their business. It is also the bases for many use to expand their trees.

    Please join me in showing you displeasure with Ancestry by deleting your on on tree.

    Log in. Go to trees. Select your tree. Click on Tree Pages, Click on Tree Settings. Go to bottom right and delete your tree

  4545. Michele

    It is obvious that Kendall Hulet has made his mark on the company – since March 2015 he has launched the poorly received Ancestry interface and now this fiasco. This demonstrates mind-blowingly poor business acumen, making this announcement without also offering your thousands of FTM/Ancestry subscribers with some alternative to having only an online tree that could disappear with the demise of Ancestry, which you have been so good at fueling in your new position.

  4546. I have used FTM since 1997, researching many trees. When I research a tree I am not personally connected to, I don’t necessarily want to do it online. I do not have ‘ownership’ of it, so don’t feel comfortable associating my name to it. There is no way for Ancestry to track this data. They see all the activity online, and want to move their business to the ‘Cloud’. I have the same issue with Adobe products, but at least they provide the software to download and use offline. The issue here is that the all mighty dollar is dictating the actions of the company.
    When it comes to the family trees that are online, the software is cumbersome, the app is terrible, and the sourcing requirements are a joke. Let alone there is nowhere to write your personal notes. I do not trust the cloud, the internet crashes, and companies are hacked. Having all the years of work safe on my PC, and backed up by me, is the best and safest way to go.
    My suggestion is to not continually update and release new versions of FTM. But let us keep the versions we have, continue to support it, and only release a new one when the upgrades in systems require it. We don’t need more bells and whistles, but we do want to be able to keep doing what we are doing.

  4547. GKirk

    I am extremely disappointed at your decision to drop FTM. It is the primary reason I have been an ancestry customer for these several years. I am actively looking for another program to replace it, after which I will probably cancel my subscription.

  4548. Herbert Siegel

    What more can I add to the 100’s of comments above. You will regret this as a business decision that will cost you many loyal customers, me included. It is not too late to reverse this decision and support all who use ancestry.com. Think about about offering a ancestry/FTM package.

  4549. Matt

    What happened to Ancestry? I guess the television show hasn’t helped your sales. I know we were all so curious to find that our least favorite actor’s father was a scoundrel. You have actually ruined genealogy research by allowing anyone with an index finger the ability to link individuals without any thorough research. There’s not a tree in your cloud that isn’t partly false. Did you know my friend Tom who only uses your cloud based application is a direct descendant of Charlemagne? I made the mistake of uploading my tree with the intent to connect to real family only to find my own personal notes, which took years of questioning and traveling and writing and re-writing, just copied and pasted to someone else’s tree. Oh, and your tree sharing policy is not to assure any accuracy. You’ve ruined history with your cloud.

  4550. Dave J

    I’m sorry to hear this and because I don’t want to depend on a public facing website to protect my information, I won’t be renewing my subscription.

  4551. Barbara

    I’m so angry with you. Over 30 years of research on FTM and most of it is not on Ancestry. Nor will it ever be. What do we do now?

  4552. Kurt

    Dear Kendall Hulet your amazing Shaky Leaf” hinting system that has delivered over five billion discoveries; the Ancestry Family Tree system that has led to the creation of over 70 million family trees containing six billion ancestors; Come on tell the truth as a long standing member we all know you be lucky if that number was a 10th of that much with all the copying and duplicate of miss guided information the number of 14 day trials that never come back fill and plug the system. I starting to see why they think you have done such a amazing job with those. numbers no your advice to get rid of FTM must be a win for the company minus the almost 5,000 members in 24 hours who disagree Please rethink this move or you will put Ancestry.com in the grave

  4553. martha

    Are you replacing it with another software product? If in the future it does not work with Ancestry.com what are we supposed to do?!?

  4554. Autumn

    Please provide a follow up answering questions raised by users. I share many concerns already raised. Many of us use the desktop software, so we can maintain an independent copy of our research. Curating primary sources is an essential part of research and loosing the ability to organize those sources on our own hard drive is a huge blow to serious researchers. In addition some historical societies have asked that I NOT post documents online. Now I will have no way to integrate that information into my tree. A huge disappointment to a 10 year subscriber.

  4555. Sherry

    The person who made this decision should be fired! If Ancestry was trying to get more subscribers, they missed the mark by a mile. Maybe they will see the light with the mass exodus of current subscribers when this takes place, including me!

  4556. Judy A Edwards

    I am of the same opinion as most others. All of your work promoting your site with well known people has made you think you are the only game in town. This will prove to be your downfall. You have, in reality, robbed a lot of people like me of their hard earned money. People who do this for a hobby and not for a living. I too will be cancelling my membership if this truly comes to pass.

  4557. Jeannette Amy

    I have only just updated my version of FTM less than six months ago, why on earth were you still selling it if you knew this was what you were going to do? I am furious as I feel I wasted my money, I could have bought another programme instead. I think you should reimburse me too

  4558. Sarah Atkins

    Another fine example of corporate greed but you have under-estimated your users this time. I have not and will not share my tree online, especially when I have to pay for the privilege of looking at it. My older version of FTM works just fine and I won’t miss your leaves or the many incorrect trees that are published on your site. I have been an Ancestry user for a very long time but may have to re-evaluate whether or not I want to continue paying a company whose goal is to milk their customers – especially when much of the info you offer is now available through familysearch.org which is free to everyone.

  4559. Andrew Potter

    I think that the comments above are a good representation of what we loyal customers think about your decision and hopefully might make you reconsider. The online vs. desktop tools support two very different functions which I am sure you know and I am guessing that many of us will simply move to other software and service providers during the coming year. Destroying this type of customer base is, in my opinion, poor marketing and will do nothing for the company as you move into other related areas such as ancestry DNA. Spin the software part of the business off, sell it to another provider, or similar rather than leave all of us behind. Alienating people who have been loyal for over a decade is simply horrendous.

  4560. DrConstance

    I quit using Adobe software when they went to a subscription model. That meant leaving behind 12 years of using the same program for my business, which was website design and graphics. I will also leave behind Ancestry if you go through with this change. You are forcing us to put our private trees online and save them in your cloud. I refuse to use anyone’s cloud as there are not only privacy issues but the potential theft of data. I am a computer professional since 1971 and I know the theft of data happens quite easily on a daily basis, most of it undetected, so I am not being an unrealistic alarmist, merely a pragmatist with over 30 years of business experience. I have done the research on my family and a lot of it is offline in the form of visiting graveyards, interviewing elders, and digging through physical records. Your forcing us to post our information online gives you all our work product from which you profit. It is a pure and simple money issue, not making it better.

  4561. Mary Davis

    Loyal customers are definitely unhappy. Reconsider your action. At least give us something to work with on our at-home computers. I have thousands of names on ancestry.com.

  4562. Mike

    I also believe this is not only an ill founded decision but one based on a misunderstanding of the PC market. Ownership of PCs by individuals is not falling, it is increasing. The numbers of new PCs being sold in that sector is increasing now that Windows 10 is being seen as a step forward from XP and Win7 compared to Windows 8/8.1 which was a major mistake. It is the corporate sector that is slow to react and not buying PCs at present, although that will change as the now very old machines reach the end of their lives. Yes some of us do use tablets, but they can never replace a full PC as, for individuals, cloud storage is both unreliable and expensive. A PC with 1+Gb of storage is a must.
    Your advisors obviously have no idea about your users. I would be suprised if less than 90% of the community do not use a PC (or Mac) and while I do keep a copy of my family tree on Ancestry, I keep the master on my PC along with many hundreds of documents and certificates that are not on your site. Family Tree Maker has been my choice of software since I started investigating my family history and is the ONLY reason I have stayed with Ancestry.
    Like many others, I find the new web-interface to ancestry a pain to use and often inaccurate in its searching. When my current subscription runs out I will move to another geneology search provider if Family Tree Maker is no longer supported as there will be no reason to stay.

  4563. George Smith

    Until subscribing to FTM several years ago (and also having purchased copy for my son), I had been using RootsMagic. I learned this morning from RootsMagic about FTM’s demise, and am not pleased at all! FTM allowed us to post photos of our relatives online…which was the driving force to focus my use with FTM, and to use RootsMagic as a “scratch pad” for doing genealogy work. Now…RootsMagic (RM) is advertising themselves as a “new home” for FTM users. I don’t know what RM has done to incorporate photos into their product, nor do I know where we will be able to publish our trees for sharing with others as a result. I also don’t know if RM will properly interface with FTM’s online trees.

    Perhaps if Ancestry.com would cut their managerial staff’s salaries they would be able to properly fund their FTM s/w development, and keep it going? Nah…the thought never would cross their greedy minds!

  4564. Ernest Quantie

    I have been using both for many years and extremely disappointed to hear this decision. There are so many extra features in FTM that the web site does not offer. This is a very selfish and thoughtless move.

  4565. Phil

    Just bought a copy of LEGACY software and found it to be similar to FTM. I made GEDCOM copies of my FTM backups and imported to Legacy. Fairly simple to do; Does not support MAC but does support all Windows OS. Nice program and now selling at $29.95.

  4566. Brenda

    I am very dissappointed. I have been working with Family Tree Maker since it started and have over 5,000 family members. Are you going to add features to Ancestry? I especially like being able to print my own history books, determining what the content is, and being able to share family history at family reunions. Without this feature the cost would be prohibitive. FTM is also much easier to navigate! PLEASE either continue with FTM or IMPROVE Ancestry!

  4567. Dan Brothers

    Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! We built you up and then you stab us in the back. Reverse this now or it is goodbye Ancestry.

  4568. Dan

    One thing you didn’t seem to consider is that the average Ancestry user isn’t a Millennial. You can’t do the in-depth research needed on a tablet or phone, there will always be desktop/laptop users and they are the ones who invested in your software. Now you are making it clear that they don’t count. Such moves rarely go well for the companies that run roughshod over their customers needs and desires.

  4569. Pam

    I do not trust uploading my information to the internet as I have many personal comments that are meant only for my family members. I also have subscribed to Ancestry for a number of years only to see their subscription price go up. If you will no longer support tree sync, I am no longer going to be able to support you as the main reason I paid for a subscription was to be able to sync it with FTM. Very disappointed in your action.

  4570. John F. Lawrence

    As a long time ancestry.com member/user, I’m incensed by your idiotic decision to discontinue FTM.

    You won’t be surprised that I will be making an informed decision to drop ancestry.com if you don’t reverse this inane decision.

  4571. Carol Hinchliff

    I agree with every single comment above… Once you discontinue the software program I will NOT be renewing my online subscription. Years of work will be more or less lost… it is obvious from the comments that you have lost many many loyal customers. This is an incredibly poor decision in my opinion.

  4572. Gord

    What is going on here. Many users commenting but no solutions from the company. Disappointed!!! Is there any solutions going forward for your loyal users????

  4573. Jer

    I use FTM 16:-) I do not sync. I was going to join ancestry again for the, well, ancestry part. Not any more. Now, no ancestry membership, no tree? Forget it.

  4574. Janet

    I am very disappointed and worried that I will loose vital parts of my family tree information. I have enjoyed the ability to have a copy of my trees on my computer and to be able to work off line. I love being able to print and share my tree with my children. If something happens to me then all my work will be lost without adequate software on my computer. Going totally online – or in the cloud – gives all the control of my information to other people. I am really not comfortable with that thought. Please consider selling FTM to other software designers so we can continue to use both the online version (where I do most of my searching) as well as have a copy of our own personal tree on our computer. Thank you

  4575. Gene

    I’ve been a loyal FTM and Ancestry.com dedicated user since, well, they pretty much started. I think we’ve all noticed the slow degradation in the competition relative quality of FTM for years, and the Ancestry.com interface has not exactly shined for some time. I suspect this indicates Ancestry.com has had, and is now having serious financial problems and is now, instead of just tweaking “minor” things to cut costs, is now forced to go after the important stuff.

    To be sure, no one in their right mind would rely exclusively on their Ancestry.com based online tree – if for no other reason than that Ancestry could even more easily stop supporting their online trees than FTM.

    I, for one, and I recommend everyone, will take 2016 to look for and move to alternatives, both as regards a desktop based genealogy program and subscribed web sites.

    Its such a shame. Ancestry used to be without equal, and, as I’ve said, my by far primary site. No more.

  4576. Tony H

    This is a significant blow to serious researchers and a sad step towards pandering to the hoards of on-line, ‘I want matches NOW’ (regardless of how tenuous or undocumented the matches actually are) casual users. I really hope that the volume of negative comments posted in such a short time frame may cause the powers that be within Ancestry to reconsider their decision.

  4577. Stefan H

    To be honest: It is is strange to hear that! But under the focus that that the owner of Family Tree Maker was changed several times in the last three decades it is also reasonable. The main activities of Ancestry was always providing content and not on software developement.
    Instead of searching for a replacement from ancestry side I would suggest and prefer that an API is beeing provided and better integrations into other anestral software, such as MacFamilyTree, Reunion or others is forced!
    I was working a long time with ancestry but only very short with the software and it was sometimes frustrating. Especially when the primary work was done in another tool and keep the trees in different locations looking the same.

  4578. Anne

    There aren’t too many examples in history of companies that fire their customers and continue to prosper. I predict that this ill-conceived decision by Ancestry will end up in due course as a Harvard Business School case study of poor corporate leadership. Clearly this move can be explained as just another instance of the rape and pillage mentality of private equity firms.

  4579. jack

    What a miserable decision. Based solely on profit for Ancestry and the Mormon owners. I was led to believe this was a substantial organization with the longevity i needed to make my genealogy program an ongoing project. How wrong i was. These comments are worthless as there is no monitoring or response. I sincerely want my money back.

  4580. John W Hickman

    I have not read all the comments, but I do agree with Judy the lady above. This may be a good business decision for Ancestry, but it appears to me, that for the people who have been put their trust in you. We have been let down. We have promoted your business, and we have purchased your DNA product. But, it appears no one gave any thought as to how this would be received. I over 70 years old, so I can say “old folks” don’t like change, and they really don’t like it when the change is not planned out. As it has been stated, someone should have laid out a plan about what will happen to our on line Family Trees? What will happen to our subscriptions that access the information on other Family Trees. One of the great things that you have promoted was the little leaves that lead to possible matching data. What will happen to that when the program is gone? Either this was done with little planning or it was planned out and the worst is yet to come.

  4581. Joe

    another case of a company getting too big for itself.

    What about all the other features that FTM provides, reports, calendars etc. I use them extensively. I send hard copies of a descendant list to relatives when I first make contact with them.

    This SUCKS!!!!!!

  4582. lescar91

    I have to agree with most (or all) of the over 5000 comments that this is a terrible decision. I certainly will looking for alternatives to replace my Ancestry membership.

  4583. Harvey

    What everyone else said. I subscribe to Ancestry for the information not to use it as a vehicle to manage my family tree.

  4584. Ron Wagner

    I would suggest you reconsider before dropping thousands or even million of subscribers. Why not sell off to some energetic young Computer geeks who will not be so quick to dismiss so many customers.

  4585. Lindsay

    Joined Ancestry less than 6 months ago and Family Tree Maker syncing capabilty was one of my reasons for doing so. What happens after 2017 – no way of personally holding a personal secure copy of my Ancestry Trees – will have to relay purely on Ancestry – not a good idea when you folks keep moving the expensive gateposts. In my view a very retrograde step – think you will loose lots of members, including me ! PLEASE THINK THIS THROUGH !!!

  4586. Doug Beezley

    Scrapping FTM is a great idea. It’s about time. OK, that’s a lie, but thought maybe a little smirking sarcasm would be a change of pace.

  4587. Mike

    I see this as a huge mistake. I am trying not to get too excited. I’ll make sure I have a good local backup before the end of the year. I am sure other venders will step in to fill the void.

  4588. MartinT

    I’m really disappointed with this decision. I rely on FTM both to clean up the data that I collect through the on-line service and to produce the material (Ahnentafel and graphic reports) that I need to create family history booklets. My experience of the latest on-line interface is that it’s easier when using a tablet, but not suitable for any sort of serious work. Without FTM to check through the data, and carry out operations like harmonising variant place-names and add detailed notes, I’ll be lost! I’ll have to rely on finding an equivalent program elsewhere and import information from Ancestry in GED format. Definitely a retrograde step which I think will impact adversely on your bottom line. I for one won’t be recommending you to other researchers.

  4589. Peggy Vasseur

    What a long time it took me to scroll to the end to add my thoughts. I am a 63 year old dinosaur who purchased a new desktop computer yesterday. Whatever are you thinking? Serious genealogists, let us unite to find a reputable website to meet our needs.

  4590. Bill LaCombe

    Your Dec 8th email fails to mention what, if anything, will replace FTM. I would expect that you were going to a web-based, subscription version of the same software with all of the same capabilities. But there is no mention of anything. Could you put out a clarifying email as to what your plans are going forward? Otherwise we are forced to look for alternatives to FTM.

  4591. Mary

    The lack of support for FTM software is devastating to my genealogy project. I have used FTM since its inception and upgraded through many years of long and hard work. Feeling defeated!!!

  4592. Carolyn Murphy

    I am surprised, that so many ancestry/FTM users are surprised, at the move to do away with FTM! Clearly ancestry has found other ways to bring in money – such as the program “who do you think you are”. They must be making money because you know their T.V. ads are costing them a bundle!

  4593. Ralph

    Very upset and angry at Ancestry for this decision. 20 years of research on FTM which I have uploaded regularly to Ancestry for others to use. I will be using the year to research and develop a plan to get off and away from ever using Ancestry again. I refuse to be totally dependent on your site for my research, my files, my pictures, etc.
    Very poor decision on your part and obiously motivated by money. The cost of an ancestry membership just continues to rise and this just motivates me to transition to other options I can control.
    Stupid decision all around, except maybe for your bottom line.

  4594. David Richey

    This is finally the final straw that will prompt me to drop Ancestry.com and go to MyHertigage or FamilySearch. This company has not been the same since the change of hands. It is strictly “for profit only” with no concern for their subscribers. Goodby

  4595. Cynthia

    This is a terrible decision. I dislike the NEW Ancestry story format. I find it pretty useless. Family Tree Maker is the reason I am an Ancestry member and pay top membership. Take that away, and I will drop my membership.

  4596. Woodrow McManus

    I will add my voice to those that are very upset and disappointed. The reports available in FTM are a very important part of me being a satisfied customer for the past 7 years. Will there be an APP for them?.

  4597. Family Tree Maker appears to have a legacy since 1994, when its first version got out. That is 21 years, until now.

    It will be a terrible shame to discontinue it.

    You guys are making enormous sums of money from the various services you provide.

    You should have the decency to found this project for future development.

    You discontinued the mtDNA and YDNA tests and dumped all the data.

    Now you are discontinuing another vital service. How long until you will shut down for good? You should seek to provide more and more features, not to bury them.

  4598. Maxine

    Will you be making available a list of software companies that Family Tree Maker will transfer to since I absolutely do not want my info online.

  4599. My entire family spread around the world loved our connection on MyFamily.com keeping us together. You bought it and destroyed it to eliminate competition. That was cold blooded. Now you are taking away Family Tree that I paid a lot of money for in today’s world where every dollar counts. I will never use any of your other services again. You obviously care only about yourselves as a company. You are cold blooded and apparently cold hearted. We’ll see if you survive this.

  4600. Judy Liptrap

    Glad I never uploaded my trees . Some what angry I had to buy the newest version of FTM just to transfer my info to new computer Then to find out your backing out on us all. . Well I will stop paying for access to you and find another way.

  4601. Nancy Smith

    BAD FORM Ancestry.com! I have used Family Tree Maker for many, many years and will not start over with something new. My subscription is up for renewal soon and you will be losing yet another customer unless you re-think this terrible decision!

  4602. Catmandoing

    Please rethink this! I’m not going to spend over $300 a year for an online version of my tree. When my subscription’s up for renewal – I’m gone!

  4603. Rosemary Fauzio Fiers

    This is very just terrible. I haven’t read one good thing about your decision! We all used FTM and it worked well. Well I guess since you are big TV Stars you don’t need the peons who gave you your start any more. I’m another one who will not be using Ancestry anymore! We’ve paid you a lot of money over many years and you are just dumping our life long projects! 🙁

  4604. Kennedy

    Is there another solution? An outside buyer, perhaps? A partnership with another software maker? Like apparently many others, I only began using Ancestry.com’s subscription-based databases because of its seamless interface with Family Tree Maker. I am likely to continue subscribing to Ancestry.com – but only if Family Tree Maker or a comparable program is available to sync with my data there. I’m not comfortable with my data being stored ONLY in a cloud-based software system.

  4605. Stephen Ertman

    What a terrible decision to retire FTM! Being able to work on Ancestry’s website and also have all of my genealogical information locally on my computer was the principle reason that I have stayed with Ancestry for so long. FTM is much easier and much better at preparing reports and graphical trees than Ancestry web. I will be mighty displeased if Ancestry actually retires FTM and will look for other options than Ancestry.com.

  4606. JudyK

    The original announcement is the most irresponsible communication I have ever read. Is it not elementary to provide a solution or suggestions when a company announces a termination of a product? You get a grade of F for communication skills.

  4607. Ladyjoy401

    I currently do almost everything directly on Ancestry and only use FTM to print reports, find duplicates, and clean up my tree. If Ancestry adds all of the functionality of FTM to Ancestry, I will be OK with the loss of FTM functionality to Ancestry. Much functionality needs to be added to Ancestry. We should be able to make ANY photo or person on our tree private. We also need to be able to sequence media in whatever sequence we want. These items are good places to start in an Ancestry enhancement.

  4608. Catmandoing

    Please rethink this! I’m not going to spend over 300 dolllars a year for an online version of my tree. When my subscription’s up for renewal – I’m gone!

  4609. Kenneth Powell

    Kendall Hulet says “As we strive to provide our customers with the best experience possible…”

    The “new and improved” online interface is a clearly INFERIOR experience compared to the “old” Ancestry.

    Kendall Hulet has BETRAYED his most LOYAL CUSTOMERS, the core customers who for years have populated the Ancestry database with the best data.

    The discontinuance of the most USEFUL tool that provides the best way to maintain the data, from the USER CUSTOMER perspective is a BREACH OF TRUST.

    This BREACH OF TRUST damages the Ancestry.com BRAND PROMISE.

    If the Ancestry.com BRAND and they management team that stands behind cannot be TRUSTED, especially by its most LOYAL CUSTOMERS, is there any decision-maker who is listening? Is there someone on the Board who “gets it?”

    The Ancestry BRAND can not be TRUSTED if the poorly thought out decision stands.

  4610. Linda

    Mr. Hulet, you are absolutely clueless as to the number of serious researchers out here still using pre 2008 versions of FTM. The reason for the software decline is simple. FTM 2008 was an abomination. When it first came out many of us promptly bought the “latest upgrade” only to be sorely disappointed and went back to our previous versions and stopped buying the upgrades. When FTM 2014 came out, it was touted as such a complete overhaul of 2008, that many of us gave you another chance. Should have known better. Entering information was like pulling teeth and took 3 times as long with all the drop down boxes and side panels. Back to my trusty Version 16 again. Those of us serious about our research don’t care for all the bells and whistles and pretty colors, just a user friendly program to enter data and do a web search and, hard as it may be for you to understand, a great many of us DO NOT have our trees posted on line and never will. We don’t want to give Ancestry control over years and years of research or have our information “out there” in the cloud. Here are a couple of Marketing 101 lessons for you: 1) Know your customer and provide what they want; 2) 96% of unhappy customers won’t complain to you, but will tell 15 friends. By the number of complaints coming in, Ancestry should be very concerned. Mr. Hulet…you and Ancestry get an F.

  4611. Ed W.

    The news really “STINKS”. You should reconsider your decision. I have been a faithful user of FTM for many years, paying to upgrade every couple years, using FTM every day, with over 25,000 ancestor;s names. We the users have supported you for years and now you do this. Typical Big Business move. You say purchases of FTM have declined. Well wait until you see how the use of Ancestry and it;s other products will decline. Almost all people using FTM are also users of Ancestry. No FTM no need for Ancestry. You are going to be the big time losers with this move. I am not looking forward to the changes I will have to make and will curse you while doing it. BAD DECISION, BAD BUSINESS, YOU LOSE.

  4612. Bert Wilson

    Other Ancestry sucker punches to consumers:
    1) Yanking FTM in under 30 days
    2) Destroying our DNA MtDNA tests after vowing to keep them safe.
    3) (Watch This Space – There are sure to be promises broken as this is their business model…)

  4613. Bernie

    This a terrible decision. I have used FTM for 20 years+ and been very happy with it. Sad to see it go and will look for an alternative.
    Perhaps if everybody removed their online family trees from ancestry (after retaining the data on their own machines) this would help Ancestry to focus on what they are doing (badly) and bring them to their senses.

  4614. Bud

    I also agree with the previous commenters. I use FTM to run reports, etc. I have not found the same functionality on the web base version. I’ve invested quite a bit of time in the use of these products. This is a very bad decision on A.com part. I will need to start looking elsewhere.

  4615. Jill

    I have worked in the software development world for over 25 years and rule #1 is you NEVER remove functionality. I understand the difficulty maintaining separate development streams, but you have obviously underestimated the usage of your FTM platform. While the ancestry.com component is fantastic for actual live research, the FTM and sync features are what provide the organization and maintenance of the data. Please, please please for your millions of users reconsider this ill-conceived plan. Your bottom line will thank you.

  4616. Samuel J mullins

    I will not be renewing due to your decision not to offer software, i.e., FTM. I have been a customer of yours for a long time. Will be looking for a alternative.

    jim

  4617. Sean

    My thoughts are simple: stop making products that you force people to use. Start making products that users want. You’re “loyal” customers are methodical and have years (or decades) of research. The software won’t stop working on day 1, but it is about the investment of their time. Is the cloud the future? Sure. But what about the features that get dropped from your cloud environment? (Like the hundreds of hours I spent tagging faces in pictures on your website, only to have the feature dropped with no estimate of returning. So much for family pictures that I can no longer identify individuals in.) If you made an online version of FTM with feature parity, I doubt people would be complaining. But ancestry.com is not a replacement for FTM; it is a complement. There is more than the # of records to family research. It is about the information relating those records. And until people trust that you won’t delete their information (or share it inappropriately), people will find other more trustworthy sources. Oh, and your competitors are capitalizing on this already. (Check out roots magic blog.) Time to take a hard look at what your business model is, because you don’t seem to know.

  4618. Anne

    Frustrated about your decision! I bought FTM to hold all my family documents. Joining Ancestry was an after thought so relatives could see our tree. I need a software package that will be supported in the future and I will drop my membership with Ancestry. What software do you suggest?

  4619. Marianne

    I have used FTM for 20+years and I just upgraded to the latest version last week! I have also been a subscriber to Ancestry for many many years. I am disappointed about this decision and hope Ancestry will reconsider. I am investigating other genealogy programs as I have no intention of having my research be strictly cloud based. I consider myself to a more serious genealogist and am reconsidering my methods.

  4620. Carolyn

    This stinks! I have been working on my genealogy for over 30 years. I have been a loyal Family Tree Maker since it was owned by Broderbund. I think Ancestry is discontinuing the Family Tree Maker product since they were incapable of making Family Tree Maker work with Windows 10. I was waiting to update my family tree maker and upgrade to Windows 10 until the drivers came out for Windows 10. It was on my to do list for this week to check if the drivers were available. Now, I don’t know what to do.

  4621. Marion N

    I write from the UK to agree with the comments that ceasing to support FTM is a very bad idea.
    I wish a 3rd party would take it over as many have suggested.

  4622. Laura

    Count me among thousands of people who have used FTM for over 15 years and have loved its progression through the years, When I saw the news I was sick. Such a short-sighted decision. I love the fact that merges from Ancestry.com are so easy and seamless. I see my favorite hobby disappearing in an instant and can’t imagine my retirement years without FTM and Ancestry. I spent hours last night researching other software but can’t imagine paying over $200 a year for the Ancestry account that I’ve had for decades. It no longer makes any sense to spend that kind of money and invest in a company that no longer cares about its customers. I can’t imagine that Ancestry will be able to overcome this extremely poor business decision. Certainly another company will take its place when we all speak with our wallets and leave Ancestry for good. We had a good run but its time to part ways.

  4623. margaret

    I am devistated to hear this news. I have been a subsciber to Ancestry for many years and find it very convenient to sync my Family tree maker software. I have 7000 people in a double tree and cannot bare to think of transferringthem into anything else. It is the sync facility that keeps me faithful to you at Ancestry. I have another membership with Find my Past which could well be the one I now will only use. I hope you reconsider before you loose a large amount of previous faithful members

  4624. Norbert Lussier

    Years ago I stopped using FTM as the program became too large and slow. Version 5 was the last good version. I now use Legacy 8.0 which I find great and easy to pick up the data file and move it from desktop to laptop. Try it

  4625. S Schmitt

    I find the decision to discontinue FTM software appalling …. do we always have to have a subscription to access OUR family trees??? Market waning? Why did over 5000 people at this moment, according to comments, buy your software? Web access is not not always available to everyone and it is better to always have a backup copy of your work… Can you always guarantee that your servers will never be hacked or corrupted to the point that years of research will not be lost? Sad Sad Sad!!!!!

  4626. Sandra Holt

    This is wats called as thumbing your nose at your base. It’s all about “money”. Cater to the boards in charge that have no idea about genealogy, just make money. I have used FTM for about 15 years & I prefer it. I’m sure if I will even renew my Ancestry membership in March of 2016 & will see about removing my trees and taking down my DNA information.

  4627. Tom Larkin

    I feel like I just received a “Dear John” letter. Ancestry needs to reconsider this decision. It is possible to transfer to other desktop programs which I will be doing when Jan. 2017 arrives and my subscription to Ancestry will be cancelled. I have been very satisfied using FTM and Ancestry for a number of years and hate to go.

  4628. Christine

    After scanning a good number of the messages submitted so far, there is one thing I haven’t seen mentioned. Now that Ancestry has become so public with all its TV ads, and people have started joining left and right without software, they have the use of all our copyrighted submissions in the way of photographs, family document, etc. If we all delete our trees, which I will probably do as well as cancelling my upcoming renewal. will they continue to offer these documents in their databases for these new subscribers from their archived data? We should all check back often to see if this happens, and make complaints to the proper officials about copyright infringement. Looks like the LDS has become just another greedy corporate giant like Dish, ATT, etc. Sad…Ancestry was supposed to be a ‘family’ company and an tribute to all those who came before us. Hark…hear a rumble?? That’s our ancestors turning over…:) 🙂 🙂

  4629. Larry

    Very poor decision. I build my trees using FTM and upload to Ancestry using sync to share with others. I love the ‘leaf’ on FTM so I can search in the database. The sad part, there will be a whole lot less trees to view and glean information with mind be one of them. I have family trees that I do not wish to upload to the Internet for privacy reasons so now what do I do? I will be calling this morning to cancel my automatic renewal and will be looking for another company. A lot of the same information is on FamilyResearch.org and the only advantage Ancestry had was access to other researchers trees which will now be limited.

  4630. Deborah

    Another disappointed customer. I do not want to relinquish my file to Ancestry.com and lose control of my desktop database. I have been a loyal customer for many years and believe that your decision to retire FTM will cause a lot of people of lose trust in genealogy soft companies on a whole and, as a result, people may no longer want to invest time and money to continue their research. Not a good move!

  4631. Robert Oppenheim

    You have redefined disloyalty to your base constituents. I insist on maintaining my tree off-line and syncing with the public, online version. I am a serious user who enjoys the features in FTM desktop. Your decision will ultimately cost you your serious user base and will impact the quality of the member tree data online as the web-based app is more conducive to the neophyte users that treat every hint as gospel. Sadly, I just recommended FTM to a club member last night and I bought a gift membership for my daughter-in-law last Christmas. As much as I hate the idea, I will have to take a serious look at Family Search to see if they can replace you. You have pretty much left a bad stain in the Genealogical Community. Lets hope that you, as did the geniuses that came up with improved Coke, realize the error you have made. PS: Did any of the 5000+ plus comments that preceded mine say “attaboy?” Do you understand what that says about the probability that there is any support for your decision in your customer base?

  4632. Cindy

    Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! Please change your minds. This software makes it possible for me to make sense of the over 1000 people I have in my tree!!! I can’t imagine using Ancestry without it!!!

  4633. don B

    Terrible decision to scrap FTM. The program and syc features are the only reason I’m a member. I won’t renew my membership now

  4634. Peter

    I am not reacting in such a knee jerk way as many of your commenters here. But I am very disappointed that your message dis not say much at all about what Family Tree Maker users will migrate too. I too will be mad as hell (sorry, Mormons!!) if we end up paying more and getting less. I am already paying a small fortune for ancestry.com access.

  4635. Gail H

    I have been with Ancestry since 2000 and have had FTM since 2009 updating every time there is a new release. I love my FTM but without the merge link with Ancestry to save facts & documents into it from your site what will I do? I have uploaded to your site all the family trees I have worked hours investigating but also keep them on my PC. What now???? I thought you cared about your membership, am I wrong??????

  4636. Dave

    The desktop is the backbone of the program. How are we to use Ancestry.com after the cutoff date? I am sure we all get a lot of information from others which use Sync.
    I think you need to reconsider.

  4637. Linda

    Family Tree Maker is the reason I joined Ancestry and now you are going to discontinue. If I have to change my software I change my membership. Sorry to hear that you do not think Family Tree Maker is a worthwhile investment. I hope you rethink your decision.

  4638. Andrew Christiansen

    I’ve always worried about my genealogical research being tied up in a private company’s product. Capitalism always puts a premium on profits over everything else, and after Adobe moved its applications to the clouds, it seemed only a matter of time before control of our hard won information and media assets would be pulled away from our own computers. As we look for alternatives to FTM, we should remember that other businesses’ products could bait and switch our group. I, for one, will be looking for open source software. I noticed one is called Gramps at https://gramps-project.org/features/ and there are probably others. Is there anyone out there know how well this program works? Or have other suggestions? It looks like a lot of our data could be saved by exporting to a gedcom file and importing it into the new program. The important thing here is to avoid corporate software I think.

  4639. Mary Dougherty

    I knew this day was coming since Ancestry has become the monopoly of genealogy online. I will no longer renew my yearly subscription. I will also be removing my research from your database since you do not own the rights to my research. You assisted Rootsweb, took that over. You bought out FamilyTreeMaker, which I have used since it first came out. You can tout all you want about the resources that you present to the public but you have ruined the freedom of sharing public records for a profit. I am over you. And thanks for not allowing me to run out my subscription with the link to FamilyTreeMaker, now that you will not support my software. So folks, it is now the time to save a Ged.com of your data and wave goodbye to Ancestry. You have cut your own throats.

  4640. Liz Dente

    This is a terrible decision, I hope that you read the comments and reconsider. It’s interesting that you have NOT answered any of the questions posed in these posts. I realize you must have been aware there would be “some” backlash” but surely you can see this was a huge error on your part. Bob, if you came up with this idea you must be wondering how long before you are discontinued and become unsupported.

  4641. Kathy

    I don’t think I can be a nice about this as others are being. I think I need a refund as I just upgraded FTM this past year. I am really upset. &^$^##%$&^* Fill that in yourself.

  4642. Diane

    Since you have decided to no longer support your product what happens to all of our records? I guess I don’t have to add anything further everyone who has taken the time to respond to this change pretty much sums up on how I feel

  4643. Pamela Mason

    I am so disappointed in this decision – I have been using FTM for so long I can not remember when I started using it. FTM along with Ancestry using the shaking leaf feature has made genealogy research accessible to all. Removing the desktop based backup makes this research very vulnerable – any online problems could wipe out 30 years of research! Please reconsider this decision.

  4644. Sam Keegan

    I am disappointed to hear of the demise of FTM. Can we continue to use it after its demise ? or would you consider making the online tree available as a free app compatible with the various platforms to all customers

  4645. Jim Dowson

    +1 on releasing FTM to open source (and maintaining the APIs)

    Do not close the door to others, or people will leave your walled garden quickly.

  4646. Bruce Walchuk

    In conducting workshops over the years, I was asked time and time again which Family Tree Program was best. For a full decade, I recommended FTM. Then, a few short years ago, it was as if the program fell into the hands of ‘web geeks’ rather than genealogists. It was pretty – but it was no longer intuitive nor logical. Now, it’s going away entirely. I suggest you drag out some of your earlier versions and make them available again. In utterly failing to ‘reinvent the wheel,’ you have elected to stop using the wheel altogether. I suspect your ‘cart’ won’t be going very far. Our 15 year Ancestry subscription certainly won’t be….

  4647. d shope

    I know it is not April 1st so this can not be an April fools joke. It might be the worst spam I have received vial my email but I guess this unfortunate decision by Ancestry is true??? I think that you and your management will lose your jobs over this one. What fools!!!!

  4648. Timothy Blomquist

    Without having genealogy Software (FTM, PAF, etc.) on our desktop or laptop, you are really limiting functionality for the genealogist. There are times when we use our program without being connected to the internet. There are times when we take our notebook in the field to visit relatives for research, and we are not connected to the web. An internet connection is not everything. Ancestry.com has always been a good source of data for research, not a final depository for our data. Yes, we upload our research to the website, but a large number of us want a functioning program on our home systems for another permanent backup record of our data. This is a serious blow to many thousands of amateur and professional genealogists. I wish you would reconsider.

  4649. Sha Wil

    The genealogy Mafia that is Ancestry strikes again. Can’t wait to see the cost of the replacement, or why they think we will put all our data on-line. Way to go Ancestry – one very unhappy person

  4650. Michele

    Do you even listen to your subscribers? You built a great product over the years and now you are changing everything that’s good about it. The new site is a disappointment and the news about retiring FTM in a few weeks is an unbelievably poor decision. You take things over and then you discontinue them, like the message boards, now FTM; what’s next? Your stock holders aren’t going to be very happy when they see you driving your subscribers away in droves. I won’t be renewing my subscription which is about to expire.

  4651. Doug Wallace

    I have worked on my family tree for years using the desktop software, hoping to get it to a point where I thought it worthy of being shared. With this decision, it will not be shared as I am not about to work in the “cloud.”

  4652. Al

    I need to be able to have my family trees on a desktop for the reunions I attend each year that don’t have internet access available. It is extremely important to have a FTM type app available that will allow working offline as well as online. If you continue to abandon FTM than I only have one alternative and that is to begin my research for another service now. I agree with the previous entries and I think this is a very VERY big mistake for Ancestry.com.
    Just remember each of the posts represents a potential loss to your customer base.

  4653. Al

    That stinks!!! I love using Family Tree Maker which I have been using for 10+ years. With 1,300 entries for my family tree I couldn’t imagine using anything else.
    I hope you reconsider your decision or at least offer the software to another software provider so that support and updates can be continued. Please reconsider your decision!!!!

  4654. David

    This is very disappointing news. What I do not see in your notice is any explanation of how many of the more advanced features in FTM will be incorporated into the Ancestry site. I often use the Reports fetures to run reports to view particular branches of my Tree. So many other features that are not available in the very simple view available on Ancestry, I suppose, will potentially be lost. Is there some solution coming that will address this?

  4655. Joan

    I as 4K+ members am very unhappy with this decision. If we decide to leave Ancestry you are looking at a million plus revenue loss. Is that worth it to you. You need to listen to what we like about FTM and consider making changes to your web-site product. Report formats are my main issue.

  4656. Renee Burry

    Dear Kendal Hulet:
    I am hoping your reading all of these messages as I have. I have been a member since 2002 & this is despicable corporate greed news. Why only open up the comment blog until 22 Dec. Why now? I’ll tell you why, this has to be the busiest time of year for people & you know that many of us don’t even get to our emails in a timely fashion in Dec.. So I’m guessing if there is a low response of upset customers you will be very happy. The thing is Mr. Hulet, I am not happy about this at all & your 4,936 so called Loyal Customers to this point have taken time to write you. You changed the face of Ancestry which I really don’t like, actually I have not used it much since the change. Now your booting out FTM & offering nothing to replace the ability to make hard copies of our work. I will pay for my Membership for 2016 & start looking for another home for my work & start the transfer process. At this point in time I am really ticked off & will not return adding my money to your Corporate coffers in 2117. I’m guessing you have heard the idiom, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, well you people have done a right bang up job on all accounts.

  4657. Andy Mackie

    I was so angry, I thought I would be the only one complaining but I can’t see one positive comment above. An overwhelmingly unanimous vote that this is business suicide and from what I can see, not one comment from ancestry.com – maybe he got fired already for his lack of business acumen?

  4658. peter knight

    very disappointed with your actions like everybody else
    you have not given us an answer what to do next. why not make ancestry mirror the benefits of FTM etc

  4659. Donna

    Will you be selling FTM so another party; if so will you allow not only FTM but also other applications to upload and download data from our Ancestry accounts?

  4660. Arleigh

    You cannot imagine how incredibly sad I was to read this note from Ancestry. I have spent countless hours working on my family history (haven’t even touch my husband’s side yet) and now you tell me FTM will no longer exist. It has been such an incredible asset to working online and gathering my family information. Each and every day that I sat down to work and marveled at how the integration was simply flawless! I absolutely fell in love with the program and how it worked. I have managed to track back 5 generations of my family and have over 1300 people in my tree.

    It is incredibly upsetting to think I can no longer print the special pages that accompany my photos and other items I have printed from the site. The only legacy I can leave my children is what I have been learning about my family and the charts, Genealogy reports, person reports etc are simply invaluable to me. I am pleased to see with the web log in that I can write my own story with the help of Ancestry as we could do in FTM but you still need a guide to follow each tree of the families. Some of these families had 11-13 children who all were married and had kids of their own who went on to get married too. When you work in this, you get very familiar the people but to outsiders, then will need a guide to follow how all these people fit it.

    Although I absolutely love how the new web part works, there is nothing that helps me print trees or other information pieces that complement the books I am putting together. I am very familiar with computers and software and I could see how people wanting this aspect might dwindle but if I could reach the people who research but don’t have the FTM, I would tell them how excellent it is! I am absolutely in love with it and just cannot imagine how I will work without it. Will the new web log in side of Ancestry, eventually have some of the qualities of FTM?

    I know everything has to change has time progresses but I just had to share my thoughts. As I retired communications director and nurse, I spend sometimes whole days researching and absolutely love it.
    I am so sorry to see this happen, but I know after all it is still a business. I gave up another research site once I got FTM because yours was so much better and easier to work in.

    I hope you will pass on my comments. Maybe others will be writing you as well.

    Thank you.
    Arleigh

  4661. Michelle Woodham

    What a shock! NOT !! I’ve exclusively used FTM since 1996. Over the last several years it’s become apparent that Ancestry is pandering to the occasional arm chair family researcher ~ create and maintain your trees on Ancestry ~ other sources not needed. A couple years ago my intuition prompted me to explore other genealogy programs. My goal for this year was to “clean up” my poorly entered sources from the early days and migrate my trees to Rootsmagic. I didn’t complete my source clean up , but can guaranty it has now become top priority. Rootsmagic here I come. A very sad day indeed.

  4662. Stacey Jackson Blanton

    Like so many that have posted before me, I am very upset about losing Family Tree Maker. I have used it exclusively since I began keeping genealogy records on a computer; before Ancestry purchased FTM. I am not a fan of “the cloud” and I do not trust anyone to keep my research safe. I trust that only to myself. I will probably upgrade to the final FTM, but if you do decide to go through with this, I will consider cancelling my subscription to Ancestry. I hate to do that as well. I think both are wonderful research tools, but if I have to choose between FTM and Ancestry, I go with FTM.

  4663. Susan

    I can’t begin to tell you how many hours I have invested in several family trees over the past years. Family Tree Maker has been invaluable in this effort. I have also maintained a membership with Ancestry.com shelling out a lot of money for that but have considered it worth it. But now I have to reconsider due to this unconscionable move on the part of Ancestry.com. There are so many things FTM does that the online Ancestry.com does not do, particularly in tree maintenance functions (duplicates, editing of relationships etc.) and publishing options (pedigree charts etc.) as well as extra info such as what relationship the person displayed is to the home person (e.g. 10th cousin, 4x removed etc.) I do all the data entry and editing of my trees in FTM because it is much easier and more effective than to do it in Ancestry. I also hate the new Ancestry display of my tree. Among other things, the extra “facts” that are added are almost always irrelevant to the person being displayed. I have put up with it because I can get what I need from FTM. This is the most offensive corporate decision I have seen in very long time.

  4664. jim

    I agree with the frustration and shock provided by other commenters. I feel like I have been stabbed in the back by ancestry. I had been operating under the premise that I pay Ancestry an annual fee and ancestry would facilitate my family tree research. The proposed phase out of FTM will, at best, complicate my research and sharing of results. I hope that ancestry will reconsider this poorly thought out decision which offends many of the more serious researchers.

  4665. KAREN

    this news is equally as devastating as your company destroying the classic ancestry platform! There are no words left for me to say that I have not expressed already! Your wonderful genealogical website has turned into a three ring circus and your company and all the people involved in this change have obviously lost all moral integrity! All serious researchers will be forced to leave, and anything you would recommend I wouldnt use because your stinking company probably owns it! You have ruined a good thing and begging you to reconsider is to no avail. I totally agree with every comment on this blog….I am just done! I am heartbroken! Singing your praises to no one anymore! In fact the news is spreading like wildfire that your company is a cheating bunch of….just no good words to say, NO MORE!!!! i HOPE YOU IMPLODE!

  4666. Sue Breese

    I’m so disappointed in this decision. Ancestry.com’s reporting functionality is poor at best. I don’t want to pay someone else to create reports/books that I can do myself and have them look nice. Please tell me you are going to concentrate on improving this in the future. I will be so disappointed if this is not improved upon.

  4667. Marlene Ford

    ndI have been involved with FTM since the very beginning. Always counted on it to organize my work. To walk away from this program after all these years is wrong on your part….money or not. Make it better. make it more desirable….but don’t not make it! I teach a memoir writing and beginning genealogy and I can now tell you I will not encourage my students to use your program. The chances that all this work will disappear after putting all my effort into this product and all its updates is upsetting to say the least. I feel let down by Ancestry and can no longer support who you are. So disappointed!

  4668. Rossjw

    Completely agree with JudyK; Strikes me as an irresponsible announcement and I would have expected better. I use Ancestry to back up my files, but would never want to work in the cloud side. To announce this, without any word of alternatives is a prime kiss-off of your clientel. I will find an alternative, and use FTM only long enough to facilitate the retention of data and use of the tools included. Ancestry needs to reboot this announcement and step up with more information on alternatives and recommendations.

  4669. Randall Lyon

    This is an an example of a company shooting itself in the foot. A lot of of people, including myself, have been using this software for 20 years. In their infinite wisdom they announced yesterday (Dec 8) that they would stop selling the product on Dec 31. They received over 4,000 complaints on this blog in the first 5 hours after the announcement.

    They believe that their online version is sufficient. What they don’t realize is the number of us who don’t want to rely on an internet connection to research our genealogy. I am trying to picture myself in some old graveyard or town clerks office with no internet or cell service, so therefore no access to my own 35 plus years of research. Time to purchase from the competition. I am not going to have my years of work held hostage in a cloud due to corporate greed.

  4670. JohnDS

    This is a disgraceful decision. I own my data and research not Ancestry. I want to store it on my PC under my control. I want to be able to pass my research on to my family after I am gone and they may not want an annual bill to retain it. I cannot see at the moment how to download a Gedcom version from the website so that I can personally protect my data. What would happen if Ancestry went bust

  4671. Andy Light

    I am very disappointed. While I do much of my work using the web, I find the desktop software to be much more friendly for finding entries in the tree and for connecting other web sites and back-up information that I collect from other places.

  4672. Jim

    One more vote that this decision is probably a bad decision. FTM provided a useful tool while using Ancestry. What is your “exit plan” Ancestry? We are all aware of what happens without an “exit plan”.

  4673. Steve

    Back to the “dark ages” will no longer be able to sync my tree, and will have to do it manually in 2017. The new online tree is garbage. We want just the facts not all wrapped up in a “childish” timeline story. You seem to be doing your best to destroy your customer base. I know that it is very unlikely that you will see this message, because of the thousands of other complaints But you will see a big drop in subscription which will probably be more effective.
    I wonder whether the person responsible for this decision will still have a job in 2017. VERY UNLIKELY.

  4674. Kathi

    Disgusted & Betrayed come to mind. FTM is clearly not the on-going money maker Ancestry is. Leave us hanging & we won’t look back, either.

  4675. Chris

    Terrible decision.

    If compiling a tree of dead companies then details of Ancestry.com soon to be found in graveyard of companies. RIP 2015

  4676. John Ward

    I was considering an ancestry.com membership this year. Not now! With no sync available, I will share my information in other ways and not through Ancestry. This is really a bad decision on your part.

  4677. MonS

    I add my voice to all the previously posted comments expressing disgust for your decision to abandon your loyal customers. A disappointment but not a total surprise as the genealogy world has already warned that Ancestry owns our data and we have no say once it is posted online. What a slap in the face to all customers who have worked with FTM for years. My research WILL continue but not through Ancestry!

  4678. Kerli

    The only reason I joined Ancestry.com was because of Family Tree Maker. With the end of FTM I do not see much of a reason to stay with Ancestry. I am VERY disappointed in Ancestry’s decision.

    Many places where research is done do not have internet access such as the cemetery or court house. Will I have to enter information twice if I want to add it to my online tree? I personally love FTM and do not wish to have to learn how to maneuver a new program.

    I sincerely hope that Ancestry will seriously reconsider this decision. With all the new advertising they are doing it seems like there would be a great opportunity to sell this program to all the new subscribers!

  4679. Dennis Mayfield

    PLEASE. At least tell your faithful users what we are to do with our very extensive files developed over the last 20 years. The ability to develop reports is very important to me. How do we get our money back?

  4680. karen L

    To sunset FTM is a very bad decision. The announcement gave no direction for current users as to what is a back up plan to save and continue to update family trees that are not uploaded. Selecting FTM as the software to document my family trees was based on “best in industry”. As many other comments have said — not a good decision and your customer base will walk away.

  4681. Madelyn Gould

    I cannot believe this… no warning to buyers who have just gotten FTM as presents for their family, those of us who JUST did the DNA thing. I will find new software somehow and port my files (undoubtedly losing information in the process) and then will slowly disassemble the trees I have on ancestry.com and drop my account. Really, very, very, very disappointed in this move.

  4682. Tom

    You must not understand the affect of integration of FTM and Ancestry.com on your customer base. FTM brought me to A.Com not vice-versa. This is a poor long term decision. I predict you’ll lose share or at least lose growth. You’ve encouraged others to get into the business. We’ll never consider Ancestry in the same perspective as before. It’ll take something really unforeseen to regain your customer loyalty.

  4683. David

    Disgusted, why would I only want my family history data to be online. An error last year meant meant my subscription lapsed for a couple of weeks, which resulted in me losing access to my own online paid for photos and documents. I will not be renewing my subscription to Ancestry when it becomes due at the end of December.

  4684. Bob Brockman

    Glad I’ve been using Legacy from the start – 10 years ago. It continues to evolve and has become the premiere genealogical software – 2nd to none!

  4685. Bob Littlehale

    I was on the fence about signing up for Ancestry once my 3 month trial period was over. Thanks for making that decision for me.

  4686. Donna

    In view of the greed and stupidity of the Ancestry.com team, I have saved 47,000 people and YEARS of research to my brand-new RootsMagic7 program…they are offering a special for FTM users who need to save their work. I downloaded the program last night in about 30 minutes and easily transferred all of my files and work in about 15 minutes. Goodbye Ancestry.

  4687. Bernard Roy

    I first started genealogy on my Commodore 64 with the software from Blue Banner that was bought out by Different software companies until it became Family Tree Maker. I very very disappointed with you in not supporting this software program. As many others, l use my laptop in many places that do not have wifi and am not willing to put everything I have worked on for 45 years into the Clouds. Rethink your decision.

  4688. William Young

    Very disappointed won’t be subscribing to ancestry.com after this even if you tantalize us with more records

  4689. sue

    I originally had Legacy software and loved it. Then you started tree sync. That has only been up and running a few years!! So some of the links in my FTM tree just link back to my ancestry tree. I do not have them on my computer. Does that mean I have to purchase a subscription to be able to see these? What a joke!! I will start looking to leave and I will pass the message on.

  4690. Marion N

    I write from the UK to agree with the comments that ceasing to support FTM is a very bad idea. If Ancestry refuses to see reason, I sincerely hope a 3rd party would take it over – as many have suggested.

  4691. Greg

    I’m glad I didn’t upgrade ftm recently – generally do it every two years. The only way any of this will make a difference is to cancel subscriptions (I just cancelled my pending renewal)

  4692. Alex Lincoln

    You don’t explain your rationale for this move, Please explain why you are discontinuing FTM and what our alternatives are.

  4693. Barbara

    I am surprised and disappointed. I read your notice carefully, certain that you would identify reasons and alternatives. Alas, you only said “That’s all folks.” I can only conclude like others a corporate profit motive that will drive customers to your competitors.

  4694. Deanie

    I have been using FTM from the very beginning. FTM was the only reason I even used Ancestry.. I have never trusted on line trees because of the great chance that 30 years of my work could be wiped out so easily . It is unbelievable that you would ever consider such a drastic, un caring move. Shame on you. Ancestry means nothing to you!

  4695. Marlene Ford

    Randall Lyon I totally agree with what you said. I too use my laptop when I am visiting research areas and do not have access to internet. Using my FTM to work the material into my work then syncing it to my online tree always made sense to me. Now what…

  4696. JimK

    Short sighted is the kindest word which comes to mind. Generally in the world of software development and products a vendor provides its loyal customers a roadmap for future migration. What is Ancestry’s? Like many others, I have no interest in placing extensive family information in the Cloud for reasons of security. Wouldn’t it be a better investment to stop product enhancements and restrict development to maintaining only security features for evolving WIN and OS platforms? As I said, a boneheaded decision at the very least!

  4697. Edward Allen Burke

    In making this announcement Ancestry has offered no information on how our family trees that have been developed over decades would be maintained. You have left everyone twisting in the wind. That’s the height of irresponsibility.

  4698. Terry Tossell

    Very angry. Ancestry needs to recognize that a good deal of its “core function” as an internet site depends to some measure on members contributing to it. I’ve cancelled my membership and if enough of us do that, they might rethink. If not, another company will benefit from our business

  4699. Rolland Hauser

    Do you folks have any idea what you are doing? You’re abandoning Family Tree Maker? I have paid you folks thousands of dollars over the past twenty-plus years. Isn’t my money good enough for you anymore? What am I supposed to do now? My FTM family file represents over 45 years of careful effort on my part. I will do everything in my power to preserve and protect it. I have been currently in the process of using FTM to prepare a family file for distribution to over 200 extended Hauser family members worldwide. I will pause that effort immediately. What widely used replacement genealogical software do you recommend that I purchase now and begin to learn how to use? Will that replacement software continue to synch (usually daily) with my Public Member Tree at Ancestry.com (it is labeled Hauser2013)? Or must I abandon that posted tree as well? I have served as the president of my family’s international family association. People contact me for advice. I have constantly recommended the latest version of FTM as the best genealogical software for their individual use. I will immediately spread the word that Ancestry.com is abandoning FTM. This is a most serious matter for my family and me. What do you recommend that we do in the face of your decision to leave the genealogical software market?

  4700. Kathleen

    Good grief! As if the political news in the US and globally wasn’t awful enough, here comes this lousy announcement from Ancestry! I feel duped by a reputable company that I think has chosen to opt out of addressing and supporting the requirements of more serious researchers in favor of more profitable mass market opportunities. Disappointing decision at best.

  4701. Dave

    Oh My Gosh! We have been waiting to update to a new version of FTM so we can put it on my wife’s new computer with Windows 10. I can not believe you are discontinuing FTM altogether! Say it isn’t so! Is there going to be some replacement? I have always used some version of FTM.

  4702. Mark

    I think I understand that this decision as consistent with the direction of user software. More and more applications are web/cloud based and I can see why Ancestry might decide to make this change. I have shared my family data on Ancestry freely and will continue to do so when I get requests from researchers. My tree has over 5000 names goes back 1000 years and is built on research started by my mother and aunt long before the internet was a thing. There are a few things I would need to fully embrace a web based repository for my tree (which includes 100s of Pictures and documents that are available no where else.). I need to be able to produce hard reports from my data. I need to have local GED files for back-up. I need to be able to hide data about recent generations … not just about living people. As someone who works in IT security so much of it is based on our personal history. Unfortunately Ancestry is a very accessible source for personal history and an easy way to find out who someone’s mother and father were, who their grandparents where, where people lived at certain points in history etc etc. This is particularly easy to access if these people are deceased. All of this can be used to gain access people’s personal information in other respoistories online .. .Banking Applications etc use this information as the basis for security questions. I would like to be able to universally mark anyone who was born with in a date range or within a certain number of generations of me Private. I did have some ability to do that in Family Tree Maker and those settings got synced to Ancestry. This allowed me to share my tree freely through ancestry without revealing information that would jeopardize the personal privacy of my brothers, sister, close cousins and distant cousins. Without Family Tree maker and the abiltiy to do that I might need to delete my trees from ancestry.

  4703. Frank

    You sure seem to have made a lot of people happy…NOT. Not much reason to pay the $300 a year data access fee now. What were you thinking? Or were you thinking at all?

  4704. davehough72

    Im not surprised that the young wizz kids at ancestry have decided to close down ancestry.com,yes,close down,because thats what is going to happen this time,they have wrecked the ancestry tree,now they are going to wreck FTM.
    I will be requesting a full refund,as i have only just bought FTM,not sure which family tree program i shall use next yet,but will be going over to Find my past,ia m truly disgusted with Ancestry,but i did warn people months ago that the owners at ancestry cannot be trusted,

  4705. Allen Leighton

    This really is a disgraceful decision, which will upset loyal users, some of whom have been with this software for many years. I suspect that many will be pulling out altogether. You do not deserve to retain their custom. Your reputation has taken a serious nose dive.

  4706. Robert Schenk

    I did not like the redesign of the Ancestry website and used FTM to fine tune my family trees because it has many features not available online. The latest trends on Ancestry look like you are dumbing down your product and is becoming less and less a true genealogy product. I will switch to another brand of software and will be dropping my subscription.soon. Your company is being driven by greed and is no longer responding to the user needs. If you continue down this path, I predict your subscriptions will dwindle and eventually you will be out of business like other companies who do not listen to it’s customers. The very least you could do is give us an API to access “Our” database files, which you have robbed from us and placed our data into your proprietary database.

  4707. Kittie

    I’ve cancelled my membership and am replacing my FTM. I already purchased Heredis 2015 to replace it (as it works with Mac) I won’t give Ancestry another penny.

  4708. Chris

    Not much to add here except to agree that this a mistake. I suspect you have just caused the power users in the group to look for alternatives.

  4709. Lilwolf53

    Not well thought out. You pull the plug on all of us and give not alternatives just to save money and increase your profit margin. Shameful. Like others I’m sure, I have spent thousands of dollars and voluminous hours trying to present my full and accurate family tree. Was this all for naught? RSVP

  4710. Bill J

    You have created a significant problem for me and, I am sure, many others who use both your website and your software. I keep several copies of my trees on my PC and only share relatives when I have assured myself that the information I have found is as accurate as possible. I have looked at other shared trees and found vast discrepancies in parentage and in dates which are not substantiated with any facts. Since you say you will eliminate any chance of keeping questionable data off of your website by those of us who work at this, we now will have no recourse but to revert to spread sheets and other less than useful means. I do hope someone buys your software assets and provides us with a viable alternative. I also do not always have an internet connection of using this online and wish to keep working. I imagine you have looked at the financials and found this to be a more profitable choice in the long run. I do hope you get to the long run.

  4711. Jane

    This move is premature and not well planned. It would be semi-palatable if you had already incorporated features from FTM into the ancestry site (ie the ability to print forms so my non computer using family can see what I am doing.) I will take a wait and see approach but I will be looking at other options.

  4712. Debra

    I was stunned to read this. The only reason I have uploaded my family tree is because of Family Tree Maker. I may not cancel my subscription when you stop supporting Family Tree Maker, but I darn sure will remove my family tree from Ancestry. No way do you get to charge for the fruits of my labor without supporting the software I developed everything with. I am appalled that you think this is a good business decision.

  4713. P.Mason

    This looks suspiciously like a cheap marketing ploy to force people to maintain their subscriptions, therefore maintaining your revenue stream. I will be cancelling, as many others will do. There goes your revenue stream.

  4714. VirginiaB

    I bought FTM solely because it syncs to Ancestry where I keep my extensive tree and records. Now what? How do I save my tree if Ancestry has a tech glitch? I can’t have all my eggs in one basket–this is many years of work and unique info no one else has. And not nearly enough notice to try to find an alternative.

  4715. Melissa R

    This is a BAD DECISION on the part of Ancestry. Ancestry truly does not understand who its customers are. I was so excited when the Sync option was available as I MUCH prefer using FTM for building my family tree. The online version is not as robust and can be clunky. I also am not comfortable with having my files solely online, since I may not always be able to afford Ancestry.com subscriptions.

  4716. chris

    What a betrayal – just two weeks before the great day of giving! What of all those who have bought FTM as a Christmas gift – in all good faith that it will continue? Not enough notice – not enough sensitivity. I have worked with Ancestry and FTM since 1996. What now? I am sure I am not the only very angry person around.

  4717. Barb

    I think you decision to no longer support FTM is a really bad one. You clearly do not care about your user base . You should consider that MOST of your users are older folks who are not likely to want to change to another “system” . Without the interfaces I’m sure you will be losing MANY subscribers… READ THE COMMENTS!!! NO ONE SEEMS TO THINK IT’s A GOOD THING. PS the changes you recently made to the displays in Ancestry are really bad… you developer types don’t know when to STOP!!! I’ll be thru with Ancestry if this announcement takes hold.

  4718. D Forbes

    Disappointed that you are making this change. I really like having the desktop. I too am afraid of website crash and loosing all of my research that I have gathered. Please reconsider this discussion .

  4719. Debbie

    After 15 years of using FTM and ancestry, this unfortunate news appears to be bringing to a close our relationship. After Dec 2016, no support, appears there will be no capabilities of running reports to share with families. Must be a method behind their madness. Online reports at a cost …. well already spending enough and guess I’ll be going over to My Hertiage and investigate them.

  4720. Chris Hollins

    I just don’t understand this. What would be the point of having an Ancestry registration if I have no family tree in which to store the information I collect. Inexplicable!

  4721. Richard D

    I think this is a perverse decision driven by a poor understanding of your market which is being implemented badly resulting in your clients feeling gratuitously insulted and their needs ignored. It is only as you get older that you develop a keen interest in your ancestors and, incidentally have the time and financial resources to apply. Consequentl, users will have the experience to understand the vital need to protect their data and keep it under their control. Ancestry shareholders should consider whether this decision is in their best interests and remember that Directors, running the company in their behalf, are charged with doing everything in their power to maximise the value of the company. If, as I anticipate, there is a double “whammy” of subscription renewals falling over the edge of a cliff and a fall in share price they should look for the resignations of those responsible.
    I am expecting this caution to be ignored, as I suspect all the other user comments will be, but if this issue ever comes before a court of law those responsible will not be able to say that they weren’t warned of the consequences of their action – raising the potential for accusations of negligence and recklessness.

  4722. Steven D. Smith

    I think that you are fools for trying to force everyone onto Ancestry and away from anything that they can own. I understand your greed, but it is sad. I trust that many will be switching to other programs, like Roots Magic.

    From a 20 year Family Treemaker user,

  4723. Carolyn

    How many negative comments will it take to change your mind?
    I can’t believe that “Ancestry” has become so profit oriented that it just kicked FTM out. Shame on you!

  4724. Richard

    FTM has been my genealogy software since the Broderbund days. I have kept it updated almost every time they have a new version. I synced a couple times with the online, but, like many comments on this blog, I don’t like sharing the time consuming research and then have to pay to read it back. I will also drop my subscription to Ancestry. Don’t trust anything online. I need the security of my own computer. Must always verify with more than one source! I liked the one comparison I saw with the “new Coke”. However, that’s a food product and did not affect anyone’s time and research that goes into genealogy. And, I think that’s the killer. Well, maybe they will change their mind like Coke did. Corporate greed can be amazing sometimes.

  4725. Mike

    I bought Family Tree Maker for the tools and report capability. Which are unavailable online. Duplicates, orphaned individual’s or trees, extra.. If you intend to discontinue then I expect to see these options in the online version I hope or I will need to turn to a different provider.

  4726. Nancy

    After 30 years this is unbelievable. This has been the best and most reliable software. I teach genealogy and have trained countless students to use this software. Nothing can surpass having a software program on your home computer: Experimenting with trees, checking inconsistencies, creating custom family group sheets, sharing with friends and families, writing short reports, creating media reports as citations in publications…you are making a grave mistake.

  4727. Michele

    Been a member for almost 20 years. This is betrayal. FTM is my hard copy backup and used to generate reports unavailable online. Immediately looking for another program with better customer loyalty.

  4728. Beverly Burnett

    You can’t be serious. This is a major betrayal on the part of Ancestry and its FTM users. I hope you seriously rethink this. What other programs interface with Ancestry? I will be rethinking my continued subscription to Ancestry.

  4729. Jaclyn

    I have more than 20 years of work on FTM and have recommended it many times over the years to other researchers! I cannot believe that you think this is a good decision! Regardless of what you do to improve the online version, I will NOT be using it but will instead find another desktop software to convert to. Whoever did your research that desktop software is “declining” is failing to see the big picture. There are many desktop software companies that are probably thrilled with your decision. The reason I have stayed with FTM is the compatibility to online records through Ancestry. If that’s no longer available, I can find those records somewhere else on the web and eliminate the cost of my subscription to Ancestry!

  4730. Frank

    Terrible decision and I agree with all of the respondents! Have been a member since the beginning and see financial gain in all of the avenues that can come out of web based data. Good bye Ancestry!

  4731. Beverly

    I am very disappointed in Ancestry for making this decision. I will be looking for other options that do not involve Ancestry.

  4732. Carol cheshire

    I read ur email about 1am this morning and couldn’t believe it if I’m honest. I’ve been panicking ever since. I normally subscribe to ancestry and findmypast but chose to store my tree in ancestry years ago as I couldn’t get on with your competitors way of doing things. I always searched first with them then used you as back up if I couldn’t find what I wanted. they updated their website and suddenly I couldn’t find half of what I wanted and knew was there somewhere so I started using ancestry as first choice and FMP as the back up. last year I had FTM as a present as everybody kept saying you must back up whatever you’ve found in case ancestry ever crashes plus if ever you stop subscribing you won’t ever be able to see any media photos stories etc you have attached only your basic tree. to me that’s useless I don’t want a list of names and dates I want occupations neighbours on the censuses and their occupations lots of info a genealogist as opposed to a family historian wants .I installed FTM and synch everything to it on a daily basis so that is my back up in case anything happens. so you’re now telling me that all those thousands of records might not be viewable or editable in future? or only if they are all stored on your web based tree which we will have to subscribe to to view and use? what happens if we can’t afford to subscribe every year or something happens to us and our children can’t afford to or don’t want to? my tree on ancestry has always been private and always will be I don’t silly nilly take info from other people’s public trees or hints I like to find the info myself if I get stuck I might take a look at the hints and then look myself for the info but too many trees out there are terribly incorrect and unreliable. I haven’t as yet tried working with FTM itself as a stand alone piece of software but from the comments I’m reading it sounds like I should be doing so rather than just relying on your website. TBH the way findmypast are continually adding records they are leaving you behind and are much cheaper from what I’ve seen from their continual subscriber surveys they are contemplating bringing in hint facilities changing the way they store info on family trees etc let’s hope they come up with something pretty quick at least they ask and listen in a continual basis. I get emails off them at the very least weekly with useful video links blogs this is the only email I have received off ancestry other than trying to sell me DNA tests which I’m not interested in or upgrades to membership. the new interface is awful the timeline I have no interest in as soon as I saw it I clicked to revert back to using the old site I now have only a week before I’m forced to use it anyway. your site has slowed down incredibly this last few weeks ESP when uploading documents to the tree I can’t edit info that’s incorrect whilst on the census pages I have to go back to the transcription page to do it why did you mess with something that didn’t need fixing? I have a uk subscription yet you fill my screen with as many us records as uk ones. I didn’t realise you were owned by the Mormons family search went downhill rapidly when they revamped it and now you too findmypast have made it harder to find records aswell which is why I’m now doing some paid for genealogy courses which are giving me lots of great advice on alternative places to look for free as well as tips on how to get the most out of the subscription sites. strange how a lot of these recommend using FTM wonder what their advice will be now? come on findmypast/bright solid you can make a killing here if you can get your act together quick enough. my ancestry subscription is up for renewal January 2016 you have about 5 weeks to convince me to stay with you or me and my many ancestors will be migrating.

  4733. Sue

    You are creating a REAL problem for those of us who do not have access to hard-wired internet. Family Tree Maker allows my husband & I to work on our trees anywhere, whether we have i-net access or not. We can always sync our trees to Ancestry at a later time when we do have i-net access. We have invested years of work into our multiple trees that are rooted in Family Tree Maker. If you MUST abandon the software, the result I’m sure of the recent purchase of Ancestry.com by Salt Lake City-based folks, PLEASE provide a replacement that will enable us to continue to work on genealogy without being connected to the I-net 100% of the time. Think about it!

  4734. Colleen

    Printing – I need FTM for printing custom reports that I need for research.
    Data standardization – I need FTM to find data anomalies, like mis-spelled cities

    Ancestry without FTM is only half the product.
    I am seriously considering moving my tree to FamilySearch.
    I still won’t have the features I need from FTM, but at least you won’t have the income from my WORLD EXPLORER membership.

  4735. Kenneth

    EVERYONE need to delete there trees from Genealogy .com. This is the only leverage we have. They sell the info from our trees and make money from it. With out us they will go broke.

  4736. Cathy

    First of all I would like to thank Ancestry for all the information they have brought together to enable all of us to perform our researches with greater ease and swiftness than most other sites.

    Personally, I don’t use the online site for my research. I find it very cumbersome. I do upload my tree to the online site so that other researchers can use it for reference to possibly assist in their endeavors; as I am sure is the thought of many of my fellow researchers. The subscription fee we pay in my opinion is worth the amount of information I can conveniently tap into. But it is the FTM software that makes it convenient. Albeit this last version has been fairly bugged, one could just get it right and not worry about putting out another version for years. Getting rid of it in whole, as you can tell from the comments posted, feels like a violation and casts a shadow over the whole of your company.

    I sincerely wish you would reconsider. Honor your commitment to this community who have given so many years to build up your company. Keep the software and the availability to search through your site with it intact, always.

  4737. John Wilks

    I have been using FTM software for many years. It utterly amazes me that now it is seemingly inextricably bound up with Ancestry the decision has been taken to kill it off. I have built a tree with over 30,000 people in it, and this is all stored on my PC in FTM format. I think it incumbent upon you to explain how to migrate all my data into another program without loss of any part of it. Failing clear explanation of the way ahead I will consider this a gross betrayal of trust.

  4738. Linda Brown

    Ancestry is not the first company to own FTM. Why can’t you just sell it to another company who will let it live?

    I recommend RootsMagic as a replacement to anyone needing to switch.

    Maybe Ancestry could partner with RM for tree syncing.

  4739. Diane

    I just recommended FTM to a friend whose husband just “got the Genealogy bug” and she wanted a program for her husband for Christmas. Fortunately I got to her before she ordered it. I have only had my copy a short time and am so disappointed in its demise – thought I had finally after 35 years found a good, supported program from a reputable company. Guess I was wrong!

  4740. Johnny

    Adding my name to the list of VERY disappointed user of FTM. I do not want the only copy of my work to be cloud based! The FTM functionality and snyc feature vastly improved my enitre tree. The FTM reports are far superior to what the online based tree permits. You have not stated how much info the FTM copy will retain after 1.1.2016. Will the downloaded media & source references be be retained? If you were seeking customer reaction, you certainly achieved it at the expense of your good will. I too will be seriously considering whether to renew my membership in the coming year.

  4741. Linda

    I will be cancelling all my information with Ancestry and will be using SOMEONE ELSE’S programs from now on!!!! This is pure Corporate Greed!!

  4742. Bob F

    How very disappointing! I have used and recommended your software many times over a long history of use and appreciation of its capabilities. One of the strong points I touted to folks I recommended the software to was how doubtful it was that this software would ever disappear. Despite the wonders of computing in the the cloud, desktop computers are not dead and never will be. Local control and backup are essential for those of us who do not wish to live in the cloud.

    Your rather terse explanation for discontinuing AFT without providing any suggested alternatives is very bad business.

  4743. Rick MacDonald

    After spending years and a considerable amount of money building family history, I find it mind boggling that Ancestry would pull the rug out from under me, and thousands of other dedicated users, in such a cavalier fashion. Ancestry.com is not a suitable substitute for FTM. With FTM, the data, documents, and pictures reside on my computer. They are mine to do with as I please and I paid for that privilege. On ancestry.com, the data, documents, and photos are yours. Since you would so readily close down FTM at the drop of the hat, why should any of us believe you won’t do the same with ancestry.com? Then what happens to the hard work we pit into building your online resources? Bad bad decision. Remember New Coke?

  4744. Earl Clerke

    Would you please tell me if my FTM that is on my computer will still be active to me to use? . I only use it for my own tree as I add information. I would like to be sure that all information that i have will still be there for me to use. HOPE I AM CORRECT BY SAYING I CAN USE IT BUT ONLY AT MY LOCATION [MY COMPUTER] Will I get an answere ? Earl Clerke at e.e.clerke@gmail.com THANK YOU

  4745. Ron

    I will immediately be looking for a way to accomplish what I can now with FTM (with another company). Unless you incorporate all of the features of FTM, especially publishing options, into Ancestry, you will lose a flood of customers. This is an incredibly stupid idea.

  4746. Phillip Ison

    I agree with nearly all of the above negitive comments. I so hope you will reverse this very disappointing decision concerning FTM.

  4747. Alison Munday

    Appalling news! Just can’t believe it! Just spent several months converting my files from FTM 2010 to the latest version and tidying up my two trees in new version. Can’t bear the thought of having to do this again if I am eventually forced to convert to a different software altogether. No way do I load all my info onto the internet synced tress. Want to be able to pass all my data onto the next generation for prosperity not let it all loose on the internet. Only recently bought latest FTM package to replace old one. Not happy about the prospect of replacing the software again in the near future. No way will I keep my online trees updated if FTM goes – you will loose customers from your website this way as it will increasingly display fewer and older Family Trees. Surely a strong market does remain for FTM. PLEASE KEEP IT I am BEGGING you!

  4748. Colleen

    As a software developer I understand your reasoning behind this decision. For some reason you believe that your (puny) mobile apps can do everything that the full-featured FTM can do.
    Well, my customers rebelled when we tried to make the switch.
    I will be watching the backlash.

    Don’t we pay you enough to keep this product going?
    Apparently you consider this a niche market, but can you afford to sever this market from your business tree?

  4749. Kathi

    TOP 10 FREE GENEALOGY WEBSITES:
    KindredTrails.com
    AccessGenealogy.com
    The Olive Tree
    GeneaBios
    Family Tree Searcher
    Genealogy Today
    US National Archives-Prime Source for US Ancestry
    UK National Archives
    US GenWeb Project-Top Source for US Researchers
    WorldGenWebProject

  4750. Susan

    I’m going to join the general outcry against this decision. My main data bases continue to be on my desktop and tablet. I only have a subset of data online. The internet is not always available and not always secure when available. Please reverse your decision.

  4751. Ken Copeland

    Not happy! Just upgraded my Family Tree Maker the other day and then to get this e-mail. Is someone going to reimburse me for the price of the upgrade? I’ve been a very loyal Ancestry/FTM customer since the day I started doing research on my family. The ability to sync between Ancestry and FTM has been very important to me and if I’m not able to do that it might be time for me to find a service that FEATURES the ability. With the sync feature I was able to download onto my own computer pictures and documents from Ancestry. Since I just learned that many of the documents I found and linked to Ancestry tree were not really there and that the only way I could ensure that I have a copy of pic/doc was to sync with FTM. Without FTM and the sync feature (if I stay with Ancestry) I will now have to spend time downloading every single new document/picture to save to some new family tree application. Plus, FTM on my laptop allowed me to go to places without internet access to enter information, pictures, and documents and later sync with my Ancestry file. Again, w/o this sync feature I will be going to look for other alternatives because I’m not going to enter my information twice! TreeSync was the most important and key feature to your family of products. I suggest you think again about new direction. This is what made this company different from many of the other packages out there. In addition to owning FTM, I’m also an All Access Member who will now be deciding on if I will renew my membership.

  4752. J D Leith

    Unhappy about this!!! And with no concurrent suggestion about other desktop type programs to take the place of FTM and import its records. My 23,000 people are suddenly orphaned! I was counting on you to last until I died sometime in the next 10 years or so! … Please bring FTM back and just charge more for it!

  4753. Ramona

    What are you thinking? This is an outright betrayal of customers’ trust. Like others here, I have spent many years and a lot of money with you, thinking I had a solid, secure, and workable family tree belonging to me. I stayed on through your various changes and glitches because of what FTM offered. Without FTM, how can you possibly think anyone will continue to pay you the high prices you charge? Sadly, I am checking out other options and don’t plan to renew my Ancestry subscription because of this.

  4754. Kyran Flaherty

    I was about to pull the trigger on purchasing Family Tree Maker this year as a Christmas present to myself. This blows me out of the water. I was looking forward to being able to use the reporting functionality that the online service does not provide. Now what? It seems that this decision was made without regard to alternatives. I certainly didn’t see any thoughts on future offerings in the announcement. This is not good customer service.

  4755. Kenneth

    EVERYONE needs to delete there trees from Genealogy.com. They sell the info from our trees. This is how they make money. Deleting trees is our only leverage.

  4756. Shanna Vahldick

    With All The MONEY You Make, It Should Not Have Even Crossed Your Table.
    DIDO On Every Comment Above and Below Mine.

  4757. Pat

    Totally disappointed in your decision. Like the others Ances is ok but for hard work, organization and personalization FTM can’t be beat. Sounds like a money decision to me you make more on Ancest what a shame!

  4758. Colleen

    Reading the other comments reminds me that I have two DNA kits to use up before I sever my ties with Ancestry.com and DNA.Ancestry.com.

    Then I’ll stop DNA testing.
    That will bring it to … 23 DNA kits?
    And this is a market you are willing to cut off?
    We’re the SuperUsers.
    Bad news.

  4759. Fran

    I have been going back and forth about buying FTM. I have the 2010 version and was about to upgrade but kept putting it off. A good thing I did or I would have been ticked off. I found FTM easier to share with family. I hate having to go through Ancestry and inviting my family as a guest. They like just looking at it every now and then and should not have to go through me every time. I have invited a lot of family but I don’t think they are able to navigate as a guest. I really hate this idea. I also used the reports to print out a calendar monthly of birthdays to share with the rest of the family. Also I hate being forced into the “new” Ancestry format. I like the one I have just fine but won’t have a choice in the matter now. With your prices being so high, we should have the choice.

  4760. Tony

    I use FTM to print my tree. it has many features that the Web version. I have a plotter size printer. Will the tree printing and options be moved to the web version? I understand the business reasons, but I know that removing the basic tool to do things that we need.

  4761. Karen H

    It would be nice to see a comment here from Ancestry! I have all the same questions as above? The syncing was one of the most important part of using Ancestry com

  4762. Delia

    The idea that I’m now supposed to trust you to keep my information – without me having to export the GED every time I make changes is insane. NEVER EVER STORE YOUR INFO IN THE CLOUD.
    I like to be able to export a pdf or make major changes to the tree which you cannot do online. Are you going to add more capability to make up for what is lost without the software?

  4763. Rex RHodes

    Like most others I’m very disappointed that Ancestry would discontinue Family Tree Maker, I’ve used FTM from its begining; it’s been the best platforms for storing my privavte information before you bought FTM. I was very disappointed when you bought FTM to start with and now you are creating a monoply. I’ve been with Ancestry for many years and now I will most likely not renew my subscription.

  4764. Keith Iles

    You have made an incredibly poor business decision. The ability to upload direct from your website into our offline family trees without having to input manually was a major point to maintaining an Ancestry subscription, but now many subscribers will drift to cheaper alternatives with a better standard of transcription. I get that the Genealogy software market is pretty mature, but surely there was still profit to be had in upgrading facilities on FTM every so often, which would be a much better investment than the gimmicky and fairly useless shaky leaf feature which remarkably few people use judging from all the genealogy forums I visit.

  4765. Patricia

    Like any company, control, capabilities, and bottom line is more important than the customer. Sorry, my ancestors and descendants deserve full respect, not what Ancestry decides. And I agree with others, your new interface sucks!

  4766. John Parkyn

    Let’s not let the bean-counters win… I wonder if we are victims of fraud… Any lawyers out there care to cast an opinion. Just noticed something interesting… As I type this comment I notice – just above the boxes – Ancestry’s appeal for us “to be respectful to other commentators and authors”. Bit of a nerve, eh? Below the boxes, I see that comments will be closed as of December 22, 2015… Happy Holidays Mr Scrooge.

  4767. daveluke

    Folks, they don’t care. See their Twitter comments “decision is final” and “let’s brainstorm on how we can improve”. They figure 1) they are the only game in town 2) They will force you to pay for the ancestry site 3) a year from now, the majority will get over it.

  4768. Sal

    And what will happen to our software trees after Jan 2017? Will they just disappear? I sincerely hope not. I have worked hard on my tree so that I have something to hand on to my descendants and I consider the details of my family to be my intellectual property. I am very disappointed in this decision and would like to know exactly how this will benefit Ancestry. Once the sync stops working, there will be no reason for me to stay with Ancestry.

  4769. Terry

    This is immoral – a serious breach of customer service priority. Many of us, of advanced age, who aren’t tech wizards & have enjoyed the user face of FTM for many years will be like fish out of water trying to adapt to a new program. Ancestry, to date, has had an outstanding reputation & well-deserved company growth for it’s customer focus. This move is so outrageous it’s hard to comprehend. Are there any lawyer/genealogists out there who are willing to establish a joint lawsuit? I think it’s in order.

  4770. VDurand

    I use Ancestry and FTM. Ancestry is the dumping ground, I filter and search via FTM. Is Ancestry going to offer the same features I go to when Ancestry isn’t enough? I’ve been asking via your “feedback” windows for years but haven’t seen any improvements in Ancestry beyond additions of documents that may or may not be useful to me. Nothing from you to help sort or utilize the data. Shame on Ancestry.com for this move!!!!!!!!!!

  4771. Nancy Christiansen

    I finally saved enough to purchase the software and did so just three days ago. I even spoke with someone at Ancestry. I feel disappointed and dismayed.

  4772. Bryan

    I join the vast number of commenters on this news. I have never found software to compare to FTM and cannot imagine how I will transfer 6000+ members to other software. Can I suggest going to an annual fee for the software? I would happily pay $30 per year to keep FTM on my computer and this would give Ancestry the same inflow of funds as they would get if everyone had bought an upgrade every year (plus new buyers of course). Please consider this urgently

  4773. Mark Saxon

    What a stupid decision. What breathtaking arrogance. Don’t you realise that the reason we subscribe to Ancestry is because it links to FTM. Take FTM away – we all buy other desktop software and there is no particular reason to continue with an Ancestry subscription. You will need to provide us with a sensible way forward to keep us.

  4774. Andy

    Terrible decision .. new Ancestry user in 2015 and created two new trees and uploaded one I started on FTM v.8 years ago. I just upgraded to FTM 2014 so I could use the sync feature. I agree with everyone who says we need the FTM software to create printed records and trees to share with family. I guess I will have to work as fast as I can to get my three trees done as far as I am able in 2016 … then it’s “Goodbye Ancestry.com” .. no more $$ from me!

  4775. Patrick

    I believe Ancestry is trying to do this to totally control which programs can be used for genealogy. Personally I do not like Family Tree Maker, so I use one of the other programs on the market. I do this so my master database is on my computer. Now and then I will upload a Gedcom to Ancestry, but my tree on Ancestry is not my best one, only the one I uploaded last. The reason I do this is because I do not trust Ancestry. It looks like my distrust of them is actually Good. I do NOT use the leafs on Ancestry as most of them are not true hints. I find that most people just click on the hints without making sure they are correct. If I see a hint, I verify that it is indeed a good source. Most people do not use good sources in their trees. I have my own website and it is much better than the tree on Ancestry. I use Ancestry because of their DNA. I have found verifiable cousins using their DNA service. This will not impact me much but I understand everyone’s anger at Ancestry. I encourage everyone to buy a different genealogy program and make a gedcom with FTM and upload it to your new program. I am not trying to get anyone to buy a particular program as there are several very good ones on the market. Personally I use Legacy. This is a big mistake Ancestry and I hope you lose money because of this. When my subscription with you is up, I will have to think long and hard before I subscribe again. I will probably go back to using the old way of genealogy as I did when I started back in the very early 60’s.

  4776. Colleen

    OK, I can see your business decision.
    With all the advertising that you do, you are focusing on the new users, the ones that need all the (costly) support.

    Those of us who know what we are doing, use all the tools available to us, help others, etc. – we don’t need your help, so you will remove the very tools that we use to analyze our data.

    New user vs superuser.
    New user wins.
    I’m outta here.
    Good luck. I will no longer be able to recommend Ancestry.com, which was a hard sell considering the cost.
    You have severed the ties of loyalty that I may have had.

    It will probably take a year for me to delete all the photos I have online, but I cannot leave them there for your use after I’m gone.

  4777. Michael

    I am very disappointed in your recent choice to discontinue family tree maker. The software is an integral part of the ancestry experience. The necessity of this tool is found in the ability to work off-line and later upload without loosing research. The software also offers a working pc database for on the go research. Someone has made a poor decision on behalf of your company and it’s customer base. I anticipate another company or ambitious computer programmer will be capitalizing on this error in the near future. New apps and software are being created everyday…People (i.e. customers) will be there to utilize them.

  4778. John Parkyn

    Looks like they don’t trust us…. They think we’re robots and require that we fill in a capcha box.

  4779. Kathleen

    This announcement reinforces my notion that there is a need for an independent genealogy software platform with APIs that enable access to various commercial and publicly available record sources. (A common API would be lovely!) What serious researcher in her right mind has ever specified a requirement for the separate family trees required by the major genealogy companies to easily access and integrate their content? I think product strategies for serious researchers ought to focus on facilitating researcher-centric management of independent family tree(s) with easy access to multiple databases.

  4780. Dr Laurie Taylor

    Well — words cannot express my disappointment with Ancestry. Like so many other commentors on this site, I know I have been betrayed by your lack of understanding that what you offer on your website is JUNK and comes nowhere close to FTM. I began my computer work with FTM when it first came out over 30 years ago. I have watched it transition from the original develeper to Broderbund to Intuit back to Broderbund and then to you. I’ve stuck with you through all your development problems, especially when you first brought out the Mac version (I almost changed at that point) but I stuck with “my friend”. So much for real friendship. I, like so many other people on this website am disappointed by the lack of loyalty to your customers. It seems the new VP of a few months doesn’t believe in loyalty. So — that being the case, I guess I will have to look for something else. Oh, BTW, I’ve been a member of Ancestry with World Deluxe Membership for as many years as its been available. Now, tell me, how do I transfer all my computer-held files to a new program and keep everything I’ve worked on since 1957 together on My Computer and Backup? I have not put everything up on your web-site and don’t expect I will now. Thanks for your Loyalty — NOT!!
    You really know how to make Christmas merrry and bright.

  4781. Steve

    You’re stark staring bonkers! I have invested an enormous amount of time and effort with FTM. Ancestry.com is a TOTALLY different product. There are no ways of printing any decent reports, checking place names, etc etc etc.
    Please reconsider this. PLEASE listen.
    Have you conducted any market research of your customers? If not, you’re worse than bonkers, you’re just bad businessmen.

  4782. David Gnadinger

    I have to join the chorus of complaints. Abandoning Family Tree Maker is a very bad move. I’m like many, I don’t want to have to solely depend on internet access to view and modify my family trees. You made a long term commitment to your customers when you started selling Family Tree Maker and you need to stick with it. If you stick to this decision, you will negatively affect your subscribership at least until well into the next generation when they are old enough, and no longer aware of this bad decision on your part.

  4783. Jin

    What a short sighted decision with little or no rationale. Would suggest these comments be brought to your Board of Directors for reconsideration.

  4784. Wendy

    Well I’d say the feedback is pretty clear. Can’t see a single message in support of this dumb idea. We all want our money back if you go ahead with this. Don’t think you thought this through and now you have a lot of angry customers. Lots of us have limited internet access and spend time using the offline facility of FTM. There are other providers out there and we will take our business elsewhere. Clearly yet another company where loyalty does not pay!

  4785. Ken Driver UK

    I agree with John Wilks comments of December 9th and I would appreciate an answer to his questions. This is really a very poor show Ancestry!
    Thank You

  4786. Jackie

    As a fellow product manager, I feel your pain. No one likes it when you discontinue products/features. This reminds me of when Adobe went to CC to an extent. I’m not as heavily invested as some in FTM but I understand their pain as well. I do think the wind down time is a bit rapid for this type of move. Best of luck to all with the transition.

  4787. Bailey

    Another stupid move on Ancestry’s part. Are these decisions made in a vacuum without a thought to the subscribers who pay hard earned money for the product? Bad enough “New Ancestry” is horrible but at least it was palatable with FTM. And stop with the stupid change is hard line. No kidding. Have you thought of changing your mind or is that too hard for you to do. You could have saved money by eliminating the CD option and only on-line downloads of the software, thus keeping a valuable tool. Shame on you Ancestry. I agree with Daryl – why does the person who made such a poor corporate decision still have a job.

  4788. I am beyond frustrated! Our tree is mammoth going back to 452 A.D. Are you saying I will lose years of work? Will you provide an alternate software where we can transfer hundreds and hundreds of pages? I am beyond horrified that you would do this to us!

  4789. Graham

    Very disappointing. Like so many others i find the web version is limited and limiting in what I can do and I want to keep my own working version for use off-line. Ancestry has been a marvellous resource, but losing FTM will reduce its effectiveness. Please think again.

  4790. Peter Franke

    Couldn’t shake any more money out of your shaky leaves, or did you forget that genealogists have long memories? Do you think your stake-holders will not justly leave you hanging as you reap the wind? Dark humor aside, an apology for and reversal of this deeply unpopular decision would be just good plain business sense: We’re an older lot of people, and loyalty matters a lot to us. To radically change the status quo between FTM and Ancestry.com is arguably a breach of the trust of thousands of users, the kind of behavior that is actionable. I ask that you reverse this decision.

  4791. Ancestry is going the way of Microsoft when it dumped Windows XP. You should not dump FTM until such time as you give the website the full functionality that FTM has. I will now hunt for new genealogy software for my desktop.

  4792. Joe

    I read many of the Posts submitted by fellow FTM / Ancestry.com Users. Every post I stopped to read completely expressed feelings similar to mine. I, too, “just can’t imagine using Ancestry.com alone as my genealogy tool”…… for all the reasons stated within the postings!

  4793. Richard McCunney

    This decision is truly absurd. Hints to new records and the ability to import new records/images into one’s genealogical database without manually entering the information is absolutely essential. This may be the worst marketing decision since “New Coke” and one that ancestry.com will quickly regret.

  4794. Sharon Self

    As soon as another software company joins forces with a data source company where I can access records and download them and pictures into my software and offer reporting and publishing ability- I’m outta here.

  4795. Marc

    I am extremely disappointed with your decision to kill off the desktop version of Family Tree Maker. This is a bad decision from your users’ perspective who have invested heavily in your product. There are many reasons why your customers prefer the desktop version and your decision feels as though you don’t care.

    In the past Adobe made a similar move to subscription-only service with their product line and I promptly migrated away from them.

    Please reconsider this move and don’t force your customers into a subscription-only model. Many of us use both the desktop capability as well as the subscription service, but the desktop application is crucial.

  4796. I was so shocked by your announcement that I decided to sleep on it before responding. Some anger has dissipated. This morning I feel like a family member has died. I agree with all of the above posts. I need MY genealogy on my computer. In notes I have autobiographies and biographys. I have transcribed conversations with people long deceased. I really like Ancestry, green leaves and of course sync. I have considered Ancestry a great tool, but FTM is my masterpiece. It literally is my life’s work all bundled in a beautiful package. I feel so violated by paying you all these years to give you my family info, documents, pictures and now………..GONE. Please reconsider ending FTM.

  4797. Simon Garrett

    What a ridiculous decision and it seems fairly clear from this page how badly it is going down with your customers. Can you please explain what solutions you will be offering to allow people to migrate all their gathered information onto a platform which is still integrated with Ancestry?

  4798. Kathy

    Very disappointed. I use FTM to clean up duplicate information and find errors and missing information. Yes, we can use other programs, but downloading a large GEDCOM takes up a lot of resources, where as synching takes very little if done regularly.

  4799. Peter Williams

    Now you have seen all the above how about THINKING AGAIN?
    I have been a networking expert since 1963 and using your software for 20 years but I am certainly not going to fall for putting the only active copy of my valuable database on any cloud server.

  4800. David Davis

    How very disappointing. Reading the email ruined my day. My feelings stem from most of the points made by many others before me. I just started using FTM about 2 years ago; my primary reason was, as many have agreed, to create an off-line backup for my information. Though I have almost all of it on paper, it is not in the form of individual profiles, so it would be almost like starting from scratch after the Chinese, ISIS, or whoever decides to take out your site–or the entire internet. I could print out the profiles to have a paper copy, but I have over 2000 people in my tree already and plan (was planning?) to add more. Perhaps Ancestry has already bought the majority of stock in printer ink and paper, so this could work well for you. Thanks for this “coal” at Christmas.

  4801. Alan Keener

    I am very disappointed in your decision; desktops are NOT going away. Your interface features are super and it will make future investigations more difficult! Does this mean ‘no hints?’ And no backup syncs? How about another compatible program? Yours was the best!

  4802. Terrie Harper

    I like family tree maker so I can have a backup of my trees on my laptop. We go places where I have no safe access to the internet and I use what is on my laptop for research. I am not sure I like the new online stuff – it seems to take me much longer to get around and get things done. I will be honest and say I don’t seem to spend as much time on ancestry as I used to because I just don’t care for some of the changes.

  4803. Cheryl Hornett

    I too am deeply saddened by this decision. Reading these comments, I do not see many who are happy or pleased with your decision. I hope you will reconsider.

  4804. jacki

    Are your managers smoking something? This is CRAZY! I’ve been using FTM for YEARS! Just purchased the new MAC version. What you are planning is totally nuts! I, too, would like a refund on my last purchase.

  4805. T. Olson

    Like the thousands of other commenters I think this is a bad idea. I am a long time Ancestry and FTM users. I need and must have a local copy of my trees, I do not want to depend on an Ancestry subscription forever. Perhaps that is your plan, to keep us paying you every year just to see our own family information. Bad PR move. Please rethink this action.

  4806. David

    I am distressed about the loss of FTM. I have been using this software for over 20 years and through the partnership with the software and online resources, I have created a considerable database for my extended family. TreeSync has allowed me to save all of the documents and source material that would otherwise only be available through an Ancestry subscription. Without the subscription, the source materials are inaccessible.

    The reporting capabilities of FTM have also been invaluable to verify data, standardize place names, date formats, etc., a function not available online.

    I have appreciated the changes made over the years to improve FTM and to discontinue the software will have a direct impact on me and numerous users of the software. I would ask that you consider continuation of TreeSync and the report functions of the software in some fashion.

  4807. Ben

    For me personally, this has taken away many years of trust in Ancestry and leaves me thinking that I should cancel my account. I have thousands of people in my tree so it may be a bit awkward to transfer everything elsewhere. I have been asking friends who are into genealogy and they recommended The Genealogist (www.thegenealogist.co.uk) as a good alternative to Ancestry for UK research. I will try it and hopefully switch asap.

  4808. Jan

    FTM has it’s problems, but at least it is a backup. We all know the vulnerabilities of having only one system as a backup. Just as you decided to drop MyCanvas, and had an uproar of disappointment, this is a suboptimal business decision adversely affecting your dedicated subscribers.

    PLEASE RECONSIDER, and fix it’s imperfections, or market a new one that does.

  4809. Bob B.

    It seems pretty evident from all the comments that this is a big mistake. Like many others, I have been using FTM, along with paying your ridiculous fees for an ancestry.com membership each year. Given the developments with FTM, I will investigate alternatives.

  4810. Scott

    Bad decision! I’ve been buying FTM for more than 20 years, upgrading to each new version. It’s much easier to use than the website. Plus I like to work on it off line. Please don’t do this!

  4811. D Brambill

    Dear Ancestry – like many other FTM users on here, I am also disappointed by this news. As a frequent user of this software, the android app and your website, I can say that they all have their strengths and weaknesses, but together offer a really good suite of tools. If you are going to maintain customer satisfaction, those of us who have bought FTM will want to see some of its best features incorporated into the website. Those of us who have a FindMyPast subscription remember all too well what a disaster its new website and new search were until FMP listened properly to its regular users and made some hasty changes to restore some of the features it had removed.

  4812. I cannot believe you are doing this to loyal customers. I do not want my tree only accessible thru Ancestry. Who knows who can invade it. I really like working on my tree on my laptop and no one sees it but me unless I share it. This is all about money. Now we have to pay you monthly or a yearly fee every year to be able to access our own personal information. I promised the family it would be private, now what do I tell them? and yes, I am a senior, I do not like the new ancestry at all, I cannot figure out my way around it. I like my FTM and I truly believe that this is a very mean, selfish thing to do. My FTM, altho my sync is broken for some reason, is so easy for me to navigate. I had heard that someone had bought out Ancestry, who I always believed to be owned by the Mormon church and trusted. So was it sold and is this a brainchild of some new youngster who has no idea of the manhours each of us put into our trees and if I say anymore I may become not nice. Merry Christmas!

  4813. Eilwwn

    So disappointed to hear FTM is finishing, like others I would like to know how we can save our research from Ancestry without FTM.

  4814. Barb F

    Very disappointed with this choice. I’ll be looking for something else to preserve all the research I have done for years. I’ve been a loyal customer for years. It appears there is no loyalty from your side.

  4815. Edith Gomez

    WHY? is what I want to know. I think you will be losing a lot of people that do research and go to another place to get the same information. I like having the family tree maker on my personal computer. I don’t go anywhere else to research. I agree with Daryl Dixon. I have lost a lot of my information due to crashes of the computers that I did have. I guess I will have to go back to the way I did it before they were combined.

  4816. Ruby Sargent

    We are extremely unhappy with the decision the company has made in this regard. Many years have gone into having updated FTM content available at all times, without continual or poor internet access. A lot of money and time has been spent toward that goal. This move suggests we now alter and revise once again, including solving storage and report functions. Tree sync has been great, but both Ancestry and FTM have had separate uses for us. We will definitely reconsider our Ancestry membership status.

  4817. Kat

    Reports, charts and syncing are the best part of family tree maker. I sure hope you are going to come up with these services before you take this away from us. What were you thinking, oh that’s right you weren’t!!!

  4818. Ronald

    Terrible decision. I feel like I have been sucked in and then betrayed. This decision will probably end up in a Harvard case study of how not to run a business.

  4819. Fred L.

    I have to admit, I’m upset about this. This has happen before when Family Origins for Windows ceased operation. However, that software company made the recommendation to go to FTM, which I did, Not everything can be done online. Why can’t you make recommendations for a transition as many did with FOW? I have 20 years of research tied up in my genealogy files at home, and nearly 6,000 in my database. Not all of it can be shared with Ancestry and there are research situations that cannot be done online. This is going to be less incentive to share info or even bother with Ancestry because there will be no easy way to sync the information. I mean why would I want to double my workload? This decision is nuts and goes against the ideals behind the origins of the online genealogical community. If you feel you can no longer promote genealogical research though a good organizational program, give us an alternative!

  4820. Alison Munday

    Mobile App? I have a £12.99 phone and don’t want a better one but I have a new Windows 10 computer for my FTM software so from 2017 I will be completely devastated. THANKS A BUNCH!

  4821. Renee Burry

    I posted my thoughts earlier on the demise of FTM. What we need now is a list of alternate sites. One person mentioned Legacy & another Roots Magic 7. I just noticed My Heritage family tree builder also offers the ability to create, customize and print beautiful charts and reports, even all-in-one charts.

  4822. jerry

    Very poor decision. Guess I’ll switch to Family Search.org. You are ruining a really good thing. Greedy…

  4823. Roger Bennett

    Desktop software may be past its prime but Ancestry should have continued to support all of us for many more years. We are still around and need our good old genealogy software. I’ve heard great things about MyHeritage and its Family Tree Builder software which my cousin is using and I will be checking it out a.s.a.p.

  4824. Larry Hahn

    I would hope you would reconsider not to retire Family Tree Maker for PCs. I find the family tree maker a better application then the web on-line application. I use booth on regulator bases. The FTM is a better tool to compare hints against ones tree as well provide better reports. If I’m not able to sync between FTM and on-line I’m not certain I want to continue as a scriber. I’ve been a loyal customer for more then 10 years.
    Please reconsider as I want to continue to use my PC FTM. Family Tree is a hoppy of mine.

  4825. Paul Roper

    That a shame…especially since you are not offering any alternative, other than a very expensive subscription to Ancestry, I suppose. None of the comments above have been responded to….ah well.

  4826. How will I be able to print my books, charts, photo albums send PDF files and do all the other important tasks that can only be done thru Family Tree Maker? That software provides a much easier and more efficient way to input information.

  4827. Brian

    Just another money grubbing company going out of their way to show everyone that customer service is a thing of the past. This is nothing but a big slap in the face to all of us loyal customers who have paid your company tons of money over the years – and do we get any say in this? Well of course not! And by the way – your new interface SUCKS!

  4828. Kate

    I also recently upgraded in order to be able to continue syncing my tree with Ancestry. I definitely feel that a refund should be issued. Had I known you were going to discontinue FTM, I would have looked into an alternate software. This definitely leaves a bad taste in my mouth, very poor decision.

  4829. Elizabeth H

    I am saddened to learn of the decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker software. Over the years I have tried other genealogy software and ALWAYS come back to Family Tree Maker. While I understand Ancestry’s desire for cost efficiency, I feel that the users of the software will be the ones ultimately paying the high costs – the lack of integration between Ancestry and other software available is a large part of why many people actively use Family Tree Maker. The added hours of having to manually perform tasks that Ancestry and Family Tree Maker automatically sync will lead to a large number of users becoming totally frustrated and looking elsewhere or giving up their family searches entirely. PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS DECISION.

  4830. I can’t believe you would drop Family Tree Maker and give no explanation other than that. I just renewed my subscription but like all the others, think a refund is in order.

  4831. Sunny Williams

    Please tell me that you all will take another look at this decision. I have over 50K names on Family Tree and while I don’t mind sharing my work with other folks, I also like to go through it NOT ONLINE and make sure my work is correct….how will we be able to make this happen??? Please look at it again, your company is bound to be making enough money off of all of us to offset a “poor” showing of the software side…..PLEASE!!!!!

  4832. Joanne

    Ancestry just had the nerve to send me an email about the number of people I have recently uploaded to Ancestry. They use an email that will not allow me to respond to them! I will be uploading no more information to Ancestry. From the comments above, I can see in the future that many people will not be uploading information, thus likely not worthwhile subscribing. The online tree really pushes using other people’s information, which is often not 100% accurate. I find the online trees a great guide, but certainly do not use the information until I can prove it accurate. Very disappointed FTM customer.

  4833. Dennis Cutter

    OK, I’ve looked at dozens of comments and I feel about the same with all the people here. I did notice one thing that hasn’t been mentioned much and that is the image part of the software. I’ve spent a lot of time storing images of census, grave markers, and other historical images and going to another users software just using a gedcom will lose all this data. Is there any software that could read a ancestry file and transfer everything in the tree? As many people have mentioned even though you think that the software is slowly going away I’m guessing there is a hidden pool of users of your software that are using older versions that could have been future customers at a later time. I’m guessing things like this will continue to shrink your revenue as time goes on.

  4834. Stephen Kelly

    I have been using FTM on Windows and Apple computers since the early 1990’s. Your decision to phase out of FTM is very disturbing. Please reconsider your position.

  4835. Chuck

    First discontinuing my the family web site, now this…………I think I’m getting a little fed up with your outfit. And from the other comments, I am not alone.

  4836. jackie read

    Well, if you do not want to deal with desk top FTM now then I would strongly suggest you put relationship charts, ancestral charts etc in your online version. I too am not happy at all because I only bought this not long ago and I bought it to be able to do the charts. What a mistake buying your software when I could have bought other programs out there.

  4837. Tom Evans

    I absolutely do not support this decision and will be forced to look for alternative products for both Ancestry.com and FTM.

  4838. VargasGirl

    I’m highly disappointed in this move. I may have to rethink my longstanding involvement with Ancestry.com. I’m paying hundreds of dollars a year with no guarantee my hard work will not disappear due to some technical glitch. The software should be part of the more expensive packages at Ancestry.com at the very least.

  4839. Valerie

    I’m in agreement with most of the members that have already posted. All the work everyone have done and now we have to hard copy it and/or find another ancestry company! Why have you not offered an alternative?

  4840. Dwight

    This is very disappointing and a bad decision. Ancestry needs to reconsider this decision. FTM was rated the best software now it will be of no use in syncing with Ancestry after next year. Please reconsider this decision.

  4841. Jan

    Ancestry just had the nerve to send me an email about the number of people I have recently uploaded to Ancestry. They use an email that will not allow me to respond to them! I will be uploading no more information to Ancestry. From the comments above, I can see in the future that many people will not be uploading information, thus likely not worthwhile subscribing. The online tree really pushes using other people’s information, which is often not 100% accurate. I find the online trees a great guide, but certainly do not use the information until I can prove it accurate. Very disappointed FTM customer.

  4842. CPAdams

    It seems to me that, with all of the negative feedback I’ve read here, you will reconsider your decision to stop FTM!!! You will, indeed, lose more than half your customer base after January 1, 2017. In addition, if customers will lose not only FTM, but their existing trees, won’t that open you up to lawsuits for destruction of intellectual property? I’d rethink this if I were you, AND, if there’s software coming that will replace FTM and satisfy all of your dissatisfied customers, I would DEFINITELY advertise that fact NOW!!!!! I, too, will be leaving Ancestry.com if nothing is done to address ALL of these dissatisfied customers.

  4843. Glenn Rivard

    This seems designed to force everyone to use ancestry.ca, with the ongoing subscription costs to us and enhanced profits to ancestry.ca. At the very least, ancestry.ca should continue to support the sync feature so that Family Tree Maker isn’t rendered useless.

  4844. Wendy

    Ditto to everyone else’s comments. I too will cancel my subscription to Ancestry.com, nor will I order their DNA kit. And, I was leery of uploading my large family tree but now I most definitely will not.

  4845. Mary R.

    @Christine, By paying them, we all signed Ancestry’s Terms and Conditions: “By submitting User Provided Content on any of the Websites, you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use User Provided Content submitted by you to the Websites, to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered. You hereby release Ancestry and its Group Companies from any and all claims, liens, demands, actions or suits in connection with the User Provided Content you submit, including, without limitation, any and all liability for any use or nonuse of your User Provided Content, claims for defamation, invasion of privacy, right of publicity, emotional distress or economic loss. This license continues even if you stop using the Websites or the Services. Ancestry may scan, image and/or create an index from the User Provided Content you submit…” http://www.ancestry.com/cs/legal/termsandconditions.
    See also:
    Family Data Collection: “A unique database containing 5 million genealogical records (20 million names) that were saved from destruction after being rejected from scientific studies… Millions of individual records were created from birth, marriage and death records; obituaries; probate records; books of remembrance; family histories; genealogies; family group sheets; pedigree charts; and other sources…” http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4725

  4846. Marilyn Davis

    very disappointed, have been doing my tree (s) since 2001, it became a passionate hobby when I was in need of something to help get over the deaths of family members. Can’t believe that you are taking this away from us. At least let us continue to use our software as long as we want. We did pay for it!!! Start printing out our trees is now on the agenda.

  4847. Bruce

    There are charts/reports/forms we could print out and tons of other things, from FTM but not ancestry.com. will you be adding those at all?

  4848. Jan

    I just bought FTM a few months ago – love it – so much easier to use than the website for entering data. Liked the flexibility of having it both on the desktop and in the cloud. Obviously disappointed with this decision and the lack of information about changes on the website to take the place of some of the software functions. More information could have prevented such a backlash. But I do appreciate the one year heads-up – obviously, I have some decisions to make. I appreciate all the suggestions of different software programs and websites from others who responded to this message.

  4849. Mike

    Terrible idea. It took 20 years building up a repository of data that I back up regularly. Now you are asking us to trust the cloud and we MUST pay the annual ancestry.com fee to manage our work on a user interface that isn’t that great. It’s a bad decision that makes your life easier instead of easier for your customers. It is amazing how you don’t see that.

  4850. John

    Well, it looks like hundreds of people have beat me to it. I join the ranks of customers who hate this decision. I believe I have been a customer since you started. I’ll have to consider options now.

  4851. Fletcher Spigner III

    I have used FTM since the beginning of time and have recommended it to many people who can make no organized sense out of Ancestry.com online. For many people Ancestry.com is virtually useless without FTM. Your not accommodating your loyal FTM customers, the most dedicated family researchers in the world, is a sin. Sending us such an insensitive, inadequate, braggadocious piece of marketing communication should be a crime and whoever wrote it or sent it to us should be fired.

  4852. Ray

    You sound exactly like Microsoft – they want everyone to move to web version of Office so they can get monthly revenue instead of one time purchase. Well no thank you. I didn’t do it for Microsoft, and I won’t do it for you! Good bye Ancestry.

  4853. Rod

    As a user of FTM for many years, I am absolutely appalled by this decision. I sincerely regret committing the fruits of over 30 years of research to software that is no longer to be supported. I only hope that, as a result of the strength of feeling expressed by so many of its customers, Ancestry will recognise its error and reverse this ill-considered decision.

  4854. Stabia

    I just received an email from Ancestry about their DNA test for $89. If anyone receives this, just delete. Go to 23AndMe.com and do their DNA test. Much better choice.

  4855. Michael A, Stewart

    Are you planning to publish the FTM file formats to facilitate the creation of replacement software by a third party? Perhaps moving FTM to Open Source?

  4856. Your announcement says “at least” January 1, 2017. You can still extend that and alleviate the anxiety you have given the people who have been your “loyal” customers and do the right thing by them. I am still debating about keeping my tree online. But, as others have pointed out accurately there are many reasons to keep the sync between FTM and Ancestry. Have you thought of the research that will be leading up to the 400 year anniversary of the Mayflower and all of the potential customers you would have for that in the next 5 years? Millions!!!!! I have already started 3 other trees recently to help people on my FTM softaware, which needs to be used with Ancestry!!!! Think about that!!!

  4857. RR2

    I can understand the changing profitability but with 5,000 comments in one day ALL OF WHICH are negative, maybe your management team will rethink this decision. If it’s profitability that drove this, just reprice it and let us decide which product to use.

  4858. MD

    I agree with all of the comments already made. I have been a subscriber for over 15 years. When they no longer offer FTM support in January 2017, I will be cancelling my subscription

  4859. Alan

    This is a really bad idea and a slap in the face to your FTM customers, I have been one for over a decade. Feels like a move to trap everyone into paying your Ancestry on-line fees for life. Don’t know what your FTM costs are, but your Class Action Suit Costs are going to be a lot greater.

  4860. CAZ

    Very disappointed to hear this. I will be looking for another program to use and will be evaluating whether or not to continue your service when it comes up for renewal. If enough of us refuse to renew, you might feel it where it hurts – your bottom line. Good thing I only use your Tree Sync as my back up copy for my 90,000+ entries and 25 years of research.

  4861. Russell

    Upsetting customers is the best way to shoot yourself in the boot! I know, I was a rep ! Think again Ancestry for the sake of loyalty.

  4862. Kirk

    Extremely disappointed. How exactly is this helping genealogists? Isn’t there anyone in upper management who is a serious genealogist? A decision like this is for financial reasons only. If you were offering the same capabilities online, I could see the justification, but you don’t. I’m deeply disappointed in this decision.

  4863. Alan Peace

    This is very disappointing news, and your lack of a clear explanation as to what current users are supposed to do next is extremely poor customer service on your part.

  4864. Johnivor

    This would appear to be a purely commercial deciasion. Ancestry have reeled in thousands of our fellow genealogists under false presences. I will be actively seeking an alternate solution for my software needs. FTM has always been streets ahead of other software. Is all of this part of a ploy to force us down an Ancestry corporate route which will enhance their cashflow with no regard to those who have helped Ancestry expand to it’s present size. Rethink Please.

  4865. Vicki

    I am a 20+ year user of FTM and Ancestry. I have FTM 16 on my desktop and have refused to upgrade because I do not want my tree or my information online. I do not agree with depending on the “cloud” for all of my information. I have a full subscription to their records which I have paid faithfully each year. It is so sad that it has come to this. In the last few years I have purchased Legacy and Roots Magic and have been moving my files into each of them. I feel that if Ancestry thinks that with this move that most of its followers will upload their trees and continue on, they are so misinformed. As genealogist, we have put alot of work, time and effort into gathering our information, and to relinquish our control over our information into someone else’s hands is unthinkable. This has been a very bad move for Ancestry. One that they will regret in the future. They will take a very big financial hit from this as subscribers and followers go elsewhere for their needs. Such a bad move for this company.

  4866. Stephen

    If I am understanding this correctly, you will no longer sale FTM after 31 December 2015 and will no longer support any FTM purchased after 1 January 2017. The key question that I hope Ancestry will answer is if the Tree Sync discontinue after 1 January 2017? If the tree sync will continue, but no longer support anything else I will be able to live with this decision, but eliminating the tree sync by 1 January 2017 will be an issue and I will need to determine how to proceed with keeping my family tree information and managing. Strictly keeping my only copy on Ancestry.com does not make sense and the IPAD application has its pros and cons, so by having FTM resolved any issues that I have had historically. I would really appreciate if Ancestry can respond to the inquiry I and many on this blog have about being able to sync with FTM after 1 January 2017. Regards, Stephen

  4867. Chris

    Bad News! I invested in a new version of FTM just 2 months ago! What exactly are you going to do with all the personal and social data you have acquired??
    Presumably more disturbing news to come?

  4868. Brian

    Never seen a monopoly commit public suicide like this. Open the door for the competitors. Cancelled my subscription today.

  4869. Harry

    Many good comments seen here that question the integrity of Ancestry and address my fear of losing my valuable data. I am disappointed in Ancestry not provided alternatives or suggestions as we move forward, kick and screaming, with this decision.

  4870. Jacqueline S

    Perhaps your new VP Hulet never considered asking his thousands of customers how they felt about this change before announcing it as a “done deal”. Over 5300 comments posted and not one positive that I found. Most are outraged – including me!

  4871. Bob

    Upon further consideration not only am I going to stop my ancestry membership, but I am also going to pull my trees out of ancestry. I encourage everyone else to consider pulling their trees.

  4872. Norman

    Your decision to not sell FTM anymore is quite frankly stupid. I only see this as a cost cutting measure. Like most users that use Ancestry, I store my family tree on Ancestry so that other family members or the public can see the information and provide additional input or corrections. Ancestry is used as a resource to search for records etc., however our prime storage medium is FTM on our computers where we can work offline, backup the information and have the capability to produce relevent reports etc. If you continue forward with this decision to not sell FTM and support it, I expect you will loose a fair number of subscribers as they look for alternative means to support their genealogy research.

  4873. Paul

    Since this is being moderated, tweet your discontent at #FamilyTreeMakerWhiskeyTangoFoxtrot (use just the first letter of each word; they’re blocking the actual #FTMWT*.

  4874. ROSE

    I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING STATED ABOVE. I AM AT A LOST OF WORDS. TOO UPSET TO COMMENT. I TOO AM CONSIDERING TO CANCEL JAN 2017, AFTER BEING A CUSTOMER FOR YEARS!!!!!!!!

  4875. Paul

    Bad decision, really a slap in the face to longtime loyal customers and contributors who helped to grow your company.

  4876. Sam

    Can’t think of a better way for a company to self destruct in a single blow. You may be at the top of the heap for now, but you will start dwindling fast as serious genealogists abandon you. Bye, Bye!

  4877. Janet MCCready

    Bad for me. I, like many others, use my FTM to work quickly and efficiently through my tree branches and people. I can’t do this ONLINE at ancestry.com. I suggest you sit in with a few of us and see that going solo on Ancestry,com will not be the best solution. You’re updates on Ancestry made me work more and more on my PC FTM. I’m very surprised at this from a company that prides themselves in being the best at research. Obviously, you have not worked from my chair or all these people that are opposed to your new strategy. Please rethink this!

  4878. Karen

    As many have said, it is apparently all about the dollar. I came across this article about the sale of Ancestry. I tried to add the link to the article by Dick Eastman but it won’t let me post it.

  4879. Suzanne

    Ok, this sucks. I do a lot of research at repositories where there is NO INTERNET ACCESS. The mobile app is horrible, so how exactly am I supposed to reference my tree when I don’t have access to the website and can’t print out reports/charts from the software? It will be interesting to see how many subscribers are lost by the end of 2016.

  4880. fhusers

    Hi I am extremely disappointed. I have jointly run a Family History Group for over six years .As a group we have all purchased FTM. We have struggled with Ancestry online, much preferring FTM. Should we now look at using Family Historian or Roots Magic.

  4881. Zoe

    This is horrible news. FTM is much easier to use than the website! I have invested a lot of money in Ancestry.com, and I feel betrayed. Please rethink this decision, as I will do when my renewal time draws near.

  4882. Ed

    I have beed a customer for over a decade and I am not happy very disappointed and MAD with this. Now what? I like to use my desktop for privacy. What will replace FTM? I do not like to store my research online. This is not a good decision You should reconsider.

  4883. Sharon Frank

    Unbelievable! Over 5,000 comments and there are likely hundreds of thousands who won’t say a word. Last week, I bought a new Windows 10 PC, just YESTERDAY, Dec 8, at 9:15 a.m., I bought FTM 2014 an upgrade from FTM 2012. Yesterday afternoon, this announcement started appearing all over social media and in RSS feeds. What? I’ve been using FTM since it first appeared on floppy disks, through several buyouts and numerous formats! What part of worldwide use does this company not understand? I am currently considering my options which include cutting bait from all that is currently Ancestry. I may even give up this pastime altogether and take up a less stressful hobby! Imagine all the available space I’ll have in my home office when I pack all this genealogy up.

  4884. Bob Cain

    I don’t know who’s in charge at ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker. I suspect whoever it is fairly new to the position/s and has decided to make it his/her own by making sweeping changes to the way ancestry/family tree maker work. The present form of ancestry has been made more difficult to navigate than the previous version. I have a laundry list of complaints of the cartoonish style of the ancestry website. You should go back to the more professional style of the previous version. As for your decision to retire Family Tree Maker (and this is where I must be respectful, as hard as that is for me right now, lest I be ‘moderated) I believe this may be your most asinine decision in the history of your company/companies. Family Tree Maker has been the strength of your companies NOT it’s weakness. Like Walmart and Sears and many other companies you have lost your vision for the LOYAL customer base and only see the bottom line. Don’t you realize that if you build what the customers want instead of what you think they/or you want. The decision to discontinue Family Tree Make is clearly a decision you have made without regard to the customers desires. This is no way to maintain a loyal customer base. PLEASE RECONSIDER!!!

  4885. John

    I am so disappointed with this decision. I have been a user of FTM for over 20 years and using the program, have made genealogy books for all my eight grandchildren and many other family members. I don’t like the new Ancestry format! My concern is being able to access the trees I’ve created while having a membership. The reason I have the desktop is to preserve my work outside of the dependency of Ancestry to view and add to the content of my trees. Will this be possible as a “guest” user? I truly hope you will reconsider this incredibly poor business decision!

  4886. Diane J. Green

    Ditto to all of the comments above. I will be leaving Ancestry at the end of 2016. Have paid you a huge amount of money over the years, very, very, disappointed. Re think this please!!!!

  4887. Randi Fonseca

    Not Happy about abandoning FTM. Used FTM since the Broderbund days. Historical societies often have no WIFI and older family members that I visit to share and get info from do not have WIFI. Never used any other online service but will star looking for a replacement to Ancestry.

  4888. valerie andruss

    I use hard copy tree prints to attach to (or store with) family heirlooms that are specific to the folks who will be inheriting them. We do need some kind of replacement.

  4889. Robert

    I have many things stored in my FamilyTree Maker that I do not wish to share with the “web”, e.g. the rapist who is both a cousin and the father of one our ancestors, and I will now start searching for an alternative to both Family Tree Maker and Ancestry.com! This is a horrible decision on your part.

  4890. Rene

    As another long time customer of Ancestry and user of FTM I’m extremely disappointed in this decision. It’s possible Ancestry just shot themselves in the proverbial foot. Definitely time to look at other programs available for continuing my research. Certainly will not be renewing with Ancestry if this decision holds.true.

  4891. Jackie

    I am VERY disappointed with this decision for the same reasons that everyone else stated. Of course, you make this announcement just days after I renewed my Ancestry membership. I have use FTM since the mid 1990’s and have been a longtime member of Ancestry. Since Ancestry wants to abandon me, then I will abandon Ancestry once this current subscription is over. You obviously care NOTHING about your customers.

  4892. Julie S

    I am very upset about this decision. I just had my DNA tested and got many possible connections to my tree. How will I be able to sync my FTM to Ancestry when it’s gone? I will not renew my membership to Ancestry.

  4893. Karen

    I think it’s obvious from the email they sent out and no one being available to answer these questions that this was another corporate decision made by some big shot that doesn’t have a clue. Otherwise why not tell us what their plan is? I’ve worked for companies like this before. They are cutting back in a way that will make their investors/board happy but make their users unhappy and leaving us no choice but to go somewhere else. Shame on you Ancestry. I think you need a new CEO.

  4894. Ofa Johnson

    This is a nightmare! I have used FTM and Ancestry for so many years that I have lost count. I have promoted both to many people who have also purchased and subscribed. Now it appears that all my research, stories and documentation are to become the property of Ancestry, and I will have to pay to access my own work. I travel to areas that have no internet access. My laptop, FTM program and my scanner are my travel companions. Now what? Are you actually offering no alternative to FTM? Unfortunately, I see this as greed. How long until your subscription prices are increased substantially because people have no other alternative but to pay up to access their own work?

  4895. Bobbie

    I agree with all the thousands of comments above! This has got to be the dumbest decision any company has made! I have spent the last year cleaning up mistakes on my tree through FTM and there is no way I can find the data errors I have made on ancestry.com besides I have tried several times to do my research on ancestry.com and I find the interface very cumbersome. FTM is much easier to use. I am seriously thinking about not renewing my world subscription when it comes up for renewal. I certainly hope you change your mind and listen to your customers. Without FTM and the sync feature I really see no reason to stay with Ancestry.

  4896. Martin White

    You don’t have to develop new software, but you do need to continue the support for existing FTM software. You are not listening to your customers if you think that it acceptable to announce suddenly that support stops in a year.

  4897. GARRETT SCOTT

    I am also dismayed at your proposed ending FTM support like the hundreds of other responders. Shame on you!

  4898. As I used to say to my young children – “What were you thinking?” Have just scanned the over 3000 comments and not found a single positive one. Mine’s not positive either. Will now be looking at alternative software. You have let a lot of folks down!

  4899. Margaret Griffin

    In your statement informing members that you are discontinuing Family Tree Maker, you write that your goal is to “…provide the most impact and best product experience for our users…”. If this is really true, why are you taking away something truly useful to the vast majority of your long-time customers, why are you not adding in useful changes, such as making it easier for your users to contact you with questions from the home page, rather than wasting valuable time and space on inane additions like showing a trivial glance at was going on in the world when a particular ancestor was alive. If users don’t already know about that era and want to, there are multiple resources they can access to learn more about it than the “sound bite” types of superficial information in the “new” Ancestry. Most importantly, you have not given any information about what you plan to offer that will replace the features people love about Family Tree Maker (which, by the way, seems to have had many problems for me in recent months–now I know why). It seems to me that Ancestry is making the transition from being a serious tool that ordinary people can access for genealogical research to being a glitzy, surface level toy.

  4900. Danny G

    First “New Ancestry” and now this decision! Apparently you are determined to drive your customers away.

  4901. Stacie

    Great – now I have 2 years of work ahead of me as I will have to re-input over 20 years worth of research into another program. Shame on you.

    The online version is no where near the level of FTM.

    One of the joys of doing research is sharing with family – usually via smartly designed reports. No online service offers the level of report functions that offline programs do.

    I guess the real researchers don’t matter: Never mind that some of us work offline where internet access is limited. Never mind that some of us are beyond what is available online and are doing our research the old fashioned way [libraries, churches, etc]. Never mind that some of your Ancestry.com users have been using FTM since the beginning. I guess I now have no online loyalties, so I’m free to use another other services [which I notice have better interfaces than yours].

    Pathetic decision.

  4902. John

    I am greatly troubled by this “Business” decision. I have trusted Ancestry to provide me with a database to search, a place to store my research, online tools to manage my family trees, and FTM as an off-line tool to allow me to store everything outside Ancestry in a format I can customize to my particular needs, as well as to have a safe backup in case of some disaster ( or business decision) happening to Ancestry. Now I wonder if I can trust Ancestry to not make more “Business” decisions that will affect my access to my family genealogical data? How am I to backup my data without ability to sync?

  4903. Lenora

    As a long time Ancestry customer you will lose me. This is unbelievable; genealogists want many options. Please more information about what you are doing & how it will affect us.

  4904. Marilyn

    There is not ONE positive comment here about this decision to discontinue FTM. If your new and ‘improved’ website was flawless, and had reports and charts available to print, well maybe. Like others, I don’t want my information online only. This is just one more in a very long string of bad decisions. Here’s just one example of why I dislike your ‘new and improved’ web based platform, and why you should reconsider your decision – my grandmother’s mother died when she was just a young girl, and her father remarried. I have the relationships correct, showing her biological mother as her biological mother, and her step-mother as her step mother. The ‘Lifestory’ says my grandmother’s mother was only 7 when my grandmother was born. Seriously? I have taken screen shots of every page of the individuals involved and sent them to you, but of course no reply. So this is what we’ll be left with – your very substandard online product that isn’t intuitive enough to use the information given.
    This is going to drive me and many others to your competitors. The two products are not the same and quite frankly FTM is much more useful.
    And it might be useful to have a category on the online help tab that directs one to this blog – it shouldn’t be this hard to find. I only got here via Facebook and couldn’t find it otherwise.

  4905. Rich

    I don’t understand why Ancestry doesn’t just charge more for FTM. Many people like me who have invested years of effort and have tons of data would gladly pay more to continue to maintain their records on their own computers.

  4906. H. Burns

    This is a text book case of how not to make a major announcement. I’ve never seen a worse example of inept management: Time it right before Christmas. Try to package it as a positive when it is so obviously a negative. And, last but not least, leave your customers hanging out to dry with not a word about how your company plans to fill the gap. Those who came up with this insane plan should be fired for incompetency, including the person who signed the announcement.

  4907. Peter

    I’ve been using FTM for years and am really not happy with this. Like many other I will now start looking into alternatives to FTM and then Ancestry. I pay a lot for my membership and expect to be able to work when offline.

  4908. Lora Low

    You must provide alternate solution to backup. Do not get rid of backup possibility. I can’t think of any serious genealogist who does not require backup software. If you in business to get money from your casual researcher, that is all you will have on your site and the information shared will be even more degraded. There is too much at stake to lose a life’s work.

  4909. Ed

    I have been a full subscription ancestry member for the past 10 years and also have FTM for our PC and Mac. It is with deep regret that I may have to cancel all my connections to Ancestry in the future if you folks continue to proceed in this unrespectful attitude to us loyal customers. Hope you will reconsider before losing your base customers.

  4910. Charles

    I have used ancestry for a long time and I just canceled my subscription today, the family tree maker was the one I depended on to get rid of duplications. Also it seems that even if I got all the hints on one person the same one came back again. I am getting set up to do the family search with the LDS. It looks like the almighty dollar wins again.

  4911. Kathie

    I find your comment “As we strive to provide our customers with the best experience possible…” laughable. Consider me a former customer.

  4912. I am absoluely stunned at this news. I have used FTM since it first came out and have years of research stored on my desktop. I cannot believe I will be forced to pay for accessing all the information I have been feeding Ancestry. Your best features on the software allow me to print out family pages or outlines so that I can see where I need to do more follow up research. As an author of 4 books with 3 more in the works, this software is vital to my research for my county! Please reconsider this very bad decision. The online pages do NOT come close to what the software can produce. As a final point, please answer the questions others have asked about alternatives.

  4913. George Conover

    What software will replace FTM? Will it be sold to another?Are you developing a replacement software?

  4914. Cary Clark

    Just saying that you will no longer support FTM is not sufficient. You should supply reference to an alternative product. Even then, I am confident that there is not a product that will easily facility the FTM format. GEDCOM files only contain a portion of the FTM data.

  4915. Berny

    Pretty much agree with the numerous posts. I’ve only been using FTM for about a year and had purchased two copies for multiple desktops and laptops. I had been using The Master Genealogist for 15 plus years and found most features of that program much better easier and more comprehensive than other programs. But they went through what it looks like you’re going through now. It was a much smaller company and didn’t have the resources to continue support. The web is fine but most users are going to want a local database where they maintain their family history data and not have to rely on the web to keep that data. Interface with the web is fine but I want to be in control of whatever data I link to my local database version. I exported all of my data from TMG to FTM and my TMG was on two XP computers that no longer work so I can’t go back to those computers or that software. The online trees that show in Family Search are prone to links not being correct from either the software making computerized link decisions or users changing links. And I have concerns that the same thing is possible in Ancestry.com. I won’t be keeping my primary data in Ancestry. DOES ANYONE COMMENTING HERE RECOMMEND OTHER STANDALONE GENEALOGY SOFTWARE PROGRAMS? Good luck Ancestry but I think you may be seriously impacting your future growth by this decision.

  4916. Kenneth Powell

    Kendall Hulet and the management team have not understood the CORE COMPETENCE of Ancestry.com and how the FTM option and cloud-to-laptop syncing to the local database is a key competitive advantage in ways that provide specific benefits to their CORE user CUSTOMERS, the most loyal, careful and hard-working genealogists who have provided the best data for the Ancestry.com database.

    Indeed, I look forward to the day when one will read Kendall Hulet’s name in a Harvard Business Review Case Study along with the other management team members who are responsible for this deeply flawed decision and incompetent communication with what were otherwise loyal customers.

    And how their BREACH OF TRUST has damaged the Ancestry.com BRAND.

    These folks do not understand their customers and users, and with these actions certainly do not RESPECT them.

    At the same time they are rolling out the “new and improved” online interface that has fewer features and is more cumbersome and time-consuming to use to the point of irritation – not to mention the HORRID colors and reverse-color text, messy and suboptimal layout, undesired new functions, and many functions that do not even work properly! Amateur hour by a JV team, not ready for prime time, and pushed out nonetheless.

    What SHOULD have been done was add a dozen or so requested incremental improvements to the “old” Ancestry online interface that was already 95% satisfactory to delight the existing user base of desktop with mouse users, then create a SEPARATE tablet and mobile mode that was simplified and optimized for that emerging market of a DIFFERENT KIND OF USER. And let the CUSTOMER decide which interface mode he preferred to use on which device.

    And at the same time improve the multi-device sync function and the desktop FTM software, finally getting the bugs out and improving stability and reducing crashes. And adding some features found only there to the online interface (normalizing date formats, place names, matching duplicates, report formats, etc).

    Instead of pleasing everyone and capitalizing on their competitive advantage and core competence to pleasantly surprise their current base and attract new kinds of users, they have instead DISRESPECTED their LOYAL CUSTOMERS, created an INFERIOR online interface, and IRRITATED nearly everyone, many to the point of visceral LIVIDNESS.

    Given the arrogance and disrespect displayed, and the tone-deafness of this communication, one cannot be optimistic that any decision-maker is listening, let alone brave enough to reverse a decision that has already been made that so negatively impacts LOYAL users who have been working on their lifelong projects. LIVID customers is an understatement.

  4917. Chris

    This is horrible news. Who thought shutting down FTM was a good idea? Was it the same guy who designed your new, spiffy cartoon website? Looks like I won’t be renewing my membership. Dumb dumb dumb move, guys.

  4918. Fred Sanders

    The sky is not falling, but the following might be appropriate if Ancestry falls: All users of Ancestry DNA. Bank it: Transfer your aDNA to Family Tree DNA at https://www.familytreedna.com/AutosomalTransfer – its free. Your Y-DNA & mtDNA may cost you. As a MAC user I will consider moving back to Reunion, Reunion 11 but, before doing will also consider, MacFamilyTree , In other words, I’m gon’a bail.

  4919. Lora Low

    Please do not discontinue backup entirely. Any good researcher needs backup. If you do this, you will be left with the casual researcher and the shared information will be even less reliable.

  4920. Linda Wheeler

    Unfortunately I agree with every comment on this blog. What are you thinking? All my incentive just to work on my family tree has just gone out the window.

  4921. Bonnie Russell

    I was not going to choose to comment on this despicable news since I am sure it will not help the situation. But I have to add to the long line of dissatisfied users. I have been interested in genealogy for years before Ancestry existed and will continue for years more. This move is one reason I have never bought into putting my tree(s) on line. Your software has made record keeping much easier but lately the only real use I have made of Ancestry is their growing on-line resources, which I agree have been useful. Luckily I have not chosen to spend money on upgrades for the last few years. Wait until this “fad” group of people leave and you have nothing left. The people who really love the research will exist without you. We will find other methods of storing our data and sharing it. Enjoy your current run of Media success. It may not last as long as you think.

  4922. P Godwin

    You have just demonstrated the best reason to keep my data (over 1,500 individuals) under MY control. This is exactly what I foresaw with ‘The Cloud’, your greed, now out in the open. I am certain your next idea.. no that info is mine and not yours, for free. Guess why I have never joined your ‘income stream’?

  4923. Linda

    I feel the need to add my disappointment re your decision to retire FTM. I have used FTM since it’s inception and cannot understand your decision. I will not and never will place my tree online on Ancestry. If you do not wish to continue supporting and improving FTM then please sell the program to someone who will. This is a bad decision on your part.

  4924. linda

    I’m sorry that you feel that FTM is not worthwhile to keep. I use it when I’m not connected to internet and to print out pages of my tree for different family who are NOT computer literate. Think it is a BIG mistake!!!!

  4925. DrConstance

    All they understand is money, so I just cancelled my subscription. If everyone does that, it will have more impact than trying to delete the data you shared with them, which you can’t do by the way.

  4926. Linda

    I am outraged by this although I was outraged years ago when the “new” Family Tree software came out changing the original format and have gone back to using an old version of Family Tree. The older version was much easier to navigate. This was not a good decision.

  4927. gayle

    After my initial SHOCK at your announcement yesterday, I have had time to think about this. Your decision will FORCE me to be less dependent on your website. I am sure this is not your intent. Since you will discontinue the sync feature, and will not support FTM, I will switch my tree and all media and notes to ROOTSMAGIC SOFTWARE – and will NOT continue to build an online tree on Ancestry. I will also NOT upload any more photos or documents to your website. I have had an ancestry.com account for years, with automatic renewal, but the future will be different! Since I will not be building my tree on your website, I will not need to maintain auto-renew membership. Your decision will force me to depend less upon Ancestry.com. You will find out that YOU DON’T OWN ME!

  4928. Mary R.

    For those considering a lawsuit, these Acom Terms & Conditions apply:
    “To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, we limit our liability. In particular, we shall not be liable for any damages that we cause unintentionally and we shall not be liable to you for any actual, incidental, indirect or consequential loss or damage howsoever caused, provided that nothing in this Agreement will be interpreted so as to limit or exclude any liability which may not be excluded or limited by law. For example, we shall not be liable to you for any of the following types of damages, whether in contract, tort (including negligence and strict liability) or otherwise (whether such loss or damage was foreseeable, known or otherwise): (i) loss of revenue; (ii) loss of actual or anticipated profits; (iii) loss of the use of money; (iv) loss of anticipated savings; or (v) loss or corruption of, or damage to, data, systems or programs. Because some states/jurisdictions do not allow exclusions as broad as those stated above or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitations may, in whole or in part, not apply to you. If you are dissatisfied with any portion of the Websites or the Services, or with any clause of these terms, as your sole and exclusive remedy you may discontinue using the Websites and the Services…

    By using the Services or the Websites, you agree that the Federal Arbitration Act, applicable federal law, and the law of the State of Utah, without regard to its principles on conflicts of laws, will govern these Terms and Conditions, your use of the Websites and the Services, and any dispute of any sort that might arise between you and Ancestry…

    You and Ancestry agree that each may bring claims against the other only in your or its individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, consolidated, or representative action. Further, unless both you and Ancestry agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person’s claims, and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding…” http://www.ancestry.com/cs/legal/termsandconditions#Liability

  4929. Ross P

    Brought FTM because it was rated the best and put my tree on line to share with others. Will now be leaving Ancestry and taking down my tree.

  4930. Richard Schurrer

    I recently had a computer failure that housed my copy of FTM. Luckily, after purchasing a new desktop to complement my Laptop, I was able to save to the new desktop about 98% of the 3,000 individuals in my FTM. It is a imperfect solution, but saved all the data in my FTM (version 11). FTM version 14 could not be saved. What you need to do is to tell everyone of us what will be substituted by you in great detail! You haven’t told us why this change is necessary, or how it may benefit the users of your products.

  4931. Rita

    I really hope that this planned abandonment of FTM doesn’t go ahead. You certainly have evidence that it will be a most unpopular move. I too use FTM to access my trees when internet is not available. Is Ancestry going to incorporate all the features lost to us if FTM goes? At times, changes seem to be made with no regard for what the customer wants. As with many others, I dislike the ‘New Ancestry’ and continue to use the previous format – while I can!
    Very disappointed.

  4932. Jim Bob

    Bah Humbug … for your Christmas present to your loyal users. I guess I need to buy a few reams of printer paper and start documenting my data base on your files. Who knows when you’ll follow through with a cancellation of Ancestry.com. Again, Bah Humbug.

  4933. Sharon Mills

    And in another timely message, Ancestry wants us to give gift subscriptions. How out of touch with timing and reality can their corporates be?

  4934. Sharon Van Meter

    I am very saddened that you have made the decision to drop Family Tree Maker. I have chosen not to put all of my family history on Ancestry. I like it on my desktop for my use. The formatting on Ancestry is too big and not clear or as user friendly as FTM has been all these years. What a sad day.

  4935. Jody Beutler

    I can’t believe this! I have been a loyal Ancestry user for many years, and just this year bought FTM to be able to work on my trees when not connected to the Internet. Unless you are going to have a comparable, or an improved, answer to FTM, I don’t see why I shouldn’t leave Ancestry and migrate my information to another genealogy website. This has done nothing, in my estimation, to keep your customer database. I will be researching other ways to continue my work.

  4936. Bill M

    It’s all about money, so the way you stop this is a class action law suit asking for all of our money back and free source code.

  4937. Mary

    Please do not proceed with your plan to discontinue FTM given all the inconvenience for so many people. I don’t plan to upload all of my family research to Ancestry as I am concerned to protect and respect the privacy of living people and recently deceased. I feel like I must have made a bad decision to use FTM software to record my research. However it simply never occurred to me Ancestry would withdraw from Family Tree maker software. I do hope you can revisit this decision and if at all possible reverse it.

  4938. Frank J McMahon

    I am not sure what this will mean to my use of the software in the future. I have used the software since 1998 and I have placed an enormous amount of family information on my Family Tree. Will I now lose all that Family Tree information and data? This is a very bad and unfair decision.

  4939. Steve S

    I add my displeasure to the ever-growing list. After these years of refining and growing my FTM trees into something I can pass along to my family – and to now have that abruptly stopped by a poorly thought out corporate decision…
    All of these thousands of negative comments should make you think again!

  4940. Jack

    Just dropped $70 for the Mac version of FTM. Most of our work is done in FTM offline due to the minimal capabilities offered while doing any of it online, as well as certain relatives not having Internet access while entering information.

    If this decision stands we’ll have to move our data out of the Ancestry ecosystem in order to work with it properly again.

    While this money grab may look attractive in the short term, the customers you lose in the long term will almost certainly not be worth it.

  4941. Martha Coleman

    How are we going to print out all the fantastic, detailed reports that are available in FTM? So sad!

  4942. Colin Masterson

    I use FTM on the Mac and have put up with the fact that the user interface buttons don’t work for months in the hope that an update would follow. No such luck now. Like all the other comments I am astonished at this decision.

  4943. Joan E. Smith

    This is a serious mistake on behalf of management. You are killing your company and making a world full of enemies. You had better roll out a better interface than what you have now. The syncing is your strongest selling point. SAD SAD SAD I agree with all the comments. What a rip off to your subscribers!

  4944. Karen Thompson

    Bad decision! I use FTM and Ancestry, but do not like the new Ancestry format. I probably won’t renew.

  4945. Michael

    I am not happy with this decision.

    I subscribe to Ancestry’s $300 a year records database. I’m happy to pay this fee because I get good value for the money.

    Likewise, I have been buying FTM upgrades since 1995, I’m happy to pay the fee to upgrade the software once ever 3 years or so because I like to be able to work on my tree OFFLINE. It’s not incongruent that I subscribe to the online services, but want to have offline record management capability.

    I most strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to stop selling (and supporting) the FTM stand-alone application. I think you have made a short-sighted decision that is going to come back and bite you in the butt in a few years.

    By way of comparison… I subscribe to Microsoft’s ‘Office 365’ service, and don’t mind paying the fee, but you can be darn sure I want a local copy of Word and Excel on my computer, I don’t want to have to “connect to the cloud” every time I want to do some work.

    Please, please reconsider your decision.

  4946. Diana

    BIG MISTAKE! This is so upsetting! I feel that you are trying to weed out the older members to make room for the more flavorful app/iphone younger generation. Do you not realize that the older generation and those deciated members gone on to become genealogy angels are the very ones who helped make you who you are today! In one of my trees, yes, I said one, I have several on my copy of FTM, but the one I am referring to is the first one I started on FTM that is also on Ancestry.com and there are over 20,000 names, my direct line, my husband’s line too and what I call the back and side door guests. (In-laws of those in our tree and those who married into these lines and their ancestors), this tree requies my using the relationship to me link regularly but the Ancestry online tree doesn’t give that option. When I first started adding my notes on FTM I didn’t think I needed to separate family lines but after it was too late I found that it was important to do exactly that, so I choose to keep my online trees private so that only my daughter and I can edit and view them along with only five other people we have invited as guests to view only. I get requests to share my tree almost daily, I will not open it to just anybody, instead I ask who they are interested in, make sure my sync is updated and then run a genealogy report on the person they are inquiring about, save it to my computer then share the report with them, this way they get the info they requested but do no see anyone else in my tree that I want to remain private. I have relatives who want their info private and I will honor their requests. With ANCESTRY I would have to invite them to view or share the gedcom of the entire tree or pay big bucks to publish a hardback copy of the tree one. As I read the first 100 or so comments here I see that I am not the only one that uses the charts/reports on FTM for sharing. I also see that there are still way too many out there that aren’t able to use online capabilities all the time and FTM is their lifeline. Did you consider this? NO, all you see is big bucks! You don’t see your FTM customers actually sitting at their desktops spending hours upon hours on one individual in their tree entering data from paper notes or genealogy reports that have been sent to them by other FTM customers. You may not sell that many new copies of FTM, but have you considered the upgrades in this number as well? It doesn’t seem to me that you considered anything but the money you will be saving by not producing a few discs of FTM! If you aren’t going to continue it then why are you still selling something you are planning on discontiuning in the near future on Ancestry.com? Poor business practice right here! I guess I’ll go along with the crowd in saying it looks as if it is time to do some family research program shopping. But then I doubt if you really care about me, I’m just a elderly lady on a fixed income who manages to pay for her ancestry sub by the month because I can afford the yearly price all at one time, yes I know I am paying almost double but for me it is easier to come up with $20 a month than $190 or so at one time, I still use a desktop, and I upgrade the FTM as often as I can afford it, so you don’t care about the low men on the totem poles like me and most of the others who have voiced their opinions of your decision. We can be relaced by today’s younger generation with all their wi-fi, iphone apps, mobile devices, etc. We are just a small number in your book. This is the thanks we get for the hard work we put in and shared with you? We most likely just wasted our time in telling you what we think, most decisions when announced by major companies who think they can’t be brought down are already set in stone when announced. I just hope if you do fall it is due to the cancellations that come about by this poorly thought through decision to end FTM that we elderly have helped you build it to what you are today are around to see it happen. Not that it is going to do any good but I plead with you PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION!

  4947. Brian Richards

    If this decision is not reversed then Ancestry needs to work with the other Family Tree software companies in easing the transition to other desktop software solutions that play easily and allow syncing with Ancestry.

  4948. MB

    http://www.rootsmagic.com/ftm/

    OK: Rootsmagic is offering a low price for FTM folks. The problem I am having is that my version of FTM – Mac 2 does not export a gedcom file with links to the media. FTM 2014 for PC and I *believe* the Mac 3 version both includes these links. I exported my FTM gedcom to Rootsmagic and it seems fine. Now, I just have to figure out a way to get my media into it. Then, I will cease and desist from ancestry forevermore. Including removing my tree from that site.

  4949. Sally

    Vote with your money, people. It’s the only thing that will get their attention. Cancel your annual subscription and do it now. You don’t have to wait until the renewal is due. Meanwhile, you can find almost everything Ancestry offers on familysearch.org. We can always re-subscribe to Ancestry if they ever come to their senses. This is a good example of why we should never, ever, ever, ever trust our information to any corporation. I feel sorry for anyone who has built their family tree only on Ancestry. First, they took money for Y-DNA and not only dumped those customers but also destroyed their DNA. This is the next step for their company will surely fail if they keep going in their current direction. All of the information trusted to them can and will be gone in a heart beat. It’s only a matter of time.

  4950. Mark

    If I had known this before my renewal on Dec 2, I would not have renewed. FTM is the key way for managing all my data and what got me to sign up with Ancestry to start with. This will be my last 6 months with Ancestry. In fact, I am going to explore a refund of my subscription!

  4951. Bob

    Have to agree with everyone else. I’ve been a loyal FTM user for over 10 years along with the 200+ bucks I shell out annually for the World Family membership. I love the FTM interface and hate it when I have to use the bloated web interface. Speaking as an IT Director for a major medical company I understand the need for change (Obamacare anyone?) but based on the views of your fan base here, I don’t think your decision is very popular. Perhaps making the treesync feature available as an API for other developers so companies that haven’t abandoned their users wishes can integrate this feature into their desktop applications.

  4952. Samuel T. Catalano

    Shame on you for dropping Family Tree Maker. How can you do this when Ancestry.com does not have the capability to produce reports and lists, etc.
    I am very upset about this.

  4953. kavdesc

    I am so saddened about FTM not being available anymore. I have been using Ancestry for nearly 15 years and keep all of my records on FTM. I have over 23,000 people on my data base and do NOT upload the info to your website. I do my own research and only use the info by online users as a guide. Much of what I find on line is inaccurate. Even when I find something of interest, I fact check the info. Will there be another program that I can upload FTM to so I can use the info from my desktop??? Sadly, I may have to give up my research. On another matter, I was very disappointed with the results of my DNA test. I thought you would drill down and tell me more than I am of European descent. I already knew that, what I was hoping for was the information to be dissected into which countries, like your advertisement on TV.
    Have a wonderful Christmas, and I will be praying you will change your mind.

  4954. fgreene

    I’ll be cancelling my enrollment in Ancestry, been a member since the beginning. Without the ability to keep a sync software on my home system, there’s no pressing need to be a member.

  4955. Paul Tidman

    As someone who is serious about genealogical research, and a heavy user of a desktop genealogy application for several decades, Ancestry, in effect, just told me they are no longer interested in my business. Message received.

  4956. Valerie

    What just came to mind is the CEO who raised the cost of HIV meds from $13 to $750. How’s that working for him? You may want to reconsider, just sayin.

  4957. PJ

    FTM has advantages and will be missed. Most importantly, it provides a back-up copy which is unlikely to be lost through hacking. My parents were cousins and this has caused multiple entries online which I dare not delete. These multiple entries do not appear on the FTM version so the online software should be able to cope. Why has it taken so long (several years) not to correct this? It is worth remembering that in some cultures, cousins marrying is quite common. As other people have commented, FTM has facilities that appear not to be available on the web version. All in all, I’m pretty annoyed.

  4958. Andrew Powell

    Genealogists, users and CUSTOMERS – keep expressing your feelings and arguments.

    Ancestry.com management and front line workers need to really appreciate the seriousness of the mistake they have made.

  4959. Alvin Ramard

    Looks like I just got the incentive I need to start writing my own application. Storing the data will not be a problem. Syncing will be an issue. Printing will be easier for some items, but harder for others.

  4960. Julian

    Only bought FTM last week and have never before met such instant redundancy. Without the interaction FTM and Ancestry like many others I will be looking at alternate arrangements.Yet another instance of Product suppliers contempt for their customers.

  4961. Bob

    5,475 unhappy customers and growing! Mr. Hulet, I hope you and the Ancestry management team re-consider. The thought of nearly 5500 customers terminating their service will have a very negative effect on your business.

  4962. Annick H.

    Do you really appreciate our feedback? Well from my last hour of reading, it is not very positive and I like to join the upset crowd. The only software I have ever used is FTM and the synching to Ancestry is great. I was planning to get a subscription to Ancestry in Europe since my entire research is there, but I guess, I will better take my business elsewhere like Genealogie.com for the French part. You loose, they will win. Sorry I will have to spend time researching software instead of ancestors.

  4963. Nicholas

    Whilst I think this is a stupid decision on Ancestry’s part, for everyone else, it does NOT mean the Family Tree Maker will stop working on your PC. You will still be able to use it every way you currently can, with the probable exception of TreeSync down the line. Personally I’ve never used the TreeSync as anything more than just another backup: the master has always been the file on my PC. That will stay the same and I will continue using the final incarnation of FTM. I already backup to cloud services for non-local back up, and for Ancestry I’ll just go back to the previous method of exporting a gedcom and uploading that instead.

    I’ve only ever paid Ancestry for access to the records they provide online, not for the TreeSync stuff, so that won’t change. I frankly find it amazing that people have been relying only on Ancestry for their backups up to now.

  4964. Barney

    “Ditto, Ditto, Ditto, Ditto…….” OMG! How can you do this to your thousands of users. Not even a list of alternatives for your loyal “customers.” May your website crash with comments!

  4965. Linda

    Will add my dismayed voice to everyone else. I want to control what info is documented and posted, and I want that control to be MINE. VERY VERY VERY UNHAPPY with this arbitrary decision. Didja even think of surveying your customers before making this boneheaded decision???

  4966. Joyce

    I am SO disappointed in Ancestry! I find the on-line version not as user friendly as FTM. Just think about publishing your trees. If you can’t get good output why use Ancestry for input! Will rethink am Ancestry subscription needs.

  4967. Bob

    Really ?!?!?! You’re serious about this ?!?!?! You have evaluated all of the Sync data that has been processed through FTM and Ancestry. Then, you have noted the number of FTM users registered with your company. You crunched all of those stats (obviously not expecting the lashback you are getting here) and then you still chose to go ahead and make a decision to discontinue FTM ? Considering the tools that are available in FTM that are not in Ancestry and considering the portablility of a desktop database in either hardcopy or digital surely you must recognize the huge number of users you are going to severely antagonize. And yet you don’t seem to care about those users. You must also recognize the large number of users who are simply going to stop using your resources and the effect that is going to have on your bottom line. And yet someone in your marketing division has convinced the decision makers that this is a good decision ? WOW !! I think it’s time for your company to re-evaluate the personel in it’s marketing division, it’s finance division and it’s decision making level and start clearing out some deadwood.
    This is a horrible decision, which is plainly obvious to all FTM users but appears to be a mystery to you.
    Good luck, barring major changes to your decision I probably won’t be renewing my Ancestry membership when support for FTM stops.

  4968. Patrick

    Poor decision: Killing the Golden Goose. Why break something that works? I use the publishing features that have do not exist on the ancestry.com and rely on it as backup to my online tree among other things. I don’t know who is in charge at Ancestry.com but as of late the “new” ancestry look and features are NOT impressive. The numerous pop up ads are not appreciated. The historical moments and other clutter in the person record timeline is unwelcomed. Your fanatical drive to sell DNA seems to be the only thing you are interested in. Who is running the show at Ancestry? I started my tree in 2005 and sadly, you are diminishing your brand. With your forced changes this year, I was starting to think about dropping my subscription. Without FTM, this is likely a reality.

  4969. Barbara Lewis

    You did not post my comments. Why? So now I’ll try to post the bottom line for me: the profit motive has been clearly demonstrated in your decision to discontinue FTM. Clearly there is no commitment to your subscribers. Careful, it may backfire, especially after the temporary fad for family research fades, and we who are serious about our research remain. Change your ways. Continue FTM, make it even better.

  4970. David

    I agree with the sentiment already expressed. We have a social contract with FTM in that FTM is the document for out individual genealogies. It has been basic for many of us. Breaking this social contract is a poor corporate move and needs to be reconsidered. Ancestry.com will not benefit from this move.

  4971. Bill G

    No need to renew my ancestry.com subscription since I can’t do anything with it without the software. Bad decision. Hope a third party comes in to replace FTM software.

  4972. Joy

    Although I subscribe to Ancestry.co.uk only from time to time, I do consider it the best family research site available. One of the best aspects of it is Family Tree Maker software. I am so disappointed in you for your decision to stop making and supporting this software. The CONSUMER wants stand alone software that works seamlessly with your site. It’s incredible that you can’t see that. It may be your demise that you don’t rethink your position.

  4973. Linda

    Goodness, this is very sad news. I have been using FTM for a long time but never updated after 2010. I find that version very user friendly. I think I remember Ancestry.com actually being free way back when. After they started charging a fee I stayed with them for a couple of years but never did upload my family tree. I somehow didn’t believe it was morally right to charge for membership if one contributed their tree and maintained it for the use of others. So I’ve been using FTM off line forever and have not had an Ancestry.com membership for many years. This is extremely sad news and like so many of the preceding comments, the justification doesn’t seem to be strong enough from a user perspective to do away with it entirely unless, of course, there is something that will take its place. I’ve read about other genealogy software programs but never delved into actually getting on board. Based on the notification from Ancestry.com that they are doing away with the FTM support, I believe it would be a very good idea for those who have contributed to backup a copy that can be accessed and maintained from their computer desktop. Please rethink this action.

  4974. Cathy K.

    Have used FTM since version 1. Have been a member of Ancestry since 2000. I will NOT put my tree on Ancestry’s Cloud for Ancestry to “own”. Your email made it all sound so simple. I will too — If you stop supporting FTM I will stop “supporting” Ancestry.com.

  4975. Tim

    The combination of Ancestry and FTM is a huge strength and I am very, VERY, anxious about putting all my data on Ancestry with no full local backup that is readable by other software/programs.

  4976. Mary R.

    Ancestry’s Terms and Conditions: “By submitting User Provided Content on any of the Websites, you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use User Provided Content submitted by you to the Websites, to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered. You hereby release Ancestry and its Group Companies from any and all claims, liens, demands, actions or suits in connection with the User Provided Content you submit, including, without limitation, any and all liability for any use or nonuse of your User Provided Content, claims for defamation, invasion of privacy, right of publicity, emotional distress or economic loss. This license continues even if you stop using the Websites or the Services. Ancestry may scan, image and/or create an index from the User Provided Content you submit…” http://www.ancestry.com/cs/legal/termsandconditions.
    See also:
    Family Data Collection: “A unique database containing 5 million genealogical records (20 million names) that were saved from destruction after being rejected from scientific studies…Millions of individual records were created from birth, marriage and death records; obituaries; probate records; books of remembrance; family histories; genealogies; family group sheets; pedigree charts; and other sources…” http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4725

  4977. Su

    If ancestry.com cared about what their customers want, they could easily find out simply by reading these comments. This is, as usual, a terrible decision for the consumer, but in line with the only thing ancestry.com cares about: getting ever more of your money. The intent is painfully obvious: to hold our information for ransom, making it ever more difficult and costly to keep and use the information we paid for. Why facilitate us in keeping our information offline when we could be forced to pay every time we want to access it? I, for one, will be syncing everything, saving everything onto my own computer, and then lessening or severing my ties with ancestry.com.

  4978. Sally

    UNBELIEVABLE!!! HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MINDS? Your greed has damaged thousand of your loyal subscribers.I have depended on you for years and I have used FTM to make a hardcopy just in case something happens to Ancestry and to give family members. How will I print my tree? What do I do now? Why haven’t you just updated it or offered a solution so that we can backup and print a hardcopy? Are you going out of business?

  4979. Theresa

    If the following statement you made is indeed true…”As a company, we’re also continually evaluating ways to focus our efforts to provide the most impact and best product experience for our users through our core offerings” …. then by discontinuing Family Tree Maker software you will be failing miserably in this area. As many, I believe this move to be a ploy to force memberships to ancestry.com (of which I have readily been a member for awhile now…by choice…not by coercion). It all boils down to the almighty dollar. I have praised both FTM and ancestry.com to everyone interested in genealogy for years….I am saddened that that will have to stop.

    I truly hope that, after reading all of these thoughts and opinions, you will reconsider this move. I don’t believe it to be in anyone’s best interest.

  4980. Sharlene Thomas

    Well, that is bad news. So long Ancestry. With no sync option to FTM you make yourself useless to me.

  4981. Jean

    The last and best laugh will come from the group or company that develops good, new software that accepts our FTM files easily and offers all the options we need. It’s time has come and Ancestry’s boondoggle may turn out to be our blessing in disguise.

  4982. David Aguon

    I agree with all the comments above, but I guess I will have to do with FTM what I did with FTM and Find new soft ware and transfer all my FTM to the new software. I know FTM 2014 will continue to work with ancestry. So what use is Ancestry without FamilyTree Maker. I do not trust online services as they continue to disappear, or manage to become currupt. I may have to say Goodbye to Ancestry.

  4983. Jim

    I have been in IT for over 35 years (longer than you have been alive) and there are some things I have learned. 1 of them is that the words “AGILE DEVELOPMENT” and CLOUD COMPUTING” are filthy words. Both concepts are WRONG and do not work effectively. In your case, 1 of the reasons I never switched over is due to a BOGUS line of descent that I have been aware of for many years. Every time I logged on to sync and send in my tree, I get a little leaf because your system wants to add this bogus branch to my tree – and I won’t let it. And there is no way allowed for me to nuke that bogus branch on your cloud. The problem is that your “cloud” makes all users equal in adding, but does not have any way for those that have superior knowledge to fix the mistakes of the newbies.

  4984. Vikki

    I have been faithfully been using FTM since 2000 for research and sharing my tree with family. I started using FTM first and other web sites. I used Ancestry later. I don’t like the new screen that comes up on Ancestry, the life snapshot. It is very cumbersome and difficult to move from one person to another. The old screens were much easier and cleaner. As to the decision that desk top forms are not used I have a serious problem with that statement. It is right up there with people don’t read books. I resent someone making a lifestyle decision on my behalf and assuming I will follow along with the flow. Also I want to add to many other peoples opinion that my family tree is Mine. If I choose to share it and my research that is my choice. I do not appreciate the tech world assuming everyone wants everything on the “system” only. If this change does go thru I may be looking into other Desktop ways to store My information. Ancestry is a good research tool but not the only game in town.

  4985. Ed Moore

    As of 12-31-16 I will be leaving Ancestry, but before I leave I will be deleting my tree. If it is not useful to me anymore I see no reason to allow Ancestry to profit from my work. Others might wish to consider this option also!

  4986. Sharon Walls

    I really don’t appreciate this. Even though I’ve happily uploaded information and family trees and shared, shared, shared, having Family Tree Maker software gave me the feeling that my information was still my own. Now it appears that I can enter my information into ancestry.com and then it becomes part of ancestry.com and not necessarily my own anymore. I do not like this. I will probably discontinue my membership at the end of the year.

  4987. Martha Wright

    Dear Ancestry, I think that the only way you are going to get out of this mess is to allow other software companies to sync to Ancestry. I vote for RootsMagic!

  4988. Alan Tucker

    Seems to me that you want everybody to have their data online with you, so that recurring subscriptions need to be paid…
    I’ve been running FTM and Rootsmagic in parallel for a while now, so looks like I’ll be sticking with Rootsmagic and doing my searches thro FindMyPast.com – your cavalier attitude will lose you customers.
    Bye Bye, bad decision…

  4989. Steve

    This is so sad and extremely disappointing. It destroys any and all confidence I had in Ancestry. Goodbye Ancestry, Hello Family Tree Maker.

  4990. Chris

    I, too, am disappointed. Look in FTM and make a Gedcom file. That file can be integrated into a new software program. Check out Family Tree Heritage Platinum 9 as an alternative to FTM.

  4991. David Gould

    If you are discontinuing your software and support for your software you might as well close up shop on Ancestry as well. I have enjoyed using my copy of “Family Tree Maker 2014” and it’s various functions, especially the sync function. Having a backup of my trees on Ancestry allows me to receive possible matches from all over the world. Perhaps most important is that with the software I have peace of mind knowing my trees are safely backed up at Ancestry in case of a catastrophic failure on my personal computer. If you eliminate your software, support and updates you leave me no choice but to look for an alternate to Ancestry and your software. If you are experiencing problems re your software then why not source it out and still allow it to function through and will your servers.

  4992. Meidina

    There will be a day in the future, you will see: That was the wrongest decision ever for Ancestry. FTM, the real best software for genealogy was the reason to come to Ancestry for many users here….You cut the best of yourself – and noone here would cut his head without any good reason. To kill FTM is the beginnning of the death for Ancestry. You will not see me anymore. Hope anyone buys the programm from you to continue. Shame on you!!!!!

  4993. Lorilee

    I do not like this move at all. I use FTM for hardcore research. Online Ancestry is cumbersome for plain everyday searching and maintaining records. As others have posted, I have invested years into FTM; it is my go to research tool. Ancestry online is “eye candy” and not at all useful for in depth research. The two do work together very well however. Why do you need to try to fix something that isn’t broken?

  4994. GlendaGeraci

    I feel like you just shot me in the heart. I have used this software since 1994 and work on it every day. FTM is easier for me to find and fix errors in my tree than looking on Ancestry. People are always complaining about the inaccuracy of the trees on Ancestry, FTM is helpful in locating and seeing first hand problems in a family and fixing them. I feel like FTM is my stuff and I sync it with Ancestry which is “your” stuff. I want to keep my stuff and not just have it on Ancestry. This is very selfish. My heart is broken.

  4995. Terry H

    Add my voice to the chorus of angry and disappointed customers. I suggestion – select a representative group of commenters above, form an exploratory user group and be 100% open and transparent about your motivations. Seek a solution that is good for your community. If you don’t, your community will leave and a huge opportunity will exist for another company to disrupt your business model.

  4996. LeeS

    This is what I have always been afraid of with Ancestry. Who know if one day it all goes “Poof” with just a “this was a hard decision”. Years of work evaporated. Yes, it is time to find another way to work and save precious family information.

  4997. I agree with everything that’s been said above. FTM has been the best place for keeping all the genealogy that I’ve found.on my lineages, The Ancestry website is rife with errors and misinformation, but the info on my FTM is as accurate as I can make it. I have considered uploading my FTM to Ancestry, but now I definitely will not do that. And I will look into other software to replace FTM.

  4998. misterc6

    Further to my previous posting I’ve now removed my four trees from Ancestry.co.uk and will not be making the £179.99 renewal payment next month.

  4999. R Seda

    Family Tree is extremely useful and apparently there is nothing to take its place. You must want the users of Family Tree to fine other sources of your completion? I use Ancestry but it does not have a Tree maker.

  5000. Kaye Leidy

    So, what are we supposed to do now? I have used the software for close to 40 years and upgraded to the new versions as they came out. I LOVE the software and the features it offers. I don’t particularly care for the web version, and I don’t like the new look – it takes up too much space and the ‘life story’ is annoying. I am EXTREMELY upset with this announcement. I’ll look for another software program.

  5001. Jeanne Mease

    I just came back to see how this discussion is progressing. Reading all the comments is beyond human capability. Has Ancestry responded to anyone? Or are we all just talking to each other. I don’t know where to start. I saw one Ancestry response that said to go “here” for information on downloading a gedcom. “Here” had no link. Is there a help blog anywhere? We should put our efforts into helping each other. My comments from last night are above with everyone else’s.

  5002. Danny Grant

    I’ve had a version of FTM for more years than I can recall, and join others in expressing my concern and dismay that you are canceling an excellent software product.

  5003. Mike

    I am very surprised by this statement. I have been using FTM since version 2.0 DOS, when it was it was owned by banner blue. I have always like the application, but I was not not always in agreement with some of the changes, and some of the type of trees that were removed from printing. I do not keep any of my trees on ancestry. I do not like the idea of my trees being in a public area. No matter how much security you put on the your Ancestry servers, in time someone will break in and steel the data. I have found the leaf function very helpful, I am sorry this will be going away. I think Ancestry is a valuable research tool, but you are one most powerful research tools. You seem to be under the impression that by removing FTM more people will put there trees on line. I do not think this will happen, but only time will tell. This decision will force me to spend my money elsewhere, sine I do not want my trees on anyone servers but own. I think a lot of users feel this way.

  5004. Pfft

    I don’t know why anyone is surprised. When they started allowing people to create trees on their website, you could smell this coming miles away. Um, hello? Why would they want you to use Software? They can’t keep and sell your data if you use Software! 90% of those family trees there are wrong and/or unproven anyway, why anyone would want to sync to those is beyond me.

  5005. Wanda Gill

    I don’t know what changed about 5 years ago with ftm and ancestry but the train ran off the tracks……go back
    and regroup or lose a lot of customers

  5006. Jim Dundon

    I am very disappointed in hearing the sad news of Family Tree Maker going away. I’ve used it for over 25 years and that was before Ancestry took it over, the days of buying CD’s and hoping for a match. The flexibility of all the Reports and Charts – If Ancestry quits supporting Family Tree Maker, I might need to quit supporting Ancestry..

  5007. I do not read that existing FTM support is being stopped, only that they will not sell the product after the end of the 2015 year. I see they will continue to support FTM until at least the end of 2017, after which I expect to see a subscription service for support offered,which would be a good idea and fair to the people who have invested time and money into this product. I am far more upset by the “new” Ancestry website, which, in large part, is change for the sake of change and creates a glitzy, cumbersome interface which oftentimes requires three steps to replace one ie… making a “comment” and in other cases removes the ability to copy information from other trees( we are invited to), except by “copy” and “paste” to our computer archive and then upload back to our tree, after which you have to remember to give credit to the original tree.This is terrible and the forced use of the new site should be put off(or abandoned) until these things are worked out.Thank you for the chance to comment.

  5008. MIKE

    So Ancestry, how’s this look to be working for you? There are so many comments I can’t read them all but the only positive comment I’ve seen while scrolling through is from a competitive software inviting people over. Surely you will reconsider your poorly thought out decision and fire the tech geek that came up with it. Give him something else to do – empty the trash, clean the bathrooms, bring coffee, work in the mail room – and he won’t have time to sit there and think about what he can do to make people’s lives miserable. Like Yahoo, AOL, and many other online companies, you can’t stand success. You get a good thing going on a good format and then think of ways to change it. Good luck on what this does to Ancestry if you go through with it.

  5009. Linda S

    This is terrible news, and I am very disappointed with the decision to do away with FTM. People want to own and posess their family history, and don’t want to give total control to someone else. I, like most of the other responders, have spent years creating my family history on the FTM. I have chosen not to make public my family findings, as we all know that nothing is safe once put on the internet, and the person who created it loses control of it. Hopefully, you will think about your up-to-now loyal customers and change your mind on this bad decision. If not, at least give us information on easily transferring our files to other software programs, as I will never consider putting my family history on ancestry.com!

  5010. Liz

    I’m shocked and disgusted at this decision. FTM is my only full family tree and now I have no idea what will happen to it on your site. I’ve been paying for and using FTM and Ancestry for many years and now feel abandoned by your decision.

  5011. Rose

    I am very disappointed with this news. Ancestry has not explained IF they will provide another program that can be used by the masses. Ancestry uses OUR Trees and OUR source information as tools for others to research through and you make money off of OUR files being researched by paid customers, yet you are taking away a valuable product that we have come to love and depend on! I for one do NOT want Ancestry to have full control of my family trees and make money off of those while I have no control unless I am online. This is absurd.

  5012. Conor

    I agree, this is a terrible idea. I’ll eventually be replacing FTM with another product, and will likely go with another service. What a pity. Other software will fill this vacuum, that is for certain. The disappointment I feel is tremendous. I really like FTM and will hang in as long as I can. What a shame ancestry, this is a truly poor decision.

  5013. Rebecca

    Thanks for the slap in the face. I completely trusted you with my records. However, the bottom line is you trust in the almighty dollar. So, you really think that TV ads and a few celebrities are going to fund your company? I think you may have deceived yourselves, The real researchers started before internet, before smart phones, and certainly before Ancestry. We were here before you and will be still digging after your demise. Your new add-ons are not as helpful as you may believe. Convenient yes. Essential, no. The PC is the base of most research. It is our anchor. I posted last night and it never showed up. Was it because I echoed what others have mentioned about a Class Action suit? I hope this is not the case and you will see from the over 5000 posts that you need to rethink your ridiculous decision. I love how it was buried in an email and you didn’t even care about us enough to send us a letter in the mail and include much more information on your solutions. I feel that you will hold us hostage with huge fees to access our own research after it was in the cloud. Well I am sorry but we are not that gullible. I do research for the local DAR and for a Historical Museum and research center. My information can NOT be wrong. I have seen a lot of bad information on the new cute site and think it is just for newbies who are not interested in long time family history. Between you and FTM I can easily choose FTM. It has reports, the ability to correct information, it is always there when I sit down and open it. I bought a backup device just for my thousands of records. You will see over the next year who your real supporters are. Good luck with that. I bet your little leaves are really shaking this morning!

  5014. Donna A

    Instead of leaving us high and dry, why don’t you try to find a company to buy this product from you?

  5015. DKF

    Thanks for the heads up! I will start my search for a suitable offline replacement now. I will also be cancelling my subscriptions and relying exclusively on free resources once I find one.

  5016. Legacyline

    Discontinuing Family Tree Maker is the worse decision that you could possibly make. Much of what we do is offline. We collect family information in the field as well as on line. Family Tree Maker allows us to add and integrate this off-line information seamlessly in to our Ancestry.com tree. It also allows us to present our family tree off-line to folks who simply do not have wi-fi services.

  5017. Sue

    While I haven’t read all the comments, I have read many of them and scrolled through the entire list. I have NOT seen a response to any of them from FTM. I agree with everyone else. This is most disheartening. I feel like the earth just opened up beneath me with no warning and no explanation. This is NOT professional at all.

  5018. Sandy McDevitt

    I have been using Family Tree Maker since it first became available and I love it. I love the way I can easily put information together all in one place so I can review it. I uploaded my tree last year and I continue to update it but it is not as “friendly” to use as the software is. Please reconsider your decision. Many of us have put in a lot of hard work developing our trees. Thank you for your consideration.

  5019. Nancy

    Twelve years of research and membership in Ancestry and Family Tree Maker has just come to an end. I have my family and friend’s trees on my FTM software and not on Ancestry as I prefer the FTM software interface and do not like the New Ancestry. What do I do now? I will not put my trees on Ancestry for the world to see. Please give us some help in what to do now. I am very surprised and sad of this change. You had been the best, but not anymore.

  5020. Keith Mitchell

    Getting rid of FTM is a very poorly thought out way of creating a good rapport with your customers. This I am sure is a very sad day for a large numbers of your customers. You say you have thought long and hard about this decision. Have you by any chance thought about the wisdom of doing a significant customer survey on the subject. Perhaps the response might indicate that many people are going to feel very frustrated. I am certainly very disappointed having recently gone to a lot of trouble setting up FTM and building a tree on it. May I earnestly suggest you think again on this one! By the way as far as I can see you give absolutely no idea of what happens when FTM ceases to be supported by Ancestry. A very poor show indeed!

  5021. Kirsten R

    This is a poorly thought-out decision. I will never maintain my main database online, but prefer to keep all my notes and information on my own computer. The software and the online capabilities are not interchangeable. I will have to find another company to buy software from.

  5022. Jackie

    This is going to be a serious problem for those of us who have been using FTM from it’s first edition. What is going on that is behind this decision.

  5023. Jim Dearee

    Very disappointed in the announcement; am a long time user of FTM and upgrades and as a result have a subscription fo Ancestry. I will be looking for an alternatives. I hope you change your mind.

  5024. Gerry

    All trust completely gone with one stupid email. I can only hope that my FTM2014 will continue to work as long as possible. I won’t risk applying any FTM updates during 2016 in case they cripple it. Current files backed up to GEDCOM today, just in case. Would like to continue my ancestry subscription for research purposes but, after this, why on earth should I?

  5025. David

    This is very sad news. FTM is an excellent product. I imagine it will continue working, just that it will start to become outdated in due course. The interaction between the website and the software is very useful. I do not wish to rely on on-line trees.

  5026. Mommyzhome

    Legacy 8 is on sale for $19.99 – it’s an excellent program. There’s an Ancestry button smack in the middle of the toolbar. It’s a much more intelligent program than the last 5 editions of FTM ever could hope to be. You don’t need to sync. Not unless all you want to do is copy and not research.

  5027. BobH

    How can this be? Although I link FTM with Ancestry, I find that FTM is a much easier way to enter, view, and print information. I rely on FTM and am very unhappy about this announcement. Please reconsider.

  5028. Kim Rogers

    This is so unfortunate. Ancestry is a company that is in the data business. It is not in the genealogy business. They started out as a publisher of genealogical materials and have discovered that they can sell genealogical data. I believe they could be streamlining their business to look good on paper — perhaps to please shareholders or to sell the company to another data company. Such as Acxiom or another type of large data collection company. In typical fashion at a large company, they are all about what they think will make them money. Anyone for old fashioned research now?

  5029. Tiffany

    Never fear, I’m sure the software market will find something else to replace your software with. I’m very upset that I paid $60 for your software recently only to now realize I will not be getting any further software updates. Time to move on to the next generation of family tree research, and hopefully it’s doesn’t have a good awful Applesque interface.

  5030. Tom

    FTM being dropped announcement received 8 Dec 2015. This comment, 9 Dec 2015.

    I don’t believe I’ve ever seen so many comments in such a short period of time. Makes me wonder what impact, if any, they will have?

    I join many others in being quite disappointed about this. However, I have always kept my data on my local hard drive and then sync’d it so relatives might share. When FTM goes away, I can’t think why I can’t keep my data and continue to use FTM as my database until I find another situation where I can find information online and then transfer it to my desktop app. If I can’t then I will be back to copying and typing data into my FTM database.

    If Ancestry does not suppprt tree sync, then I will delete the data.

    If FTM is not supported it does not mean I can’t use it for a long time into the future. I still use MS Word (Mac) 2008 and it works for what I want.

    Of course, as soon as I find another desktop/online combination similar to FTM/Ancestry I will move to it. I hope there is, or will be, such a thing.

    Whatever the ultimate true financial reasons FTM is being dropped, it remains to be seen what will happen if all the people posting above or after me drop ancestry.com. I don’t use the online ancestry from my desktop mac or from an ipad mostly because they are not acceptable in place of FTM. If many people find they have no use for paying for ancestry.com as a connection to FTM they will drop it. Whatever money is gained by saving from supporting FTM may be lost in income from ancestry.com. Then this may turn out to be bad for ancestry.com. Time will tell.

    I will cancel Ancestry.com, which I have because I can easily add to my desktop database and because of those little green leaves. If they have no use, then no need for Ancestry.com. I have the same amount of loyalty to ancestry.com as they have to me, i.e., zero. It’s not personal, it’s just business.

  5031. Kendall

    A fatal mistake Ancestry! You are going to lose your customer base. Most of your customers, use both resources, as they go hand in hand. How do you have one without the other? Not to mention the hundreds of dollars I have spent to have these two programs work together!!! I feel as though you have duped me. I am finally getting somewhere and the rug has been pulled out from under me. People, People, sign the petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/520/758/907/save-family-tree-maker/

  5032. GDave

    Bad move. A quick review of the comments above shows total dissatisfaction with discontinuing FTM, and you may add me to that list as well. Being able to work with a web based copy is fine as an adjunct for tablets or phones, but the web interface is not nearly as functional or as feature rich as the desktop software. You obviously don’t know your demographic audience, most of whom still prefer the laptop/desktop model over the tablet. Don’t kill FTM.

  5033. Ron R

    I gather from what I scanned through that this is NOT a good idea on your part. I, too, would like a further clarification on what the future holds and how we can maintain and retain our work. Sometimes the newer ways are not the best, and I, for one, like the past.

  5034. Cathern Harrison

    Likely am repeating this but do not have time to read the hundreds of post… I have FTM 2010 which doesn’t work with Windows 10 and was thinking of updating to 2014 . However, am not interesting in doing this unless I can download all the files and data associated with my trees. If I can do this will I be able to work with the files past Jan 2017 without being a member of Ancestry?

  5035. Lynn

    This is extremely disappointing. I have used FTM for many years and although I use the on-line trees while out and about, FTM has several irreplaceable things that Ancestry does not. The key things that are irreplaceable are reports and the ability to sort by location. FTM is also where I keep all my info on living people and trees that I don’t want on the web for various reasons – such as things that aren’t proven, guesses, etc. Basically, you’re taking away our ability to have things that aren’t on-line. BAD CHOICE!! I’m not going to have a knee jerk reaction and not renew my subscription, but I’m going to have to think long and hard about it.

  5036. BDJ

    Like the others here, I’m a long-time FTM user and agree that the web version of tree building is inadequate in features, usability and the lack of local storage options. This is a poor decision that reflects either a lack of understanding of the long-term, core customer base; or a disregard of their business in favor of focusing on more casual genealogy users who only need basic features and rely heavily on Ancestry.com for source material. The more advanced genealogist here use a wide variety of source material, have invested years of work and wish to be able to best control and protect their data. This means they need a quality client-side application. If it isn’t from Ancestry, it will have to be somewhere else and the company will have alienated the most devoted genealogists in their customer base.

  5037. Sandi V

    I am very very disappointed in this announcement. I have FTM on my laptop that I use to take to family reunions, libraries, etc. Sometimes, there is no internet access at these places. I make my changes/additions and then when I get home, I sync my data. I like the idea that I always have a backup and current copy online and on my laptop. We pay a hefty price for ancestry.com and I think they should continue to support the software. Not everyone wants to do all there work online.

  5038. Anthony Aylward

    Typical business decision to maximise profits and to hell with customers. I have only just purchased Family Tree Maker because Ancestry does not provide the flexibility with data which it does. You need to incorporate it in the website. Also your Windows app is rubbish.

  5039. Mommyzhome

    People! The new website interface is because of TABLETS and because the people who use them can’t handle regular webpages. Not that most genealogists don’t type….I would NEVER use a tablet for all my genealogy!

  5040. Joseph Blackwell

    This is not Good-Bye FTM, this is Good-Bye Ancestry. You folks can just take your overpriced BS, and it’s “Green Leaves” which by the way are 99% taken from my own on-line tree, and go to hell!

  5041. Nancy

    This decision makes me sad. I have learned the FTM program and appreciate all of its possibilities. I am not savvy enough to re-form data or programs. What now?

  5042. Lynn

    This is absurd. FTM is an integral part of my family tree documentation. Will Ancestry include the charts and reports in the web access? If so I hope the look better than the new Facts page. The classic Overview page was much better printed product. Is Ancestry going to “sell” us something else? I am very disappointed and will for alternatives for my entire tree.

  5043. Constance Quick

    I have been a dedicated user of Family Tree Maker since it was first introduced in the 1980’s by Broderbund. I am very disappointed about the decision to stop producing it and supporting the program. I like it because I can add to my family tree without being online. It seems that your company is only out to make money, not to support family history.

  5044. Linda

    Yeow! What on earth are you doing to us?!!!!! For a company who typically gives great customer service, this is a major kick in the pants! Please reconsider and do something about this.

  5045. F Scarpelli

    Extremely disappointing news. Instead of discontinuing, why not sell the software so another company can continue offering and improving it? I understand that you’re trying to force users to pay for the web version of Ancestry, but to be realistic, this is not what most (including myself) would do. Instead, we’ll look for the best alternative option and ditch Ancestry for good.

  5046. Jan T

    I too am bitterly disappointed with the announcement that FTM is to be discontinued. You are harping on about DNA etc, well quite frankly I’m not interested in that, it seems to me that is is just yet another way for you to get more cash at the expense of FTM. As for the new “screen” on Ancestry, I find the “old” one much easier to use. Bad move Ancestry, I will too will be thinking hard about renewing my subscription.

  5047. Pete

    Very Simple, Ancestry is migrating to web base software that they have control of your work. When this comes out, please read fine print as to who now owns tree. Sure they may say you have access, but what they really mean is continue to update so we have more to sell to someone looking for info.
    Just a matter of time before all software is internet based.

  5048. Barbara

    In this day…….the ancestry move is called ” screw the consumer”. Screw the people who made ancestry what it is today. I have been with FTM since day 1………and now you want to toss us aside…..believe me, I’ll toss you aside first. You got too big for your britches and we, the consumer, is paying for it. Adios, MF!

  5049. Terry

    To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. Up until a few days ago I was being bombarded by Avanquest to but the FTM update, even though I already have it. Nothing in your announcement has convinced me that it will be better to stay with you and renew my Ancestry membership in February, looks like I’ll be starting from scratch with a new provider!

  5050. David Johnston

    Business schools will use this fiasco as an example of a marketing communication disaster for decades to come. The email essentially informs customers they are being cut off with no discussion of how any future alternate system would work, or how to look at it, The reaction of customers in the blog postings is ample proof. Adding insult to injury is the self-serving bio of the email author. Wake up Ancestry; do something to get on top of this disaster!

  5051. John Cavallone

    Mr. Hulet, You have obviously alienated a substantial percentage of your customer base with your decision. Many won’t even comment on your decision as they will simply give up. It is obvious that you and the entire ancestry team don’t understand 1)the loyalty of your customer base to a given product, 2)you offered no solid answer to how your website would adapt to the features that are exclusive to the desktop software, 3) the abrupt end before a solid solution, 4) do you realize that some researchers attach death notices which are copyrighted material and should be hidden from your website. only FTM can do this at this time, 5) Many researchers know that they have done your work for you as they develop their trees your database grows and YOU benefit, not the individual researcher. You claim in your advertisements that all you do is enter your name and the tree “appears.” Well it’s our work that puts the puzzles together. The least you could do is continue supporting the software indefinitely as a service to your loyal customer base. However you may have damaged your reputation beyond repair at this point.

  5052. I would like my money back then. I paid for a service that will no longer be available.
    I like many others will no longer subscribe to ancestry ever again if this goes through.

  5053. Linda

    PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE reconsider this tragic decision. I have used FTM for well over 10 years and paid Ancestry buckets of money to keep my subscription current. This just makes no sense to me, or the thousands of other loyal consumers either. How obvious does it have to be that this is not a good move on Ancestry’s part.

  5054. Christine Holt

    I am so upset and dismayed! I have over 20 years and thousands upon thousands of hours invested into the data I have stored in FTM. I cannot understand the decision making here. I hope that a buyer comes forward and buys the software from you. The website has become a total mess and as others have said, it is not a substitute for the software. I am beyond disappointed. I am going to seriously consider discontinuing my Ancestry subscription as a result. I have other websites I routinely use that are actually more efficient and not littered with garbage trees and incorrect data. I’m interested in primary sources.

  5055. Thomas W Frank

    I echo many of the sentiments thus far expressed. This is a terrible thing to do. Eventually, as Operating Systems are updated the FTM software will not be usable on any updated computer so all who are current users and have invested in your product will be forced to look for a substitute to FTM. For a score of reasons, most of which have been stated above, few users will be comfortable using only your online option as a means for recording and retrieving genealogical data. I hope your customers vote with their feet and that you find this to be a fiscally poor decision. I for one am beginning the search for a new product today. Hopefully one of your competitors will offer a version which recognizes ftm files so we won’t have to rely on gedcoms to transfer the data since of course not all data is transferable by gedcom. It is a shame that you are motivated more by corporate greed than your customers’ need.

  5056. PatDnSaunders

    I have been using Ancestry.com to generate a GEDCOM file which I can read into a desktop genealogy program. This transfers basic data, but the sources are given as just internet addresses to files on Ancestry.com. All those sources that we have found on Ancesty.com are not usable in the desktop genealogy program. It sounds like the FTM syncing does a better job of transferring important information to the desktop than the GEDCOM download does. Ancestry.com has found another way of locking the information that we need behind a pay wall!

  5057. Anne-Marie

    Not happy one bit! I’ve been using this software almost since it’s inception and to just to ‘decide’ to discontinue it, without any consultation with your customer base is frankly disgusting. If that’s not bad enough – to continue to take the hard-earned money of users, despite almost certainly having known for months that you wouldn’t be supporting the software beyond Jan 2017 is frankly criminal – many of my fellow users are on low incomes and see FTM as a luxury – not a necessity. Based on the comments of my likeminded disgruntled users here, your recent heavy investment in marketing looks as if it’s going to be followed by a big smack of karma and a tarnished reputation for customer contempt. Well done! I will not be renewing and I will be recommending my fellow genealogists do the same.

  5058. CarolM

    I believe you are making a big mistake. Any person seriously into genealogy is not going to rely solely on a website only available for a monthly subscription and which doesn’t have a lot of the needed functionality. People will have to switch to another desktop program and when they do they will re-assess whether they still need the monthly subscription to Ancestry. In my case, I have declining need for it as time goes by and will now plan to get away from it entirely as soon as possible.

  5059. Joan R

    Very upset as I do not always have internet service as we travel a lot during the year. I have used FTM for many years. Now it looks like I need to find someplace else to do my research. I love the sync function and the ability to enter items only once. I am sorry you do not feel that those using FTM are important enough for you to include in your community. You will come to regret this decision. Please reconsider.

  5060. d shipman

    I agree with all of the above, the ability to sync information is invaluable and the main reason for using ancestry! Will make it impossible and useless for future use.

  5061. Jim Edmiston

    Years ago,the officials at Coca Cola thought it would be a good idea to discontinue “old coke” and replace it with “new coke.” This decision was with a firestorm of criticism, which ultimately convinced the folks at Coke to reverse their decision. On behalf of myself and at least 5,433 other ancestry users (see all comments on this blog), I urge you to reconsider the decision announced on 12/8 to discontinue Family Tree Maker. This decision is at odds with your corporate purpose, which is (or should be) to satisfy your loyal customers. Thank you.

  5062. BBC

    Additional information on what we can do would be appreciated. What do expect us to do? Not having the link between FTM and ancestry is, to say the least, very disappointing. What would be the point in keeping my ancestry world subscription? I have been a faithful ancestry subscriber for years but may not be anymore.

  5063. JTB

    What a mistake!! Without the sync to Family Tree Ancestry will become nothing more than a data base similar to others out there with little or no cost. Methinks you are cutting off your nose to spite your face. Bad, but somewhat typical, decision of suits that don”t know their customer needs.

  5064. Mike

    SHAMEFUL!! SHAMEFUL!! SHAMEFUL!!
    Total disregard for loyal customers. I have used FTM’s various versions for years. For privacy and security reasons I do not rely on “cloud” version of my tree, neither will I be forced into doing this now whilst being expected to pay a subscription to access my own research. Unfortunately, I have just renewed my subscription, which I wouldn’t have done if I had been aware of what you were planning to do. What a rip off.

  5065. Mark Shepard

    Ancestry.com Management:

    Any interest in turning the software over as open source and put it on GitHub? I’m a developer and have always been interested in adding to the base product, especially around new and additional reports. This way the link to Ancestry.com would be maintained and subscription revenue still come. Otherwise, you may find people going to other software and looking at other online services.

    Just a thought.

    Mark

  5066. Steven

    An appalling decision. Purely commercially based without thought for the huge number of loyal customers. The style of the communication advising of the decision says it all.

  5067. Linda

    I am extremely disappointed in this decision. I have used FTM for several years. What will replace it??? The need to have a program like that with the capabilities of linking information from Ancestry is a necessity. I think you are creating more problems for people in general and you just may lose a lot of members over this. There are a lot of other places we can go for what you offer in genealogy. I for one will be considering going somewhere else for my info.

  5068. David S

    I too add my disappointment at Ancestry’s decision to discontinue support for FTM. As a customer of both FTM and Ancestry, I also suggest that, at the very least, you owe your loyal customers who have purchased various versions of Family Tree Maker the courtesy of outlining what other software is available for the construction of family trees and indicate compatibility and migration issues.

  5069. Mike Bradley

    How will the functions be handled on-line of:
    1) sorting the ancestry list by first name, birth date, etc.
    2) easy printing of tree and relationships … currently poor
    3) Selecting a sub-set of people via filtering
    4) Many functions a professional genealogist would use on FTM
    MikeBradley149

  5070. Jim

    I am extremely disappointed with this product decision. Having used the Ancestry.com website and the Ancestry app, as well as FTM, I find that both the website and app interfaces sorely lack the features in FTM as well as the easier user interface. I believe you may have missed the mark in identifying your customer demographics, which has resulted in this decision. Unless there is significant improvement in the tools that you are suggesting will be the only option for the future, I will be seeking other alternatives to capture my research data. Microsoft’s debacle with the roll out of Windows 8 should have come to mind when this decision was being considered. I don’t think that the death of the desktop-type interface (Windows 10 hybrids and tablets) is as close to terminal as this decision announcement seems to indicate. From the amount of negative feedback on this blog, reconsideration of this decision may be strongly warranted.

  5071. It’s obvious: no one wants ancestry to dump Family Tree Maker. I may just opt out of renewing my subscription if they insist on doing this. The comments are virtually all negative about this stupid decision. Ancestry needs to be more user friendly like FTM – not dump the best part of their offering!

  5072. Howard Blair

    I as well am saddened by your choice to discontinue FTM. Unless you can come up with a great replacement, I will no longer use your services, and also want a refund. This is a very sad thing you are doing to all of us who rely on Ancestry/FTM programs.

  5073. Martha J Grimes

    I am so sorry to hear about your decision. Like many others, when my subscription runs out, I will not renew. FTM is an integral part of my data base.

  5074. Kathleen

    What a blog! Ancestry – do you hear us loud and clear? Bad decision, especially without communicating what will be offered in the absence of FTM for all the reports, graphs, etc that Ancestry foolishly does not offer. Really bad decision.

  5075. Russell

    This is a HORRIBLE decision. I have over 18,000 people in my FTM. With this truly selfish decision, it feels like ancestry.com just kicked me & my 8 years of meticulously-recorded research down the stairs. Your online software is child’s play and, at best, allows for painfully slow & sloppy research & data recording. You’ve dropped a bomb on us. Please reconsider…or *at least* explain how you to plan to improve that awful online software for those of us serious researchers who rely on a powerful tool like FTM.

  5076. martin York

    What’s the problem? There has always been better software than FTM out there. Trouble is, the advertising opportunities Ancestry have had has seen off a lot of better programs over the years. Try Family Historian or Legacy

  5077. Chris

    My wife and my mum both use FTM and love it. now you have made this awful decision they will no longer subscribe to your service which means you are nearly £300 worse off next year. I am sure they will not be the only ones either… I think the worse thing about this is that someone who is paid a lot of money to make these decisions has probably spun you all sorts to get the job in their interview and then tried to convince you this is a great idea and what your customers want. This shows that you hire people that are so out of touch with your customers and their needs. Sad really you had something amazing and then you have just thrown it away. Just because 18-25 year old love the digital world it does not mean everyone is.. Take a look at Vinyl record sales in the UK this past year. They have had to change the way the charts are recorded because so many people are going back to Vinyl….. Don’t ruin something so good. PLEASE DON’T!

  5078. Nancy

    WOAH!!!!!! Is there any other post you’ve gotten MORE comments on than this one. I’m not even going to make any other comment. I assume you’re day is being spent formulating an explanation of your future plans to allow members to save their online trees in some other format than the oh-so-useful 1984 GEDCOM format?

  5079. Diane

    Well now, that is certainly a blow to your loyal customers, not everyone can afford to pay the steep costs to access Ancestry.com all the time. I’m just happy that when I started my family tree research (On FTM software by the way, and updated as new features became available) I made hard copies of all my information. I will be looking for alternatives to handle any research I may do. I am truly sorry you felt the need to make such a poor decision.

  5080. Brenda

    I’ll say, this is extremely disappointing. I too have used FTM for numerous years, and I like the fact that my complete information is contained in the software. As Lynn stated, there are certain things that the FTM offers that you do not have available on your website, and I also don’t want all of my info on the website………Not the least bit happy about it.

  5081. Phyllis

    Seriously???? I’ve been using FTM for a very long time. I refuse to be made to purchase a pricey subscription to continue my tree. Also, I only work on my family tree using my desktop, not any mobile devices. BAD DECISION ANCESTRY. Guess I’ll be looking for FTM replacement software.

  5082. Carol B

    I am so disappointed!! I think this is a very poor and most inconsiderate decision on Ancestry’s part. I have been a very loyal user of FTM and Ancestry since 1987, and have made a considerable investment in time and money. Most of the changes have been very helpful until now. I use FTM for backup and hard storage of my family files as do most other users. What are you suggesting for a replacement? Please re-consider
    this decision. Carol Bennett

  5083. Jim

    I agree with the vast majority of commenters. It doesn’t seem to me that Ancestry.com will be of much use to me without FTM. The website is horrible to navigate, does not provide adequate reporting, and I absolutely do not trust ‘cloud’ companies with my data. In addition, there are many times that I am in places that don’t have internet access, and I use that time to take a step back and really analyze my tree, look for discrepancies, and generally perform cleanup tasks. I guess it’s nice that they gave us time to find alternative programs and data sources.

  5084. Samantha Gerth

    Ancestry this shows a lack of respect for your customers. This coupled with being forced to use a website with less functionality that is designed to cause eyestrain is the last straw for me personally.

    The good thing is it will force your loyal paying customer base to search for alternatives and the end result is that you have sown the seeds for bringing back a more competitive marketplace. Once customers find other software we will start searching for other alternatives to Ancestry.

    This is a very bad decision!

  5085. Brian

    SHAME ON YOU ANCESTRY,I have always for the last 25 years+ used genealogy PC based software ,I started with “Generations Family tree”, then upgraded to various versions of” Family tree maker “.I also subscribed to Ancestry worldwide. I never put my tree on the Ancestry website because some information is Sensitive and Private.(and have no intension of ever doing so)
    I Like FTM because you can link direct to Ancestry, but the Ancestry website is not a must: “Find my Past” is a suitable Alternative, as is Roots Magic as an alternative to FTM.
    If Ancestry Pursue their mission to Shaft customers of FTM, I will certainly Cut all ties with Ancestry, and transfer my money to “Find my Past” and “RootsMagic”.

  5086. W H Keeling

    If you drop FTM decktop I will Drop you! I have been a Ancestry FTM user for many years, but if I can’t use FTM on my computer I will switch to another software. Is all you are about is money?

  5087. ANDY

    This is crazy. Why should I bother with Ancestry now? The FTM and its syncing with the online version is really good. I think you are making a big mistake and will loose custom.

  5088. Pattie Brunette

    Our whole family including many cousins that use Family Tree Maker along with Ancestry are not happy with your new decision!!! We have all used the two products for a very long time. We are all confused and disheartened by your choice. Are you going to supply or offer a new software that we can use instead???? Your discision seems to be based more on making money than serving your clients. Very disappointed with Ancestry. Too many changes with not a lot of thought.

  5089. Stuart Jacobs

    What an idiotic decision. Your top management have no regard for us, the customers, who have paid your salaries all these years. You are treating us with disdain. As soon as you stop supporting FTM I will no longer support you.

  5090. Neil

    You need to reverse this decision. Previous comment is true – Online site is for sharing; FTM is for serious work. There are a number of alternatives that we need to explore: Family Historian 6, Legacy 8.0, Roots Magic, etc. Let’s put some effort into finding the right one.

  5091. Tania

    Way to go!!!! How much more CRAP do you think your customers intend to take from your outrageous decisions lately?

  5092. Jamie

    With limited internet access, an online only genealogy program is not an option for me. I have only renewed my ancestry subscription when I could make it work with my schedule, and not since they dropped the option to renew on a monthly basis. But FTM was my genealogy program. I’ve been using it since before broderbund bought it. I’m greatly disappointed that it will be going away. Ancestry, your online option is not the be all and end all of genealogy. It’s provided some useful info, but without a good working program to organize it all, it’s pretty much useless. You had a great thing going. Too bad you couldn’t see that.

  5093. Arlene

    I have used FTM for years and my database is massive. But thru FTM I can manage my data, I can print up the info I need, add data I want to add including specific notes about a person. And you want to get rid of FTM? The only explanation I see is that, once again, its all about money and greed! And, by the way, I still don’t like your fancy website! It is slow and very cumbersome!! The data you have available online is amazing but your website is NOT easy to wade thru, too busy! For once, won’t you think about your customers needs? If someone puts all of their info on Ancestry, then drops out of Ancestry, what happens to their data? Is it lost to them (but not Ancestry)? Are we supposed to go back to the old days when we “created” our own forms for record keeping? Please reconsider your decision to delete FTM!

  5094. DCS

    I’ve appreciated the recent focus on mobile apps but have used those to supplement data I keep in FTM on my personal computer. This is a very short-sighted and poor decision impacting serious genealogists. I have been anticipating improvements in the next release to include easier integration with mobile apps, keeping track of sources, and “tagging” sources. I do not like working in the web interface nor housing my work online. I prefer to see FTM enhancements and keep using this product but will be forced to reconsider my ongoing subscription to Ancestry with supporting FTM.

  5095. Cathy

    I’m not surprised. Now you can be roped into paying forever every month.
    I had a world account. I saved lots of documents from England on my family tree. When I completed my need for world account and went back to regular ancestry account I pulled up an England document that I had saved and all that is left is the link information. The photo of the document is gone. It now routes to a buy a world account and you can see it. I was duped into paying thinking that the saved documents would remain on my tree. What a fool I was, now I just pay every month forever. A fool again.
    The entire software industry has tanked. My husband a 30 year software engineer is now unemployed. It is a part of computer development that has passed. Evolved away form new software. Any changes to software is out sourced to India. This I know first hand, when all he could find was contract work online at home. Then you wait anxiously not knowing if the India connection is going to send you a paycheck. The dot com era is gone….

  5096. JaniceR

    I have subscribed to Ancestry ever since I started researching my family history and really value the wide and comprehensive range of information available on the site. However, I have always used FTM as a backup to ensure that if anything went wrong with Ancestry I would still have access to the information I have taken years to collect. I would be grateful to know how Ancestry envisages people accessing the information they have paid for through their subscriptions when the site finally dies? The measured tone of this message should not blind anyone to the fury I feel about this.

  5097. Phil

    I join the many others to express my dismay and disgust with Ancestry. Surely the company could have made some provisions, perhaps with another source, to accommodate our work.

  5098. Horrible Idea.
    I want to join this chorus of negative comments. I use the sync feature and I use Family Tree Maker for all the features that are not available on Ancestry and most importantly for offline storage of my data.
    I hope you will rethink this decision. I have been a loyal member for years and have recommended the software to many new researchers because of the compatibility..
    This decision is probably motivated by a bottom line, but your bottom line will be lower when many of us cancel our subscriptions.
    Please reconsider. It is not broken, don’t fix it.

  5099. Capelle

    Mr Hulet’s memo is a master example of spin: bad news wrapped in upbeat management-speak. Shame on him. Better to come out and tell it like it is: “We’re not making (enough) money on this, so we’re dropping it. Good luck.”

    I’m no lawyer, but I wonder how it can be that a company promotes its product on a virtue such as “…the improved TreeSynch feature lets you sync your tree from your computer, tablet or smartphone….” (which is what it says on the box), then totally precludes that facility by wilfully withdrawing the software? Class action possibility?

    Hopefully, the management of Ancestry will get some idea from the reactions on this blog as to the fury this gross inconsideration to loyal customers is creating.

  5100. ANDY

    There is a big issue about TRUST here. Why should I put anything into Ancestry that takes significant effort and is important for the future when you have shown that you are willing to pull the plug at a whim without providing an alternative?

  5101. Bill Harris

    With all of these dissatisfied customers, me included, why in the world would you press on with this bad idea? I’ve offered comments all along the way as may have a majority of your base but you decide to alienate us. Perhaps you should set a few of your “experts” free, how much do you pay them anyway? As mentioned by others I’ve paid for your top dollar membership for years but it doesn’t seem to matter, you won’t listen.

  5102. Jack

    Obviously, we FTM users are not happy with this decision. I suggest you make an effort to respond to some of these complaints as silence could be construed as a lack of confidence in your decision.

  5103. Kaye Leidy

    The more I think about this move, the madder I get. I just ordered the full package from RootsWeb so I can transfer my info.

  5104. Barbara

    Very disappointing. Please inform everyone one how to continue connecting and creating our trees other than on line which can be lost just as easy as a hard drive crash

  5105. Ken

    I am really disappointed by this news. I find FTM immensely valuable for producing task lists when I am visiting record offices and for producing appropriate charts for family members. I also take my laptop with me when visiting record offices so if I spot something in the archives and want to check against info in my tree I can. I can’t use the free ancestry that record offices offer because my tree is private. Ancestry gives my very little in terms of research now, it is just a place to store my tree and link to FTM. Break the link and Ancestry will be worthless to me.

  5106. DavidB

    I was going to put a Clark Griswold quote here but figured you wouldn’t post it. I have used FTM since it first acme out. I was totally bummed out when you gave up support for the Mac, then I rejoiced when you realized what a mistake that was and came back with FTM for Mac. I have done genealogy research for over 40 years and the greatest thing to happen was FTM and Ancestry.com. I have over 10,000 names and 1,600 photos in FTM. The best part was being able to print so many charts, reports and books with it. I published two books for my family and local historical society. The loss of FTM will be a disaster and I fear a grave mistake on your part. Clark Griswold had it right all along. As Mrs. Shirley said in Christmas Vacation, “You *didn’t*! Well, of all the cheap lousy ways to save a buck!”

  5107. Gary

    Looks like ten of thousands dead trees in the next year but ancestry has what it wanted, millions of free hours of research so they can combine them into one large tree, using best matches of the same people. They created the problem wanting people to post their finding to their website and others just using the website rather than buying software.They get to see it all, even if a tree is posted as private. The problem with computers is the industry dictates to you what you will buy or get lost because of it. Just like research studies they want to keep their jobs, if they find the answer it’s all over.. They have six months for me, to straighten out the mess they are creating.

  5108. Tom

    I want to add my voice to all the others. This is so very disappointing–and upsetting. I got my first Family Tree Maker in the 1990’s–and have over 2,500 individual entries with lengthy narratives for many. I was intending to give a gift of Family Tree Maker with all of my data to family members this year–obviously need to come up with a new plan.. Not sure what the next steps will be and what alternatives exist or will be created. Hard to imagine how this is a good business move for you–know it is a very bad move for satisfied and very dependent customers. Hope public pressure will change what appears to be a very bad business decision.

  5109. Roy

    I wonder what is really behind the decision to stop selling and in due course supporting Family Tree Maker. Judging by the torrent of response on this Blog, this is a very unpopular decision but even a poorly managed business would anticipate this. Family Tree Maker enables users to maintain the full details of their tree on their own computer, including all the downloaded copies of records from the Ancestry site and only ever have to subscribe to the Ancestry site when they want to access additional records. Of course, relying only on the Ancestry on-line site forces users to maintain their subscription if they want to see any online records, even if they have previously saved them to their tree. Wonder if that might be the real reason.

  5110. Ruth M

    I too cannot believe you would discontinue FTM. I’ve been using it since 2005. Will my independent version still work? I have never updated it because I like how mine works. I have nearly 7000 entries & cannot believe you would discontinue FTM. I also do not like the updating you have been doing with ancestry.com. It takes pgs. to print what did print on 1 page. Wrong moves!!! False advertising! Please reconsider this decision!!!

  5111. Ian Laws

    Extremely disappointed with this decision. Your email directed me to this page with the promise of additional details, but none are forthcoming. Does your decision mean that the only place we will have access to our data is via your website? If we stop subscribing will we lose our access? I have provide Ancestry with a lot of money over the years but am not a constant subscriber as I have pretty much exhausted the records you have. This grasping action will probably force me to look elsewhere.

  5112. Kay

    Like many others who has posted here, I am a long time subscriber who has spent 35 years putting together my family’s history. I am sure you have a plan so you don’t lose your revenue stream and it would be nice to know what that is. You might want to consider some of your clients do not have the best Internet service!!!!

  5113. Marvin Turkanis

    What do you recommend that I use to document my years of research and to expand it with an online database(s)? Unfortunately, it is not practical for me to travel, and I must depend on the internet.
    I did not know what I am going to do without FTM and it’s links to Ancestry.

  5114. Ron

    The world is moving to tablets more so than desktops. I have a tablet and have the ancestry app. It’s junk 90% of the time it won’t work I have had to delete and reload many times because it stops working. I only would use it when it works to access when away from desktop to view tree not to do research. I would also never trust someone to safeguard my tree by only having online. Tablets do not have the storage capability to handle my tree. One of the greatest features of family tree software is being able to sync. I own legends also, I actually like it better, except that it doesn’t access ancestry like family tree software does. Without that interaction I do not see the point in staying with ancestry. Same with you DNA strategy and not offering Y DNA. My subscription ends with the sync function. One last point although tablets are on the rise desktops still prevail for the older generation that do genealogy. Hint, hint.

  5115. Linda King

    This decision is not considering the many customers that have used it for years. Those of us that have paid Ancestry a LOT OF MONEY for Ancestry.com and FTM. I find the online tree a lot more difficult to maneuver than FTM. Ancestry does not have the reporting capabilities that FTM has. I am really disappointed in this decision and such a short time frame. You are not thinking about your customers. I use FTM much more than I do my Ancestry subscription. Rethink this decision as it may cost you more than the support of FTM.

  5116. Robert Elliott

    Looks like a lot of people think you have made a mistake. What is the real reason for abandoning FTM? Money probably. It looks like you are going to lose a lot of subscribers – do you care?

  5117. Jeanne

    I agree with ever comment above! This is horrible! Why have a membership? You will be loosing more $ with dropped memberships. When are you going to address our concerns?

  5118. Rebekha

    I am sorry to hear of your plans but can only hope that you will reconsider or come up with another answer like you did with mycanvas. I use FTM because of the sync feature.
    One day, I will be gone and the file on my computer will be the only way I can pass on all the work I have done to my children. I wouldn’t want them to have to pay to see the work after I have been paying all these years.
    I don’t like the new way trees are displayed on ancestry, I think you will lose a lot of customers.

  5119. Ted B

    Without more info, we users have no way to evaluate your decision in business terms. From the user’s standpoint, the decision is dumb, dumb, dumb!!! To give your body of users no alternative, compatible software recommendation defies good business sense. The weight of negative comments in this forum should give you pause to perhaps revisit this astonishing decision.

  5120. Pat W.

    Since you are letting a lot of people down the only ones that will benefit from this move is the other software vendors. I have been using FTM for many years but will now start looking elsewhere.

  5121. Margaret

    I have read many of the above comments and not seen a single one in support of your decision. I shall not be renewing my subscription to Ancestry when it expires. You have already removed most of the West Yorkshire Parish records that I needed with no explanation even when I contacted you about them several times.

  5122. Your email said to come to this blog article for “additional details” but I don’t see any further information — just 5000 comments from users who seem to be universally disgruntled by this decision. I encourage Ancestry to reconsider.

  5123. Barbara Shuta

    This is devastating news. I have had FTM since the beginning and have begun to rely on its association with Ancestry.com exclusively. I’m not getting any younger coupled with a learning disability. To have to start over or learn a whole new way of doing things will be crippling. This decision makes NO sense. This is another example of a few people making decisions that affect the masses without any thought as to what those users have to say about it. Clearly, the backlash has been swift and the anger and disappointment are evident. I would hope you’d go back to the table and rethink this VERY BAD decision. You have been providing an invaluable service for years. There’s no reason to change. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

  5124. Warren A

    Our ship has been torpedoed and no life raft is available. I’m certain Ancestry will make a replacement product available for FTM – look out for the increased price.
    We have time to look for an alternative to Ancestry and FTM. I’m certain a number of software companies will be releasing products to fill the gap.

  5125. Arabella Flynn

    Let’s see, less than 24 hours after you released the statement that you are discontinuing FTM and you have over 5,600+ posts from your customer base saying that this is a very stupid idea. Many of them are planning on leaving ancestry all together. Certainly hope you are paying attention to what is being said because you may find your company in ‘survival mode’ very soon. No company can exist without loyal customer support.

  5126. thomas hamlin

    Dumbest idea ever.

    How will I work offline? How will I update my online tree after doing expensive field research? Will I still be able to receive hints on my laptop version of Family Tree Maker?

    Your self inflicted wounds from the SNYC process could be solved if your software was not trying to be all things to all people.

    Finally, this move will severely limit your usefulness to me as a genealogist.

  5127. Mary R.

    From Legacy Family Tree: “On December 8, 2015, Ancestry announced it will stop selling Family Tree Maker as of Dec. 31, 2015. As a result we are receiving many inquiries asking how to move data from Family Tree Maker to Legacy.

    Watch the free 90 second video showing how: http://familytreewebinars.com/video-detail.php?video_id=76

    The Legacy for Beginners training video shows how to import a GEDCOM file. You can view the video at http://www.legacyfamilytree.net/videos/beg8/LegacyForBeginners.html and select Getting Started.

    The import will be very faithful, but please be aware of the following Family Tree Maker quirks:

    1. Facts are exported from Family Tree Maker with a PLAC tag, which in all other genealogy programs is reserved for Locations. Any program would import that as a Location and not an event. In Legacy, we have accommodated this by giving the user the option to determine at the time of import if the data is actually a location or an event and where to direct it. Just click the Save button.

    2. Pictures and documents inserted in the older versions of Family Tree Maker scrapbooks do not move to Legacy correctly, or not at all, depending in the version of Family Tree Maker. The article “Import GEDCOM” at http://wiki.phpgedview.net/en/index.php?title=Import_GEDCOM states, “Family Tree Maker is one of several off-line editing programs that does not properly handle media object pointers within the GEDCOM. Legacy, among many others, does handle these properly.” (Media object pointers is another way of saying multimedia links, or in other words pictures, sound, video and documents.) There are some other comments in that article on issues with FTM’s gedcoms.
    http://support.legacyfamilytree.com/article/AA-00507/0/GEDCOM-Export-from-Family-Tree-Maker-into-Legacy.html

  5128. Howard

    The ‘shaky leaf’ system is built on the Ancestry transcribed data combined with the data from the trees built by your users.

    I am disappointed, FTM is very useful as a proper offline tool for adding data to my tree then syncing it to my online tree when I want.

    My biggest concern is whether I will be able to access all the images I have assigned to my tree if my subscription is not active at that time – I will not subscribe when I am only adding very distant relatives, and do not want to lose access to all the work I have done so far.

    Also, will it be Russian roulette with treesync – everyone doing a final backup on 31 Dec 2016 – I would like a personal guarantee that treesync will work 100% with no connection issues.

  5129. Richard

    All the negative comments should be an eye-opener to those in charge of your organization. Count me among the users who will be canceling on 1/1/2017.

  5130. Rhendal Butler

    I agree that the new format stinks in Ancestry.com. I have been using Family Tree Maker forever and have a copy of every version. The versions after 2006 have been exceedingly slow and take fore ever to get anything done. Just who’s software will Ancestry.com be compatible. Really dumb decision!!!!.

  5131. Catherine

    I am joining the majority of Ancestry clients in voicing my anger with the decision to discontinue Family Tree maker. It’s been a great tool for reports, charts. The sync feature is so valuable that I wouldn’t be able to continue any more research on my family tree without it. Please reconsider this decision.

  5132. Atmywitsend

    I haven’t done any research in quite a while but just purchased 2015 FTM to start again. Luckily it comes with three months free membership. After that will I will not renew. I am disappointed that Ancestry will no longer support FTM. I guess you could say that support works both ways. After reading many of these comments perhaps they should re consider their decision

  5133. Ralph

    I just called customer service to verbally express my displeasure. Delightful person on the other end and she said to continue with the blog comments about this dumb move. At the end of the conversation is a survey where you can leave a voice message. Take advantage of it ;-).

    PLEASE do not abuse the call staff they are just doing their jobs.

  5134. Robert Wooden

    I just removed my family tree and will not upload it again unless this decision is reversed. I will also drop my membership and not renew it until this decision is reversed. I additionally insist that ancestry.com not only reverse this decision, but to embark on a project to dramatically improve Family Tree Maker. There are so many opportunities to make it better. If not, I will give my support to a competitor, and let the chips fall where they may.

  5135. I assume you will no longer allow my data to remain private. The only way to save data will be to save it to your cloud. This data, true or false, private or public will be mined by anyone who cares to mine it. I have not been impressed with your security for living people in the past. I don’t believe you have iron clad security, and data breeches are becoming more sophisticated!! I don’t see Ancestry.com having any printable charts. You need to keep FTM open and supported.

  5136. Kris

    I agree with the others who have posted before me, this is very disappointing. How will all the people who can not afford to keep up an ongoing subscription manage our trees when they are only on-line? Plus, I do not have internet access 100% of the time either, How will I, and anyone else in my position, work on our trees without internet access?

  5137. Donald B Peck

    Add me to the disappointed, disaffected, and disgusted. Are you going to provide online
    1. the ability to generate the reports printed by our printers that are possible with FTM?
    2. will there be provision to download our entire tree, including photos, notes, stories, and documentation in a form that can be loaded into other genealogical applications?
    3. if a subscription to Ancestry.com lapses, will the users tree be maintained, including all photos, notes, stories, and documentation?
    I believe you owe us answers. The answers will determine whether I continue my subscription with Ancestry.

  5138. Albert

    To those as distressed as I about this corporate stupidity, and who don’t have a CD to reload FTM with in event of a crash, you can find a few copies of the FTM 2014 CD on Ebay. They appear to be going fast, so don’t wait if you want the comfort of a backup CD for the program files.

  5139. Lynda

    I am so glad I wasn’t “smart” enough to back up my FTM to Ancestry. Now I do feel pretty level headed that I relied on flash drives and such. Ancestry has been playing their customers as a bunch of fools for years. If there is a class action law suit coming I want in.

  5140. C.J.

    I have used FTM for 20+ years and find this move on the part of Ancestry the most horrible decision the company could make. Ancestry is a tool I use to populate me FTM data not the other way around and will be cancelling my subscription to Ancestry Jan 2017. There are no good tools on Ancestry to compare with FTM tools and I want my data on my PC and not in any cloud!!!!!!!

  5141. Mary R.

    From legacy Family Tree: “On December 8, 2015, Ancestry announced it will stop selling Family Tree Maker as of Dec. 31, 2015. As a result we are receiving many inquiries asking how to move data from Family Tree Maker to Legacy.

    Watch the free 90 second video showing how: http://familytreewebinars.com/video-detail.php?video_id=76

    The Legacy for Beginners training video shows how to import a GEDCOM file. You can view the video at http://www.legacyfamilytree.net/videos/beg8/LegacyForBeginners.html and select Getting Started.

    The import will be very faithful, but please be aware of the following Family Tree Maker quirks:

    1. Facts are exported from Family Tree Maker with a PLAC tag, which in all other genealogy programs is reserved for Locations. Any program would import that as a Location and not an event. In Legacy, we have accommodated this by giving the user the option to determine at the time of import if the data is actually a location or an event and where to direct it. Just click the Save button.

    2. Pictures and documents inserted in the older versions of Family Tree Maker scrapbooks do not move to Legacy correctly, or not at all, depending in the version of Family Tree Maker. The article “Import GEDCOM” at http://wiki.phpgedview.net/en/index.php?title=Import_GEDCOM states, “Family Tree Maker is one of several off-line editing programs that does not properly handle media object pointers within the GEDCOM. Legacy, among many others, does handle these properly.” (Media object pointers is another way of saying multimedia links, or in other words pictures, sound, video and documents.) There are some other comments in that article on issues with FTM’s gedcoms.”

    http://support.legacyfamilytree.com/article/AA-00507/0/GEDCOM-Export-from-Family-Tree-Maker-into-Legacy.html

  5142. Robin

    It’s too bad I can’t cancel my subscription twice… already cancelled it because of the errors the new ancestry flooded my tree with, this announcement has me wanting to cancel it again. Whomever is in charge around there, quite frankly, needs to be fired.

  5143. Deb Delgato

    I use FTM 2012 and held off purchasing FTM 2014…so glad I did! My world subscription to Ancestry expires in May and will not be renewed. Hopefully, you will live to regret your decision and someone else will fill the void you are creating. Greed is a terrible thing!

  5144. JimM

    As a FTM owner from ver 1 and an Ancestry all-world subscriber for more years than I can remember I believe this is a big mistake. Not everything I enter in FTM is to be shared. Guess this is why I have kept my copy of Reunion updated.

  5145. John Kingham

    In common with all other posters I am appalled at your decision..please reconsider. If not how are you going to accommodate all those FTM users who rely heavily on the FTM software?

  5146. Mark B

    I wanted Family Tree Maker for Christmas in order that I could have a hard copy of my family tree to work on and share with family members that do not have internet access. This is no longer possible now. FTM allowed a way for this to occur. It seems that you only want your subscribers to have limited access to their trees through your portal and nothing else. I will be finding a way to copy my information and will be leaving Ancestry.com as soon as possible.

  5147. Tom

    If you plan to keep your ancestry.com membership until FTM support is finally ended, so that you might take advantage of the “little green leaf” connection to other researchers and their data on ancestry.com, you may not want to unlink and delete a tree you may have sync’d to ancestry.com. Without the linked tree your desktop FTM no longer has “little green leaf” connections, even though you are paying an annual ancestry membership. It may be best, in that case, to continue using FTM and maintaining an ancestry.com membership until you have an acceptable alternative tpo FTM/ancestry.com.

  5148. edSTie

    Absolutely ridiculous decision. Thousands upon thousands of dedicated genealogist have depended upon this company for years to support every aspect of their research. FamilyTreeMaker has been an integral part of the #1 hobby in this country and abroad………my affiliation with ANCESTRY will come to an end with this action. I, like many others, have enjoyed being able to maintain or records privately, yet with the ability to share if we choose. What will happen to the DNA linkages – I am truly sorry I ever purchased multiple DNA kits, should have gone with 23AND Me or National Geographic. By the way, I am a genealogist since 1962 – I think you are underestimating the impact this will have on your company – or perhaps you have fooled us all and are resting in the glory of having made so money from all of us that it doesn’t really matter to you any more. Peace and good tidings of the Christmas season.

  5149. This is a bombshell out of the blue! It appears to me that you have NOT considered the needs of your millions of loyal customers or you have made a BIG business blunder! There is no hope in your announcement for users, like myself, of FTM. Couldn’t care less on your part is what comes across in your email – bad, bad business decision & will take a long time to be forgiven by your EX-customers. You should have a least offered people an alternative instead of just pulling the plug on hours, months & years of hard work by many people across the globe. Many people will be Very annoyed – was that your intention??

  5150. David

    I’ve been using Family Tree Maker since before there was an “ANCESTRY.” FTM is my main genealogical repository and contains YEARS of accumulated personal research notes etc that are not possible to keep on ANCESTRY. At a minimum, please continue to allow FTM users the ability to merge info from ANCESTRY into FTM so that we can keep a permanent copy of our work and produce reports.

  5151. DAvid Blackwell

    “we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market”
    Yep, it’s always difficult abandoning customers but excuses that are inappropriate to the decision show just how out-of-touch business management is with every-day practicalities.
    Ancestry Publish went first, now it’s the last remaining tool to construct a printed version of family lineage to share with non-tech relatives. This is a large part of what all the effort is about, not just to keep it to the researcher. Viewing Ancestry on a smart-phone is a daft idea, if not impossible. Even viewing individual’s content is tedious using a desk-top. The only practical way is on a desktop with a large screen. Maintaining the sync would at least be to recognise the value of customers who have invested in this business over many years.
    So what Ancestry is telling us is “go buy someone else’s product”. Well, OK!

  5152. Richard

    When your support for FTM ends, so too will my 10 year subscription with ancestry. Going by the comments submitted, its clear that the serious genealogists who use your website. like myself, do not approve of charges you are making and will not tolerate it. As said before, this is all about corporate making more money.You should think long and hard if making an extra dollar now is worth losing your reputation within the genealogical community and the lose of customers that it will inevitably bring.

  5153. Dot

    I was wondering why when my subscription to Ancestry came due this wasn’t mentioned. So I could determine if I wanted to keep Ancestry. I hate the new format so after my subscription is up I won’t be renewing it.

  5154. Terry

    It is interesting that the now defunct FTM14 is still on sale. But Ancestry don’t seem to concerned about their users, only about the $$$s in their account.

  5155. Douglas Gibson

    I echo all the comments above. If you really appreciate our feedback you will change yor decision. Sounds like GREED to me. Shame!

  5156. Douglas Gibson

    I echo all the comments above. If you really appreciate our feedback you will change your decision. Sounds like GREED to me. Shame!

  5157. Bill Bailey

    I can see that the discontinuation of Family Tree Maker is about as popular as cancer. The decision is inexplicable in terms of customer satisfaction and service. One suspects that Ancestry’s unwillingness to continue Family Tree Make might be a portent of other eventual service cuts, either in the crass interest of higher profits and/or financial over extension by Ancestry.

    I believe it behoves Ancestry to point to away for its customers to avail themselves of competent alternative family tree software, including synchronization with the (new) Ancestry site.

    The new site has some clever features that are, however, non-essential; it is hardly a substitute for desktop software.

  5158. Judith

    Let me become the 5436th negative comment on this horrible and selfish decision to drop FTM and Sync support. Your reasoning that the software market is declining over recent years doesn’t address the fact that thousands of SERIOUS FAMILY GENEALOGISTS and professional genealogists still use FTM religiously and rely on it to properly organize graphics, files, and most importantly sources. FTM and other computer based software programs are also the only way we can print reports, charts, and books of our work without having to pay exorbitant fees from your 3rd party printer service for canned books with very limited customization options. I agree that the phone app and ipad app are crap when it comes to database management. Too slow, too cumberson, no comparison to computer based software.
    I differentiate a SERIOUS genealogist from a casual user of Ancestry who gets their 2 free weeks and may be intrigued enough to buy another month before they drop out because of the high cost. We the SERIOUS and PROFESSIONAL users of Ancestry’s files who buy a World Subscription every stinking year absolutely HATE the new user interface on the web site and much prefer the old clean non-cluttered one that you just abandoned. Where is the support for US, the ones who pay for your web site with our hard earned fees?
    I will spend this next year gathering as many sources as I can from your files and syncing them to my FTM. Then, if you don’t change your mind about supporting Tree Sync for FTM, I will delete my 30,000 name sized tree from your site and drop my membership to Ancestry. I can’t believe that for the first time since my online research started in 1995, my stalwart support from Ancestry is abandoning me.

  5159. George

    I, too, have been a user of FTM for many years. I am also very disappointed with this decision. I occasionally subscribe to Ancestry.com, but I do not think that will be in my future plans. Too bad I paid them to take my DNA. As I move to another software solution for family research, I will be attempting to remove all data that I have contributed to Ancestry.com. I encourage all FTM users to do the same.

  5160. John B.

    The decision is a tell-tail sign of the emergence of poor leadership. “Customer Service” is the new lip service.

  5161. Robert Wilson

    A very dumb move. Obviously a selfish money grabbing move by Ancestry. I do not like or will/use mobile devices for research.

  5162. Sam

    If you want the comfort of a CD on hand for the FTM 2014 software, there are a very few copies available on Ebay but they probably won’t last long.

  5163. Bob Janes

    I would have to agree with all the writers before me. This is a BAD idea. If all of us drop our subscriptions to Ancestry, you could very well be out of business.

  5164. Carol

    Another brilliant move by the Ancestry powers that be. You seem intent on driving away all serious researchers. I doubt that you will be able to maintain a customer base for long. Most of the younger crowd you are focusing on will quickly tire of the novelty and cancel. By the time you realize the mistake you have made, it will probably be too late to save your company. You are self destructing. Good luck guys!

  5165. Howard Blair

    Please flood the 1-800 number and this blog. I called them and fired the guy who made this decission to stop FTM. A lot of good that did.

  5166. David

    I have just purchaesd FTM (Dec 2015) only to find out that you no longer intend to support it! If I had know that you intended to drop FTM I would have save my money. Any chance of a refund!

  5167. MaryG

    I am adding my voice to the others asking that you reconsider your decision to discontinue FTM. I have no intention of only keeping my tree on Ancestry, so I will be searching for a new software to use. That means my research will be on hold. It makes no sense to continue to add information to an obsolete program, then have to move it all to a new program. And since I also have no intention of trying to maintain a tree on my computer and a separate one on Ancestry, you are forcing me to take down my Ancestry trees. I will miss the hints and the DNA matches, but I have no other choice. Your decision has severely lessened the value of my world subscription. I will be reevaluating the benefits versus the cost. Please reconsider this decision.

  5168. Ray Lopez

    I agree with the thousands of other customers, this is a total disgrace on your part and a lack of respect for your customers. You have taken away some of the My Canvas features in previous updates; now you are leaving us without anything! There will always be desktops and laptops, your rational makes absolutely no sense at all.

  5169. I am disgusted that you are ceasing Family Tree Maker .I want a full refund or i will be seeking redress through the small claims court here in Ireland. Well done Ancestry nice Christmas Present to your Customers !

  5170. TomH

    I remember longing for a major update to software. Then several years ago the major upgrade came and I have hated your software ever since. Maybe this is one of the main reasons for continued decline in sales. I am a very tech savvy computer user and I have never been able to get into the flow of your new software.

  5171. TSN

    This is a terrible announcement to make without more concrete information about what functionality will be available through the website (as there are several features right now only available in the software) and more importantly whether we have to be a paying member just to maintain and access our family trees and be able to work in them (because I can see you doing something like saying, sure you can access the tree, but without paying, you can’t actually DO anything with it).
    Regardless of answers to those questions, it’s a really lame move on the part of Ancestry. I was already hating the new interface and now I’m being forced to use it or buy another software. Likely I will move away from Ancestry altogether – which is sad, because then I won’t be sharing my family tree on the site for others to use. Isn’t that the whole point? Crowdsourcing information for everyone to have access to? It seems that taking away Sync and FTM software will just eliminate updates or additions to the growing trees.

  5172. Connie Rosler

    Good grief! What were you thinking? I have invested years with this program…countless hours. Now what? You will be the Grinch of the year!

  5173. Debra Whitson

    Family history research is my way to relax. I depend a great deal upon the Family Tree Make program because I really don’t want all my information on the “cloud”. After all the time & money I’ve invested in what has been a very dependable program for many years, you decide to desert me & others that depend on it. I don’t even need improvements to the current version. All I need is support in case something goes wrong. Evidently you don’t think too much of your LOYAL customers if you’re willing to do away with well done software. I will be actively searching for another software that maybe I can depend on to be around.

  5174. Bernard

    This is a stupid decision, adobe did the same thing and now I no longer subscribe to adobe, when support ends so does my subscription. Hopefully another company will offer and alternative. One word STUPID

  5175. David

    I for one will not renew my subscription also as this #$%^&*(*. Been using FTM since the 1990s and have over 22,000 people and thousand of hours of data input. Will be looking at alternatives….

  5176. Crol

    And Happy Holidays to All of You Too! You have got to be kidding me? I have all my work on FTM and it is why I subscribe to Ancestry. Maybe all of us should make out trees private before this goes into effect. What will replace it and how will we be able to publish charts and save information we only have on FTM? Bah humbug!

  5177. Amy

    I am truly disappointed to hear this news. I guess my biggest concern would be about the capability of being able to continue to create to GEDCOM files from our Ancestry trees online so that we can export/open them in other/another genealogy program for desktop use. I use the mobile app when working with family members, but I rarely use it for research. The majority of my work is done using my desktop FTM. Because I do not ‘trust’ any one program to keep my records and work safe I’ve gotten into the habit of keeping more than one copy of each tree in two desktop programs and back them up frequently to an external drive (I do not trust ‘cloud’ storage with my precious family history.). If Ancestry were to stop allowing online users to create GEDCOM files for download to another softwear program…well then, you would probably lose my membership.

  5178. Cheryl S.

    As stated on message posts and many times in feedback to Ancestry.com: Just when I think Ancestry couldn’t possibly do anything more to damage the cause of family history research, they prove me wrong. Hopefully it is now apparent to everyone that this emperor has no clothes. Decisions in this company are being made by folks who do not understand even the basics of family research, much less give a fig about it. With his “shakey leaf” system and mobile app, Kendall Hulet has turned family history research into a video game to be conducted on your smart phone, the goal to see who can construct the largest and most ridiculously impossible family tree. Has he now crossed a line that even the most ardent Ancestry apologist can’t accept? Time will tell….

  5179. Heather

    As a FTM user which I use to print, edit and share with other family members and my own records. I have been a long time Ancestry member, FTM and DNA subscriber and will be considering canceling if I do not like what will come after FTM. I would like to know what you will be doing to replace the features I get from FTM.

  5180. George Perrett

    I just sent this letter to Mr. Sullivan, President and CEO. I share it here:

    Mr. Timothy Sullivan via facsimile and regular first class mail
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Ancestry.com
    360 West 4800 North
    Provo, UT 84604

    RE: Decision to Discontinue Family Tree Maker

    Dear Mr. Sullivan:

    Wow!!

    And here I thought Donald Trump was the only guy yesterday “borrowing trouble.” That was — until I got Ancestry.com’s email last night announcing it was discontinuing Family Tree Maker.

    It was April 23, 1985 – a year before I started law school at Emory University, otherwise known as Coca Cola U – and a brain trust of executives at Coke decided that their business plan going forward would involve the changing of the Coca Cola formula. Coke management apparently determined that they would be able to absorb any “temporary” market loss, as they shifted customer focus and their customer base to this “slightly” different product, through aggressive marketing to a targeted new generation of Coke drinkers.

    We all know how that went, now, don’t we? I am sure you studied this disaster while at Harvard Business School. Yet, apparently, you as the leader of one of America’s great dot.com success stories, the leader of a company that sells “history,” have forgotten this historical lesson of corporate leadership that lost sight of the fact that even the most powerful of “brands” can’t save a failing product.

    Sure, discontinuing support for Family Tree Maker may sound innocuous enough. After all, products are discontinued all the time. You can’t find 8 track tape players anymore and even the portable CD players of just a few years ago have gone by the technological wayside. Your decision here, however, is different.

    If it is Ancestry.com’s intent is to focus on the growth of its online product, it is grossly miscalculating how the growth of its online product market is shaped by the availability of its companion software. Bottom line, in my opinion, the growth of Ancestry.com’s online product will stagnate if it doesn’t have its companion software piece.

    Let me put it to you another way – you will have the greatest library of genealogical research in history and fewer and fewer people willing to pay more than $200 annually for their library card. You see, with a library card, even if for a brief moment, you still get to hold the book. Family Tree Maker is the book.

    What is amazing to me is that a company whose growth is based on the knowledge of “family” could display such a glaring lack of knowledge concerning its own “family” – the customers that buy its product, both online and software. What is more amazing to me is that, despite the obvious talent on your accomplished leadership team, not one of you apparently understands how your online product is used.

    I know that you have done very well with your TV marketing campaign where “Susie Smith” learns more about her long lost “Aunt Mabel.” I have seen your October, 2015 financial reports. But, if you think that it is the Susie Smiths of the world that will sustain your online product, respectfully, you’re wrong. First, while your ad pitch is catchy, if Susie Smith needed your online product to first learn about her Aunt Mabel or her Grandpa Jones, one thing is clear – she’s not the kind of customer who is likely to continue looking for relatives 5 and 6 generations back.

    Susie Smith is a one and done. Unless you’re into genealogy to the point that you purchase Family Tree Maker, there are no casual, recidivist genealogists.

    And, even if Susie Smith is turned on to the online product enough that she wants to continue her genealogical research, do you think she’s going to do it without the ease and convenience of software that makes her research tangible? No. She didn’t do it before when recording her family history was difficult and she certainly won’t do it now if it’s equally difficult.

    Genealogy is big business, but let’s not lose sight that Ancestry.com is in the hobby market. The hobby market is focused on what people do with their idle time. People are busy and, like most hobbies, Ancestry.com should know that: 1) genealogy is not the type of hobby that you pick up casually; and, 2) it’s certainly not the type of hobby that you pay more than $200 annually for access to a site if you’re really not that interested. And, if you’re interested in genealogy enough to pay more than $200.00 for an annual internet fee, you want something tangible from the purchase.

    Family Tree Maker makes genealogical research tangible. People want to see, touch, have the benefit of their research. This is how your online product is used. This is the value added to your online product.

    People don’t want to pass a computer back and forth to family members and point to a screen. What are you guys thinking?

    Ancestry’s Mission Statement is “to help everyone discover, preserve and share their family history.” [Emphasis added].

    To a loyal customer base that pays you more than $200.00 per year for your site, can you explain to me how discontinuing the enabling software that preserves their thousands of hours of research (I have literally spent thousands of hours in research over years and years) in tangible form, with records and pictures, etc., and permits your users to share it with family members, historical societies and community libraries meets your mission statement? Really, I’m serious. Explain it to me and millions of other loyal customers who are stunned by your decision and whose research is now greatly marginalized.

    I urge you to read the literally hundreds, if not now thousands, of blog postings on your site that echo my points in this letter. As so many of these wrongminded corporate decisions are made on easily avoidable mistakes, I further urge you to reconsider your company’s decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker. If you persist with this decision, Ancestry.com’s astounding health and success reflected in its October, 2015 financial statements will surely, even if slowly, erode.

    Don’t become next year’s dot.com disaster. Mr. Sullivan, don’t let Ancestry.com become the latest case study of poor corporate decisions that my son reviews when he attends Harvard Business School.

    Rethink your decision. Please.

    Very truly yours,

    George T. Perrett

  5181. Larry J

    I will not be renewing my Ancestry subscription. The link between the software and the website is the most valuable asset you offer. To eliminate this tool is BIG BIG mistake. I have been a customer since I first stared finding my roots in the 1990’s. Your Family Tree software is what kept me as a customer.. So sad to see you go but you have just eliminated the reason to stay and pay the fee I do. I think the FEE we all pay more than pays for your experts. I see company GREED as the reason.

  5182. Jim

    I am extremely disappointed in the decision to abandon FamilyTreemaker (FTM). Having used both the Ancestry.com website and the Ancestry app on my phone, I find that they are lacking in both features and ease of use compared to FTM. Should there not be rapid and significant improvement in these areas, I will be seeking alternative ways of storing my research data. I believe that you have missed the mark in identifying the demographics of your customer base and the speed of, what you believe to be, the demise of the desktop-type interface. The debacle of Microsoft’s Windows 8 roll-out should have been factored in your decision. Windows 10 is on a number of hybrids and tablets. Having been in IT management for years, I fully understand the cost entailed in supporting multiple product interfaces, but the revenue you will potentially lose from disgruntled customers will also impact your bottom line and open the door for savvy competitors to capitalize on this poor decision. From the number of negative comments on this blog, I would suggest that a reevaluation of this decision would be prudent.

  5183. Corinne

    This is extremely bad news! I want to make hard copies of my work to share with family, and Ancestry.com does a poor job of this. Will you at least beef up your publishing capabilities?

  5184. LyndaL

    Why in the world is the FTM product still available to purchase when you are abandoning it and on your purchase for $69.xx site you don’t even have a caveat “Give me your money so I can empty my shelves of existing product and dump it for support”. We got email warnings. Your marketing page still selling the product doesn’t tell them they are paying $69.xx for a product being dumped!!!

  5185. Dawn

    So how about answering some of the questions we are asking. So will you provide your lync service to another software like Roots Magic. When we do a Gedcom to transfer to another software, have you worked with them to make the best transfer possible. When this happened with TMG, they worked with Legacy and RootsMagic to make things easier. Tks

  5186. Audra

    This is ridiculous. Like many others, I use the website in conjunction with my software at home. Remove that software and I’ll go look for something that gives me the functionality I like. I don’t use your web interface at all anymore since you changed it recently it’s garbage.

  5187. Ron Armstrong

    What more could I possibly say about the very poor decision on the part of Ancestry management to discontinue a very good product, Family Tree Maker. It is evident, there are many other longtime users of this very good program out there that feel abandoned and cheated. I, as I’m sure, many others have paid Ancestry a lot of money over the years to now be abandoned. I hope and trust you will reconsider. Think about what will happen to your membership.

  5188. Carol

    Lets all of us keep posting when we find alternatives and how to transfer our trees and pictures to another program. It will be helpful to all of us who are not all tech savy

  5189. Disappointing news of the forthcoming demise of Family Tree Maker so could I make a plea for Ancestry Tree Sync support for RootsMagic. I have been using this software for almost as long as I have been using Ancestry, it is a very well supported and they issue regular updates responding to users problems and issues.

  5190. John H

    Well it to bad that Ancestry and Kendall Hulet don’t care about what the customer wants and needs! Their more interested in the bottom line and making a buck, then help mankind! I will be exploring other options, including cancelling my subscription. I to have been with Ancestry & FTM since the beginning. So Long!!!.

  5191. Jeremy

    I’ve just had this very helpful reply from the guys at Family Historian within 10 minutes of emailing them:

    “Firstly we have no intentions of discontinuing Family Historian.

    You can move your tree to Family Historian from FTM, please see
    http://www.fhug.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=how_to:import_from_family_tree_maker

    Media which is directly attached is exported if you are using FTM 2012 or above, however media which is directly attached to Ancestry (typically Census Pages or Registry entries) are exported as links to Ancestry, so will need to be re-done.

    We recommend you download our free 30 day trial to see if Family Historian suits your requirements.

    It can be downloaded from:
    http://www.family-historian.co.uk/download/family-historian-6-free-trial-download/

    For UK genealogists, note that this is a UK company. I like the idea of no longer financing a faceless American conglomerate.

  5192. Malikia Gabay

    I am extremely disappointed, extremely so. The website does not produce the reports, charts etc that make for excellent research. Nor the reminder notes of things to do. This is a big mistake. You can’t even do a pdf of your tree. I have reached the point in my research where I need to do field work. The software is invaluable . I don’t like the format of the new ancestry but I put up with it. I will begin searching other software companies and more than likely drop my membership. Otherwise you need to reconsider your decision,

  5193. MargieW

    You introduce this info right before Christmas. Like a pink slip. Please reconsider your decision. I’ve been using FTM for over 20 years and will be lost without. At least give us other options or modify your option. You are affecting so many people and I don’t understand the reason except for more money. Sad.

  5194. Marg

    As to TOM suggesting that trees that are not linked don’t get the “little green leaf” hint, I believe that is not correct. All of my trees that have never been linked to ancestry.com do get the “little green leaf”. That is part of the FTM software.

  5195. Carol

    Perhaps many of us need to make our trees all private before this goes into effect. Also, we need to keep helping each other of where and how to move our trees and pictures to another program that is more supportive of us. Not all of us are tech savy

  5196. Jean

    We only have over 5600 comments which is a drop in the bucket as Ancestry has over 2,000,000 subscribers. I THINK THIS NOTICE HAS ONLY BEEN SENT TO FTM USERS, they already know the number of potential customers they could loose; that is why we have not received further comments from Ancestry regarding this decision. Remember each comment represents a $ VALUE, the more comments, the higher potential loss in REVENUE for Ancestry! They already made a big mistake with the new website and they are about to make an even bigger mistake with the cancellation of FTM, the only reason we are still customers. They need to realize the true value of the LOYAL CUSTOMERS who supported them for many years and only MONEY talks! Please Comment!!

  5197. Kay

    I now understand why ancestry.com has been so aggressively new and improving on the weekends. That is when I have trouble with my index messing up and I have to stop and fix it and why my FTM is so sluggish especially then. All your fancy updates have been frustrating. Just sell the FTM so someone else if you think it is no good.

  5198. Joel

    Count me in as one disappointed customer. The only reason I use Ancestry is because of FTM. I am probably gone. You did not guarantee TreeSync afte Jan 2017. So pretty soon it will become obsolete and not able to interface with your website as you update it. I understand the financial reasons you are doing this. So you will understand the financial reason when I discontinue my membership

  5199. Nancy

    You might want to send out another upate VERY, VERY quickly about your future plans to allow members to save their trees and contents, otherwise you might want to consider how much additonal server space you’ll be needing over the next few months. Members who have lost faith that their source images will be available to them offline may spend their next few months of subscription downloading EVERY SINGLE SOURCE DOCUMENT they’ve found over the past fifteen years.

  5200. Greville

    Well, you are moving fast if comments have to be by 12.22, and its all very well making a statement like this – but what exactly are you proposing to do instead? You just open yourself to negative comments.

  5201. Ida B. Watson

    What can I add to the foregoing comments of disappointed faithful users of your products? I have used Family Tree Maker since before Broderbund. When Ancestry arrived, I eagerly came on board. I have not put my material on line for several reasons mostly that most I have not completely cited my material and don’t want to join on- line trees that are uncited, “incestuous” and unreliable. Yes there are many quite great on line web sites (Trees) on Ancestry. I do have some personal material on trees on line that I have contributed to the writers of but have never received courtesy comment by them. One case in point is the Pendell family pictures collages that have appeared all over — including Albert, Canada and Alaska — that were prepared by me and promptly put on-line.
    All complaint aside – I just hope that it will be possible to continue with Family Tree in some fashion, some compromise. Such a waste of sincere mostly non-professional followers. I hesitate to mention that I am 90 in the same breath that I find the “new Ancestry” un-manageable – but I noted some others have similar reaction. Can’t all “be over the hill”.
    I said my piece – may we all be happier with change.

  5202. David

    Also like to point out as others have is that internet access is not everywhere and for sure not at grave sites and most churchs do not have wifi and ones that do usually have passwords and they tend not to want to let people other than members online. Many a company have shot themselves in the foot by saying there are enhancing the user experience but real are looking at the short term and don’t listen to the people that supported them to where they are now – just look how far eBay has fallen. They use to be THE place to find deals or sell your items, now it’s just a shadow of itself and riddled with fakes and junk for China.

  5203. George Perrett

    BTW, I just got an Ancestry DNA offer for $89. I told them to stick it. I suggest others do the same.

  5204. Gail Barnes

    READ this post quickly…it might be taken down:
    Would Ancestry remove my 12/8 comments just because I mentioned Kendall Hulet who posted Ancestry’s big announcement on retiring FTM? He is a young, newly-promoted product manager, who does not seem to care about loyalty or understand what researchers want or need. He helped develop the new website ‘look,’ and the ‘shakey leaf’ thingie. Does he think only APPs will work for every situation? Has he ever done extensive family research and does he understand the effort that goes into a family research project and maintaining a family database, etc.? We need all the tools we can get, including FTM. Sad, sad day. Shame on Ancestry.
    ( I was sure I posted my comments on 12/8 between 10pm & 12 midnight, but I can’t find them. Maybe Ancestry’s announcement was just too much for me. )

  5205. Arlene

    Very sorry to learn you are dropping FTM. I ditto all the above and I really do not like the gimmicky stuff you have put on ancestry.com. For the most part, the website t is not particularly helpful. I do not think you have really considered who your market is. We may be fluent with FTM and various searches. We are not necessarily all that attached to assorted mobile devices. Very bad decision. Guess BIG BUSINESS wins again.

  5206. Charlie

    I am very disappointed! I have been using FTM for 10 years and recommending it to everyone I could. Now you do away with it – very sad!

  5207. Tory

    What an awful and transparent decision. It’s all about forcing people to subscribe to ancestry, not providing a better service or product. If you want people to subscribe, try making that subscription affordable. It’s EXTREMELY expensive. Discontinuing Family tree maker will not increase your subscriptions; all it does is leave thousands of dissatisfied customers.

  5208. Doug

    This really %#$^ me off. I have over 50,000 people in my tree, with tons of notes. I have never figured out how the online tree works so what,,,Do I lose everything? I want my money back since Ancestry.com is no longer relevant or usable.

  5209. John W

    While I comprehend that new purchases of this software can still be had until the end of 2015, and that official and continued support for the software program will be maintained “at least until Jan 1, 2017” (that’s a full year from now), and that even then all the existing installed software will, presumably, continue to work as it does now (especially for those who only use it off-line), the question seems to be: what will happen to those aspects of the program which now DO interact with the Ancestry.com website? Will their non-functioning cause errors and crashes in the program, thereby rendering the software useless? Or will those defunct portions of the software play nice and stay quiet and out of the way of the continued use of the desktop software database?
    In short Mr. Kendall Hulet/Ancestry there are many questions which urgently need to be addressed to calm the panic from your upset users. That stated, I do join the throng and with one voice state: DON’T DO IT, please RECONSIDER this decision. Thanks in advance for your respectful consideration of the concerns of so many of us, your long time, and formerly loyal consumer base!

  5210. Robert

    To the powers that be at Ancestry it appears from the comments above and logical common sense you have a very very short window of opportunity to fix this and turn your decision around tic tic

  5211. Gail

    THIS IS A DECISION MOTIVATED BY GREED ON YOUR PART. CONSIDER YOUR LOYAL FOLLOWERS AND DON’T GO DOWN THIS PATH.

  5212. John

    I have been an ancestry.com and FTM user since the 1990’s. I have used all of the services offered. I currently work with a group of senior citizen genealogists who are members of our computer club and use many different genealogy software and search products. I use both FTM and Legacy for the advantages that each offer. I much prefer maintaining my 25 years of genealogical records in my own software product. I subscribe to the maximum offering of ancestry.com for the actual records, the database search ability, and ability to collaborate with others. I use each of the features in FTM that are not available through ancestry.com and will miss them greatly. I feel this strongly enough to discontinue my personal and organizational support of ancestry should FTM cease to exist and improve from that currently offered. This decision is likely to have a very poor corporate impact from an individual genealogist viewpoint.

  5213. Scrolling through the many emails you have posted here, it seems that the decision to give up on Family Tree Maker is not proving to be a popular one. Any chance that the board or whoever it is that makes decisions, will re-think this one?

  5214. Cindy Hoffman

    World Explorer Membership —— $300.00
    Started February 28, 2015
    —Actually paid for MANY years—-
    Ends on February 28, 2016 —– Will not be renewing.
    I work mostly from the program on my computer and I HATE HATE HATE the new look of Ancestry online.

  5215. Roy

    Ridiculous. That leaves only 1 main genealogy program left…Legacy Family Tree. I still use TMG and older versions of FTM for backups of my data and their better charts, but my main one was the newer FTM. Thanks a lot! Thank goodness I never did purchase a membership to Ancestry.com!

  5216. Pam

    Horrible thing to do. Make us dependant on dedicated software. Encourage us to invest in new releases of the software. Decide that the software will no longer be supported come 2017. Many of us have built our trees to be used with FTM. I can’t understand why it would be discontinued. There will be loads of people, like me, who view the trees and data, on their computers and laptops and hard drives as the ‘hard copy’ and however it manifests online is there for sharing ultimately. The data and software, at home, is the business end. We can make spreadsheets to help us focus our efforts and flag up potential blunders. We can do things with the software that are just impossible online. Please don’t take it away. A lot of us will have been using FTM brand genealogical software as if it’s the last brand we will ever use. We have molded ourselves, over years, to working optimally with it. We have forgiven it crashing occasionally, being sluggish, lacking some versatility – because we believed it was a ’till death us do part’ situation.

  5217. Sanford B.

    Your action reminds me of my childhood when my job was to shovel out the barn. It is a lot unpleasant actions that affects each and every customer. After 20 years and well into my 80’s, GOODBY. Too old to put up with your greedy actions. May the Grinch leave you a large chunk of coal.

  5218. RMau

    I too am not pleased with this decision by ACOM to stop development and support of FTM. What appalling timing, right before families gather for the holidays. A prime time for making new family connections and discoveries. I suspect a lot of conversations will now be at least partially about what a thoughtless and tone deaf company ACOM is these days

    When I pay Ancestry for what they provide, the value calculation that I make includes both the subscription to online content and the integration of that content to FTM. I consider the two as one integrated system. This FTM decision breaks that integration and, for me, greatly diminishes the value I receive for my money.

    I am old enough to recall where I was and what I was doing the day that President Kennedy was shot and killed. By a wide margin most of the people I know who embrace their role as the family historian are of similar age. We share stories of how politely interested in family history most younger people are, including our own children, but how hard it is to get them to participate and share the work of research.

    We are the demographic that actually has the time, money and motivation to do serious genealogical work. We use desktops, with screens that we can easily read. We keep paper records. We make paper charts and reports to share with our families. We have actually signed up for Ancestry’s services and have consistently used them, in contrast to the many trees that show up as hints, but have a dozen names with no sources and haven’t been accessed by their owner in over a year.

    Yet we are not considered a ‘target demographic’ for most web-based businesses, including ACOM. This is evident by the redesign of the ACOM web interface to accommodate smartphones & tablets and this decision to drop development and support of FTM.

    If there is indeed a decline in the use of FTM (or desktop software) as ACOM claims, I think that their own advertising is largely responsible. Their ads tout the ease of entering a few names online and, viola, hints appear and your tree grows. As if ACOM does all the heavy lifting for you. Anyone who does this for a while knows it just isn’t that easy. So what happens? All of those people who bite on the advertisements get disillusioned and discouraged because they don’t magically get a complete and interesting family tree. They move on and never become involved enough to purchase, and use, FTM.

    I will spend the rest of my subscription time deciding if my tree has enough unanswered questions left to warrant a renewal. I’ll also be looking for alternatives for online research databases. I will not want to pay ACOM the same amount of money for services that will have taken a step backwards with the loss of FTM integration.

  5219. Joe Sallee

    You did the same thing to your My Family.com progran. In the transition I lost all the personal information members of my family had posted. I will start transfering everything over to MY Heritage. Can’t trust you anymore. Why deal with a pig in a poke company. You just lost a 10 year customer

  5220. June Beason

    Why would you eliminate the top selling family tree software on the market. None of your apps or ancestry.com online family tree can hold a candle to FTM. I work on my PC because it gives me the most flexibility and you are taking that away. I have been in genealogy software from the beginning with Roots M. It evolved into UFT which was a better program then FTM at the time. It was bought out and eliminated. It seems you are doing the same. I am highly disappointed in your company. Apparently profits mean more than your customers. I will be looking for alternatives. I am also a big user of Ancestry.com. That may have to change since the ease of use will diminish greatly. This is very disappointing.

  5221. Duane

    Another entity bought out for profit alone, without considering the needs of humans and our intentions to create community. Sorry Ancestry, you have lost all my trust. Wont consider using you!!!

  5222. Zach

    Omg, I can not believe this! This is the worst news I’ve heard all year. FTM is some of the Best software of its kind out there and what a bad discussion to abandon FTM. I’ve been a member of Ancestry since early 2012, paying for your service ever since than and this is how me and us all, are paid back for our loyalty. I use FTM everyday, it is my passion, working on my family tree! You all have got to rethink this discussion! Don’t let us all down like this, come on, please! Also, I feel Tree Sync should be available indefinitely even if you no longer offer the software for those of us who enjoy the functionality and interface of being able to also use the software. Like other’s have already said, I think you will lose a lot of customers, including me after Jan. 1, 2017!!! 🙁
    When are you going to address our concerns????

  5223. Randy Sheik

    I was thinking about renewing my Ancestry membership. I use the FTM software for recording a duplicate and for doing all that the on-line web-site just doesn’t do. When a user is paying big $$$ to have an annual World Explorer membership and to use that in conjunction with the Ancestry web-site for a quality experience and then you make this decision, I can only ask myself one question. “Why would I renew?”

  5224. Barbara Wygren

    I think this is the second mistake Ancestry is making this year. The first is forcing New ancestry on everyone; the screens are too dark. Obviously they are considering their main users, retired researchers. I for one wish I had not just registered the dna kit I just ordered would have sold it on ebay. Will make my tree private, why should I help ancestry with my research; obviously the don’t want to help or listen to researchers.

  5225. Sharon

    This is so disappointing. I’ve used FTM for years. Working online can be a lot slower than updating FTM locally and then sending the info up to ancestry after making my changes to FTM. I understand that it doesn’t mean we can’t continue to use FTM, but it does mean that there will be no more upgrades to the type of information that we can get from FTM will no longer be available and that other software vendors who continually provide upgrades will be more appealing.

  5226. J Hurley

    If you’re planning on discontinuing the software, why not make it open source so us, developers, can continue developing and improving it for all genealogists that put thousands of hours of work into their researches?

  5227. Clinton Ivins

    Your decision confirms the worst fears of family historians who have put years of work into their research: that the core tools that they use to organize and store their research will go away. Serious researchers must use a tool that resides on their own machines and over which they have complete control. If you intend to restrict your market to the crowd which finds “shaky leaves” the niftiest thing since sliced bread, then go right ahead, but you’ll cut your own throats, because your base which is seriously interested in genealogy will desert you. Genealogy software is very “sticky”; after migrating their data elsewhere, they will never come back.

  5228. Andrew Dreszer

    Well it just confirms nothing is forever. Ancestry’s success will depend on how they guide their customers through this transition. Like others I will be exploring options.

  5229. andygw1961

    As you can see from the lengthy feedback you have been getting….your customers are not satisfied and you have failed to respond to the concerns raised. I use FTM on a professional basis and have done for 5 years investing heavily in the software and packages. What are you proposing to replace this with?

  5230. Laura

    Extremely disappointed with this decision, are data files compatible with any other desktop based software ? i.e. can the be imported into another software application ?

  5231. Paul McMahon

    I have just read many of the comments above and agree with what has been said.
    I cannot believe that such a popular software as FTM is going to be canned. To say the least this will be an inconvenience to myself & all others that have family tree info. I tried the App & the updated online version on Ancestry but went back to the old way of researching which is much easier. I have a number of family trees on the go not just for members of my family but for friends who do not or cannot afford to do the research themselves. it’s the old saying ‘If it works, don’t break it’ in this case DON’T DUMP IT.

  5232. Ryan James

    Not happy. Not happy at all! So much for providing what your paying customers want and need. I’m sorry to say that I shall not be renewing my subscription…

  5233. Jackie

    OMG! I have used FTM since it’s very beginning. Now what. I use both Ancestry and FTM . I quess it is time to plan to save my trees and documentation.

  5234. Wanda

    I agree with all of the previous comments. This is a ploy to get us to always have to do subscriptions because we now no longer will have our “hard copy” saved to our hard drives. It’s just about money. You are alienating the wrong group of people. The youth market (which is obviously who you are catering to with this decision) are not the ones who do the most research. It is the older costumers. We are the ones taking the time to delve into our genealogy. You are losing the group that supports you. Good luck attracting and keeping the younger people! I will cancel my subscription as of now and work with the information I have already. It’s enough to keep me busy.

  5235. Anita Butler

    I also want to add my dismay and extreme disappointment with all the other folks about your decision to axe FTM. I don’t have the time or interest to read all 5,656 who probably agree with me. I have read several hundred and have not seen one who was excited about the change. I have faithfully paid my expensive Ancestry membership to gain access to your wonderful databases. BUT, I dislike your recent tree changes. The only benefit is being able to ‘borrow’ the research of other connected researchers. I use FTM primarily to write an annual story for my 1,550+ family reunion. In 2006 I printed a family story with descendant reports and it was easy with that version of FTM. Soon after Ancestry got more involved in FTM around 2010, the book portion has been less user-friendly. I have resorted to just sharing files of my book by email. So, what am I supposed to do in 2017 when FTM ends and those reports are no longer available? I am too busy with Christmas preparations now, but in January I am sure I will begin to panic about how to transfer all my FTM files to another software program. I have used FTM since version 9 and was cautious but willing when Ancestry joined them to beef up their online search capabilities. But when you started to take over and dominate and when you started running those expensive commercials and TV shows, that is when I realized you were in this for the money. Obviously Ancestry is not content with the measly $28 FTM upgrade in comparison to $200 Ancestry membership. Ancestry will need to greatly improve their web offerings or you will see a mass exodus from your web site.

  5236. Candice Brill

    I have been using FTM since the beginning when It was owned by BannerBlue. I don’t know how I’m going to access my research without it. There are many things I don’t put on the net. Also I use FTM when I don’t have access to the internet, such as research away from home. I’m saddened that such a wonderful product is not going to continue.

  5237. This is heartbreaking news and I can hardly control my anger. I know you have pushed for several years for your customers to upload their family trees from FTM online. Since a great deal of data in my tree has been gathered from family members and family records not available on Ancestry, I have not chosen to upload my tree to Ancestry.com. I presume that, at some point, I will no longer be able to access the source data that I have linked to my FTM tree when you stop supporting your desktop product. I began using FTM in 1997 and I continue to use FTM daily. Today, my family tree on my desktop has more than 9,000 people in it and the factual data pertaining to each person is not only enormous but also private; and I intend to keep it that way. You will lose a loyal customer when you stop supporting FTM and when I finish with this blog post, my next step will be to advise all of my family members and friends of your lack of customer loyalty and your lack of sensitivity to the amount of work that I and many people like me have invested in building our family tree on my desktop. You don'[t deserve to have access to my work, to my media data (family photos, awards, personal records, etc.), and all of the individual stories that I have documented in various parts of FTM. I started accumulating this information in 1977 after watching Alex Haley’s TV production of ROOTS and it is required in order for me to write my family history. Your decision puts in jeopardy my ability to access much of the source data saved from Ancestry.com and has caused me to scramble to try to print out or transfer copies of these thousands of records to a file on my desktop. Your decision is deplorable and you do not deserve to have me as one of your customers. I assure you; as soon as I have copied and backed up all of the information to which I only have access to online in Ancestry.com, I will terminate my longstanding relationship with your company.

  5238. Ann

    I am appalled at this arbitrary decision. I imagine that user loyalty will be a thing of the past and we will all show our disgust by transferring our research elsewhere. Shame on you!

  5239. Lyn Moore

    Its unfortunate Ancestry have made this decision which will affect a great number of FTM users and subscribers to Ancestry. I understand the need for progress in todays competitive market, but the lack of a viable contingency plan to support existing FTM users is a bad business decision. The upside of a competitive market is the opportunity to explore the other very good genealogy products available. I have subscribed to Ancestry since beginning family research but will not renew subscription as I do not like the new interface and now the FTM decision. Anyone considering DNA products, Ancestry is not the only product avaliable, try Geno2 (National Geographic) and FTDna, both very good products, and good results.
    Ancestry has held market share for many years now, based on products like FTM, with its tree sync facility, but Find My Past has grown into a very good product in recent years, as has The Genealogist. Please Ancestry, genealogy is a consumer driven market so provide some support to your existing FTM customers – do our subscriptions mean so little to you?

  5240. Robert

    What most of the above posts comment about is the fact that FTM will not be available to use with the website. This is not the case. If you have FTM you will still be able to use it with Ancestry.com. The decision from my viewpoint is that it will no longer be sold or upgraded. That should actually mean very little in the long run. If you want to make reports it should still be available to do so. If Ancestry.com suddenly decided to make the two parts so they no longer communicate then that would he a hugely stupid thing to do and customers would be forced to another product.

  5241. Jim

    Thousands of comments here saying this is a bad choice, thousands more all over Facebook…
    Yet another poor decision made by the Businessmen at Ancestry.
    I’ve cancelled my subscription already because of the interface changes.
    I’ve downloaded all the raw data for the dna kits I managed, to ensure it is safe.
    Now you want to take away our ability to have local and cloud copies, and no more easy sync, because i know that’s coming.
    This all reads like someone trying to drive a business into the ground to record a loss…

  5242. Jim

    Once again you have made a poor decision. You had not even addressed the outstanding issues in FMT2014, not provided any report functionality with the online version. Should at least provide FTM version that be used with our ftdb files so we can provide the next generation with the information we spent years putting into your software. Aren’t you in the business of providing legacies for money?????? Well you provided buggy FTM versions for years, caused us all lots of headaches with poor support…..now you continue to do the same with the online version… some people never learn..

  5243. Alan Tucker

    This decision has obviously been made with the “business head” on, not the “genealogy head” – or you’d realise that it’s the combination of FTM and online Ancestry that made the difference.
    One without the other = bye bye Ancestry.
    Sad day…

  5244. David

    I have been a FAMILY TREE MAKER user since before there was an “ANCESTRY.” It is my main genealogical repository and contains many personal research notes that can’t be kept with individuals on ANCESTRY. I hope at a minimum that you will continue to support FTM to the extent that it will allow census records etc from ANCESTRY to be merged into FTM. This will preserve a permanent copy of our research on FTM and allow us to produce the reports from FTM which are not possible to do on ANCESTRY. Otherwise, I am back to keeping hand written family group sheets in binders, just as my parents did a generation ago!

  5245. Momgret

    I can’t believe you have done this. I have been a user of FTM almost since it’s inception as well as a world subscriber to Ancestry for research purposes only. I believe they used to compliment each other – but I have NO intention of sharing my 20+ years of data on the Cloud or anywhere than my desk-top for security and privacy concerns. I am the family genealogist for all sides of my family, cousins, in-laws, etc. and I believe they would stop sharing new information with me if they felt it was not under my control. I have thousands of photos, print reports all the time and need to continue to do that. I will be looking for another desktop software option ASAP.

  5246. LRL

    Even if they reverse the decision — do you really trust Ancestry with your trees, DNA, and the ability to cut you off when they want? They are intent on selling the company and then skipping out. Use the research when you can, but do not be suckered in (again)

  5247. james hargest

    Is this because FTM will not work with WINDOWS 10 and you are not willing to make the accommodation? How many people currently use FTM? How will Ancestry.com advertise their program if the green leaves will not longer appear overtime?

    So sad……

    JIM

  5248. robert

    Its all about money and eliminating the competition. Ancestry is up for sale and this only increases the bottom line. I would suggest that all current subscribers quit Ancestry and down load to Legacy”, its easy and will transulate your files. Do it before Ancestry blocks downloading your file. Eliminate “Finda Grave” is probably next

  5249. PAmela Schluter

    I cannot believe you are letting us down like this!!! It would be nie if you showed us how we can at least keep what we have on FTM. Just a BIGGGGGGG letdown. Tnought more of you before this.

  5250. Howard

    This is what happens when you get filthy rich, YOU don’t care about the people who got you there……….

  5251. Tim

    The management needs to reconsider this disastrous move while there’s still time. There’s a new commercial where Johnny Bench delivers a clever line: “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I can tell you’re doing it wrong.” This applies just as well here, so take heed!

  5252. Jed

    Thanks for the warning. I’ll be cancelling my membership as soon as I can choose another service. I just can’t believe the path you have chosen. The change to the new site experience and now this; is just unacceptable.

  5253. Steve

    I can only add my support to all the comments. The ability to sync between Ancestry and the desktop application is what prompted me to buy the software and subscribe to the site. Take away that and I will be off to another data supplier.
    I also think the way this has been announced simply reinforces the idea that Ancestry couldn’t give a damn about a large number its customers. However for all of those who appear to think they will have to manually re-enter their data, surely most of the data can be exported to a Gedcom file and imported to any other FH program. Please I am not trying to defend Ancestry and the whole situation is monstrous, I am as annoyed as the rest of you. I just give some comfort to those who think they will loose all their work.

  5254. Gayle

    THIS IS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO FTM USERS! I have spent years entering information into Family Tree Maker and purchasing the newest version. This is not a way to keep your customers loyal to you.

  5255. Jade Cooney

    Very disappointing news. Many have worked for decades using FTM and using Ancestry as a resource and have shared our FTM trees for that purpose. I have no desire to work with Ancestry as my base. I find it unwieldy to work with and have previously submitted my disagreement with the recent changes. Many of your researchers are old and comfortable with the way things were. Please reconsider. We are your biggest customers and were the most loyal.

  5256. Roy Field

    A really unhelpful and detrimental step which is not in the interests of your members – I fear you will lose much of your community and the goodwill you have built up over the years.

  5257. Kelley

    I am more than upset. What a betrayal!!! I have both Ancestry and FTM. From a data base management tool, ease of use and response, not to mention all the tools in FTM, Ancestry can’t hold a candle to FTM other than to maintain raw data, This is just an unbelievable travesty! Somebody needs to start listening to the consumer and what does the consumer want. This is really a shameful and despicable act of corporate management! Lastly, you did not even have the courtesy to notify me by any means.I had to learn of this from Dick Eastman’s newsletter. What service from supposedly a service organization!

  5258. Jane Pace

    I’m appalled that you are cutting the link to FTM, like others here I use the desktop to update my records and only use the app to answer questions from other family members and as a check when I am out researching. The app is clumsy and doesn’t allow you to work through records in a methodical manner or to truly manipulate your data when weeding out errors. Given that this tends to be something that a proportion of people undertake once retired I think you are attaching the skills of a twenty year old to your customer base. You need to seriously reconsider because you will lose you customers unless you come up with your own version of FTM that works as well.

  5259. Wayne Gillie

    I’m loosing all confidence in Ancestry & scared of the future!! I’ve been a customer for over 20 years however it maybe time to go!!! Not happy at all!!!!!!!!

  5260. Bill

    I have no doubt that supporting Family Tree Maker is very resource intensive for Ancestry. If you do indeed discontinue Family Tree Maker, I truly hope (as others also have expressed) that Ancestry will incorporate features of FamilyTree Maker into the website so that we can generate similar info to print.

  5261. laura

    You took away our family sites and now you are taking away the very program that most people use when they are on your site…..where is your brain?????

  5262. Janice Kay Matthews

    I’ve used FTM for many many years and like it. I’m very disappointed and upset about your new. Maybe you could sell it off to a company who’s willing to keep it going. I’ll be cancel my World Membership when it expires. Do Not charge my credit card!!

  5263. brysize

    I was sadden by the news and it works so well with Ancestry. I have read alot of your complaint that this decision has created. My suggestion for all parties would be to have Ancestry to open source FTM. That way you are not responsible for maintaining it but it is being supported by people who love the product and use it to import our results to Ancestry and as a back up should our data get breached. You will have support other products like Roots, FTB, Legacy, etc. I loved the syncing tool. I would go to the place with where the source is and enter the source and all relevant data off line due to no wifi. When I got back to wifi it would sync with laptop, ancestry and my phone. My point is alot of places still don’t have wifi for us to access Ancestry or PC based app(for offline). Please change your decision to something else. I was going to get FTM for Christmas but now I shouldn’t.

  5264. John G Sackis

    This is a slap in the face to many of us who have used your software for almost as long as you have been in business. There are two main reasons I want my data to be local on my computer. First for security, there is info on my computer I don’t want on the web. And second, there are places I go for research with no internet connection. I guess I’ll need to find another software vendor to support my needs and may need to reconsider my Ancestry subscription.

  5265. Linda

    PLEASE RECONSIDER. I use this tool EVERY SINGLE DAY. I need it to print out hard copies of my information. This is just totally unacceptable to me. I have been a user of Family Tree Maker since 2008. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE keep it available to us. Alot of people use the Family Tree Maker software that don’t subscribe to Ancestry just to keep track of their own immediate family. You will be doing a great dis-service to the genealogy community if you discontinue. PLEASE RECONSIDER!!!!!!!

  5266. robert

    Its all about money. Ancestry is up for sale and this only broadens their bottom line. All you subscribers should get out now and transfer your files to another Software before Ancestry blocks you. I transferred to Legacy and glad of it. Watch that “Finda Grave” will probably be next!

  5267. Alan Tucker

    Quote
    “Reuters recently reported that Ancestry “is exploring a sale that could value it at between $2.5 billion and $3 billion, including debt.” According to unnamed sources, Permira (a buyout firm that owns most of Ancestry) “has hired investment banks to run an auction for the company.”
    Ancestry is clearing the decks of less profitable aspects…

  5268. I think you have completely underestimated how many of your subscribers are using FTM. I think many of your website members will quit and go somewhere else.

  5269. Larry Atkinson

    Now here’s a lesson in horrible customer service: More than 5,700 comments and questions by customers and not one response from anyone at Ancestry. That’s pretty sad!

  5270. Judith Delmar

    Ancestry should be ashamed of this total disregard of its customers. Dropping an essential tool like FTM with so little warning is outrageous. Assuming that all of its customers will be okay with maintaining only a cloud-based version of their family tree is ludicrous.

    I have always maintained my data, media, etc. on my local hard drive where I can work offline, do regular backups, and feel secure that I am in control of my own work. I have been using FTM for years, and, frankly, it’s not my favorite genealogy software. I much prefer Legacy or even Roots Magic, but use FTM solely because of it’s ability to sync with my tree on Ancestry.com so that I can share my work with others and receive research hints. Once the TreeSync feature is gone, I guess I’ll be deleting my online tree.

    I will continue to use FTM on my computer until I find a good replacement. Migrating to new genealogy software is such a pain in the neck, and I don’t look forward to it (thank you very much Ancestry). I will probably continue to use Ancestry for research, at least in the short term.

    This is very disappointing. Ancestry has caused much stress for a huge segment of its customer base.

  5271. jackie mac

    I have been using Family Tree maker since it first came out and have upgraded it as newer versions were required as I updated my computers. DOES THIS MEAN THE THE DVDs I have purchased over the last 25 yrs will no longer be able to be read? TOO many people have been affected by your decision, none positive-I have paid a great deal to be able to do research. LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE

  5272. gary

    What program will replace FTM? I use both ancestry and FTM as I don”t always have access to internet. I have LOTS of photo’s and doc’s in FTM as I am not keen on using links instead of have the doc’s in a file. As it stands now I can export out of FTM as a GED but not my doc I have spent hundreds of hours scanning in. Now I have to start all over. I have at least 10 family members using both FTM and Ancestry. We all had a conversions this last night and are looking for another software and will be canceling all association with you company. While losing 10 customers is small in your business. Us adding information and doc could make a difference, based on the number of people who share of stuff. Please rethink this

  5273. David

    I have, just now, deleted my tree from ancestry.com and will not renew my subscription next week when it expires. (How could any of us ever again trust this company with our irreplaceable data?) I ask that whoever will be leading our community to alternative resources make an announcement soon about how we will communicate about this. Thanks!

  5274. Nancy

    I am disappointed to hear this sad decision. I have used FTM for many, many years. The charts, reports, and book making features are not available on your website. It’s recent tie-in to your website was the sole reason for my subscription to it. I suppose when the support for it ends, so will my subscription to your website. You sure don’t think much of your customers, do you?

  5275. JC Elliott

    Very disappointing decision & money grab on your part.
    Please cancel my Ancestry.com, My Fold3.com, & my Newspapers.com subscription when there current respective time runs out. I will not be locked into a “FEE/Pay” service.

  5276. jeff

    Kendall Hulet shame on you. You have built up a very large number of customers happily paying and using FTM(and contributing into valuable ancestry database) to build up their family trees on the software to leave them stranded or forcing commitment to ancestry for the future. DNA also stands for don’t need the aggro. It’s Christmas time so maybe a visit to Oz might be appropriate to see if you can get a heart and treat your customers with respect and dignity and realise that Ancestors business future business relies on them. Or maybe you just want to do a Donald Trump in which case resignation would be a good option?

  5277. John Palot

    You can’t be very proud of this decision considering the adverse reaction of so many of your loyal members. Although I agree that this is totally the wrong decision I will keep an open mind in the hope that you will follow up with either a u-turn, or at least with reassurances that you will be working to provide a web version which will be far superior to the desktop product. Even then, what comfort will we have that if your company collapses our data will not be lost? At least with FTM we currently have our own copy on our hard disc (backed up of course!). My subscription is due for renewal on 28th December so I hope that I will see some positive news long before then.

  5278. Carol B

    And you still have the audacity to charge for FTM 14 ? I have used FTM since 1987. Family Tree Maker is a very good program, one of the most user friendly available. I have recommended it to everyone interested in genealogical research. You are doing us a great dis-service. You have not posted all of the comments, Why? Carol B

  5279. Doug Magoon

    This decision is a slap in the face to customers who have loyally used FTM for years. I have used it since its inception and documented all my family history research using it. Everything I have gathered about my family over almost twenty years is there. Ancestry.com was built by asking users of FTM to post their family trees. That is all you had for data-bases initially. You subsequently added other databases. You are now disregarding the very customer base that built Ancestry by forcing us to use only an inferior web-based system and demanding that we store our databases there – which we will now have to pay you a fee to access. What kind of selfish, customer-phobic decision in that? Shame on you. I have cancelled my subscription to world databases and will make best efforts not to use Ancestry.com again.

  5280. Pamela Parizo

    I am disappointed in this decision as Family Treemaker allows me to organize my individual trees. Will there still be a function to download the trees in some format?

  5281. TForsythe

    That’s really disappointing news. The desktop application had a raft of features which the website doesn’t have as well as the ability to work offline. If this decision holds I’d really like to see Ancestry open up the source code for the Family Tree Maker software to allow others to carry it forward. There is no need for the program to become abandoned.

  5282. Sam

    You have given me two years to finish my research and get rid of my ancestry subscription. I have not had ANY success with your poor web-based products, and cloud based stuff has a VERY high failure rate with other software. I do not trust “the cloud” security or reliability. Hope your other revenue streams support this move. FTM user since 1998…Bye!

  5283. Janice

    I have a paid subscription to Ancestry.com and was just getting ready to buy FTM. You don’t seriously think that people are going to store all of the results of their genealogy on the web, do you? I can’t afford to pay for Ancestry.com indefinitely, but would keep my membership much longer if there was a gedcom accompanying it.

  5284. Gerald Monroe

    This is a HUGE mistake on your part!!! The day that you drop FTM is the day that I cancel my account with Ancestry.com. No more money from me forever. I hope the scheme backfires on you and I hope you suffer a tremendous monetary loss.

  5285. Barbara

    What a disappointment. I hope you will consider selling the software to another Family Tree company so we can continue to use it. I LOVE my FTM and have recommended it to all of my students. Please let us know if you will be coordinating with another company to have their desktop software sync to online Ancestry.com. It was such an innovative set-up and made doing research so easy. I am absolutely devastated. I never wanted to upload my complete family tree online to Ancestry.com for the fear that the company might someday eliminate that portion of the service. This reinforces my decision.

  5286. Unbelievable. I am new to Ancestry and couldn’t keep track of anything until I bought FTM. I thought that was your profit center, not A.com. How wrong can a person be? Your database is useless without sync’ing software like FTM. Obviously this ship is going down. Work hard people, to collect your things, then JUMP! Total bummer.

  5287. Gary Miller

    Last month I purchased the FTM 2014 program thru Amazon. Looking for a refund.
    Step up to the plate and refund to all of those subscribers who ask for refunds.

  5288. Ray

    Very disappointed to see the demise of FTM. I’ve benefited from the online research on ancestry.com, but there is so much more in my FTM family tree file. I have no interest in uploading that data to some cloud. After years of loyalty to FTM and ancestry subscriber, I’ve taken a hard look at declining desktop support and made the tough decision to stop my annual membership to Ancestry.com.

  5289. Hazel

    This decision needs to be reconsidered. This is the only way I can utilized my information and create ways in which to adapt it to my own preferences. Please advise what means to download data will be provided?

  5290. Dugald McMillan

    I have over 4,300 people in the system. Come the day in 2017, how will I access, correct, and delete entries? I am not interested in your motives. I just want to know whether this is techno jargon or the end of my hobby which began at the main LDS library on Temple Square in 1985?

  5291. Dennis

    I too am deeply angered and saddened at this decision and want to add my voice to the thousands who have already commented and will continue to do so. I wish the company had never been sold as it has turned into a disaster for all customers and users. Without the option to invite relatives to view our tree, new subscriptions to Ancestry.com will dry up. Next we will hear that they are dismantling the entire system so they can write it off as a loss!

  5292. Ed Hill

    This is a bone-headed decision. The desktop software is the back bone of online research. I think Ancestry.com will be sorry they did this.

  5293. Rex McHail

    I like having the link between my locally controlled resources (FTM on my hard drive) and the extensive resources on the web (Ancestry.com). BUT I do NOT want my 40 years of family research to be limited to Ancestry.com’s remote software – some of which I do not find user-friendly. I will be considering an alternative.

  5294. Martamima

    What a blow. I’ve been reading the comments and so far have not seen ANYTHING in them with which I disagree. For me, as for many – FTM is the tool of choice, and its connection with ancestry.com is the way to share my discoveries. Like many, I do NOT find the “new Ancestry” an improvement. I may add information online, but then I have to go to FTM to customize it in the way I want. The Ancestry APP? Frustration embodied! For one thing it’s insanely slow, even to just check a tiny thing.
    Please re-think your connection with FTM. You may want to ditch it for business reasons, but there may yet be a better solution than the one you have outlined.
    Thank you for listening.

  5295. Bruce Bomar

    Like many others, I very much dislike your new web interface and so do my work entirely in FTM. I don’t understand the “declining desktop software market” you mention. Yes, desktop sales are down but laptop purchases have taken the place of desktops for many people, and laptops run FTM just fine. I am a computer engineer and have worked with computers for 50 years. Even so, I refuse to have anything I own stored solely on someone else’s servers. That goes for music, videos, and my family tree database which has over 6,000 people in it and which I and my mother before me put years of work into. My reason for this is that I have seen companies come and go and it is always possible that information stored elsewhere will someday be lost to me. I want my data on my own disk with backups on other disks and CDs. FTM works wonderfully for this and still allows me to access the Ancestry data base in a seamless manner. It is wonderful software and obvioulsy an indispensable tool for many of your customers. It is the very reason I and many others subscribe to Ancestry. As others have suggested perhaps you can turn FTM over to another company to sell and maintain. If you stay the course on discontinuing FTM then I will cancel my subscription to Ancestry when it expires next Fall.

    I see your ads on TV all the time trying to get new subscribers. How many ad dollars is it going to take to make up for the customers you are losing by dropping FTM?

  5296. Gary Coombs

    Have you considered turning the Family Tree Maker software into an Open Source community and retaining its ability to link to Ancestry, do synchs. etc?

  5297. Debbie

    After reading numerous comments, what more can I say except doing this during the holidays is so bad. At least give us time, 6 months at least, to update our files and download what we need before abandoning us.

  5298. John J

    I have just renewed my Worldwide membership 2 days ago – thank you Ancestry !! I do a lot of work offline with FTM and the sync option to Ancestry works perfectly for me. You have effectively given me notice to find a suitable alternative package during the coming year. Where does customer loyalty come when you set your business objectives ?? I think your action on FTM gives all of us a very clear answer to that question.

  5299. Ken

    As of now there are over 5800 comments here in just 24 hours- seems that somebody made a decision without fully realizing the reaction. I add my frustration to the other 5800 comments- what are we supposed to do now? This announcement was so poorly done that I wonder if there are people working at Ancestry who have any sort of customer service experience. You can’t deliver a message to thousands of people that the main product they used is being discontinued without also providing some guidance or suggestions as to what we should do next. What options are available? It would be nice to see someone at Ancestry take the comments and concerns from these posts and create a FAQ page that actually gives some useful information instead of a simple email stating that the main product we use is being cancelled.

    And for those looking for a new option- Roots Magic is the closest thing I have seen. It has both a free basic version as well as an more robust version that actually connects with the LDS Family Search program.

  5300. I am pissed! I just spent almost $100 on Ancestry.com to buy the software and a backup you are now closing out! How hypocritical of you to make this decision and then sell the damn software to unsuspecting clients!!!

  5301. Connie A

    Are there any plans to RESPOND to the comments, concerns, and questions? I would certainly suggest you owe your loyal users the dignity of a response.

  5302. Jeff Drake

    This is such major bad news!

    Forcing your customer base to rely totally on the online tree system is a decision based totally on the bottom line with no thought or consideration to your customers!

    I use cloud services for backups of all my data, but the idea that in the near future I will have to solely rely on your cloud interface to enter and track all my genealogy data, is a non-starter.

    I will begin my search for a Family Tree Maker and Ancestry.com replacement immediately.

  5303. Richard Goldman

    This is absolutely unacceptable. I would think based on the number of comments hear, that Ancestry.com would wake up and see how important family tree make is to so many of us. Please reconsider to keep FTM going. If not please provide us with a 3rd party alternative. I have over 15 years invested in my family tree and not to have tree sync is a disaster for me.

  5304. Caralie

    Wow! I recently purchased FTM and switched from Legacy. I am finally getting used to it. I also think we should get a refund. And I will probably go back to Legacy now.

  5305. Brad Smith

    Although I’ve read many of the responses to the announcement to possibly discontinue support of FTM and TreeSync after 1 Jan 2017, I haven’t read them all, so this suggestion may have already been made. I believe I understand the desire/need on the part of ancestry.com to shift exclusively to the cloud and I certainly understand why folks (myself included) are upset about FTM and TreeSync no longer being supported by ancestry.com. A possible middle ground (that won’t satisfy everyone) is to move the FTM functionally to ancestry.com. Much, if not a majority of the code is already written. And instead of the two-way TreeSync, create a one-way download to users desktop computers to software supported by ancestry.com and/or other third party vendors. This suggestion is meant to begin a conversation between ancestry.com and its customers, not to be the only possible resolution.

  5306. Nicole

    I have been looking to replace FTM in recently months. A feature that I am very unhappy with is that if someone isn’t married, the Outline Tree Report indicates “Unknown Spouse” and that has made my family complain repeatedly about the booklets I reproduce annually for our family reunions. I too am very disappointed in Ancestry’s decision, but the product no longer works as well as it did 10 years ago. I am not comfortable with only copy of my tree being on their severs. I like have something on my home computer that I can work with offline. Besides, according to TopTen Reviews, FTM isn’t even number one! http://genealogy-software-review.toptenreviews.com/. I’m going to purchase the Legacy Family Tree which doesn’t not sync to Ancestry, but does connect to it and Family Search. It has all of the same features as FTM expect the Web Hints. Disappointed, but looking forward to trying something new.

  5307. Jay Crater

    I feel I must add my voice to the cacophony… This is a really BAD idea. Like many here, I’m not a fan of the new web interface, and certainly don’t see how you can incorporate the FTM features we need. I have been an “amateur” user of your site for many years, and have submitted multiple AncestryDNA kits… After such an investment of time and money, I think you should provide FTM to your subscribers for FREE, rather than discontinue it.

  5308. Jade Cooney

    For years I have printed out anything I find on ancestry.com and scanned it into my FTM file rather than link directly. Now I am very glad that I have! ! done so.

  5309. AGR

    Beyond providing feedback and comments, I have notified my local news outlets that this announcement, and the consumer response to it, maysoon be newsworthy. On a slow day it may be picked up and mentioned. Wonder what some “real” and visible PR/News will do… Enough to counter the flashy ads? Maybe. If enough news programs cover the thousands of people who have reacted so strongly… and the total indifference they have been met with. This kind of money hungry corporate behavior should not remain buried in the niche genealogy community. It should be shared much more broadly to create a more general awareness of this massive betrayal and abandonment.

  5310. John

    Wow! I have been using ancestry.com FTM since the 1990’s and have only experienced progress. However that said, this decision is astonding. I have been a computer user since 1959 and more recently been associated with a computer club in a senior citizen community for the past 9 years. I have been the leader of our genealogy special interest group for the past 6 years. Our members range from beginning family historians to those with over 30 years of experience. Within our group are users of many genealogical software packages, online and offline society databases, and DNA evaluation resources. I personally use both FTM and Legacy on a routine basis for the advantages each offer. I subscribe to the maximum services ancestry.com offers but do not put my data online due to the widespread practice many users have of simply copying the tree without the most basic data verification required. I will gladly share my information with those researching similar lines but prefer to do it in a collaborative way that allows me to better express the assumptions, conflicts, and caveats associated with my research. I understand and have used ancestry.com’s private tree possibilities but do not want to maintain my da solely online for many technical and genealogical reasons. This is a very competative field that ancestry.com is a giant within. It is also one that the customer can always find another way to do family research. I hope the manangement of Ancestry will recognize the environment they are in does not just include beginners and that the loss of FTM may have the instant effect of losing both the FTM software users, ancestry.com database users, and AncestryDna participants. For the individual genealogists sake as well as the company’s reconsider this very inappropriate decision.

  5311. We need to SHARE this information so that the millions of people who did NOT get the email can know. I didn’t get notified, even though I am a lapsed member of Ancestry and still get their emails. I feel so very sorry for all those people who are about to invest hard-earned and hard-to-spare cash in a super Christmas gift for someone, only for the recipient to find its self-destruct clock already ticking. It is outrageous that Ancestry could do this – the timing of this announcement almost seems like a cold-blooded attempt to wring the most profit possible from a dying product and get rid of remaining stock!

    Stunned. Just stunned.

  5312. Tony W

    Doesn’t say much for your business acumen! You should have announced this withdrawal on December 26th after you would have suckered in all those Christmas gift purchases. You have probably cost your company (and its stockholders) millions of dollars by this “early” announcement. Luckily, I have just saved myself $299 that can now go toward my grandkids’ education fund – my subscription ran out a few days ago and was just about to renew it for 2016. Thank you for your early announcement !

  5313. G. Kershaw

    Firstly you change the format, should I say you got a child to change the format. Get real, it looks awful. Now you discontinue FTM. What are you people playing at. It’s not bust, Don’t fix it. Your claims about realising subscribers wishes don’t ring true. Stop playing with MY ancestry and leave it alone, it’s great as it is. Behave yourselves.

  5314. SandyPorter

    I have been teaching Genealogy for years and FTM is the best thing out there, especially for beginners and those moving paper information to a software program. Not everyone wants to work online all the time as internet service is not always available. The tree sync is very nice and I will miss it. I don’t understand dropping FTM. Genealogy is a long term hobby and commitment. Those of us who use it are committed for the long term. Please, please don’t stop selling it or supporting it long term. It is a disservice to those of us who call ourselves .genealogists. I can’t in good faith tell my students to put their faith only in Ancestry.

  5315. Jim Warters

    Discontinuing the desktop software will prove to be a HUGE mistake. I have been using the various desktop versions for more than 30 years and, although I have synced my trees on-line, I rarely work directly on the Ancestry site. Despite the “improvements” you have made to Ancestry on-line, it is easier and MUCH more accurate to use the desktop version, syncing as necessary.

    When reviewing public trees is often obvious who has used FTM and who has used Ancestry on-line – the latter trees are replete with errors.

    Like many on this thread who are long-time users, I have the most expensive data plan – nearly $90 per quarter. Rather than discontinuing FTM, it makes more sense to increase the subscription fee slightly ($5 to $10 per quarter) and provide the desktop software for “free,” using the additional revenue to provide technical support (which frankly you don’t appear to have spent much money on in the past several years).

    I will have to re-evaluate my Ancestry purchases based on your ill advised proposed changes.

  5316. Tony

    And I thought FTM was the market leader and got customers for Ancestry. Shame on you for removing without recommending a replacement.

  5317. Brian Moore

    The decision to drop FTM is bad! The years I have devoted to researching via ancestry.com, and then documenting data found on FTM for future generations is now at risk. The people I have put onto FTM will now come to me to question my sanity. Searching for data is only part of the challenge; documenting and distributing the data is the end result. Bad decision. I thought your goal was to encourage ancestral education.

  5318. Silvano

    I am very disappointed too. I have choosen Ancestry only a couple of years ago just because of its printing capabilities. Thhe sole web version is really poor, not good enough for me

  5319. David

    I am very unhappy to hear Ancestry is going to stop selling and developing Family Tree Maker. I have worked on my family history for over 30 years both on the road and by using Ancestry. Will I still have access to my tree in Ancestry and if I do will I be able to transfer that information (Sync) to and from my FTM after Jan 1, 2017? I’ve spent a lot of money on your products in the past and would like for you to think of the possible hardships you may be causing in the future for people like myself. Please reconsider your decision. Your future as well as ours is in this decision.

  5320. Colin Waugh

    You seriously need to reconsider your decision in light of the vast number of adverse comments you have received. Principally because you are likely to lose a significant number of subscriptions. You are already struggling to match the range of historical data available through Find My Past who have recently acquired excellent additional records certainly so far as the UK is concerned. For many people, the main feature which keeps them attracted to Ancestry is the Family Tree Maker programme. If it goes, I will certainly be transferring my annual subscription to Find My Past.

  5321. Anne Bell

    I don’t link my tree to Ancestry. It contains much personal data that is private. FTM allows me to keep it that way. I have no intention of ditching it, having to delete personal information and sharing my hard work, trusting you to maintain my data, so you can make a bigger profit. I was considering re-opening your expensive subscription to do more research in the coming year. I will now go elsewhere.

  5322. Terry Rupple

    I save lots of tracking info and personal notes in FTM. I also NEED the ability to print reports that I cannot do from Ancestry. My sister just purchased FTM for her three sons for their birthdays so they could assist me with their portion of our family tree while having the info locally for them to use when doing research other than on Ancestry. This is VERY disappointing as I recommended both Ancestry and FTM to lots of people interested in doing genealogy. I think this is a huge mistake and a step backward in Ancestry’s service to users. PLEASE rethink this plan.

  5323. Paul

    This is a bad decision for people like me who have practically no internet service due to geographical location and no options to make it better even if I want to. It only works somewhat decent when school is in session and the kids have their cell phones turned off. We don’t even have 4G where I am located. Many days we can’t receive an internet connection and weekends are thee worst, just when I can work on my tree. I also don’t like the idea of having my tree information stored in the Cloud. I sure hope this decision is overturned as I can’t spend money for a product I can’t access due to internet access limitations.

  5324. CaseyGuy

    I am horribly disappointed in ancestry.com for doing this. When FTM support stops, the only repository for new research will be the ancestry.com website — which requires 1) a high-priced, on-going subscription; and 2) an Internet connection. I’m hoping another software company will develop a product compatible with the online ancestry.com, so I can keep the results of my paid research.

  5325. Sue Quayle

    I’m really disappointed in this decision. Having been a Family Tree Maker user since the days of DOS operating systems I have used and recommended the software to many other people. Not all family history research can be completed via Ancestry and we use Family Tree Maker to record all sorts of information for all sorts of sources. In my opinion it is one of the best genealogy recording software on the market and at the very least should be sold to another software company to continue the availability of the program.

  5326. Mr Bell

    I don’t link my tree to Ancestry. It contains much personal data that is private. FTM allows me to keep it that way. I have no intention of ditching it, having to delete personal information and sharing my hard work, trusting you to maintain my data, so you can make a bigger profit. I was considering re-opening your expensive subscription to do more research in the coming year. I will now go elsewhere.

  5327. Mary

    Last year I purchased FTM2014 but have not used it due to the warning that the old FTM will not read the data and I wanted to share with my sons. So I have spent money to do that and have recommended FTM to my genealogy group based on the TreeSync. I’m not sure what this means exactly. Is it only support for online trees that will go? TreeSync? or does it mean that any problems that occur after 2017 with FTM will be permanent. This is very disappointing. I have paid Ancestry well for several years because of the support it offered!!!!

  5328. Philip Cushing

    This is crazy. the reason I chose FTM originally was its integration with Ancestry. There are many things one can do within FTM that are not availabel or not as good on ancestry (such as report writing). I also don’t wnat to be confined to a wifi area to work on my tree. An appalling decision and very damaging to Ancestry’s repututation. I shall cancel my Ancestry subscription as a matter of principle unless this decision is reversed

  5329. Bob

    It appears that you have grossly misjudged what your genealogist subscribers want and need. This is not like the gamers who want to be on the cutting edge of technology. FTM is the repository for all the family material we have compiled over the years. Thousands of us started with FTM long before we subscribed to Ancestry. Oftentimes, I go directly into FTM to add interesting stories or pictures about my ancestors. This database gives me the facts, figures, stories, pictures, and reports that are so important to a genealogist. I always keep a backup of FTM in case of any computer issues.
    When I subscribed to Ancestry, it was to enlarge my search base with the input of other researchers and allow me to reach out to others who are researching the same family. I could have done this with many of the other online genealogy providers but the major benefit of Ancestry is that it syncs with FTM whereas no one else does.
    Now you are taking away your greatest asset You say, “we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market and the impact this has on being able to continue to provide new content, product enhancements and support that our users need.” FTM is used on desktops, laptops and tablets and provides everything that we need. In fact, we don’t like adjusting to your updates and changes. I actually preferred the older version of Ancestry also. We want you to keep FTM and the sync feature with Ancestry. I don’t want all my research on the cloud where it can end up getting hacked, accidently deleted, corrupted or inaccessible if the internet isn’t working. Additionally, I will only have access to my material as long as I am subscribed to Ancestry. Your plan seems more to lock in subscribers than to meet their needs.

  5330. Myra

    I have used FTM almost from its inception. I purchased 2012 only because it syncs with ancestry.com, and I wanted to be lazy about saving what I found there. FTM is a great place to store my finds. Ancestry is a terrible place to do so. And ancestry lacks tools to enhance its use.

    I do not have internet access for my computer 24/7, 365 days a year. What good is ancestry if I can’t get to it?

    There are a lot of other great resources for finding records now days. Ancestry seems to be providing less and less in new primary records and more and more is only quoting user submitted trees as “documentation”. And if you believe those trees are good documentation–look for Mity Glover who was created early on when in my inexperience I misread Unity on a census record.

    If my FTM 2012 will no longer sync with ancestry and I have to make a choice between ancestry and a good storage program–GOODBYE Ancestry. I did without you for decades and can do so again. I cannot do without a good storage system for all I’ve accumulated over the last 35 years, and, ancestry, you just don’t cut it.

  5331. Colleen Ripple

    This is very sad, I just purchased the software and found lots of tools that are not available online that I use very often. The interface is easier to work with and the reporting functionality is greatly improved from the online options. If I don’t have reporting functionality and the enhanced ways to fix my duplicated or incorrect data that I do with the purchased software I will be forced to move elsewhere to complete my research as this was the entire point in the tool set. Please do not discontinue this software, or at the very least replace it with someone else’s software using a lease which will still allow us to do all of the things we so desperately need and want to do.

  5332. Helen

    I am totally upset also concerning this decision. I will start looking for alternate software immediately! There’s no sense using ancestry for my tree if Tree Maker isn’t available. This is a big mistake

  5333. Gary H

    Should have known something was coming when they sent an e-mail on November 16 saying all accounts are moving to the new site on December 15. the NEW ANCESTRY WILL BE THE ONLY ANCESTRY, make the switch today.The lifestory looks like the shell scribe that use to be in FAMILY GATHERING which I believe was bought by ancestry and dropped from FTM, but now is re-emerging.

  5334. Bruce Taylor

    This is an unbelievably bad decision and leaves me nowhere to go except to a different software and records site. Refuse to rely on ancestry.com alone for all my records as the site will not provide that full facility anyway.Cannot believe what seems almost deceptive conduct – worlds most popular genealogy software and you drop it?! Totally condemn your plan and way it has been announced with no alternative – just renewed my Ancestry subscription and feel like shoud get a refund so I can go elsewhere with that too as no longer any real benefit.

  5335. John

    This is a poor decision. I also like to keep a record of my family history on my on computer. I do hope that ancestry,com reconsider their decision and put in place some mechanism in which my records are

  5336. David Dier

    I feel betrayed!

    I have been using FTM for 19 years.

    In June 2016, my family will be holding its 58th annual reunion. The printed family tree has been a focal point. I have depended on FTM to print the Descendant and Pedigree charts.

    It appears that there will be a LOT of Ancestry.com loyal users that will be forced to switch to another software supplier.

    Just keep in mind that it is easier to lose a loyal customer than it is to get one.

  5337. Vicki Fermil

    Hope upper management is reading these comments. Sound like a great way to flush ancestry down the toilet! Did someone miss the memo about customer loyalty? If you can not support us, why do we need to support you?

  5338. Tracy Jones

    I too am sorely disappointed. I loved being able to work on line using Ancestry’s tools but being able to download and maintain it all in my own database. I haven’t renewed my ancestry membership in a year or more and now I see no reason to.

  5339. Bruce

    Count me out–I’m dropping my membership. Forcing us to use a web based only version is not worth the money. It is the lack of trust because of stupid decisions like this which made me ensure I had a computer based version to begin with so that I would have the option of going elsewhere if things went wrong (which they have). Not consulting your membership beforehand on the impact of this decision and getting advance feedback was truly a big mistake and shows how little you rally care about your customers. I would stay a member if the decision is reversed but will not give up making sure I have the ability to hold and process my data on my own computer,

  5340. Ken

    How will we be able to make and publish the charts and reports not currently available in Ancestry? That is a very very very very big weakness with Ancestry.

  5341. Dale

    Booo! I would love a refund for FTM. Regardless of a refund, I’m done with Ancestry.com when my subscription runs out! Can I remove the info I’ve shared with Ancestry over the years? Seems only fair since you’ve changed the rules of the game.

  5342. Martamima

    This news is particularly devastating for me. Reading through the comments, I don’t find anything with which I disagree. For me, FTM is the go-to, “safe” place to do my genealogy work. (Ancestry online is much harder to control, and the app – nearly impossible even to check for a simple thing I know is there!)
    Please reconsider your OPTIONS – e.g., one suggested this morning at 10:39am, to turn FTM softwareinto an Open Source community, retaining its ability to link and synch with Ancestry. Think of the appreciation THAT would bring you! instead of all this vitriol.
    Thanks for listening.

  5343. Maria

    It’s not FTM fault that Ancestry is not getting the revenue for desktop software. Blame your poor marketing and sales management for your decision to stop development. You don’t market Family Tree Maker and few new comers know your product exists, and where to purchase it from. It’s obvious from all the negative comments on Ancestry blogs that your users use this software in conjunction with Ancestry.com. They go hand in hand. You made huge design mistakes with Ancestry.com! That is where your money went and you thought to try and recoup some of your expenses with the poor website design is to drop FTM. One wrong financial decision after the next! Please listen to your users! We will not fault you if you go back to the old Ancestry.com website and keep Family Tree Maker! It will be the smartest decision you made all year. We will be over joyed! And, come back as loyal customers. We understand that some design decisions don’t always work out. We will forgive you if you just go back to the old Ancestry.com website and keep FTM. One of the many reasons we use FTM and Ancestry.com is because Ancestry.com was at the helm. We believed and trusted you would be around for years to come and have products that we could depend on. If you had polled your customers we would have told you this. And, your loyal FTM users would have been more than happy to suggest wonderful new ideas and features for future FTM versions. FTM is not dead! It’s a powerful software and it has a lot of life still in it. It complements Ancestry.com! Your users have vehemently expressed that Ancestry.com does not have the advanced features that FTM provides. Many users work offline for multiple reasons (ie internet connection, etc.) and they do not want to be held hostage with working completely online and paying you to maintain their own family trees. And, will you reimburse us for interrupted services when your site or servers go down? It’s just not going to happen with the genealogy community. Be grown-ups and reverse your decision for your users. If you don’t produce what we want…we’re not going to pay!

  5344. R Hilton

    This is all about money and big business. The company do not give a dam about its customers they just want to make a quick buck by selling Ancestry off as a going concern.

    Reading these posts, Ancestry will soon not be a going concern as its members leave by the thousand. The idiots who made this decision should resign and or be sacked. A company without customers is not viable and any potential purchaser needs to take that into account. This is the biggest corporate mistake of the century..

  5345. Mark Trueman

    Well Mr. Vice President… It didn’t take long for you to begin destroying your company. Hopefully your company owners will reverse this decision. It seems to me that this is all about your ego rather than what is good for your company and customers. After my subscription expires, I will be long gone.

  5346. Maria

    I moved over to MyHeritage, they are excellent have GREAT support center online and with the software you can download to your computer which is free. Get the Family Tree BUILDER at the bottom of the site under APPS. Happy hunting!

  5347. Peter pellegrin

    Quite telling that you would make this announcement and not explain what options and programs your FTM users can transition to after the change. My guess is you haven’t thought it through.
    What is obvious from the above comments is you don’t understand your customers or your business. You are soon to join the list of companies that had a good thing and then through it all away.

  5348. Wayne Holder

    You seem to forget that Family Tree Maker software is what got you started in the first place. I was using the software lone before Ancestry.com was even heard of. If you do away with the software, you’ll be cutting your own throat. Please reconsider!

  5349. Judy

    Checked out the Rootsmagic someone mentioned it is $29.95 which is reasonable. I can continue to use Family Tree Maker because it is installed onto my computer. Apps will not work when you have the huge file that family trees are. The REALLY BAD decision that Ancestry made is that we can no long sync the trees and have to do double up dates. I will still canx my subscription. SAVE YOUR GED FILES BACK THEM UP. I back mine up to a spare hard drive.

  5350. First Shirt

    Interesting news. What, pray tell, will replace the tens of thousands of “Family Tree Maker” software applications now being used? Perhaps you could enlighten us as to the COST associated with your clientele’ being forced to another application?

  5351. Tom

    At this point, Dec 9 at 10:20 am, after about 18 hours since the first post, there have been approximately 320 posts per hour – probably 99% negative. Makes you wonder if anyone in ancestry is actually “listening”?

  5352. Stephen Gregory

    If FTM is to be no more, will Tree Sync work with any other desk top software? I want to have a “duplicate” copy of my ancestry tree on my personal desktop and backup drive. I’ll stick with Ancestry but will you recommend other software programs that might be compatible?

  5353. Barbara

    I am devastated, that’s all I can say. I am now working to safeguard my FTM trees, update them and synchronise whilst I can and review the situation. I also do not like the new interface at all. I will probably then delete my trees as there will be no point in having them up there without the back up.

  5354. Pat L

    I read the Email early a.m. and the comments were around 4600, not over 5800. I am in shock, upset and disappointed to say the least. I have been a loyal FTM program customer when they first started and continued to purchase their latest software over the years. I personally like to manage my tree with my FTM program on my computer and upload what I choose to Ancestry.com. It seems like they want us to pay them to have our family tree and hard work on their site. Again, very disappointed. Please don’t let this happen. We need information on what is going to happen.

  5355. Mark D.

    You automatically take +$200 for advanced services with no warning and you make it almost impossible to stop these auto charges and now you tell me you are going to discontinue FTM. I want my money back! I feel this is a very poor decision.

  5356. Gerald Monroe

    I joined Ancestry.com because I liked the Family Tree Maker software. I still like the Family Tree Maker software.

    I don’t store my tree in your cloud, because my family tree is PRIVATE. The cloud is subject to hacking by anyone with a little computer experience, so my privacy can be violated without my knowledge. Also, I resent being forced to subscribe to your site if I want to see my tree. I won’t be re-subscribing to Ancestry once you discontinue supporting and producing Family Tree Maker.

    If you spent all that “significant investment” to bring more new content and records to Ancestry, you invalidate that data by discontinuing the tool that can best use the data. You shot yourself in the foot with this one.

  5357. SteveT

    If you kill off FTM who will use Ancestry.com there would be little point in anyone spending the years and years of research anymore. Ancestry.com would share the same fate.

  5358. Chester

    Well, this is certainly disappointing. I love using the FTM software and know there will be a significant learning curve to switch to the web based software. Reading through the posts leaves me with the conclusion that you have done a very poor job of communicating this change.

  5359. David A

    Obviously, Kendall Hulet did not pass Marketing 101 when in college, if so, Kendall would have learned you NEVER EVER piss customers off. As of right now, there are 5800+ negative comments about this decision, with even more on Twitter, Facebook and Lord knows other sites on the internet. Someone thought it was a great idea for the company, but they failed to realize the impact on the people that pay their salaries. As a customer, I do not have to come to Ancestry.com to access my research, I’ll go and buy from a company that is more in touch with customer needs and supplies genealogy software for Windows at a reasonable price. I do not trust Ancestry with my data. Just went to the site this morning to download my data and over 1000 individuals were missing from my tree, That’s about 99.997% missing from my tree. Luckily I had a copy of the GED on the cloud or I would have lost years of research. About the only thing that would make me return back to Ancestry as a customer is for them to offer me a FREE upgrade to the latest Family Tree Maker and a FREE 6 month subscription to their service PROVIDED they change their mind about discontinuing Family Tree maker. I foresee the end of Ancestry.com unless they change this decision and their marketing practices.

  5360. Vivien

    I have been using FTM since 1995, as a long time customer I have watched this company buy out other genealogy sites and remove the free genealogy from online. I have a hard time understanding the thinking of this business. I have removed my trees online and will watch for the next week to see if they are listening to their customers. If not I will be unsubscribing.

  5361. Carma Frankos

    Thank God I am nearing the end of my research. I think I can wrap up and get hard copies to all those I need to in this last year. I too have been a follower and user for more years than I can count and I am going to go back and see how many months I have paid dues and not used because life got in the way. I was never sorry until now. Money down the toilet! Even if you offer a replacement many of us are elderly and not really open to learning yet another upgrade to our many programs. I also hate the new system on Ancestry. I don’t think it is user friendly at all.

  5362. Not impressed and very disappointed in your decision. I will be deleting anything I already have on ancestry not be renewing my subscription next month and will be looking for alternative software. I have already started using findmypast as much as ancestry and have been debating which subscription to keep and the FTM sync was the only thing tipping the scales in your favour. I have been a loyal customer for 10 years and can’t stress enugh how disappointed I am.

  5363. Sandra

    I have scrolled up & down through the comments above to find a (any) response from Ancestry!! Nevertheless I have canceled my subscription after being a faithful member since its conception. The reality is eventually FTM will cease to function with future system upgrades. I am beyond disappointed at this, all the years I have invested, FTM works perfectly for me and have setups and formats of reports that took so much time to perfect- I just feel sick about the thought of having to transfer to another program and starting again with it all.

  5364. Gary T

    I use your online service as a resource. I will not be bullied into putting all my family information compiled in FTM outside of my own computers. This is a very long list of upset customers to be hacking off the way you have gone about this. Cannot imagine why you would not at least support the software currently out there for a much longer time except to force loyal customers into a quick decision they don’t want to make.

  5365. Barbara

    I am devastated, that’s all I can say. I am now working to safeguard my FTM trees, update them and synchronise whilst I can and review the situation. I also do not like the new interface at all. I will probably then delete my trees as there will be no point in having them up there without the back up, nor a reason to stay with ancestry. Your competitor, Findmypast, is fast becoming a more attractive alternative now and also has a more accurate transcription of records. Beware, ancestry, this could prove very bad for you.

  5366. Vernon L Pate

    Disappointed in the decision. There are tools on the desktop that I use to fix errors and duplicates. I am using the Ipad app for a majority of my entries and research. But the utility of the desktop software can’t be beat. It has fixed a lot of errors and app glitches.

  5367. William Neal

    The ONLY reason I have subscribed to Ancestry.com all of this time, as well as participating in DNA projects, is to build my family tree
    records in family tree maker!!!!!!! IF I CAN NOT RELY ON ANCESTRY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT FAMILY TREE MAKER – THEN I WILL
    CONSIDER NOT CONTINUING MEMBERSHIP IN ANCESTRY. No doubt this is driven by $$$, or perhaps mismanagement — whatever — its not customer service/support driven!!! At the very least your company should rebate the total dollars spent by all those who have purchased family tree maker from the time you took it over from Banner Blue. Maybe a class action lawsuit by customers is in order!!! an unhappy customer

  5368. Pat L

    Typo correction….I read the Email early a.m. and the comments were around 4600, now over 5800. (now instead of not)

  5369. James Goff

    This is worse than when they discontinued myfamily.com. I NEVER just post to an on-line site without having the data on a hard drive/disc. So when you keep putting all your valuable time and effort on your work, what are you going to do when they suddenly decide to pull the plug on that as well. I do upload my data so a few friends can see it, but I always keep my info “private”. the interface on their web site trees is terrible. HATE the latest update they did there. One thing about it, there will be someone else to make this same program and if you have yours stored on your computer, then a .ged file will probably work then. But to all that do not use a software to keep you data on, your should have thought about this before you started. Then what is ancestry going to do when they lose many existing customers and who would use their site then?? Sign me up as PEE’D OFF BIG TIME!!!!!!!!

  5370. Marion

    What is the replacement for FTM and Ancestry products? Are you getting out of the family tree business completely? This sounds a lot like clerks telling Doctors what operations they are allowed to perform. Is there a forward for those of us wanting to continue developing our family trees?

  5371. Malcolm

    Here we go again. Changing things for the sake of change, if it isn’t broken don’t fix it. You always assume everyone has the latest technology, but not everone has or wants to. Why not let everyone have the option. It looks like that after being a member for nearly ten years, I will have to look elsewhere for my family tree options! Shame really it used to be a good site, but obviously the customer doesn’t come first. The new look is awful!

  5372. Jonnene McFarland

    I think it’s terribly unfair of you to sell a product, get your customers accustomed to using it, and then essentially killing the program. I have found it very useful, particularly for printing my ancestry materials and backing them up where I may have access even when working off-line. What program will be compatible with Ancestry in the future?

  5373. Karen

    Shame on Ancestry! As are many others who have responded to this news, I have been a loyal user of FTM and Ancestry for years. Not all of us are online 24/7 and I personally have no desire to be. I also agree that the “improvements” made recently to Ancestry.com have been terrible. You have really degraded your on-line product and now you are abandoning FTM. I repeat, shame on you!

  5374. Ray Phillips

    I have been with FTM since it was a ‘Time’ product – GSP. and came to Ancestry because of FTM – not the other way round. Now it seems it is time to move on and away from Ancestry and FTM. You will lose your hardcore supporters who pay and pay every year.

  5375. Kristy

    As everyone else, I think this is a very bad decision on the part of Ancestry and the desktop product was much better than the online version. I am switching desktop software and will never pay for an Ancestry subscription again.

    FYI. Just got an email from RootsMagic. In light of Ancestry’s decision, RootsMagic is offering their desktop product for $20.

    “To make the transition as painless as possible, we’ve set-up a special website at http://www.FTMUpgrade.com that includes training videos, testimonials, and more. And for a limited time, we are offering Family Tree Maker users the full-version of RootsMagic for the amazing low price of only $20. We will also include the printed book, “Getting the Most out of RootsMagic” absolutely free (a $14.95 value). You must visit http://www.FTMUpgrade.com to receive the discount.

    Of course, we also offer a free version of RootsMagic named RootsMagic Essentials that offers basic capabilities for those who are just beginning their genealogy journey.”

  5376. Vince Skahan

    Just ordered RootsMagic – very excited to try a product from a company who cares about their customers (for a change). Also love the fact that they provide both a Windows ‘and’ Mac version for the same price. What a concept.

    Gonna convert my 25+ years of FTM stuff over, delete my online trees, and buh-bye to you greedy blankety-blanks at ancestry once and for all.

    Congratulations for losing a customer who has been with the product since its ‘first’ release back in the DOS days in 1989. Hope hundreds of thousands of others also vote with their wallets + feet promptly.

  5377. Janice

    I really hate this! I personally dislike the online tree and have used the PC FTM version for many years. I prefer the PC version in adding records and linking to the material I have saved there. Links change all the time. While the online tree shows you some information, I find how it attaches the information incomplete without the appropriate commentary that I can do in the PC version. I also find information from many different sources that I input into the PC version, and not online. I only have the online version for convenience, and primarily use the desktop version and sync to the online tree.

  5378. allen49184

    Family Tree Maker is essential to my my genealogy project. Without it I will be dropping my Ancestry membership when it expires in September. With this loss, I will have to get out of Ancestry before they convert to the new system on Dec. 15/15.

  5379. Kristi

    This is simply unacceptable. Family Tree Maker is a valuable resource and tool. I don’t use the tree on ancestry.com as it is so cumbersome. The family trees that are now on ancestry.com are a joke which are difficult to navigate and a stripped down version of work real genealogists have poured thousands of hours into. To take away a product that is actually valuable with numerous features is such a betrayal. I am saddened when I see people build a family tree out “Hints” that are so inaccurate and they think they are doing actual research when they are being spoon fed these so called facts that they mistakenly believe are their ancestors is a downright shame. You took away the old search was preferred and given us no real way to narrow searches. Now taking away a remarkable program like Family Tree Maker is excusable!! Will I be able to print family trees? Will I be able to generate a variety of reports, like kinship? Why are you taking away resources and tools from your members? I have paid thousands of dollars to ancestry.com. I have been a loyal member and customer despite feeling completely unheard and now just one more blow to your dedicated customers. Shame on you!

  5380. Hans Elmer

    Dropping Family Tree maker is an unwise decision. We joined Ancestry because of this program, therefore we will not be renewing our membership.

  5381. William Neal

    The ONLY reason I have subscribed to Ancestry.com all of this time, as well as participating in DNA projects, is to build my family tree
    records in family tree maker!!!!!!! IF I CAN NOT RELY ON ANCESTRY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT FAMILY TREE MAKER – THEN I WILL
    CONSIDER NOT CONTINUING MEMBERSHIP IN ANCESTRY. No doubt this is driven by $$$, or perhaps mismanagement — whatever — its not customer service/support driven!!! At the very least your company should rebate the total dollars spent by all those who have purchased family tree maker from the time you took it over from Banner Blue. Maybe a class action lawsuit by customers is in order!!! an unhappy customer Bill Neal

  5382. Ron

    Thanks to those of you who suggested Roots Magic, I have just now transferred all my names from Ancestry.ca.

    The only thing is, I can’t import my 2000 photos. May have to do them one at a time. The folks at Roots Magic would be willing to have Ancestry sync with Roots Magic, if Ancestry would allow it.

    Good bye, Ancestry. I did enjoy it, and loved the contact with so many 3rd cousins, but greed, not service, has become your primary focus, and that’s just not good.

  5383. Derek W

    Wow! You certainly have broken the trust of many loyal customers including myself. Even if you rescind the decision now, will it just be for another year or two? Looks like I will go back to RootsMagic, who are already advertising using your “retirement”

  5384. Jack

    People taking comfort in thinking they can continue to use the FTM software offline forever need to understand that this is not the case.

    It is only a matter of time before an update to Windows (or a new version of Windows itself) breaks something in the FTM software- and without future bug fixes, it will stay broken.

    The same, of course, can be said for the Mac version.

    It is extremely short-sighted to think that everyone using Ancestry uses it with a live Internet connection 100% of the time.

  5385. David A

    Another thing, I have been using Family Tree Maker for years, about 20 years give or take a few. If this is how they treat loyal customers, then they need to rethink their marketing strategy. Every Ancestry.com customer needs to cancel any and every subscription they are subscribed to, and see how long Ancestry stays in business or changes their decision. I’m willing to bet they will see a big drop of revenue come from this month and the upcoming months. They should just fire the entire marketing department..

  5386. Cynthia

    I thought the worst happened when a new release of FTM some yrs back had eliminated the ‘View CD’ option which made it impossible to use the historical cds I’d bought from ancestry for research. Complained and was told ‘oh, all that data is on ancestry’,.well, it is NOT in the thoroughness of those cds or ease of use. Several hundred dollars out the window.. After putting it off for many yrs I just put my tree on ancestry recently. Earlier this year I had put it on My Heritage as it has far more European sources that are free with a Premium Membership. Well worth it. I found my husband’s German and Swedish cousins with it as well as hundreds of matches.
    What a mess for all of us.

  5387. Jim Davidson

    I have a few questions that I won’t likely get an answer for, but am asking them just the same.
    1.What % of your ACTIVE “loyal Ancestry community” use FTM software?
    2. How many free trial memberships become active Ancestry users after their free trial is ended (annually as a % of total new trial memberships each year) ?
    3. How many combined FTM/Ancestry members renew their Ancestry memberships annually (as a % of the total FTM/Ancestry memberships expiring each year)
    4. How many FTM users are located in the USA? In Canada?
    5. Why is it that there seems to be no interest in correcting the inability for Canadians to purchase FTM software through your provider in the normal way?
    6. Does that same problem exist in other countries (besides the USA)?
    7. What EXACTLY are you proposing to do in the process of “retiring” Family Tree Maker software?
    8. Are you planning to encourage a “class action suit” by making it impossible for FTM software to work on Ancestry after all these years?

  5388. Mark

    @Dale. Yes you can remove all the info you have shared with them. I have just unlinked my tree between FTM and Ancestry, and deleted it from Ancestry in protest at this awful decision. I have downloaded the trial version of Rootsmagic and moved all my data via GEDCOM file into it. It works great, going to also test Family Historian. There are lots of other options. I won’t be renewing my Ancestry subscription next year but will instead dip in and out of various sites to my advantage. I owe Ancestry nothing after this.

  5389. john

    I thought this was just a cruel joke. You can’t be serious. It is another blow to the actually genealogists that use ancestry. Another reckless decision by the brass at ancestry. They are mounting up!

  5390. Can't believe it

    I’ve just been on Facebook Ancestry looking at comments and noticed this top tip from Ancestry, they are obviously uninterested in people who take genealogy serious and are ditching us for the younger market:

    “Top tip 5: Get more hints! As you add new ancestors to your tree, give your best guesses of dates and places for births and deaths, even if you’re not sure how accurate they are. This will at least give us an idea of when each person lived. You’ll then get little presents in the form of Hints to help you make more discoveries – and the Hints will be more accurate. http://ancstry.me/1PDi6UC

    LITTLE PRESENTS? REALLY?!! What are we now back at primary school?

    I don’t have my tree public as I did when I first started, oh I was so naive, until one day somebody uploaded all my family photos then they got shared around and around. Lesson learnt. My tree is private AND unsearchable.

    I wonder if everybody on this blog did that, would it affect the “little presents?” Just a thought….. 😉

  5391. Steve

    I am assuming FTM will continue to work on my pc but will not be upgraded nor will it link in to Ancestry.com At some point the data could be exported from FTM to the GED? standard format for importing into a database supported by pc software.
    For new users of Ancestry who choose to store their information on the Ancestry website or existing users who choose to update their information on the Ancestry website, then Ancestry will hold their information to ransom in that users will only have access to their information for as long as their subscription continues.

  5392. Robert D.

    I too am disappointed. I have used various versions of Family Tree Maker which has served as my database for numerous family histories not only my family but for many friends. Sorry to see it be retired. I also use Ancestry.com and have for years. I do not particularly like the recent changes. Sorry!!

  5393. Edie

    I for one am not happy with Ancestry discontinuing the use of FTM. I am unable to afford the monthly/yearly fee that Ancestry wants people to pay. We are searching for family & charging for this service is way to high. How am I suppose to get my charts or reports that are not available to Ancestry? It doesn’t look like Ancestry is taking into consideration that the people who are on small bugets are important enough. I’ll really have to start searching for sites that will give me the best for my buck

  5394. David

    This might be a great opportunity for someone to steal the genealogy market from ancestry.com. I have and will always be a loyal customer of Family Tree Maker and only recently started to have the same loyalty to ancestry.com because of all the data it provides. But this has shattered that loyalty and I am now looking for an alternative. So, if anyone can provide a program which will give me the same functionality as Family Tree Maker does, I will absolutely be willing to give it a try.

    I am wondering how many people are in the same situation as me. I have a small tree of about 250 people with very few attached documents on ancestry.com for DNA matching purposes. I have about 22,000 people in my Family Tree Maker file with thousands of personal photos and scanned documents attached. Is ancestry.com prepared for a massive upload from me and everyone else who has my scenario?

  5395. Jeff S

    I’ve used FTM since it was a Broderbund product. I have hundreds of trees on my computer. I understand business decisions as a professional and business owner. You have unintentionally committed financial suicide. Thank you for doing this before I invested more money on DNA testing for my family. The web based services are becoming more user unfriendly and difficult to navigate. I will use the product to keep records until it fails to function. I had to go back to using the 2012 version because updates to the 2014 version corrupted older trees. I have all of the older versions to run trees for different families. Your lack of foresight in this matter will open the door for a smarter competitor to take over your market share. We who research family history have done so without technology. We keep notebooks and file cabinets full of information. Your site was a medium for exchange of such information. Now you are relying on a glitzy function like Ancestry DNA to draw in revenue. You are loosing the core researchers. As such the need to do the DNA studies will fade. It is impossible for semi-professional researchers to add all of our information to web site. Those of us living in rural areas have limited internet access which limits the use of the web site. As a physician I understand the limitations of DNA studies from a practical research point of view in family history. I would strongly suggest that you reconsider this decision. It might be a good idea to use your website to poll your users as to their opinions on this decision. You have over 5000 negative comments on day one of this announcement. Looks like someone should reassess this decision,

  5396. John

    This is really a bad decision, considering the lack of ability to export the cloud-based data to my local drive. Combine that with the stupid timeline interface, lack of reporting and error checking and we now know the future of Ancestry: going for the mass consumer and abandoning real genealogy. I started with PAF, but will look at RootsMagic now. In the meantime, you OWE these many customers a lot of answers to their legitimate concerns and questions. Get cracking!

  5397. G.A. Cabat

    I have scanned the comments & haven’t found a single one that says retiring FTM is a good idea for users. The website tools don’t come close to those in FTM and I find the website harder to navigate. AND I don’t like have those historical tidbits in the middle of my timelines! When I can no longer use FTM, I too will cancel my subscription to Ancestry.

  5398. Maddie

    took advantage of the Roots Magic offer to take all FTM customers at a discount…guess I will start transferring everything tonight. Thanks Ancestry for giving no notice and taking away a great product. Shame on you for not thinking about your customers at all….no renewal here

  5399. Teri Summers

    I have lots of notes in FTM that I would/will never put online. I have to wonder if this is a ploy to get us to purchase the latest version, only to have Ancestry change the decision come January.

  5400. MHD

    I just hope AncestralQuest or RootsMagic is working on an online partner for automatic sync options. Now, I’m going to investigate the sync capabilities at MyHeritage. Then, I’ll go spend a good deal of today editing my handouts and slide shows re what products I recommend. Then, I’ll start deciding which trees to start removing from Ancestry. And, I’ll be spending all this time non-real-genealogy researching, I might as well unsubscribe from ancestry….

  5401. Neil

    FTM was a rubbish programme anyhow and in all probability easier for them to harvest your info directly from whatever you put on their sites. Family Historian is far superior software.

  5402. Roger

    Just last month I sent Ancestry $48.99 for FTM and now I learn that it will be discontinued. That’s what most folks would call a “rip off.” Will we be refunded?

  5403. Robert M

    I will be looking for and would support any web competitor to Ancestry that would continue to support desktop use of Family tree maker. Desktop users are declining but not as fast as you seem to think.

  5404. Vince Skahan

    Just ordered RootsMagic – glad to see PC+Mac versions for the same low price. Plan to convert my data then buh-bye ancestry completely.

    I don’t know what else to do but vote with my feet (and wallet). Hope hundreds of thousands of others do the same. I can’t recall a company who killed 25+ years of customer loyalty in one fell swoop. Just amazing to me.

  5405. ConnieM

    So, since no explanation of how you will take care of your FTM/Ancestry customers, I will just offer this absurd comment: I am going to assume you will be revamping Ancestry to include all the services and features provided by the FTM desktop program, which should include a downloadable “Ancestry” desktop program to go with it at the same price as your subscription. Sounds good to me, but I don’t think you have the programmers that can do it! Will you be hiring or have you already hired and put to work those who can accommodate your customers? I don’t think so, or you would have given your customers a “what’s in the works” strategy? What Say You? –Another disgruntled customer.

  5406. What is going to happen to my site and content? Please explain. And why are there no replies to any of these remarks answering their questions? You need to communicate properly to your users.

  5407. Tom Brooks

    Sounds like supporting FTM is too expensive for you and thus we have a business decision. This does not serve your customers well. You figure that you have a solid lock on the market for the easy part of your business so you can now safely dump the difficult (expensive) part of the business. You feel sure that nobody will challenge you by bringing a new fully integrated product onto the market as you have too much of a lead. Their cost of entry would be too prohibitive. I will cancel even to move to an inferior product just to protest your anti-customer decision. Have a nice day.

  5408. Kay Beasock

    I agree with many of the posts here. Having FTM allowed me to easily share my family tree with many of the older members of my family that are not computer savvy. FTM is also a great tool in my research activities. I hope you will reconsider this decision and continue to support and even update FTM. I believe many of us pay for the world version and may change or cancel our subscriptions in the future.

  5409. Sandy

    I guess the only decision is Legacy or Roots Magic. Online ancestry subscriptions will noticeably decrease since a number of people subscribe only because they use FTM. Ancestry is moving in a direction that doesn’t support serious researchers – but then again do they care?

  5410. Dennis H

    This is terrible! How will be able to produce reports on paper to send to other relatives? How can access and show my trees to other people off line? You are going to LOSE alot of customers.

  5411. So sales was down on FTM giving you cause to discontinue but what about those of us who purchased FTM and upgraded year after year? This is NOT the way Ancestry should treat their customers. Since you are discontinuing FTM the least you could have done is come up with an alternative. Most of us have a huge amount of irreplaceable data on our FTM. I am very disappointed.

  5412. Dave G

    I agree with the comments of the other 99% here. One of the most bone-headed ideas I’ve heard in years. The ONLY way you could redeem my further subscription is to make FTM open source.

  5413. Mike

    I’ve opened a FREE account with ‘FindMyPast.co.uk’ and have already imported my GEDCOM file to it. I’ll be copying image files to my computer and then to my NEW tree. After that, it’s probably bye-bye to Ancestry. Also, FindMyPast.co.uk is only £99/yr, so it’s cheaper than Ancestry as well!

  5414. Bob

    Hi David – it’s not the software to provide the functionality – this could be done with generic data base software which can build multiple laired links – it’s the background data which ancestry holds and which we have all contributed to and which we all need access to which we may not be able to access..

  5415. Herbert Colcord

    Take a lesson from Coca Cola and its introduction of New Coke in 1985. Admit your mistake. Change your myopic decision. Listen to your customers!!!

  5416. Marti Osborn

    Oh, no! I need hard copies for my adult children!! That’s why I’m doing this in the first place!!!

  5417. Wayner

    Dear Ancestry.com- this is MY data, not yours! Is making me pay to access MY data even legal? Cloud software is accepted by users when it mirrors desktop versions- your web interface is not even close. You do genealogists everywhere a disservice. If you can’t afford to support your software, the very least you could do is to continue syncs from it. Then users can keep using FTM forever and genealogy sharing. Remember sharing, Ancestry?

  5418. Lynn

    I am appalled that you would make this decision that leaves thousands of customers helpless in using the history developed over years of genealogy research. What other avenues might have been considered in making FTM available from another company? This seems like a decision made for short term financial gain and could well affect the Ancestry.com prospects.

  5419. Toby

    I can’t believe that you would take away the most valuable tool set we users have, FTM. Your Web interface doesn’t allow an effective way to report the data you provide, and I agree with most of the folks above that I was happy with the original interface prior to the more “user friendly advertised” interface. I think you should spend your money on keeping your customer base, and enhancing the tools that work for us, not growing revenue for your company and the heck with the loyal user. To sum it up, I am Shocked and Saddened to here this news, and I certainly hope someone else will pick up this business opportunity so we can continue to research and report useful data.

  5420. Susie

    I am almost to the end of my 6 month trial, and this is VERY Disappointing, will need to search for new website to sync and software… as I want to own my ancestry information on my own computer software and not at the blackmail of your subscription service.

  5421. Chuck Hjortness

    Absurd for sure. All my family records are on FTM 2014 now and the web program is entirely useless. I to will discontinue when my renewal comes up in January 2016.

  5422. Robert

    Well kristy it was only a mater of time before the word got out about ancestry and the other family tree software firms used this as an opportunity and still not a word from Kendall Hulet think he is missing the boat here and has not used the limited time to stop this being a complete disaster for Ancestry I personally dont want to move and was about to download the mac version as my pc crashed and wanted to tranfer to the mac version but even with the 30% $49 is still a heavy price to pay if ancestry is going to take this route i will wait and see Also phoned ancestry and even their own employees did not know this was happening and only found out when they got in to work today that speaks volumes.

  5423. Bob D

    Terrible decision. I’ve been using FTM since 1998. I’ve started to look into how to move to other software, but I find the suggestions about using GEDcom to move data inadequate. I hope users realize that only some of the data they have stored in FTM will be transferred. What about all those doc images, pictures, special notes, etc., etc. that you have linked to individuals and so on that are stored in your FTM? That will be a huge manual task for those (including me) who have more than just a few such items to transfer to whatever new software is selected. I hope to see some ideas about how to move all the stuff GEDcom can’t deal with.

    As for any hope that Ancestry will relent … or sell FTM to a competitor, dream on! Sorry to have to say that, but $$$ are the only thing driving this. Ancestry under it’s current ownership has one goal: milk the thing for all it’s worth for a while and then dump the entity on some other buyer.

  5424. David Dixon

    ALREADY UN-SYNCED MY TREES AND DELETED MY TREES OFF ANCESTRY, SUBSCRIPTION UP IN MARCH 2016, ‘GUESS WHAT’ I WILL TRYING SOME OTHER SITE, I ALREADY USE OTHER SITES FOR EXAMPLE FAMILY SEARCH; ONLINE PARISH RECORDS; UKBMD; FREEBMD; DECEASEDONLINE; SCOTLANDPEOPLE; AND MANY OTHERS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION

  5425. Dan Desmond

    First, you inflict the “new” ancestry on us which is arguably the worst new product since the Edsel…well, maybe Windows 8 is a better analogy. Not content with that you kill off FTM — the only reason I can think of to remain a customer of Ancestry.com. Have you considered that in an age when even large, well capitalized banks can have their servers hacked by cyber criminals, a cloud based system with no offline storage alternative puts all of us at risk? If you truly believe that there is a declining market for FTM, then do the right thing and permit file downloads from our Ancestry.com accounts to other vendors who will continue to support their product. You have lost more than existing customers as a consequence of these poorly-thought-out decisions; as word spreads, consider how many potential future customers will mistrust Ancestry.com and avoid doing business with your company.

  5426. Marion McMillan Jr

    This is a dumb move.The family tree maker is where I line up ancestry for others.I agree with the boatload pf negative comments about this thoughtless decision.This sounds like a Coca Cola move.Remember the change to New Coke.

  5427. Cathy

    Having been a supporter of Ancestry.com since before it was even a pay website, I cannot believe they have done with. Loyalty seems to be a thing of the past with Ancestry.com. You have lost another customer. Bad choice on your part.

  5428. Les Mitchell

    Very dissapointed to hear that support for Family Tree Maker is being withdrawn. What is Ancestry doing to replace this? New software or updating the website to facilitate the same functionality as FTM?

  5429. Pete

    As with the comments above I am dumbfounded and disappointed to say the least at this outrageous decision. I came to Ancestry via Family tree maker and not the other way round. FTM is intuitive and a much better format for saving and reviewing data that I hold on my family tree. I suffer the Ancestry format and layout as a means towards and end. I have upgraded my FTM every time at some cost, I hasten to add and see this very much as a backwards step and a disservice to your loyal subscribers. I would, for one, ask you to reconsider this bizarre decision or else give us the same functionality in terms of various forms of presenting the data directly in Ancestry.

  5430. I have been hoping for years that the ‘sync’ problem of not being able to sync more than one computer would be fixed since I use a desk top and a lap top. I never thought you would do away completely with FTM. This is heartbreaking since it has been the best software out there that I have been able to find in over 20 years. I prefer to store my information on my desk top and use the lap top for research. I only use Ancestry’s tree service to store the limited information that I am willing to share. Your web sight has been my research tool and now you are taking away one of the most important tools in the box.

  5431. This is ridiculous! How am I to merge facts on Ancestry with my family tree? I don’t mind having it on the Ancestry website, but I also want it on my home computer. Am I supposed to just write all the source info down on a piece of paper and then write it down again on my FTM program on my computer. FTM has some flaws, but the advantage of having sources already completed after a merge is tremendous! I find lots of other sources besides Ancestry and writing out the name of the source, repository, etc is very time consuming. Now I’ll have to do it for ALL of my sources? This is ridiculous!

  5432. Martha

    I just removed my public trees from Ancestry, which I had there to share some of my 30+ years of research (mostly outside of Ancestry) with other serious genealogists. Sorry, other genealogists, but why should such a greedy company profit my work, and charge me for it besides! For my main (private) tree on Ancestry, I plan to finish my research by the time my annual subscription ends and then sever my relationship with Ancestry. Merry Christmas to you, too!

  5433. Brenda

    “we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market and the impact this has on being able to continue to provide new content, product enhancements and support that our users need.”

    Excuse me. Did you ever think that the decline is because FTM is already perfect? There is little need to upgrade each year. Many are still using outdated versions because they already offer all we need.

    Without TreeSync, you haven’t made FTM irrelevant, you’ve made Ancestry.com redundant.

    Thanks for releasing the chains you’ve had all FTM users. We’re free to go elsewhere with our research.

    Adios. Just deleted my online tree.

  5434. Mardi

    I just read on Rootsweb that they have offered to replace FTM for Ancestry (using their software to sync with Ancestry). How about it Ancestry? Please let us know soon. We all need to make our decisions soon to have the work done in time so if you wait too long, there will be no turning back for many and you will lose in many ways, not just subscriptions being canceled now and later but the loss of value to your website by all of your customers who have made the family trees one of your selling points. Or is it that you just want to have the family trees online so that you can hold our info ransom? Genealogists are not that gullible. Please rethink this and soon. I won’t wait long.

  5435. Hyatt E. Cayton

    Very bad decision. I have been a loyal customer since day one. Signed on this morning to renew my subscription. I was shocked when I discovered what you were going. This has been my research program since it first began. I do not like the on-line version because it doesn’t do many of the things I need to do. I like to keep a copy of my stuff on my local computer. It is my time to renew with you but I think I will wait a bit before I make up my mind. I seldom if ever use the online version, just upload from my computer to it. Not a very good choice for your customers to not continue FTM and support it. It is one of the best programs for Genealogy.

  5436. Lisa

    Ancestry, how many more thousand disappointed comments to your blog announcement, will you read before maybe rethinking your decision to end the Family Tree Maker program and not offering any other offline alternative? Big mistake. Huge! :/

  5437. Susan Mellott

    I have spent many years of work and the cost of software updates to utilize this software for my family genealogy. I choose this software because I felt Ancestry would continue to support the product and it was not a fly-by-night company! And now much to my surprise, you decide to discontinue it! As a service to you current and long term customers, please identify what software we can sink our data to. That is the least you can do if you don’t change your mind and decide to keep the FTM (Which is what I would want!)

  5438. Sharon

    I have never been so disappointed!!! Like others have said I have spent a lot of money on FTM and Ancestry!! I like I have really been used!!

  5439. helen

    To say Im upset about your decision is an understatement !! I really enjoyed using your online site and the FTM I really hope you read some of the comments posted by your loyal customers

  5440. CyGuy

    Certainly you understand that FTM desktop is a database that may contain thousands of persons for some of your customers (like me). It’s no easy task to transfer it to some other application! Countless hours of customer’s labor and records in jeopardy! And what if we don’t want our private records residing in the cloud to perhaps be cherry-picked by hackers? What are we to do? Your notice should have offered more advice as well as solutions.

  5441. WandaS

    What Mr. V.P. is telling all of us is that they now have all of our hard work and data so no need to support our personal version of information being kept. While the desktop software allowed all of us to maintain our personal information locally, we trusted Ancestry to support maintaining an online version which could come in handy while using the internet and not having FTM at our side. No one from Ancestry has responded and they probably won’t. Now let’s see if the price for your subscription goes up in January because they will have to pay for everyone using the online data at all times vs. local to online replication. This usually calls for bigger pipes to support the bigger load.

  5442. Patricia Yancey

    I just called a couple of days ago to ask if my version of FTM would work with Windows 10 as I am in the processing of purchasing a new computer. The lady I talked with said it was not and I would need to update. She said nothing about this decision to discontinue FTM software. I decided to wait until I actually got the new computer before purchasing the update. I’m really glad I did. My Ancestry subscription is also up for renewal this month but I wonder if it will be worth the cost.

  5443. Judi Perdue

    How very disappointing. Like a lot of others, I have spent a huge amount of time on family history and purchasing Family Tree Maker upgrades for multiple OS systems. The website does a less than desirable job with family trees. No longer going to purchase memberships since the only way they were of any value was with family tree maker. Now I will be faced with trying to find another option and not depending on Ancestry.

  5444. Kathy

    First myfamily.com and now family tree maker. Watch out findagrave.com. Very disappointing. Sounds like they are focusing on the projects that bring in more money.

  5445. James Gist

    I have been using Family Tree Maker for over 20 years. I have recommended Family Tree Maker to many of my friends and students. Never again. My concern is giving my family history data to Ancestry and possibly losing it if we cancel our subscription as is the case with your Shoebox. Are my concerns valid?

  5446. I hope that Ancestry reconsiders this poor decision. I question the thought process of management. The new interface is also horrible and I agree with Malcolm that change for change sake seems to be driving that. Was there some customer demand for a new look? I doubt it. Now this. Losing FTM undercuts the ability of thousands of customers to preserve their trees in a more permanent format. It seems to me that Ancestry.com is making certain business decisions without sufficient regard for the needs of their customers. Our need is for consistency and continuity. We spend months and years building our research and we rely on Ancestry.com to keep the ship steady while providing new data sources. I will be researching Roots Magic and FindmyPast.

  5447. Paul Muskopf

    Well I guess I am not surprised by this but I vehemently disagree with your analysis. What is to happen to those of us who use Family Tree Maker and have done so for many years. I understand that there are new ways of communicating in this electronic age but why leave those of us that have something that works, sitting in the dark after this transition is complete. You know there is a good percentage of the population that do not/have not and don’t want to have to purchase all these new devices to fit with what you purpose. There was an old idiom that said, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it” but this generation seems to think that everything has to change on a regular basis and that if you don’t stay up with the changes then the hell with you. Now Ancestry fits that category. Sorry you’ve made such a bone-headed decision and so much for my loyalty to you.

  5448. After reading a good many of these comments, there are a lot of us who have FTM now and use it daily alone or with Ancestry.ca. If all of us here on this page quit Ancestry in 2017, myself included, somebody is going to be loosing a lot of money for a money hungry company. Like a lot of people we have maybe 5000 people or more in our trees. That’s a lot to loose or have in the cloud. I guess it’s time to go back to the old days and use paper and binders. So much for trying to help the environment now, but you don’t leave too many choices for us. It is disgraceful what you are planning to do. Please rethink HARD before it’s too late.

  5449. John

    5970 negative comments in 20 hours. I’ve read a large number of the comments and agree with everyone of them. I canceled my subscription and will be looking for an alternative to Ancestry.com. Here are the sites I have gleamed from the comments above: Family Search. Find My Past, My Heritage, Averykin.com, Legacy, RootsMagic, PAF, Pedigree, AncestralQuest, Family Historian. Hopefully, one of these will be smart and make it possible to use our .ftm files on their site and thus pick up 1000’s of new subscribers.

  5450. Mike

    Very bad decision. I was just about to re subscribe having been a member for some time but lapsed during the summer. Will now be looking to other sites/providers any one have good recommends?
    Ancestry has been the best site but I think they may live to regret this move, time will tell!

  5451. Jerry M

    -Recently cancelled my subscription, because I didn’t like the way things were being changed. Now this shame on you!

  5452. Diane Ullman

    Bad form. Bad, bad form. I use the Family Tree Maker software every time I’m online. I have very little time for this project and every second is precious. Now you’re removing the best tool you have. Don’t think I’ll continue with this site once the FTM is gone.

  5453. Steve

    Apparently, nearly 6,000 FTM/Ancestry subscribers have already responded to this announcement. I cannot find even one response that has endorsed this decision. In fact, many subscribers have stated their intent to abandon Ancestry altogether. I will probably add my name to that list. I started with FTM when it was first released and continued to use it when it was acquired by Ancestry. In recent years I have been frustrated with the uneven quality of the product and the Ancestry website. I have also struggled with a very poorly run customer service and technical assistance department. Gradually, I have begun migrating to another platform. But trying to stay current on my trees has become more of a task and less of an enjoyment. Nevertheless, I have been reluctant to leave Ancestry. Now it appears Ancestry has helped me — and thousands of others — make that decision. As with so many technology companies lately the loyal customer seems to come in last.

  5454. Sallie

    So basically, if we use Ancestry to do our research and build our tree online, Ancestry will hold our data hostage in its cloud, and we’ll have to pay an ongoing subscription fee to access it. Is there going to be any way provided for users to download their trees AND source information AND images so they can have a backup copy that would be useable off of Ancestry’s site? Geez.

  5455. Robin-Lynn

    I do not usually comment on things, but this time i feel compelled to add my voice to the string of disappointments already voiced. I find this move completely baffling. I have been using this software for ages. can not understand how ancestry will function without it. I am not interested in having all my research on a public site or where i can not access off line. I hope you reconsider this action. I will certainly be pulling ll my information down from ancestry and search for an alternative service. I have paid for ancestry for decades and now consider that investment worthless.

  5456. Sil

    “True to this focus, we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market and the impact this has on being able to continue to provide product enhancements and support that our users need.”

    I think you made a mistake looking at the responds you have got on your news.
    I never, never, never will use an on-line program.
    I’m very disappointed. Bad move. So goodbye !

  5457. By now, Ancestry, you should be starting to realize that your recent decisions, including the toddler-friendly “New” Ancestry, are not exactly winning over your existing customer base. Whoever you hired in your marketing department to grow your sales seems to have forgotten about the customers you already have. Frankly, I don’t trust Ancestry to maintain my database, especially when you make decisions like this and essentially kick your customers to the curb. I’ve filled out your website surveys and received no response, and I suspect you don’t have the courage to respond to the comments in this blog. My friends, you’ve become too big for your britches.

  5458. David A

    I’d like to apologize to Ancestry for an earlier comment. I thought they had lost most of my tree. The fact is I had two separate accounts tied to the same email address and was logging into the wrong account. But I’m still beyond mad at this decision to terminate the software. You will not be getting another cent until this decision is reversed and based on some of the 6,000+ comments, most people are doing the same thing. Looks like Ancestry will not make their December sales goal this month

  5459. Al Kildaw

    Greed driven decision .. period. I tried your updates since FTM 2006 and still use 2006 as the “new and improved” versions in my opinion suck. I started with the original FTM over 30 years ago. You, along with others turning software based products into subscription based products is totally greed driven stupidity. Thanks for nothing.

  5460. David Shepherd

    “You can’t be serious”. Family Treemaker is the most popular genealogical programme in the UK. This is a monstrous disservice to all your subscribers. You are going to wreck the family tree research of perhaps millions.

  5461. J Odom

    My only reason for subscribing to the website is the software. Without the functionality of the software, I have no reason to subscribe.

  5462. Joy Irene

    I am shocked at your decision. I hope from the many negative comments you have received you will reconsider your decision.

  5463. John Wernette

    Your decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker is disconcerting. Have already purchased alternate software to replace your product. With regard to ancestry.com subscription, will evaluate the interface possibilities with the new software purchased. If it proves too difficult to manage, will cancel my subscription to ancestry.com as well.

  5464. Attempted to upgrade from FTM 2005 and paid for upgrade in 2013. Been working on F Tree for over 15 yrs. I was so complicated to work on that I abandoned it and stuck to my old one and joined Find My Past. Was considering returning to Ancestry…not now. Hope I don’t loose all my data. All about money. From Buckinghamshire, UK

  5465. Mary Jo O'Rourke

    I have been a loyal customer for many years. No more. No renewals this year unless this decision changes.

  5466. Lewis Harris

    Just renewed my subscription in November. I do not want to, nor will I use an app or phone, or tablet to keep my records. I like ancestry the way it was before all this new stuff that you’ve been putting us on. I guess this means good-bye to you next year. Very disappointed in the sorry to inform you kind of annoucement that you gave us.

  5467. Jemkomm

    After appraising other FH software I opted for FTM and purchased a copy last year. I have been a subscriber to Ancestry for many years and this news is a real blow. If Ancestry have been developing online tools that are the same as FTM’s, then I’m sure there will be a subscription cost element. The decision to announce FTM retirement without offering an alternative is a very poor marketing strategy. If I am right and Ancestry do have something up their sleeve, then FTM purchasers should be given the right to free access and then heavily discounted access to the tools after 2017. It makes no sense in the business world to not have been working on developing online alternative tools. Ancestry will loose out on those who will not be renewing subscription due to this announcement. Now is the time to let us know before any more customers pull out and take their business elsewhere.

  5468. Will Sopha

    I will miss Ancestry when they abandon FTM in 2017. But there really won’t be any reason to stick around any more if there is no way to save our research locally on our computers. But I do appreciate the heads up so I can get what I can done before it happens.

  5469. Susan Bartlett

    I am appalled by your actions. What on earth do I do about the years of research I have put on FTM? You make a blanket statement which offers no explanation about what your long serving customers should do next. Basically it would appear that we have all wasted a lot of time and money, just to have it removed by yourselves in one small statement.

  5470. Dan

    Like most others I am very upset about this. Unlike most others I will not be using words like disappointed or saddened or “I understand the cloud yadda yadda yadda”. Those responders are NICE people. Well I’m not and I’m PO’ed and BIG TIME!!! You think that because we used your sites that you now have total ownership of our genealogies? That is, in effect what you are trying to do and we all know it. Force us into a position where we have to PAY to see our own hard work. If that were not the case, you would be providing LIFTIME support for FTM. There will come a day when we can no longer access our own trees in our own homes because FTM has stopped working for some reason or another and you expect us to PAY you so we can access our trees again? Not me brother. And just today you have the unmitigated gall to want me to pay you for another DNA test? LOL!! How stupid do you think we are? Yes you provided a service but we as users ADDED to your database each time WE put data about OUR families into it. Maybe you need to PAY US???? No matter. I’m done with Ancestry and Fold3(It’s worthless anyway). Have fun watching one of the other Genealogy sites eat your lunch!

  5471. Erik

    This is extremely disappointing news and seems to be a misaligned decision if your goal was to keep your customers satisfied. I have found no better way to prepare and validate individual lines, or share data and reports than FTM. Additionally, I know several angel volunteers who provide services for adoptees who will no longer have the same convenience supported by your choice to discontinue that service. I recently returned from the FamilySearch Center in SLC where several individuals complimented Ancestry’s data but mentioned a difficulty in exchanging information between individual researchers. FTM is a valuable tool to support that growth and exchange of knowledge – and, hopefully, there’s not some tool in Ancestry that has forgotten that.

  5472. Cindy Stevenson

    I just renewed with ancestry & bought 2014 FTM along with it’s Companion Guide & DNA kit the first of December ~ My bill hasn’t even come yet ~ and your focusing on the customer. From your email yesterday, a week after I invested again in Ancestry….. True to this focus, we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market and the impact this has on being able to continue to provide new content, product enhancements and support that our users need. With that, we’ve made the tough decision to stop selling Family Tree Maker as of December 31, 2015. This is a terrible & outrageous business practice for you to do to your customers. You know how much this means to all who use the desktop. I feel betrayed by ancestry. I hope the Monday morning staff (focus) meeting that makes the decisions will reconsider the FTM. I do want the best experience possible.

  5473. Sharon

    I am disappointed and appalled at this decision and hope it will be reconsidered. I have wondered many times over the past few months who the clientele is that Anc.com thinks it is serving, e.g., the newly designed website that seems to please none of your current loyal customer base. Now I wonder even more. It must be some new time-deprived group who is not interested in real research and detailed meticulous record keeping. Those of us who have used (and paid for) your products and services for years are not being heard or considered.

  5474. Kenneth

    Looks like you must own stock in Heritage.com as you are now going to make it the LARGEST site in the world.

  5475. Terry

    I think it is safe to say this is not a good decision based on the negative comments by other members. I am also very upset. There are many functions in FTM that you cannot do in Ancestry. You will make it very difficult for members to determine and fix anomalies in the data. I find it easier to use FTM than Ancestry and I have been a member for over 25 years. I hope you will reconsider!!!!

  5476. This is the worst news I have ever had. The only reason I ever joined Anc.com was because I had and have had for as long as I can remember, FTM now 2014. If you discontinue FTM, I will cancel my membership with anc.com!!!!!!!

  5477. Diane Wilson Flynn

    We shouldn’t be surprised, because this buying up of valuable genealogical resources, dumbing them down and then killing them has been Ancestry’s mode of operation all along. I have been using FTM since version 1.03, when Brøderbund owned it. Then the software went through a rapid succession of owners. When Ancestry purchased Family Tree Maker and genealogy.com, I had a lot of hope that such a large company would finally make the search engine more effective at genealogy.com, but no, they continued to collect subscription fees while providing zero support for the search engine and the databases. Finally, Ancestry killed genealogy.com and GenForum. Ancestry bought Rootsweb – and promptly destroyed or removed interactive databases. Ancestry DNA successfully removed any scientific aspect to their entire genetic genealogy offering, partly by discarding options for Y-DNA and mtDNA testing. Newspapers.com’s search engine is rarely helpful compared to other newspaper web sites. The company has continued to buy – and ruin — other formerly very helpful web sites such as HeritageQuest.
    As far as I know there have not yet been any major assaults on two other companies now owned by Ancestry: Find A Grave and Fold3, but I’m sure they get around to screwing those up, too.
    To complement my FTM software, I purchased thousands of dollars worth of very valuable data CDs. Only the World Family Tree CDs were a joke because some people would upload their tree every time they added 100 names (usually plagiarized from someone else’s tree) to their database. That tradition has continued to Ancestry’s present-day online trees which are so often full of copycat “data” instead of real documented research from Ancestry’s own reputable sources. In the meantime, Ancestry kept “improving” its yearly updates of Family Tree Maker by taking AWAY features we had come to love over the years. After buying and trying FTM 2010, I realized that only FTM version 16 retained the features I needed. It used to be possible to click on the Web Search Resources button for a name in FTM 16 and to have an instant list of Ancestry’s records for that name—but Ancestry killed that functionality, too.
    I believe it would be exceedingly dangerous for serious family historians to entrust their carefully researched data to Ancestry’s online tree without a software backup because it can be shown by numerous examples that this company merits neither our trust nor our respect.
    About Ancestry online: the company has insisted on “improving” its online search engine to the point where it has become very frustrating to use. It was once intuitive and FAST because a list of potential hits was just that – a simple list, with each hit occupying one line in the list. By adding more data points to the global search, it was possible to narrow the search down to just a few pertinent databases. Now, attempts to narrow down a search often fail because the slider bars continually default to an nearly infinite global search. Even when one KNOWS that a record exists on an Ancestry database, it may no longer be found by the “new” Ancestry “ improved” search engine.

  5478. Frank

    I have found that I downloaded Legacy 8.0 and imported my family Tree maker file as a GEDCOM 5.5 file and got all my FTM data including pictures and Ancestory sources. I have 1335 people in my tree. The interface is more user friendly. Since it doesn’t sync with Ancestry and I want my tree on my computer it leaves little value for continuing a subscription to Ancestry.com.

  5479. I can only agree with all the above comments. Serious research can only be done on FTM, the new website is childish, and if you don’t have brilliant broadband cloud is not the answer.
    I also do not wish to be held to ransom by having to continue to pay an annual subscription.
    Will find alternative software, transfer my tree and delete the online trees.

  5480. Charles Hayward

    To say the least, I am very disappointed by the email I received today stating discontinuing of support for FTM users. I pay around $300 per year for my World Subscription to Ancestry.com and have held subscriptions to this for years and been able to make several important family discoveries – found my ‘lost’ maternal grandfather and several close cousins and other relatives I would not have been able to find without the Ancestry-FTM connection. What the hell are your Ancestry-FTM users going to do now???? Are you going to keep us in the dark for what we should do with our future family research, or leave us entirely in the dark for our future research without help??? Are there any other programs out there that have an Ancestry.com connection like the association with FTM? This looks like you at Ancestry.com have made a decision that I would associate with corporate greed that is so prevalent in todays corporate world. VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!!

  5481. It took about 20 minutes to scroll to the bottom of this, I feel so strongly. At present I like to keep an offline version, and it is nice to have an online version too, the key thing is that they are synchronised. So my online version stays up to date, and is a great backup in the event of hardware issues. Apart from your bad search pages it is perfect. So what moron decided to change it. Even though I can get hints on the online tree, this is not enough. After this change my online tree will not be updated, I may delete it. I will search for a solution that allows for this dual storage or online and offline, clearly ancestry rules itself out. We lose out. Ancestry’s reputation takes a massive hit. Why don’t you listen to your customers, Ancestry?
    You are out of touch. This is a great opportunity for competitors.

  5482. Brenda

    I have been with Family Tree since it started. Having a family line of 38,739. How can you disrespect my loyalty. You are an educated company fix this or give an alternative way of being able to use our desk top. I know you spoke with your lawyer TEAM making sure your back was covered. Shame on you another greedy grabbing company. Mary Christmas Scooge

  5483. Vicky

    Very disappointed to hear this. The Sync process and Report options with Family Tree maker are very beneficial. Please reconsider this decision

  5484. Jason Cerny

    As soon as I make sure my thousands of photos and documents are securely backed up,I will bw removing them all from Ancestry. Which is a shame as I have put them up not just for myself, but for the benefit of others. Since Ancestry also ownes findagrave.com, what miserable descision do they have in store for that site?

  5485. I began with FTM and Borderbund in Cedar Rapids, Iowa long before Ancestry existed. The only reason Ancestry is so popular is because of the family tree work by individuals in FTM.. I have written six books of family history utilizing FTM. My work was all done before Ancestry became popular. There will be no reason to continue with Ancestry if FTM is not available. Currently I am working with the ProGenealogists and Ancestry but I will end that work if FTM is not available. Mr. Hulet apparently has no clue in that 6000 plus blogs have been generated in less than 24 hours against his decision. (There might be one blog supporting the decision as I did not read all of them!) Continue FTM and Ancestry has a chance in the future. Stop Ancestry and watch your product fade into the distance.

  5486. Linda

    Why don’t you concentrate on what you do really well: add searchable, (hopefully) relevant content. Your unwanted “tweaks” only succeed in additional burdens for your users. I see no benefit to us with the severing of ties with Family Tree Maker, but it does benefit you by giving us no choice but to allow you to own our information. Pretty transparent, if you ask me!

  5487. Diane

    Let’s be honest. This decision is strictly financial. It has nothing to do with customer service. Ancestry will be losing my membership next year.

  5488. dontucker32

    I’d just like to add my negative opinion of Ancestry changes to the list. I am now removing photo and text contributions I have made to the Ancestry site over the last 15 years of my membership.
    I will not renew next year.
    Bah humbug!

  5489. As a long-time subscriber to Ancestry.com I am deeply unhappy about your decision regarding FTM. Between the “new and improved” website and your decision to “retire” FTM, I anticipate that I will be discontinuing my subscription after 2017.

  5490. Dave Allison

    I am very disappointed in the decision to stop FTM. I have worked on my family history for years nearly every day. What would it take for you to reconsider ??? Do you want more $$$$ ?

  5491. Vicki in Texas

    VERY Disappointing news! Subscribed and/or followed ancestry and FTM since 1990’s. Ancestry is good for online research and they have provided me with much needed information for my research. BUT, the FTM software is much better for reporting, charting, and correcting/finding errors…. So sad that it has come to this. I will be looking for other options. Thanks to all the people who have left their comments here and helped direct me to another way…RootsMagic, Family Historian, etc…

  5492. R Witberg

    Very disappointed, I do a lot of research that is not on line or digital and input it on my FTM program. Have been with FTM for a long time.

  5493. Rob T

    Really disappointed. Having just renewed my annual subscription I expect we’ll be offered a refund. I have twenty odd years of research on FTM. I expect a mammoth task – perhaps years of work transferring photos, documents, stories and all the other bits and pieces that go together to make our hobby, into another family tree program.

  5494. Susan

    Wow, so disappointed! FTM has been a wonderful source of hard copies of all my work. As much as I have loved ancestry, I don’t want all my work just on a website or an app, I want a hard copy too. The sync feature has been great, hope you change your mind! Also, since I’m taking the time to comment, I’m not a fan of your most recent update to the ancestry website. It looks too simple, lots of wasted space, I have never complained before but this latest update is not great, you should have left it alone. You may think it is better for us, but not so much.

  5495. Dan Henry

    Without the FTM stand-alone software, I find very little reason to continue to use Ancestry.com. It is solely the functionality of the two systems working together (Ancestry.com & FTM) that make it the best option on the market today. If you discontinue FTM, myself, and many like me, will take our business elsewhere – to include our DNA testing. You may want to seriously rethink how this is going to impact your business.

  5496. Martyn Woolf

    I have now cancelled my annual subscription, unfortunately it expires September 2016. Tomorrow I start removing everything that I can from Ancestry.

  5497. Evelyn

    I have use FTM since its beginning and grown with it. I have also been with Ancestry for many many years.
    * How will we save our trees – without sync
    * Can only save as GEDCOM but this does not give you all the attachment- all your hard work will be lost
    * How can we print out hard copies
    * Fully dependent on the internet
    * How! How! How! so many questions and I will give serious thought to moving away from Ancestry from what has been a great financial and time investment on my part.
    Please think again

  5498. K James

    I am so very very disappointed with Ancestry for not continuing to support the backbone of the whole program – Family Tree Maker Software. I like many others, use the software to work on my genealogical research offline. This is especially because the internet costs $$$ and is not always available. The on-line program does not have many of the essentials I require – such as indexing people by birth dates, etc and adding unrelated persons (the on-line is horrible at this). I can quickly look through persons off-line and do comparisons and matches – which is very cumbersome on line. I think you have betrayed your followers (such as I) who have used the software for so many years. Bad Bad Bad decision that will end up your losing a lot of customers and loyal followers.

  5499. Scott

    Never have I seen someone stir up such a s*** storm in such a short time. A day and a half of comment time and we are up to a half million words or so!

    Looks like I will be spending the balance of the month finding a new home and method of work. Too bad. Wish you had bothered to say something about whet we should consider as a viable replacement.

    I have spent $240 per year on your subscription, plus paid for the occasional software upgrade, and spent more time than anyone wants to know about pondering my family history and that of others with your product. All available for someone else now!

    Good Luck!

  5500. Lorrie C

    I haven’t seen one comment who agrees with your decision. If you plan to depart with FTM software you need to add ALL the reports and search and print oprtions to your ancestry.com website. Everything FTM offers should be put online then. We pay a subscription for your service and want a back up copy for our own personal convenience. You are taking that away from your consumers, who will start to look elsewhere for answers to their genealogy research. If all these negative responses don’t help you to reconsider your option……I do believe you will have MANY download their gedcom and MOVE ON!!!!! Including me! I have been a loyal customer for years and now you are disappointing a lot of customers.

  5501. Greg

    Hmm! A lot of unhappy customers, myself included. However, in the light of your decision, it would be helpful to know whether FTM will provide their customers with a list of other vendor-compatible software programs that could be integrated into our current databases. Cloud based applications aren’t always appealing, so desktop compatible would be my suggestion. Good luck!!

  5502. Mike H

    Ancestry has never had much style or finesse but you excelled yourselves this time! Does it make you feel better to know that all these people can complain about this decision on this blog but know that the decision has been made? More competent managers would have a Plan B ready for customers. Your arrogance has obviously deemed this unnecessary.

  5503. Cathy Modarelli

    So very unhappy to hear this decision – I’ve been doing family research since before there even was Ancestry.com and you had to go to the courthouses and the LDS locations and libraries – I went from the Family Search software to the Family Tree Maker software because I found it easier to use and navigate, and then when Ancestry came along and hooked up with it, I was very happy with my choice.

    I too have thousands of people in my database, and don’t want to enter any of it online at this time, first because many of the people in it are still living and I respect their privacy, and also because I am checking over source materials and constantly adding to it.

    I have found recent changes at Ancestry to be a bit confusing and they seemed to make it harder to sinc my information with what was online without downloading other family trees that I wasn’t certain I wanted.

    I imagine it is a difficult and complex job managing a website such as this, but I am very concerned about this news, and what it means for the software many of us have used now for years. I too want to know what will happen to the parts of Ancestry that currently respond to Family Tree Maker, whether they will cause Family Tree Maker to fail or crash after the 2017 date, and also wonder how we will be expected to go on using the information on the website without being able to easily add it to our own database? While I understand that it may be possible, if these changes don’t cause Family Tree Maker to crash, to continue using unsupported software on our computers, it is always then likely that at some point our operating systems or some other component on our machines will update and outdated software no longer functions.

    Please reconsider this decision. Personally I think of the Family Tree Maker database as the major tool in my research, so much of my material is cataloged and recorded there. How exactly WILL people use the materials available at Ancestry if they cannot add it to their own database? I have never used Ancestry without Family Tree Maker, but if all we will be able to do at that point is look up records, I really don’t think I can justify the membership cost.

  5504. Gretchen Despard

    I understand that the main issue is profit for your company. Consider that you will lose many paying members if you proceed with dropping our ability to interface Family Tree Maker with Ancestry.

  5505. Jackie Vass

    I am so dissappointed, I hope you will be adding the features which Family Tree offer in printing out reports. This makes me re-think about keeping up my subscription or going elsewhere now. All of us members have spent alot of money on Ancestry, where is your loyalty to us.

  5506. Mary M Zashin

    As I understand it, ACOM is owned by a venture capitalist firm. Such firms make a habit of buying companies, “streamlining” the business by chopping off any parts they believe are unprofitable (and incidentally firing people), outsourcing (often overseas) whatever can be more cheaply done in that way, then reselling what’s left. Another name for these companies is vulture capitalists. I think this is what’s happened to ACOM. It’s “just business,” and they’re going for the market of millennials who want cloud-based services. It’s naive to think they care at all about their FTM users. It’s a waste of breath to beg them to reconsider. This party is over. I quit.

  5507. suzy

    Hey everyone, just read that Archives.com, Fold 3 and ProGenealogists, Inc are all properties of Ancestry. Let’s not forget them in our cancellations or do not move to them from this.

  5508. Margarette Coates

    It took me forever to get here to make a comment. I have used FTM since the VERY FIRST version came out and my “desktop computer” had a whopping 2?? mb hard drive (or whatever the first ones were). I have purchased EVERY update or upgrade! Only printers were dot matrix (which I liked because I printed and shared many copies of info with. Just hit print and make sure the paper box was full). I have encouraged people to use FTM from the beginning. I am heart broken from the e-mail. I feel sure there are hundreds of thousands of people using your program. And if you continue I feel sure there will be many, many more users. I have been excitedly waiting for the next upgraded version, which if you have your way I will never see! Yours is the only program I have ever used. I understand cost issues verses survival, but you are abandoning we LOYAL users! The cost of EVERYTHING we buy is rising. It is the way of the world. Do we as consumers like it? No! Are we willing to pay a little more for a product we like and trust? Heck yes! Be it food, clothing, gasoline, computer programs we love….whatever it is! Please please reconsider and keep our FTM going! We have decades of work to do yet! I do not want to have to find a new program to have to learn to use!

  5509. dickeverard

    Fantastic news, so as my Family Tree Maker 2014 has already stopped working anyway, I can presumably get my money back! Seriously, I would much prefer FTM to be working (they haven’t come up with a solution yet after 6 days) and for Ancestry to continue their support. The online tree is pretty hopeless so I will have to buy something else and then link to what?

  5510. Roger

    This really has me concerned. Since the almighty buck drives large companies like Ancestry, can we preclude them from charging people to see our trees at Ancestry.com? Right now people can get a free “guest” membership when we invite them to see our tree; sooner or later, Ancestry will see another cash cow and change the way guest membership works: either dropping it or limiting it to a time period or something like that.
    Re-thinking the whole Ancestry things.

  5511. Janet

    I feel the same as everyone else and its a shame. I really wish someone from the company would step up and start answering the many many questions asked. I mean we have spent years of time and tons of money respect us enough to answer our questions.

  5512. Jeff Fletcher

    This reminds me of last year when Turbo Tax decided to gouge its customers (who used lower level Turbo Tax packages) into purchasing higher level packages simply by removing key features from the lower level packages. The H&R Block tax people loved it! And when Windows decides to discontinue support, they normally give notice for two or three more years of support, and it is for operating systems that were already several years obsolete, so that the user got many years of service. So why almost simultaneously are you still selling the new desktop software at the same time you are telling all that you will stop supporting it as early as one year after purchase? Wow, leaving the desktop users holding the bag could cost you big revenue for additional on-line services that the customer will no longer be interested in. And just as others have said, “the only reason I subscribe to the website is the software. Without the functionality of the software, I have no reason to subscribe.

  5513. Kenneth Greene

    This decision with no explanation of how we members are to move forward is very discouraging. Now that you have all our genealogy information that we donated to you, what is going to happen to that information?

  5514. Carol Baird

    I’ve had FTM since it started as well as the whole Ancestry subscription and have been very satisfied with it all. You are making a huge mistake by ending FTM, sending your loyal customers to another software company. And what are we now to do with all the documents we have linked to our family trees on our home computers loaded with FTM program linked to Ancestry.com? Are we going to lose all those citations and documents we have linked? As you can see there are lots of genealogists very angry at your decision. I hope you reconsider

  5515. Casimir Katz

    If there is no replacement for the tree sync and the merging capabilities of the FTM, there will be no further advantage for the usage of the ancestry web!
    This decission is foolish! Please revise it.

  5516. Anne Bobigian

    The desktop program is infinitely superior to the web program, which doesn’t allow serious work correcting and verifying information. The program has definite problems, but despite trying out a variety of other programs, it still integrates the search function online, and analysis and reporting off-line the best. The is another example of dumbing down solid functional work programs by going to web-based products, which are glossier but much more superficial in actual features. It also puts the users at the mercy of the company, since you control the product (our trees) once we don’t have the product on our own systems. Terrible news, and I’m going to locate an alternative system quickly, and also get my families’ DNA results off your system before those are compromised by this kind of action.

  5517. Charlotte R. Mitchell

    I suggest that you improve and updaate the current version without bringing out new versions. However, do not discontinue the software without all users being able to transfer all entries over to other software with all current features.

  5518. Pierre LaBauve

    I’ve been using Family Tree Maker & Ancestry along with Family Tree Builder and MyHeritage.com for the last three years. I added MyHeritage.com because it found things Ancestry did not and was relatively cheap at $10 month. The desktop version Family Tree Builder is a great program with most of the features of Family Tree Maker, is free and syncs with MyHeritage.com. I will never allow all my data to be stored exclusively on line. Too much work went into compiling it to leave it up to someone else to protect it. Guess I will keep using MyHeritage.com and Family Tree builder and use the Ancestry subscription money to subscribe to a couple of new databases like 4Fold.com, Newspapers.com and a few others. Just so there is no mistake, this is the most inane move I’ve seen a company pull since Coca-Cola introduced New Coke !

  5519. BOb Dufour

    I feel you are making a big mistake, I have been using FTM almost since the day it was introduced, I have much information using my world subscription and only wish my Father had lived long enough to see what I have accomplished, I have found more information in the 5 years since his death then in the 50+ years he researched the old fashioned way.
    I know you’ll tell us we can still use your online service to do our research and store our data but not everyone has internet access and when I show my research to family members it is much easier to make changes on my laptop and sync when I get home, I urge you to reconsider.

  5520. Mick Trumpeter

    I am very disappointed in the decision to stop FTM. I have worked on my family history for many years almost every day. I dont belive that Ancestry is supporting its users by dumping FTM and changing the website interface to a childish…. words have failed me.

  5521. PRCote

    I hesitated to comment with the many thousands already posted, and I doubt I can add anything new to this discussion – however, I too am very upset over this. I also do not care for the new look of the site and cannot fathom replacing my desktop software with a web only version. I intend to let my current ancestry subscription run out and will be seeking new software. FTM allowed me the greatest flexibility with syncing my online and offline data. The website is terrible for entering information from non-Ancestry sources. And for entering the way Ancestry references are imported, which are always sloppy and incomplete. This is very upsetting.

  5522. Donald Anderson

    I cannot believe this. This year I switched from RootsMagic to FTM because I thought the interface was more user friendly and because of the desktop/website compatibility. If you don’t reverse your decision I believe a refund is in order, including a refund for the Companion Guide. Thanks for ruining my day.

  5523. Steve Casteel

    Typical business decision! Looking after the bottom line. Where is the customer focus? Got us hooked and now dropping a great tool. You just lost me as a member (10+ years) of Ancestry.

  5524. William Humphrey

    I am very disappointed with this decision. I have been able with ancestry and family tree maker go from my immediate family to a tree that contains more than 22000 people. Please reconsider.

  5525. Nick

    Very disappointing. FTM & Tree Sync are the features that set you apart from other sites. I think you are cutting your own throats.

  5526. William Duling

    I supposed that this is a “bright idea” dreamt up by some recent college-grad bean-counter to save a couple of dollars and get a feather in his cap. Poor idea! If Ancestry values their customers (as they surely should) then they should reconsider this misguided brainstorm and give their customers what they seek. Not all of us are comfortable working solely online. I, for one, do not want all of my research at the whim of corporate giants such as Ancestry and the cable companies.
    Ancestry – think long and hard before you pull this plug.

  5527. C Haralson

    I hope that you are listening to the backlash from your customers. The new interface to the Ancestry website is horrible, difficult to use, and does not seem to provide as much function as the old one. Ancestry.DNA leaves a lot to be desired. Now, you want to move away from a very successful genealogy software application (maybe the most successful). It seems that the new owners of Ancestry.com don’t really seem to be in touch with the field of genealogists and family researchers that have relied upon this service for so long. Long string of very bad and disappointing business decisions.

  5528. Evelyn

    Further thoughts, does this then leave your tree on Ancestry and who has legal ownership? If you discontinue and have maintained a secure level, will this now become available unless you secure with your FTM and then delete from Ancestry before you shut the door between the two.
    Will you slacken the security level once this happens and all the confidential information with then be available to all. Very worrying indeed

  5529. Pryce

    I have to say that I echo the main sentiments stated in the many earlier posts. I have been using F.T.M. since the 1990’s updating on a regular basis and in the main been very happy for it to be the main repository of my research. Whilst I have posted a public tree on Ancestry I have always used my P.C. based software as the master, Apart from the insecurity of posting everything on line, the setup of the new online software I find to be so inconvenient when compared with the old system that I would not be willing to use this alone as I much prefer the P.C. based F.T.M. software. Hard as it is to contemplate moving from Ancestry that is what I will do in the event that this disastrous decision is not reversed. I feel as though I am being manipulated and driven towards having to make regular annual subscriptions whether I want to or not just to have access to my tree without the safety of a P.C. based system which is under my control alone. Doesn’t sit well with me at all in fact it’s very sharp practice! There will surely be other options with other genealogy sites we just have to get over this state of shock and identify them!

  5530. Geoff Hunt

    Its a waste of time writing all your just comments, rest assured the marketing/financial teams have done their homework and are willing to sacrifice the small % of customers like us, it’s a money game now and personal gain for the man at the top, Ancestory is about Profits nothing else.

  5531. Dave

    I agreed totally with a lot of the feedback. I have subscribed to Ancestry for years in addition to purchasing every version of FTM for both windows and Mac. If this goes ahead I WILL NOT be subscribing to Ancestry anymore.
    What happened to loyalty.

  5532. Leslie

    Ditto on all the above comments. In addition: IF, AND I SAY IF, you are seeing a drop in FTM software sales, I can give you my reason. My first FTM software worked well and was intuitive. When I purchased an upgrade, it was a disaster. All the commas, quotes, etc in the Notes Sections turned into symbols – and I had 100s of Notes – far too many to go back and change. Also, in the creation of Books, of which I had many, the old version allowed me to enter photos in the Text pages and enter text tightly around the photos; the new version did not allow wrapping of text, which of course left large voids on each side of the photos. I had 100s of pages I had to redo in Microsoft Office, save as a PDF and then transfer that PDF into the Book’s text pages – what a visual and time-consuming mess! Your claim is that your Books can be any size; what you don’t say is that once the Books go beyond a certain size (which is small), you cannot create a book for printing – your software can’t handle the size. I had to recreate my first book into 9 different sub-volumes, which of course, then did not allow the index of each sub-volume to go over all sub-volumes. A total disaster. When I called to ask why you would say the size of your Books can be as large as you want when, indeed, they can’t be if you wish to publish, the symbols debacle, and the photo/wrap text issue, all I got for a response was the attitude that I was wasting your customer service reps’ time and no real reasons for the changes, etc – I’m the person who pays his salary! So I never purchased another upgrade. So if you want to blame anyone for falling sales, blame your programmers and get new ones! Yes, refunds are in order and yes, you’ll see an exodus to more customer friendly organizations – and believe me when they hear what ancestry is doing, they’ll be knocking on our doors. This, of course, shouldn’t surprise me – not after your underhanded treatment to LDS! When will morality and integrity replace greed? I can only hope all the comments will make their way to the top and the top, although likely greedy, will at least realize what an angry consumer is capable of – we love to spread the word! I am a very angry customer who has used ancestry since the 1990s and who, like so many others, is looking elsewhere. NO NOTICE!!??

  5533. Barbara

    I’ve used only desktop FTM since 1998. All data I added was vetted by me. Adding others’ tree information ensures serious errors. Increasingly over the years “juvenile” type people submitted trees and were unable to address their obvious errors – they just copied junk. I don’t want my stuff to be tainted by anything online that I didn’t ask for. I want FTM to be supported when I need a new computer or update.

  5534. Bill

    I tried uploading my tree several times to the online system. It would work for a while and then the online tree would lock up. I had to reload. After the reload, other users would get the green leaf again for media matches and got very annoyed with me. In any case I stopped using the Ancestry on line. Without FTM I would have no backup system and could lose my entire family tree!

  5535. John Perigoe

    My question is how will subscribers amalgamate trees without FTM? I did this with your instructions last month.
    When will you publish answers to all of these questions. At least put up a FAQ list and answers.

  5536. Laura

    What software will replace FTM? Why doesn’t Ancestry give you reports? Ancestry is a vehicle to find records. Very inflexible yet cost keeps going up? Rework Ancestry to do what FTM does then people won’t complain about losing FTM capabilities. I always though it was strange you had to have a separate software to upload your information to see you Ancestry better. Most of the time these screens lock Sync takes too long and often doesn’t work you have to redo the Sync. I could go on and on. Terrible what you doing to long standing customers!

  5537. James

    So my biggest issue with this is that if I find information outside of ancestry or I save records to my tree using a subscription will I still have access to images and the information that I add to my tree after I cancel my subscription? I don’t have all the time in the world to dedicate to researching my tree so I do so in spurts paying for a month or two at a time adding records and searching the new databases that continue to come online. I don’t want to be locked into a subscription model just to look at data I have already looked at and would like to examine again. Is this the case or will you be allowing this kind of functionality in the web version?

  5538. BARRY886

    With 6100 negative comments at a minimum of $200 person for a yearly memvership this represents $1.2 million per year. Ancestry get you head back in the game where the real genealogy people are and not those who ask “where can I find my family tree on line for free?” these people don’t want to work to find anything they want it all done for them. I for one dropped my membership because of the new version and now this.

  5539. Bro Maelor

    I’m not one of those threatening to cancel my subscription (actually they rarely do!), demand my money back, or “scream and scream until I’m sick”! I work on a higher plane!
    But seriously, FTM is an excellent product and any serious researcher needs it. The ability to synchronise between the FTM data and that held on line is invaluable.
    Ancestry, as yet, you have not given us an acceptable reason for discontinuing this product. Please reconsider this ill-conceived move!

  5540. Wendy

    I bought the software 2 days ago to find out it will be useless in 12mths. I feel a refund is definitely called for. How do I make copies from the website? I feel like I have been ripped off big time Guess I will go back to the other sites I have been using. I think you need to rethink this decision as happy customers are better than bottom lines.

  5541. Anne Richards

    Stopping FTM is a mistake. I use this to manage my tree offline as a backup copy like many of your other users. Just recently a number of your online suggestions have led me to other people’s family trees where my father is listed incorrectly, or has more children than he actually had and the ones he did have are not listed at all. This makes a nonsense of using such facilities if people are just going to add people you suggest to their family trees without conducting other research, as can be done offline, before publishing online.

  5542. Mary M Zashin

    I tried hard to use the new interface and in fact I was finding some benefits. But now ACOM is dropping FTM. As it stand now, apparently the only way to continue using ACOM after January 2017 is to maintain a subscription. There will be no way to save your tree to your home computer using ACOM. To me, these products were a package deal. I don’t want to be forced to maintain a subscription if I want full access to my trees. As I understand it, ACOM is owned by a venture capitalist firm. Such firms make a habit of buying companies, “streamlining” the business by chopping off any parts they believe are unprofitable (and incidentally firing people), outsourcing (often overseas) whatever can be more cheaply done in that way, then reselling what’s left. Another name for these companies is vulture capitalists. I think this is what’s happened to ACOM. It’s “just business,” and they’re going for the market of millennials who want cloud-based services. It’s naive to think they care at all about their users. It’s a waste of breath to beg them to reconsider anything. This party is over. I quit.

  5543. Graham Dodd

    Ancestry, this is appalling. I feel very betrayed. The kind of service you are supposed to provide is one of trust and faith in your product. You have breached that trust so when it comes down to renewing my Worldwide subscription, you will loose my membership. I never expected this from you, but alas greed has got the better of you.

  5544. Eddie

    The new Ancestry web site is very poor; pandering to the social medial brigade and alienating the serious genealogist. The latest iteration of the iOS app is just as bad, which is why I have stuck with v6.2. And now we are told that Family Tree Maker is to be retired. Just one more reason to ditch Ancestry.

  5545. Douglas Ax

    Kendall, I can not begin to explain to you how disappointing this decision is to me. I understand how important it might be for you to put your own stamp on the company (only 8 months in the job) politically, but, at some point, the customers’ wants and needs must and will drive the success of this company. I have been a loyal fan and customer since Family Tree was marketed in the early 90’s and have appreciated the upgrades over the decades. Last year your company chose to drop the book publishing portion which allowed me to easily & creatively share my work with family & friends. 2 years ago a cousin contacted me regarding photographs of his father that I had placed in “the cloud” through Ancestry. I thought I was sharing only with my friends in Ancestry, however, it appears my photos were sold to Google. I trust you’re doing well financially with the sale of the photos you gather in the cloud. Bottom line … I’m one very disappointed fan and long time faithful customer who is getting forced into looking for other options by management decisions …. just sad!

  5546. Bob Clapp

    First: you need to realize that FTM is the Base – Ancestry is ancillary to FTM! That is why you have bazzillions of people contesting your decision. FTM is necessary to add personal/recent family documents and pictures. It is also necessary to correct the numerous mistakes that occur using ancestry to add information.
    Second: I second what all the others have said about you controlling my family tree. It belongs to me, not your company.
    Third: If you are trying to pretend that you are professional, why did you choose the name Ancestry Academy for your “professional” support? Academies are supposedly elite schools at the high school level – not the college, grad school, or advanced professional level. It sounds like your executives are more interested in sounding cutesy with alliteration than actually providing professional support.
    Fourth: We are a long way away from being able to use DNA to supplant historical documents. By suggesting that DNA can be the basis for Family Tree Research, you deserve to go out of business.
    Wake up and put your efforts into perfecting what you’ve got! Otherwise, you’ll even lose that.

  5547. Neil H. Brown

    Your greed borders on insanity. I find your decision to retire Family Tree Maker very repulsive. I hope that your company suffers greatly from this. I will do my part by not supporting you any more as I have done for years.

  5548. Dave Klasssen

    This is VERY upsetting news! The desktop program interface is so much better and easier to use than the web site or the iOS app. I do 99% of my work with the desktop program! In fact, on the road, I only use the iOS app for reference; I *never* use it for updating info but wait until I get home to use FTM and sync.

    Granted, the desktop interface needs some touch ups (like not using MSIE as it’s in-program browser) but to abandon it completely seems silly.

    I really like the suggestion above about releasing your tree-sync function as an API so other software developers could use it. Because, honestly, I think the online interface is horrible…

    I think going forward, when sync is cut off, my online trees will simply be frozen in time and I’ll be stuck with only having a local version of my tree on my computer.

  5549. Robert

    I have used FTM for about 15 years, and Ancestry.com for almost that long. I build and maintain my tree offline, since Ancestry’s online software is inferior compared to FTM. I will do whatever is necessary to continue to work offline, even if it means canceling my Ancestry.com membership and moving elsewhee.

  5550. Sheryl

    I’m at a loss for words really other than I feel sadden, upset and confused what my next step should be so that I can transfer all my information of ASAP. By the amount of response on this blog, I have a question. Is anyone responding to the feedback? If Ancestry appreciates our feedback, is there a way you would re-consider this decision since there seems to be an overwhelming response of “OH NO!!” ? What will the options be when we do not have access to internet? Most grave-sites have no internet available. When I’m with an older relative interviewing, they too have no internet. I believe you are handicapping the process to which we have all become accustomed to. Please respond to all our comments if we really are appreciate for the feedback.

  5551. Raymond

    I consider this a breach of faith on Ancestry’s part. I have invested years of time, thousands of dollars, and I have written my own add-ons to access the FTM database which I will no longer be able to do. Since I do not have a reliable internet connection it also means I will not be able, much less willing, to continue using your products or services. I also don’t feel that you have the right to demand that I upload all of my research data for what every use you choose.

    You may contact me if you come to your senses and reverse this horrific decision, otherwise I will no longer be your customer.

  5552. Arlean

    This is an awful decision and I will have to rethink my membership to Ancestry. It seems like you are doing this so you can now charge people more and to think those are the people who have built your company. What a terrible business decision. I will be removing any information I have on your site and will be looking for alternatives. I am sure someone will have the smarts to meet the demand of those of us who wish to keep our information on our own computers. I am extremely disappointed and as soon as another service comes about to fill the hole you will leave, I will abandon your service completely.

  5553. Karen

    So, does this mean Ancestry is going by way of “the cloud” and that all the data we gave to Ancestry for free we will now be charged for if we want to see our own data? How is that fair?

  5554. Jeraldene Bloom

    The only way I’ve liked used your Ancestry family tree is because of the Tree Sync with FTM. I have over 27K people in my tree and find it VERY cumbersome with the online version you offer.

  5555. What genius came up with this very stupid idea. I have been using Ancestry and FTM since 2002 and love the tree sync feature. I like having the backup of FTM for all the work I have done and want to continue to do. It seems you are trying to force people to use only Ancestry. This means if my internet goes down I am stuck and unable to work. I agree with all of the people that have expressed how unhappy they are and I hope you lose all your loyal customers with this terrible move. Perhaps someone will come to their senses soon. Obviously you don’t care about your loyal customers!!!

  5556. Karen Russell

    Losing Family Tree Maker concerns me greatly. How are we to get printouts of what we have so laboriously worked on to this point? When I went with Ancestry and Family Tree I had hoped that this type of thing would NOT happen. I feel like I have beat my head on a wall for what. Not everyone can afford to pay outrageous amounts of money to have genealogy books printed for them. I do not have the time to keep redoing my data. This is extremely upsetting.

  5557. Howard Bragg

    Now I understand why my efforts to point out the continuing problems with FamilyTreeMaker have never been addressed; Ancestry.com had no intention of improving this product; The company has been preparing to abandon it. I can still pursue my searches on line, even if synch is no longer an option; But I would hope RootsMagic or some other outfit can get Ancestry to support synch.

  5558. Eve

    Count me among those angered and upset about the impending death of FTM. I use ancestry.com primarily insofar as it works through FTM. I also agree that the new ancestry.com interface is not only less than useful but also full of annoying quirks. I suspect that Ancestry is looking at those of us whose trees and work are stored on our own computers as an untapped revenue source. When we agree to their terms of service, we give Ancestry the “perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use” everything we submit to its websites, any way they want now and in the future, even if we close our accounts. Not only to they own and have the right to sell any material they create using our information, we pay them to co-opt our control and privacy.
    So, I will continue to use FTM even after support for it is discontinued (and not upload my data to the website). It’s no different from continuing to use an operating system such as Windows XP after its “end of life.”

  5559. Terry

    There are now over 6,000 comments posted, and the overwhelming majority are saying that this is a big mistake. You’re leaving people with no good alternative, and people are abandoning Ancestry in droves. Coca Cola reversed their mistake in abandoning Classic Coke some years ago; can you do the same?

  5560. John Stuart Morris

    I need to keep my family tree independent on desktop. I do not want to rely on the web which may or may not be always available. This is the same thinking as Microsoft’s stupid decision to design Windows 8 around touch screens.

  5561. Lois Parker

    Wow! You have jump started my research. My research began in 1974, when visits to genealogical.libraries, actual sites, real people and letter writing were the norm. Yes, it was slower and sometimes, more costly,, but it produced satisfying results.. 2016 will be a BUSY year, as I feverishly copy all my FTM files and do any finishing touches of research..before I part company with Ancestry.

  5562. Marc

    What more can be said! It would seem that we are all of the same opinion. I for one will not be paying a subscription to a web site so I can view all the information I have spent years researching and paying for. Ancestry will lose a lot of customers with this ill thought out decision!

  5563. Very UNHAPPY about you retiring FTM. Why? Sync options, reports, charts etc. enhance one’s Family Tree publication. I use Ancestry for research & FTM to write the family’s history. I too will be discontinuing my Ancestry subscription after 2017. There must be other websites where one can ‘Research’ for data. Please continue Ancestry & FTM as they are now linked.

  5564. Richard Owens

    Discontinuing the product is your choice. But, at least sell the codes to another firm so they can produce compatible software for us to use. Another company will make a fortune!

  5565. Alan

    Instead of “discontinuing” FTM, would like to see that happen to the current CEO! What a lame plan, what a lame communication. What disrespect for clients, some of whom have invested thousands of hours into FTM.

  5566. Dan Dubbs

    I have been researching available family tree software that matches the capabilities of FTM. Legacy Family Tree and Family Historian match the capabilities but do not seem to be as web integrated.

    Additionally, I am in search of a replacement research site to replace Ancestry.com. It is too bad they do not understand their loyal customer base. Kay Sera, their loss.

  5567. David Faux

    When ordering FTM, and even the “Companion Guide” (which is published by Ancestry), I was directed to Nova Development (all my receipts are from that company), affiliated in some way to Ancestry – but the company (perhaps the ghost of the Broderbund original software firm) and thus FTM does not directly come from Ancestry. There is more to this, I expect, than we are being told.

  5568. Jon W

    Your unfortunate decision to stop supporting Family Tree Maker is very shortsighted and certainly not customer friendly. I am certain you will lose many of your subscribers to Ancestry, including myself, and I urge you to reconsider. Perhaps you should change management personnel, rather than retaing the employees who seem intent in driving you out of business.

  5569. Rita

    Amazing how in less than 24 hours there are over 6,000 negative responses to the decision to discontinue the Family Tree Maker. Maybe this needs to be re-evaluated? How many millions of hours have people put into this and what are they to do when it’s gone?

  5570. AJH

    I add my support to what has already been said by many before me. My initial feeling of anger has been replaced by disbelief that Ancestry have handled the situation so badly & have so little understanding of the way their loyal customers use their services. Most serious genealogists want to store their research on their own computer as well as online & the tree-sync facility is the vital element that sets FTM apart as being the best. It is not a just a stand-alone program but an important integral part of the whole research package – Ancestry have completely failed to grasp the reality that if FTM goes, then many of their customers will desert Ancestry altogether. Their competitors must be rubbing their hands with glee – I see that RootsMagic are already offering a discount to Ancestry customers. No further statement from Ancestry as yet.
    As a long term user of FTM, Ancestry website & latterly also AncestryDNA, I have always considered Ancestry to be the best of the bunch. I have reluctantly adapted to the ‘New Ancestry’ website and even praised Ancestry for listening to their customers concerns & reinstating all the best bits that they had unbelievably removed! Now I fear that unless they reconsider their decision or at the very least offer several years support for tree-sync, then this is very regrettably the beginning of the end for Ancestry. With so many customers cancelling their subscriptions & removing their trees in protest & disgust – what will be left of any worth for even the diehard loyal supporters? We may all need to go elsewhere eventually.

  5571. Sharon

    Very poor management decision to discontinue desktop FTM program & made worse by lack of timely notification to customers with no alternatives offered. Realize there are many who do not want family information stored in the cloud whether considered “safe storage” or not. At the very least, please consider use of another software company that will continue to offer the program offline. I find your new online website changes distracting and less than helpful. Looking forward to a positive response from Ancestry management.
    Thank you

  5572. Bob

    Apparently Mr. Hulet doesn’t believe in doing his own customer research. What % of your existing customer base maintain their FTM software on a desktop or laptop? I would think it’s fairly significant and you now want to intentionally alienate them all? If you don’t have the capability or desire to maintain it anymore, then sell the software to someone who can and will. This is the dumbest move I’ve heard of a company making to shoot itself in the foot in quite some time.

  5573. Steve

    What a lot of your subscribers do not realize (I have not wasted the time to read them all) is that FTM, or FTMM2 (for MAC) will not be sold in perpetuity, however, there will be support for, at least, another year. This should give these folks enough time to figure out an alternative. I, myself, use a desktop and a laptop. I have not succumbed to walking around with some sort of mobile device stuck in my face, oblivious to anyone else around me, stepping on toes, running into lamp posts, etc.

  5574. davedc78

    When FTM is abandoned, there will be 1) no way to perform a full backup of our Ancestry public trees to our local PCs — GEDCOM export won’t cut it, not by a long shot; 2) no way to pass on our public trees to another generation, so they can continue to work on them and not have to start over. FTM provided a very nice way — and the only way — to do this. My conclusion: Ancestry is just another greedy, soulless corporate entity — not our friend; it never was, and never will be.

  5575. Andy

    On the basis that you will stop supporting FTM, I have today deleted all my on-line trees……When my subscription expires, that will be it, goodbye Ancestry. If a few thousand more follow suit, then perhaps Ancestry will fired the idiot in charge….

  5576. Bonnie G

    I understand the move to subscription services rather than “owning software” is being driven by the Millenials. I would like to remind you that the majority of your subscribers are Baby Boomers, like me, and we are not interested in additional subscription services. We want to continue using Ancestry.com and we want to own Family Tree Maker. Perhaps you could do what Photoshop is now doing: they offer software for sale to those who prefer that choice and offer a subscription software to those that prefer that choice. I believe that if we are all forced to go subscription with FTM, you will lose many, many Ancestry.com subscriptions! Please rethink this.

  5577. Craig Albrechtson

    Like so many people, I’ve been using FTM loyally for years. But no more. I was still angry about my now useless data disks. Now this. After the holidays, I will be switching to another genealogy program, one that allows me to save my tree’s on my computer. I’d like to think all these comments would give them pause, but I doubt they care. It’s all about the dollars. See ya ancestry.

  5578. n. sauers

    There are other genealogy programs available. I will be glad to see the ability to copy other people’s trees. gone. The copying spreads errors. A good genealogist uses original research. Ancestry.com has provided instant access to original records and is a bargain compared to a week in Salt Lake City, or traveling to court houses across the country.

  5579. Ian

    UNBELIEVABLE – UNBELIEVABLE – UNBELIEVABLE
    We always had the notion that you were interested in the needs and wants of the end users. Oh Boy were we ever wrong. UNBELIEVABLE – UNBELIEVABLE – UNBELIEVABLE

  5580. Greg

    As many who have already posted, I made a choice to stay with FTM years ago. That was done in good faith. Where is yours?

    I was always wary of uploading my information to Ancestry. Unlike staying with FTM, THAT was a good choice.

    What you have done is wrong.

  5581. Sylvia

    I am EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED that you are doing this at all but also flabbergasted that you are giving us such short notice !!!!
    You say that Sync will still work but it doesn’t even work now !! I have been trying to sync my online Ancestry tree to my FTM for over a month now and when I call in for help all I get is a web page with instructions that do not work properly and I am afraid that I will not be able to get it synced in time before you stop the service !!!
    ARE YOU EVEN GOING TO LOOK AT ALL OUR COMMENTS HERE AND RESPOND TO THEM ??????????? I certainly hope so !!!!

  5582. David Slager

    Family Tree Maker will stop being made on 31 December 2015, and Ancestry will stop supporting the product on 1 January 2017. They may continue to support patches that helps the software continue to function properly in the future, but they aren’t sure about that yet. TreeSync will work until 1 January 2017. As far as they know (as of 2:30PM EST today 9 December 2015) the only thing what will stop functioning is the tree-sync in January 2017. You won’t lose access to your trees on Ancestry (subscription or not), or your ability to use the FTM software, only your ability to synchronize the data between the software and the website. The software and the website will continue to operate the same as they did before the advent of tree-sync.

  5583. Peter B. Kingman

    I am doing some testing of Roots Magic 7 with a gedcom imported from FTM 2014. As far as I can see the sources and photos in the FTM file are not getting over. That would be a giant giant problem. I have 45,000 individuals in my database. This is almost criminal what Ancestry is doing to its loyal customers. Hopefully the new management at Ancestry will be removed immediately and its decision to stab its customers in the back reversed.

  5584. Keep in mind, “Family Tree Maker” was originally developed by Kenneth Hess of Banner Blue Software, then purchased by Broderbund (1995), passed thru the hands of Learning Company, Mattel, and others before reaching Ancestry with Nova Development. That being said, “Family Tree Maker” may live another life with another company. Maybe I’m wrong…. maybe it will go completely away, but today is way too soon to panic and jump ship. My first reaction was shock. I love Ancestry (and still do) as well as those individuals from Ancestry that are very active in social media, and I love Family Tree Maker. Before I made the change from PC to Mac, knowing I had the option of FTM for Mac was one of the reasons I finally changed over. We’re well over a year away before a tentative “no longer support” happens with Ancestry and FTM. Take a deep breath – there’s seriously no reason to get this upset before Christmas. I will continue to support Ancestry; by having my membership and use Family Tree Maker as I did on Monday.

  5585. David Faux

    Those who expect that Ancestry will in some way rescind this decision, we can perhaps look to MyFamily (was owned by Ancestry) as a precedent. Despite the pleadings to retain it, and the begging for some viable alternatives, what we got was a few weeks notice to download our data. In fact the download was only pictures with no captions and the rest gibberish. Why could they have not set up pdf copies of each page of cousin’s communications, and other key ingredients (including the family tree which other family members had added to; and the e-mails of the cousins from my five sites) as one large bundle. I would have been happy with this – but to simply destroy our data without viable options – well, you see where I am going with this – these are the people / decision makers we are dealing with. I will never trust this company again – been burned too many times.

  5586. Keith Swalley

    Well, I began with FTM in the late ’90s and used it to build a database of about 5000 individuals. Along the way, I saw the problems of sharing and incorporating others’ family trees. Errors are made and perpetuated through sharing unvetted information. I saw many errors in the online information.

    I transitioned to TMG for the ability to customize and used it for many years and tracked what I had proven to be accurate. Then, a year ago, Wholly Genes stopped development and support of the program. I had also maintained the FTM database. Now this.

  5587. Vicki

    So I guess if Ancestry is choosing not to support their members – then the only alternative is not to support Ancestry. I use my desktop software to do most of my research. The reason I renew every year is because of the software. It is just so easy to follow those little leaves. That is the main reason that has kept me tied to Ancestry. I have been a long time subscriber but really see no reason to continue. Now the question of “should I stay or should I go” – has just been answered.

  5588. Ramsey Davenport

    What a rotten deal to the core of Family History. How does one hand down their work to the future generations? BUY A SUBSCRIPTION AND HOPE THEY CAN FIND THEIR GGGF’s TREE????

  5589. Charles

    I join the 6,000 others in saying that this is a terrible business decision; it is really a “screw the loyal customers”, especially for those of us who been continually upgrading almost every year….my first version was V2, when the product was made by Broderbund. All versions were good, expect when you re-wrote 2009 and left out many good features. But to now abandon the product with only one year of support offered leaves many of us in a bind. It is not easy to convert to some of the competing products without losing attachments and/or notes…..have not found a competitor that will migrate 100% of FTM’s functionality. Hope you will reconsider, even if you charge a fee to maintain the product longer. Thanks for listening.

  5590. BD

    Add me to the list of people leaving. Nice way to treat customers loyal for many years. Time to look for another program – I have no doubt someone will love the business you sent they’re way!

  5591. Jacquelyn

    This decision is shocking! The desktop version of FTM is far better than the online version. I use the online version only for the sync feature. Everything else is done through the desktop version. Most of the stuff I do in FTM cannot be done with the online version. Please reconsider this decision.

  5592. June

    I finally retire and expect to update my FTM software and tree data and you decide to stop the FTM. What do I do now? Who will do the software updates or do I have to purchase a new software? Will FTM transfer to new software? Can some other alternative take place? PLEASE rethink this decision.

  5593. John Minniti

    Ancestry is great at acquiring source DATA that we can integrate into our trees, but FTM gives us the ability to generate meaningful genealogical INFORMATION (charts, reports) that are readable and publishable. Instead of simply telling us FTM doesn’t generate enough revenue for you to continue to enhance it, tell us what you will do to replace the lost features of FTM. Shaky leaves are a cute marker, but generating a publishable report that supports commonly accepted genealogical formats is a time saving, utilitarian, usable benefit. And then there’s the ability to generate branches as new, stand-alone trees. And so-on. Even if you freeze FTM in its current form, it would be better than discarding it.

  5594. Bettie

    Add me to the list of very disappointed customers. I, too, have spent loads of money with Ancestry and I use FTM. I don’t understand what we are supposed to do once support of FTM is ended.

  5595. Marilyn Shea

    Very disappointing. What will take its place? I am already confused by the last change you made when I was unable to work at my genealogy for several months

  5596. Brian B

    While not happy about this announcement, I can understand the decision to discontinue a product that is part of a shrinking market. However, as owner of a small software development company, I completely disagree with the idea of not releasing a public API.

    The ability for independent software to integrate with Ancestry.com data would certainly be a boost to those companies and would help to maintain and even grow the ancestry.com user base. Furthermore, innovations in software outside of ancestry could help the ancestry team see what people like and don’t like in other software, then make similar options available in their own web based trees where appropriate.

    Ancestry already has a major market share on the available records, why not allow independent software developers access to those records, with the understanding end users will still need to pay to see the data.

    Tree Sync would be a good start, but I think not planning for a public API to allow direct access to ancestry and/or leaving that vital piece of information out of the original announcement is the biggest issue I see with this statement.

    Please issue another statement directly addressing the public API and TreeSync issues that are the concern of a vast majority of the users who have commented on this announcement so we all know how this affects our specific concerns in this area.

  5597. Damian

    Ancestry for not continuing to support the backbone of the whole program – Family Tree Maker Software. The arrogance of you astound me!!!
    The sync feature has been great, hope you change your mind! Also, since I’m taking the time to comment, I’m not a fan of your most recent update to the ancestry website. It looks too simple, lots of wasted space, I have never complained before but this latest update is not great, you should have left it alone. You may think it is better for us, but not so much.
    Please please reconsider and keep our FTM going! We have decades of work to do yet! I do not want to have to find a new program to have to learn to use!

  5598. Tony Farrell

    I agree with the comments already made. If you treat your customers in such a thoughtless manner, don’t be surprised when they react and go elsewhere..

  5599. Julia

    This decision reminds me of when Coke decided to stop producing Coke Classic. We all know how that turned out.

  5600. I truly will miss FTM. I was a beta-tester for FTM 2014, and I have made a big commitment of effort to keeping it synced with my Ancestry.com account. This will make it more difficult for me to add to my online trees. I will be reevaluating where to keep my primary online tree, and whether to just use Ancestry.com services as a database search.

  5601. Toby B

    Very disappointing news which removes much of the value of Ancestry for me. As many others have said there is no comparison between the comprehensiveness and ease of use of FTM and the inferior tools available within the website.

  5602. Dale

    Guess what!! I also am totally unhappy with your decision to dump FTM! As with almost all who have commented, I use FTM as I do not have permanent connections to internet. I only use ancestry site, for research when I can get connected. This is a very dumb move on your part, I WILL be searching for a new service, maybe Legacy or another one! most that I have seen are even less expensive to use, so I might just be out of your hair in 2017, or even before!! SICK!!! AS MOST COMPANIES NOW DAYS, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CUSTOMER LOYALTY!! WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, YOU EXPECT US TO BE LOYAL AND THANKFUL FOR WHATEVER YOU TRY TO CRAM DOWN OUR THROATS!!

  5603. Melissa G

    I do not have as many years invested in family research in comparison to many who have commented before me, however after investing a considerable amount of time starting my research over the past five years I felt the need to preserve the work I have done so far. Luckily, or unluckily in light of the recent news, I came across Crista Cowen on Youtube and began watching her videos regarding Family Tree Maker. Not only did she present a valuable and viable option to backup all of my online trees, but I would also have the ability to search my tree for errors and inconsistencies, which you cannot do with even the slightest glimpse of efficiency on the web based application. Add to that the fact that FTM allows for me to safely list descendant information and pictures without having to publish them to the web where any low scale data breach could provide enough information to cause major opportunities for identity theft. So excitedly, I purchased the software and additional upgrade in October of 2015.
    I’ve spent the last two months cleaning up my tree and fixing inaccuracies I could not see on the web application, adding family documents and photos, including four generations of descendant information, and creating reports that I have been able to distribute to extended family so we can collaborate our research.
    I started my journey with ancestry, like many others, not knowing anything about where I came from beyond my grandparents. A fact I have struggled with for most of my life. But now I know why I never knew where I came from, who my extended family were, my great grandparents names, where they were born, or how we got to where we are today as a family. Apparently, genealogy is not meant to be shared and passed on to others.
    Today you have shown me that all of the hard work and dedication I have put into this research is worthless to future generations. Instead you would rather everyone have to start from scratch. It increases profits that way. However for me, my research just got a lot cheaper. No more subscription renewals are necessary once FTM stops syncing… No more DNA testing to track matches to a tree that is no longer online… I guess instead of being thoroughly disgusted, I should instead be thanking you for saving me thousands of dollars that have been, and would continue to be, wasted on this site and software. This is one Millennial who is done trying to preserve the past.

  5604. Nanniejo

    I’ve thought it over and have decided not to add any new information to my online tree. There is no need because as of January 2017 Tree-Sync will not function and that was the whole purpose of having desktop software that synced with ancestry.com tree. I will maintain my genealogy on my old FTM desktop software that is not connected to the internet as it’s so old it’s not supported anyway, but it does the job of keeping my records. I just started my tree in July and only have 7,000 plus names as of today. I will not be adding the remaining 75,000 names. Glad to know this before I got any further.

  5605. Chris

    Wow – quite a blow 3 weeks before the deadline. Gone will be Reports , Books, and help from my husband who can’t get the gist of Ancestry.com after so many years of FTM. Guess I’m switching.

  5606. Helen

    I am very disappointed in your discontinuing Family Tree Maker. I have been using it since it was first introduced and upgraded each time there was a new version. I really wish you would reconsider your decision. I really don’t understand how to proceed in the future. More explanation is due to all the loyal users of Family Tree Maker.

  5607. George

    You should offer us a free way to recover on a disc all of our information that we have paid you for.
    That is our information.

  5608. Chris Smith

    Like 6 000 other I find it deplorable that you will end FTM. At A$400 for about 7-8 years and A$250 for 1 year I have contributed a lot to this program.
    I agree with all that Eve says + you get a lot from us now you want even more. This is just outright greed. Like many others I will probably look for other software and discontinue using a.c

  5609. Patricia

    SHOCKED by this decision! But then greed does influence many decisions.

    If you still think this is the best way to do business – you’re terribly wrong! Just consider the hundreds of negative comments posted here.

    What happened to the adage: “Customer knows best” FTM users know this product better than Kendall Hulet.

    My membership is due for renewal in February – I WON’T BE RENEWING IT if this decision is maintained! The web version is NOT worth it.

  5610. Amanda

    I can’t believe you are doing this. I have used FTM and recommended it to several others, but I do think you have shot yourselves in the foot with this. I’m seriously considering removing my tree and will certainly not be renewing my subscription when it runs out. You will lose many, many customers by taking this action.

  5611. Karen W

    I am starting to look for other sites that are more consumer friendly and WHEN I find that company and I will fine it, I’ll let everyone here and in the other genealogy groups I’m a member of know. This is shameful! You should figure that out with over 6,000 comments on here that are just as unhappy as I am.

  5612. David Slager

    I used an old version of FTM for about 15 years (and it still works beautifully) before upgrading to FTM 2015. I loved the sync feature, but can live without it. I don’t understand why people think that leaving Ancestry in protest will solve anything. What other software and website offers sync technology? None? … well how does that make your FTM software and Ancestry website any different that anything else out there currently? What other product are you going to run to that syncs to a website? Unless the software internally implodes on my computer, I plan on using it as a store house for my data for long years to come. Yes, I will sorely miss the sync feature, and yes maybe someday something will come along that is better, but for now I see no reason to abandon the amazing software or my Ancestry subscription which gives me access to more records in one place then I have ever seen before. Looks like I’m the odd-man-out in this debate, but for me nothing changes except the loss of a new friend called tree-sync. Goodbye my friend.

  5613. Keith Eaton

    This is disastrous. You really can’t leave us in limbo like this – FTM is what my research is all about, the printing of family information, the ownership of it (me, NOT Ancestry), the syncing and online back-up, etc. You’re making a big, big mistake Ancestry. Please reconsider. You’re really alienating a large number of very loyal customers.

  5614. Beth Chase

    You state clearly on your website that you are passionate about the service and products you provide and develop…so this would be…??
    It feels like “take the money and run”. It is not ok Ancestry.

  5615. Meg

    I agree with all of the comments above. This comes across solely as a money-grabbing attempt to blackmail everyone into continuing an ancestry.com membership. You really need to reconsider what you are doing.

  5616. Terry Bowers

    I bought the very first Family Tree Maker–was it called Family Tree Works back then? It was called this sometime back then. We were learning to use computers back then as well as learning to save our trees on the database. I recommended most beginning family historians to use this software. It was simple to learn and saved our work. I joined Ancestry years ago and I even subscribed to your Ancestry magazine. I have never uploaded all my files on your site because too many name collectors just strip the references from our work and repost as their own. I absolutely do not mind sharing my work, but a good genealogist needs to know the source of her material. I want those who I share with to know where I got my information so that it will be provable for the future. I have sent several emails to Ancestry because someone took a published article that I wrote and removed my name, the title and all references and posted it on her site as her own work. Many others have copied it. I worked for six months on it and still it sits on Ancestry, even though it is a published article from a journal, as an unsourced and unauthorized document. It was copyrighted. So you think you can force us to use your online site for our data? Think again, because there are some excellent pieces of software out there now. The Legacy software allows one to use the software on your computer, tablet and phone at the same time. I had hoped that FTM would soon add this feature. RootsMagic is another. As genealogists, we need and want to retain control of our data. If you sincerely cared about genealogists, you would have removed my copyrighted article from your site. Since you do not care about copyright infringement, why should we trust you with our family data, now that we will no longer have FTM for storage? Big mistake. Huge. So sorry to see you go, FTM, but it is your loss of your original customers. I hope your plan to collect and sell other people’s data they are now forced to store online works out for you.

  5617. Tim

    Well, what a kick in the teeth.
    3000 plus unhappy customers. Way to go Ancestry.
    I hope whatever jackass on your board made this decision is happy when you lose your subscribers.

  5618. Sandra

    I too would like to add my dismay to this “development”. Tree Sync is the best feature of ancestry. I too have put a lot of work into my tree in FTM as a way of keeping it available without being online especially when I tour family history areas and also to print out family trees as a hardcopy. Will something replace this and allow copy of our information across or is it time to desert Ancestry. I was looking forward to more research in my retirement.

  5619. russell clay

    This is a disgrace. Family Tree Maker is the best product on the market and withdrawing it is a bad move. I will be canceling my subscription because of this.

  5620. Karl

    This is a disaster. I teach a Genealogy Class at our winter resort for Seniors. We have encouraged the use of FTM and now I will have to announce this horrible and embarrasing change. What are my students to do with their trees? How do I tell them that they will have re-do their work? I personally have used FTM for decades starting back in the time of Broderbund. I’m done with Ancestry unless this decision is amended.

  5621. Don

    I smell another announcement coming up to inform everyone that for another subscription price all of this will be made available directly through the Ancestry Cloud. No need to clutter our PC’s with outdated software. Leave it all to our friends at Ancestry. They only want what’s best for all their loyal customers. MONEY GRAB!!!

  5622. Dana

    Well, it was a good 20 year run… with FTM. I’ve been here since the beginning, faithfully updating and upgrading with every new version. However, Ancestry (vs. FTM) has only been about getting you to provide your information for free and then charging others to view it with no benefit to YOU. I’m sure that they will come up with an “alternative,” which as many have pointed out, will likely come with a subscription. But I’m sure not using it. I never put more than the minimum stuff online out of privacy concerns, which Ancestry is probably banking on will lessen over the years, but again the fact they would charge others for my work has bothered the hell out of me. I have been mulling over Legacy for a while now (they actually offer a watered down free version to “test”), but always went back to FTM due to familiarity and transferring GEDCOMs and checking data for 45k people is tiresome. But, it’s time to chug some caffine and get cracking.

  5623. Roger

    Agree with most of the earlier posts that this is a very bad business decision. Have been using FTM and Ancestry for 10+ years, and thought is was the best out there. You need to provide some feedback as soon as possible, so we can start planning what to do.

  5624. Steve Bates

    I have all the FTM upgrades since 2009 when I also joined Ancestry – looks like that is about to change. Ancestry applied a large hike in its World Membership fees this year so I reduced my membership to UK only. Next year I won’t be renewing my current Ancestry membership but will extend FMP to world wide and join The Genealogist. Don’t like the Ancestry interface and the Android app is of very little use. I would have used the Ancestry DNA at next years WDYTYA?Live but I’ll now be looking at the alternatives there. Looks like Ancestry knows the cost of everything but the value of nothing!

  5625. Jack C

    With this move you will have pretty much destroyed much of what was good doing genealogy with ancestry.com. First you took control of FTM and made some major gaffes with it. Then you eliminated my hard work putting files onto the FTM website at Genealogy,com. You have made Rootsweb far worse, but you have almost obtained the monopoly you seek. I am utterly disgusted with your latest move eliminating FTM software. You have a large number of dedicated amateur genealogists who you are throwing under the bus as you aim for neophytes.

  5626. Barbara

    I have been an ancestry member for many years. I am always telling friends and relatives how great it has been to have the resources and ftm to research family history. I thought this would be something I would continue doing right through creating books for the different family lines. I mimic all of the anger, complaints, sorrow and feelings of abandonment that others have said. What else is there to do but tell you how we feel. I really would like to be able to access answers or feedback to all of the queries.

  5627. Vic

    I don’t believe it really matters if people “delete” their trees from Ancestry. I’m sure they have and will keep backup copies in their huge database–those I believe can only be deleted by them–same as all our Ancestry contact emails to other members. They’ll probably wait a certain time period and release them online for a fee of course, or set up a masked subsidiary or “new” company to release them and any of your privacy issues will be null and void because they say in their TOS that if the Company is sold or bought out the new company TOS will prevail which means everything is potentially up for grabs. At least that is the way I read and understand it. Whether they would prevail in a class action lawsuit is unknown at this point.

  5628. Dave Griffiths

    So what do you recommend for developing and storing family tree information offline? I appreciate that you need a revenue stream to survive, but surely the cost of supporting FTM without further development is trivial compared to the annual Ancestry subscription, which you are forcing me to review.

  5629. Henry P

    So, I upgraded to FTM 2014, now you decide to abandon it & only provide support for 1 year. Now that’s the kind of customer support I can & will live without. Anyone know who has software to replace FTM and can the files be transferred?

  5630. Barbara

    I have so many lengthy comments that I don’t know where to start. Like many other commenters, I value the ability to sync a tree on your server with one on my desktop. I have also used this function in reverse, to cut off branches for various parts of my extended family and upload them again to share with family members on that branch. Losing that capability is significant. There are other functions that I will lose when you no longer support the desktop software. I agree that your “new” online format is a dumbed down version of the previous one. Based on these two issues, you are close to losing me as a customer. I suspect that other serious genealogists feel the same, and doubt that you can depend on the vagaries of the try-it-and-lose-interest crowd as a steady customer base. I will start searching for another full function desktop Mac program to replace FTM. If I cannot sync my desktop tree to my online tree, I am more likely to replace your online service with another one.

    These comments are just the start of my disaffection with Ancestry.

  5631. Jim Seymour

    I’ve never been a big fan of FTM, but PLEASE open the API for TreeSync! If you’re not willing to go that far, pick a company (I recommend Legacy) and sell them the API. Your customers need to have on-deman sync capabilities. Using GEDCOM is insufficient.

  5632. Steve

    Poor decision, as the online version is neither convenient or user friendly. In addition it is very slow. I rely on my desktop version as it is the easiest way to work on my tree. I will not be renewing my ancestry subscription when my current subscription expires.

  5633. Donna

    Do you know how many hours work I have in this? There has to be another company out there. Are they moving toward an expensive monthly subscription? I don’t use their service, only this software. Are they trying to force me into their product? There are others out there who will get my business. In the meantime–I will figure out who and buy their product and start moving my stuff over.

  5634. Ancestry’s majority owner is Permira Funds. This link takes you to their “team”. Everyone should feel free to email them about your opinion of Ancestry’s decision. Keep in mind that 6,000 dissatisfied customers is only .3% of the total ancestry customer base. Gonna need a lot more for them to pay attention.
    http://www.permira.com/our-team/

  5635. ilbandito

    What do I do now? Do you now recommend an equal and alternate source? Who are you? What do you need? Did you need more cash to survive? Did you consider that you should have asked what we your clients would do? This is terrible. Sell to MS? Hmm. Wow!

  5636. Dave

    Loyalty !!! what loyalty? Come on Ancestry, read and digest the above comments. Admit it, you’ve made a major error with this decision. I should think it might be a million plus world wide who will disappointed with this crazy action. Bite the bullet Ancestry and reverse your decision and admit you got it wrong

  5637. Rob

    I am very frustrated with this announcement. I now have no way to keep my own copy of my records. This seems like a way to ensure Ancestry keeps there revenue stream, because all your customers can’t get their family’s data except to keep their membership. What about your customer’s future generations if they are not customers. Will all my research be lost because I can’t get my own copy. The reports in Ancestry vs. FTM is very inadequate. I am going to have to think very diligently about moving forward with Ancestry.

  5638. Dan Wilmoth

    If I find that FTM no longer works as it has with ancestry, ie the leaf, I will systematically erase all information I have posted to Ancestry and Findagrave to insure that you can no longer profit from its inclusion on your websites. Good luck with your future endeavors.

  5639. Gayle

    This is obviously a case where “new and improved” is NOT better. Ancestry has betrayed the trust that I put in them and I will be cancelling my subscription.

  5640. phyllis mossing

    I just bought new laptop for your FTM2014. Thanks and for all the money I’ve spend with you. I don’t care of you keep up with the family trees or not, most of what people posted was wrong data anyway, But I hope you will actually keep up the real marriage, death, birth , wills etc.

  5641. Gerry

    Another way of forcing people to buy something new. You did this with your DNA programs, and now you are capturing all these family trees and pictures of people who trusted your company. Totally disgusted with your decision

  5642. deborahdeborah.carter7@ntlworld.com

    As usualbg business has no regard for those of us who have used and PAID for this. I have put a great deal of time effort and money inot tarcing my family and now it will be obsolete. It is clear you have not consulted the boyers and users and espect us to continue to spend significant money with you. I will look elsewhere, you are not the only firm that supports us family history buffs..I’ll spenf=d my miney elsewhere. Many of us are unaffected by the new areas you have added to your resources so reman unimpressed. Unimpressed by your poor decsion making and your lack of support to loyal purchasers!

  5643. Stewart Reeves

    Family Tree Maker 2005 has worked very well for ten years. I appreciate the ability to create lists and reports using subsets of my data, and have no idea how to do that on my on-line file. Also the data remains on my own desktop instead of publicly available. I think you will have a lot of unhappy customers. I hope there will be some more communication with helpful suggestions about what we should do now.

  5644. Lynda Burke

    This is shocking, I was about to renew my sub, but now I won’t. There will always be people who don’t want to put all their research online . This decision will hurt many, all over the world and generate huge adverse publicity for you. Have you no loyalty to your customers? Please reconsider.

  5645. Denis

    You really poked the hornets nest. You deserve all the comments you are receiving. I would like to know more details before I jump ship such as will I be able to run reports, print off errors, print off all the various charts, In other words do everything on Ancestry I can do on FTM.. In the meanwhile I am looking for a replacement program that I can transfer all my history to. I am not holding my breath for a repy.

  5646. Peter Bacon

    An believable bad decision. Should this continue I will also be cancelling my subscription to Ancestry, What a poor way to treat your customers. What alternatives are you offering?

  5647. Denis

    You really poked the hornets nest. You deserve all the comments you are receiving. I would like to know more details before I jump ship such as will I be able to run reports, print off errors, print off all the various charts, In other words do everything on Ancestry I can do on FTM.. In the meanwhile I am looking for a replacement program that I can transfer all my history to. I am not holding my breath for a reply.

  5648. Chuck K.

    Unbelievable decision! I have been a user of FTM since the Broderbund days. I have no intention of putting all of the information contained in my FTM tree online.I have been a user of all Ancestry products for a number of years including Ancestry World, Fold3, Newspapers.com and DNA.BECAUSE of FTM not as an adjunct to it. It is clear there is no reason to continue to spend the “big bucks” with Ancestry because they have demonstrated they no longer care about their user community. The new web site is a developers dream and a users nightmare, I hate it! I will be monitoring various user chats other suppliers to find a new desk top software to move my tree to and likely new on line sources going forward. I do not always have an Internet connection and FTM allows me to work on my laptop and desktop anywhere. This ranks up there with Coke’s ill-fated business decision of a few years ago.

  5649. Susan

    Please don’t do this. I use FTM daily to produce error reports and to produce charts and ancestry reports to share with family members – Many family members have tried to use Ancestry but get lost in it’s complexity

  5650. Anne

    Now that treesync has an expiration date, users will be moving away, especially those who abhor the “New Ancestry” changes. Legacy 8 is the software package FTM wishes it could be and at a fraction of the price. So you sync with Familysearch (optional) instead of Ancestry…is that so bad? At this point searching is the ONLY reason I still have a paid Ancestry account…and I am not sure I will have that for much longer. Ancestry jumped the shark with “New Ancestry” and with this move, they are putting the nails in the lid of their coffin. They are quickly becoming irrelevant as a storage/tree-maintenance site.

  5651. Mary

    I too will be cancelling my subscription. I don’t like the Ancestry.com interface and I rely heavily on the tools that are part of the software. I’ve taught classes at locally and recommended this software to many people. Sorry I did so now…

  5652. Charles Powell

    Livid and heartbroken. FTM is a database and the online tree facility has no database function, no reporting.

  5653. Julie Johnson

    So it looks like after the great step of tree sync those of us using the facility are going to be faced with having to key any new info onto FTM or periodically export a gedcom to it – which with a large tree is no mean feat. I am also disappointed that when I rang only a few days ago to query the apparent shortage of FTM on disk for sale, I was told this was because it was moving to download only, clearly a dishonest reply!! I understand that staff couldn’t give out the facts ahead of any announcement, but they could have said there was an announcement coming but they couldn’t divulge the content ahead of it! As others have echoed another real plus with FTM is the report/printing side. Unless that is going to be integrated into the website it will be a real loss. Dare I hope the strength of feeling being expressed as feedback will lead to a rethink?!

  5654. ALAN

    Evidently, the powers-to-be at Ancestry.com have been spending too much time sitting on their brains. I do not trust anyone to manage my research and store it online on their websites.

    Just look at what Classmates.com did a few years ago. We used to be able to belong to our schools, and military assignments. They suddenly deleted all references to the military that we had been using for several years. For many of us, our time in the military was a very important part of our lives and the many friends and shipmates we were stationed with. All of a sudden, it was gone.

    Find someone to purchase Family Tree Maker.

  5655. Linksterr

    Have the owners of Ancestry lost their minds? You owe your customers much more than a lame email on when you are discontinuing FTM and the support. How about a detailed replacement and how it’s going to be superior to the present FTM. You people sound like the government who are always attacking our freedoms and wanting to control every aspect of our lives. You have collected volumes of genealogy information from customers and sell it through paid access to Ancestry.com and proprietary software. January 2017 will be my last contribution to Ancestry unless you give up (repent) this greedy idea. AMEN

  5656. Barbara Martin

    I concur with the majority of the comments here…I think this is a terrible decision. I hope Ancestry will help the many FTM users to find a suitable alternate and facilitate their move to it. I personally find the reports and printing capabilities in FTM to be much better than what Ancestry currently offers online. Please help those who have supported Ancestry’s tremendous growth in the genealogy market.

  5657. Joyce

    Yes it just gets better and better. I am hoping these recent changes are an attempt to make ancestry.com more attractive to a future buyer–because I want SOMEONE to buy this company who cares and genealogy and their customers.

    Merry Christmas AGAIN from the folks at ancestry

  5658. Paul Varsanyi

    I, too, am appalled at this development. While I can see that Ancestry wishes to concentrate its product on the server-based version, there is nothing in this announcement to tell us which bits of FTM functionality will/will not be replicated on the server-based version. What will we be foregoing? How will we transfer all our data – records, narratives, photos to the on-line version? Why should we endure only being able to access our records via an internet connection? A respectable company would address these issues in the first announcement. This has all the hallmarks of haste, bad judgement and even a whiff of dishonesty. I agree with John Minnitti that “Even if you freeze FTM in its current form, it would be better than discarding it”. And in an indication that sanity is in short supply at Ancestry, why does the blog thrust CEO Kendall Hulet’s bio in our faces with this announcement? I see more constructive ideas generated in the comments to this blog than is apparent in the announcement itself. Listen to your market, Kendall.

  5659. My brother-in-law (Texas) and I (Virginia) have been using Family Tree Maker for several years obtaining my wife’s family and my own to include my adoption. Am not impressed with the newer format and find it to be cumbersome and not a friendly user tool. I definitely agree with Bonnie G and Ancestry should rethink this type of move. It is the preceding generations that have made Ancestry what it is due to a loyal customer base. Don’t destroy this loyal base by reverting to subscription services so the newer generation (Millennials) can greedily make more money with a worse program.

  5660. Julie

    Seriously? Get your heads out of the cloud – not everyone wants to keep their records up there! Some of us like to have our information in our possession. Refunds should be sent out to anyone who has purchased FTM in good faith!

  5661. John CAMERON

    A very depressing day! FTM with daily backup keeps my precious family tree together with thousands of media items safe on my computer in case there is a problem with the Ancestry online tree which is vulnerable to cyber-attacks or hardware problems at Ancestry. FTM is the more important part of the Ancestry-FTM team, without it Ancestry would be just another of the many genealogy websites. Another depressing example of a US commercial company exploiting its subscribers. I feel foolish to have put my trust in Ancestry ;-(

  5662. Kim Clune

    I was on your website TWO DAYS AGO to buy the Mac version of FTM after using the PC version through every update since inception. NOWHERE on the sales page did it say — nor does it now — that you will discontinue supporting this software within a year. I want a full refund for the investment I made in a once-trusted long term conversion solution. How dare you continue selling software you now claim you will stop supporting in 12 months. That’s a horrific business practice. Buyer beware!!

  5663. I can’t imagine what you are thinking. As so many have said FTM is the best way for us to keep a copy on our machines and to produce hard copies of reports, trees, etc. I was just getting ready to upgrade but now I’ll have to start searching for another site.

  5664. Lori

    No problem here, as FTM is a stand-alone product, which I bought before I was ever a member of Ancestry.. It will be good for years to come. Also, there are other family tree software products out there that are probably better. I NEVER synced my tree, as when I put photos, stories, documents on Ancestry, all that got synced back was a link to them. What good does a “link” do when you are printing out trees? Nothing, unless the person you give the report to, has a subscription to Ancestry.

    Oh, and the new format is nothing to write home about, especially now that you have to practically stand on your head to find out how to view the plist of eople in your tree. It used to be right there on the profile page of the ancestor you were looking at, but noooooooo, you had to hide it on the tree page.

  5665. Lori

    No problem here, as FTM is a stand-alone product, which I bought before I was ever a member of Ancestry.. It will be good for years to come. Also, there are other family tree software products out there that are probably better. I NEVER synced my tree, as when I put photos, stories, documents on Ancestry, all that got synced back was a link to them. What good does a “link” do when you are printing out trees? Nothing, unless the person you give the report to, has a subscription to Ancestry.

    Oh, and the new format is nothing to write home about, especially now that you have to practically stand on your head to find out how to view the list of people in your tree. It used to be right there on the profile page of the ancestor you were looking at, but noooooooo, you had to hide it on the tree page.

  5666. Sherman

    I need a whole lot more information! In the future will a current family tree only be on line? How does one make reports or downloadable files from the online tree to home computer. Will software still function after 2016 but without any linkage to online information? Will all edits to a tree using linkable information have to be done online? How does one share with family members who have current software if they do not have a current subscription?

  5667. Jean Oien

    I am very disappointed you are discontinuing Family Tree Maker. It is a wonderful program and I enjoy it a great deal. Please rethink your decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker.

  5668. Phil Lovell

    Everybody’s talking, nobody’s listening.
    You’re killing the goose that laid the golden egg.
    Step back from the brink before it’s too late.

  5669. Stuart

    Looks like a straight forward attempt to cuts costs. Will not be continuing with the site for much longer, I wouldn’t have thought. Will by other software and look at other research sites; a real shame as FTM was actually pretty good – recommended it to a fair few people.

  5670. Norma

    This is a poor business decision. It is like when JC
    Penneys decided to do away with sales. You do not know your customers or their needs!!!!!

  5671. Sandy

    I am very disappointed with this decision. I’ve been using Family Tree Maker since it first came out and have purchased every new version since. While I understand you don’t want to continue with the software, for whatever reasons, couldn’t it be sold to someone else to take over? After all, Ancestry didn’t originate FTM. I used it in conjunction with Genealogy.com, which you also bought.

    I use my FTM software in order to keep my private things private, use at family reunions and other visits where I may have limited or no internet access, for reports (especially the Descendant Report), charts and other print outs and just plain keeping everything organized. I keep personal stories as well as those others have shared with me, many photos and other information that I don’t want shared with the world in my FTM. I would like to be able to decide for myself what is available to others and what isn’t.

    As I have found with other companies who have gone to web-based applications as opposed to computer software based, they are sorely lacking in substance and the ability to do what software can do. Not to mention the numerous crashes and lost information due to large numbers of people trying to access their servers at the same time. Please allow someone else to take over the reins for FTM if you don’t want to continue with the product. I pay Ancestry a small fortune every year to be able to access the information that is available. Please don’t limit my ability to utilize that information.

  5672. Laura Pressley

    I too was quite disheartened to read that Ancestry would be discontinuing the Family Tree Maker SW, including support in 2017. I cannot tell you the countless number of people I have recommended this software to and now I feel awful that I did. Especially to those new comers. While the online version is available through Ancestry is great it is nothing like FTM. It is nice having the program available only to me whether is it synced or not. The capabilities you have in FTM far outweighs what you can get through Ancestry. While you certainly have enough feedback from many others I think it is important for everyone to provide feedback if they are not happy with decisions that will impact them greatly. Please reconsider your decision.

  5673. Kay McCary

    So, so sad…the countless hours we folks have poured into this hobby…this is devastating!! Please reconsider…

  5674. Richard McDonald

    This is a really bad call. There are groups – like the one I represent – that can’t share all our data on the website. So we’ve kept some data/trees private. Now we have to look elsewhere.

    I may just resurrect my old program – BirthWrite.

  5675. HJR

    Obviously a decision that many customers are unhappy with, myself included. Very poor communication that fails to provide a viable option. So, I would like to ask those who have responded to this blog to share what services/software they are now considering to replace Ancestry/FTM. I’m already doing research on my options because clearly I need them.

  5676. John P

    Two days, barely, and over 6200 negative reactions. Ancestry, are you going to reply to customer’s concerns? Honestly, was any market research done on this decision?

  5677. Jeanne C.

    Lots of concern with this decision…as expressed in the many posts but where is your response to the many questions we all have???

  5678. Keith Swalley

    Ancestry will not be going out of business. I’m sure the vast majority of income is from its subscriptions. I have used them a couple of times in the past and will likely do so again, short term-not for trees, but for access to images of the many things they have digitized. And, except for the real early days, I don’t upload and/or store data online, out of my control.

    I don’t do non stop subscriptions bur rather

  5679. Dan

    You need to hunt down whoever came up with this plan and fire his butt. I’ll be planning my changeover to another program and will certainly not be renewing ancestry.com. Your arrogance does not warrant my business.

  5680. Mary Sue

    I have been a loyal used of FTM for many years, updating until version 2014 came out. It was very disappointing so I continue to use 2011 version. Now you tell me that FTM is a thing of the past. What is going on? I think one of the earlier commenters were right. It seems to be all about Ancestry trying to wring more dollars out of the FTM community. Shame on whoever made this decision to dump on loyal FTM users.

  5681. K. Ulrich

    All I can say is that Ancestry with FTM must have been sold to a new entity that’s main goal is to make money. However, I believe this will backfire. There is no reason to trust Ancestry or FTM producers. The latest version of Ancestry was not thoroughly vetted before it was put out on the market. It has a lot of problems yet to be solved. But I hung on, mainly because it synced with FTM. I never understood why the features in FTM weren’t a integral part of Ancestry. I also wanted to make certain I could back up by Ancestry data, which is only possible with FTM. So, after so many years I can’t remember, I will be looking for a new genealogy program. I may also consider one I abandoned, Master Genealogist, for Ancestry. Another reason to stick with Ancestry was that so many of my friends and family use it. You will lose these people as you have lost our trust. And you will end up a program that “once was.”

  5682. Vee Osborn

    well, there are a lot of comments here. I hope this is only the tip of the iceberg, and that enough other people will cancel subscriptions and suchlike, so that Ancestry will go bang financially. I’ve always felt that the subscription was overpriced anyway. and the new website is horrid. AND I just bought the ‘latest’ version of FTM a few weeks ago, isn’t that fraud, letting me spend all that money, knowing full well you were about to renege? I would like a refund, tx a lot.

  5683. Judy M

    Bad decision on your part. I’ve used FTM for 15 years through various versions. I will not put my tree on Ancestry, so will be looking for a new alternative. I don’t fee Ancestry has the right to use and potential manipulate my information for their financial and otherwise benefit. Greed comes to mind.

  5684. Lynn

    On top of your TERRIBLE new interface … I cannot believe this. I am a long time user and I was already rethinking my next renewal because the rotten display – takes 3 or 4 pages to view what used to be on 1 – and this is probably the frosting on that cake!

  5685. W Guidry

    I have been using FTM for my genealogical records since it was developed by BannerBlue Software…I do not like the Ancestry update that was rolled out earlier this year and since then I can only access my tree on my home computer…tech support has been NO help in addressing the matter either. I have supported Ancestry.com for many years and this really pisses me off! From the looks of all the comments on this blog, many others are PO’d as well. The online version is not near the tool that the desktop software is…and even worse since the update; more labor intensive for one.

  5686. Charlene

    Please, please reconsider!!! I love Family Tree Maker and although I use the family tree on the Ancestry site occasionally, it does not compare.

  5687. Betsey

    I do hope you change your mind about this move, for I can’t put forth more money for another program and I know many others feel the same way.

  5688. Ed

    Ancestry, I instantly regretted upgrading FTM a few years ago to the 2010 version. You have slowly been degrading this software ever since! But the best choice I ever made was to never subscribe to your online business and have never uploaded any of my files to your site – hallejujah. This is not about more content or upgrades. This is about stealing peoples thousands of hours of hard work so that you can profit. ! I hope it galls you that I shall continue to use FTM as a reference data base for all my information until such time I can safely transfer it. The time has come for a change.

  5689. C Perkins

    Perhaps Ancestry continues to add customers, but have you forgotten who your base, loyal customers are? Serious genealogists and more technical savvy customer realize that the “pretty” web interface is still not sufficient for managing and maintaining full and complex family trees. If ancestry thinks their web-based tree is sufficient then they are really out of touch with what people really need. Don’t let current trends blind you ancestry! Desktop computers are still the most powerful and versatile systems around and the will not go away.

  5690. Allen

    I am also disappointed but determined a few months ago that Family Tree Maker may not be the best choice for me anyway as it was ‘clunky’ and slow. I had also become too dependant on others research as fact. I need to NOT be able to merge data immediately without proper resourcing. I have been trying other free programs and some paid before I make my final decision on what I will use. HOWEVER, let’s not misread Ancestry’s decision. We have 1 (one) year before they quit supporting FTM. They have only chosen not to SELL the desktop version. Without the sync function, It is/should still be capable of storing and preserving all your data off-line.

  5691. Jere_Becker

    I hope you will release your API so that other software manufactures will be able to make their products compatible with Ancestry.com.

  5692. B Nelson

    Ancestry.com – you are really making a dumb decision to discontinue FTM. As you can see from the posts, many of us subscribe and use Ancestry because of how we can use FTM to print out hard copy of our Family Trees. What can we do now?? Hopefully a competitor will come along within the next year and let us move all our information over to their ‘ancestry’ system which will support us with a system we can use on our own computers and a method to print hard copies.

  5693. Joyce

    I have never used the FTM with sync capabilities–I almost bought it but then went to look at Amazon.com reviews. What I DO have is their 2006 Version of FTM which works just fine as long as you are not using it as a searching vehicle…I periodically download a new copy of my GEDCOM so that my 2006 Version of FTM is up to date. Sometimes you can still find this version on line at various auction sites etc…it WOULD be nice though if ancestry would explain to their customers whether they will be able to disconnect their sync function and continue using the program the way that I do…

    After the roller coaster this year I see ancestry.com losing a LOT of customers in the not too distant future–and I hope someone buys this company that CARES about genealogy and CARES about what their customers want.

    I have lost MORE research time this year due to all the upheaval than I care to think about.

    I COULD have been doing more on my tree–instead I have been trying to figure out all the “Hide N Seek” and writing complaints about functions that are not working correctly in NEW ancestry.

    We STILL have NO PREVIEW for printing the FACTS page–which I used to copy and paste into documents…

    The LAST time I tried to print the new and not improved Facts page I got a 10+ page printout when I used to be able to get ALL my info in 2 or 3.

    And this is improvement? NOT…

  5694. I pay $40/month primarily because of the combination of Ancestry.com and FTM. If I lose FTM reporting and local backup capability of all my references and attachments, the value of my subscription just plummeted.

  5695. Woodberg

    Just waited on the phone for 30 minutes to speak to a rep at Ancestry.com to cancel my monthly subscription. I understand the desire by Ancestry to move to an online product, but the current Ancestry.com website is so basic, its virtually worthless. When and if, a decision is made to continue support of a real product, I’ll reconsider my subscription. So let me get this straight, currently, I pay for a copy of FTM for my PC and a monthly subscription to Ancestry.com. Ancestry.com wants to make more money, so they discontinue FTM, which makes Ancestry.com worthless as a standalone product, so I cancel that subscription. Instead of making money on 2 products, Ancestry now makes $0 from me. That doesn’t sound like a good business decision to me.

  5696. Charlotte

    I was shocked to say the least when I read this announcement. I see that many, many people feel the same way. I used it mainly for two things as a easy way to sync an online product with my desktop research. It did have bugs, but it was the only way I had found to sync everything such as pictures and comments to my hard copy on my desk. At present Ancestry on line does not offer all of the reports, the ability to find and correct errors, remove duplicates etc. Do you plan to add those features. It scares me that I am so dependent on you for maintaining my tree. At present, there is no easy way to print what I have on line including pictures and comments. I do not like the new revision for the on line product. It spreads everything out when what I want is a searchable database that is easy to read and use. I have delayed changing over, but I know starting next week, I will have no choice. I did receive an e-mail yesterday from Roots Magic 7 giving me instructions for moving my FTM to their software. It is a much cheaper product to use, but I was happy where I was.

  5697. Janice Haynes

    First you make the online Ancestry a hot mess and now you quit a complimentary product. I wish I knew what business school you people went to so I won’t send my kids there. I guess you are trying to make your brand completely worthless and unsaleable.

  5698. K Bronson

    Very poor decision! like many other subscribers, I will be looking for another service to host my trees.

  5699. John King

    Well I think everything I want to say has been said. But to reiterate:

    #1 How do we work if we are offline on your cloud service.
    #2 The cloud service does not provide the same functionality as the desktop software
    #3 We like our privacy and really only use your cloud service as a private backup, we don’t want the primary repository in the cloud
    #4 Since you are chucking FTM you should therefore advise of desktop alternatives as a matter of good customer relations, or partner with someone
    #5 You should open your API’s to other providers
    #6 You need to remember your online search service hasn’t got every data repository in it. So as a customer I can look elsewhere and you are basically asking me to do this.

  5700. Hank

    THANK YOU! I have discovered Mac Family Tree 7. It is so much better. Too bad it won’t interface with your website, but it does with Family Search.

  5701. James

    This is very bad news indeed and a real slap in the face for Ancestry and FTM users. At very least you should let users know how they can migrate to other software,

  5702. Barbara Shannon

    It appears the confidence I’ve placed in Ancestry all these years has been misguided. I’ve used Family Treemaker for more than 20 years and have subscribed continuously to Ancestry for more than 15 years. Although I uploaded my trees to Ancestry I continue to use Family Treemaker because of the additional functionality it provides plus the assurance that I will always have access to my own work which contains over 30,000 individuals. If I have to choose between having my desktop records and Ancestry I’ll have to find another software at which time I will remove my records from Ancestry. I spent 25 years on my research so it would be available for others and you think I should hand over total control of that work to Ancestry? You need to provide us with more details because this loyal customer has lost faith in you . I think you’re making a big mistake.

  5703. Toni

    I’m very disappointed to hear about the Family Tree Maker being discontinued. I have bought it from the very beginning and been an Ancestry member as well and continually was upgrading it as new ones came out. I have shelled out a lot of money over the years and being a retired person, this is very disappointing. I used it so I could have both to make sure I had it after doing over 25 years of research. Please come up with some other options too as the software was extremely easy to use!

  5704. Roxanne

    So is this a ploy to make you buy a new program and switch all your data from FTM to a new format? So far you have made the website a pain to navigate and now you are taking away the one reason I subscribe. I don’t like to have to find the info, then place it directly onto my tree, that is a waste of time. I thought that was the whole purpose of FTM, to sync your trees and help eliminate possible errors.

  5705. Jane

    All these negative comments after only one day – imagine how many other people are upset too. Glad my $250+ subscription hasn’t been renewed. Along with everyone else, my worry is how and where to transfer my tree and all the attached data.

  5706. Ruth H. Petersen

    Does this mean that when FTM is gone, you will allow other software makers to have their products sync with Ancestry Family Trees? As the sync feature was the great selling point I used to promote your personal software Family Tree Maker. Well, as a family history consultant, I’ll just need to be truthful and tell people not to consider Family Tree Maker.

  5707. Sharon

    I am very disappointed in this decision. Will it mean that we will have to be an active subscriber to ancestry.com in order to use it? Not everyone has a reliable internet connection, so you are disenfranchising a segment of the population. I will be seriously considering alternatives, see http://genealogy-software.no1reviews.com/

  5708. SusanRAnderson

    I have had FTM from the dos version. When you changed the lay out of the program after 2006, this is when the sales for the new product declined. I was able to upload from my computer my file and it put all 60,000 people on my website. Unfortunately, it did not put all the pictures that I had scanned into the program. Where do we go from here?

  5709. Christina

    OK so they will no longer support the software they have been selling after 2017. This doesn’t mean that after 2017 it will no longer work, it will still work to enter data and do your research outside Ancestry.com. OK for those of you who are really really upset I’d suggest you remove the data you have currently uploaded to Ancestry.com. Ancestry has been making money of your research and most likely have spend money on. Show ancestry you are upset, no longer support their business practices.
    Cancel, don’t buy, and remove your data from Ancestry and show them you are the researcher they are kicking in the teeth.

  5710. Jane Hope

    Not impressed. For those of use who are not brilliant with computers and their programs, FTM in conjunction with Ancestry was unbelievably straightforward and easy to use and the best bit is being able to sync trees. You have given us less than 1 month’s notice that this will end on 31st December (although we’ll be able to use it for another year) – and, prior to this, last week you informed me that my subscription is due for renewal. Fair warning then, I give you notice that if the cessation of FTM goes ahead I for one will NOT be renewing my subscription.

  5711. Julie Preston

    Went through all the emotions but am still ANGRY. Your website does not “cut it” on any level. The work you expect your loyal users to re-do is astounding – I have only 9 thousand names in my tree mainly because I focus on writing stories about as many as possible – I want to know what plans you have to implement a reporting system in Ancestry to match the capabilities of FTM. PLEASE DON’T DO THIS!!

  5712. WayneW

    My initial reactions to this announcement were shock, anger and a sense of betrayal. If this decision stands it will set a new tone in any relationship with Ancestry.com – distrust. I will wait to see what unfolds but as soon as I can no longer sync my FTM files I will discontinue my annual $300 subscription. We can live without improvements to FTM. Just fix the bugs and keep it compatible with new OS. You can change the name to “FTM Forever” and let us continue to keep our data local with software that does what we need.

  5713. Janis Coppock

    I hope you start answering these questions posted – what are we suppose to do with all the data we have entered for years using FTM? Why would anyone depend only on a website to keep our information.
    Terrible business decision.

  5714. JoAnn

    This is the worst news I have had in days. I have been using Family Tree software for years and have paid lots of money for subscriptions! Bad move!!!!

  5715. Carole Fredericks

    This is so upsetting!
    You must tell us WHY and HOW we should continue to use Ancestry to add to our trees.
    If it is not possible or helpful, then tell us how to transfer all of our information and not lose all of the Family Tree components.

  5716. Karl

    Ancestry.com – Really blew it today with the announcement that you’re ending support for Family Tree Maker software without offering any replacement or alternative. Does this mean Ancestry is going fully web-based, “app” based (as in tablet/smartphone) or simply telling its users “you’re on your own, suckas!”…
    I think you’ve really misjudged your user base. While not “of that age” myself, I *do* know the vast majority of genealogical researchers I’ve met are 55+ and are comfortable with their desktop software and the ability to work on their files locally without an “always on” internet connection necessarily required.
    I’m interested to find out what the Powers That Be at Ancestry were thinking, what the offerings (if any) will be provided from 2016 forward and if they’ll expect their full subscribers – like me – to stay with them if they make it more difficult to collect, manage and preserve our information locally – not all of us use “the cloud”. I personally refuse to store my work on someone else’s server, and then have to pay to access it. No thanks.
    If Ancestry insists on going fully web-based, or “app” based, I hope they ensure these products are accessible to those with visual and other impairments. FTM was, for the most part, quite accessible. The website, on the other hand, is not.
    Will Ancestry partner with any of the remaining genealogical software companies to offer transition deals, make Ancestry files usable by these programs, or otherwise provide FTM software code in order for these companies to incorporate features FTM users have relied upon for years into these programs? Simply ending support does not seem to make sennse without a rationale or direction in the wake of ending such support. Right now, from the tone of the post, it seems as if the announcement only states that FTM support is ending. No next steps and no information other than “we’re sorry for the inconvenience” and making it sound like those of us who use FTM are somehow to blame for not adapting to whatever nebulous direction Ancestry intends to travel in 2016 and beyond.

  5717. Ed Krimmer

    I have been doing genealogy for 40 years and much of that time I have used FTM and comfortably published with the program. Have not always been satisfied with revision but made them workable especially 2006. Have NEVER felt comfortable with keeping my database on Ancestry.com. Now from the comments that I have read neither are many others. I would think that IF you listen to those comments you would rethink the move.

  5718. Gary McClelland

    This is truly disappointing. I have used FTM since the first version was introduced, and participated in the testing of the new versions after FTM16, which incidentally was the best version. If you are discontinuing sales and support of FTM, then you should make available a fully updated copy of FTM 2014 for all registered users at no charge. I think there have been about four updates since I purchased FTM2014. If my program gets corrupted or I buy a new computer after support ends, then I will not be able to re-install the updated version.

  5719. Sheryl

    What a poor way to announce your decision to withdraw support for your own product. I assume your intent in sending your email that frankly appeared to be some sort of phishing attempt was sent with the goal of keeping negative reaction at a minimum. Combined with your switch to the “new” Ancestry format, your future direction has become clear. Hopefully the negative reaction here after only a few hours gives you an indication of your sinking reputation.

  5720. Frank

    A TERRIBLE decision. My desktop/laptop ARE my source. Ancestry is just one type of backup I use and the sync feature is mainly to share and help others. Once sync is gone my online trees will die. I WILL NOT enter data in both my desktop software and on Ancestry. The new online format was a mistake too.

  5721. Janis

    Add me to the list of totally disgusted Ancestry.com users. I have been a long-term FTM and Ancestry.com patron. I was appalled when I got the e-mail notification last night that Ancestry was discontinuing FTM. At that time, over 1100 blog postings and now well over 6000—should tell Ancestry something.

    I have been frustrated with Ancestry since the “upgrade” and “new interface.” I have had numerous calls into support, never got resolution although my husband did determine a go around for one of the problems (moving images from the gallery to my FTM media file). If I am already having problems with the new interface, I can only imagine what problems I will discover if I only have Ancestry.

    I had thought that my FTM would become a legacy for my adult children and they would carry on the research. Now I find that not only will that not happen, but my ability to use FTM is limited.

    In my opinion, FTM offers more functions than Ancestry and is user friendly. I feel like I am losing a vital tool in my genealogical recording/researching abilities. I am questioning my relationship with Ancestry.com.

  5722. Lori

    Oh, just to be clear, when I find something on Ancestry, FamilySearch, Genealogy Bank, Find A Grave, etc. I copy it to my FTM software and source the information. More work, but then again, I’m retired and have nothing better to do with my time. The first thing I do when I open my FTM is go “offline”. I’m only a member here when they have a “sale”, since there are tons of sites to gather genealogy information.

  5723. Christina

    OK so they will no longer support the software they have been selling after 2017. This doesn’t mean that after 2017 it will no longer work, it will still work to enter data and do your research outside Ancestry.com. OK for those of you who are really really upset I’d suggest you remove the data you have currently uploaded to Ancestry.com. Ancestry has been making money of your research and most likely have spend money on. Show ancestry you are upset, no longer support their business practices.
    Cancel, don’t buy, and remove your data from Ancestry and show them you are the researcher they are kicking in the teeth.

  5724. Louis

    I am very disappointed the decision to do away with FTM. Have been using it since about 1998 and upgrading over the years. Never migrated to the cloud for fear of this very thing. I will continue using my current copy of FTM until I find other software to transfer to, but will not be renewing my subscription to the magazine and will be looking for other web sites for research sources. Am also not pleased with the format Ancestry has gone with to do manual research either. It is definitely not user friendly.

  5725. Mark

    I’ve been using FTM for 25 years, and Ancestry.com off and on during all that time. I’m afraid dropping FTM will put an end to my family research addiction. If you follow through with this plan, you’ll lose my trust completely.

  5726. Robin

    Even putting aside the ridiculous fact that the biggest genealogy resource on the net is now saying “we don’t offer many necessary family tree data management features at all because they are not available with our online tree and we no longer supply the desktop software that used to offer those features”…. I’m okay with downloading my gedcom from Ancestry.com and using it in third party software. I’m NOT okay with the fact that this gedcom will not contain my media/documents. Without FTM/TreeSync, there is no way to download and archive all my photos and records – the only option is to download each one individually which is simply impossible with a large tree like mine. This is a completely unacceptable situation for me and I see no other option than to cancel my subscription once TreeSync is no longer available. It’s a totally regressive decision on Ancestry.com’s part – unless, of course, their intent is to force people to indefinitely pay a subscription (how else will people have permanent access to Ancestry.com records attached to their tree, now that we can’t download them with TreeSync?). Absolutely disgraceful.

  5727. Marjding

    I am very upset to hear of your future not supporting FTM. I have been using it for years to builds my tree. I am in my senior years and can no longer do the research I did and rely on the Ancestry hints to help me keep up.I really do not want my tree to have to be acessed only on Ancestry and do not think at my age(in my 80’s) I will have enough stamina to start on new software to preserve my desktopFTM where all my information is now.I understand things must change but this is a really an unfortunate decision not to support all your loyal supporters.Where will all my information go I too have well over 2000 names on my tree and would hate to lose it all or have it only via paying your fee-which I currently do.This does sound very like a move that is inspired for greedy reasons!

  5728. Kae

    There has been no notification to members about this move. I had to learn this of another genealogy site. I have been using your FTM since its inception and have really enjoyed the records you have available but the trees we have on your original site do not records in the same as FTM. There are many ways that only FTM will work with your records. I have also been unhappy that I have had to enroll in “Archives” to access many records that have always been available. I recently had a near death experience and was in the hospital for over a month. I had private trees at the time and the most foremost thought in my mind the entire time was that I did not want all my research to be unaccusable because I had the trees private. When I got out I made all my trees public. Now you have used our generosity of sharing our work to add more and more cost to thing your company did not research and would not have if it were not for the members. I’ve paid dearly for your products, DNA and web site. Your company is making a fatal mistake. I will pull my files and post my work elsewhere on the web; I will cancel my membership and unlink everything and find record somewhere else.

  5729. Donna H.

    This is very unfortunate news for users of FTM but there are other, very good software programs out there that can do most of the things that FTM did. But with that said, what I would really like to see is Ancestry open the TreeSync capabilities to other genealogy software companies so that the migration of information (and perhaps transition) will be easier. Maintaining only that part might draw less ire from subscribers and free up a tremendous amount of resources so that Ancestry could focus more on records (which I would appreciate, certainly). Some of us understand that it is the subscription portion of this site that generates the most profit. Selling software for $50 to one person who uses it for years is a good way to lose money going forward. So if cutting FTM loose will get me access to more records, I’m definitely for it!

  5730. Christine McDonald

    I am deeply shocked by this news. I think that Ancestry will need to assist users with details of alternative software.It is going to be almost impossible to maintain both an off line and on line tree independently so I think that the best options is to take your tree off Ancestry and just use it as a database for information, like Findmypast.

  5731. Kristina Clever

    I have been using FTM for over 10 years. At this point it is hard to remember using anything else. When the sync feature was added, they had me hooked. It made it easy to keep 2 fully researched trees with exactly the same info. One online that I could easily share with relatives and potential relatives. One on my computer where I could take a closer look at relationships, merging, reports, potential duplicates, etc. It also gave me access to images if I could not get online. The desktop software is an essential part of my research and family tree documentation.

    Without FTM, I will now be forced to do double the work IF I decide to continue building my Ancestry online tree. Because I manage several family trees for various relatives and research projects, I will not have the time for that, along with managing nearly 40 DNA kits.

    In the long run, this may also impact my desire to continue my Ancestry subscription. There are other sites who offer similar content (FamilySearch.org) that are building on their offerings to family researchers rather than cutting back.

  5732. Kazbirch

    Why this decision Ancestry?? FTM and the tree sync facility is one of the unique features that set you apart from the other sites. I want to use desktop software and have my tree on my computer and not just rely on it on a website!! It is one of the main reasons I subscribe every year because it’s so convenient and works so well and I think FTM is a really great product. It sadly proves to your loyal subscribers the danger of putting all eggs in one basket and I think you don’t realise how many people will stop subscribing as a result with many other websites now available with a big record databases.
    Better get your home files and personal computer folder boots filled before Jan 2017 folks!

  5733. Sharon Wilmoth

    So very disappointed in this news of being ‘left behind’ in my ongoing research for family members and their history. This decision of yours doesn’t seem to provide nor care any longer for helping those of us who are still looking for our family members and learning their history or in finding needed answers. I’m not interested in it being exclusively online-and for the many. It’s a personal quest and I’m your customer but my information, my notes and research is personal to me. My customer days are ending. Please reconsider your choices and the bigger picture, for the good of all.

  5734. Sharon M.

    Just how much money will you be saving by ditching the software that apparently a good number of people still want? Is it worth the loss of customers?

  5735. Gary Stanford

    An open letter to Family Tree Maker:
    I am very disappointed, to say the least, upon hearing this news. Are you sure this post wasn’t scheduled to go on line on April 1st? This decision is very flawed and needs to be rethought. Do you really have any idea how many people, who have spend countless man-hours, you have impacted? Shame on you.

  5736. Miriam Hughes

    I believe when you sold me 2014 less than a month ago Fraud was committed. My FTM file is large over 200,000 kbs. 17,000 plus persons with several thousand photos & sources. I purchased 2014 so I could upload all to share with others. I don’t believe I will do so now. Your loss of years of through research. Will be sending FTM backups to Salt Lake and e-mailing Books from FTM to those who want them.

  5737. George Freeman

    Unbelievable. Ancestry is showing that it is too unstable for genealogy investment. I have to look somewhere else. I’ve invested 40,000 name file in the wrong place.

  5738. Keith

    FTM along with Ancestry.com was a wonderful combination that enabled me to build my family tree. In return, I provided Ancestry with many corrections to incorrect records and transcription errors, in an effort to make Ancestry files better for everyone. Please add my name to your long list of users that are dissatisfied with the recent changes to Ancestry records. After learning about your decision to discontinue FTM, I must advise you that I no longer see value in continuing to subscribe to Ancestry records or supporting a company that places no value on its customers..

  5739. TERRIBLE IDEA! I am not one of those who resist change. I welcomed the new Ancestry on line. But I suspect the real motivation behind this is to be sure that people have to enter their notes and all information on your website so you have access to it, rather than having a place where they can keep some things private and permanently safe on their own computer.

  5740. Andre Ferrell

    While I understand the decision, I hope you would reconsider the TreeSync functionality. Currently, the software supports the generation of reports and charts, which are very helpful for me and allows me to share information easily. While I know I could still use those features, the ability to update my tree will become cumbersome especially without a syncing tool. The software is excellent tool for the genealogist of all levels and unless Ancestry plans to give all of the functionality of the software online (ALL), then I would hope that Ancestry reconsiders this decision. Maybe Ancestry should consider the frequency of software releases. Maybe not annually but every two years but please don’t retire the software without appropriate replacements.

  5741. Jason

    Anyone doing a reasonable amount of research and documentation will find out very quickly that the app/web site are just not up to scratch. Getting rid of ‘maker’ is a terrible decision for loyal customers of ancestry and a clear case of a corporation losing touch with it’s customers. Will not be renewing my subscription and will be removing my tree details unless this decision is reversed. Am totally disgusted by this!

  5742. Rebecca Goodwin

    I am appalled. I will find another desktop software and remove my tree from Ancestry. This is a terrible decision for those of us who have used FTM for years.

  5743. Clinton Slayton

    For those of you who placed trust in Ancestry over the years, is it not obvious that Ancestry is now a self-marketing entity, not a service entity for genealogists? Building your Trees online not only puts all the marbles in their pockets, it produces an income stream of subscriptions. I continue to use RootsWeb, still owned by Ancestry, and urge others to do so, since it is a serious tool for genealogists: not quite as riddled with junk genea as Ancestry Public Trees, because Ancestry would prefer you to forget about it. I owe Ancestry a great deal for the availabilty of imaged documents, and only subscribe for that reason. The Public Trees, the destruction of Sorenson Genomics, the abandonment of MyFamily, the abandonment of YDNA (the only truly scientific sampling) and the new interface, which emphasizes graphics and totally strips the presentation of anyhting resembling disciplined research and traceable citations, has just about balanced out all of the good that I can attribute to them.

  5744. Henry

    Barbara Shannon wrote “I will remove my records from Ancestry.” That’s just what we need to do in protest. Stop feeding the monkey. Make all of our trees on Ancestry “private.”

  5745. Peter B. Kingman

    Further testing shows me that some media and sources are making the trip from FTM to Roots Magic 7, and some are not.

  5746. Sharron

    After all the years of buying Family Tree Maker I can’t believe you would do this to your customers!!

  5747. Steve

    Ancestry.com is not complete without FTM and sync. How arrogant to make this decision without consulting your user base and then announcing it in such a terse, last-minute, and uninformative manner! Your new clueless VP should be canned and this whole decision to drop FTM rethought. Do you remember the firestorm of backlash against TurboTax when they redesigned their products last year without regard to user wishes? The user comments here make the TurboTax backlash seem tame! TurboTax finally said “Uncle” and changed. Will Ancestry.com not learn from others? You cannot treat your loyal customers with such disdain.

    I switched from TurboTax after many years of loyalty. It’s time to consider the same for Ancestry.com. It’s a shame, because I have contributed hundreds of photographs to Ancestry.com and have a carefully researched and documented public tree. This is not the kind of contributor you want to lose (not to mention the fees I have paid for many years).

  5748. Michael Sullivan

    I have been using RootsMagic for well over 15 years along with FTM. While RootsMagic does as many functions found in FTM it does perform everything needed for recording your research and finds. I must say that I prefer RootsMagic over FTM. It is a very excellent Program and is updated regularly. I would advise everyone to at least go the Rootsmagic website and check it out.

  5749. I absolutely hate the very idea of discontinuing FTM as I’ve used it for many years. The TreeSync feature is especially meaningful to me. With over 12,000 people in my tree moving it to another software program is going to be a gigantic task. You aren’t doing your company any favors with this decision.

  5750. Geoff Tovey

    Congratulations Kendall Hulet, another nail in the coffin of your CV. Your improvements to the service you offer your customers speaks volumes, predominantly greater than the voices of your previously loyal customers above. I am not sure where others live, but I have been using FTM software since starting on my quest to find out more of my family history since the death of my father back in 2001 over here in the UK. The software over the years has helped me understand what family truly means. As the software developed so did my knowledge and interest. All that will definitely be ending soon as you most eloquently put it. I have read many of the comments on this page and have to agree that the only way that I can realistically move forward is to say thank you and Goodbye. I very much doubt that you or any of your colleagues in the management will ever read this, but hopefully somebody in your Customer Service team will have the honesty to pass on to you the feelings of all of us here.

  5751. kim johnson

    I never really like FTM, but since Ancestry didn’t have any publishing capability, I was forced to use it. How will publishing be accomplished in the future?

  5752. David C

    I trust you will positively address the concerns expressed above. FTM has served as a vital part of our searching lives for many years. You must provide an alternative that equals or exceeds FTM!

  5753. Lois

    I am not only disappointed, I find this very disrespectful of your users. We have been supporting FTM for many, many years and most of us have paid you a lot of money over those years. This feels like a slap in the face to those of us who have stuck with you for so long. I don’t know what I will do in the future. Obviously, I will have to find another software to use which is very disappointing to most of us out here. After 19 years, I find this hard to deal with.

  5754. Kay

    FTM existed BEFORE Ancestry and has always had a great ability to print reports. My first tree work was hand entered not “synced” and the future work will be also. The problem arises not in relation to Ancestry.com but in support for advances in Windows or laptop hardware.

  5755. Steve Ryan

    Not a single positive remark. What does this tell you, Ancestry.com? That we’re all deeply disappointed and feeling ripped off. Good luck with that…

  5756. John Purdy

    This is a terrible decision!!
    Several years ago I changed from another PC program to FTM because I wanted a program that was professional maintained and that I could rely on in the long term. As they say in Great Britain, you have pulled the rug from under my feet.
    I feel very badly let down.

  5757. A C

    I was thinking of switching from TMG (The Master Genealogist by Wholly Genes) which was discontinued last year and is no longer supported. It had more functionality and I hadn’t decided where to go. I guess I keep using my old program until my computer dies. Transferring data out to a different program means losing lots of my special notes and I didn’t want to do it anyway.

  5758. Very upsetting on the new Ancestry and the FTM changes. I will be leaving asap when I decied on a new site to search my family tree. We place and make these sites and pay hard on money and you treat us like we should have no say in the changes. Jus not right!

  5759. Nikki Miller

    I am disappointed with this news. There are things that FTM can do that the web version of my tree just can’t. I hope that you will reconsider this decision – you have many loyal customers that value this product. Do you have plans to integrate reports and other functions that are part of the software that are not available via the website.

  5760. Brenda Caesar

    I have been working on my tree for nearly 10 years. I purchased FTM in 2014 and it has made it so much easier. I just cannot believe Ancestry would do this to its Loyal subscribers. Serious historians do use desk tops.Is it because we have some control over our trees that Ancestry wants to get rid of FTM so Ancestry has TOTAL control of our hard work. I am so upset about this decision that I had a sleepless night worrying about my 10 years work and how BIG business controls our lives. NOT HAPPY

  5761. Mary

    We have been using Ancestry for 20 years or so, most of which have been at the world level plus in recent years have paid for Newspapers and Fold3 to be added on. Have used FTM for the same length of time and have never used any other software.

    The sync feature has been one of the best features you could have added. I can do my research on line, add it to my on line tree and sync to my laptop which I do every night after I have finished. I also have highly recommended FTM to many people in particular because of the sync feature.

    During these 20 years, I have been a list administrator for most of these years (currently over 50 lists I think) and am also a board administrator for a few boards. I am a volunteer on FAG along with my husband.

    I am sincerely asking that you reconsider this decision. People do like to have their research on their computer, not solely kept on your site.

  5762. Joyce

    I too am very unhappy with this decision. With all of us that have supported ancestry for years, this is a slap in the face. The money we have invested in both ancestry and family tree maker is quite a sum. Saying you will support Tree maker for only a year is another slap in the face. 5 year should be a minimun for full support, then limited support after that for at least another 10 years.( Maybe those of us that bought Tree maker will be dead after that). I believed that you were there for those of us that love to do research and really document this for future generations. I question this after all the money you have received for a cause that I thought we were all vested in together for the long run. Many of us do not learn all the new tricks so quickly, so quit trying to dump us older folks! I was so excited when I bought both versions of family tree maker so I could use it all our computers. Don’t stop the support even if you need to stop the program. Unhappy with the news in Denver.

  5763. Allan

    As a subscriber to ancestry.co.uk, and user of FTM for about 10 years, my only comment is that your announcement is the final incentive I need to move to Family Historian 6. My subscription will not be renewed and I will instead subscribe to Find MyPast.

  5764. Ruben Lindley

    OH NO, I’ve been faithful FTM user since it first began. I use it as a backup for my online trees. I also use it when I am visiting relatives for research and do not have access to the internet. This is a very unprofessional decision on your part and you are letting all of us down that have paid to use your products for many years. I fully in support of the views of all others in this blog that are angry with your direction.

  5765. Martha

    I have been a faithful subscriber to Ancestry for many years and have also used FTM for the reports that can be generated. But most importantly, FTM made me feel that my trees were secure on my laptop and not just out there in the cloud with Ancestry. That security is now being taken away and I must do something to protect the countless hours that have gone into the creation of my trees. I don’t think I will be alone in my search for a software company that will provide the service that I need. I think the decision makers at Ancestry will regret this most unfortunate decision.

  5766. Yvonne Horgan

    Deeply disappointed;can anyone recommend another piece of software (that will hopefully stay in circulation) which does much the same thing, and to which we might be able to transfer what we have all done on our family trees so far? Definitely not worth staying a subscriber to Ancestry if the software isn’t available any more.

  5767. William Cowan

    I can’t fathom the logic for this very ill-conceived decision. I’ve been using FTM for many years, and have found it an invaluable tool for organizing all the data I’ve collected over the years. The addition of the ability to synchronize my local tree with your online product has also been very helpful in sharing data with others. These features work well in concert. I’m certainly not willing to give up a locally stored and accessible copy of my family data.

    What am I missing here? Are you really suggesting that the only application one needs for organizing family data is your online tool, and that one should go back to paper and filing cabinets for locally accessible data?? Again, I feel like I must be missing something here. If not, I can assure you that I will find another software application for organizing my family data locally, and that I will in all likelihood cease using your online product if you proceed with this bombshell you’ve dropped on everyone.

  5768. Jesse Elting

    You can go to “Family Tree Builder”, free up to 250 in your family tree. Then you have to pay. You can convert your FTM files to FTB. Not all comes over but a lot does.

  5769. Anne Bruzzi

    I am very disappointed with your announcement. I had advocated FTM to many of my friends and I feel totally let down by this announcement.

  5770. Leslie

    I will admit that I didn’t read all of these posts, but is anyone at ancestry going to comment? Like everyone else here, I have been researching for years. I have much more information in FTM than I do on the website. I realize that the safety of the cloud is an illusion. I want hard data too. Should I start looking for a new program? If so, do any of you have any suggestions? I have only used FTM.

  5771. Thomas Wightman

    I use Ancestry online most of the time, but if I want to print, merge or delete branches from my tree the only option is FTM.

    I made a big mistake a few years back and had to delete over 1000 people that I was not related to. I would have had to do that person by person online. Using FTM took just a few minutes.

    Also, the printing functions of FTM will be greatly missed. I have been to many family reunions in places where there was no web access and the online version would have been worthless.

    I’m with most everyone, this is a big mistake.

  5772. Deanna

    I think the decision to stop FTM is a poor one also. I hate to lose all my work and have start all over again.. I’ve seen some improvements in the Ancestry.com site but without FTM support I’m not sure it will be worth continuing to use it. I hope you will listen to us users and change this decision..

  5773. Peter Jolly

    Very bad commercial decision. I have cancelled my DNA test, especially reading elsewhere you want to use DNA for different purposes. I hav really enjoyed working with FTM, but now you are not going to maintain it I will have to find a different program. Finding a different program means I will be dropping my subscription to Ancestry and moving on.
    Your information email smacks of a dictatorship. I’d do it my way or don’t do it at all. It has not been properly thought through. You have not offered a tangible alternative. My subscription runs until September 2016, if a creditable is not forthcoming then I will definitely leave you and return to Find my Past or Geneology. Which ever it is Ancestry will be the loser and they are responsible for their own downfall. Bye bye.

  5774. Jane

    I’m all for removing my tree or making it prvate, but I’m sure ancestry has all my info backed up and will continue to use it. Am I just a pessimist?

  5775. Jane

    I’m all for removing my tree or making it private, but I’m sure ancestry has all my info backed up and will continue to use it. Am I just a pessimist?

  5776. KW

    This would be more understandable if you had an existing solution that provided the same features, or better, than FTM. You currently don’t. Using the web or iOS apps is not the same experience as FTM.
    The other observation is that commenting about this blog entry is only open until 22 December 2015. You are making a decision that will impact users for many years, yet only allowing users to express themselves about this for a couple of weeks.

  5777. Gary

    So FTM will no longer sync with my Ancestry file after Jan 2017 which means any online media will have to be manually downloaded if required. Is their next move to stop downloading altogether? Who knows. The new online ancestry format is pretty bad anyway so maybe it is time to sync my files, cancel my expensive annual Ancestry subscription after all these years and find something more customer friendly without nasty surprises at every turn.

  5778. John Hegarty

    Ancestry,
    you are getting the most direct and valuable feedback from your customers here. Listen carefully and act on it.
    You have made a mistake and you must take that on board.
    It is ironic that for a company that trades in history and record keeping, you have demonstrated such an extremely shortsighted policy!
    Your business model is founded on providing people with the tools to research and expand their family history. The value add that your customers provide back to you is the compilation of your bare bones records into their actual family trees. Your customers work is then they shared on your site, providing more information for you to exploit and attract ever more customers.
    If your customers were to retract all THEIR work, you would have nothing! That is what people are telling you they are going to do.
    The feedback is telling you that the BEST tool people have to do this valuable work is the desktop software. The web is fine for publishing and sharing their results and for searching. But the real work, the content creation, is done on the desktop.
    As I write this, less than 24 hours after your announcement, over 5000 people have taken the trouble to provide you with feedback. Whether you listen or not is up to you but the message to you is very clear, You have gambled the future growth and success of your company and people do not agree you have made the right decision.
    “Bad companies are destroyed by crises; good companies survive them; great companies are improved by them” (Andy Grove, 1994 after the Intel PR disaster).
    It’s time to ask, which type of company are you?
    John.

  5779. J L

    I have been a loyal Family Tree Maker software user for many, many years. I will be purchasing software from another company in the future.

  5780. thomas curran

    it seems from the above comments that a reconsideration is in order. That is unless you want you customers to migrate en mass to other genealogy sites. I,for one will do so. A contemptible business decision. I am reminded of the Coca Cola debacle.

  5781. Bonnie Moore

    I feel cheated! Too much money to Ancestry, and it is so difficult to navigate! Without FTM, I will not be an Ancestry member either. Our family tree stops when FTM does.

  5782. Chris Abbley

    I have been researching my family tree for the past 30 years and a big part of it was being able to record my findings with help of Family Tree Maker. I have been using it for many years. It seems to me be a travesty that it will end in 2017.

  5783. Deborah Woischke

    I can not believe you would eliminate Family Tree Maker. That is how I update my tree..does this mean I have to have continued membership to Ancestry inorder to have access to all the work I have done over the years? I use my desktop to work on my Ancestry. I am extremely unhappy as there is absolutely no information on how this all will work. I think you need to rethink this. Sounds to me like legal action could be taken as you are forcing all of us who have paid many dollars into this to have a yearly membership?

  5784. Donna C.

    I’ve been a loyal customer for many years … I think I bought my first copy of FTM in the late 1990’s. This is a hugely disappointing turn of events. I hope you will soon explain alternatives. Trust me, if they don’t offer the features of the current software at a reasonable price, I too will be defecting to the competition.

  5785. Nick

    Disappointed to hear this news as whilst I enjoy the online interface there are a number of tools for sorting and finding individuals (e.g by location) that just are not available online as far as I know. I have often considered trying other software (and interface sites) although have been perfectly happy with the program and always thought it would be difficult to replicate the arrangement I have on FTM (particularly media links to individuals). This might just be the impetus to do so.

    Please review your decision.

  5786. Jeff Martin

    I get that things are moving to the cloud. However, your announcement did not provide any information whatsoever on what the recommended path for customers is. Upload to Ancestry and pay a monthly subscription? Use offline as an unsupported product? If you are trying to consolidate your business on the cloud I would expect you would draw a roadmap for people and provide some incentives to help them transition. “For our loyal FTM customers you can upload your trees online with free access over the next X months. We have support resources standing by to help you make the transition” Instead you just closed the door in our face. Weak.

  5787. Kathleen

    I have been a loyal customer for many years at the world deluxe level. Now, what am I going to do? I like to have my data on my pc and use your site to search. This is a really poor decision on your part. It is probably a money bottom line thing and it is such a shame. No loyalty to any of your customers. Please reconsider. I have been a contributor to your data by transcribing census for years. Such a shame to be shoved out in the cold like this.

  5788. RIchard

    Very upsetting on the news FTM will end. I will be leaving to find another site, you should rethink this before you upset everyone.

  5789. Drew

    Interesting to note that after the huge negative reaction to Ancestry’s email of Dec 8 that they send it out again on Dec 9, presumably to make sure we understand that they are not reversing their decision. I know it is our own responsibility to keep our tree information and I will do so, but no longer on Ancestry. My 39000 name tree will be deleted today

  5790. Rita Stewart

    Absolutely a bad idea to discontinue FTM. I have used your product (and its predecessors) for decades. I hope there is a competitor out there ready to jump in.

  5791. Brian Lomasney

    I have FTW for both my PC as well as my MacBook, so I am out over $100!. Looks like Legacy may be the next software I use. Goodbye Ancestry.com!

  5792. Janice

    I would like to support all the comments made so far – I subscribe to Ancestry in part BECAUSE OF its ability to sync with the FTM software and purchased the FTM software for the same reason. I use FTM principally to design and print various family tree charts, which Ancestry doesnt allow. How will I do that now??? I’m sorry, but I dont think this is good enough. I have remained loyal to ancestry for a number of years, but now will be an ideal opportunity to rethink where my budget will be best spent.

  5793. Kathie Trapkin

    Genealogists use computers. We use laptops, we can’t go to public archives and doodle around with an app on a tablet. We use and still need Family Tree Maker! Do you want to know why people haven’t bought new versions lately? It’s because the last version I bought updated the interface and added a new pie chart tree. That’s it. Why would we buy a new version if there’s really no difference from the old one?
    You spent wasted time on the app since those of us with over 4000 people in our tree really don’t want to be confined to that thing. It’s horrible. And the tree that I see on your website is almost as bad. I don’t want to log on and see the pictures of 20 people! I want to see their families and facts, not the joke.

  5794. RJL

    Ancestry user for many years, suffered through several poor management decisions. Very disappointed, very likely will not renew. I just don’t trust you.

  5795. Tom Gates

    We truly find this announcement to be unbelievable!!!

    Certainly you (Ancestry) knows that the value of the genealogy work is in the physical files each family compiles. FTM facilitates this very superbly. The online Ancestry is merely the search tool to provide the details put to FTM and eventually the physical files. Maybe you don’t feel FTM needs to be fancied up every so often. But FTM does need to exist to do the “REAL” work of the genealogist’s record keeping. I certainly hope that someone in the office accidentally had their calendar flipped to April 1st and this is all one big joke. But management probably wants to dump a bunch of desktop programmers in favor of a bunch cheaper kiddie web coders that are really dumbing down the online interface. Please, Please! Please!!! realize just how bad of a decision this is to drop FTM. We have many, many years invested in our desktop files. This is just such a bad idea. Please reconsider!!!!!!!!

  5796. JVN

    Since FTM is to be retired, it would be appropriate for ancestry.com to update the gedcom file exported from an online tree to include the media files. Such can be included in a gedcom since FTM already does this. Ancestry.com should also now allow other programs to sync with a member’s online tree.

  5797. Jim Parker

    Dropping FTM is certainly not from a lack of PC Desktop users. This has to be meant to force desktop users (which no doubt is the majority of your customer base) to use your online system, which is terrible and does in no way replace the PC version. Very bad business decision. I’ve been a participant of Ancestry and FTM since the very beginnings for both and will certainly be looking at alternatives.

  5798. Patricia Harney

    I can only echo the many comments already posted about how disappointing this news is to those of us who use FTM. I love the reports and relationship calculator since that is especially helpful when trying to show my grandkids about a particular ancestor. I’ll continue to use the sync feature as long as it is available and then will probably drop my ancestry.com subscription. The on-line only tree is not an option for me. I know money considerations need to be taken into account, but so should customer relationships. Thanks for listening.

  5799. Clovis LaFleur

    I have been a subscriber to Ancestry.com since October 28, 2004. Before Ancestry purchased FTM, I used their database software
    and uploaded my research to Rootsweb (which you also now own), which allowed others to review and upload my research to their
    DESKTOP COMPUTERS. Having the ability to be able to create web pages dedicated to my genealogical research, I have presented
    my research in the form of story details about the lives of Aaron Stark [1608-1685]and his descendants on rootsweb/freepages. In
    genealogy, the definition of Ancestry’s Lifestory presented on individual Profiles; is a “Timeline.” Want to see a real life story on my
    Aaron Stark Family Chronicles web site. Go to my freepages efforts at

    http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~clovis/volume_1.htm

    Because rootsweb these “FREE” online web sites available for public view, will that be the next Products you will “Retire?”
    Ancestry.com, let me remind you that a large part of your volume of Profiles and Genealogies — with stories and images — that are
    now presented on Ancestry.com; came from your paid subscribers having a DESKTOP COMPUTER and FTM software.

    I have “voluntarily” contributed my genealogical research databases to Ancestry.com over the years. Ancestry.com purchased
    Rootsweb and benefited from my contributions to that organization. I can thank you for the many genealogical document databases that
    I have been able to access and use in my research, for they have been very helpful. But, then, didn’t I pay for that privilege? Have you
    not benefited from my voluntary contributions to your web sites? Perhaps you owe me and many others who have voluntarily
    contributed to you success.

    My annual subscription will expire in March. I will be looking closely at the decisions Ancestry.com makes between now and then.
    I’m very disappointed in your abandonment of so many Genealogical Researchers, still using DESKTOP COMPUTERS, that have
    contributed to Ancestry.com’s past success. Get back to knowing who your paid customers are and their contributions to your past
    success and present genealogical databases. Based on what has just been announced, unless I see a change, I will not be renewing and
    will take my voluntary contributions with me to some other Company.

  5800. Joanne

    This may be a business decision on your part, but a poor one for your customers. I have used your FTM for many years. I like to work off of my PC on my own time. When I have verified the data and cleaned up my copy, I upload to the web. Your software beats all others. I want my own copy of my data. FTM has many bells & whistles the competitors do not. While most business are going with eCommerce, some things are best kept as thick client. Have you considered selling the app to another vendor?

  5801. CountryMetCity

    Really, really bad business decision on Ancestry’s part.

    FTM works together with the website seamlessly (well, mostly seamlessly). And there are those of us who prefer to work on our trees in the program rather than the website.

    The website is clumsy and clunky. FTM is an essential part of many of your subscribers’ work.

    I am deeply disappointed. You are doing irreparable damage to your reputation with this decision.

  5802. Peter

    What a retrograde step and huge error FTM have just announced. I am pulling my Tree and have updated Brothers Keeper, which continues to listen to its customers and provides what it customers request and expect of a customer orientated service.

  5803. Chris

    As a company you must be insane doing this. I have had six month and one year Ancestry subscriptions over the years because it works so well with Family Tree Maker. If Ancestry will not interoperate with Family Tree Maker, then much of the benefit of Ancestry is lost. I would hope that subscription rates will reduce by about 80%, but I doubt that will be the case. I also not that commenting is only open for less than two weeks.

  5804. craj1983

    In the vain hope that someone from ancestry is going to read these comments, and having slept on this and scanned through the comments again, can I try and present the issues to the decision makers at ancestry?

    1. My guess is you have two distinct groups of customers

    (a) Researchers who have put years of their lives into genealogical research. This group do not rely on shaking leaves and ancestry trees with no source citations. They do not get any value from “new ancestry” but put up with it. What they require Is a relational database which enables them to trace relationships, and store data and media and attach them to people. Media stored in a relational db means you can do away with paper copies. Some media files are large. Many are multi-page PDFs. Ancestry can’t handle these files and compresses or rejects them.

    These users use FTM features like “resolve place name” and “resolve conflict”. For them a powerful reporting tool is an absolute requirement. If ancestry had done any focus groups you would know this.

    Some people in this group either don’t use high speed internet or can’t access it; in some cases while researching “on the road”. (In the rural pockets of the world where we are all descended from, high speed internet doesn’t exist).

    Some people in this group use the sync feature and rely on it to share their research, often on a private basis. (Ancestry must have the stats on public vs private trees). In my case I gave up on the sync function because trees fall out of sync too easily and too many media files don’t sync (grey image). Syncing for me is a second order issue.

    I would also surmise that this group draw their research from a wide variety of places other than ancestry – Find my Past, OPC sites, digitised newspapers, family photos and documents, family history groups and dusty records offices. FTM provides the means to collate, store and organise it all.

    The key to this group from ancestry’s viewpoint is that they are largely invisible because ancestry can’t see their records and therefore can’t understand their needs.

    (b) the second group are those who are possibly younger, with less time to devote to their research (less money?) who want quick answers and are not concerned to verify their data. These are the ancestry users.

    2. They key from ancestry’s viewpoint is that if it wasn’t for the research done and made available by the first group, the second group would not have this guidance to go by.

    3. What will FTM users do?

    Plan A has to be that one of ancestry’s competitors will see that it has been handed a golden chance to pick up thousands of new customers if it can develop a migration path for an FTM data file. Will FTM users have to pay for this? Yes.

    Perhaps the issue then is that the annual ancestry fees don’t give a sufficient financial return to ancestry to support FTM users. I for one would be prepared to pay a annual small fee to keep FTM supported, independent of whether I used ancestry on line, or if I did use ancestry online, whether I used tree sync.

    Plan B is that we limp along for a couple of years unsupported until our operating system upgrades one day mean it won’t run, and have hopefully moved to a competitor in the meantime and in doing so lost some of the excellent FTM functionality. Having done so if we want to share our trees it will have to be via uploaded gedcom files which mean a new file will likely be created every time we find out something new and want to share it. (This is why syncing is so good if you can get it work reliably).

    In uploading and sharing those gedcom files ancestry is not the only option!

    Plan C is that ancestry can build the FTM functionality now missing from the on line version and make it feasible to manage files. Why not collaborate with Dropbox? There will be some who don’t like this though and won’t trust ancestry with their files.

    Whatever the outcome I for one will always keep a copy of my own documents.

  5805. Clay

    This is unacceptable. What do we do about alll the tools, e.g., publish, available in FTM that we will no longer have. Almost enough to make me drop ancestry.com

  5806. David

    Oh dear! Another stupid decision by some CEO who pretends to be a business man. Why do these businesses aggravate their loyal customers by such policy decisions and then expect them to blindly follow them into a brand new future they don’t want. This does not happen these days. In the real world, loyal customers take their loyalty to another company which is exactly what I have done. I have uploaded my GEDCOM files to THE GENEOLOGIST. A far better website and cheaper too.

  5807. Joyce

    Folks, I have been researching my family since 1975 (before computers were born) and have paid NOTHING to websites for my research. There are still plenty of free websites out there that Ancestry.com has not (yet) bought out. Let’s start our own! It only takes ONE of us. I have chipped at my brick walls at local libraries! They are still free, too! And I’ve taken my search back to the 1600’s!! I’m 65 and still at it. Good luck!

  5808. RS

    I echo my fellow subscribers who have expressed their horror and disappointment at hearing the news that you’re retiring Family Tree Maker. I don’t think your notification provides an adequate explanation of the practical implication(s) but imagine this isn’t going to make my life more enjoyable:( On the contrary, it appears to be driven by commercial greed with little regard for your loyal customers.
    I was planning to upgrade to the latest issue of FTM but this news has put an end to that idea. I’ll be taking a close look at the benefit (if any) of continuing my annual subscription. A really sad day.

  5809. Carole

    What 20 something “wet behind the ears” employee do you have running ancestry.com and making decisions like this; to change the format and drop FTM. The OLD search is so much better for finding connections. The NEW search is child-like and difficult to navigate. The FTM/ancestry tree sync is/was the best thing to happen in Genealogy research in ages and now you’re going to drop it!!!
    I’m mortified by what you people are doing. As I ALWAYS said…. Keep what works and stop trying to make things improved and worse…..
    Not everyone does things on their cell phones and tablets. Us “older” folks still like and us desktop computers.

  5810. Robin

    Please allow ancestry.com to integrate with other family tree websites/programs (ex. Roots Magic), Mac Family Tree), similiar to how Family Tree Maker has worked. This is the least you can do to make up for the cost and aggravation to your customers.

  5811. susan whitten

    Not only did i purchase Family Treemaker 2012, but also 2 textbooks, 1. The official Guide to Family Treemaker from Am
    ncestry publishing at $24.95. 2.Beyond the Basics Aguide for Advanced Users of Family Treemaker at $24.99. When should I expect my refund?

  5812. Darryl Roberson

    Well, it did’t take the I T person long to find a way to justify his new job. Has any one bounced this off the organization that ancestry got most of your data from? I’ll bet not. You may want to check with the brethren.

  5813. Lorraine

    If you live in the rural areas of Australia, as I do you do not always have internent service so how do you work on your tree at home and then sync it when you do get service? I feel robbed and totally rejected by Ancestry. I also feel that the move to the ‘new ancestry’ is gimmicky and cumbersome. It should be an option to use, not a necessity. I can imagine all the little family history groups without consistent internet access dotted around our vast country many with older family historians working on their trees off-line in FTM will be leaving ancestry by the droves. Biggest mistake you ever made apart from the ‘New Ancestry’. I used to promote and spruke your product to all who were interested in beginning their journey, but not any more! VERY VERY UNHAPPY!

  5814. Sally Tinkel

    Can’t people read? In bold print I read that Tree/Sync and FTM will be supported until January 2017. That gives us a year to get things in order. A merge to make printing available on Ancestry Trees would be helpful. That;s about all I use FTM for. It’s the only way to get a copy for a family member. I’m sorry it is going to be discontinued, but it’s not the end of the world for me.

  5815. Janice Ingram

    So, who can recommend a good alternative software now that we’ll be needing to buy something new in order to keep our records on our own computers? This has got to be one of the worst business decisions since New Coke.

  5816. Jeanne Gorlick

    I have contributed and researched at Family Tree Maker since 2000. Now you are discontinuing FTM with a notice? Where is the connection to something else? Just what loyalty to your customers are you showing? Have you now made enough money and are escaping to an exotic port to retire? Do we now retire our work for families to files in’ the cloud’? Come on now. What happens to your customer data now that you have linked to it? Do you plan on selling our work back to us? An explanation is now in order!

  5817. Evelyn

    Having read some of the comments I am in full agreement with them all. Given the hacking and invasion of privacy that is common (having been a victim) I am very reluctant to rely on 30 years of research being held with one company and in the cloud. Bad experience, you seriously need to reconsider.

  5818. Jim Roach

    Ditto to all the comments and questions above. I have used FTM since its inception. What am I supposed to do with all the research I’ve done over the last 20 years? As far as I know there is no software on the market comparable to FTM. We need some answers and we need them quickly.

  5819. Jerry Smith

    I am asking you to reconsider your decision to end FTM. Like many other users I have been collecting and scanning my family information for several years. After my retirement I purchased FTM and spent very many hours entering my collected data. I then uploaded my tree to Ancestry and have added additional information. By eliminating FTM You are taking away the best method Ancestry users have to enter information and generate reports. You are also eventually taking away our ability to have a local copy of our information and trying to force us to perpetually force us to my Ancestry a fee to view our own information. A lot of the information on Ancestry comes from subscriber provided information.. What would happen if all the subscribers decided to withdraw their information. Please reconsider. A lot have people have put a lot of time and passion into researching their family tree.. A lot of us are seniors on a fixed income who may not be able to pay for Ancestry all their lives just to look at their own information.

  5820. Jenny

    It’s ok to stop selling, but you should remain loyal to the people who bought the software. It does not take that much effort to keep the sync on the website. This is a selfish money move. I have always been quick to defend your business, but this has really made me mad. I don’t think I will be renewing if you take away FTM. Do the right thing, Ancestry. You are killing your company, maybe you should consider firing your CEO. You keep a terrible app that does absolutely NOTHING, but kill the one thing people love about you. You are committing business suicide. Please reconsider this decision!

  5821. Lillian

    I have already been contacted by RootsMajic and have downloaded the software. Sorry Ancestry, I don’t like the new graphic interface that makes it difficult, not easier, to find and search what I need to. You know what they say, KISS, Keep it simple……

  5822. Eric

    Boo! Please reverse your decision. FTM is the core of my efforts. The online Ancestry.com and especially the recent upgrades have provided a less-than-adequate experience. Quite honestly, I feel you have no commitment to me as a long time customer, and as such my commitment to stay with Ancestry.com at this point is questionable.

  5823. Norman

    I’ve been using FTM for many years, and have found it an invaluable tool for organizing all the data I’ve collected over the years. The addition of the ability to synchronize my local tree with your online product has also been very helpful. These features work well in concert. I’m certainly not willing to give up a locally stored and accessible copy of my family data.
    But most importantly, FTM made me feel that my trees were secure on my desktop and not just out there in the cloud with Ancestry. That security is now being taken away and I must do something to protect the countless hours that have gone into the creation of my trees. I don’t think I will be alone in my search for a software company that will provide the service that I need. I think the decision makers at Ancestry will regret this most unfortunate decision.

  5824. One of the most asinine decisions I have ever seen coming from a company that is supposed to be the LEADER in providing a source for ancestry. I, like many other thousands of individuals have used Family Tree Maker to compliment my search of my ancestors. Without this tool I could not have accomplished a third of what I have done. With no existing solution, I question the reason for this but the cost. Your reason: declining desktop market?????????????????????????? Are you serious. You are going to lose a lot of valuable customers over this just to shore up the bottom end of your company. How about your executives take a pay cut like the rest of us to prop up a company so the Executives can still keep their salaries. POOR EXCUSE FOR TERMINATING A SERVICE

  5825. Bucko45

    Just look at all the numerous comments you have received, none of them good! I don’t know who is running your company , but it’s about time you wise up!This seems like a greedy plot to again screw your faithful customers You people are not making a sound decision ! It is nothing but greed oriented ! No customers are happy and most people will more then likely drop your service! Rescind this horrible decision, or face the consequences!

  5826. Angela

    Has anyone tried Legacy Family Tree 8.0? It says it links to Familysearch & Ancestry online. Ancestry has purchased many of the Gen Websites Genealogy.com familiysearch.org findagrave.com etc and monopolize the records.
    Now they have designed program that does not simplify research. Did they hire recent college grads to add all the dressings here? The program is not user friendly and looks like it is designed for group presentations rather than individual use. All these new cosmetics have no practical function for researchers. Very disappointing!

  5827. Susan

    I can’t tell you how disappointing this is. I feel betrayed and abandoned by you. While I do love the ancestry.com website for research the real value to me is that it syncs so nicely with Family Tree Maker. Serious genealogists want to work offline with software on their desktop or laptop. I hope you will reconsider. I don’t know what I will do as an alternative however sticking with ancestry.com just became much less appealing.

  5828. Please let us know asap what program we will have to run like we are doing now. We need some time to get used to run our program to keep the work in good running order. I have over 25,000 names on my family tree and can not see any way of going with a hard copy and making any sense out of it. I really like FTM for their notation as to exactly what the relationship is to the main person in your list. If I loose that feature I will not be able to declare the relationship between distant relatives. Please help us out . Thank you.

  5829. Jason Cerny

    Dear Ancestry, you have been receiving a negative comment about every 12 seconds for a solid day with no end in site, please respond.

  5830. Toni Wetter

    I am very upset about this. I have been using FTM since it first was released. I was unhappy with the new Ancestry but had decided as long as I could have my files on my computer the way I wanted them that I would deal with the other. Now there is not really much reason to keep up my Ancestry subscription is there?

  5831. Alan

    I can only add “ditto” to all of the comments above. I have been using FTM since its very beginning. I have over 1800 names in my “tree” and don’t understand what I am supposed to do after 2018. I was passing this information on to my grand daughter as a “legacy” project for her to continue. Please re-consider your decision.

  5832. Diane

    Add me to the list of long-time (19 years) users deeply disappointed in this decision. Although I have two trees on Ancestry.com, they do not contain all of the information currently on my PC. I will not sync all of my information to the web site, as I insist on maintaining MY ownership of my work. When my current Ancestry subscription is due for renewal, I will have a hard decision to make. A very sad day.

  5833. Lyn

    This is very disconcerting to me. I’ve used FTM since the early 90’s. I hate the website. The tools are horrible. I don’t trust servers and want a hard copy back up. It appears many members will be jumping ship and I can’t blame them. With this, the DNA features will not be as good as they could be as we’ve lost many family members we had yet to meet. What are you going to do in place of this? Right now I use FTM to search my family tree and upload the documents, etc. IF FTM is not supported, how do I have access in my program? Worst decision I’ve heard from Ancestry. You’re forcing people to use a system they’re not comfortable with and if I have to lose years of my work due to a server issue or a glitch, I’d be someone to reckon with. Please find an alternate method for us if you truly do not plan on continuing with the software as I too, like many others, have spent a lot of money on your services. I will not use your services if you are strictly online. I hate the format and find it not as user friendly as my FTM program. I am in the process of obtaining my genealogical certification and I can tell you that I am not one of those people who just add names because they look like they match. I need to have records to follow a person from birth to death. Very disappointed right now.

  5834. Michael

    I use Ancestry for hunting down hints. I use FTM for having my own copy of documents and photos and for reports. You better at least have those functions available on PCs and apps (your current apps are primitive and don’t work if offline) or you will lose more and more customers.

    You really need to respond quickly and rethink your plans. Every hour you delay digs your hole deeper. Be smart and respond.

  5835. Art Riggins

    After reading most of the comments above, I cannot believe that any businessman would make such a foolish decision. FTM is the basic program for the vast majority of geneologists; Ancestry.com is an accessory. The board room decision to force-feed your consumer base is the stuff that many former companies have regretted. I will not be using Ancestry again, as so many others have already decided.

  5836. Jean

    This is how I use the software. I’m able to run rabbit trails without making it live on ancestry. Sometimes it takes several years to on that rabbit trail before you find out its wrong. For someone us genealogy is not a full time job. If you put it on ancestry without checking and making sure it’s accurate the whole world has copied it. Will you make that feature part of ancestry? There is no need for ancestry without any TreeSync. It’s what made me stay with ancestry. No reason to continue after Jan 1, 2017.

    It saddens me that have chosen that way running your business and hope you will change your mind. I hope as courtesy to those of us who use the software you will recommend something replace it with. I sure I’m dreaming. At least take the time to answer my questions.

  5837. Caroline

    Please, please reconsider this decision to stop FTM. We cannot afford to subscribe for the rest of our lives, unless you reduce the subscription to allow for it. I have been researching for over 20 years and would be so disappointed to have to leave

  5838. Robyn Weed

    This is my 2nd comment on this subject. I just want people to understand that yes, you will be able to use FTM after 2017. BUT if you need or want to upgrade your OPERATING system to say, Windows 11 or whatever in the future, then FTM will not run on it. If your computer crashes and the new computer has the latest OS then FTM will not run on it without doing end runs most people can’t figure out for themselves. Please consider these things – FTM will not run forever. You need an alternative plan. And back up your .ftm and .ftmb files on a separate hard drive or flash drive soon. I would recommend creating GEDCOM files for all of your FTM trees right away and back them up too. The backups I recommend have nothing to do with Ancestry.com abandoning us – it’s just common sense and should be done no matter what software you use. To those of you who trust in keeping your precious research solely on the Cloud with Ancestry.com or anyone else I say: Good luck with that. PT Barnum said, “there’s a sucker born every minute.”

  5839. MarilynC

    I want to join the thousands of other FTM users who find this decision deplorable. It makes me very angry to be treated this way. I have used FTM for many years but what use will there be to use Ancestry if we can’t keep track of our research.

  5840. Keih B

    Putting out your blog without any details of what we can do with our existing trees shows poor customer service.

  5841. I have been using your PC software since the very first product you offered long before you murfed into Ancestry. I have had a subscription since it was offered. Over the years FTM continually improved, especially when the Mac version became available. I became suspicious of Ancestry’s intensions as soon as the sync feature became so important to them. It has progressively made FTM users dependent on Ancestry. Your decision to discontinue FTM is not a surprise. Without an equally capable desktop replacement users such as I will be quickly abandoned without any suggested alternative. Such short term action does not give FTM users adequate time to find a substitute. I am totally disappointed with your action, I think Ancestry should have offered at least a year before abandoning FTM. A very shot sighted and one way decision.

  5842. jzsherk

    Your decision to discontinue the Family Tree Maker software is a very big disappointment. Even more so, is Ancestry’s decision not to provide information on compatible programs to which my years of data can be safely, accurately and completely transferred. As a long-time customer of FTM and Ancestry.com, I find this to be extremely inconsiderate and poor customer service. I’ve been using versions of Family Tree Maker since it was originally published. I’ve upgraded almost every time a new version became available.

    Having desktop software is very important to me. I will find a replacement for FTM and will investigate replacements for Ancestry.com.

  5843. Mar

    Your supposed reason for discontinuing FTM is a manipulation and not true. Since the only way to adequately access Ancestry is using a Laptop or desktop computer, the reason must be other than stated for the discontinuation of FTM. I feel angry, deceived and robbed of value.

  5844. Mark Wingfield

    Obviously, for those of us who properly maintain sources/citations/media, FTM is ideal and the link to Ancestry is great for automatic record inclusion. But I thought this might happen. The Ancestry app is lightweight at best and horrible to navigate with so I hope that by 2017, there will be a proper usable alternative linked to Ancestry. Let’s hope that the current app is not going to be the recommended solution.

    I guess we have a year to decide how we all continue maintaining our trees.

  5845. Just when I was really getting the hang of it! Like many others I hope you reconsider, but if not please realize you have a duty to advise users what off-line alternative to FTM they should consider and to ensure that whatever it is it will be fully compatible with the on-line programme and offer at minimum the same facilities as FTM. I look forward to hearing your recommendations.

  5846. Bill Davis

    I just bought a copy of the latest version of FTM at Sams Club, haven’t even installed it yet. Also, I have invested a lot of money in FTM software for a number of years. What do I do now, just junk it all and swallow a huge loss?

    Your Notice says nothing about what we do to replace all of the time and $$ we have spent on Ancestry/FTM. Does it all just go down the drain?

    Very poor for Ancestry to pull the plug on such short notice without stating what its new replacement is. Just look at the uproar abounding in the above comments in response that notice, mainly because it leaves us all hanging, with no alternative.

    Hope this is just a belated or early April fools joke. If not I will unhappily say adios to Ancestry.

  5847. AR

    Oh to be a fly on the wall in the board room about now… 🙂 Seriously BAD move, folks! You have misjudged your base completely. I suspect the vocal ones are just the tip of the iceburg. Just wait til the mass media gets ahold of this “news” and reaction. Should be fun to watch… if it wasn’t my preferred software that I have been using since it came out and depend on for integration and sharing reports and data.

  5848. Dick

    They may bring FTM back, but this is a business decision, not a genealogy oriented decision. if you read the terms and conditions you can see the rights they have to your data, information, DNA, and anything posted. Knowledge is worth money.

  5849. larry Mueller

    Family Tree Maker is the basis for all my Genealogy work over the last 23 years. I have Thousands of hours and Thousands of dollars invested in the material stored in the FTM Database. FTM provides many many features not available in the on line trees, ability to produce quick reports, the ability to see how any person in the tree is related to the home person, etc. It is much easier to use than any online product, online is very clumsy, has to be reset all the time, and is very slow. Please do not discontinue FTM. We really need it.

  5850. Wilma

    I think the others have expressed my thoughts. This is very disappointing and just plain RUDE of you to sell us something and then take it away. You might safe a few dollars, but you will be losing lots of subscriptions. Subscriptions = $$$$$$$$$$

  5851. Deborah Joslin

    I just upgraded my software last month and bought a whole new package! Now it will only be good for a year?? This is terrible PR…FTM is so nice for maintaining your own records offline.

  5852. J. Deen

    The Web and tablet interfaces are competent only for occasional VIEWING of our data- certainly not for actually entering it.

    Has nobody at the company actually pointed this out?

  5853. Vicki Aubrey

    I agree with everyone. I’m not impressed with Ancestry’s new format anyway. Also, I won’t pay the exhorbitant fees Ancestry charges and be forced to keep all my hard work online. It’s too risky.

  5854. Janet Bradbury

    I would like to understand exactly what you mean: what exactly will remain, and what will no longer be available. Do we need to salvage information from ancestry.com? I am not terribly computer savvy, if there are huge changes to what exists would find that tremendously difficult and disappointing, and I’m sure there are many less computer savvy people than me on ancestry.com. Family research is a retired person game for the largest part.

  5855. David Dewick

    I gave up usig FTM years ago because it had far too many limitations. I migrated to Family Historian, then at version 3, now at version 6, and have never regretted the move. I don’t miss any sync facility as I don’t put my entire tree on Ancestry in respect of other people’s wishes, to maintain privacy of other living people, and because I keep my tree private to try and prevent unacknowledged poaching of my work. I would advise caution to anyone considering cancelling their Ancestry subscription. Despite an awful and patronising user interface, Ancestry has many datasets not available elsewhere. craj1983 has made an excellent analysis of the needs of experienced researchers that highlights the need for researchers to have FTM as a continuing supported and maintained product. My case highlights that simple fact that there are other equally as good, if not better, products available if synchonisation with a tree held on Ancestry is not necessary. I do think that the stopping of support and development of FTM is, however, a deliberate strategy to try and push existing users to keeping their tree wholly online, as this provides a huge, and free, benefit to Ancestry and subsequently to its shareholders. Might I also suggest that anyone not convinced of Ancestry management reading this blog, and taking any notice of it, write directly to the President and CEO of Ancestry to voice your opinions.

  5856. Barbara Colvin

    Please allow tree sync for some of your competitors. It’s important to me to keep private files. I’m very disappointed in your decision: and do not like the “new Ancestry” but am putting up with it for now.

  5857. Steve

    What price your reputation then? I think the volume of feedback speaks for itself. I only do genealogy as a hobby and I’m pretty disgusted. I can fully understand how the professionals feel. Let’s hope someone steps in to produce an alternative desktop application.

  5858. Bill

    With a little over 25 hours since I got your announcement via email, there are 6,459 comments. Wonder how many are positive….

    Not mine!

    Bet your competitors are.

  5859. Gloria Grimes

    After many years of using Ancestry.com, I will not be renewing my subscription since you will not be supporting my software. I rely on Family Treemaker software to organize my family tree as I build it, using the link to Ancestry.com. Since you are not recommending a compatible software I can use in the future, I will not be uploading my finished tree to Ancestry.com.

  5860. David Markgraf

    My Ancestry subscription is up for renewal 12/28/2015. I guess you have made my decision for me.

  5861. Anita

    Well Happy Holidays to all of us, as we scramble to figure out our options. Very unreliable internet where I live – I need something on my computer. I’ll admit, I did have other plans for ways to spend my time in 2016, rather than all the ‘re-doing’ that this will make necessary. Lucky for you I just purchased a 6-month subscription – I almost didn’t – I’m thinking it will be my last.
    What we need to know is – how does this change benefit genealogists? who don’t have good internet coverage? who can’t afford more monthly fees in their life?
    Seems like the benefits (reduced costs = higher profits) are all o your side…

  5862. Kristi Kisler

    This is so sad … Ancestry collects all of our hard research, sells it back to other researchers, and then cuts off our ability to manage our own information. Does anyone know the name of the CEO? I would like to write him/her a personal letter.

  5863. Bill S.

    The comments are down to 3 a minute and are overwhelming against the decision to drop FTM. Wow. What a bad idea.

    I use both the online search tools to merge data from other trees, and FTM to clean up place names and find duplicate people. I sync both versions of my tree so the hints will help me find missing information. Many people are careless about what data gets included in their trees. I guess they blindly merge everything that is remotely close or hinted at by Ancestry. What a mess. Yuck.

    I’m not after any new features. Even an annual build and release would be enough to ensure it continues to run on updated version of the various operating systems.

    The sync feature is very important regardless what desktop software is used. The API to Ancestry should be opened so other products can fill the void if FTM is actually dropped. Maybe another company would be interested in buying FTM? I would even be willing to pay an annual subscription to keep FTM available.

    Dropping FTM and the ability to sync with the online tree is a disaster. Please reconsider. As many others have suggested, anyone doing serious genealogy work will probably abandon Ancestry without FTM.

  5864. Barbara

    I also am very disappointed. I have been using Family Tree Maker and Ancestry for years. If it is discontinued I will no longer be an Ancestry supporter. Please reconsider

  5865. Karen

    With over 5000 comments in this thread it is pretty obvious that people DO NOT like your decision to no longer support FTM. I for one am thankful that the bulk of my data is on the hard drive of my computer and NOT on your website, Ancestry! People are not comfortable with years of research being solely supported by your website. Most genealogists still enter their data and notes on software program on their personal PC. Your research is flawed, Ancestry.com! You had better take another look at those software sales and rethink your decision!

  5866. Ilene

    I was one of the first to submit family information to the WFT when it was started – back when. For 30 years I have kept to this same concept and its improvements/changes to FTM. Although I offered complaints/suggestions this last update, it did no good. I had no response at all from Ancestry/FTM. Now I know why. Nobody cared, because this is what you’ve been working on. I know things change; but with something like this so widely used by so many people (and by those of us who don’t want everything online and copied by the inept who think they are related to us), how can you just “dump” it????? I guess I’ll keep using the software until I can’t anymore – and then I’ll find something else. This is a further disappointment by Ancestry that is unnecessary!

  5867. Farley

    For years, I have bemoaned the lack of competition to ancestry.com. But as long as you had FTM which enabled download of images and documents into your database with little manual intervention, you had a monopoly on the market. That day has ended. Your competition will quickly fill the void that you have created. Watch in horror as your market share begins an inexorable and fatal decline. RIP ancestry.com.

  5868. Rick Terrell

    I’ve tried to make sense of this decision. I’ve tried to read the post to formulate a response. I see many saying I quit, want refund, where do I go etc. Nevertheless, many have forgotten the main point; Ancestry.com grew by our hand; our research; our posts. I’ve been doing it for almost 40 years; started the same way as other…talking to family, visiting libraries, cemeteries, reading newspapers to capture via ink and pencil my ancestry; well, you know what it takes. The point, if we must go back to the pen, pencil, and paper, creating paper and e-files then my suggestion…once you’ve are satisfied and well before 1 January 2017 delete your tree from Ancestry.com so they will not profit anymore from our research to our past. If something is not done, as I have really gotten everything I think I can, I will close this chapter of my Ancestry.com life. It’s been good, saved lots of gas and miles on the body, as well as my vehicles to have what I have. Let’s bring the French Revolution to Ancestry.com 31 December 2016.

  5869. Lana Howard

    I suppose you should be removing all of Crista Cowan’s wonderful videos on utube about using the “robust” program FTM where she explains all the features that are available by using FTM but not available if Ancestry is your only tree.

  5870. Deborah

    This is fairly is disasterous as far as I am concered, and many others as you can see from the blog… over 20 years membership …. 12 Trees, with thousands of people, pictures, smart stories linked, and all sync may work until 2017, but then what? ….nothing? Surely the whole basis of this is the symbiotic relationship between our use of FTM and gathering online data, If you dont support FTM surely you realise we will look elsewhere for a package and Geneology site that works with it, especially for those that have to work offline due to connectivity, time etc. I now have to make the decision like many others to download to portable files and I suspect other marketable companies will wait in the wings to snap us up – plus the two friends I have just persuaded to join this year who will need to start elsewhere as what is the point of continuing if there are known difficulties – shame.

  5871. Brian Mawer

    I couldn’t believe it this morning, when I opened my inbox. Like Bill Davis, I thought that it must be the 1st April.

    What other announcement has ever generated 4,500 complaints in just 36 hours. I have just been left speechless!

  5872. Carole

    I like many people like to do family tree work on my computer not upload my tree to some cloud storage or website. Will definitely be looking to find some new software and will be voting with my feet by not renewing my subscription this.

  5873. JoAnne

    I absolutely BEG of you, please reconsider the decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker. As many of the others on the blog have stated, it’s the BEST part of ancestry.com. I like being able to view my tree and print reports using the FTM interface, even while I am not online. I honestly do not understand the simplistic graphics on ancestry.com (and I consider myself computer savvy at 34 years old). I also do not comprehend how ancestry.com will ever be able to offer the same level of richness that FTM offers (being able to view facts, records, reports, etc.). I have been looking forward to carving out more time to work on my family tree again now that my twins are 2 years old, but with this news I am motivated to look at other (free) resources besides ancestry.com. Please, please listen to your loyal users – though the market may have declined over the years, I believe many of your “power users” prefer FTM to ancestry.com. And WHAT will I POSSIBLY do without Tree Sync – I can’t tell you how very excited I was when this feature was added. I do 99% of my work through FTM, and mainly use ancestry.com for looking up info while on the go. Honestly, I cringe when the website is my only option – even for viewing. I know you’ve done a lot to try and switch people over the the new site, but I am NOT impressed at all. Not even close to replacing FTM. Please don’t do it!

  5874. Gary Meek

    I wondered if there is an optimum number of users that need to complain about the withdrawal of software before Ancestry will reconsider its actions? Also does anyone from Ancestry monitor the blog – perhaps they might respond to comments herein? I certainly will be cancelling my worldwide subscription very soon and migrating to another provider – Heredis, Roots Magic or similar

  5875. Norman

    So because you have had 12 million people download your APP on their mobile that mean they are more important than the other people on desktops users who have created the 70 million trees on Ancestry Family Tree system. These are the people who have done all the work and paid all their money to make Ancestry what it is today and now you are removing FTM that is also a main part of making Ancestry what is today.

  5876. Marjorie

    This is horrible. After using your software for YEARS and all my trees are on FTM . What are we to use in place of it? Don’t want to lose all my work. Hope you reverse your decision.

  5877. Bill Grant

    What a downer, I am a long time user and getting a hang on how to fix problems without contacting FTM.
    Will ancestry provide a way to do reports? If not don’t need ancestry!!!!!

  5878. John bromilow

    For me, the only edge that Ancestry has over its competitors is FTM. As soon as I am unable to search and download directly from FTM, my long-term, continuous subscription will cease. I look forward to finding out better alternatives, that this terrible decision has forced upon us.

  5879. Molly

    This is a huge mistake. I have many software programs so that I can share with other family members that use them. Some do not have internet so having tree on my laptop is needed. FTM interface has been my personal choice since 1995. I am not a fan of posting my tree online & will not do it. I also input info from other gen sites that I subscribe to as well as Ancestry into my desktop FTM. You are killing the ‘goose that laid the golden egg’. Your ‘smart’ marketing might lose you many subscribers, certainly will not add new ones, & drive many to your competitors. One of your great marketing tools to gain new membership was giving initial 3 or 6 months free access with purchase of FTM software.

  5880. Rosemary Morgan

    I have been a loyal user of Family Tree maker since the Broderbund days (1999), and have, over the years, purchased several versions. Most recently I purchased FTM Mac 3 as I am planning on buying a new Mac with the El Capitaine OS. Over the years I have also modified the way in which I carry out research. As a long-time Ancestry subscriber (2003), I now use the trees on Ancestry to conduct my research and then sync the results with FTM for further analysis / reporting. If you discontinue this sync facility at the end of 2016, which is what I understand, then I will have no choice but to return to the “old-fashioned” way of researching, i.e. searching for a record, saving to my PC and then manually adding the detail to my off-line tree. There is no way that I am going to build a tree on Ancestry which cannot be synced! I’m not sure that you understand how many customers work this way and thus the impact of this decision. Please reconsider!!

  5881. Robert Phillips

    FTM and Ancestry are complementary, not equal in substance or usefulness – especially when producing reports. I shouldn’t have to pay additional fees to get reports from Ancestry – which appears to be all that is available. I only joined Ancestry because I was given a 3 month subscription with an FTM package purchase. Since that I have recommended the dual package to many others. I am very disappointed and will be examining alternative options.

  5882. Gary

    Someone in your corporate office better review this decision very carefully over the next couple of weeks. This ridiculously dumb decisions stands to cost your company huge sums of money. Like many here, I have been using FTM since basically its’ inception. If you do away with it, then I have absolutely no use for your company and will cancel my subscription. And it certainly appears to me that many here agree with me. Count your losses and rethink this decision.

  5883. John von Walter

    My Family Tree Maker is barely a year old, and I only bought the program because my old genealogy program, Family Origins, was acquired by Ancestry, a company which I thought would long be around. Never another Ancestry purchase by me….

  5884. Becci

    Would someone put up a Facebook page where we can discuss among ourselves what new programs or ways to go from here. I think that maybe if we all closed down our trees or moved them off of Ancestry, maybe someone would get the message. When FTM no longer works my $330 a year subscription will go bye-bye.

  5885. Robert Oppenheim

    You are causing pain, real pain, to your loyal base. It is not absorbable pain which will pass because your alternative to FTM is crap. We will leave and in doing so repay you with pain of your own. May the management at Ancestry be fired and spend the rest of their days picking refuse from the side of the highway

  5886. Colleen Lukoff

    I am a long-time FTM user, and also an annual subscriber to the search functions, using the ease of interface to merge info to my desktop. I do not post my tree online, and don’t plan to do so. If you will be discontinuing the desk-top software, I will find another company to do business with, and will seek another integrated solution. Please reconsider.

  5887. Betty

    I am dumbfounded. I too have had FTM since it was a Broderbund product. If I understand this correctly, if you no longer sync FTM with Ancestry.com, all the things we linked to our tree from Ancestry tree members, will then disappear from the FTM on my desktop. Is that honorable? We have unwittingly provided you with our hours and years of searching courthouses, genealogical societies, state libraries, newspapers, family histories and our collaboration with other researchers….. you convinced us you were honorable and we could trust to have our tree on your site for a membership fee, sync it to our desktop and all was good for both. Really? Now you pull the rug from under us. The sync feature was the only reason you EVER got my tree in the first place. Now you have my tree with thousands of names, all my research and my only recourse is to walk away and you STILL have my tree. It feels like I have been duped.

  5888. HJCODY

    I have been an Ancestry subscriber and family tree maker user for YEARS! You have just killed our family reunions. Many who attend are elderly and don’t even use computers. In addition, they are often held in areas where internet and cell data aren’t accessible. The FTM software on my laptop is the only way I can share the new findings for the year. FTM allows me to access these facts and pictures offline. My hard work should not be held hostage by Ancestry.com. After the systematic swallowing of countless free data bases and other genealogy websites by Ancestry already, this seems like another ploy to monopolize everything genealogy related that exists online. Way to go Ancestry!

  5889. Rae

    After all my years with Ancestry.com it was this year, for the first time, I connected my personal trees with Ancestry. I will do my best to delete my on-line trees and finish out my subscription. Then I am done. These emails have given a plethora of reasons to continue my original course of keeping my documentation to my family members.

  5890. Dirk Heinen

    This is my second comment on Ancestry’s decision. Given Ancestry’s terms of service at http://www.ancestry.com/cs/legal/termsandconditions, it seems clear that this decision is motivated by Ancestry’s desire to have their users upload in Ancestry.com all of their source data stored locally in FTM, which makes their Ancestry platform more valuable. As the terms of service clearly state, any source data, pictures or other content that is loaded into Ancestry.com grants Ancestry.com a perpetual, royalty free right to use, modify or distribute this user provided content. Under section 3, User Provided Content: “By submitting User Provided Content on any of the Websites, you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use User Provided Content submitted by you to the Websites, to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered.” I understand these terms of service, and am not interested in giving Ancestry.com a perpetual, royalty free right to all of my source material that I have painstakingly collected for free.

  5891. Chris

    This news totally sucks! There are things on FTM that don’t convert to any other programs or even to Ancestry. That makes for a lot more research to be done. Again, please reconsider. Something really needs to be considered to “entice” customers to go live with their trees.

  5892. Jo Morris

    Hi everyone I suggest a proactive protest – please go to their Facebook page and leave a review/comment and ‘unlike’ them – I see a few people are getting a response to their questions they have posted on Ancestry’s Facebook page but not to the FTM debacle comments! https://www.facebook.com/Ancestry/?fref=ts

  5893. Joanne

    This is very sad information. I have used FTM for years, and love how easy it is to check for errors, or to add information. It keeps my tree in good order. It is very scary to think there would be no way to keep my tree on my own computer. No way will I loose this safety net. I do love all the updates that have been happening at Ancestry.com. I has made my tree come to life. I am hoping that you will listen to all of us that really want FTM to continue as it has.

  5894. Ralph

    Most commemters have said all that is necessary. The reasons for using Ancestry for me are rapidly diminishing, Cloud based Software has its place but is overhyped and not always avaiable on the move either.

  5895. Christopher Webster

    In my opinion Family Tree Maker is the most power genealogy computer software on the market today, and the one that I’ve been using for over ten years. The news that ancestry.com is no longer going to invest in this product is deeply, deeply disappointing for two reasons: 1) FTM power and functionality is far superior to ancestry.com. Unless ancestry significantly beefs up their online offering this move is essentially a downgrade. And 2) I am not comfortable with having an online repository as the sole storage for my 15 years + of family tree research. If it is that means that we’d be essentially putting all our eggs in one basket, in that ancestry can raise the already steep price of subscriptions to whatever they wish, and we’ll pay it if we want access to our tree. How many of us are going to simply abandon all our hard work at that time? Prices will go up, not because the company is evil or malicious, but because that is simply the nature of business. I prefer to have my all my data in a computer software program resident on my hard drive so that I can access it even if I don’t have a subscription. I’m terribly saddened by this, but I guess that I’ll have to use the next year investigating which of the other software offerings is (a distant) second best. After all the time and money I’ve spend with this company…

  5896. Bill Barker

    Why don’t you SELL the product to another company and let them continue to maintain it. I understand that this might separate the sync feature, but that would be a small loss for us. Losing the ability to work offline is huge!

  5897. Sydney

    Please consider selling FTM to some company that values it as much as the current users. The website version of building and maintaining a family tree is not as useful or functional as FTM. While I know you’ve made major upgrades to your web site, this is no substitute for the functionality and control over data that I have in the PC based software. I’m glad you are providing support for another year. Hopefully, I’ll be able to find an alternative desktop software option in that time. I can live without Ancestry. I can’t live without a desktop family tree software.

  5898. I am heart sick at your decision to stop Family Tree maker. I had planned to make several books on the different lines of both my and my husbands Trees. Now what? Will you still be helping those of us now connected to LDS?

  5899. Chuck B

    It seems to me that people are ignoring or misinterpreting what is being said. They won’t be selling the DESKTOP SOFTWARE. Does this also mean that the Family Tree we use online is going to be gone? It does not indicate this.. If it is gone, then we might as well all leave.

    It seems, however that we’ll be able to upload from whatever program we may use, or download the Gedcom from here.

    It seems to be ONLY the software (Retail version) which is being discontinued. You have a copy, right? In order to sync, you’d to delete your current, upload a new Gedcom. That’s all.

    Of course, I could be wrong about this whole thing. But it’s not saying “Everything,” only the desktop software.

    And yes, there are other softwares, including “Myhertigage”… which I positively detest because of the small print.

  5900. carol

    Livid. Betrayed. Just as I had begun to put all my hard copy onto FTM. I am outta here as soon as I can find a way to offload my data. May Ancestry die a long, painful and expensive death if it follows through with this decision.

  5901. George

    This is an incredibly bad business decision. Makes New Coke look well thought out. How will our subscriptions be refunded? What are you going to provide as an alternative? What is the mission of your company anyway?

  5902. daveluke

    Folks they don’t care! Hulett was probably ordered by the private equity co. that owns Ancestry to get the profits up. Obviously their management feels we’ll “get over it” by next year. Money talks, cancel your subscription to Ancestry.

  5903. Hoot Gibson

    I believe (as many genealogy experts/ gurus do) that ancestry.com is retiring FTM and moving everything to the “cloud” to gain control of our data. They also profit from charging to use the data we have collected and consolidated. I just removed my tree from their web site. If ancestry.com is honest they will not have my data to use anymore. If as many people are as upset about this move as there appears and remove their family tree/data from ancestry.com maybe ancestry.com will continue FTM or replace with something new/better. If you remove your tree please state so in this log.

  5904. Theresa

    I am truly disappointed in ancestry.com for discontinuing the FTM software. I have been using it for many years and am in disbelief of the decision to get rid of something many, many people use and have supported your company over the years. Bad decision. You will lose many loyal customers from this. I hope your decision to increase your bottom line at the expense of your loyal customers is worth it for you.

  5905. Sandra Miller

    This is a terrible idea. Do you not listen to the people who support this web site. I also am rethinking my membership. I hated it when you quit supporting the older version of the tree. Everybody can’t afford to purchase a new version every few years. Everyone doesn’t want their information stored out of their control.

    People I talk to for my family information will only give it to me if I guarantee that I don’t publish it on web sites, so I keep the record on my family tree version on my computer so I at least have it.

    Bad move on your part!!!

  5906. Susan Waldron

    Please reconsider. I understand you believe you have business reasons for discontinuing support of FTM software. Since Ancestry.com and FTM have different functionality (and I find FTM far easier to use and more robust), will you be adding those functions to the Ancestry website? (I’m specifically thinking of the notes that can be attached to people and facts, as well as tools such as merging duplicate people, searching for unattached media, etc.)
    Or have you considered maintaining the FTM software as a cloud-based product? This at least eliminates the expense of production and distribution of CDs.
    If not, you owe it to your customers to allow other software manufacturers such as RootsMagic to use your APIs to interface with their software.
    I currently use FTM as well as maintain an Ancestry subscription, because it is very easy to attach facts and media found on Ancestry to my family tree stored in FTM. If I can no longer do that easily, I’m not sure there’s a benefit to maintaining an Ancestry subscription.
    I hope you either rethink this decision, or find some way to provide users with the same functionality as FTM, not just the functions of Ancestry.com.

  5907. Reinout

    This thread will become a classic in MBA classrooms, as an example of how a company destroys value. Just the mentioning of many competitive solutions by very loyal customers shows that this is a bad decision.

  5908. Tom

    I had wondered why during this years Annual NGS Conference in Missouri why no evidence of the Family Tree Maker program was displayed, discussed, or offered at the Ancestry booth… When I asked why, no person was able to give me an honest answer, just song and dance. Now I know why. This is a terrible decision and extremely disruptive. You have valued customers who trust you, rely on you. I, as a result, will undoubtedly remove all of my trees, DNA results and anything else of consequence from Ancestry.com. Subscription will also go that route as, who knows what next will disappear?

  5909. Marj

    What a cheek! Not everyone wants to have their tree online. Will FTM work independently once Ancestry withdraws support? It worked perfectly well before Ancestry became involved – hopefully it will still.

  5910. Ralph

    Serious IT users use Pc’s or Laptops. Although the desktop software market might be declining, serious users are not, although Genealogy will always be a dying hobby.

  5911. Bill_Sieb

    Yesterday Ancestry broke my heart when they said they wound allow a very useful tool to sunset. Today, according to their email, They have “made my day” by allowing me to purchase AncestryDNA for $89. I see, let something essential to my using the fruits of my research disappear but allow me to BUY total fluff which will not help my research one iota.

  5912. Cathy

    Terrible move you your part. No one should trust a website to be the only place their tree is stored. If we can’t download our tree to software and flash drives then we are all in trouble if the website should ever crash. No thanks Ancestry! Between the “New Ancestry” and no more software, your company is doomed because a true researcher/genealogist knows that one site for their tree is asking for trouble.

  5913. Sharron

    Thank you for many hours of enjoyment. Purchasing Family Tree Maker was one of the best buys I have ever made! I’ll stay tuned for new developments.

  5914. Patty

    I agree with many of the previous statements and am very disappointed and discouraged with the decision to discontinue FTM. I have been doing genealogy for over 40 years and have used the FTM program since its inception. I have much more information on my FTM program than is on my online tree on Ancestry; the functionality of the FTM program including availability of charts and reports and various other features, can’t be matched on Ancestry. I source most of my information along with important notes, etc. on FTM and can easily see my research at a glance whereas the Ancestry tree is just an adjunct to FTM as far as I’m concerned and is cumbersome to use for serious genealogy researchers. I don’t think the customer was considered when this decision was made. I may not have added any new concerns in my comments but wanted to voice my dissatisfaction with the decision made to discontinue supporting FTM. I do wish that someone at Ancestry would reply to these many comments and if they do go forward with this train wreck to at least give us some signals to make the transition easier for all of the folks who have stuck with them through thick and thin.
    I was having FTM issues during the summer and wrote a letter to Ancestry’s corporate offices advising them of problems that the support people couldn’t solve. I got a very nice person at first who offered to give me additional Ancestry months free after he helped me solve an issue. A few weeks later I had merging problems and had to deal with corporate again and was given the runaround and a “blame the customer” response when I couldn’t get my issue resolved. I was told that my tree was too big at 1,400 or so souls. I had a feeling then that they didn’t really care much about FTM issues and didn’t want to take concerns seriously and that its days were limited. Well, here we are.

  5915. Danette

    Despicable of ancestry.com to stop FTM! The best part of working in ancestry! The reports, graphics and ability to add off line personal info, now taken away, AFTER you have taken our $$$! Prepare for mass exodus from ancestry if you do not offer a comparable, or better, product to replace FTM for free to those that have invested in FTM their time and money. The idea that desktop users are obsolete is ridiculous. Declining desktop software market, really? What a load of bull!

  5916. Berg

    It is impossible to be respectful in the face of this partial and implosive information. I will probably give up all of this hobby. Someone has got very greedy.

  5917. Michael White

    Very disappointing to hear this. Without tree sync our software will be pretty much useless. What ever happen to customer loyalty and service..

  5918. Bob

    Deep down it was a financial decision. No regard to all the loyal members who depend on FTM. I wonder what percent of subscription members they anticipate will leave. I think Ancestry will be surprised by a huge loss of subscription income. And I think a lot of people will just be turned off to genealogy as a hobby. I’m curious if refunds are prorated, or if we have to just let the subscription run out. BE SURE to turn off the automatic renewal feature!

  5919. Terry

    I NEVER reply to these types of announcements, but I must disagree with Ancestry’s decision to discontinue FTM. I have been using this program for over 20 years, numerous trees, thousands of people, pictures……it is endless. Please, reverse your decision. As I am typing this, I notice I am close to the 6500th person commenting against your decision.

  5920. Mike T

    Has anyone found out how many active subscribers user FTM? That’s the only group they will worry about in their 2 mil+ subscribers. One’s not using FTM do not care.

  5921. Gen

    I don’t understand this new policy. Why would get rid of something that everyone likes? I really like the ability to print trees in booklet format. That has really given my relatives a good format for seeing who their ancestors are. This is not available on Ancestry. I also do not like the new ancestry format. it is annoying. It seems like once again a large corporate entity has made a decision without checking first with their customers to see what they like. You made it sound so wonderful and never bothered to check with your users first.Wow you all have really screwed this one up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Don’t try reasoning this one out to your customers. You won’t win.

  5922. April Quick

    Bad faith decision dressed up in MBA language in hopes that it will slip by unremarked. And maybe to help the decision-makers feel justified in sleeping at night. Malfeasance and nothing less. See: definition of “implied contract”. It’s at the basis of all proper relationships between parties doing business together. There must be a bedrock of good faith and trust for the relationship to work for everyone. You have broken the trust of your subscribers, which has a value that is not measurable on your spreadsheets.

  5923. Cyndi

    I am very angry with you. How can you just shut us all off. Please, please reconsider your decision and if you do plan to go ahead, we deserve an alternative plan. Give all these loyal partners some good information.

  5924. Sue

    I am shocked and disappointed with Ancestry’s decision to discontinue FTM. I have a later version on my desktop and I was going to purchase and download the MAC version on my laptop. I have had a World membership for many years and have been a staunch and enthusiastic supporter of Ancestry. How can you do this to thousands, perhaps millions, of devoted Ancestry family tree researchers who have purchased FTM to safely store our history?

  5925. Kathy

    Ancestry purchased Family Tree Maker from another Borderbund, right? Will you be making the software available for another company to sell/distribute? The online tree is seriously lacking in functionality. What are the plans to bring that up to speed?

  5926. Steve G

    Dear Ancestry,

    With heavy heart I must break up with you, it’s not you, it’s me. NO, wait a minute, IT IS YOU!

    We’ve been a faithful committed relationship for almost 20 years, but it’s time to say good bye. I stayed through all the upgrades, the price increases, the great SYNC crash of 2014 (when I lost my whole tree and had to restore a backup and re-attach all 640 documents, and 1000 plus source citations), I even stayed after the web site re-vamp debacle. However, this latest screw-up on your part is too much. I cannot, and will not continue this relationship without FTM.

    As a loyal long time partner, I feel like you have kicked me in the gut. The Family Tree Maker Software is the only reason we are still together. I use it almost every day, and sync with Ancestry. I only sync to Ancestry to connect with distant cousins, and pay a crap-load of money every year. Your decision to ‘retire’ FTM is unforgivable. You claim it was a difficult decision, I don’t buy that, Corporate Greed was the reason, nothing else.

    I stored 8 trees at your ‘place’. Consisting of roughly 8000 people and well over 1280 documents all carefully researched and sourced. These trees have all been changed to PRIVATE and UNSEARCHABLE. I will leave them there, trusting you might give your head a good shake, and repeal this atrocious decision. If FTM is restored to former glory, they will go public again. You have 90 days, or all trees will be ‘retired’. I don’t want my data used by the amateurs who use your site creating thousands of undocumented, miss-matched trees that are complete rubbish.

    After reading through many of the commented on your blog, it’s apparent that you pissed off a lot of loyal customers, most serious Genealogists and/or Family Historians. NOT your finest hour. When can I expect my software refund? My subscription has been cancelled (until you come to your senses).

    Regards,

    Gutted

  5927. Lynne

    The decision to cut FTM is shocking. FTM is the linch-pin in ancestry.com, allowing convenient and direct access to the most relevant records. To give subscribers a paltry 3 weeks notice shows how little Ancestry regards their loyal customers who have invested huge sums in membership fees over many years. Thanks for nothing!!

  5928. Joe

    Just purchased Roots Magic for 19$. Will not renew ancestry account. The new website is just absolutely crap compared to the old one.

  5929. Mike

    This is a terrible move. I have been using FTM for close to 20 years now. Ancestry is great to find new information, but relying on a third party company to maintain the infrastructure to solely support my data is in my mind a huge mistake. There are no tech companies too big to fail, and what happens should the financials not make sense for Ancestry, all of our data goes away? With no sync option, my desktop files become obsolete, and I have to rely on Ancestry. I will not become a hostage in my hobby to one company. I chose to pay due to the value that I receive. Therefore you have to continue to provide a solid product. Making it virtually impossible to leave, now, makes me a hostage. I will be finding another option. Who has experimented? What software platform will we make into the next Genalogy Giant? Because we did it, or loyalty, and willingness to continue our upgrades over the years. We created this Ancestry business. If you stick to your insane decisions, watch us dismantle it.

  5930. Bill_Sieb

    Interesting. I made 3 comments last night and there was no Captchca and the comment appeared as soon as I refreshed the browser. A few minutes ago I made another, there was a Captchca and the most recent comment after a page refresh is several hours old. Does someone at Ancestry not like what they’re reading?

  5931. JDL

    Please, Please, Please, Please, Please, Please, Please, PLEASE. I will leave you and tell every genealogist I know to leave this site. Why, Why, Why? I love it and will not love you in 2017 if you do this.

  5932. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS INFORMATION. I AM GOING THROUGH THE GRIEF STAGES OF THE OLD ANCESTRY DYING AS OF DEC 15 AND NOW THIS OF FTM ALSO IN THE DYING STAGES. TWO DEATHS IN ONE YEAR IS TOO MUCH! TELL ME THIS IS NOT SO. HOW CAN YOUR BUSINESS DO THIS TO US.

  5933. Tony

    Kendall Hulet must have taken advice from the VW engineer who decided off his own bat to write cheating software for emissions tests!!
    Looks like the effect on Ancestry’s reputation and business is the same as for VW – catastrophic!!!!!
    Worse – he is punting it as a considered marketing decision. If he was working for me, he would have cleared his desk yesterday immediately after his announcement!

  5934. David

    Come on people, this is not the end of the world. First nothing will change for all of 2016 that is a full year to check out new software, check out Ancestry’s web based application. Plus I am sure that there will be new resources over the next year. No reason to yell that the sky is fall just because it has gotten a little cloudy.

  5935. Rob

    Ancestry needs to go ask Coca Cola how “New Coke” worked out.

    And today they have the audacity to send an email soliciting purchase of Ancestry DNA for Christmas – ha ha ha

  5936. Joe

    It makes sense that if we are going to have to learn new software why not start today. Gedcom imported fine to Roots Magic reports are pretty good as well.

  5937. Carla

    I am also one of those very first customers and have been a loyal FTM and ancestry customer ever since. I, like others who have posted earlier, use FTM first, and then access ancestry from FTM.
    I would like to suggest to ancestry to continue to offer FTM (and support) for all of us at a small annual fee. You would not need to continually “improve” the software – just basically maintain it. It would not require a large staff of people to do so. The fee that you would collect would more than pay for the few people who would be needed to simply maintain the program.
    If your decision to retire FTM is finalized, than I, too, will be on board with another company by the end of next year.
    I am so sorry for all of your loyal customers. I know first hand what your decision will mean for all of us in terms of time and work to transfer years (decades!) of data to a new program and format. I am sorry that your company does not have an accurate pulse on your customer base. If you did, I truly believe that a different decision would have been made, or, at least, this decision would have been better executed and presented to its customers over a longer period of time.
    Good luck to all of my fellow genealogists with this!

  5938. Esther Milnes

    I use Family Tree Maker and Ancestry to manage my family history records. Ancestry has inadequate reporting capability and does not support maintaining media records that I do not want to share on-line. I hope you will address these shortcomings before you eliminate they ability to sync between the two products.

  5939. Mary

    This is a real disappointment. I have invested a lot of time in FTM and entering my family data. In the process, I have found many errors in the Ancestry.Com data. I am concerned that my data might become polluted if I cannot keep the FTM version active. Please reconsider this decision.

  5940. Trevor

    This is a truly appalling, blinkered decision – one that can only backfire and lose many (tens of) thousands of subscribers from Ancestry. There may be a decline in the use of desktop software, but many people (as can be seen from the thousands of comments already made) do not wish to work on and save all their information online only and thus have to be connected to work on it. Many people do not have 100% guaranteed connectivity. Many millions of people have broadband that is so slow that it will make it totally impossible to work in this way. That is why people SYNC to Ancestry rather than do their research work directly on Ancestry in the first place! I would have thought that was blindingly obvious. This would also mean a significant loss in functionality for users as only a small fraction of the functionality of FTM is available online.

    The owners of RootsMagic must be howling with laughter at your decision around the future of FTM and hoping that you bring it forward even earlier in order that the mass exodus of users will happen even sooner.

    This decision sends the message that you are no longer interested in supporting people’s genealogical research, purely squeezing as much profit as possible from people who have that interest. You want to drive the way they do it providing it ties them into a subscription with you.

    Short-sighted, cynical and – quite simply – a wrong decision.

  5941. Elizabeth Tordella

    This decision is a huge mistake. I cannot do on the online site what I can on the software. I have to wonder how many of us will stop our subscriptions. You should have surveyed your users before this decision.

  5942. David McKellar

    I have been using FTM for years and heavily rely on the sync feature with the many trees I have on ancestry.com as I’m a full time genealogist. I will gladly switch to a competitors product i.e. Roots Magic, if you allow their software to access online trees at ancestry.com. The absolute minimum you could do is add a GEDCOM download to your cloud product.

  5943. Terri

    I agree with others here who have suggested we use additional social media to voice our complaint! Tweet using #FTMWTF!

  5944. First withdrawal of DNA data, now Tree maker. How can we trust Ancestry? Lots of unhappy people, and lots of other Companies to subscribe to. Not a very clever decision me thinks!

  5945. Elizabeth

    Yet another blunder by Ancestry and slap in the face for its customers. Not surprising that they would decide to do it, but surprising that they would spring it on us now now, given the huge backlash over the change to the new, ‘not’ improved, Ancestry which is still going on. That has already shown that Ancestry’s decisions are unpredictable and non-customer oriented, which means that so are our dealings with them as subscribers and customers. Does that make us want to pay them more of our money for something we cannot be sure of? I think not.

  5946. Virginia Braziel

    Add my name to all of the complaints and negative feedback above. I will be spending my time the next few weeks in researching alternatives to Ancestry.com & FTM instead of my family history. I, too, have been a long time user of both and prefer using FTM for much of the work I do. Hopefully someone will step in and provide all the former Ancestry/FTM users with an alternative desktop software.

  5947. Jan

    Ancestry … Are you listening to your many long term and loyal members? They have expressed their feelings in their thousands and it hasn’t even been close to 24 hours since the news of FTM’s demise was released. For every one member that has left a comment (of which nearly all are negative) there will be many others who remain silent but feel the same way. You seriously do not deserve the loyalty and support as an organization that these thousands of decent hardworking people have given you over decades. You are simply not listening to your long term loyal customer base. WAKE UP!
    You already have thousands of dissatisfied customers in regard to the changes you have made to the on line Ancestry site, which you have imposed upon us, despite our many valid objections. Now you are about to destroy what little is left to keep myself and many other members subscribing to your site. Without the ability to synch FTM and our on line trees, we are faced with double the work to keep both trees up to date.
    Are you listening, when we say that we do not want our trees soley on line, that we want to be able to have our own back ups on software that we have some control over?.
    We want to be able to add notes, documents and information that we can chose to not upload to an on line tree.
    We want to be able to print the charts and reports that are available to us on FTM.
    We want to be able to search for duplicates and errors in our trees and so much more that you are potentially taking away.
    Most of all we want to feel that our needs are being heard and seriously considered by an organization that we have paid large amounts of our resources into over many years.
    Yes. The FTM software will be usable for some years to come without Ancestry’s support or at least until technology moves beyond its compatability but do you not realize that you are stabbing yourself in the foot?
    Without the link and synch facility I will have to choose which tree to keep up to date (I have neither the time or the inclination to duplicate this work on FTM & my on line tree) The one I will choose will be my FTM tree. Why? Because it allows me to do SO much more than the one on the Ancestry site does and what’s more …. it’s MINE and not at risk of you changing the format of how its presented as you have done with my tree on line. When I do eventually find other software to replace FTM I at least stand a chance of being able to transfer all my precious media to the new software from FTM, whereas this is simply not an option from my Ancestry on line tree. So, bearing that in mind which tree would you maintain if you were us??
    If I am going to have to search manually for documents and return to copying, pasting and uploading my finds then there really is no reason for me to remain a member of Ancestry. I can do this equally well for the majority of documents I need from other genealogy sites. Find My Past, My Heritage and Family Search being but three of many. Yes! It’s more hassle but then whichever way I go now is hassle, thanks to your apparent lack of insight of the implications and impact your decision to ‘retire’ FTM is going to have on us mere mortals! If I have to face hassle then I’d rather put the energy and time into finding an alternative that is not susceptible to Ancestry’s changing agenda’s and one where I do not invest in a company who are proving themselves to be unworthy of that investment. I sincerely hope others do the same. If they do, in significant numbers, it will very likely be your funeral!!
    When trust is lost it’s very hard to regain it. Can you hear the response of so many of your members? They are clearly telling you that they have lost trust in you as an organization because of the decisions you have been making which so intrinsically affect them, what they care about and what they have invested so much of their valuable time and money creating and maintaining.
    Whatever happened to democracy and the vote of the people??
    I am just one of thousands of very sad, angry and disheartened members now looking for an alternative to Ancestry.

  5948. Angie

    I’m adding my comment to the list that may never be read. I have used FTM for many years trying to put together an accurate account of my family. I want to make sure it is correct before I up load it. Because I have found mistakes in trees on line about my family. I also am not sure I want the personal notes with living or resonantly loss relatives on the web. I think you have made a poor business decision.

  5949. Robert

    How will this affect RootsMagic? Is Ancestry going to allow RM direct access to their data files like it has with Family Search. Will Ancestry provide an API that RootsMagic will work with?

  5950. Crissi

    I have only used your program since it came out! Was about to buy it again. BUT now this! I think I will not renew my online subscription either. Very disappointed!

  5951. Judi

    My world membership is up for renewal in March, who do I subscribe to now? I don’t want my family tree on the ancestry site. I have to pay for my internet access and at 3-4 hours a day, I will go broke. After 15 years of loyalty on Ancestry, I am sadly disappointed that they are doing this.

  5952. John von Walter

    As a recent purchaser of Family Tree Maker 2014 I then purchased two Ancestry DNA tests and have plans for many more Ancestry DNA tests and test kits to give as gifts to relatives. With the retiring of FTM all my DNA testing will now go through Family Tree DNA (FTDNA), where I have transferred by raw DNA. Really unhappy with your ‘executive decision’ and hope wiser minds will reconsider….

  5953. Debra

    A call to anyone who has uploaded their family tree to Ancestry ..Get it back now….Why give this uncaring profit hungry company the free use of your hard work.
    This announcement from Ancestry will give their competitors a happy Christmas!
    Good bye Ancestry!!!!!!

  5954. Dan

    Please rest assured that I will not be moving my full data to your cloud. I was using other brands of genealogy software for twenty years before yours came along, and I will transfer my data to a new program after a thorough search. Lately, FamilySearch has been providing superior search returns over yours in several areas, and other paid sites on line will now bear analysis for an alternative to Ancestry.The Cloud program is very lightweight and limited in capability – not ready for serious genealogy data. You have some time to change this decision and keep most users. Do not waste it.

  5955. Jan Melville

    This is a very STUPID idea. I will be finding another software to use and finishing my subscription with Ancestry.

  5956. Cathi

    “Appreciate your feedback” my foot. Obviously not. Very annoyed that I found out about this on Facebook rather than directly from Ancestry. Other users say the received an email but I did not. I’ve been a Family Tree Maker user for about 20 years. And an Ancestry subscriber for many years too. Not a happy camper. The online trees suck compared to what one can do in FTM, although now that I may no longer be utilizing the sync feature I can go back to FTM 16 which I liked much better than FTM 2012. Not to mention that the “New Ancestry” looks childish and cartoony. Even my middle aged eyes don’t need a font that large and would rather have more actual information on the page. All the “improvements” lately don’t improve anything. Remember the “New Search” that everyone complained about? Ugh! And, even though new records have been added, others have been removed. You’ve made many of your hardcore users angry. The people who do REAL research not just click on leaves and have maintained their interest over a long period. But don’t worry about us, we have options.

  5957. John Treible

    This decision really really sucks. Have been a FTM user since it first came out. Do a lot of things on FTM that I cannot do on Ancestry. Like other responders, I probably will not renew my Ancestry subscription when the sync to FTM is no longer supported.

  5958. Tracy

    I have been a RootsMagic user since it’s inception, but just recently bought FTM for the TreeSync feature. It made it so much easier to get images of censuses and other records saved to my computer. I hope you will allow other companies like RootsMagic to integrate with Ancestry.com and permit them to sync all of the documentation found online with the desktop software.

  5959. Mary Sixwomen

    My thoughts and feelings have been expressed by those above and below this entry. Poor timing and thoughtless dealings make few friends. You can’t own it all and expect your supporters to hang around for other bad hair cuts.

  5960. M Haag

    Deep breaths, everyone. Your FTM files (at least for FTM 2014, I haven’t tested previous versions) will move smoothly to Legacy, and I’m told RootsMagic, including links to media. Both have free versions, and are currently selling full versions for about $20 at least until the end of the year. Both have good support teams to help you with the transition. I am a longtime FTM user and love the program. I often travel to places for research where secure internet and/or phone access is limited, so I do rely on desktop programs, which also have better output and are easier to use than Ancestry Trees. I will continue to use Ancestry for research, but without syncing, no longer for trees.

  5961. Judith

    This is a big mistake. Serious genealogists use Ancestry with Family Tree Maker because it enables them to have an updated copy of their research on their computer, where it can always be accessed. If TreeSync is not supported after January 2017, there will be little point in paying a subscription to use Ancestry.com any more.

  5962. Geoffrey Eargle

    I have over 74,000 people in my tree so far. I have used FTM and Ancestry.com for more years than I can remember. I only sync my tree as a backup of last resort, and do not have my tree open to viewing by others. The online tree does not have the robust features of the FTM software. For example, the synced online tree does not include my notes. If I were to switch over to the cloud-based tree all of my notes would be lost. But the best feature of FTM is the ability to download records and images directly from Ancestry.com. Once that capability is lost in 2017 I will lose my desire to continue my research and will close my Ancestry account for good. Your decision to drop FTM was very poorly thought out as to how it pertains to your customers.

  5963. Bob LeFever

    The underlying cause of this change is undoubtably GREED. I hope Ancestry suffers much pain for this decision.

  5964. Ken McLennan

    Don’t do it please. I want to keep this on my home computer and to have the ability to update off – getting internet access is hard enough for research without this.

  5965. Ron

    I am a retired IT professional and support my wife who is a very keen genealogist. I introduced her to FTM way back when and have upgraded her to the various version over the years.
    I have read the VERY numerous comments about how illogical and ill considered this move is.
    If you want to kill your customer base you are going about this the right way.
    Ancestry is about PEOPLES data. It’s not your data so if they remove it from your servers then you don’t have a product. Think about that for a few minutes.
    This might even be considered a bit of a bully action.

  5966. Linda

    Now would be a really good time to announce specific improvements to Ancestry.com – reports, etc. as so many commenters have already noted. Your recent “Improvements” (life story) are pretty but not meaningful to experienced researchers. Today’s newbies will be tomorrows experienced researchers. They will demand more from you for the monies they are investing. Then, if you do make significant improvements in your Family Tree programs, maybe I’ll put up my sources that are not on my Ancestry tree that are not from Ancestry. But then the tree will go private. Copyright, you know. Much harder to research when all the trees are private. I don’t have a smartphone. I don’t have a tablet. I don’t have plans to purchase either. I have been faithful to Ancestry for over ten years. I have been faithful to FamilyTree Maker for close to 20 years. I guess we will all be looking for alternatives – you do have competition! At what point does your bottom line reflect results from this decision. How many subscribers will you lose before you do something?

  5967. David Vollor

    What I find difficult to understand for the decision highlighted is that for an iMac (and seemingly also for Windows) FTM is shown by genealogy software reviews to be the best software available and not just the best but way ahead in its capabilities. Add to that, in combination with Ancestry – potentially the most comprehensive online genealogy website – the two become components of an exceptionally powerful pairing. Surely it would be possible to simply keep FTM going in it’s current format as it has so much on its side with a range of facilities which is far wider in scope than any of its competitors. Is it assumed that as users we are all going to be able at all times to do all our research and recording solely with an internet connection to Ancestry? I have to join others who are signifying a sense of betrayal and sadness for the demise of FTM, especially having spent time researching to ensure that I chose the best “tool” for the task ahead. I hope these comments, with those of the thousands of others users, will prompt reconsideration of this disastrous decision. Please, management, think again and reconsider.

  5968. Tamarra

    This is one of the most upsetting decisions Ancestry has ever made. Ancestry is the twin to FTM. One works with the other and visa versa, they compliment each other. In the Genealogy World, one doesn’t exist without the other. Together they create a balance. I pay for Ancestry to have access to their information. I pay for FTM so I have usable genealogy software that is recommended by Ancestry! I agree with A Quick. “You have broken the trust of your subscribers, which has a value that is not measurable on your spreadsheets”!

  5969. Jim

    Just read through the disappointed and sad commentaries and feel the same as most. Please give us a URL to a site where the brave bottom-liners start answering these proper concerns to loyal customers who made Ancestry a desirable investment for the new owners. It appears that our online data will no longer belong to us but to Ancestry to charge us to look at or add to.

  5970. Kathy S

    This is just wrong. I have worked on my family history for over 35 years and have trusted FTM for my reports, charts and more. I think this is a mistake on your part Ancestry. Not all researchers are going to want to trust a website, or a cloud or what have you to save their work. I want to be able to have hard copies of my work, printed the way I want them, which is what FTM does for me. So very, very disappointed in this decision. Very. Disappointed.

  5971. I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I am. As many above have noted, we are all in the same boat. I have been waiting two years for Ancestry to fix the Publish a Book part of the FTM 2014 program. I have contacted customer support numerous times, even wrote to the President of Ancestry.com and received NO reply. I have been promised by customer support that Ancestry technicians were working on the Book section of FTM, and, believing them, have put off finishing my book. I have investigated other book programs and finally learned to use the “InDesign” program. BUT there is no comparison to the FTM book program. (I finished a book in 2009 using the old FTM16 program. Why that was changed we’ll never know.) I must confess, though as these last two years have passed, I have wondered if this announcement wasn’t coming. But, I asked earlier this year if FTM would continue and was told YES! If you won’t reconsider, and I certainly hope you do, I agree with many above, please provide a good “Report” program within Ancestry.com. As both an Ancestry customer, and Family Tree customer, I hope, and beg you to incorporate some/any/all of the reporting from Family Tree into Ancestry? This would be so much a Win/Win decision. Thank you.

  5972. Pauline

    Not at all impressed, I think I to will no longer feel it worthwhile keeping a tree on Ancestry. Having the online and desktop trees able to sync made it possible to share my reasearch. the features offered by the desk top software are far better for serious researchers than the limited tree options available online at Ancestry. I don’t think anyone has the time to maintain an online tree separately from their serious research so the online tree will be the one to suffer. I will also have to find out what other options will be available.
    I agree with many other comments that the new interface and search algorythims are simplistic and not at all logical in the way they display results.
    I rarely (ok never before) have felt the need to express my views like this but I am seriously unimpressed.
    Actually most things have been said.
    A really stupid thing to do!

  5973. Gary Simser

    I have been trying for probably a year to get my Family Tree Maker to run properly. Does this mean I will just have to be happy with what I have know. Very Very Frustrated.

  5974. Jackie

    Extremely disappointing! It’s all about the bottom dollar for your company – not about truly helping people with their trees! Don’t do this!

  5975. Eileen

    Since FTM 2012 they’ve been trying to force FTM users to subscribe to Ancestry. This latest decision just continues this attitude. It’s about Ancestry’s bottom line, not customer services, so they will not reverse this decision. Which means they’ll lose a lot of customers to other software companies. Silly people.

  5976. Anne

    Yes, shocking!!!. I’ve used FTM along with ancestry since the beginning. I feel disappointed, cheated, and totally unappreciated as a long time supporter. I’ve kept my membership on ancestry for my use but also to support the work you were doing to bring more and more records to the public. Are you leaving us all without any suggestions as to where to turn? I do not like the new ancestry format so, I counted on FTM on my computer.

  5977. Janet

    very disappointed, I love all the reports available on familytreemaker that you can print for free, now where can I do the reports??? ancestry just doesn’t let you make reports at all. If you could do everything on ancestry that you could do on ftm it would be different.

  5978. Judy Herring

    BIG MISTAKE! I have been a subscriber to Ancestry for many years and have used FTM for as long as it has been available. You are pulling the rug out from under us. Many people are using versions of FTM that don’t include the sync feature and have put their hearts into all the information collected into their trees. It’s really a lot of work to try to put information into 2 separate trees if you want to keep them both current. The sync feature was great and blended things just fine. If you are not going to make available the distinct features available with the software then that will be a shame. Being able to print charts etc. is really important to a lot of us. It’s all well and good to fancy up your website as you have done but don’t through the baby out with the water!

  5979. Tony

    Dreadful news. I have lots of extra information on my PC based tree on FTM that I would not want on the web purely for privacy reasons. Sounds like we are being driven to a web based system so we cannot leave without losing our work. This will be the last time you get my subscription!

  5980. DMStefani

    Please rethink this decision!
    This has been the only genealogy software I’ve used since I bought my first version in 1999.
    I have over 18,000 people in my database!
    I’m with everyone else on my dislike of the website changes, but I love the software!

  5981. Barbra Romaine

    I am so disappointed. First you “improve ” the Ancestry website and now you discontinue FTM. I am retired and can no longer afford to keep up a yearly subscription ( but I do subscribe for a month every few months) and I like to work off line. I feel like the info that I freely shared online at Ancestry, that now will only be available to me if I pay for access, is a form of extortion.

  5982. Brian

    Further to my comments yesterday. I Have just “Googled: FTM , and I see Ancestry are still advertising FTM for sale !!?? Isn’t this False advertising? I hope you intend to tell any new customers of your upcoming intentions

  5983. Peter

    Like the 6000+ others I am appalled by this crass decision. As soon as I can I will be downloading all of the information from Ancestry that is contained in my trees. And I will not be renewing my membership. I will also be contacting other members of NHGS to do the same. Your web based product is not worth the price you charge. It was only because of FTM that I used it at all. BAH-HUMBUG! I hope this blows up in your face and your company goes under!

  5984. Charlotte

    As a long time researcher, I think your decision to discontinue FTM must be the result of people more interested in making money, are not genealogists and have little use or knowledge of those of us who are genealogists, professional or family genealogists. To me. Ancestry will lose far more by this decision than it will gain. Is the almighty $$$ for Ancestry the root cause of this ridiculous decision?

  5985. Barbara H

    This ‘retirement’ is totally unbelievable. Not being a genius computer user but have safely reached the point where I can use FTM and Ancestry easily and love it. What are all your FTM /Ancestry subscribers going to do. First thing I am going to do is NOT USE THE AUTOMATIC RENEWAL fee for Ancestry. I’m very disappointed in Ancestry’s decision and the Blogs & emails are showing you how many others are unset. I’m OUT!!

  5986. Wayne

    Ancestry get your hand out of my pockets,finishing my subscription with Ancestry making my trees private

  5987. JudyS

    Why on earth should we trust our family trees to your online Cloud storage, when you’ve been so busy pulling the rugs out from under our feet just lately? Five products last year, and now FTM? Is my precious data safe with you? Maybe .. until the NEXT ‘rationalisation’, or series of ‘retirements’!

  5988. Linda

    Cannot believe your are doing this. There are so many features on FTM that you cannot get on ancestry. The “new” ancestry is terrible-too much visual clutter. Why can’t you keep the classic version available to those who want it? It seems like this is a decision to enhance your bottom line not to enhance your subscribers’ experience. Your subscription rate is very expensive. It’s a good thing familysearch.org and other sites are putting more and more info online for free. I think this is a bad decision and you will lose many subscribers.

  5989. Tom McLehaney

    I have also been a faithful user of FTM since the beginning. If you are going to stop selling FTM the least you can do is make syncing possible with RootsMagic so that we can at least be able to use Ancestry completely.

  5990. David

    Ancestry needs to remember their own “ROOTS.” They were once Genealogy.com the originator of Family Tree Maker. Bad call Ancestry. You may be eliminating your best source of collaborative data.

  5991. Doug Walker

    Very disappointing. Ancestry has become popular due to the contributions of so many that no doubt started with Family Tree Maker and like to maintain that as their core record. If this is simply a money making strategy to make people adopt Ancestry as their core repository then shame on you. You are a large and very profitable company – you need to support those that helped you get there or pay the consequences as it will just create an opening for like companies to fill your void and take all the disenfranchised with them.

  5992. Jim

    It’s the typical American success story. The business gets too big to give a damn about its clientele. The almighty dollar rules all! Perhaps, if enough people flee Ancestry for other genealogy vendors, the people that made such a stupid decision at Ancestry will be forced out, due to shrinking revenue, and the decision will be re-evaluated. But that’s probably too much to hope for.

  5993. Anna Ellerbee

    I too am EXTREMELY disappointed. I have loved the Tree Sync feature and use it as a backup for what I have on ancestry. I think this assures that we WILL have to have an ancestry subscription the rest of our lives to keep all of our hard work. As the population ages we will not be able to afford it unfortunately and it will all go by the wayside. At least with Tree Sync we could do a final sync if we had to stop paying for ancestry.com and have something to give our children. I think this is all about money….on many levels and I for one will be looking for another company to transfer things to. I have FTM 2014 that I have not installed yet on my computer and agree that you owe us a refund. Surely to goodness you will have something else and something better to offer. Another thing…How will we print the wonderful reports and charts that are not available on ancestry? Just a bad deal all the way around.

  5994. Liz Stephenson

    I cannot see how this is a positive step and haven’t read any comments which applaud this decision – it seems to be universally criticized. It’s poor business practice to advise that something is being removed without information how all the FTM’s extra functions will be available. If you’re really dedicated to ‘harnessing the information found in family trees and historical records’ I suggest you rethink this decision.

  5995. Peter

    Like many others I have been a user of FTM for over ten years and have found it to be a far superior product to the on line tree to which it now syncs. I regard FTM as the main tool for my genealogical research and its content controlled by me. I only subscribe to Ancestry because of FTM. Discontinuing FTM is a cynical ploy to increase revenue by forcing all users to subscribe and is an abuse of customer trust. If this decision is not reversed or more functionality added to the online tree to allow you to download a copy and work offline, I will not renew my subscription next year.

  5996. Terry Bradley

    I think that Ancestry.com needs to re-think this through again. Perhaps this is not one of your best decisions.

  5997. Doug

    We are being held hostage to paying the annual subscription fee for as long as we want access to our data. If we become financially unable to continue paying the fee, you lose your years of hard work. This is a smart long-term business strategy but also a good way to lose long-time customers – including me. I suppose the data legally belongs to you so you can do with it what you please but my money is still mine and no longer needs to support this type of business practice.

  5998. Kerry

    I cannot believe that you are dumping FTM. As a regular user of this software it has been the best. I have over 24 Family histories on my computer with only 2 being loaded on ancestry to share with a couple of researches. I do not want to put the others online. I will now take these 2 offline Also having to work on line for your new site means eating up my internet time. I have put over 20 years into family history and now finding it can only be done in future by the webb is disappointing.
    Your decision to stop FTM means I now will have to find another program and start again.
    although Ancestory has good records, am seriously thinking of stopping my account and going to some other sites like Find my Past.

    I think your decision made by accountants has not taken into account what your loyal customers want.

  5999. George Detwiler

    I’m not saying anything not said many times previously in this blog but I feel that Ancestry is in the process of making two gigantic errors. First was the new Ancestry which I find hard to navigate and work with and, alone, will probably result in my not renewing my membership. Adding to that the announcement of the end of support for FTM reinforces my decision. Two monumental errors by whoever is running Ancestry. Ending support for FTM almost smacks of extortion. If you want to keep your tree keep paying us. Otherwise all your work is gone. Not smart Ancestry.

  6000. Deborra

    First I had Personal Ancestral File (PAF), which I replaced with Family Tree Maker when PAF was dropped by FamilySearch. Let’s see – which genealogy software should I jinx next? But seriously, what are genealogy researchers to do when their software can be discontinued at any time?

  6001. Gerald Hoffman

    Will all of our information be lost? How will we be able to continue our trees? I am shocked that your company would abandon all of your loyal subscribers! Please provide more information about what is to happen in the future!

  6002. Tom

    I contacted RootsMagic today and found them incredibly helpful, honest and frank. Switching over to them seems relatively easy and I was impressed by their prompt service. It’s another customer loss for FTM – partly because of the way they are treating their customers and partly because of their lack of response to concerned customers in the light of over 6,500 comments of complaint. I have been loyal to FTM for about 25 years. I never expected to be treated like this!

  6003. ellen

    Been using FTM for many years. This news comes as a major upset, disappointment and a bit of anger. I truly hope you rethink this new plan and come to some sort of compromise. I’m not sure I understand what you are offering, but it sounds like total online access to our family trees that we create. That’s lousy. If that’s case good bye ancestry.com

  6004. John Hatch

    A very bad idea, which significantly decreases the value of the Ancestry experience. First the Horrible “New” ancestry and now this. Both impair the research process.

  6005. Karen

    I’ve used FTM for years. This is a horrible decision to get rid of FTM. Horrible! I agree with all the above comments; what could make it be so impossible to maintain the FTM and get rid of expensive “extras”
    Ancestry thinks are “new” and “important.

    Leave FTM, please.
    I do not like the new Ancestry; to mixed-up and confused.

  6006. Ron

    Just canceled my subscription I’ve had for years! Looking for best ‘native’ Mac software. Don’t like being forced to use the new web interface. Good Bye!

  6007. Jill Davis

    Well. How disappointing. I’ll add my voice to many others and say that I will not be renewing my subscriptions and will be finding some other avenue of genealogy.

  6008. Carol Bennett

    Ancestry has been a very good tool for Genealogists thru the years. You have made a bad decision in retiring FTM. You must know that now. You should simply sell FTM if you are so cash strapped and financially insolvent. I do wonder tough, what your reasons were. ( I’ll spare the rest of my comments for now.) Carol B

  6009. John

    I’ve already self-moderated my abusive comments. This does terrible damage to users ability to fully use the information built up on the Ancestry site. Will you transfer the features of Family Tree Maker into Ancestry? I would be willing to pay a combined price if all the FTM features were available in Ancestry.

  6010. Sarah Rust

    Unless you upgrade your website to do everything that the software does, I don’t see this as a good thing. I use the report function on the software all the time. If I try to print off my tree on the website, I have this huge mess of taping pages together to make any sense out of the tree. I have read the rest of the comments on this blog and Im not the only one who is upset and concerned. I tried the app. it was crappy and I deleted it. Not everyone ( even in this day and age) are on the internet or have smart phones. bad decision all around.

  6011. Tracey

    I’ve been using Family Tree Maker for probably 2 decades. My tree is on Ancestry, but my real work is on FTM, and losing TreeSync (if it comes to that in 2017) will be a very sad day, indeed. The interface for the trees on Ancestry just isn’t the same and doesn’t work as well. Ancestry’s tree is fine for an internet tree, but FTM is a research tree. There is a big difference.

  6012. Gary

    Very stupid business decision. It is obvious the Ancestry.com management is getting severely disconnected from the ancestry research community. Without FTM, Ancestry.com is of little use to me. So when FTM is gone, so will my subscription to Ancestry.com

  6013. pat

    I just finished deleting all my trees. The DNA site now works even better for me. I will be cancelling my subscription next.

  6014. Angela

    I have used FTM for years also but have been very disappointed with the sync feature with Ancestry. I usually end up with duplicate, if not more of the same person on my trees. My way around that, and what will be my way around the dissolution of FTM will be to download my gedcom from Ancestry and upload it to my desktop FTM when I want to print out reports or make printed framable trees. I am not surprised to hear that they are dropping FTM and I sincerely believe that in the future, with their acquisition of Find A Grave, they will be making that a paid website as well. Not pleased with Ancestry right now, but what else is new? I HATE the new format.

  6015. That has to bee the worst message I’ve heard to date. I’ve been using some form or another since it was on 3 1/2″ floppy disk using Windows 3.1!

  6016. barry fleig

    A HORRIBLE business decision based on money and greed, ignoring loyal customers like me who have paid TONS of money over the years for FTM versions and Ancestry subscriptions year after year. Our reward is you taking away our only valuable reporting tools, sync, and backup not available in Ancestry. Please address and correct this immediately or it will indeed come back to bite you. Step up to the plate and do the right thing.

  6017. Lynn

    I have been an ancestry subscriber for more than 7 years and while I have parts of my family tree posted as public trees, the majority of my research is stored only in FTM on my desktop computer, with backups to other devices as well. Based on what is happening with this recent corporate decision I would absolutely not trust this company enough to store all of my research online with them. As of today I am taking the first step in protest by making my public trees private and will soon consider what other steps to take to continue my genealogy work in a way that will safely preserve my data and give me the dynamic, functional working environment that ancestry.com alone cannot provide. I’ve always appreciated the sharing that goes on among genealogists and while I’d like to continue to share with other researchers, I’m no longer willing to just give my research to a corporation. What a shame that your decision has caused these kinds of feelings and actions!

  6018. Eric

    Unbelievable. So, what does this mean for all my existing work? Do I move it over to another product and then cancel my Ancestry subscription?

  6019. Steve F

    You need to rethink this and consider all of the loyal users of FTM and Ancestry. We love the beautiful reports we can generate with FTM which are more better than any other software we have seen . We are deeply saddened by this announcement and will not restart our subscription to Ancestry. There are other places to spend our bucks. Please RECONSIDER!!!

  6020. phyllis Kramer

    does it matter what the customers think?
    what kind of confidence can i place in future decisions…charging for family trees, discontinuing the web program if it doesnt meet financial expectations?
    Not a lot to rely on here…bad move for loyal customers

  6021. Kim

    I’m completely disappointed by Ancestry’s decision to retire FTM. As stated many times above, the website doesn’t hold a candle to FTM features. The desktop software market is not declining, it’s just that the initial purchase doesn’t offer enough continued revenue for Ancestry. With more than 6,500 customer complaints, I can only imagine that Ancestry is looking to a cloud based program for which they can charge $10/month, rather than a one time subscription. THAT would be a definite boost to their revenue stream and well worth any wrath they are facing in the wake of this announcement.

    I was already less than impressed when forced to purchase another version of FTM for Mac because the original was no longer compatible when I purchased the new Yosemite Mac Operating System.
    When I contacted Ancestry today, I lost any loyalty I had to Ancestry. The poor representative had no response for any of my questions and had no information about future options. As I had recently purchased the second version, I inquired about a refund. She referred me to Nova Development. The agent at Nova refused the refund as the 90 days had already passed. When I complained that the software would no longer be supported as promised, she was completely rude and dismissive, referring me back to Ancestry.

    My trust in Ancestry’s ability to value their customers is gone. You are a business, you’ve been supported by loyal customers. Yanking a popular product with no plans for replacement is just BAD BUSINESS. Well, my renewal World subscription was within the refund period, so I took my money back while I still can. When it worked properly, this was a lot of fun. Now, I’ll have to find another way to pursue my hobby with a company that values my business.

  6022. Bill LIndsay

    HOW MANY DAYS BEFORE ANCESTRY REPLY TO SAY THEY NOW REALISE THEY MADE A MISTAKE AND WON’T CANCEL AFTER ALL. THOUSANDS OF US HOPE THEY RELENT.

  6023. Ruth

    This is very disappointing I feel that I have put so much money in this organization and to have the most useful tool eliminated is unbelievable.

  6024. Susan

    I see this as one more step by Ancestry to DUMB DOWN genealogy research. Without tools like FTM, how can serious researchers manage sources, investigate locations, create reports and research documents, produce trees, etc? I had made my tree public on Ancestry, but primarily use FTM to manage my data. Without FTM, Ancestry trees will ultimately become just junk. Ancestry is pandering to the lowest common denominator in genealogy. I am appalled at this step. To have hidden the announcement on the blog and not even notify FTM owners via email is underhanded and deceptive. Of course this announcement by Ancestry will change my behavior, my subscriptions, and my interest in sharing my tree on Ancestry. Shame on you, Ancestry

  6025. WTF

    GREEDY! Trying to ensure everyone has to maintain a subscription to see their “cloud” family tree. After supporting your company for over a decade (and thousands of dollars in subscription, FTM, DNA testing) you reward loyal customers with a poor excuse to hide your greed…farewell

  6026. William

    This is not right, I use my PC based software to make all updates and modifications to my tree and then Sync to my on line tree. I would like you to rethink this decisions. I hope you will be getting enough feedback from users like me to change you mind and keep the PC based software.

  6027. Sharon

    VERY, VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTED! I will also be cancelling my membership. FTM (IMO) is the best software available. Cannot believe that ancestry.com is deleting this super program!

  6028. James Usmar

    This a huge mistake, please reverse this. A locally hosted desktop application is such an import capability. The web cloud approach is all well and good until you need the data standing is some old churchyard where the nearest WiFi connection is 5 miles away! Not to mention this data, information and knowledge I have has been built up over 30 years! I am hardly going to trust the “cloud” with it! Please continue to support and continue to develop a desktop application with TreeSync to a cloud copy of the data. As an Architect of IT services, systems and applications myself I can see many ways to reduce the development and maintenance complexities and costs. Please re-consider this, please keep developing and support the desktop application. Regards James Usmar

  6029. A PR disaster, not much more to say really. Perhaps you should have gifted the software code to a company who appreciated its customers and would develop FTM’s potential. Poor poor decision.

  6030. Mike

    This decision seems to indicate that you have turned control of the company over to a new fresh out of college “MBA expert” who has probably never researched his/her own family tree any further than their grandparents. Probably the same person who made the decision to force the “New Ancestry” format down everyone’s throat whether they wanted it or not.

    Hopefully someone will take note of all these negative comments and realize that the person (or persons) who made this “train wreck” decision is in fact an absolute idiot and needs to be fired immediately!

    I don’t know what your total customer base is but based on just the comments in this blog alone it appears that you will be losing thousands of them due to this incredibly stupid decision.

    I will be removing my online tree and begin the search for a FTM replacement over the holidays. Good luck with whatever is left of the company when the dust settles.

  6031. T Marshall

    Already cancelled my membership – could not stand the jazzy new style website anyway. Have already bought Rootsmagic and intend to export my tree to that. It’s can’t be any worse. Loyalty obviously meant nothing to Ancestry!

  6032. Bette

    FTM has been my “toy of choice” for many, many years. I cannot think of losing it…it is a member of my family………your decision is a very cruel Christmas present. Shame on you.

  6033. CMM

    Despite what you may think, we cannot have all of our hard work (34 years for me) only reside in the cloud. My family and future generations will need free and simple access to family documents. They cannot all purchase a subscription. The only reason I have stayed with Ancestry is the ability to sync between cloud and hard drive so that I can work on my family lines off-line. My eyes are too old to work online for very long. But I have volunteered hours of my time to indexing for your World Archives project. I also can more easily share my tree information off-line. Maybe this is exactly what you don’t want. Huh. Please provide a way to remedy the above complaints soon. For now, I will stop indexing until I hear something promising.

  6034. Kris

    I too echo the above concerns about losing FTM. My deceased father-in-law handed me his FTM files before he died. I also purchased FTM a few times over the years. I don’t know what actions I will take in the future but I ask you to remember that genealogy recordkeeping and research should be accessible to all without prohibitive costs.

  6035. Robert

    I hate to hear the decision about discontinuing FTM. I will need now to search for other software. Discontinuing the software seems to be a poor decision.

  6036. Kim

    Ron, try Reunion for Mac. I love it. I gave up on FTM 3 for Mac after it keep messing up my tree when I tried to Sync. It would separate children from their parents and move things around. I also had to attach my try several times because it kept unattaching when I would Sync my trees. I made a GEDCOM from my FTM and uploaded it to Reunion. Very easy!

  6037. Graeme

    I am glad I never put all my eggs in the one basket, FTM was a means of putting my trees on Ancestry, my main software for genealogy has and will always be Legacy. I had stopped paying your ridiculous fees earlier this year, with the view of paying again when I needed more info. Guess what, that is not going to happen now.

  6038. David

    Very disappointing news. Next will be a subscription for the use of cloud-based tree software in addition to record archives!
    There are many places where I go for research where internet connectivity is just not available. and access my captured is essential to qualify new findings.
    An off-line tool was an essential factor in my counting to subscribe to Ancestry. At least I have time to look at alternatives. This is a short-sighted decision over a key differentiating point.

  6039. Bud

    One would assume this very bad strategic decision to be the brainchild of the recently promoted Senior VP of Product Management at ancestry, Mr. Kendall Hulet. What a way to treat the hundreds of thousands of customers who have been loyal to FTM and ancestry for many years. Trust and Integrity are important words in business. Someone there needs to read the definition of these two words and see if your recent announcement measures up.My World Membership will not renew in March as scheduled. What a disappointment…

  6040. Don Robinson

    I feel totally betrayed by this proposal. I have used FTM exclusively since I began my interest in genealogy over 10 years ago. I have spent a significant amount of money upgrading the program over the years. To leave us hanging without a means of continuing our program is poor customer service. My genealogy database consists of over 3500 individuals. It is one of my most valuable possessions. Please don’t abandon us!

  6041. Really think this in an Ancestry-centric decision rather than a customer-centric one. Being able to use FTM on laptop to capture info and display it to relatives etc., without having to connect to internet, and using the rich publishing tools to produce reports etc., and then linking to internet to add information from Ancestry and share with wider Ancestry community is a perfect combination. Hate the new Ancestry tree functionality though. If that’s what the future of FTM is going to become, then I’m off now to find a laptop based product that interfaces with FindMyPast or something other than Ancestry instead. Such a shame because I’ve been using FTM for years since it’s early incarnation and seen it evolve into a great product, only for Ancestry to toss it aside.

  6042. MaryLu

    I agree with the other Ancestry users. This is not a good move by Ancestry. I am going to Rootstech this year and will check out other software while I am there. Many of us have put more years and study into this pursuit than we would care to admit. Big Mistake!

  6043. Ron Garrison

    In my opinion, this is a very bad decision on your part to part ways with FTM. Ancestry.com is grossly lacking in the ability to preserve personal records on a personal computer and is very lacking in its report capabilities. I also use the iOS apps and they too are lacking and much inferior to the capabilities of FTM. The FTM software is needed for serious research and personal records preservation. I hope that you reconsider this decision and instead put even more effort into support for the FTM product. This decision has left me questioning my future relationship with Ancestry.com.

  6044. Kay

    I absolutely HATE this idea I have never liked using ancestery.com site for anything but research I use the Sync but I like the FTM format and all of the benefits it provides, books, forms etc. I have to agree with Lynn above I’m going to take steps in protest as well. I spend over $400 dollars a year for my membership not to mention always upgrading and all I get for the money spent is your world wide access.

  6045. Linda

    FTM is a necessity – Bring it back

    Ancestry is useful for two purposes – finding copies of original documents and for the publishing Family Trees. Ancestry is just a tool for these purposes and as a tool for finding documents it is great. But the family trees which are published are often full of mistakes which are copied by subscribers from one family tree to another.

    Correct family history research is done by going back to the original documents and proving the links. Where did the rules go which were applied to family history research in the past? Pencil was used for unproven details and ink was used for proven details. There was no publishing of details unless the person was born more than 100 years ago and married more than 80 years ago.

    With these points in mind, publishing is “using the ink” and we all need to “use the pencil” on experimental trees on our own computers. From my experience, FTM is the best and easiest software available for this purpose. Bring it back.

    Don’t spoil things by discontinuing FTM for the sake of increasing your own business – you are also a service organization. Keep FTM going for the purists who actually do their research correctly. Ancestry is a just a tool. FTM is a necessity. You will lose many of your subscribers if you discontinue FTM.

  6046. Fallowfield

    Well you have really shot yourself in the foot this time guys!! Along with very, very many others I will now start actively looking for some form of alternative then will remove my trees from Ancestry. How can you stop this? Easy think a little then change your minds and recind the decision.

  6047. Rob Angus

    Your customers are paying a lot of money for the software and then the membership of Ancestors. We all would have expected the FTM to be ongoing and to withdraw it suggests that you have been misleading people when offering the product. “not happy Jane” or should I say” Furious – Ancestors”. With the amount of mail you are getting you would seriously have to reconsider this bad decision.

  6048. RJ

    On line is much more laborious when browsing my family… endless “next page” clicks on line vs. a scroll pull down tool in FTM. And this is only one issue of several. I would have to be really stupid to stick with you. Kiss me good-bye when my online account expires next year.

  6049. mewsician

    Boy. What a lot of gall it takes to do this. Greed, greed, greed – this is just Ancestry’s way of forcing people to subscribe indefinitely. Does this company even HAVE any PR department?? You couldn’t find a way to make yourselves more odious now if you tried. Oh well. Ancestry has enjoyed its monopoly long enough; moves like this one virtually guarantee development of an alternative, and I will certainly be the first in line to pay for it when it comes. And I absolutely hate your ‘new’ site design, BTW. If you decide to hire any PR help, you may also want to see about finding some UX engineers….

  6050. Deborah

    The impact is too large. Please don’t stop FTM until you have better options available to us. Then provide us with some training on moving to the new product.

  6051. Mike

    This is a very bad decision and/or a very badly explained one. As a minimum you need to tell me how to save all the hundreds, maybe thousands, of pieces of information, and the documents they link to, that I have saved on FTM over at least 8 years in a way that will be accessible with some other software. Please let us keep what we are familiar with, otherwise I suspect you will lose far more in subscriptions than you could possibly save by abandoning FTM.

  6052. Richard Hartman

    Sales probably went way down when they more then doubled the price from previous versions. It becomes a self -fulfilling wish by jacking up the cost.

  6053. Cheryl

    As a user of Family Tree Maker since about 1995, I am appalled that Ancestry is taking this step! You are really letting your users out to hang in the wind! I understand that we will be able to use the software and interact with your site for another year but those of us who do in depth research do not always have access to the internet while doing so.This will mean less time researching and more time doing double entry work to update our personal records and then our online records as well. Also, your subscription prices while much less than travel costs, are still running high and I don’t find as many records available from you in my areas of research. I agree with many other postings that the new interface is not very smooth and efficient. I have tried other software for the desktop and ALWAYS found it lacking and returned to FTM. I will be rethinking my subscription renewal as well. I am very disheartened at your lack of support to both your customers and the genealogy community.

  6054. Kay Parker

    Terribly disappointed in this, I prefer the interface of FTM to the ancestry site, but use both faithfully to research my family. Will you consider selling the program with a license to link to Ancestry website?

  6055. Gary Klofstad

    I don’t know what I don’t know. I have never looked at the features of the online FTM. If the features are not comparable to PC based FTM, you will likely loose me as a customer.

  6056. Mary

    I am extremely disappointed to hear that you will be discontinuing FTM. I do not want to publish all of my genealogy work. Some family information is private and I have other research that I consider somewhat uncertain. In addition, I want the the security and peace of mind of having an off line backup. Without FTM software on my computer, I will have no choice but to purchase different software, which will not sync with Ancestry. Can’t see the point in keeping my Ancestry subscription in that case. Also, why have my tree on your site, meaning why give my research to a company that has no regard for its loyal customers.

  6057. Lizz

    Really not happy about this, the main reason I use Ancestry is cos it does sync with the FTM prog. Not sure if I will continue with my ancestry subscription after this, as there is no point.

  6058. Tony Smith

    Already over 6600 comments and I have not read a single one agreeing with the decision to get rid of FTM. I think you need to start consulting with your customers. People do not construct family trees on apps. They may view them on apps but they create them on Desktop PC’s. I urge you to reconsider this decision

  6059. LisaRC

    Not sure that it matters, but I echo the disappointment already shared by others. Why does Ancestry continually try to fix what is not broken? You are losing me as a customer.

  6060. George

    Tim Sullivan – This is an extremely unpopular decision as you can read. Do you have any idea how the bottom line is going to be affected by this decision? The unpopular PR? The share price is going to keep cratering. You probably will lose your job over this one.

  6061. P

    From a strictly PR and Marketing perspective, this is an absolutely terrible way to deliver this news. The fallout is going to be impossbile to contain and rectify. Even if you reverse the decision or find some other way to appease angry FTM customers, the damage is already done.

    It would seem like common sense to not drop this kind of bomb on your user base without having a detailed FAQ setup, better messaging, some sort of built-in reconciliatory lever (like a partial refund or something), maybe even a temporary customer service hotline specifically for all these users. I would also include a recorded video Q&A session with leadership so they could help couch this as something that we hate to do but that is necessary and give them a chance to show that they genuinely care (or at least are attempting to show that they care) about their customers.

  6062. Dory

    Wow! I guess I’m not the only unhappy person out there. 6,664 comments since yesterday and most are unhappy. Without reading every one, I can’t see anybody who thinks this is good or fair or nice. And I will add it will probably not turn out to be a good business decision on your part because most of us will take our trees and leave your Ancestry.com site since it really is way too expensive. We who paid the price every year did so because it was easy and more information came online daily.There are, however, so many other sites today to search that we really do not need you after buying FTM and its upgrades for years and paying the horrendous yearly fee. We are all upset because you are basically abandoning your fans. Wow.

  6063. Marie

    Your decision to discontinue FTM does not make any sense at all on its face. Seems counterproductive to Ancestry’s commitment to genealogy research. First, the new ancestry.com format is not as streamlined as the old one. I have used the trial version exclusively for quite a while to give it a try and to give myself a chance to become familiar with it. For one example, the addition of random general factoids to my personalized and documented timeline is a waste of time and detracts from the quality research I have compiled over decades. Second, there is no way to print out on Ancestry.com the relationship reports or any of the very useful genealogy tables and charts that are available on Family Tree Maker, and which, by the way, professional genealogists use. As a long time user of both platforms and a long time World Membership subscriber, I am completely baffled by what’s going on at Ancestry.com. Your competitor genealogy software providers are looking better and better.

  6064. C Hale

    You are taking away the best and most unique feature of ancestry – – to meet relatives and share information with them – – this is by far the most important feature you have to offer – – – if you become just another paid resource your competition will catch you in no time. I will see no reason to use ancestry once it is gone!!

  6065. Peggy Perusse

    I am devastated! I’ve used FTM from its earliest edition and give myself a birthday present every July by updating my Ancestry World subscription! I know that I own FTM and can use it for as long as I want but am concerned that someday it will just stop working and we have no where to turn! Please reconsider – FTM is the most important part of my research – Ancestry.com only enhances it.

  6066. Ralph

    After much hard soul searching today I have deleted my online trees. Two reasons: 1) I don’t want continue to allow Ancestry.com to data-mine what I have worked hard to compile; and 2) As a protest against this complete lack comprehension as to how their products are used and the needs of their customers. I realize that I may be just another Don Quixote in the world but it is satisfying to know that I did something.

    I will continue with FTM and my Ancestry membership for the research capabilities while I evaluate other venues – at least until my subscription expires next June.

  6067. Karen

    It’s hard to imagine the corporate thinking that went into the decision to “retire” FTM after all the work that must have gone into developing such capable and widely-used software. Like many users, in addition to using FTM to organize my family trees, I use it as a portal to access Ancestry.com. What a disappointment to have invested so much time in learning how to use the program to have it just go away without any other explanation other than citing the “declining desktop software market.” Is the market for FTM really declining with all of the current interest in genealogy? Desktop software in general is still quite popular – just look at the shelves of programs available at office supply stores. Or look at all of the software programs on your own desktop by Intuit, Adobe, Mozilla, and Microsoft to name a few. Please reconsider – your sudden decision shows no respect for the huge community of loyal customers that have used the FTM software and subscribed to Ancestry.com for many years.

  6068. Mike Terry

    This is a monopoly gone amuck.
    I was a shareholder when they went public, only to have management impose a buyout once they got flying high enough to tell shareholders they had to accept a modest profit and get lost.
    They have had millions of minions (including me) correcting their data, making connections, and building extensive trees.
    I have trusted them with my PRIVATE tree, putting in personal info and photos. Now I see no reason to trust them with that data. I am inclined to sabotage and blow it up before I quit.
    In a few days they are imposing the NEW ANCESTRY on us, which is just another annoyance to this member who spend a decade becoming expert on the old ancestry.
    But what choice do we have? They have amassed a monopoly position, and there is little we can do about it other than bitch.
    Maybe there are politicians or lawyers who can take them on. I would contribute to that cause! Power to the people!!!

  6069. Jennie

    After more than 10 years of research and many private comments I’m now expected to trust all my data to a website. I’ve been waiting for the next edition as my copy of ftm is corrupt. Not sure what to do now…

  6070. Bill T.

    I had become very dependent upon FTM to document my research as it was so easy. I only used Ancestry for the research part. This decision is a real blow to my limited research capabilities!! Bad Decision!

  6071. Pamela Windsor

    I am just flabbergasted!!!! What in the world are you thinking? This is an incredibly senseless business decision. I just hate the new website; FTM is a much better product. I certainly will explore other options.

  6072. Maggie

    A declining desktop software market ????? How many dollars did you spend on the market research that came up with that unbelievable EXCUSE. Suggest you go back to the boardroom and have big RETHINK on this one. Like the 6,500 FMT users ahead of me on this blog I will now be reconsidering my future with Ancestry. BIG BIG MISTAKE.

  6073. Cathy

    This is disappointing news. There is so much more that can be done with reports and printing from the software that cannot be done from the web-based program. If your decision is to discontinue the tree-sync and support by 2017, then it would appear that whatever I have at that time, will just have to do. Trying to manage all of the details from the web program is impossible, you just can’t see everything the way you need to from the web pages, but the software makes this possible.

  6074. Charline

    An Ancestry representative told me not to try to print my tree from the online version but rather use FTM as it is the best way to get a hardcopy. I want the ability to easily print my tree and work offline and have that backup copy from FTM. Now what will be the best way??? I refuse to pay extra for Canvas as Ancestry’s membership cost is already too expensive now for a retiree. I hope this is not the intent of Ancestry! How can I make a backup copy of the Ancestry tree without FTM?

  6075. Jacqui

    This is truly the worst possible news to those of us who through the years have maintained electronic family trees! Family Tree Maker is the best and most useful way to maintain records of the family tree in that format and I can only hope that you will sell the product to a company or organization committed to helping genealogists do so. You have done all of us a disservice by buying this program and then abandoning it. I hope you will reconsider, and soon!

  6076. Rose Carson

    I ditto all the above comments. Discontinuing FTM is a HORRIBLE idea. You are leaving all your followers out to dry. Will certainly consider discontinuing membership and making my tree non
    -public

  6077. Brad

    what you do spend to much money on improving things that everyone one hated but you did it anyway, or spend to much on your tv commercials? and let me guess with all these great improvents that are coming our way us folks that have world deluxe will be paying 7 or 8 hundred a year, hope my tree maker doesnt crash like it has a few times begining next year will have to look for a compatable tree maker, all and all you folks have made a lot of stupid mistakes these last few years and confused us more then helped us, I suggest we all write to Ancestry on this blog as many times as we can maybe theyll get the hint, anohter thing I hate is when I find a obit I need and error 404 comes up thats great world deluxe service, be best if I dont use some 4 letter words

  6078. Bruce R. Hammill

    The reason I disagree with your decision to retire FTM, is because you folks have yet to give my visiting family members any ability to download and print their own copies of my work, from the on-line account that I’m also paying Ancestry, Inc. to maintain.
    As you must be aware, the value of any well-crafted Family Tree decreases significantly after it’s been “shoe-boxed” into storage by it’s only author.
    And by your decision to retire FTM, you’ve turned your on-line services into merely another odd place that’s been temporarily used to store family records (–records that all of your clients obviously highly value; or they would be mere visitors to your website, still.)

    My suggestion?
    Embrace the study of history as if you were one of your own clients–by “Googling” for information about the Ford Motor Company’s introduction of their “Edsel” model, made to that company’s formerly loyal clients.
    (And then, after you’ve read it–please change your mind!)

  6079. Matt L

    The TreeSync function should be opened as an API for other products to use. Open source it and provide a conduit for others to fill in the gap that you created.

  6080. Ron

    Desktop Apps connected to the internet will not replace desktop programs like FTM. Your new web site has already downgraded the Ancestry service and caused people to lose information. And now you want to downgrade the service even further. All you did was look at the cost of a major upgrade to FTM. You need to provide a desktop application. Please reconsider – before I leave Ancestry.

  6081. Karie

    So, Ancestry Family Tree Maker rated the #1 family tree software for 2016 and yet you felt that the decline was substantial enough to discontinue it. Comparing the prices to competitors; I can understand why there was such a decline. Your price is $69.99 but top ranking software programs are averaging around $29.99. Maybe re-think your pricing instead of completing discontinuing it all together.

  6082. Scott

    26 hours into your decision and you have nearly 7000 ugly comments on your blog, with not one nice thing said to balance it off….pretty sure that your higher-ups don’t use their own product, otherwise they never would have bragged so highly about the online experience….getting rid of Family Tree Maker is like a Chicago hot dog cart discontinuing sale of anything other than salt packets. Use your brains out there and see what product got you your high status and customer compliments in the first place.

  6083. Amy

    Hey, Ancestry – remember new Coke? Judging from the responses to your announcement, not many people are pleased with your decision. Ancestry pales in comparison to FTM and is so frustratingly slow. I was looking for a way to save about $300 next year and I think you’ve helped me find a way. Without FTM, you’ve made the decision easier to cancel my Ancestry subscription and take advantage of free sites like Family Search. Very sad news.

  6084. Alan

    This is all about GREED, GREED, and more GREED. Their business plan is for each of us FTM users to pay $150+ each and every year instead of a one time purchase of $70 for FTM. The problem is that Ancestry.com and FTM are not duplicate and identical programs. There are so many more tools and options that I use in FTM and suffer thru the Ancestry. com tools only because of the access to records. My plan is to continue to use FTM forever and look for other options to research records. The Ancestry.com corporation could get $70 from me every couple of years for a FTM upgrade or nothing. Their business plan discounted this source of revenue and assumed that all of us FTM users would gladly pony up $1500-$2000 every 5-7 years. NOT such a great business plan. I assume that with community outrage several executive should be looking for employment elsewhere. Wherever these greedy SOBs go, I will avoid.

  6085. Ralph

    I’ll try this again – this blog may be tied into the “New Ancestry” as it lost my last post. It was eloquent! Anyway, after soul searching I have deleted my online trees until it is resolved or next June when my subscription expires.

  6086. Gene

    After two decades working on my family tree the computer only speeds up the research, life will go on without them. Like all the other comments I too like Family Tree Maker. But in over 10 years or more I do not have a paid subscription because of poor customer service. No one that processes billing has any authority to make corrections caused by Ancestry, do not request a manager because no one is ever available. With their poor customer service and the decision to end Family Tree Maker it will only be a matter of time before all your information will be transferred to a foreign country. Another question if adding records for Mexico is an improvement, it may for those from Mexico, will it come at addition cost? I bet they will have a program that will replace Family Tree Maker but will require a over priced subscription for the service. There are other programs for Family Trees, remove your trees from Ancestry, then they will realize they need the customers more than we need them.
    If this many people would contact their Congressmen to have the Census Indexes posted online it could be accomplished. I will make my call tomorrow.

  6087. John Manutes

    Maybe the LDS will develop software like FTM which syncs with Ancestry since they are in “partnership”.

  6088. Nancy G

    What on earth are you thinking? this is the easiest way to share family history, especially with those not computer literate. I use it all the time to print up reports to send to family members and we strengthen our tree that way. VERY DISAPPOINTED!!

  6089. DIane

    JUST when I thought Ancestry couldn’t PISS ME OFF any more, well here it is. What ever happened to the consumer is always right. I am DISGUSTED with Tim Sullivan!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6090. Pamela

    I’ve been researching for many years. I watched Ancestry swallow up numerous free genealogy search sites, and wondered what was next… once they eliminated the competition. Now I know. It may be a good business decision for you, but it’s horrible PR for the people who own Family TreeMaker. Your website is unreliable, hard to manage, freezes, and is confusing to navigate. Double dislike. I’ve more than 23,000 people in my database, I don’t want to lose any.

  6091. Trakker

    This stinks. A sudden announcement that sales will end in three weeks and then just one more year of support and then we’re on our own. Yeah, Happy Holidays customers, here”s a piece of coal for your stocking. I hope an outside source will look into what is going on at Ancestry and let us know what is behind this. While your site has oodles of useful data, I don;t like the way you’ve handled this and maybe I need a new hobby…

  6092. Sue Pay

    I’m disappointed to hear of the demise of FTM, I have used it for many years, and have just installed the latest update, which included an additional 1 month access to Ancestry – like many I feel robbed. FTM is the ideal way to show my parents the latest information as they do not have internet access, and I have no intention of purchasing a costly new device to enable me to do so via an “App”! I too will be looking for an alternative desktop programme, unless Ancestry can provide the charts and reports currently available on FTM. I will also give renewal of my subscription serious thought; there are other providers available!

  6093. David H

    I can’t believe you are doing this! Ancestry.com without FTM is worthless to me. Lost a customer here.

  6094. Vernon Robertson

    My 16 years of research, is going down the tubes,
    What exactly are you people thinking?? So much for your appreciation for the corrections I have submitted to Ancestry.comfor the mistakes that I have uncovered. Hiss! Hiss! Boo!!

  6095. Steve B

    Please reconsider this decision. I’ve used FTM since the mid 90’s and upgraded to the 2012 version a few years ago. I was looking forward to upgrading to the 2016 version when it comes out. If you continue with this decision, what competitor software/product would you recommend? I’ll gladly pay them if you abandon this product. I have way too many hours in this research to give it up.

  6096. Robin Somes

    A very bad decision, which will rebound on you. FTM is an awesome program (albeit with, let’s say, some idiosyncracies), whose power and utility is much greater than cloud-based computing can offer – including data security and access to it when offline. What FTM can’t offer, of course, is the ability to charge a continuing regular fee for access – while pretending that it’s being done to offer greater choice and versatility. So, do you want to be remembered for continuing to offer a great desktop-based program, or for abandoning a whole generation of users, in pursuit of a few more dollars?

  6097. yellowdog55

    I am so disappointed in this company.I have been a member of Ancestry and Family Tree for over 10 years. That is a lot of money and a lot of research time. I never use the online tree. So when they say “But by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community.” Who are they talking about? Not me! What am I suppose to do with my Family Tree data?? Do you think someone from Ancestry is going to answer me? Apparently I am not a member of the loyal Ancestry community.

  6098. Jack

    I suspect the reason for discontinuing FTM is financial. They can earn at lot more money by forcing FTM uses to access the on-line system than by continuing FTM. Watch out for increnental increase in access to Ancestry.

  6099. Jerry Nelson

    I, and I assume the remainder of all of us dissatisfied FTM users, would like to hear a response from Ancestry.com as to what or if there will be a replacement for FTM such as a cloud-based app from which to generate reports. Or, are we all just SOL?

  6100. John

    “During his tenure, he was deeply involved in some of the most popular innovations at Ancestry, including the “Shaky Leaf” hinting system that has delivered over five billion discoveries…” three billion times people discovered that if they just shelled out more money they could have access to Ancestry’s World databases, one billion learned that the data they researched by hand over decades was being reshared by other members so you could link to other members’ trees who had linked to your tree, ad infinitum… another billion were linked to community projects that had archived and transcribed data out of a pure love for ancestry (small “a”)… and 10 people found something new.

  6101. Will Lockhart

    I have had FTM since before it was Broderbund. We want to continue using the desktop version! A subscription based product does not sit well at all. If ancestry is uninterested in maintaining FTM it should be continued by someone else. Customers will follow.

  6102. Ann

    VERY BAD DECISION — WTF? I cannot believe this. Makes no sense whatsoever. Is your company trying to alienate its loyal customers?

  6103. I believe these comments are just the tip of the iceberg. In one day you have almost 7,000 unhappy customers taking the time to reply. I would like to believe your reasons are genuine, but I suspect the real reason for abandoning FTM is the potential of inreasing revenue by keeping loyal customers on line while continually paying the high fee. In my humble opinion you have a short window /time to reconsider or at least share the truth.

  6104. Anita Barnett

    So disappointed in Ancestry for this decision. You have so many people who are using the desktop software so they can use the charts and the book feature. Even if you do not commit to a new issue every year or so, you could commit to keeping 2014 upgraded to allow users to keep using the software. An 85 year old friend got me started in genealogy 15 years ago. She is still actively do her research, but will not be using tablets to do so. I think you will find you have lost the loyalty of so many users, this decision will cost you financially. As soon as I find other options my subscription her will end.

  6105. Cathy

    Keep your comments coming. Please keep posting your viewpoint. Ancestry thinks they have us all where they want us force feeding what they want us to have. I hope and pray that a reliable company will step up and create what serious genealogists need and want. I will gladly spend my hard earned money with such a company. Since this blog has such an active audience perhaps someone reading here can create or ask the right party to help us here. As of December 15th all subscribers are forced to use Ancestry’s new kindergarten website. They haven’t heard our voice with that so don’t expect them to hear us now. Ancestry simply does not care about the seasoned subscribers. Can someone reading this please co-ordinate another blog so all of us can be kept in the loop about family tree alternatives because so many of us will be making changes in how we preserve our family history. Also, why in the world has the gedcom format not been improved to include photos and documents. Perhaps that standard needs to be changed also in this fall out. Remember too that LDS members get Ancestry for free. I don’t know if many of you know that but we subsidize that partnership. Many of the actual documents that were once free on Familysearch.org were moved to Ancestry. So, don’t think you can count on Familysearch.org as they are sleeping with Ancestry.com. My two cents worth.

  6106. Jessie Fyfe

    First of all, when you introduced your new “story view”, I tried it and HATED it!! You informed us that we will HAVE to use it at some point and I told you then that if you are going to “force” us to use something WE didn’t pay for, that I will quit Ancestry! Now you are making another arbitrary decision and dropping FTM!? Have you completely lost your minds or what!? I am DONE with Ancestry! I will not be re-newing my subscription!

  6107. mary

    The insult on top of this injury is that Ancestry is trying to force FTM users to maintain a paid membership for the Ancestry website, which DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.

  6108. Tony

    A 30 day trial download of Family Historian is available here: http://www.my-history.co.uk/acatalog/Family-Historian-v6-30-Day-Trial-Version-FHDEMO.html#SID=23
    I have been using it since 2003 and supporting Family Tree Maker as well and there is very little about FTM that would make me want to use it instead of Family Historian. FH is a program used by many professionals and at least two genealogy companies in the UK use it on a daily basis to design charts for printing on wide format paper. Give it a try, you may wish you had found it years ago.

  6109. Cecil Deming

    I will not be renewing my Ancestry membership. With the decision to stop Family Tree Maker, the software that makes it useful, there is no point in ancestry.com anymore. What a tragic and greedy decision. Wish you had never hired Kendall Hulet if he is responsible
    for the chances. Will be debating on whether to canceal my ancestry subscription.

  6110. Albert Mofield

    This is a horrible decision which should be reversed. Your paying customers see the Family Tree Maker software as the preferred database. Combining it with ancestry.com’s data is great, but taking FTM away from us is not what we, your paying customers, want. We don’t always want to pay for the subscription just to enter our data. Many of us like to stay in stealth mode and don’t want to migrate to another program. We’re all angry, discouraged, and feel left out of the equation. Ancestry.com, you don’t know your customers.

  6111. Ralph

    Is this a ploy by Ancestry to make us all beg. And then, when we have begged enough, you will offer to keep FTM up and going for another fee? What a crock.

  6112. Cathy

    My guess is that these over 6,000 comments came from some of your most loyal and longstanding members, the ones that have a passion for family history and make it a life study… I include myself as one of them and also as a beta tester for mac ftm I follow suite and am super disappointed. Like many of the others ftm is also a back up for years of work. I also follow suite in not liking the new interface… maybe for the fly by nighters you grab their attention but to really work with it.. no good.
    Unfortunately it seems as though your company has joined the rest of corporate America and “business is business” sadly loosing sight of the first part of your heading on your website (the old one anyway) “All things you love about family history”.
    I do thank you for the years of research and documents your site has provided.
    Ancestry member since 2009, 5 DNA test and mac ftm

  6113. Rick Sloane

    How are we to work on our Family Tree when NOT connected to the Internet? It looks like that is no longer possible with this decision.

  6114. Jo

    I think this total of complaints is even higher as you look to the left you see the 14.8K, I have watched it rise but this blog does not rise so high – there are at least 3 comments I have made that have not been posted.

  6115. Debbie

    I am another very disappointed Ancestry.com member; have been a member since 2001, and have had FTM since version 2.0. I am seriously considering if I will maintain my Ancestry membership.

  6116. Lisa

    This decision is not acceptable! I am devastated by your customer disloyalty. W
    hen my subscription expires in a couple months, unless the decision is rescinded, I will end my 10 year relationship with Ancestry!

  6117. Gloria Johnson

    I think you are making a mistake to remove Family Tree from the market. It is the place where a beginner can start collecting and building family information. It is less intimidating than working on Ancestry immediately. I think you need to look at it is as a beginning for genealogists. I think it will impact the number of people who later on subscribe to Ancestry since they will not have this first step that integrates into Ancestry. Of course there are other program available which may be used but they don’t lead into Ancestry. Just think about it a little more as part of the total picture. I used Family Tree for years to collate my data before I began on Ancestry.

  6118. David Lawes

    Time to find another genealogy program. Disappointing for us but undoubtedly quite profitable for you. I’ll never willingly give my family information to Ancestry but I suspect I already have .

  6119. I have also been using FTM for over 10 years and love it. I agree with most of the messages that this is a huge mistake. I will also be joining the multitude of ex customers and cancelling my subscription.

  6120. Pamela

    I just learned about Ancestry dropping the FTM program. I have used Ancestry since the mid 90s exclusively and have recommended the site to everyone who wants to get into genealogy. This goes for the FTM program as well. When the feature was introduced to have on-line family trees and be able to sync them with my desktop program, I was thrilled. I like to be able to work on-line as well as off-line with my FTM. Since my husband retired this year, the one thing I would not compromise on was my full Ancestry subscription. Even though Ancestry keeps adding more and more information, I will not be able to keep my subscription if I have to pay for another website. I am very sorry you have chosen to go this route with FTM.

  6121. Kristen

    Just wondering if this bozo is the same Kendall Hulet that back around 2007 was stealing information from individuals’ websites, putting it in a data base and selling it? Talk about integrity!!!! Victims killed that little project. If Ancestry is indeed going to be sold we can kiss FTM goodbye. They think their share price will go up if they jettison the costs of FTM. They assume everyone will be willing to accept the child’s toy of a tree on ancestry, give them all your data (which they will own) — then allow them to charge you to use it. Looks like the last debacle got the bozo promoted. Wonder what he’s after now: look no further than your extensive, well sourced and documented FTM files.

  6122. susan meister

    Wow, I am just getting on today and seeing this VERY DISTRESSING news. I could hardly scroll down to the bottom of the VERY NEGATIVE comments!!! I used FTM since the beginning, before Ancestry was anything much and cannot believe you would take this important tool away from us?!!! What are you thinking??? Quite a few of us are probably of a certain age and appreciate the bigger screen of a desk top!!! I cannot abide trying to do any searches on the teeny tiny phones or tablets!!! I am very disappointed, I have thousands of names etc., what am I going to do, print every single thing out??? I don’t trust the ‘cloud’ as there are many many times with my internet provider where I cannot access the internet! I will have no hard copy to work from even if I want to go to the library or family history center? I just don’t get your way of thinking, its bad enough you changed your whole site against the wishes of most of your customers, but now this too. Merry Christmas?! just wow is all I can say, who made this dumb decision!
    s

  6123. Leslie

    I will be moving to a competitor’s product. I understand that you’d prefer to have a monthly income stream rather than a one-time purchase, but I need a local copy of the data. I am selective about what I upload and will NOT rely on Ancestry for indefinite storage of my family tree. As with so many others, I was a FTM user long before subscribing to Ancestry; the two products answer different needs and I need both. This is a huge mistake on your part.

  6124. Mary R.

    @Rich Cummingham, It was the DNA thing that increased Acom revenue into the billions: “The Long Game: Google-Backed Calico Partners With Ancestry to Beat the Specter of Aging. How much would you pay to live longer? What if Google were making the pill to do it?
    On Tuesday [July 21, 2015], Calico, the medical research company Google incubated in 2013, announced it had cut a deal for access to genetic information from Ancestry, the largest family tree website. It’s among the first public moves from Calico, the secretive division born to (gasp!) extend human life. With its new DNA data — properly anonymized — Calico will look for genetic patterns in people who have lived exceptionally long lives, then make drugs to help more of us do that. The deal also marks another step in the next chapter of tech’s ambitious experiments with biology: After collating medical data, it’s marching the research to market…Tim Sullivan, Ancestry’s CEO, said his privately held company has fielded requests from multiple medical research firms. It has spent over 20 years amassing its databank…
    Sullivan’s company had some scale from the get-go. Its subsidiary that partnered with Calico, AncestryDNA, has genotyped the DNA sequence of over one million customers. Two weeks ago, the company launched AncestryHealth, a portal for its customers to track personal health and wellness, and marry that with their genetic data.
    But its treasure trove — and what Calico really wants — is the extensive, detailed genealogical data. Ancestry.com claims to have more than two million paying subscribers, who have created some seven million historical family trees. It’s a rich well for tracking longevity trends.
    Neither company shared financial terms of the deal. Sullivan also dodged a question on any future deals between the two. “We have a lot of business relationships with Google, but nothing else that I can speak to,” he said…” http://recode.net/2015/07/26/the-long-game-google-partners-with-ancestry-com-to-beat-the-specter-of-aging/

  6125. Terry Welshans

    Kendall Hulet, your attention please:

    Firstly, are you aware of what Ancestry has done by making this announcement? In view of the negative comments posted in just one day, if I was your boss, you would be out the door in a heart beat, and I would throw everything left in your office into the trash. If your boss is unaware of the above comments, someone should make he/she aware of the PR disaster you have created.

    Secondly, the iPad app should be reworked so that it no longer corrupts the Ancestry.com data

    Thirdly, your website should revert to what it was before the current changes were made.

  6126. Michel

    I endorse all the criticisms that are being levelled at Ancestry for this stupid decision. This bad decision is made much worse by the ‘new look’ Ancestry which is a dumbing down of an already poor interface and negligible reporting facility. Ancestry has always been poor at writing decent human interface software for its website. This incompetence is now taken further with the end of FTM. Ancestry should sell FTM to someone else it can still be used with Ancestry without Ancestry having to maintain it.

  6127. Cynthia

    The interface for FTM is much better than the desktop and mobile app. I really wish you would reconsider your decision as you will certainly make the user experience less enjoyable.

  6128. turnpikeab

    Without reading all the posts, is Ancestor going to respond? Or do we walk? They are not the only fish in this market.

  6129. Larry Coe

    You say that you will now be able to focus your efforts by concentrating to build great products for your loyal Ancestry community. I have been one of those loyal community members for many years now – but Family Tree Maker is where it all started. It has been the focus of all that I use Ancestry for. I will admit – I have no idea what I am going to do now! I, like so many others, are shocked, confused, and disgusted by this decision to retire Family Tree Maker.
    Larry Coe

  6130. Ben Long

    Why not just raise the price of the software enough to make it profitable for you, rather than discontinue?

  6131. Jerry Little

    I am so glad this announcement was made before my US Deluxe membership comes up for renewal. Ancestry graciously accepted tens of thousands of volunteer hours to input millions of records. Now I hardly recognize what Ancestry has become. With the dropping of Family Tree Maker software the transformation seems to be complete. Ancestry is modeled for profit, not customer service. Its been a nice journey, but I think it is time I get off at the next stop.

  6132. Anthony

    I was preparing to see about getting the latest FTM version from SAMS with its 3-month subscription to Ancestry.com for Christmas, and wondered why I couldn’t find it there. The same seems to be the same with buying it from Amazon. Well now I know why. After perusing all the negative but well reasoned feeds in this blog I would predict the demise of Ancestry.com due to subscribers being forced away. Sad, oh so sad.

  6133. Ken

    I just can’t believe it. I’ve been using FTM from its very first version and have updated regularly. I use FTM Platinum. To think that now all my years of adding to my files on my desktop so I can create hard copies is not going to be possible is extremely disheartening. I will not be maintaining my files on line so will have to explore my options for maintaining my research on my desktop. I doubt my Ancestry membership would have the same value to me in that case and would have to consider renewing it or not. Very disappointed.

  6134. Laura

    I was VERY disappointed in the email you sent me reagrding the end of The Family Tree Maker. I just up graded and bought 2 and I want a full refund of 140.00 back and I will not be renewing my account I have had with you for 10 years!!! I will go to Family Search and the New England Ancestors site to get my information. Hints are ridiculous, they give double and triple answers to the same thing, and you share facts with no proof as a document just a index card that is not verifiable. You have totally gone down hill and its a shame the way your running this is not acceptable for the large amount of money you ask for. You had another tree service up years ago and it was wonderful and you took it down. All you want is our information to resell for profit. I am deleting my tree on Ancestry and will not sync up or otherwise again.

  6135. Wes

    The writing was on the wall but I still had hopes I was wrong in my suspicions and that instead a new version would be released integrating AncestryDNA and improving the life of the researchers and maintainers of family trees. Yet, as I suspected, you guys decide to appeal to the casual crowd.
    It is beyond disappointing since coding a desktop application to consume a web service is far from rocket science.
    Having reached limits of the research of what I can find by using your paid subscription and if the situation regarding FTM does not change, I am also leaving and relying on the GEDCOM standard to maintain my records.
    It is a sad day for genealogy.

  6136. Betty

    When I made my tree public, my personal documents were transferred and made available. Can I delete them?

  6137. Gayle

    Just what are we to do now? I have been a loyal Family Tree Maker user since it started on the Commodore. How will I be able to sync my tree so that I don’t have to do everything twice? This is one of the best software out there for the user. I saw an add for Roots Magic but it won’t snyc with ancestry, do I quit ancestry and pull my four trees? Since, it won’t be any good any longer for me to keep the trees open. I put lots of time and work into those trees and I love to share them because I have been connecting to new cousin almost daily. Those other software programs are lame in my opinion and I have used six or seven of them. I always go back to Family Tree Maker. I am now at a complete loss as what to do.

  6138. Judy Phillips

    With all of this negative feedback to your announcement, it will be interesting to see if your company is responsive to its customers. Or if you just continue on and wonder what went wrong, when your customers start disappearing…

  6139. Sandra Harwood

    I have invested huge amounts of time to build family trees based on the Family Tree Maker software. It is outrageous that Ancestry.com would announce a withdrawal of the product with their announcement not even providing a suggestion as to how we are to continue maintaining our tress in the coming years. Are we just to through away all of the years of work we have done. Are you providing a new software that will be compatible with FTM that we can download our existing information on to without have to retype every entry???? Please respond.

  6140. Elizabeth

    SInce my membership was just renewed, I will be with you for another year. I am with the large percentage of people who have expressed disappointment with your decision, I am dismayed at your decision. I started the FTM program after looking at several others and stayed with it because of the compatibility with the regular Ancestry program. I was looking for a program that could easily be updated. Never saw this coming, but would not be surprised if you started pushing harder for people to use the book publisher feature, which is an additional expense, Thousands of people have helped you build your files by buying your service and storing their information on your site. Having to pay to get a printed version of it after doing all the work is a bit absurd. I also do not like the update to the individual pages. It is not as user friendly and makes it ore difficult to easily find the information that was readily available on one page in the old format.. As many other, I’ll be processing what happens over the next year and deciding whether to stay or not.

  6141. Jeanine

    What a HUGE disappointment when I opened gmail this morning to find that Ancestry.com is dropping FTM because of the “declining desktop software market”. It’s not declining here. I have hundreds of documents for hundreds of leaves on my tree. What are we supposed to do now? I don’t particularly want my research in an ancestry ‘cloud’. Tablet and smartphone research just won’t work. The formats are too small and cumbersome and don’t have near the storage capacity I have on my desktop or laptop. I’m going to have to seriously rethink my membership. Why didn’t you offer any alternatives?

  6142. Lori Collins

    This is a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE mistake!!!!! I agree with the comments already made: 1) I will not depend on an online service to hold all my Ancestry data, 2) I became a member of Ancestry.com only because it was part of Family Tree Maker and had a great interface, 3) TreeSync is great so what happens to my FTM info when I can no longer sync it with Ancestry.com? I sincerely hope you retake your decision.

  6143. Momo

    I don’t care for the new Ancestry look at all, then I learned we have no choice come Dec 15th because everyone will be switched to it, like it or not. As others have chimed in on, most of the hints are pretty much undocumented compilations from the 1000’s of trees or indexes held elsewhere. I’ve been observing the unbundling of items that were previously searchable in Ancestry, like those now found in Fold3, which you now have to pay additional for. The DNA option is nice; but, the advertising is deceptive with all the hidden costs. Ancestry is still offering FTM yet put on the order screen in tiny print “capabilities will cease in 2017.” Too much smoke and mirrors going on now with Ancestry. My subscription is up for renewal in January; rather than pay for an entire year, I will go month by month until I can transfer all my Trees and media to my desktop and then delete it while I search for another service; then, if Ancestry doesn’t have the smarts to re-think these so called “new improvements” it’s bye-bye Ancestry.

  6144. George

    Why aren’t you posting my comments if you appreciate them so much. Did you have anything to do with the Obama care rollout?
    Almost as massively stupid.

  6145. All of my initial work is done on FTM.
    Looks like a very bad decision to rid us of a useful “starting tool” for our family information. Once confirmed on Ancestry I can link to that file.
    I also dislike what you did to Ancestry.
    Looks like everyone will move on to other software programs after you discontinue FTM.
    PLEASE RECONSIDER!!

  6146. Russ

    Bad news from Ancestry!
    I have use FTM since 1998 for my family history collections. The best features were charts and genealogies, book editing and websearch. I do not allow all my data to sync to online trees, as I value my time and effort to gather info. Will probably move to another genealogy software provider and cancel Ancestry subscription.

  6147. Cindy Gardiner

    I have been a FTW user since 1999. This is very disturbing news. Not all of us want to put our info on line as there is no guarantee of confidentiality even if we keep it private. I am very disappointed and will be looking for an alternative. I have subscribed to ancestry.ca from time-to-time over the years but as this smacks of a cash grab that is over.

  6148. Stan

    I don’t use FTM but, I have considered it due to others talking about it. GLAD I have not made the move. As for this decision by Ancestry, who I have grown to enjoy very much and use almost daily. When they announced the new website was coming, I checked it out and did not like it at all. I responded to the request for comments and expressed my distaste for the new site. I got no response ( not that I expected one, but other sites often do ), only continual requests to check it out. Apparently, Ancestry intends to go ahead with the new site, not giving you the option of continuing to use the old format. I knew then, that after the sell of Ancestry a while back, the Customer was no longer important. I don’t know how others feel about the new website, but I have considered saving my $200.00 a year, as soon as I figure out where to go. This is why I was considering FTM, not realizing it was apart of Ancestry. Really hate to hear this as well as seeing the site change. Guess I will just have to find a new hobby or new way to work.

  6149. Dora

    I am just sickened by this decision. I will not be adding any more information to my ancestry.com tree before putting everything on Family Search. At least they do not have an annual subscription cost so I don’t have to worry about losing access to all my hard work should I not be able to afford a subscription someday. Please reconsider what you are doing – the main reason I subscribed to ancestry is because of its ability to link with my software.

  6150. Helen

    Thank you for this announcement. Once I am finished transferring all of my trees elsewhere and finished with all DNA searches needed, I won’t be needing Ancestry’s services anymore. I hope the loss of customers and money was worth it. Your online tree software currently cannot do what FTM does. Therefore, it will be pointless for me to waste much more time with your company. What a mess!

  6151. john

    This is crazy. Please don’t retire FTM. If you go through with it, that will be it for me too. I will retire from the hobby.

  6152. Pat

    Even when Microsoft closes down a version of Windows, they give a long notice and around a three year sunset period with support. Is there a reason for the haste and lack of notice? Hasty decision is the correct description.

  6153. Jennifer

    Please listen to your customers, do not ruin a good thing! FTM + Ancestry Online is GREAT! You just made it so much easier and better for your customers, don’t abandon us! Without FTM, Ancestry just won’t work for us anymore. I’d hate to cancel, but if you do this, it’s the final nail in your coffin! Please don’t do it!

  6154. Tom

    It’s seems the blog posts are pretty much unanimous – this was a really stupid, tone deaf decision, but one not likely to be reversed or even reconsidered by current management regardless of the outrage, whining and begging. The good news is that it’s our wake up call to start easing toward the exits. Even with the “surprise” announcement, we have some time to re-assess the client’s role in the Ancestry business plan and develop our Plan B to protect the data we have worked so hard to collect. I suggest we not dilly dally. The next surprise may be that our online trees are being held hostage pending some additional payment or other new agreement that Ancestry may require.(We’ve seen it work for hackers who hold hard drives hostage for ransom payments.) Take your data and run.

  6155. Eric C Miller

    I always thought of Ancestry as a very customer-friendly company, almost parent-like. I have always recommended it other people. This seems like such a harsh decision, with major consequences for how your customers maintain and grow their trees. Is it back to manual entries on our FTM, copy and paste, will we make GEDCOMs of our ancestry trees and keep merging them into FTM?
    I know that Ancestry is the goliath of genealogical resources, so I will continue to subscribe, but it looks like I’ll be losing a lot of convenience and having a lot of headaches.
    I know the company was sold to a German company. I know that new owners always want to maximize profits, shed less profitable products or divisions, cut staff, cut salaries and other types of scorched earth capitalism; it’s just that this seems to fly in the face of Ancestry corporate culture, which to me always seemed to be that we are all a family, company and customers.
    Some FTM customers don’t want to have public trees, I always have, at least my cleanest, most error-free, and most significant ones. I think it has been a two-way street. Ancestry has kept adding records, but the users have also continually added content. Many avid users have large, well-researched trees, and many have added wonderful photographs. I would say these productive contributors have help make Ancestry what it is…and these same people are probably the same people with FTM.

  6156. WKnott

    A simple protest would be for all to convert all of their data to private. Once Ancestry has no member trees open for sharing, they might feel some pressure. All of those little leaves turning brown and falling off the tree…

  6157. Mark Wolmetz

    Join the BOYCOTT ANCESTRY MOVEMENT
    Cancel and/or do not renew your subscriptions, delete your trees and move them elsewhere, and spread the word that corporate greed is Ancestry’s overriding motivation for discontinuing Family Tree Maker.

  6158. Beth

    I’m appalled by this decision. I have a coworker, a computer tech, who was struggling with her first tree on the web site. She actually gave up and decided that Ancestry was not for her. FTM is a much gentler and clearer introduction for a beginner. As a long-time user of FTM, I keep most of my trees on my private PC due to NPEs and adoptions in and out of the family. I also do work for others that I would never presume to place online. However, the tree sync is useful for the small bits of data that I do choose to share online. Fortunately I have evaluated several other products and already know which one will be my program of choice.

  6159. Barb Third

    Oct. 26, 2012: “Ancestry.com Inc. executives backed a $1.6 billion buyout by Permira Advisers LLP [a global investment firm] and dismissed higher bids for the world’s largest family-history website to protect their jobs and get shares in the deal, Ancestry investors said in a court filing. Timothy Sullivan, Ancestry’s chief executive officer, and another executive supported Permira’s bid after receiving promises they could keep their posts and roll $67 million in Ancestry shares into the newly private company, the Ancestry shareholders said in a sealed Delaware Chancery Court filing reviewed by Bloomberg News. Sullivan and Howard Hockhauser, Ancestry’s chief financial officer, served as the lead negotiators with bidders seeking to acquire the genealogical research firm, according to the Dec. 7 filing. Sullivan also sits on Ancestry’s board. Because of their financial stake in Permira’s bid, the executives’ focus was on “obtaining the greatest return on their equity rollover, putting their interests at odds with public shareholders,” the investors said in the filing…Sullivan supported Permira’s and TPG’s joint bid because both firms “offered the option to roll over his equity and keep his job,” the investors said in the filing. The CEO also didn’t inform his fellow directors that he had a financial interest in Permia’s offer until the final bids were presented to Ancestry’s board in October, according to the filing…”

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-10-26/ancestry-com-sued-over-1-6-billion-permira-buyout-deal

  6160. Nancy Schlesinger

    Add my name to those who have expressed disappointment over this news. I am also one of those who do not use the “cloud” and want to keep my records on MY computer not out in space. When I travel, the laptop goes along. Printing reports is one of the major things I like about FTM….can’t do that with Ancestry. Hopefully someone will take a hard look at the many customers this will upset…..I can see a mass exodus in your future.

  6161. Robert

    Pure GREED.!
    When Permira bought Ancestry.com back in 2012, it was expected that several years later they would want to unload it. Permira Advisers LLC is a buyout agency. It is in the business of buying other businesses, pumping them up with real or perceived value, and then selling the businesses for a significant profit.
    One way to ‘pump up’ the value of Ancestry.com is to force users to an online subscription model and to force users to upload their databases to a web-based database, thus relinquishing your ownership and control of your database. Refer to the Ancestry Term & Conditions, whereby ‘…you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a non-exclusive, transferable, sublicenseable, world-wide, royalty-free license for the maximum amount of time permitted by applicable law to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to and otherwise use User Provided Content uploaded or otherwise submitted by you to the Websites…’
    Ceasing to sell Family Tree Maker is the first step to force you to an online subscription model, thus losing ownership and control of your database.
    Spend the remainder of your subscription period to transfer your database, in an orderly manner, to one of the many desktop software packages that enjoy ongoing development, enhancement and support.
    I am.

  6162. Cindy

    I am VERY upset that Ancestry has chosen this course of action with no alternatives provided that would support existing database information. The database I have is the result of almost 30 years work of many people of my family, with over 17,000 names and thousands of photos and documents. If I loose, or can no longer access this information in the future, I will be BEYOND enraged!! I do understand why your company has chosen this as a business decision. But it is not as if the database information can be read easily by another application. And I would imagine that your company had not sold rights of access to the code to another software manufacturer to allow Family Tree Maker data to be made accessible on another application. Your company claims to help people find out about their ancestry. Well, do you really? Or is it strictly about profit, and genealogical research be damned? For those of us who do genealogical research with extensive databases, before you cut us off at the knees, at least suggest an alternative of what can be used next and how we can transfer our data.

  6163. Jeffrey F. Lee

    http://recode.net/2015/07/26/the-long-game-google-partners-with-ancestry-com-to-beat-the-specter-of-aging/

    So in the linked article, it states that Ancestry claims to have 2 million paying subscribers, 7 million trees, and over 1 million DNA customers. So how many of the 2 million use Family Tree Maker? How many use FTM and are not subscribers? If it is about money (which I’m sure it is), then charge a subscription fee for updates. Cut back on your development staff for FTM, only do critical patching, and new development could be limited to the top things that the users request and vote on that they want. Don’t want to get the new patches and features? Don’t pay the fee. I’d cough up another $20 a year to keep FTM being improved. Are there at least 100,000 FTM users? Then that is 2 million dollars right there. Even if you paid your staff $200,000, that would be 10 developers.

    The way I understand it, FTM will continue to work. I certainly hope we continue to get shaky leaves in FTM, and be able to search and attach sources from Ancestry from within FTM. I love FTM and I’m a long-time user, and I don’t want to have to find something else. If enough people are willing to pay, perhaps it makes better financial sense to keep it around. Especially if it helps keep the masses happy.

  6164. Jerry

    I am as disappointed as all the other thousands of users. Unless the online version has the full capabilities of FTM, I will look to switch programs. And, I may anyway, since I don’t like to be totally dependent on the cloud. Please reconsider or be prepared for many users cancelling.

  6165. trent

    Unfortunatly I just Reupped in October for another year. Ancestry you better start looking for a buyer right now before all of your previous loyal customers don’t resubscribe to your service and your bottom line goes to **** in a bread basket. maybe us older customers just don’t trust the cloud for our personal info. Just thought I would add my 2 cents about your newest slap in the face to your customers.

  6166. Thomas E Marquis

    I will not save any work of any kind in the “cloud”. I will not use any cloud based programs. I also believe anybody who does is basically ignorant of computer usage. Too much can be lost, permanently, to info stored in the “cloud”. I use my desktop computer for 95% of my computing because it is very powerful machine. I use only stand-alone programs from a CD. I will never pay monthly fees to use a particular program. You are making a huge mistake, and apparently are doing so in the belief that it will improve your profits. I believe you will lose most of a very loyal base of users. If this comes to pass, I will never recommend your company, again, as I have many times in the past.

  6167. John P. Jackson

    You’ll get no more money from me. I’m cutting the tree down and calling it the gospel and finalized.

  6168. Rita

    Considering how much it costs to maintain an online membership at Ancestry, Family Tree Maker was a good way to keep all the documentation safe when circumstances made membership a hardship. This is the only reason I purchased it, last month. I hope you are planning some good changes, because combined with the miserable new format, your customers are going to need something nice to keep going with Ancestry. Like allowing access to DNA segment identification and quantification. Otherwise, you are just going the wrong way, time after time.

  6169. Deb

    Ancestry – There are still a few weeks left in 2015. What else can you possibly do this year to ruin yourselves? You might as well go out big.

  6170. Gordy

    Been an FTM user since the start. Luckily we developed our own website to handle this kind of things because we suspected this might happen a couple of years ago, as we saw they were buying up all the independent genealogy sites. Looks like this is prime material for a class-action law suit.

  6171. James Winters

    been here since day one. I had some reservations about giving Ancestry.com my family info cause I would have to turn around and pay a fee to access it and others. We made Ancestry.com and FTM into the giant it is and now they are finally doing what all other companies do when when they get rich off the masses. Thanks for being loyal to those who supported you through the years

  6172. Tony Maddaloni

    This is a major disappointment and will require many of us to seek alternatives because we are losing so much! Current users of FTM are losing a lot: the program has features that are not available online; We have no way to maintain local backups of all our hard work. If we do not have access to the internet, we must make double entries, one being our notes and then updating the online tree. Total reliance of our data on your website which you could withhold or decide to charge us outrageous amounts to access later on. Our ability to pass on to relatives, manual copies and organized documentation of our work. We will be forced to totally trust your security by now entering all data in the cloud even for data which I would rather not (What websites have not been hacked lately!?). You are only giving us a year of support. it should be 5 years (even Microsoft continues to support its products for 5 years!).
    For all of these reasons, I will actively and energetically be looking for an alternative to your services. You obviously didn’t think this through change when adopting your “new” business model.

  6173. Carol Gerrish

    After 20+ years of software purchases and subscription fees, I join with 6000+ commenters with whom you have broken trust. Sadly, I did not listen to Lisa Louise Cooke’s (Genealogy Gems) advice to avoid sharing data with you. I’ll pull my trees with 5000 entries, but you’ll keep the data and make even more money off it, won’t you?? Thankfully, I never added photos or you’d have them too. (Genealogy colleagues — read Ancestry’s Terms of Service — google and read Lisa’s blog — we’ve been taken — and now it’s time to thank FTM/Ancestry for making their intentions clear and move on before giving them access and rights to any more info)

  6174. Wally

    Discontinuing Family Tree Maker is a major mistake on Ancestry’s part. Please do not discontinue FTM, it is the life blood of most genealogists.

  6175. Kathy

    Is there any chance you will reconsider? Or should I buy a program from another company now? I have a large public tree with lots of information on Ancestry and on my FTM, but I am not going to depend on just an online tree for all my data and definitely not for my records. I have a couple more trees almost ready to upload, but if I have to move everything to another program and can’t search through it, I’m not going to spend the time putting all that information on Ancestry, too. And this also removes any motivation for using Ancestry for my DNA research; I’ll go with a company I can rely on to support me in the future. Dropping FTM is a mistake. Please don’t do it.

  6176. Doug Smith

    For all the reasons already given, I, too, am pissed and want my name added to the list. I add to, correct, edit, etc my tree on my computer, not the one I uploaded. I was about to order two more DNA kits and was looking to upgrade. Now I think I might just cancel my subscription.

  6177. Lisa Haas

    Angry? You bet I am. If there is a possibility for a class action suit, you can add my name.
    FTM=Ancestry=FTM=Ancestry. Ancestry is nothing without FTM.

  6178. Jill Markwood

    Just cancelled my subscription after 25 years of dealing with them. As of Jan 9th I will be searching for new software and online service. Greed…shame on you Ancestry.com!

  6179. Dena

    I am very disappointed. Last fall I travelled to the UK, visiting archives and libraries in small rural places. I do not think one single location had wifi access and as I Canadian, I did not have any mobile devices that I could afford to use overseas. In each location, I carefully recorded all my research, added my new documents, built my citations, transcribed the key pieces of evidence into my FTM software. I kept building my tree. Internet access was bad at the B&Bs where I stayed and I could not sync my tree to Ancestry until I got back to Canada. With the disconntinuation of FTM, I do not know how will I be able to efficiently document my research when I am offline and then add it to my tree? Unlike the USA, much of this world is not reliably connected to the internet. Genealogists go in search of their roots in places where they cannot use mobile technology. I think you have lost sight of your stalwart audience and what their needs are. Mine are efficient complex database management, offline capacity to build my tree, sync to my online tree and printing genealogical reports. I am a Mac user. I will now have to explore a new way of doing my research. I certainly don’t think it will involve further investment in online trees.

  6180. Charles Fisher

    Reports and many other features of FTM are superior to Ancestry. If this happens then I plan to dump Ancestry and do my research elsewhere. Anyway the new Ancestry platform is junk

  6181. Kathy

    If you looked at the cost benefit of this FTM termination plan, you sure missed the cost impact of the lost revenue when your Ancestry customers leave! Both services need to continue to keep me coming back to Ancestry.com. Bad decision made!

  6182. Lisa Haas

    Angry? You bet I am!
    If there is a class action suit, add my name.
    FTM=Ancestry. Ancestry is nothing without FTM!

  6183. Ron

    This is TOTALLY a MONEY PLOY!! All my information will be in your LAP – How dumb do you think the public is?? Rats to you – I will have to go with another genealogy site now.

  6184. Madeleine

    To quote Ed Hamblin: ‘It is obvious that Ancestry did not check to see what the customer base wants.’ Have they ever done so?? not to my knowledge. They dumped the ‘new improved’ Ancestry on us, they have made other non-user friendly changes in the past and never once have I ever been aware of a consultation process for any of those changes. When I worked in an IT area for a medium size company we were obliged to consult with users, Ancestry does not value its user enough to do so.
    Is there any point in even writing in this blog? because it seems that Ancestry don’t even look at it. If they did they would not be pressing us into using the ‘new improved’ version against our will.

  6185. Raymond Norwood

    Sad to see Ancestry collapse and fail like this, I am afraid you are finished. Merry Christmas.

  6186. Jack

    I fully support the BOYCOTT ANCESTRY MOVEMENT. I plan to not renew my subscription in 2017 if this announced decision is finalized. I will also remove all of my Family trees from the online site. Makes no sense if I cannot access them from with my desk top software.

  6187. Rick Lanting

    I would like to add to the cacophony of those who are very disappointed with your decision to end production and support for FTM. My research will always be based in my computer & not on your website exclusively. The only reason I have my work published on your website now is because of the Sync feature. Once that function no longer works I will remove all of my work from your website. Then I will reevaluate my need for a subscription. If I find it necessary to use another software program it will take me hundreds of hours to make the transition. I will not return to any software you may create in the future once you recognize your foolish decision.

  6188. Craig C

    I’m also very disappointed in the loss of all the genealogical features and functionality that FTM offered and with no mention of adding them to Ancestry.com. Unbelievable really…

  6189. Toni

    Interesting… I haven’t seen a single answer from Ancestry to any of the many questions posed here. What I do see is a mass exodus and Ancestry circling the drain. You’re not “retiring FTM”, you’re betraying and abandoning the many, many loyal customers you’ve gained over the years. I’ve very sure I’m not alone in saying you’ve just lost my respect and loyalty. I may reconsider if this decision is reversed…. maybe. Good luck, Ancestry… you’re gonna need it!

  6190. Ron

    Some young college punk trying to make an impression – dumb move – im looking elsewhere for genealogy now.

  6191. Perhaps if software sales are down and it makes legitimate business sense to retire FTM, Ancestry would consider incorporating some of that product’s best features into the website and online trees? For example, the ability to create and print more robust reports (among others).

  6192. Susan

    Who owns my family tree and the data on it? Well, lots of people, including me. Although copies of pictures are posted online, I still own the original and all rights to it. I have simply ‘loaned’ the pictures to others through an online venue. I also own family stories written by me and my comments about my family — whether the information on the census record fits or not. Census records are owned by the US government and shared with others through NARA and other sources. I own my family trees — I created them and added to them. What about birth, death and marriage certificates? Again, those are owned by the state and local governments that issued them– Ancestry has simply been given permission to use them. I am still going to pull my family trees from Ancestry.

  6193. Jannette

    I’ve been using FTM software since 1982. What will I ever do without it!!!! The new look of the online tree is really confusing and not user friendly to me.

  6194. Peter

    Well, if you are going to behave like that, I’m not going to support you. Just deleted my tree from your site, so you won’t make any more money out of my hard work, and that of my collaborators.
    If you think I’m going to be forced to upload any more data into the cloud, think again. Neither will I pay a regular subscription for the privilege of thereby enhancing your profits.
    Bye.

  6195. Gary Blohm

    Interesting that after 24 hours and thousands of posts there is no response from Ancestry. Are they listening??

  6196. Jock

    Almost 7,000 posts now, almost much all of which are negative and angry yet there’s not a single word from ancestry.com. I think that pretty much sums up their level of concern for their (previously) loyal customers.

  6197. Bonnie

    This is shocking and disturbing news. I have been using FTM for 2 decades. It has capabilities not on the website. I do no want to have my tree only in the cloud. I frequently work offline. I have information that I do not want uploaded to the website. I think it will be time to research alternatives (other products,not Ancestry’s). I liked the integration of the DT and website. About a decade ago, I liked the website; but with each “updating” I have grown less fond of it. It is very limiting, not to mention costly. I may be reconsidering my subscription as well.

  6198. Joe

    I first bought Family Tree Maker a very long time ago when it was owned by Broderbund and have purchased all upgrades since then.
    I have been very satisfied with the FTM desktop program as it was upgraded. Only in the past year or so I subscribed to Ancestry.com. I have not posted my family tree online with Ancestry for several reasons. The time and effort that I have put in to constructing my tree has value and I felt that I was not willing to just give that away to some company that was going to charge someone else to use it; in essence making money on my time and efforts. Another reason is that once I would post the tree on Ancestry.com there is a lot of personal, private, sensitive information open to the world to see and use by strangers potentially with ulterior motives. Another reason is that a cousin who shared her tree with me asked me not to post it on line for security reasons.
    I cannot see how anybody who has posted their trees online with Ancestry.com would leave them there in light of what we are seeing Ancestry doing now with all of us who have been loyal and supported FTM to the point where as they advertised is the
    ” #1 selling family history software”. What a slap in the face to us who supported FTM for many, many years. Anybody who posts their information on Ancestry from now on knowing what they are doing now has to be an idiot. Who knows what they are going to do next. ANCESTRY CANNOT BE TRUSTED!!. I hope there is some smart lawyer (Ancestry subscriber) would come in and file a lawsuit and put Ancestry and its present management in a position that would bankrupt them and have some other management come in take over the assets in bankruptcy and go back to the present status quo.
    This needs to cost Ancestry money.
    WHEN IS ANCESTRY GOING TO FIRE THE IDIOTS WHO ARE PROPOSING AND IMPLEMENTING THIS? WHO IS ON THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS?

  6199. EL Wright

    This is a travesty. Have used FTM since its inception. Cancel FTM and I hope everyone who does business with you cancels Ancestry too. What is it with you corporate absconders? More money to use Ancestry than FTM. What good is Ancestry without FTM to organize it? Please rethink this terrible business decision. You are cheating loyal customers!

  6200. Paul Orser

    I have little to add to the hundreds of other similar messages other than to second their disappointment with this decision.

  6201. Jay Weber

    I have been researching my family tree for 50 years. I started using Family Tree Maker when Broderbund came out with it’s earliest DOS version. After what amounts to a lifetime commitment on my part, you now leave me with no alternative but to jump ship to a competitor. You had better kiss me goodbye now that you’ve screwed me! Thanks for your sincere lack of support.

  6202. Shirley Dodson

    I’m sorry for this decision. If Ancestry Tree Maker is to be completely eliminated, keep in mind the number of your faithful customers who are affected.

  6203. Cyndi

    Besides all the grousing I have about this in relation to myself, I have to wonder about the people Ancestry is putting out of a job! I don’t know where the FTM software was produced, but there are people’s whose job is to produce, package, and ship that software. While these people are finding out that they are losing theirs jobs, I wonder how large a bonus Mr. Hulet is pocketing this holiday season!

  6204. My husband has just started a special interest group for “Family Tree Maker” for the California Genealogical Society. He represents a large group of users who are very upset about this move. We urge you to reconsider.

  6205. Dan Ward

    I have been a contributing member of Ancestry since day one and a loyal user of FTM since the Banner Blue days. Its hard for me to believe that you are willing to throw hundreds of thousands of users under the bus without warning because of some questionable “declining desktop software market”. Apparently you don’t give a damn about how the FTM users are supposed to actively interface with Ancestry after you stop supporting your software program. These are the same people who have spent thousands of hours contributing to your World Archives Project and downloading millions to family tree records to Ancestry both at no cost to Ancestry, both of which significantly contributed to you data base that you can then charge people to access.

    If for some strange reason to want to discontinue selling one of the most popular Genealogy out their that is your business. However I can not see any good reason why the FTM/Ancestry interface can not say as it is. Its already up and running and should not cost you a dime, which it seems is your primary concern, It would help if you scrapped the “New Ancestry” which is a step backwards and appears to be fairly universally disliked by most users and go back to the “Old Ancestry”

    I fully support the thousands of comments which have proceeded mine. I always thought that Ancestry was an honorable organization with a goal of supporting its millions of loyal users. I guess I was wrong. It now appears that your primary concern is how to increase you profits, be damned your users.

    If you can’t see your way to continuing to support FTM why don’t you sell it to someone who will.

  6206. David Faux

    Just finished making my 12,000 name tree, entirely researched “the old fashioned way”, private. That is step one. Step two will be to decide when to completely remove the tree – which is a bit tricky since it is linked to my DNA profile. Then my wife and I will go on a mad rampage to download everything not already accessed in our research (e.g., from newspapers). Finally, once my subscription date arrives, I will cancel and be done with this Machiavellian corporation.

  6207. Eliot Matson

    Have been using FTM since the DOS Ages (v1.0) See no need to spend any more money with Ancestry. See no need to wait until 2017. To own a product less than 2 years and be told some bs about the desktop market being old; that’s just sad. On a brighter note, i have found a better program. Thanks for nothing.

  6208. Terri

    Unfortunately I just paid my $300 annual subscription to ancestry.com. I have been a loyal member for many, many year. I will not be renewing next year if my FTM software will no longer be functional. My 5 different family tree files will be removed from ancestry.com…one of which contains over 14000 ancestors.

  6209. Joe

    I cannot state my disappointment any more than than the many people have already stated. I hope you reconsider or I also be out.

  6210. Brian H

    There is a pattern in the comments suggesting that you could serve your customers by recommendations/endorsements of alternatives. I am sure you will find a meaningful response.

  6211. Lois Lane

    I am not happy with this decision. I was told I had to upgrade to FTM 2014 after my new hard drive was installed with Windows 8.1 (Which is what I had prior to the new hard drive and FTM 2012). Now you are saying you will NOT support this after the end of next year. I paid a LOT of money for this program (~ $90) and I hear MANY people saying that FTM 2012 works fine on Windows 8.1… You are a manipulative Controlling company. When my Ancestry subscription expires, I am DONE with your company. I won’t be investing another dime. You take our information and then CHARGE other people for it WHILE WE do the work to put it all together for you. Now it looks like you want all of our work ONLINE so you can take that as well. Maybe you think that having all the pieces makes you righteous in God’s Eyes…but it is by Grace that we are saved NOT by what we accomplish….and Genealogy is NEVER finished so it will always be below par to working your way to heaven. Have a nice day!!

  6212. Jim

    Am already researching other programs and sites. However I’ll wait until early next year to see if you change your mind.Otherwise I will be one of the huge pack to be leaving you.

  6213. Bradleym

    It’s a sad day in FTM land. . . As my grandmother would say “Shame on you”. I had a bad feeling when Ancestry acquired FTM and made some “improvements”. I (like most others) think you need to rethink the decision to STOP FTM. I has and will be a valuable tool for my research for my family’s trees.

  6214. Elizabeth Murray

    Please reconsider your decision. “The negative impact on your subscribers is huge and may adversely affect your company as a result. I have used Ancestry and FTM for at least 15 years and have recommended both regularly. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am at the thought of not being able to use them together!

  6215. I am the facilitator for the Family Tree Maker Special Interest Group of the California Genealogical Society. We have had a large and growing group of FTM users. FTM in combination with Ancestry.com has ‘hands-down’ been the most superior genealogy software.

    If this discontinuance of FTM is sustained it will be the worst thing that has happened to genealogy since I have been involved. It is a total betrayal of an extremely loyal user base who have poured their life blood and life work into FTM coupled with ancestry.com. The synergy of the two programs is brilliant and essential. Ancestry by itself is inadequate and WEAK! The TREE-SYNC is everything!

    This can not stand as the end of near perfect genealogy software …
    This company should be ashamed of this action!!!

    Respectfully
    Ronald W Madson

  6216. Kathy

    I have used both Ancestry and FTM for years–at considerable expense. This decision–along with the “new” Ancestry–seems to have little regard for the users and little concern for those of us who have trusted Ancestry for years. Many people have years and years of research entered into FT files. Many of us have also been happy to contribute information and research. I can’t find anything honorable in this business decision..

  6217. Bob Nobis

    I am extremely disappointed by this news. The only reason I use Ancestry.com is because of the integration of Family Tree Maker with Ancestry.com. I may no longer use Ancestry for anything once you stop supporting Family Tree Maker. I have worked for over 20 years on my history, and paid ancestry a significant amount of money over the years. With the disappearance of FTM, this will be a very big waste of money. Bob

  6218. Andrew Martin Kolstee

    I am very upset. I use FTM to sync my tree to Ancestry.com. The interface of FTM is much better than that of Ancestry’s online trees. Also, it’s easier to access my tree offline with FTM when I do not have access to the Internet.

    The least Ancestry could do is keep TreeSync going so we can sync our trees. Or at the very least, come out with a new FTM version less often to keep up with new features.

  6219. Ray

    As was pointed out much higher in this blog:

    (In October 2012, Ancestry.com agreed to be acquired by a private equity group consisting of Permira Advisers LLP, members of Ancestry.com’s management team, including CEO Tim Sullivan and CFO Howard Hochhauser, and Spectrum Equity for $32 per share or around $1.6 billion.)

    VC traditionally destroy the companies that they have bought in the quest for Profit, and then sell the husk of what is left back to the public. What a great country.

    Kendall who is “in charge” of this section of the company is merely a minion.

  6220. I have been with ancestry almost since day one. You don’t know how distressing this is to me and the several thousand that have already e-mailed you. I have it on my tablet and my I-phone. Am I to use only those platforms now? . I am call a big BS on all of you. Shame on you for NOT being forthright and honest.

  6221. Joe

    A MISTAKE of the century, Ancestry!! Based on the outpouring of negative responses JUST TODAY, I feel that Ancestry needs to take a step back and reconsider their poorly judged decision. Like so many other respondents, I too must reassess my very long time annual financial loyalty to Ancestry, which by the way increased annual fees substantially recently. While I admit that it is fantastic that new and innovative additions are being periodically added to the Ancestry arsenal, I must admit that I bought into Ancestry AS A RESULT OF MY FTM ACQUISITION. I DID NOT purchase FTM as a result of Ancestry. It’s like the egg (FTM) BEFORE the chicken (Ancestry). I beg Ancestry to retain the FTM product. It appears that eliminating FTM will require all Ancestry users to renew their subscriptions annually in order to have a working family tree software that MUST be online only. I suspect that is the “profit motivating” factor. In fact, I would not be opposed to fewer updates to FTM in lieu of Ancestry simply retaining the FTM software program and continue servicing those of us who are TOTALLY committed to the FTM program. To the folks at Ancestry, thanks for so many years of impressing me. Jettisoning FTM will definitely negate those impressions. Again, please don’t get rid of FTM. Find a place in the budget. Losing customers would certainly negatively impact your budget. I hope every FTM user will share their true feelings on the issue. Ancestry’s competitors must be toasting their good news.

  6222. Ron Gibb

    Well there goes a thirty year hobby-turned obsession down the drain. Thanks Ancestry.com. Though I doubt all these thousands of negative messages will ever be read at Ancestry, there is a way to show the bean counters our displeasure. I suggest every member immediately PRIVATIZE any tree they have on Ancestry. This will at least get their attention, and give them a strong message as to how many of their customers they will potentially be losing.

  6223. Bob Nobis

    Further to my previous message, I have been using the Ancestry.com “World Explorer” package, and was about to upgrade to the “All Access” package. Since FTM is going away, I will no longer upgrade, and also do not plan on renewing the “World Explorer” package. Bob

  6224. Roger

    One of the things I use regularly from FTM that is NOT available (currently) on ancestry is the publishing ability. Also available on FTM and not (currently) on ancestry is the ability to list duplicate people. I say currently as I ask is ancestry going to incorporate these items into their programming without incurring separate and additional charges?

  6225. Nancy Fenner

    I’ve been subscribing to Ancestry.com since 1998 and I’ve been using Family Tree Maker since 1998. At least once before, I informed you that I do not like some of the features of the new Ancestry.com I am seriously thinking of cancelling my subscription.

  6226. Lyle

    Nearly 7,000 messages here already and none are complimentary. And for each person that posts, there have to be at least 5 that haven’t bothered to post, but that are upset.

    Can you really absorb the ill-will of 35,000 users? What would it take for you to reconsider this decision? 10,000 messages? 20,000? My guess is you’d stick to your guns regardless claiming the needs of the “future.”

    Perhaps a sharp drop in membership + software revenue will get some of the decision-makers that are focused on the “future” replaced with those focused on subscribers’ genealogy needs. I’m not holding my breath.

  6227. Barbara

    Like millions of your loyal supporters I am extremely unhappy with your decision to no longer support FTM. What an absolute shame that you could not take the time to test out the market before making this horrid decision. PLEASE PLEASE reconsider this bad action.

  6228. Michael

    I think you are making a mistake and you will lose support. Ancestry.com does not give the reporting that is so valuable in FTM.

  6229. Vale

    I use your desktop program so I don’t have to keep an on-line tree. I too will have to move to a new desktop software provider, I presume.

  6230. Mark

    Declining software market. Perhaps that’s the reason. Or Ancestry was concerned that it’s user base was keeping too much information on their local computer. By going down this roads, they’re essentially forcing everyone to put their records into the cloud, so Ancestry can financially benefit from everyone’s work. Business genius, I suppose. Well that is, unless there’s a significant following that stop using the service.

  6231. JD

    I have taken a day to reflect on this post. I have come to the following conclusions:
    1. This is a MONEYGRAB by Ancestry. This move only forces people into spending more money to access their own files or cease to view them.
    2. While this may make some kind of business sense (not paying to maintain, train, support etc) Family Tree Maker, It would seem to me that you would market it MORE to increase revenue. ESPECIALLY sense you are digitally downloading it,
    3. This move is ASININE and NOT very well thought through.
    4. I feel very VIOLATED and DISMAYED by the actions and methods used by Ance$try.
    5 I have now cancelled my ANNUAL WORLD MEMBERSHIP. (confirm date of anytime after midnite tonight)
    6. Knowing that Ance$try keeps the copies of our trees anyway to sell, I have simply entered false information into it all day to make it useless. (BTW I am related to Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, The entire crew of the USS Enterprise…Klingons included, many presidents, and so many men with women’s names.)
    7. I have downloaded my DNA File for transfer(even though I already know it is pretty useless due to the markers and the way Ance$try displays them)
    8. I have downloaded gedcoms of my trees. (prior to finding all my “famous” relatives)
    9. I have gone into my account and changed all my information to help shield me from any kind of exposure to those who Anc$$$estry has sold my info too.
    and finally….
    10 I have posted a warning to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and my personal website to reveal to those who don’t know just what Ance$$$try is about… (after all being a member for over 14 years I have seen and remembered some things they have done.)

    Does anyone remember Genealogy.com, Rootsweb, Genweb, findagrave, and more???? All places that used to be free to use and were bought up so their data could be packaged and sold back to us after WE provided it!!!

  6232. Dan

    I am at a loss. I don’t have the time to research other software right now. I have a slow internet connection that allows me to get online for e-mail and infrequent searches. I have used FTM for over 20+ years and created my tree with over 100,000 individuals. with FTM no longer keeping up with the operating systems that will be coming up, FTM will become unusable. Looks like I’m done with genealogy for a while.

  6233. Julie

    I had to stop being a member of Ancestry as I couldn’t afford it but atleast I still had my FTM
    will Ancestry become cheaper or is it really all about the money

  6234. Wanda

    Looks like you made everyone mad again. I still do not care for your new website that we are forced to use. At least you could fix Family Tree Maker so that we do not have to connect to you in order to keep our information on. Unfortunately your communication is not adequate and I bought the 2014 version because you did not say that it was only updates to the 2012 version so now I am stuck with two worthless versions.

  6235. Nancy

    I am shocked to hear this! And I am not happy, as I note most of the feedback shows I am not by any means alone. I hope that you reconsider this decision as this program means a lot to me and many others. As of this time, I am not really sure what your decision will mean in its entirety, if you do not reconsider. And not knowing is very stressful, though, even if I did know, I feel I would still be stressed and wonder what to do and how to proceed.
    PLEASE RECONSIDER! There are too many people who use this product and consider it the real pivotal piece of the Ancestry arsenal. Don’t take it away from us!

  6236. Tom

    I have been with both Ancestry and FTM since the late 90’s. To make your announcement a few weeks prior to implementation and offer no other information of assistance to your loyal subscribers is the height of corporate arrogance and has skewed all of the pride I had in Ancestry..

  6237. Jay Bailey

    With all of this negative feedback to your announcement, it will be interesting to see if your company is responsive to its customers. Or if you just continue on and wonder what went wrong, when your customers start disappearing. Remember when Coke had a better idea with “New Coke”. How did that work out for them? I urge you to reconsider.

  6238. Wayne Irons

    Perhaps if ancestry.com is no longer interested in supporting the software, you will OpenSource the latest version of it, so that it can continue to live on and be maintained by the software development community.

  6239. Bud

    This is very disapointing. I have been a Ftm buyer for decades, always upgrading every year (stupid). Purchaser of Ancestry World since it began (sucker). Cannot believe that this is happening. I will be finding something else soon.

  6240. Merryn

    Wow, apparently I am not the only one completely disappointed by this decision. My desire to keep using FTM is for reasons that have been stated here again and again: 1) back up copy on my hard drive (with as much work as has gone into my tree, I don’t feel secure keeping it only online), 2) ability to work without internet connection, 3) MUCH more flexible for attaching records, and adding data, 4) Some information in FTM that I do not want online. When I can no longer sync my online tree with FTM, cancellation of my Ancestry subscription is a strong probability.

  6241. Nancy

    I am deeply concerned by your decision to discontinue FTM. This leaves me feeling abandoned with no where to go. I’m not totally sure just what all this will mean to me. PLEASE RECONSIDER! There are too many loyal consumers who have supported Ancestry through FTM and ancestry who feel like the bottom just dropped out. I don’t understand, especially with the number of users I know there must be, how you could make this decision! Please rethink what you are doing.

  6242. Norma

    VERY disappointed with this move. I’ve been using Family Tree Maker (one version or another) for over 15 years. I don’t want to use an ap.

  6243. Lynne

    I’m very upset to hear that you will be discontinuing FTM. I think I speak for many of my generation who started doing genealogy way before there was ever a computer program to manage our files or the internet to assist us in researching and storing our work. This group of researchers still feels a need to have the information that they have worked so hard to gather over decades under their own control and can’t trust it to be solely “in the cloud.” While you will support us until January 1, 2017, eventually with new computer technology our versions of FTM will no longer be able to run. Ironically, the time may be coming when we will have to consider going back to keeping paper records of everything!

    and was SO happy when you introduced the Tree Sync feature with Ancestry.com. To me it was one of the best tools.”

  6244. Karen

    Horrible decision! Your web format is no comparison to FTM. I rely on the software to store all my years of research on my own computer and backup. Please reconsider and respond positively to all your faithful customers who want this software continued.

  6245. Anne P

    Very disappointed to hear this. Been using Ancestry and FTM for recording the info I find for many years. I have just renewed my subscription for the forthcoming year, but will now have to look for alternatives. Hopefully you will reconsider your decision.

  6246. Carol

    Wow. You’ve killed your competitive advantage – a product integrated with a service. I think you’ve confused your target audience with that of Facebook! Your market is not looking for a web app with cloud storage; the data is far too precious and isn’t meant to be shared on a smartphone. How misguided. And yes, greedy.

  6247. Cindy

    Thank for nothing! I’ve spent many years as a subscriber and purchased several FTM programs to keep up to date. This must be about money. Your rates have gone up so much! I used to pay $100 for a subscription that is now well over that. You will no longer just charge my credit card…I won’t give you the updated info. Good luck; you’re going to need it.

  6248. Rob Cook

    I agree with most that the background sucks, harder to navigate and could never get FTM to work correctly. The tree linked to FTM would never let me see the family connection under the name of the individual. Basically I had to start a new tree to get the full features. I also may not contribute to Ancestry in the future and may also cancel my subscription. Hope you listen to those who are posting negatively.

  6249. Chris

    I don’t feel I need to reiterate all the 6,681 comments above that express proper indignation at Ance$trys decision. If it stands, I can only conclude it is time to cancel my subscription and suggest the 6,681 above consider the same. If one could calculate the amount of free work product these once loyal customers provided Ance$try…

  6250. Chuck Crannell

    I’ve commented in detail about the “improved” website, and FTM (considering the dearth of any info regarding FTM’s place in the “new” ancestry.com till now, this blog announcement makes sense, logically from ACOM’s perspective).

    However, considering the purpose of Ancestry.com (ACOM) seems to have changed from a genealogy-based research company to one of big data, I am seriously considering having my DNA kit permanently deleted.

    The acquisition of records collections burnishes the assembly of our family trees, validating the human connections among us. The DNA samples associated with individuals (in these trees), provides an immense framework for big-data collection.

    The simplification of the website will attract more subscribers quickly building trees (with likely dubious quality, but potentially backed by the careful research of mature trees). This also creates massive new big data – which is valuable either for an entity that wants to go public, or as a service for other companies/organizations who would benefit from the big-data. Either way, an “exit event” for the investors.

    Genealogical research seems to be an incidental activity in creating this big-data. Big data is the driver of the company now, not genealogy.

    I’m fine if that’s what the investors want to do, but be up front about it. 23andMe isn’t shy on their primary purpose, but they do support genealogy (although their “ancestrification” of their website recently doesn’t bode well). FDNA is all about genealogy.

    For new users, this may not be a horrible thing. For those of us who have experienced a change in the purpose of the company, we feel used.

  6251. Terry Bond

    So apparently Kendall Hulet has screwed things up before. How did he manage to keep climbing the corporate ladder? http://globalgenealogy.com/globalgazette/gazed/gazed146.htm. Quote from back in 2007 from what he screwed up back then “If we do move forward with this type of initiative, we will seek your input and talk more with community leaders to make sure we get it right.” Let’s hope they realize their mistake again this time and keep FTM.

  6252. Diane W

    This is horrible. So you expect all your users who have dished out hundreds of dollars every 6 months and all the thousand of hours of work to just drop what they have done because the information on tree maker is not compatible to other softwares???? Are you seriously? I agree with Lyle. You need to come up with an alternative software and one where we can transfer the work over, the tree will be linked and not start over. We can create rocket ships to go to the moon and back but you cant seem to figure out a way to make this software work???? Many are stating they are cancelling their membership, so is that worth it? and what about all the DNA users who have paid out $99 and now will loose out if they cancel because that is not transferable either to other companies DNA. This is highway robbery and I have a feeling lawyers are already scrambling with this one because you have advertised a product all these years, had people buy in and now stating it will be worthless. This sounds a little like Enron all over again. I cannot fathom they think this is a smart move. The suspense is killing me………

  6253. Vicki Fermil

    Been reading these comments all day. Know many of you belong to genealogy societies. Spread the word that ancestry.com does not value their customers and does not deserve our business.

  6254. Steve

    Kendall Hulet Your customer rely on FTM to print hard copies for their records to send to other family members. The $1,000 I have spent on Ancestry will end in a year. I would like to recommend to all leaving sync your family trees one last time then delete your trees.

  6255. Denise

    OMG ! REALLY ! FTM has been my favorite tool for my tree. I love how it has helped me make books and find lost items.
    Will Ancestry work with other Tree programs???
    I am not a fan of the web based tree and neither is my mother. It’s just OK for research but not as the primary tool.

  6256. Michael F

    I have been a Family Tree Maker customer/user since the 1990’s, and I am sorely disappointed to hear you have decided not to continue supporting or enhancing the product. I have over 24,000 individuals in my FTM database, so I am very heavily invested in your software.

    There are other genealogy software products available, but Family Tree Maker is the best one in my opinion. I guess I am going to have to settle for second best. My concern is converting from FTM to another product. A few years ago I imported about 6,000 individuals from a Roots Magic file created by a distant cousin, and I am still finding broken links and some duplicates in my FTM database. I fear that converting from FTM to another product will not go very smooth, especially with a database as large as mine (over 50MB in size). I sincerely hope that your development team can perhaps partner with the developers of some of the other products to create a utility that will seamlessly convert from the FTM format to the format used by some of the other products. Converting from FTM to GED and then to another product does not work well with so many interconnections in a database. In fact, it will create a lots of duplicates individuals and broken relationships (speaking from experience).

    Has Ancestry made any attempts to sell the Family Tree Maker software to a company more committed to providing long term support?

  6257. Jean

    I would like to add my comment on what I think is a very bad move by Ancestry. I was so shocked to hear of the decision to make the FMT obsolete and wanted time to think on how this is going to affect me especially after January 2017 when it appears it will no longer be supported. I certainly have not had time to read everyone’s comments however I do have an opinion and as I have been a regular worldwide member for 10 years I feel I should be heard.
    I may of not of been using Ancestry for as long as some thats made their comments but my research has involved many hours of work both on and off the internet. It has been a definite advantage to have the family tree maker installed on my computer on my own hard drive which is backed up regularly to external hard drives. I have over the years been entrusted with photos and information that family members did not want putting on Ancestry.co.uk. Hence I have it installed on a computer and it is not linked to my online tree for public or private use as this is what has been asked of me and I would be in copy-write infringement if I did put them online with Ancestry. I do also have FTM installed on my laptop which is synced in with my tree online which is great. It will mean that I will need to now transfer everything to software that will not be linked to the internet and its going to involve so much more work considering I have over 3,000 people in my tree with additional people being added virtually every day. I also have over 8000 records and over 3000 photos so it will not be an easy task. Years are passing me by and this seems so daunting. Will I do it? Goodness knows. Also as some people have pointed out what about all the marvellous reports we can pull off the FTM but cannot from the website. I joined Ancestry thinking that it was reliable and wouldn’t be letting me down but with this announcement I feel very let down.
    I just wonder if the reason FMT is being ditched is because of the new Microsoft system of Windows 10 and you don’t want to go to the expense of paying for the new programming. I am no computer expert in that I have no idea about programming etc. but surely Ancestry must make a huge profit every year with what they have coming in from subscriptions and selling the FMT sold via the website or from reputable Family History retailers. (I am Ancestry must get money coming in from the sale of the software from alternative suppliers.)
    Anyway that’s my say. Just hope that Ancestry will eventually get to read all the comments. Or will they just tot up the numbers of complaints and file it. Hopefully they will decide not to go ahead with their proposal.

  6258. James

    I am totally TICKED OFF! This is the most ignorant decision you could have possibly made. I have used FTM since Version 3 and have upgraded every time there was a new version. I will be thinking about deleting all of my information from your site and giving up my research. It’s about time to print out what I have and tell you to KISS OFF if you don’t change your decision!

  6259. Sue

    I am distressed to read this news. I have had FTM for years, and have over 24,000 names in my data. Most of my hard data has been entered into my Notes section, which shows the details of that person’s life, including any birth or census records, (typed out in full to show the entire family), death information, including typed obits whenever possible, etc. What will happen to all of that information that I have spent thousands of hours entering? Why not continue to support FTM? No need to worry about continual upgrades, but at least let those of us who use it, continue to do so? Obviously there are a lot of us who are unhappy with this announcement. Please reconsider and come up with another solution.

  6260. I’ve been on Ancestry for about a month or two now and have really enjoyed the process. Just asked a friend’s advice about FTM a couple days ago and was all set to buy the product. Obviously people were very happy with it and are now furious with your corporation for pulling the plug on FTM. Let’s hope another company will be able to figure out how to cash in on making something comparable and even better. Really, shouldn’t you rethink this one? How much are you losing by not selling the product? Or is it “how much are you not making?” Happy Holidays.

  6261. Annette

    Over 6900 comments in 24 hours. Haven’t found one that is happy with your decision. Listen to the voice of your customers.

  6262. Carole3375

    There are several key themes emerging from the widespread disappointment of Ancestry’s most informed and capable customers.
    1 People used FTM in many different ways.
    2 The most valuable and unique feature was the Sync with online trees (though some customers did not use online trees at all, conducting searches directly from FTM).
    3 The dislike of the New Ancestry GUI is widespread among many experienced customers. Many US customers have not discovered the old Ancestry GUI is still operating in some other countries where the New Ancestry is not installed.
    4 The Ancestry brand is seriously weakened by a succession of big product decisions. Many experienced genealogists are planning to migrate elsewhere but are yet to find many of the features they seek, such as Sync, and Search linked to an offline database.
    5 Ancestry’s vision of a cloud-based family of products does not suit many customers. Poor internet performance and absence of desired product features online are major factors.
    6 There is no favored alternative product yet emerging.
    “Ancestry is proud…” maybe, but cannot be proud of the damage recently done to its brand.

  6263. Ricky

    This is unbelievable!!!! All of my data entry is in FTM. I enter NOTHING into the website and use sync to update my online tree. The only reason to pay for an ancestry subscription is the “tree links” in the desktop program.

  6264. Donivan Patwell

    FTM and Ancestry.com each have their strengths. While you can do many things in both, there are somethings that you can only do in one or the other. I have depended on both combined as a complete research tool. Please spend the money saved by eliminating FTM to bring the FTM-only features to Ancestry.com.

    Specifically:
    1. Offline backups of Ancestry.com trees
    1a. for review when not connected to network.
    1b. for when I’m going to make significant changes to my ancestry tree, so that I can review the differences and go back if needed.
    1c. as a way to quickly and efficiently download all my ancestors’ census images to my local computer.
    2. Reports! The amazing number of different customizable, *printable* reports.
    2a. Printed reports of various types help quickly and easily identify where I need to do more research, and a way to review my tree for accuracy.
    2b. I can pick 2 arbitrary people in my tree and show the ancestral path between the two.
    3. Places!
    3a. I can correct the spelling of dozens of place names all at once.
    3b. I can create a list of everyone that ever lived in a particular location.
    3c. I can see where I’ve been inconsistent with place names (like using “County” versus “Cnty”, or like census locations that include the word Precinct) and making them all consistent with just a few clicks.
    3d. I can make a list of people’s locations that only have a state name, and work on those to try to get them more precise.

    In general, I prefer using Ancestry.com for doing all the data entry, adding photos, and searching for records. Without all the other features unique to FTM, I’ll be hampered in my ability to keep my trees as accurate as possible. Accurate trees benefit Ancestry.com, as well as the other community members.

    I some of the suggestions from some of the other commenters are good, like selling FTM to another company to continue, or make it open source, or open your API for other companies to develop their own software that would sync the Ancestry trees.

  6265. geoff

    I am a 15 year subscriber—-you do the math on how much I have spent—-and now you eliminate ftm?……this on top of your downgrading the on line format….the cynic in me says you bought up independent sites, then changed the format to clearly less desirable product, and now you want to pull ftm……anyone with any foresight can see the coming of a massive increase in subscriptions rates on jan, 2017…….you give no indication you are going to maintain ftm standards in some other format etc…..in the last month I worked with ancestry reps to combine my independent subscriptions to fold3 an newspapers.com under ancestry…..not one mention about coming announcement re ftm……and I am supposed to get a refund on my other subscriptions of about $160……guess I shouldn’t count on that either…….wheres the customer focus? I cant begin to tell you the money and incredible amount of time over the last 15yrs I have spent on something you are now just going to eliminate…my reaction is frustration, anger, sadness, disbelief…..in that order….a bad decision is compounded by a bad notification process compounded by lack of any attempt to involve or consider the customer….I was the ceo of a $200 million per year corporation and I can tell you with absolute certainty that this is no way to run a business and expect to survive…..this is headed for the same conclusion as the idea of the “new coke”………I wont make a rash impulsive change cause then I am no better than you but I am starting tomorrow to do the research and will be ready to make a change if this decision isn’t reversed…

  6266. Jo

    Hey everyone DON’T click on the ‘like’ facebook icon on this page – it is increasing the likes on Ancestry’s Facebook page as this is Ancestry’s blog………so please UNLIKE on their page if you can – as it’s making them look good!

  6267. John Pecarina

    FTM and Ancestry compliment each other extremely well. FTM is an excellent work area, where unverified/uncorrelated records can be kept without proliferation of error. My FTM database contains 45,500 individuals, individually entered. Recently, I began constructing my Ancestry file – again entering individually, verifying as I go. So far, I have just over 1500 loaded. Without an off-line component, I will no longer be a contributor to Ancestry when support for FTM is withdrawn.

  6268. Debral

    Please reconsider or I will have to cancel my Ancestry membership as soon as you discontinue FTM. I do not want to have to re-do my tree or learn a new system. FTM is better than Ancestry’s system.

  6269. Ron Gibb

    Well there goes a thirty year hobby-turned obsession down the drain. Thanks Ancestry.com. Though I doubt all these thousands of negative messages will ever be read at Ancestry, there is a way to show the bean counters our displeasure. I suggest every member immediately PRIVATIZE and not allow access to searches any tree they have on Ancestry. This will at least get their attention, and give them a strong message as to how many of their customers they will potentially be losing.

  6270. Linda Kennington

    I joined Ancestry and Family Tree Maker in June this year. I’ve got to know and love the software, and accepted an invitation to upgrade FTM. Now you are saying there will be no FTM? Or are you saying you are offering something else to replace it? Will I be able to continue use FTM without Ancestry? Will I be able to work offline (my internet service is erratic)?
    I know an economic decision rather than a customer service based decision when I see one, and this is an economic one. As your customers, we need clear information as to how this decision will affect us if it goes ahead – what will you provide, what you won’t provide, what will be different, and what we can do if we don’t like what you’re offering.

  6271. Suzanne

    Over 4,000 of your until now, loyal customers are waiting for an answer. There’ll be a lot more by 22 December.

  6272. Tom Bessler

    Extremely disappointing; Family Tree Maker is my backup for years of research and I don’t want to be forced to rely on keeping all of this on a website as I go forward with years more of research. The combination of website + desktop that I can control and keep for backup was ideal; having both the chart data plus all the supporting documents. I’m happy to pay for both annual web site use and periodic new releases of Family Tree Maker. Sure hope you re-think this.

  6273. Patti

    If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! In your e-mail you say for more details to check the blog, well, I did, and look, it’s the same message and NO more details. Just many, many unhappy customers, and I am another one of them. As you said, you did build a great product for your LOYAL Ancestry community, so now what? If you really do appreciate our feedback, what will you do with all of this? Are you actually going to listen to what we have to say? (Probably not, because the new ancestry site is horrible, doesn’t look good, dark background is no good, way to busy and hard to navigate, I digress) You have to keep you customers happy or they will go elsewhere. PLEASE respond. Hurry up, we only have two weeks to comment, apparently.

  6274. Prentice

    Please count me among the nearly 7,000 responders who are shocked to hear your decision to discontinue FTM. As a user since Banner Blue days, i have recommended the product to many serious researchers. I have subscribed to Ancestry.com into next November. I also just purchased your AncestryDNA kit to augment a mapping done several years ago by another company.

    Unless I can access Ancestry.com record collections through FTM, I will have to research the information and enter it by hand instead of merging.

    I will probably drop my Ancestry subscription since its functionality is severely reduced without the interface with FTM.

    Please keep us updated on this decision.

  6275. Floyd

    Can someone suggest a good Windows based program to switch to from FTM? I have a LOT of individuals in my tree and want the capability to create good reports and to create a family tree book with the program. Please email me directly at: floyd at poenitz dot org.

  6276. Frank

    WE NEED SOME COMPETION. I haven’t been happy with Family Tree Maker since Broderbund ‘s versions, however, Ancestry.com’s online tree is ABSOLUTELY no where near ready to replace desktop software record keeping and publishing.

  6277. Helen

    Add my name to the list of upset, angry customers who have spent a lot of money on creating family trees thru ancestry.com, only to find out, abruptly, that FTM will no longer be supported! I agree with those who have commented that the on-line tree data is often unreliable/erroneous. That is not where I want to get my information & I don’t want data that I have worked hard to obtain “on the cloud” to be appropriated by sloppy tree builders. I too will soon reconsider spending $300 for ancestry.com, obviously a corporation gone amuck…they created a market & exploited it.

  6278. What made the Ancestry platform unique was all of the collaboration. The use of Family Tree Maker allowed serious researchers to work on large trees and then use tree sync to share their research. As the serious researchers continued to update their trees – the community as a whole would benefit.

    The ability to sync AncestryDNA with these expanded trees allowed many search options. The ability to utilize the larger network was a helpful tool. Adoptees in particular could benefit from this expanded platform.

    What will become of all of that collaboration? If the serious researchers move away to continue to utilize a desktop platform – what happens to all those trees? There will be no “easy” way to update those existing large trees. If researchers opt to make their data private the collaboration is lost.
    The long term impact isn’t understood yet – but what made the platform so powerful is the collaboration which will be lost.

  6279. Joseph Garnier

    Was thinking about getting back into the genealogy thing, but not if I have to keep all my stuff in “the cloud” or use online software. This decision you made will work to save me money, because I will not give any to a service without software.

  6280. Kimberly

    Dear Ancestry,
    It is with much regret that I inform you that I have now lost complete faith, confidence and respect in you and your website.. This I pledge: 1) I will never again advertise or suggest to ANYONE that they use or subscribe to your website; 2) (It breaks my heart…but) I will NEVER add another single memorial to FindAGrave so that you can benefit from it by enlarging your database; 3) I will DELETE over 850 photographs of ancestors and allied families from my own personal collection; 4) I will do everything in my power to get my Ancestry trees copied to my ‘desktop’ computer program as soon as possible; 5) I will then go in and DELETE all of my trees containing over 25,000+ individuals that I have painstakingly documented and connected; and 6) I WILL THEN CANCEL MY ANCESTRY SUBSCRIPTION…and if I ever do need to ‘look’ for something on Acnestry…well, I can register as a GUEST and not pay anything!!! I AM FEELING BETTER ALREADY!!! AND I am Predicting that ‘Retiring’ FTM’ will end up not being such a ‘good, sound’ business decision and will eventually come back to ‘haunt’ you.

  6281. James Moore

    I’ve had nothing but problems with your online app, I use my desktop to maintain my files, only going to Ancestry to search. I WON’T be renewing my subscription when it comes due in January. Stupid decision….. see ya.

  6282. Terry

    I am not sure what to say. I am very disappointed. I have steered others to FTM because I thought it was the best. I don’t know what to do with all my research. I just don’t understand. Please don’t do this.

  6283. Doris Reitenbaugh Wills

    Almost 24 hours since this news hit my computer- Haven’t read all the posts, but 98% are expressing dismay, anger, frustration to name a few of the emotions. I have used FMT since it was a Broderbund product- also pleased and have purchased updates. Ancestry.com was expensive, but a source of data and acess to records- HATE the new format of the trees on line- who really cares about what happend at the time of Grandpa Joe’s life? I think the new format is miserable, ugly, etc. etc. I do not care to use this on my phone, my tablet, etc, my desktop is suitable, easy and what I need. You have made a very poor decision, but maybe that is because you are currently hawking a very poor product! You were very glad to charge excessive $$ to belong to Ancestry.com but obviously really don’t care about the customers that you have accumulated. You will be out of business before many months- most of us will only stay until the end of our current subscription.

  6284. Dell

    The one thing Ancestry could do is open their API so others can import the FTM files with a format more robust than GEDCOM. I know RootsMagic has made a request so they can create an importer. One way to minimize our pain will be to minimize our transition pain. Please Ancestry, provide the necessary data to other genealogy tools so they can build a robust FTM importer!

  6285. Wayne

    The bottom line is that the website just doesn’t do what FTM does. I keep multiple backups of my files because they represent a huge investment of time and money. I will not entrust the only copy to any website. FTM has far more functionality than the website and that’s before taking into account the absurd new interface. I don’t always keep my subscription up to date, now I won’t have access to my research unless I’m paid up.
    If you want my advice a lower price on a monthly basis would attract a lot more users and bring in more money than forcing your core, committed users into using product that is inferior.
    I’ve already started the research into other subscription sites as well as desktop software.

  6286. David

    I am very disappointed. Shocked, actually. I love my FTM. I’ve tried your online tree and the interface is really annoying and unsatisfying and limited. So my tentative plan is do as much of my genealogy as I can over the next year and tie up major loose ends, and then pretty much retire from it. It’s been a good run.

  6287. Pamela

    I’m so unhappy to hear this news. I’ve used Family Tree Maker for 10+ years and have been very happy with this software. Love the synch function, “leaves”, reports and can’t imagine doing research without FTM. PLEASE DON’T DO THIS!

  6288. Lyn Hudson-Williamson

    What the #$%&&^.
    I have recommended and purchased FTM software since Broderbund days, I give talks about FTM software and how good it is, I give advice to new users trying to find their way through the maze that is FTM, and, I willing and freely share my expertise and knowledge about FTM at our local FTM user group meetings 4 times a year.
    I jumped in with both feet when FTM 2012 came along because that is what I needed, no more double data entry for me, and even though it caused nothing but heartache and corruption of records, I stuck with FTM and upgraded to FTM2014 when it came along. I especially loved the ability to sync to Ancestry even though when the tree sync fails and I have to “download” AGAIN it can take between 4 and seven days. I loved the ability to share my tree with dozens of new cousins and of course, print off reports and lovely charts using my FTM software and send it to them, I loved the ability to make a simple change in FTM, which when loaded to Ancestry fixes a place name for several hundred individuals. I loved the ability in FTM to add a single source with a media item to many individuals quickly, easily and efficiently.
    I do have a galaxy notepad but the size of my tree make it almost impossible to open the “app”, it is always Syncing and you cannot edit like you can in FTM. When I visit an older relation, I sit with my FTM on my laptop and record conversations and information directly. We don’t always have access to the internet in country Australia.
    Having just renewed a world membership with Ancestry for another year, I guess I will be spending the next twelve months downloading and updating 33,000 people on my tree, and then I, like very many others, will delete years of work from ancestry and put it somewhere else. What’s the bet that this time next year, Ancestry will no longer be able to claim to be the “No 1 Family History site in the World”.

  6289. Jo-Anne

    I don’t think I can express anymore disappointment than what has been said. Will look for new software program from a company more interested in customer service than the ‘mighty dollar’. Disgusted at the total disregard ancestry is displaying towards thousands of loyal customers.

  6290. Carolyn

    How foolish to announce this decision without also addressing a solution. Smart business people aim to create a positive buzz and excitement re. change – you have only created anger and mutiny. I’ll be looking elsewhere (and hoping to save some money too.)

  6291. Floreen

    I am VERY disappointed!! I don’t need to repeat the thousands of users who posted before me. Last week I left feedback, thanking you for listening and giving us back the the default option of “alternative” vs “delete” for facts merged into FTM from Ancestry.com. Please listen to your many users and continue providing a software so the data that I spent thousands of hours compiling doesn’t become obsolete.

  6292. John

    Complete and utter BS. The line about declining desktop sales is just that. This appears to be nothing more than a proprietary money grab by Ancestry with little regard to longtime loyal customers. Shame on you greedy #$%^@.

  6293. Cecelia Carvalho

    I have been using FTM since it came out–long time–surly you will have a way for us not to lose our work we have trusted to you and information you have used that we gave to you. Hope this all works out

  6294. Wanda

    Your financial team got this one wrong. The interface with Family Tree Maker is one of the main reasons people subscribe to your service instead of going to other resources that are free on the web. Show some loyalty to your customers if you expect them to do the same for Ancestry.

  6295. Beverly

    I also am a user from the “Broderbund” days and am in full agreement with the other posters. I have downgraded to the cheapest subscription for the next year AND told them NOT to allow automatic renewal of my subscription after it expires in early January 2017.

  6296. Debra

    I hope you will have the sense to reconsider this decision. You will be losing legions of Ancestry subscribers if you follow through with eliminating FTM

  6297. Penny

    This is a terrible decision! I have used Ancestry and FTM since I started in genealogy in 2005. I will not renew my subscription to Ancestry this month.
    I don’t want to upload my tree to website.

  6298. Stev

    Thanks for saving me $70. Having just got started researching good software to do my ancestry with, I am SO GLAD I found out you are tossing the best genealogy software available into the garbage. I asked my friends who recommended not only the software but your site as it is what they use, I put your software and a subscription on my x-mas wish list. Thank goodness one of the people who recommended your site and software warned me about this. I think you will find that not only are you going to lose software user support, but also your website will quickly tank as users find you are so willing to toss them and their efforts away.

    I bet I’m the ONLY person to say THANK YOU for screwing up so badly.

    Again, thanks for saving me from your impending doom.

  6299. Peg Wienke

    I have used FTM since if was a DOS product in the 90’s. I have paid you for every upgrade and paid for Ancestry.com subscriptions yearly, bought your Ancestry DNA etc. I have over 75,000 people in my tree, get request from other FTM users related by DNA or DNA Circles. I’ve helped other FTM users trace family members and for what – for you to discontinue a product I have support for over 30 years! You owe all of your loyal subscribers every penny they ever paid. I have never seen a software company ditch its users as deceitfully as you have done with no thought of the time and money they have invested. This money paid your salaries, software development costs, the cost of creating your online website and more. SHAME ON YOU.

  6300. Jon Martin

    There are several major issues with the current version of FTM 2014. I have over 40,000 people in my file and now will have to find a new program and a way to transfer all my data. I am a retired software engineer and would love a 5 minute phone call to discuss these software issues. Also will you at least consider publishing the documentation for writing plug-ins that we have been promised since FTM was introduced?

  6301. James Prescott

    Very disappointing talk about leaving long term customers high and dry, oh and by the way your mobile app is crap. After using your Family Tree maker for years Guess it’s time to look elsewhere to a company who values their customers. You have left us no choice.

  6302. Kevin15931

    PLEASE allow Rootsmagic (and other desktop softwares that express an interest) the ability to “TreeSync” with the Ancestry website. I like using Ancestry very much, but have never used FTM. I pay you $400.00 a year. IMHO, since you are dumping FTM, show us that you have your users’ best interest at heart and allow the desktop programs we use to interface with our Ancestry trees.

  6303. Harold

    Bad news. I don’t even know how to use Ancestry site, only Family Tree Maker. It seems that you only want monthly income. I have researched four families and printed three books over the past six years. I don’t know what I will do but will not likely use Ancestry. Poor decision.

  6304. Ophelia

    This is disappointing news. I’ve been a member of ancestry for the past 5 years but have done research on my own for more than 25 years. I purchased FTM and have manually entered all my data, as well as data for others whose trees I worked on. Are you telling me I should print all the information I have so that I in incorporate it into another tree maker software? Will the ability to create reports be added to ancestry? When support for FTM goes away, so will my subscription and the $240 I pay yearly.

    On another note, I used the new improved ancestry and dislike it very much. If there are timelines I want saved to a particular person, I want the option to so not have ancestry do it for me. There was nothing wrong with the old.

  6305. Robert Suettinger

    I think you haven’t been completely honest about why you are doing this, but if you think ancestry.com users are going to just take this lying down…… well, I think the above 6000+ comments might be an indication that you have misjudged the situation. What a totally bone-headed idea and unbelievably clumsy way of announcing it. Back to the drawing boards, folks.

  6306. Lora

    Just wanted to add my voice to what others have been saying. I originally bought FTM because it was recommended to me as the best product out there for organizing my genealogical research. I only recently
    put my tree online because I got a tablet and wanted to sync my tree. I do not want to be dependent on Ancestry.Com to access my research. Ancestry.com is nice to have for the access to records it might be difficult to access, but I consider the FTM software as the prime tool for my research. Please reconsider.

  6307. Lyn Hudson-Williamson

    Has anyone else noticed the COMPLETE LACK OF RESPONSE we are getting from Ancestry. From all of the above comments I think only 1 is from an Ancestry moderator. They must think we will get over it!!!!

  6308. Alan

    So what are we to make of this decision…and where to go next? The explanation and direction for the future is grossly insufficient. Very disappointing.

  6309. Brad

    ive looked everywhere for a disc copy to have as a backup, since I did the download version and the 2012 model was terrible 2014 didnt work with 8.0 either and crashed all the time had to get windows 7 to get it to work have looked everywhere, office depot, barnes and noble, best buy, ebay, ancestry, amazon and the only 2014 versions or downloaded so your screwed by 2017, need to find a disc, this is nothing new ancestry has been hiking there prices and giving us new stuff that everyone hates, this guy thats retiring they probably had to get rid of ftm for his retirement package

  6310. Stephen

    As you can see by the huge number of questions raised, you have done a completely inadequate job of explaining in detail exactly what this means to the user of Family Tree. You need to over a more detailed explanation to people of how they will use this function in the future. Obviously you have not thought this through and prepared sufficient background information for the users.

  6311. Ken

    I have to agree with many commenters–the new website is not user friendly, hard to navigate and review multiple types of information at a glance. While I have my issues with access to Saved documents on my desktop vs online, I find it much easier to enter information, make my corrections and upload than trying to do it all online. I manage four different family trees right now and it is very easy to switch back and forth on my desktop; more cumbersome online. Your service should be geared to the users, not your programmers. From the nearly 7000 messages so far, you’ve made the wrong choice. Don’t be like Coke and pull one of the best features of Ancestry.

  6312. marjorie dellwo

    ha ha, well guess kost have said it all. It will be interesting to see if you survive this, but perhaps you have researched this is you lose all the ftm customers, you may still get more new ones to cover. You have been a great help to me in the past, perhaps you could explain a few ways we can retain our records without . I have so many, even if I start now to save them to my hard drive or another option, Itt would take me too long. I would like to see you lay out some suggestions for all of us who are not going to any clouds for our stuff. sincerely marge

  6313. Cathy

    Very disappointed in Ancestry for this decision. As many of the other users have commented, the online version is inferior, and I will definitely be researching alternatives and preparing to remove my tree from your site. How sad that a company purporting to be a valued partner in preserving and sharing family history, appears now to view it as little more than a commodity. Genealogy is a long-term endeavor for many of us, and you are about to lose your serious customers. I hope you reconsider in the light of all the negative feedback.

  6314. Ruthann

    This is extremely disappointing news. Genealogy has been a major interest of mine since 1978 and I’ve used FTM since it was a Bruderbond product. I like the Tree Sync feature as well as the publishing aspects we now have with FTM. This move of yours feels like a shafting. As this blog approached 7000 entries, I know I’m not the only one to express a negative opinion. So disappointed that you are not addressing our concerns.

  6315. Tom

    I’m not sure where you are headed with this approach but it will certainly be WITHOUT ME. I have used FTM for many years and I HATE the Mickey Mouse graphical interface online. Hopefully this will be an opportunity for someone to develop a program that will import FTM data into a desktop version. I think that you may find that you have made a poor decision.

  6316. Debbie

    Looks like many will be using Ancestry.com at their local libraries instead of through subscription. Probably not what you intended. Just so you know, most genealogists are not Millennials, they are Baby Boomers who don’t do well with changes they have no input into.

  6317. Brad

    cant find a disc anywhere for 2014 version for a backup im using a download if computer crashes ive doomed, we must be paying for the guys retirement buy them getting rid of ftm 10 years and 24k on tree and only half way thru updating with new records will never finish in time

  6318. Ken

    I just realized reading another post that because multi-page documents I can access online will only “save” the initial page to my computer. When FTM is finished, my computer record will require that I save each page thru a cumbersome process so I have a complete copy when I no longer need to pay Ancestry for their “hints.” Take a hint, Ancestry, your tree is withering.

  6319. maunadae

    First of all, placing the feedback at the bottom of all these comments is sure to discourage many people from saying anything. If we lose Family Tree Maker where we keep our own records, then we will discontinue using Ancestry.com and you will lose out on our annual subscription.

  6320. Curtis

    Big mistake Ancestry. I have over 4100 people in my tree following years of research, using FTM in CONJUNCTION with the Ancestry website. Navigation, reports, you name it – FTM is so much more powerful than the website and much easier to use. In FTM I click a name and see all children directly below, in birth order. Can’t do that on the site. Need a report on the fly. Done. No so from the site. I do 90 percent of my work in FTM and only use the website when away from my PC. Having a backup on my PC is extremely important to me. I do not want to depend on ‘the cloud’. Tree sync between FTM and the website has always been a huge plus. I will no longer be recommending potential family researchers join Ancestry and am debating whether or not I should renew my own subscription since what I consider the larger value is gone. My suggestion – issue an apology, say how stupid you were, and do everything you can to make FTM even better. My 2 cents…

  6321. Mary Gilbert

    I am very sad that you are not going to be supporting FTM. It is much easier for me to enter my data on my computer and then sync it to the ancestry tree. I hate that the new web site looks so ugly and childish. I really liked having my tree online so unknown cousins could contact me. I also feel more secure by being able to have a copy of all my data on my own computer.

    You don’t have to add features to the software. It is great the way it is. Just keep making it compatible with newer versions of windows.

    Familysearch.org is a free website that has lots of good stuff to find and lets you have a tree online. It has a list of software they recommend and some of it can sync with your online tree there.
    Some of this software is free and some is paid. I am going to research if this would be a good replacement for Ancestry.com Since family search is run by the Mormon church and finding ancestors is very important to their religion, I doubt that they will quit providing this service. You don’t have to belong to their church to use this website. This would be better than paying a company that has let us down.

  6322. I have been a member for many,many years. I am very disappointed with ancestry.com. I feel that you have lured us genealogy enthusiasts into a trap. I just signed up for the ” World Acess” and I will be cancelling in January when my renewal comes due. Why was this not mentioned when I renewed my subscription ??? just a couple of weeks ago!!!! Youy are causing alot of problems for everyone for the almighty buck. I purchase my FTM through Ancestry, along with probably 1000’s of others who use this program and your services, it does not make any sense to drop FTM. We just not only use FTM we use Ancestry.com. I along with others will be cancelling sharing my tree and DNA on your site. I am so upset at this decision and think it will be a big mistake for you. The only reason I chose FTM was the user friendly program and the support from Ancestry.com, I donot like the Ancestry Tree format and do not feel it meets my needs, I use Ancestry.com only for searching and my FTM for my photos, notes, info and documents. Why is it when a company gets too big, they feel they are not BIG enough and have to change in order to …..what more $$$$$$$???? You have distroyed my faith in Ancestry.com I will be privatizing my tree as of now. You have made a mess out of a hobby for many…hope you are the losers

  6323. Liz

    Will you be adding report functions to Ancestry? I have used FTM since it first. Ancestry is a great database but it doesn’t have report functions; it’s not user friendly.

  6324. Joel

    I have been using Ancestry.com and the Family Tree Maker (FTM) application for many years and invested close to two thousand dollars in researching my family tree. Yesterday you announced that you were dropping FTM in order to apply your efforts to the web-only version. Thousands of your customers and I think that this will jeopardize our ancestry research and we may switch to another ancestry service.

    Please reconsider your decision and continue your application development and support. I feel that dropping FTM will seriously cause a loss of customers for your web service as well and will reduce your business viability

  6325. Kenneth Powell

    Another critical customer/user experience lurking in these comments is that the “new” online Ancestry user interface is WIDELY disparaged and very much despised. I myself am an avid “old” Ancestry interface user, but so dislike the “new” interface that I had planned to go to FTM to do my work.

    Perhaps now is a good time for folks and Ancestry customers to send a message to the development team and management about this too. I see several here have made suggestions already in months prior in feedback, but the voices are not being heard because critical changes are not being made.

    The reasons why the “new” online interface is so grating are just so obvious – the grade school, unprofessional look and feel, the GAWDY and UGLY colors and OVERUSE of colors, the horrible looking Tree format, the abandonment of a well organized clean and crisp look, the running together of text and fields, things all spread out making it just harder and more time-consuming to use, requiring more clicks to do things so that one constantly has a feeling of being less efficient – overall it is just IRRITATING and ANNOYING to use when trying to do real work. The new Gallery is a disappointment for some of the same reasons – just not a pleasant experience. The use of inverse color text and dark backgrounds is hard to read and see and distracts from what should be the focus of attention.

    And this doesn’t even begin to address the many, many user interface features that simply do not work despite being reported for weeks and months, as can be found elsewhere in blog status updates.

    Useful features or functions have been REMOVED.

    What a MESS of a user interface, what a degraded experience!

    This customer’s reaction: Not merely disappointed and annoyed, but LIVID!

    LIVID that such a horrible experience is being FORCED on online users with an interface that is substandard, still under development, not ready for prime time, and WORSE than what we already had without the “improvements” –

    While I have in past months offered constructive suggestions, I can only surmise that the managers making the decisions are ignoring this voice.

    Perhaps if others could speak up, it could finally get the attention of someone who might listen and re-think what to do about the “new” interface, if it is now destined the “old” interface will not be offered as a preferred alternative.

  6326. Brad

    YOU CAN SEND AS MANY COMMENTS AS YOU WANT EVEN THOU IT SAYS YOU ALREADY SENT 3 COMMENTS WE ALL SHOULD SEND 4 OR 5 A DAY TILL DEC 22ND DEADLINE THEY MIGHT CHANGE THERE MINDS

  6327. Daryl

    The deal is done, but I can assure you that the void will be filled. When that happens I will not use Ancestry.com. The Mormon church will miss out on lots of sealing – for what that myth is worth.

  6328. Ted

    This is very disappointing news indeed. This software was not cheap and I have evidently also wasted quite a bit of time learning to use it. Really feels like I got ripped off. With software, you think on terms of moving forward with a program, upgrades, etc.. Just giving up on it and tossing the users to the wind is not what I would expect from your company. Also, the fact that you are continuing to sell the software until December 31 of this year is also troubling.

  6329. Ralph

    Hey – I found my purchase email for FTM 2014 and downloaded a backup copy just in case. The email also had the license key for activation. Just an option for those that did a download instead of CD.

  6330. Ron Courtney

    I too, like so many of your other customers, am angry about your announcement regarding the discontinuation of your FTM software. As an avid user of FTM since 1993 and a subscriber to Ancestry.com for many years, I believe that such an action would be a major setback to the genealogy community. I do research on Ancestry nearly every day and always have FTM up at the same time. I prefer to keep my family tree on my desktop where, with FTM, I can document the sources of my entries. I have only put on Ancestry a skeleton of my tree for 5 generations with no collateral lines. I choose to do so because, unlike many others, I prefer to know that data I place online for others to see is accurate. If all of us are forced to enter all of our research online, then much of what appears will be undocumented and largely inaccurate and therefore almost worthless. I have seen numerous cases of inaccurate data being in public member trees and others copying that same data with apparently no effort to substantiate it. When I occasionally take such data from an online tree, I document my source to show others that I have not done the research myself, letting them view the data with a skeptic’s eye. As an example, one user correctly showed my great-grandmother’s date of death and in the same tree showed that she married my great-grandfather exactly 3 months after her death. Your canning the FTM software apparently leaves us no way to include voluminous personal notes regarding our ancestors which I regularly include and it does not allow us much report creating and printing ability. I occasionally print large FTM reports to provide to family members who may have neither the time, knowledge or patience to do the research themselves. Source documentation, a critical piece of our responsibility to fellow researchers, also seems somewhat limited in Ancestry.com. Please reconsider your expressed intention to terminate FTM or, as some have suggested, sell the product to another software developer. Otherwise my continued use of your products beyond 1/1/2017 will be in serious jeopardy.

  6331. Chantelle

    As a very loyal 5 year customer of Ancestry at $300 CDN/year and also a user of Family Tree Maker, I am beyond shocked at this decision. Not so much that FTM will no longer be available for purchase after this year, but because your business is so poorly run that you have zero alternatives or answers for your MANY loyal customers!
    I enjoy FTM because of the ability to really apply great detail to my family trees and the ability to use spreadsheets/print documents, something I am unable to do with my online trees, or is very difficult to do with those trees. I have spent COUNTLESS hours entering in the tiniest details on FTM because I was unable to do so online.
    To put this into perspective, I started researching only 5 years ago at age 22 and it is my passion. I have spent FULL NIGHTS researching, entering, and storing my info in the software and in my online tree. I have dedicated THOUSANDS of hours into my research in only 5 years. I have well over 22,000 names in my trees with great detail and very well-sourced. I have been so grateful and dedicated to what Ancestry has offered that I have had zero issue paying for the huge membership fees annually, until recently when the site became so difficult to navigate and a complete pain in the butt. Everything comes in 3’s…first a bad change to the website, next a cancellation to FTM, what next? Are my annual fees going to go up now? Unless the website becomes more easily accessible and the excellent features on FTM become available on Ancestry, I am actually contemplating cancelling my subscription.
    What a shame. I have literally PROMOTED your website and software to many of my family and friends, several of whom have gotten memberships and/or software. Reading the thousands of comments on here, Ancestry does not care about it’s customers ability to accomplish their family tree goals. I am only 27 years old but I feel family history is very sacred. My use of Ancestry and FTM actually inspired me to continue to research and reach my full potential and goal of becoming a fully certified genealogist someday.
    And now, instead of continuing to build my knowledge and my trees, I will be spending my little free time in the new year searching for new software and transferring everything I have. Ancestry, you are corrupt and greedy. Time to listen to your customers before they leave you bankrupt.

  6332. Barb

    I think you have just made a lot of money for the other software vendors! Most serious genealogists are not interested in having Ancestry.com control their primary tree data. Since you have taken yourself out of this business, I do hope that you will allow the other software companies to interface with Ancestry.com to provide hints.

  6333. Judy Stattmiller

    Does this mean that we can no longer use Publish and print out charts and reports on the trees we do. I share these with my family and others I do trees for. You do not get a complete view of anybody on the website, it is only through printing out the reports that anybody can understand their ancestors. I am very disappointed and probably won’t continue although I have been using your site longer than I can remember.

  6334. Carolyn Whatley

    Does anyone know anything about the Legacy Family Tree Software? Will it syn with Family Tree Maker?

  6335. Royce

    Unbelievable! After being sold on ancestry as the perfect way to combine your desk top information with an on line resource, I am totally disappointed. Especially that if we export our info via GEDCOM to another software program that it will not keep the links to the sources we have cited on ancestry. BOO TO YOU!

  6336. John Conaway

    Will a new improved program be available for storing of our data in our private off site collection?

  6337. Cori Hoag

    Very sad news with minimal FAQs on how to export our entire files to preserve the years worth of work we put into them. I about divorced my hubby when he inadvertently wiped my FTM files off computer..Just kidding but I was very upset. Hopefully someone will give us guidance on what other programs we can use. I never put my info online and am glad now. I have purchased several versions for my home computer. What a let down. Poor corporate communications don’t help either.

  6338. Donald

    Add my name to the ‘Ticked off’ list. I can’t say I’ve ever been pleased with the support, but at least they tried. Glad I hadn’t renewed for another year.

  6339. EFH

    My husband uses FTM. I use TMG. TMG went out of business last year. I switched to Rootsmagic. I’m not happy with the navigation on Rootmagic so I continue to use TMG which I prefer over most other programs that I’ve tried. Since I help my husband, I got used to FTM; I do not like the way it handles sources, TMG has spoiled me. My point to all of this is: I find Ancestry most useful for the documents it provides and for the DNA. The usefulness of Ancestry trees is so-so because many people just copy what someone else has posted. I will continue subscribing to Ancestry; I never depended on tree syncing. With any software company, there is always the possibility that it will discontinue its product. I would suggest that even if Ancestry does not want upgrade the product that it should continue to support its latest version.

  6340. Peter Anderson

    I recommend all of the disappointed FTM users move their data to RootsMagic. I’ve been using RM for several years and just love it.

  6341. Yellowdog55

    Does anyone have any knowledge of the other software programs such as Legacy? I am angry but do not want jump to a program that will be a big disappointment or a huge waste money . I would really appreciate any thoughts.
    P.S. Kendall you can save money by removing your ‘shaking leaf “ ads off of TV

  6342. Cori Hoag

    I appreciate the extensive scanning and archiving efforts performed by Ancestry. Trust factor has definitely been damaged by this poorly executed communication. What’s next? Payment for use of Findagrave? I put years of work into that website only to fee unease when a subscription service buys the site. Ancestry folks…be proactive and answer our questions!

  6343. Richard Werbin

    Please, please extend syncing for ftm 2014 beyond January 1, 2017.

    I looked at Legacy and RootsMagic.
    They are not as good as FTM 2014.
    I can transfer my ftm trees to those products, but they do not sync to my trees on ancestry.com.

    FTM 2014 is still the best.

  6344. PLEASE RECONSIDER. I cannot every afford a subscription! Fixed income, no room for another monthly charge. Your current software permits the creation of PDF books for sharing with family around the world. Please do NOT force your customers to a one and only solution. Not everyone, and certainly not all, have transitioned to new technology.

  6345. John

    This is a crass, cynical decision. By forcing all users to go exclusively to on-line only usage, Ancestry simply wants ownership of their users’ research. They want you to do the work and pay them to access your own work. Don’t know about any of you but I’m downloading all of the documents I paid to access to my hard drive and then will be deleting everything I’ve uploaded to Ancestry.

  6346. Do. Not. Panic.

    The announcement was poorly worded. I suggest you read Dick Eastman’s post on his website.

    Desktop programs are old technology, in the process of being replaced by cloud-based programs. Ancestry will no doubt evolve and the features/benefits enjoyed now will be available in another form.

    Think of this as moving from a Word Processing program that you buy and install on your computer to accessing an online word processor. Why pay $100 for Microsoft Word when you can use Google Docs for free? That is surely what the post meant when referring to “declining software sales.”

    The business is evolving. But the businessmen keep forgetting that users don’t know business and don’t understand the changing business landscape.

    Get off the ledge and lament Ancestry’s weak PR.

  6347. Bonnie

    Honestly? FTM and Ancestry are the top of the heap, so stop producing FTM? Insanity.
    Will Ancestry.com have reports? What is there now is ridiculous. Will there be error checking? The reports? The graphs? What software will work with Ancestry? I won’t be paying for a subscription if I can’t sync with my computer, and it doesn’t supply the reports etc that we now have.
    This is a highly questionable move, I must say. I have used FTM for so long, and subscribed to Ancestry….I guess I have to go do some investigating on what else is even an option.

    VERY disappointing Ancestry.

  6348. Michelle W

    Ancestry.com proves once again they have zero respect for the work of their best customers. Just throw it all away why not. Incalculable amounts of work will be lost in this transition. Ancestry does not get that they are in the business of legacies. I guess they think we’re all just playing! The web based tool offers little other than backup for the sophisticated user. For shame, Ancestry, for shame!

  6349. John

    I have the same concerns & questions as just about everyone that has commented. This is not a very good move, especially after collecting all this money from your thousands, if not millions of customers! and having us believe we could keep working on our trees. Unless you offer some alternatives, I’ve just wasted many, many, long hours, actually many months of lost time over the last 15 years! NOT HAPPY!

  6350. Larry

    Wow! Looks like you have a lot of disappointed customers. Add me to the list. Please reconsider your decision.

  6351. Shannon Bank

    I am sorry but this is terrible. Family Tree maker is so much more than what you offer online any true Geneolgy company would know this. Also even if your online program became what family tree maker is you have to be online to use it, very few cort house have Internet and no rural cemeteries offer it how does this help me in places where the basics of genealogy begin. Shame on you ancestry not sure I will be wasting my money with a company that doesn’t care or understand its customers.

  6352. Diane

    – I resent, but understand the cold and calculating business decision that was made. What I don’t understand is the horrible PR in how the decision was presented to their customers. I would have expected some guidance into a transition and some specific reassurance about how additional features would be added to Ancestry.com.
    None of that; just a kiss off and the resulting hard feelings. I believe Ancestry has mis-calculated and will regret this move and how they angered so many users.
    FTM and ACOM were a good combination that complemented each other. By itself, ACOM doesn’t cut it for me. I will be sad to leave them behind.

  6353. Tom

    Over 7,000 posting in 1 day and ZERO are in favor of this decision – think that tells you something right there – not a wise business decision.

  6354. Sondra

    As the communication director for an organization, I feel for Kendall Hulet. I have to assume he is the fall guy/messenger for this and that it was not his sole decision. In my capacity, I can read in-between the lines of the blog. I’m sure it was written as a group effort between marketing, administration, and many other groups. Everyone balancing each word and what should be written first; what accolades to include; sweetening the message before the death kneel; text book message. I get that all software companies are going to “subscriptions” to keep the money flow moving, but I’m not sure that’s your most loyal market. Thinking as a fellow administrator, I hope you anticipated alienating your seasoned clients. I hope your focus groups gave you a glimpse of the anger and betrayal your customers would feel when you made this decision. As a smart business, I hope none of this caught you off guard. I assume you have a business model and the Family Tree Maker software doesn’t fit in this model any more. But I hope you didn’t base that model on the assumption that you would be able to use the family trees created by your users to attract new users to ancestry.com, because based upon the 5,000 comments you have received in a little over 24 hours, it sounds as though most are jumping ship and taking their toys home with them.

    Your competition has wasted no time. I have already visited the websites of Legacy and Roots Magic. They are being VERY helpful to FTM customers to make the switch; smart move on their part. Perhaps you’ll make up for your decision by offering your competition a link to your subscription service so they too can have “shaking leafs.” Your blog indicates you are taking comments until December 22nd. I don’t think you need that long. If there is the SLIGHTEST chance you might change your mind about retiring the FTM software, you need to say something NOW before all your customers jump ship. This is not the time to wait and be silent. Hire the team you need to quickly upgrade FTM to work on Windows 10 and let your customers know that “New Coke was a mistake and we are going back to old Coke.” If, however, it is a “done deal,” then why take comments at all?

    As for me, I have been a FTM software user since the first version was offered by Broderbund. I am also a subscriber to ancestry.com. I don’t have a lot of time to devote to research, but I liked the option of getting online and researching when I did have the time. So I gave myself the luxury of keeping my subscription continually renewing. Now that you don’t offer a product that can work on Windows 10 – which I’ll be upgrading too soon, and you are phasing out FTM, your subscription service no longer serves my needs. It’s a good reason to finally cancel it. I only wish you had told me when I purchased FTM 14 a couple weeks ago that it was a dying product. I would not have wasted my money. I also wish you had told me when I upgraded to World subscription. Oh well, I’ll cancel that by the end of the year. Will you send me a refund on FTM 14? I truly feel cheated.

  6355. mark

    FTM has the best Reports. Legacy and RM do not even come close for standard genealogical reporting. I could understand paring back on updates and future releases, but cutting the program altogether is a shortsighted mistake.

  6356. howard engers

    Ancestry – when are you at least going to acknowledge this tsunami of negative comments from disappointed customers ?? Transparency please !!

  6357. Lewis

    This is very disappointing news. I hope you will reconsider. It is essential that I have an offline tool which can sync with and store the data associated with my trees on ancestry.com. Also, I hate the new-look website, it’s gimmicky and has lots of unnecessary padding. Give users the option to retain the old-style interface, if they so desire. Come on ancestry, wake up, listen to your users. Remember – the customer is always right!

  6358. Sue Dolezal

    I have been using the software for years. Actually, I believe since it first came out. I am so very, very sad for all of us who have supported you all these years.

    I am all for using the internet, but where I do some of my research, there is no internet connection…including using my hotspot on my phone. So sad for all of us.

  6359. Jane

    After the fiasco with the ‘new improved’ site, I am entirely unsurprised at Ancestry’s latest whizz kid idea. I had mentioned not that long ago to a friend who enquired about FTM that I thought it likely, given the current track record, that Ancestry would cut that life line to the real family historians amongst us sooner or later. My advice to her was that if she wanted FTM, she should also buy at least one other software programme – after all, they can’t all go bang at once can they? I’m past ‘doing my bun’ about Ancestry and am just glad that I had the foresight to act on my own advice and invest in another programme to which I have also imported my trees so that I am not as gutted as I could be if I had no other option. I do not want my trees in any public arena as they contain personal information, stories and private photos (some which have been posted on public sites without my permission in the past when I had passed them on privately).
    There’s so much one could say, but it has been said well by all the others here and extremely unlikely that Ancestry could give two hoots.

  6360. Nancy Weinberg

    Terrible for us! When you gave up the Publishing feature a few years ago, you gave me heartburn, but then rescued the service in time. Can you do the same now? None of us want to give up FTM as it is far, far superior to your web version. Please take us seriously!

  6361. Wendy

    OMG, this is a simply horrible decision, for all of the reasons that others have already stated.

    You have *seven thousand* objections on this post – and you say there’s no market?

    We have done all of the work that we’ve done, and paid you for whatever resources we have used in the process. Without FTM, how on earth are we supposed to be able to actually *keep* our data?? No one wants to pay forever through the nose just to keep access to it all online. That’s unfair and utterly unreasonable.

    I add my voice to those who implore you to reconsider this dreadful decision.

  6362. stan wilson

    I have used Family Tree Maker to build my tree over the past five years, and have looked forward to uploading my tree and using ‘Tree Synch’ to keep the online version up to date with what I do on my laptop. With the announcement that FTM will be discontinued, I’m going to drop my subscription to Ancestry.com, NOT upload my tree on their website, and go elsewhere. This move by Ancestry.com is devastating, but we will survive elsewhere. They can go pound sand.

  6363. Sandy Cleary

    I read the e-mail which consisted of nearly three paragraphs of Ancestry.com praising themselves on their products before they dropped the bombshell that Family Tree Maker was to be axed and we would be given support until 01 Jan 2017. It is a bit like when the boss goes on and on before firing you! What upsets me is that Ancestry.com does not say why they are retiring Family Tree Maker – is it now outdated? Or what they are replacing it with that is much better and easier to use. So I rang Ancestry.com and the phone operator, Zander, for FTM said he knew no more than what was in the e-mail which we got. I said that was not good enough and that Ancestry.com should have provided answers for their Support Staff to reassure us that the new system would be better and why. I ent young Zander off to his superiors so that he could do a better job when the next person called. I use the FTM software for both personal and professional uses. I am not a happy chappy!!!! I pay good money per year for a UK sub and often upgrade to worldwide later in the year. I expect better than this!

  6364. William Duling

    I have spent some time this evening looking into Legacy Family Tree software. Does anyone here have any experience with Legacy? Their website addresses this latest Ancestry debacle and is offering a discount and easy conversion to FTM users.

  6365. Susan

    It seems that the people in charge at Ancestry are only interested in making money and building a gigantic website, but with no real regard for the people who are researching their family histories. There is no way I would put my entire tree on the Ancestry site, so need to keep it on FTM. If Ancestry is not interested in continuing with FTM, please give some thought to selling the programme to another company who will keep FTM alive. VERY UNHAPPY WITH ANCESTRY!!!!

  6366. Susan

    I really don’t like the new look of the site. I am disappointed in your decision and I feel you have sold out your members. Too bad. I will drop my subscription and about 15 years.

  6367. Brian Gibbons

    This is a bad decision. This move hurts many people (customers) of your product. I’ve use FTM for many years. I started in the libraries before the Internet…I suppose I can make those trips again…and to the Library of Congress…

  6368. Brenda

    First of all, FTM is the only way to print comprehensive genealogy books. Also, without FTM to find inconsistencies and duplicates, the on-line trees can be rife with errors. Please continue to provide serious researchers a platform to work.

  6369. Pete

    7000 comments in under a day and NOT A POSITIVE COMMENT AMONG THEM. Are you getting the message?

    You say “by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community” but you clearly haven’t realised that for many, many thousands of your “loyal Ancestry community”, FTM is at the TOP OF THE LIST of products we want you to provide and support.

    We don’t buy FTM because it interfaces with Ancestry – quite the reverse, we subscribe to Ancestry because it interfaces with FTM! We can manually enter data from any provider in the world to FTM, but only Ancestry has an interface that allows us to upload it automatically (although I must say your current interface is very inferior to the previous one).

    Many thousands of your members who use FTM upload trees (both private and public) to your website, which vastly expands your database. When we delete them on leaving you, as most will, you will lose millions upon millions of records from said database.

    Even the few trees that I have uploaded represent at least half-a-million man-years of ancestral history.

    Many businesses in the past have ignored their loyal customers at their peril. PLEASE DON’T GO THE SAME WAY.

    Why not just have one final version of FTM that will continue to be supported for security and compatability with future updates of Windows and Mac. Any future updates for display and plotting facilities can be provided by a third party, and if you emerge from this stupid idea as a viable company they may even pay you for the privilege.

  6370. Bill W

    Very disappointing. I specifically bought FTM to be my backup to Ancestry.com. While I do most of my work at the online site, I then sync it so I can have a local copy that stands by itself and is not dependent on an online service, internet connection, etc. Things do fail and this was my backup.

    While you are working to develop other features, please appreciate that I considered the FTM to be a major feature of the Ancestry service.

    Oh, and maybe I’m a fuddy duddy, but I preferred the old online interface, too. I guess that the new one has some nice features, but it should have been an additional view, not a replacement for the more functional one.

  6371. John

    Recapture your trees, stop volunteering, no more referrals, this is dealing in bad faith and deserves the full wrath of every client who has supported this site since the Banner Blue days. How many versions of FTM have you all purchased? This is a sad outcome.

  6372. Sandy Cleary

    I would like to add to my previous post that I have been with Family Tree Maker since about 1999 – version 11 and then 2006 with ancestry.com onwards to the last upgrade in 2014. So you can understand that I don’t want to lose any of my information as I see others have done. I also have a huge historical research project on ancestry.com and if all the work I have put into that was lost then I would be so frustrated. So I am not leased about this move.
    I think the question we should all be asking ourselves is this: Family Tree Maker might be purchased and supported through these sites:
    http://genealogy-software-review.toptenreviews.com/family-tree-maker-review.html

    http://www.familytreemaker.com/ (this may be ancestry.com based)

  6373. Doreen

    Anything I could post about this very poor decision by FTM has already been said. I’m disappointed as I do not want to post my family tree online for security of data issues. If Ancestry’s server is compromised, I would lose YEARS of hard work. This will force me to decide prior to my subscription renewal date what other software is available for migration. FTM, you have successfully alienated a significant portion of your customer base! Great job, FTM! Be sure to promote the sterling employee who made this decision…..

  6374. Patti

    There is nothing more to say that others haven’t already said, but I feel adding my voice is important. I’ve been doing genealogy research for 40 years…since I was a teenager. Most of my true research was done before the internet. I’ve used FTM for about 20 years ago. While having a synced online tree is ‘fun’, it is not really very functional. I was traveling for work recently and was set to meet with a ‘cousin’ at the airport. I had my work laptop so I could have accessed my online tree, but I took my own laptop with FTM on it just for that couple hours with her. I am approaching 60, but very computer literate so it’s not that I don’t get technology. It’s that FTM is far superior.

    And why would I trust my 40 years of research (and other relatives research) to an online system that I have no control over? Do you really think genealogists are going to go for that? Even if you added functionality to your online tree like others have suggested, that’s not really the issue for me. I want MY information accessible to me and backed up in multiple ways.

    So, I will also look for another program. I know that FTM will work on my computer for a good while, but I will migrate before then so it is not a crisis. I’ve been an Ancestry member for quite a few years, most recently at the World level. I had one ‘find’ in the last year but, honestly, there isn’t much more for me to find unless I pay a researcher in the ‘old country.’ So I’ll do that. I’ve thought that I wasn’t really getting my money’s worth, but consciously continued my subscription for the good of the genealogy mission…well, what I thought was your mission. What is your mission? I certainly questioning that now.

  6375. G. Babyak Traxler

    This is my 2nd posting. Just wanted to list what I’ve done so far. I downloaded a gedcom 5.5 and then deleted my tree from ancestry. I no longer think that marking it private will be secure enough. I also downloaded my DNA results. It took about 10 minutes and the file was 17.9 MB so I’m not sure if I have just my own! I have tested wuth Nat’l Geographic and FamilyTreeDNA and have been able to share between them. I’m not sure if I can get my ancestry results to transfer there, but at east I have them. BTW, if you do that, I suggest downloading to a virtual printer ( I used PDF995). My sub is up in February and I will have everything off by then. I also downloaded free trials of legacy and roots magic to see which I like. I have also done a lot of volunteer contributing to find-a-grave under G. Babyak-Traxler and will stop now that ancestry has bought it.

  6376. Curtis

    As an almost daily contributor to ACOM and FindAGrave I am beyond disappointed with this dreadful decision. ACOM’s interface is not easy to use or look at (old version looked more professional). ACOM has almost no ability to run reports, a strong feature in FTM. I also want to keep backups of my family’s info on MY computer, not yours. Should ACOM decide to continue in this foolishness I will be removing all family tree info and cancelling my subscription. ACOM by itself simply does not work for the serious family researcher, particularly those of us who do this for others as well. How will I print reports for myself and others? Remember, the Internet isn’t everywhere.

  6377. Steve C

    Well, for Mac users, there’s Reunion, which many Mac users seem to like. And for Windows users, there’s Legacy, which is nice, but still maturing and still has some limitations, and the old Standby, Roots Magic. No need to be stuck with an orphan program not supported by the developer. Export your data to a GEDCOM file, and then import it into a new desktop application. Other ideas will emerge, no doubt, so keep listening! No, I do not work for Ancestry or any of the other competitors.

  6378. Mary Traphofner

    The Ancestry business team has made an error. They have looked at numbers and said “oh, software sales are declining and we can get rid of the support and programming staff and save a bundle.” But what the guys and gals in the white suits have failed to appreciate is the number of subscriptions that are loyal year after year subscriptions, that exist because of the interface between FTM and Ancestry. The competition has a year to fill this void. Very Sorry, but your business decision may turn out to be very bad for your subscription sales.

  6379. Fred

    This is absolutely horrible to stop development of FTM software. That means the ONLY way we can access our trees going forward in the near future is strictly over the WEB. I prefer the software as I can be anywhere and access my data, and then can sync up changes later. I cannot believe that ancestry.com would do this- especially without first consulting the community. *WOW* 🙁

  6380. JCD Qld

    This must be a joke of some description. If not, I’m aghast, appalled and angered that a so called reputable company such as Ancestry would do such a thing. What on earth is going on? Are you for real? I regard my tree as my personal property that I’m willing to share with like minded people to assist in the research of their ancestral roots. No one should ever think that they can take control of it as though it was their own. I shall not be a part of this outlandish proposal and such big brother tactics I will resist with all zeal.
    FTM is one of, if not the best, genealogical programs available which I have used since its inception. It will not be replaced by Ancestry as a tool for collating data and information acquired through genealogical research. Nor does Ancestry provide an avenue for passing on a tactile form of individual and specialist details to collaborators as we conduct our research. Apart from producing reports and charts, FTM enables us to include all sorts of valuable history essential to understanding our genetic makeup. Those protesting are saying that FMT is necessary and if it goes a substitute will need to be found. You need to listen.
    Ancestry has become an integral part of the investigative process but it cannot be seen as the be all and end all of genealogy. It cannot operate without the resources of the millions of researchers who contribute and those people need to be respected for the contributions they make. Both FTM and Ancestry along with other search engines are in need of each other if genealogy is to be maintained at the highest level. It was here at that level that I thought Ancestry had its mission – to assist in providing the best means of exploring our ancestral roots.
    Not so it appears because whoever made this decision does not have our interests at heart. They could have no understanding as to how genealogy works if they do. In taking the path they have they have made one of the most monumental mistakes. The good work they started and continued to provide has been decimated it would seem, by vested interests that have taken precedent over those who they purport to be providing a service for. Just what those interests are is unclear and uncertain but because Ancestry has built into a global enterprise that encompasses the world’s advanced civilizations, one thing that attracts our thoughts is that a Mogul has emerged in our midst who dares to dictate how we store our family history.
    What needs to happen is for heads to roll and this big error rectified before untold damage is inflicted on this brand. Judging from the outrage it may take some repairing. When you put your clients aside and treat them with distain you are in for a backlash. If you destroy the trust of those loyal to you, you can only come undone. Empires have fallen before. People have feet and they can walk.
    No company should consider they are above those they serve. If this unbelievable decision is not reversed by the time of my subscription renewal, I will join the exodus to an alternative whose motives are more admirable.
    Disgusted

  6381. Kathy

    I have been a loyal member of Ancestry and have used FTM since 2000, too bad that loyalty is one sided. I will spend the the remaining two months of my subscription syncing and then deleting my trees. I will not be renewing my subscription.

  6382. Carol

    I have just recently purchased FTM 2014 and registered it this morning only to find out from another genealogy facebook page about this decision. I keep getting the same generic response on your facebook page about how I’ll be able to use all of my new software’s features for the next 12 months, that isn’t what I paid for. I will be contacting Trading Standards and welcome anyone else who is in a similar situation to join me.

  6383. Bonnie

    I have nothing more to add to the above comments; I only want to join my voice with theirs in saying that this is a very huge disappointment, and i feel that further explanations and ANSWERS are greatly required.

  6384. Joan Lewin

    You had it all. The best product on the market with the sync feature for FTM. Then gradually, greed took over. Subscriptions for the same amount of money lost international searches, then newspaper articles. More money, more money. I subscribed to Ancestry because it was a wonderful adjunct to FTM which is my primary program. I can get a lot of data from MyHeritage, and Familysearch that I input into my tree too. With those programs you still can get records that you must pay for separately from Ancestry. And we can upload trees to both. So what is it that makes you think we would continue with multiple Ancestry subscriptions when we can get the information elsewhere? It was the interface with FTM you provided that made you the best. I hope another company buys FTM and continues with it development, especially for Windows 10 that is being forced upon us. I don’t believe that having the information in the cloud prevents you from interacting with a database. But the current owners just paid a lot of money for Ancestry and probably are strapped for funds to continue with changes required to make FTM compatible with Windows 10. I think I’d take another look at projected customer subscriptions to Ancestry to see how much you are actually going to lose by dropping FTM. It will be a little harder to enter information into FTM, but we will still do it until some other developer takes a look at the void in the marketplace and jumps on an opportunity. I’ll continue with my subscription until the sync feature gets cut. After that several of the other current companies will be benefit from your lost subscribers.

  6385. Jim

    This is so wrong! Have used Family tree maker since its conception and love it. Very user friendly, unlike the online ancestry which does not navigate well. I also have been a world subscriber with you for years and years. I guess 2016 will the the last year I subscribe. Bad mistake. Fire the marketing manager who suggested this

  6386. Jackie

    We should have been given more notice and suggestions for offline family tree software. I do not want my trees with live relatives to be on line. The trees on Ancestry contain too many errors. I have seen my own parents and grandparents with wrong dates of birth and death, spelling of names, etc.

  6387. Wayne

    Now I won’t have a reason to use Ancestry anymore. Perhaps I will just use LDS “Family Tree”. I think they will be around for a while. I feel like I have been deserted.

  6388. SEShuler

    This is a VERY customer hostile decision on Ancestry’s part. You say sales are down – could that be that the so called upgrades over the years have not really lived up to the billing. I can see updating the database behind the user interface, but there is absolutely no reason to mandate a user interface change. And don’t get me started about loosing the ability to know which data I’ve linked from previous versions. FTM is the reason I started, and I’m up to over 13,000 people. There is no mention of a replacement strategy – another HUGE strategic error. With all of my data and 20+ years in IT, I do not trust cloud computing. Additionally, without the ability to maintain an ‘offline’ database locally, Ancestry is killing one of the primary tools I require. The other has been the Library Database search linkage. Without the ability to use the two (local file & Library search/linkage) it is likely I will need to find another more customer and user focused company to provide services. I would have to say the annual Library subscriptions are at risk. To summarize, I cannot express how huge of a tactical error Ancestry is making. How many loyal (and adicted) users are you alienating?

  6389. Sue B

    Yup, another angry & disappointed user who will be jumping ship and taking my data with me. I also prefer to keep my tree offline. Very poor PR move—at least offer folks another alternative before throwing out the baby with the bath water.

  6390. Lyndsey

    Very disappointing. I have been using family tree maker for many years. I hope another company becomes interested in taking over this software and supporting it. There is no way I will upload all my personal research notes to ancestry. I want control of my own family tree.

  6391. Mary

    Very disappointed in this decision. After a windows 10 upgrade in Oct, my FTM 2012 was no longer compatible and Ancestry was not providing a patch. Now I have 4 family trees I can no longer access. I was hoping FTM 2016 would provide an answer. Instead Ancestry has cut us off without any regard to customers who have been loyal since our first purchase of the 1995 FTM disks. I speculate the majority of FTM users are us boomers who don’t trust the cloud and like hard copies of our research. Very short sighted on Ancestry’s part as we will not renew our membership. More and more info is available online. And we still enjoy doing the grunt work at The Family History Library in SLC!

  6392. Dave

    VERY DISAPPOINTED AND UPSET WITH THIS DECISION. Hopefully it will be rescinded. I have 17 years of work in FTM, prefer to work offline and store data on my computer. I’m concerned that if FTM is not maintained it will eventually become non-functional and all my records will be lost. I intend to look for alternatives to FTM and Ancestry. Perhaps a new startup will be incentivized to fill the void.

  6393. Pam

    I sat last night and read through thousands of shocked and disappointed feedback. Add mine to the growing list. I felt as if the rug was yanked out from under me. I have been a long time user. I JUST got my DNA results back this week and was SO! looking forward to digging in and getting the genealogy flame back. Thousands like me I am sure live on a fixed income and chose to use your product. I feel now it was partly wasted. Please reconsider or figure out a way for all of us to save our information.

  6394. Sharon

    I agree with all of the above comments. I also have had FTM for eons and it was the main reason I got excited about doing genealogy! Ancestry had changed so much of the website for the .com that I have trouble navigating it sometimes and I have been a member there for several years. Guess I will save my money and find other sources for my research. It is really going to be difficult as DAR Registrar to help others find their Patriots, now. Thanks for nothing.

  6395. Richard

    They may think this is a commercial decision that will save them money. It will actually lose them huge amounts of revenue.
    If they will ditch FTM when convenient just how secure will your data be in their cloud.
    Your users have blogged to you, now they should get the message out to the wider world through the press and social media. See how that helps their bottom line.

  6396. Roger Montemayor

    I have used FTM for many years. My tree has grown to over 12,000 names. I synch my FTM tree to ancestry, but it is simply not practical to try to maintain this in the ancestry web site. The web site user interface is not user friendly, and simply cannot display data the way that FTM does. FTM has so many report options, that I use frequently that don’t exist on ancestry. The abilities to search for duplicates, easily merge data files, correct errors, search for errors, list names by first name or last name, change views from timelines to relationships, show reports on relationship to others, make mass changes to locations – the list goes on – all these make FTM an invaluable tool. The ancestry app online is just a light-weight version of the industrial strength FTM. This is a giant step backwards. I am both an FTM user and an online ancestry subscriber, and the two complement each other. I have trees that are strictly private that I only keep on my PC that I would not want to even have online in private mode. Taking away FTM is a serious blow. Please reconsider.

  6397. Lisa

    Worst news ever for your customers! Although I have used FTM over 15 years, I WILL NOT subscribe to Ancestry if they discontinue the software. The online version is awkward and slow. I will look elsewhere for genealogy software.

  6398. Ed B

    There are too many features on Family Tree Maker that are not on the Ancestry website. I have extensive notes in the “Research Notes” in FTM which are not accessible in Ancestry. Also, the list of outstanding tasks, resolving place names, the much superior relationship calculator, and the ability to print different types and depths of trees are all missing in Ancestry. Either Ancestry needs another major overhaul or Family Tree Maker needs to continue.

  6399. Carolyn Sturdy

    I am sorry to say that I will have to give up my family research now that you have made the decision to cancel FTM. I will not be using ancestry.com when the FTM is gone. I will try to finish what I have started and print what I can afford for history for my family. I also do not like the new interface on my online tree. I don’t like all the added items like “your ancestor may have been involved in ” etc. I delete them as I am not writing a mythical story about my previous family. What a shame you have changed so much. I will never pay for the DNA testing – I think it came about as a money maker for you plus I do not put any faith in it’s results. So sorry this is happening – I’ve been with you a long time and I have a hard time paying each year with the prices going up. I will continue to search free sites plus I’m glad there are sites on Facebook where people help each other for free. I think your company has gotten too big. I have corrected hundreds of bad records on your site thru the years. Well I guess I have 1 year left to finish my story for my family. This is such sad news and I believe after reading the previous comments you will lose revenue with this decision – I guess you have to do what YOU have to do for yourselves.

  6400. Carolyn Sturdy

    One more quick comment. When I am done I will delete my online family tree as there will no longer be any reason for it to be there. I have over 10 years of research in my tree.

  6401. This is a terrible blow. This is a blow to the people like myself that have used this site for years. You have “sucked” us in with your sales talk and gimmicks which for the most part have been good. We have placed our trust and confidence in you and now to find out you are just another “greedy” company. If there is another way I will be leaving you as soon as possible. Ancestry and FTM are a fine compliment to each other. May you enjoy your deception you have fostered on all of your faithful subscribers.

  6402. Linda

    If you really do appreciate our feedback then you may recognise the outrage of this decision. Perhaps you may want to reconsider as from the comments above you will have a huge reduction in membership……and mine being one of them…….hears hoping you make the RIGHT decision

  6403. Kenneth Powell

    Another critical customer/user experience lurking in these comments is that the “new” online Ancestry user interface is WIDELY disparaged and very much despised. I myself am an avid “old” Ancestry interface user, but so dislike the “new” interface that I had planned to go to FTM to do my work.

    Perhaps now is a good time for folks to send a message to the development team and management about this too. I see several here have made suggestions already in months prior to in feedback, but the voices are being heard because critical changes are not being made.

    The reasons why are just so obvious – the grade school, unprofessional look and feel, the GAWDY and UGLY colors and OVERUSE of colors, the horrible looking Tree format, the abandonment of a well organized clean and crisp look, the running together of text and fields, things all spread out making it just harder and more time-consuming to use, requiring more clicks to do things so that one constantly has a feeling of being less efficient – overall it is just IRRITATING and ANNOYING to use when trying to do real work. The new Gallery is a disappointment for some of the same reasons – just not a pleasant experience. The use of inverse color text and dark backgrounds is hard to read and see and distracts from what should be the focus of attention.

    And this doesn’t even begin to address the many, many user interface features that simply do not work despite being reported for weeks and months, as can be found elsewhere in blog status updates.

    Useful features or functions have been REMOVED.

    What a MESS of a user interface, what a degraded experience!

    This customer’s reaction: Not merely disappointed and annoyed, but LIVID!

    LIVID that such a horrible experience is being FORCED on online users with an interface that is substandard, still under development, not ready for prime time, and WORSE than what we already had without the “improvements” –

    While I have in past months offered constructive suggestions, I can only surmise that the managers making the decisions are ignoring this voice.

    Perhaps if others could speak up, it could finally get the attention of someone who might listen and re-think what to do about the “new” interface, if it is now destined the “old” interface will not be offered as a preferred alternative.

  6404. Deb

    S O…W H A T…D O.. I.. D O.. N O W ?

    1995 … Is when I purchased version 1
    1500 … Is how many names in my file
    20 .. Is the number of years I’ve put in
    Number 1 .. Is the priority of my TREE.

    Giving My Family Tree data to future generations is the NUMBER ONE PRIORITY on my “Bucket List”, and this business decision just “kicked my bucket!!! ”

    I have spent MY LIFE building files on my desktop version.

    I do NOT WANT my family files in a cloud. I want my family tree files in a secure environment in my home.

    1 — Are we suppose to throw away 20 years of our hard research?

    2 — What do we do with our life time of family tree data, without any support?

    3 — How do we pass on this valuable family information to our future generations, without the software?

    4 — Will another company buy out the desktop version, so we can continue our family LEGACY?

    5 — Why are you discontinuing the desktop software, with such SHORT NOTICE for anyone to make a decision, or a contingency plan?

    6 — I am still using version 5, on an old computer, so what can I do to PRESERVE my data on my home computer?

    7 — Do you realize this is a LIFETIME NIGHTMARE, and how it impacts everyones life?

    8 — Can you please REVERSE this decision?

    9 — Is everyone suppose to THROW AWAY a lifetime of research?

    10 — Can you provide more ample notice, like at least THREE years notice, and offer a method to convert to another desktop software company?

    I am so DISHEARTENED, I may as well PRINT a paper copy of my Family Tree files, and throw away my computer, and all the electronic data I have researched. I’m done.

    PLEASE RECONSIDER … !!
    … as YOU are affecting
    ….. the lives of others,
    .. and subsequent generations.

  6405. Terre

    I am VERY disappointed, saddened and upset by this decision!! So much so that this is the first time I’ve ever commented on ANY blog post on ANY website. I echo all of the other comments previously made.

    I’ve found there are pros and cons to using both Ancestry.com and FTM, and the two programs complement each other. I prefer FTM over the website because you can do so much more with FTM. Without Tree Sync, my tree would not be on Ancestry. If Tree Sync is discontinued, I won’t be continuing my Ancestry.com membership.
    Also, if Tree Sync is discontinued I won’t be maintaining 2 trees so my online tree won’t be kept up-to-date and I will be deleting it from the website.

    Want to send a letter to the President and CEO of Ancestry? Here’s the address:

    Tim Sullivan
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Ancestry Inc. Corporate Headquarters
    360 West 4800 North
    Provo, UT 84604

  6406. Patty

    I agree with most all postings. I am very unhappy with the current/new Ancestry format. I dislike the new format and find the “stories” not accurate! I have been with Ancestry when it was a free site, but will end my membership at the end of my current run! Very Disappointed!

  6407. Janet

    I, too, am very disappointed with this decision to discontinue the software. I will no longer subscribe to Ancestry once FTM is cancelled. I do not like the new interface on the online trees. It is very hard to navigate and does not have all the information I require. “Confusing” is a word I often use to describe it. Your company has forgotten it’s original purpose. I am sure there are other software programs out there that I can use. Again, I will not use Ancestry or renew membership if this decision to discontinue the software is carried through. Perhaps you should take a poll of your current subscribers to see how this will impact your company.

  6408. Rob

    This is terrible news, I use both the online tree and FTM, in combination they make a great system. The thought of having to go back to the old school way of manually adding sources to my desktop program is going to be a pain as I like the quickness of the way it does it automatically. All the features available to FTM users will now be lost, the online tree will have t be greatly updated with these, although will you then start charging us extra for these!

  6409. Audrey

    I am very disappointed in this decision. I have all my files on Family Tree Maker, have not used any other program for over 15 years. This is the first one I bought, was happy with it and have had it ever since. I especially like “tree Sync”, I would hate to start over with another program as my file is so large with pictures and documents, etc. When you load to another program, the pictures, documents, etc. do not transfer. You have to add them all again. I believe I will cancel my ancestry membership after many years, I have kept it because of the “tree sync” that is available. Also I wish you would go back to the old “search”. The new one hardly brings anything up at all. The old one worked much better. Either you need better programers or you need to go back to the old one. It was working well. I DO NOT like the way it brings up family information either. It is stupid. We are much more educated with the search programs, and you have really messed up on this new one.

  6410. Ray

    As was pointed out much higher in this blog:

    (In October 2012, Ancestry.com agreed to be acquired by a private equity group consisting of Permira Advisers LLP, members of Ancestry.com’s management team, including CEO Tim Sullivan and CFO Howard Hochhauser, and Spectrum Equity for $32 per share or around $1.6 billion.)

    VC traditionally destroy the companies that they have bought in the quest for Profit, and then sell the husk of what is left back to the public. What a great country.

    Kendall who is “in charge” of this section of the company is merely a minion.

  6411. Lisa

    And another thing that gripes me is that I cannot delete some items in the online Gallery and also Sources, like I can in FTM. For example, a census is attached to the wrong person online, and I am unable to remove it, even though I removed it in FTM.

    And is it possible to print reports and charts from Ancestry.com? I’ve searched their help center and all the answers are for FTM.

  6412. Catherine

    I you kidding I have been with you for 20 years and now your going to mess up my family tree maker what will I do with out it I mean why pay for your records if we cant use them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6413. Walt

    I prefer FTM over the website software. I find the website more difficult to use and lacking many features of FTM. I would urge you to reverse this decision!

  6414. Di

    I too am dismayed at this decision.
    I also dislike the new website – hence my reason for not swapping to it up until now.
    What guarantee do we get that anyone with any influence is even reading these posts . . . let alone giving any answers here!

  6415. Glen

    Ancestry reset their counter on the number of comments on this blog post. It was over 12,000 comments earlier today, 12/9/15. Now it is just over 7,000. Very disappointed in this company. Next?

  6416. Karen

    This is rather upsetting. I’ve spent a lot of time, money and efforts to trace my extremely large family. Having Family Tree Maker has been a HUGE help when I’m on location gathering information. Now I won’t have those current print outs to help with my research. I just renewed my Ancestry membership for another year and will be considering cancelling it in 2016 when it comes due again.

  6417. Roger

    Well, chalk this one up to another massive blunder and stupidity in the name of money, and more money for the private equity group. I have been with FTM since Version 1.1 in 1989, and with this announcement, I will join the thousands here in forever walking away from ancestry and any an all other sites associated with you. You will get no more of my money, which means nothing to you I am sure, but at least I, and thousands of others, will not be supporting greed in the name of “progress.” Goodbye and good riddance.

  6418. Brenda McFadden

    This is without a doubt the most absurd business decision I have ever heard. You obviously have no idea how obsessed your customer base is, or how addicted your followers are. You are making a decision about how thousands of baby boomers who were looking forward to spending many retirement hours reconstructing dead people’s lives, are now going to have to pretend they are 22 and don’t mind living in the virtual world.
    You are the company that started it all. Nobody does it better. You developed a national craze about something we all didn’t know we cared about. You have a duty to allow us to carry this on. Your company is not about you, and how you want to focus on expanding your database; it is about an entire subculture of supporters who have found new meaning in life. There is nothing that hits a human being closer to home than their ancestry. But total virtual does not cut it. It has to be tangible and tactile. We need to be able to maintain our synchronized (yes, brilliant) copy on our own computers.
    I am sure your competitors are thrilled to hear this. But you need to consider your moral and ethical obligation to your loyal customer base. Check out your demographics. They are the baby boomers. Wait another 20 years please. What good is all the data you are collecting if we have nowhere to put it!!!

  6419. Denis J Scarfe

    I am stunned at the news that FTM is going., Moreover, it is absolutely unbelievable at the unprofessional manner of Kendall Hulet’s corporate announcement which provides no information whatsoever about the services which will be offered after support for FTM is stopped, and clearly shows that profit-before-people is the motive.
    This is history repeating itself as users of the expensive Family Tree Genealogy Suite will no doubt recall with some anger when were just left in the lurch – just as FTM is doing now.
    So what genealogy service is FTM going to offer after 1 January 2017? Is the company going to try to collect subscriptions for 2016 – or what?

  6420. NevC

    As a suggestion, why not leave FTM as a free unsupported download on Ancestry.
    It appears you are killing the program off, so leave it for those who may want it. It will still be an incentive to use Ancestry

  6421. Mike Kellen

    Words fail to describe my disappointment and frustration with your decision. You have done a masterful marketing job and now legions of us depend on FTM software. Even if you have no concern or empathy for your present day customer base, have you thought through what will happen to your subscription base if you implement this decision? If you must exit the business, at least sell the software to a reputable company which will maintain it. You could even reduce your development cost by not adding more features and only support the existing ones.

  6422. Jim Dingeldein

    I see over 7000 negative comments in 24 hrs and no response from Ancestry. All I can say is they have made up there minds and are are not ready to gather input from users. Make sure you have a good backup and wait for another company to come on line with import capability to support the online thing. I suggest that a company may see the the opportunity to a user for a lesser fee to upload and share your tree and if you want to search for data there will be a bit larger fee. Again make a backup on a drive off the web so you have all your data. Just food for thought.

  6423. Bob H

    So to “Improve my customer experience” you remove the on part of your product I value. And you are a Company to whom I entrusted my DNA! I can’t think when I last made such an ill-judged decision.

  6424. Kimberlee

    Without the software ancestry website is useless to me. I don’t like keeping my trees on line. I love the software to website integration for adding more to my files. I was going to upgrade my software to the newest version, glad I didn’t waste my money on a soon to be useless program. I will most likely cancel my subscription to ancestry when I can no longer have Internet interface and all those hint leaves. I assume you feel that sacrificing you software clientele isn’t going to affect your business overall, how many clients will you loose? Thousands? Millions? Doesn’t matter right? I say within the year you will either bring back the software or go out of business. But either way clients will be lost…merry Christmas folks here’s a lump of coal.

  6425. Steve

    A very poor decision but not surprising. First you BUY the competitor’s product, then you sell it to make a bit of money, then you DUMP it to reduce your costs and to hell with your customers. I will not be renewing my subscription once FTM is no longer supported, especially the sync feature. Your website, while useful, is NOT the only resource I can access and all the others are FREE. Why not change your mind and keep your customers happy?

    Also, the new website design is APPALLING. I am not switching to that until I am left with no choice.

  6426. Steve

    Was on the verge of signing up for a 12 month’s subscription when I saw this announcement. Obviously in light of this announcement i won’t be proceeding.

  6427. Mark

    I have used FTM to combine trees of newly found relatives and then syncing with the website. Without this feature how would I accomplish without inputting each new family member one at a time?

  6428. Brian

    this decision is beyond stupid…your beancounters are obviously not thinking…without software for home use that can link to the webpages..the webpages become useless. most of my work is not done online, and i predict you have just destroyed your company. Sad.

  6429. Richard

    I was trying to decide if I should have a new subscription to ancestry or FindMyPast. Now I know and I’ll be deleting all my information from ancestry

  6430. Lila Guenther

    As you can see, no one is happy to see that FTM is being phased out. I will be looking for another place to put my data and may quit using Ancestry. Ancestry is too expensive to use forever. I have been paying up the nose for it because I like having access to the databases. But if there is no place to store our research, what is the point in using your research databases? We need to have some place on the ground to store our data. You are all a bunch of greedy idiots.

  6431. Tom

    This is excellent news! Now I don’t have to even think about subscribing to Ancestry ever again! Ancestry saves money, so do I! It’s a win-win situation all around!

    Seriously, why not make the source code open source, or at least create web services for ancestry.com so that third parties software developers can pick up where Ancestry is dropping the ball/

  6432. kurt

    LOL just tried to post and now they are blocking post that tell the truth So i make it more simple People use the better business bureau and lodge a real complaint on the company.

  6433. Alyson Angus

    What a shame! I hadn’t used FTM in years, but decided that with my DNA work, it would be easier to keep and update multiple trees and also work offline. What a shame that you’re ending it. A big mistake I think. I’m disappointed in your decision to end treemaker and also disappointed with your new site which is too much fluff and meat too hard to reach. May be time to look elsewhere and I’m saddened by that. You clearly aren’t catering to the serious genealogist.

  6434. TonyW

    Lawyers – they got ya by the short hairs:

    FYI This is an excerpt from the Terms and Conditions for using Ancestry.com.

    “By submitting User Provided Content on any of the Websites, you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use User Provided Content submitted by you to the Websites, to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered. You hereby release Ancestry and its Group Companies from any and all claims, liens, demands, actions or suits in connection with the User Provided Content you submit, including, without limitation, any and all liability for any use or nonuse of your User Provided Content, claims for defamation, invasion of privacy, right of publicity, emotional distress or economic loss. This license continues even if you stop using the Websites or the Services. Ancestry may scan, image and/or create an index from the User Provided Content you submit. In this situation, you grant Ancestry a license to the User Provided Content as described above and Ancestry will own the digital version of documents created by Ancestry as well as any indexed information that Ancestry creates. Except for the rights granted in this Agreement, Ancestry acquires no title or ownership rights in or to any User Provided Content you submit and nothing in this Agreement conveys any ownership rights in such User Provided Content on the Websites. The licenses granted continue for the maximum time permitted by applicable law, even if you stop using the Websites or the Services.”

    As you can see, removing your tree only removes it from current public view, but you have granted Ancestry.com other rights to it forever.

    Bill

  6435. Janis N.

    I am in disbelief moving into anger. Belated April Fool’s Day prank? If it is not then we know who the fools are. Well 2 years gives us a bit of time to look at other venues. Perhaps you should poll people first–maybe see how many actually use other electronic devises. The sync feature is the best thing I have seen in many years and I am not the only one that uses it or thinks this way. I have researched the old fashion way and I can do it again and I promise I will not suggest folks to buy into this site or FTM especially since making really dumb decisions and not really consulting the majority that use the products and features. Reminds me of today’s politicians – don’t really care about the folks on this end. I guess I am shutting off the automatic renewal on my subscription and probably deleting my tree in 2017. I certainly don’t want to see you profit by it.

  6436. Roger Neilson

    I have posted this in the ‘More information……’ thread, but cross posting here also.
    Reputation and trust is a big thing in business. Even if you rescinded this whole decision (which is about as likely as finding men on Mars) the manner by which this has been done leaves me unable to ever regard you as a company worthy of any reliance when it comes to my thousands of hours of time spent in building my data. I will be taking the year to completely sever all ties with yourselves.

  6437. mal

    I concur with all the included negative comments already registered are you in fact introducing a new third party tree agent by stealth. Not enough profit for you?

  6438. Richard W.

    LEGACY FAMILY TREE — Hey everyone all is not lost. My wife and I used Family Tree Maker and were very happy with it through the 1990’s, however she did most of the work while I was at work. Her breast cancer took her away from me in 2001 just days before 9/11. I was not able to get back to her work until four years ago after retirement, but I researched all of the platforms first. My decision was to go with Legacy Family Tree. Since that decision it has even improved considerably — and I mean IMPROVED CONSIDERABLY! A plus is that it is rather closely associated with the LDS Church, which has genealogy as one of their tenants. Therefore expect it to last, AND LAST A LONG TIME. (That is my personal opinion and not an official statement of either Millennia Corporation or the LDS Church, neither of which I am associated with. I am a Catholic.)
    All you have to do is copy all of your work to a GedCom file, buy Legacy 8.0, install it and upload the Gedcom file back into Legacy. I’ve found their support service to be superb. If you have any questions just log into http://www.legacyfamilytree.com, and browse the website then send your query.
    Come on people stop coming down so hard onto Ancestry. It has been a good company and still is. Being like any company they have to make a profit. After all isn’t that part of the American way. That is what the original settlers came here for and what the founding fathers of these United States intended. Your digital genealogy isn’t dead, its just going to move to another platform. In spite of that you really have to admit that what Ancestry offers costs less per year then a single night’s stay at a motel or hotel on a research trip, and you can do the work in your pajamas with a cup of java. I dare you to even think of doing that at a courthouse or a state archive.
    As for me, four years ago I went through the problem which you must now endure. Other then that all I can say is Thank you Ancestry for the product, which you offer.

  6439. Sue Pay

    I can only but echo the sentiments of all here who are disappointed with the withdrawal of FTM. With no internet access it is my only way of sharing my research with my parents. Will the chart and report functionality be added to Ancestry? I too will be looking for alternatives; yours is not the only website.

  6440. Ian

    I concur with all that has been said. Living in a third world country with pathetic line speed and often offline the website can be a nightmare to work on. FTM and Sync has been the only way to go.

  6441. Les

    What a terrible decision. The web-based content is awful, and FTM is excellent. Like many others I will now find alternatives. Surely a cloud-based solution was a viable alternative?

  6442. kurt

    I just listed my complaint with the Better Business Bureaus as i think everybody should do and on there page it showed this: Alternate Business Names
    Ancestry.com Operations Inc. Genealogy.com My Canvas MyFamily.com Rootsweb.com. For all who are jumping ship Please read the fine print or you might just be asking for the same issues down the road.

  6443. Phil

    Two things. First Could someone with some computer and marketing savvy start up a fb page so that we might all become fb friends on that site so that we can help each other in the search for suitable alternative Genalogy platforms. Maybe if enough ground swell from Ancestry Members an alternative Genalogy provider might see it as worthwhile to provide a service to replace FTM & the sync provisions. Let’s be realistic this must happen quickly as it is quite likely that Ancestry will close this blog shortly. Lets not wait for the axe to fall rather let’s do something for ourselves quickly. So please someone with appropriate computer skills please stand up quickly.

  6444. Peter K.

    I am yet another person dismayed to put it mildly about your decision. I subscribe to Ancestry because of FTM. If that link goes then I will have no reason to stay. I already subscribe to one of your rivals as well as they have a lot more of the UK records I want

  6445. Nan

    This is a BIG bombshell!! Investment down the drain!! I like to have my tree both on Ancestry and on my hard drive. Don’t retire FTM!!!

  6446. Roger

    Like most (all?) of the 7,111 others who’d commented when I started writing this I’m not happy with this decision. The key questions we all face have already been written but the FAQs put up so far go nowhere near answering the many questions that we all have.

  6447. The response of many members of Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society has been one of disappointment that one of the most popular desktop programs is to no longer be supported/developed. Whatever benefits this may bring to Ancestry will be tempered or outweighed by the negative impression of Ancestry that this move will create among the considerable number of FTM users. We would urge that this decision be reviewed.
    John Marsden
    Chairman, Manchester & Lancashire FHS

  6448. Jean Laidlaw

    I’m very disappointed by this decision. Might I suggest that you improve Ancestry to incorporate all the excellent features of FTM such as the ability to produce reports and charts before consigning it to the bin.
    I feel like you are trying to force us, and people beginning their family history in the future, to upload our trees to Ancestry.
    I think it is important to maintain a local copy of my data on my PC – and be able to access that data without internet.

  6449. Richard Lehman

    I completely agree with the vast majority of comments above. We need a lot more detail about this apparently appalling decision. This is likely to cost Ancestry an awful lot of support/customers going forward.

  6450. Steve

    What a total disaster! You have completely misread the situation and made an appalling business decision. The advice to your customers is terse and gives no help as to the future. You have alienated your previously faithful and appreciative customer base at a stroke. You now have droves of customers discussing how and when to abandon Ancestry. We now have little confidence in your abaility to provide a stable service for the future. And those who have purchased your products recently feel defrauded becuase in a year’s time it won’t “do exactly what it says on the tin”. The business incompetence here is quite unbelievable and, as someone has already pointed out, this is set to become a classic case of how not to do business and keep faith with the customer. The only way out now is for Ancestry to acknowledge the mistake, apologise for the distress, promise not to “retire” FTM and seek to recover this awful PR disaster. Man up! Be honest! And we will appreciate that mistake do happen – the mark of a good business is that it learns from them. I do hope that you will email all your users within the next few days in an attempt to calm this storm of protest – it’s the least we can expect for our money.

  6451. David Gaunt

    A very disappointing decision. The great advantage of FTM is its sync. capabilities with the website so you can use either for editing /building your tree. I am not aware of any other company offering this service. I print trees with my plotter from FTM but when you close down the sync capabilities I will have to download gedcom files and will no longer be able to add data to FTM unless I manually do the same on the website. FTM has far more features than the website and as some members have mentioned you can correct errors from FTM then it updates the website what could be simpler? If you are not going to reverse this decision why not talk to a third party for a way forward?

  6452. Jeff

    I wonder if the penny has dropped yet, based on the number of unhappy replies.
    Do the honourable thing quickly, reverse the decision and save yourself a lot of unhappy customers going elsewhere and save your reputation. Do it before it escalates onto National and International media channels where I am sure Ancestry name will get the reputation of being recognised by the world for its mistreatment of customers and their family histories.

    Your strategy is not going to grow your business by disenfranchising a large number of your customers. People have long memories and will not forgive easily. Also they will not recommend to others a business that they feel has pulled the rug on valued services and makes it untrustworthy.

    You really do need to have a fresh look at how sustaining FTM can add value to your business. CDs, packaging etc. are all smokescreen excuses – most computers don’t have CDs these days, downloads are the norm for upgrades.

  6453. Andrew Bradbury

    Not going to repeat all the comments – agree with everyone else. But is anyone from Ancestry going to answer the many questions raised here? Or is this just a site for venting our anger with no planned response from the company? Is anyone even reading these comments?

  6454. Peter Wise

    I was introduced to Ancestry through FTM and have been very happy with the service offered by both programs. I was devastated to hear that the link between the two is to be broken. Without the Link to FTM there is now no point in being an Ancestry member.
    Please reconsider. People who have just started out on their family tree will rightfully be demanding their money back for any Ancestry membership.

  6455. George

    I use both the online tree and FTM, in combination they make a great system. I really value working offline, having a copy of my tree offline and generally using the features of FTM not available on Ancestry. So long as you keep supporting FTM then my intention is to remain with ancestry.com.

  6456. David Salt

    I am extremely shocked to hear of your decision. I have invested over 1000 hours building family trees using FTM that are linked with ancestry using treesync. These trees are visited weekly by other ancestry members who regularly merge or copy certificates from them. I am so disappointed by your decision that I will be leaving ancestry for good in the near future and moving my trees elsewhere. I ask you to reconsider your decision,

  6457. Richard W

    When I joined Ancestry many years ago the main attraction was the connection to the software FTM, which I felt had been built up by the sustained joint efforts of family historians and Ancestry’s software people over many years of experiment and feedback. That development seemed to be useful and continuous until recently. It is astonishing and dismaying that so much productive work should be consigned to the bin. And no suggestion has been offered of a solution for the many loyal FTM users who have laboriously built illustrated and annotated trees. What an odd and cold way of treating loyal customers. Please review the decision urgently.

  6458. Susan Newman

    I am not at all pleased as I have used FTM for many years alongside Ancestry and found this to work well for me. I feel it is important to have a local copy of my extensive family tree on my PC to access when I do not have the internet available.

  6459. Richard

    Perhaps a consultation with your valuable (soon to be diminishing ?) customer base may have been wise before announcing this decision. Reading through individual circumstances there are a significant number of people who will be affected by this, not least those who have limited internet access/capability/confidence. I realise that with a decision like this there has to be a cutoff but having just purchased FTM 1 month ago, for me personally this is wholly unacceptable from a consumer perspective, knowingly purchasing a product that I believed would be available & supported for many years to come. Many companies in similar circumstances e.g. offering upgrade/alternatives will readily credit consumers against recently purchased software (Adobe/Microsoft to name but two). This needs to happen asap otherwise a complete rethink of this decision. Ignoring customer opinion continues to be the demise of many a successful business.

  6460. Chris Lamb

    I have to say my initial knee jerk was how dare you take away my FTM. This morning I spent some time on the Ancestry website and I find I can do anything I was doing on FTM and there are advantages to having everything on the website. If my friend is running Ubuntu, she can use my tree just as easily as anyone else, and when I am traveling, everything is available. Instead of being mad, I believe when my membership renews I am going to upgrade to All Access.

  6461. Graeme

    Agree entirely with previous posting from “Steve”.
    How much you have misread just how valued FTM is to your members.
    Looking at the thousands of postings to your blog, I see the words appalling, disaster, disappointment, shameful, not to mention the word trust, repeated constantly throughout.
    I hope your management from Ancestry is reading this?

  6462. Lorna Roberts

    Do not understand this move. Will I lose my trees? Can I keep my trees off line as I do at the moment?
    Will I be able to print off information?

  6463. Gerry Smith

    If your customer relations team had done their job you would understand the trust and loyalty your users have in you, this is proven by the 7000+ items submitted to your blog. I think most of us now are thinking what software we will be using in the the future.
    On a personal level in my opinion the last two editions of FTM have been a retrograde step.
    Like many of the bloggers I would like to know what your plans for a new FTM platform are, if any.
    I do feel abandoned by your organisation.

  6464. Stuart Wallgren

    I read your announcement in disbelief. How can you make such a short sighted decision. You are abandoning the people who have built your company. I have purchased every copy of your software for the last 15 years, both for PC and Mac. I have the worldwide research package very year for as long as you have been offering it. I personally have built over 150 trees, containing close to 100 thousand people and for those 150 trees, I have had those families purchase over 100 copies of Family Tree Maker software. Last week two more people purchased your software so they can “read” what I have done for them. How stupid does this make me feel? You have no idea! I believe your business decision is built on the success of your TV series and the huge interest in genealogy. It is obvious that you want the public to use the Ancestry site to develop their trees instead of using the FTM software. The Ancestry site does not provide the same level of detail and have the capabilities as the FTM software and for the “experienced genealogist” or the beginning genealogist, it is important to establish and note the documentation for every fact you put in the “tree”. The Ancestry site is an over simplification of the research process, which in the long run will create more mis-information that we do not need. People who import someone else tree will just duplicate the errors that the previous person has made.
    You need to maintain your efforts for the FTM product line. If not, I will stop using the ancestry site for my work. If you can abandon us, we can abandon you. The LDS site has as much information as yours and the Legacy software is getting better and better.
    I can’t imagine how this decision was made and I hope you will read and take our messages to heart. The CEO needs to come forward and justify these actions or resind this decision. I will await a response.

  6465. Steve M

    Losing Tree Sync will really hurt. This is a BIG MISTAKE. I understand not adding features and dropping support but to drop the ability to sync the two is a disaster for me. Please keep it.

  6466. Ian

    This maybe more about control of data and money than Service???? The main ancestry sight fails badly. Other genealogy sites are coming along maybe they will offer better!!

  6467. Bob

    One Ancestry WWW site claims that FTM has millions of users worldwide. Even if only 1 million of these subscribes to a premier membership that is an annual income of £180,000,000!!!. Ancestry should agree to keep the software operational and restrict upgrades to necessity e.g. fix major bugs and maintain compatibility with new releases of Windows/MAC IOS etc. This would enable their “millions” of users to carry on using software which is good enough for most people without any further enhancements and maintain a source of income for them which seems to me to be very lucrative.

  6468. Peter O'Loughlin

    While agreeing with almost all the comments, it is odd everyone seems to be so surprised. Some 2,000 or so years ago Judas had a rather similar problem with money, and people who trusted him.

  6469. Mike Wilkins

    As a user of FTM V4 but a lapsed subscriber to Ancestry I assume that I have not received updates. However, I find that it serves my purpose in the same way that Windows XP does. I, therefore, will just soldier on until I need to upgrade. I can then purchase another programme and, hopefully, transfer my data.

  6470. Ninian

    I would like to suggest that we establish a forum to discuss the best alternative desktop software and what we need to do to migrate to it.
    For me the big fear is that the current version of FTM will be unable to run on future versions of the operating system. We need to be with someone who is in this for the long haul and not just for a quick buck1

  6471. David Carr

    Oh dear, Kendall Hulet, you’ve certainly misread this one! I suspect this will not be one of your greatest achievements in the long run. I’m now on the case of choosing my next software supplier. It’s a shame after all these year but it’s time to abandon ship!

  6472. All this at a time when RootsMagic is now synching with Family Search and My Heritage and also has a beta online tree sync facility. Why is Ancestry going backwards when others are going forward. Ah well; it will save me £100 per year. And one less tree to keep in sync.

  6473. Brad Nabors

    So, I guess, thank you for the long lead time — at least we have a year. But this is terrible news.

    FTM has functionality that just doesn’t exist on your site.

    Will you adapt the site or add functionality, or will the FTM capabilities just be lost?

    Does this mean that sometime after Jan 1, 2017 we will not be able to sync our online and FTM tree?

    Would we need to download a new tree to FTM each time we made changes to our online tree?

    And changes made to the FTM tree would not be made to the online tree?

    Hoping for a miracle here!

  6474. Simon

    If I were you I’d fire your entire marketing team. What a PR disaster. 7,000 plus almost unanimous negative comments. Normal practice is usually trying to help your customers not shafting then. Did your team do any market research before making this decision ?Been a customer for many years and now will be going elsewhere.

  6475. Joe Gill

    With the upcoming and unwanted infantile changes to the online platform, ancestry is adding insult to injury by ending its support of FTM. Time to seek an alternative to ancestry.

  6476. Paul Clarke

    I tried to comment here yesterday but it seems to have vanished. Can’t add much to what has already been said. If Ancestry go ahead with this after the volume of comments on here I have to wonder at their claim to care about our views.

  6477. Pat

    Yikes, I was just going to buy the newer version. Should I just to sync my tree as I have not done so. Any of you know of how to sync with out having to type to this all out on another program??? HELP!! Is anyone answering any of these 1000’s of questions from Ancestry???

  6478. Richard

    Well, we have all been suckered. Ancestry has for years talked everybody to up load their tree’s which Ancestry have plundered over the year milking everyone along the way for the right to have a look at information they have gained for nothing. My suggestion to people is delete as much of your information of as you can & try to use other sources.

  6479. Colin Gallani

    Very disappointed at this move. I too have used FTM since it was produced by Broderbund.
    I do not subscribe to Ancestry since there are no records digitised that are of use to me. I rely on visiting State Archives for ancestors and then transcribe to FTM. I am now researching other family tree products for a replacement.

  6480. Sharon

    Two comments:
    1. You seriously misunderstood your customers. We love history – and want not only to search for ancestors, but document what we have found. Ancestry.com is a good search engine, but it doesn’t fulfill the customer need to document, record, capture the essence of our families. We treasure documents of the past and want a connection to them. FTM provides that link. Ancestry is more fluff than stuff.
    2. I understand the migration to a web-based application. What you are doing would be the equivalent of Microsoft telling its customers that they are discontinuing Excel because Access is a better database program. Can both do some of the same functions? Yes. Do both have functions unique to themselves? Yes. That’s the point your users are making. Ancestry is not FTM. FTM is the ends; Ancestry is merely the means. Here’s another point: when I subscribe to Office 365, I’m using a Word application (or Excel, or PowerPoint) that has the same look and feel and functionality as Office 10 on my old laptop. Ancestry alone does not give me the functions of FTM. Would it have been a better strategy to merge the two applications (FTM and Ancestry) into one application with the best of both instead of cutting off one cold? Give notice to your customers, provide a sufficient time window and provide regular updates during the transition..
    At this point, you’ve alienated your customer base and lost their trust. As a business person myself, that’s not a position I ever want to be in.

  6481. Terry Cannon

    I see that you “really appreciate our feedback”! Well you should be listening by now. Absolutely DISGRACEFUL. A complete breakdown in trust with your long-term faithful customers. You have not only badly let us down but have even failed to fully communicate any guidance whatsoever as to how we can continue with long term research and recording of files

  6482. James

    What a load of crap. You’ve taken a lot of peoples money for years and I’ve been pay my membership for quiet a long time too, all for what. So what suggestions has been offered for a solution to the many loyal FTM users. Come on on fellas have a huge rethink.

  6483. William Morrissey

    Boardroom logic. No fidelity to your customers. Sad! I guess selling our DNA data and developing the new medical dna software is in the way of maintaining those individuals who purchased your paper/hard data products. Why didn’t you just spin off the DNA portion? Typical slash and burn Management practices that have seen great benefits for stockholders while tossing out the customer like yesterday’s news. Ruin a good thing 101.

  6484. Ramonyca Brown

    I share all of the above comments…..to make this announcement with no options left to us….you have just sealed the fate of your company.

  6485. Henry Felce

    Withdrawal of FTM: surely a sensible business would have made an active plan for supporting the loyal supporters of Ancestry & FTM beyond the end of 2016. They are in effect asking FTM users to look for alternative genealogy software which can used offline. It is clear that many of us do not want to rely solely on an online application. Upsetting very loyal and longstanding customers does not seem like an intelligent way forward for a profit-seeking business.

  6486. Alan Adams

    In common with the majority of comments I am very disappointed at the decision to stop supporting FTM and feel that this is a very retrograde step. After some research I chose FTM ahead of its competitors and I have been very happily using it for 6 years or so and indeed have upgraded to the latest version at every opportunity. I have found it to be an excellent tool to readily develop a tree and ideal to work directly on to when in a research centre or elsewhere with no internet connection. Both the overall functionality and the ease of use are very good and far exceed what is currently available with the online trees.
    FTM was the main reason for me subscribing to Ancestry. Initially I didn’t upload my tree but of recent years I have found the facility to upload/synchronise a tree to be very useful. Whilst I have certainly benefitted from this I find that working with my tree online is quite cumbersome so I do minimum work on line, eg reviewing hints, usually with FTM open in another Window on my laptop to help me keep things in perspective, then synchronise my tree and tidy everything up on FTM.
    I am trying hard not to have a knee-jerk reaction and leave Ancestry but I will certainly be reviewing other options over the coming months to figure out the best way forward for my needs.

  6487. Jacki S

    I was looking at the Ancestry site in an effort to find names of top managers to e-mail directly. Stumbled onto their “VALUES”. How does this action measure up to, say, the LEADERSHIP value as stated:

    “We think and act like owners, working proactively to achieve the best outcomes for Ancestry. We use good judgment to fill in gaps where guidance is not present or required. We try new things and learn from the stumbles and the successes.”

    We need to flood this company with e-mails, faxes, phone calls. Anyone have a list of their leadership team?

  6488. Blake Francis

    The 7100 + comments pretty much say it all. There will not be many standing when the dust settles.I have already saved all of my documents, started researching alternative programs and shut down my ancestry.ca Apps. My account comes due in March and it will not be renewed. That gives you three months to convince me to stay. Thanx for the memories.

  6489. Roger

    I find it shocking and ironic that a company who started as a company that built a software to allow users to track their historical and current family history for future generations is now dropping that very service and leaving people out in the cold. It comes across as Ancestry not caring about historical records (their own product line). While I certainly understand the decision from a financial perspective, I think Ancestry is under estimating where it is leaving people and will leave Ancestry in a couple of decades. I also think they don’t care. It’s all about the annual subscriptions and where they stand financially today. I assume this will go through, but I can assure you, no matter what solution I have to come up with to manage my family history, it will not include Ancestry. If they don’t care about people that have been with them before the existence of annual subscriptions and the cloud, then something else would come along later where they would hurt the small older family member. I also think they are forgetting their longer term market. All these younger people who have entered into these new online subscriptions and can afford them, will someday be retired and will not be able to afford them. Give it about 10-15 years and this new financial model will likely come crashing down on them.

  6490. jack

    Are there other programs out there that an import our existing data/trees without having to re-enter everything? Is ANYONE from Ancestry reading these comments? How do we get answers to these questions????????????

  6491. Barry Jupp

    So what will happen once its gone? What a waste of time,and money spent over the years. I wont be spending anymore money with you what a let down ,and rip off.

  6492. Dean

    Terrible decision. I agree with the rest of the comments. Have to reconsider my long-time relationship with ancestry.com

  6493. Ellen Elder

    Having a hard time believing Ancestry is concerned about all above very serious concerns since there are no statements in response or announced intent to review their plan. Along with all others I have been a longtime customer. I need and rely on FTM to organize and keep records. Usually an organization which wants to grow and develop that kills off a feature offers a replacement that has enhancing benefits to the customers to replace it with. Ancestry is offering none of that to its customers.

  6494. Roger

    PS…The Ancestry marketing department really needs to think through what it is doing. I received two emails in less than 24 hours from Ancestry. The first one was the announcement that the company was getting rid of FTM. The second email was a sales pitch on the DNA product line, but the header read “This will make your day….”. It was so thoughtless to send an email with that headline even though it was related to a different product. Nothing in your announcements “made my day”. Does anyone in the marketing departments at companies even think before they hit the enter button on releasing sales emails?

  6495. Jan

    Sorry Ancestry, but I am as disgusted as so many others on this thread. Bland statement from yourselves showing no real interest in your customer base. I shall spend my time looking elsewhere now…..surprisingly you have NOT cornered the genealogy market and cannot hold your customers in such contempt!

  6496. Ellen Elder

    So Kendall Hulett has been in this position for 6 months and now has the power to kill a product that has been around for many years and diminish the position of Ancestry. Why is the leadership willing to trust such a short tenure of experience to change the mission of its organization?

  6497. Mel

    This decision is very disappointing. After about 12 years of doing family research and using FTM I feel like you are letting all of us down in a very bad way. Please reconsider your decision.

  6498. Jan

    Oh, and I forgot to add that I absolutely hate the so-called development of the site. It’s ugly, unnecessary and not at all user-friendly

  6499. Val

    Very disappointed at this news. It is an excellent product – the tree-sync feature is particularly useful. How will I be able to download my data to my computer to maintain a backup without this software?

  6500. Kathy Higginbotham

    Having the ability to install FTM program directly to my desktop was the reason I started with Ancestry. There are several things wrong (for me) having an “online only” tree.
    1. How about when I don’t have access to the internet when I’m in a basement of courthouse or in research centers where there are no internet connections! So addition purchase of an IPad will be needed with Cellular service $$ whereas I’m have a copy of my family trees on my laptop.
    2. What happens when I decide I cannot pay for ancestry service due to hardship? Will this mean the family tree I have on line with all my collected data (which I have paid for throughout the years) be unavailable to me and only accessible through a subscription?
    3. What will happen to the books I have been working on through MyCanvas by Alexander’s. Will it be accessible only with a subscription with Ancestry?
    Developers were smart. Develop a program and get season genealogists to download their work whereas they could then sale the collected data while charge a fee.
    Someone mention that is the future! Ancestry seem to forget that season genealogists spent hours in libraries, state archives, and research centers collecting data the old fashion way long before there were a FTM.
    You have many of us in the corner for now! But! How long do you think you will have new subscribers or present subscribers once they really understand they are paying for something that will go away once they stop paying? Do you really think we are that stupid to continue with you!!!!!!!!

  6501. george

    Don’t do this, it’s a bad idea.. FTM is much easier to use than the online program. Your business will go downhill shortly.

  6502. Susan Edwards

    I have said this over and over again in the past several years. Ancestry has become too big for their britches! Your web site is a disgrace to serious researchers. Your shaking green leaves are pathetic excuses to lore newbies trying to start a family tree into saving unreliable and unproven information into their trees. I have seen so many mistakes in peoples trees that I stopped subscribing to Ancestry after my last subscription expired. You add shaking leaves to my people and when I click on them I find my own information, documents and pictures that I uploaded to help others and you have the nerve to charge me for this service. Then I click on other peoples trees and find outrageous information that was saved because you told them it was a match and they do not know any better. When mistakes are pointed out nothing is done about it. Now you also want to stop supporting the very program I purchased from you. Most of your information comes from Family Search which is a FREE genealogical search web site. For sharing their FREE information and documents I volunteer my time doing Indexing for them (Transferring original documents into digital format) I will transfer all my trees (over 40 years of searching) into another program (Probably Roots Magic) and remove all my information, documents pictures etc. from Ancestry. If more people do this you will soon find out what it feels like to be at the losing end of the stick instead of your loyal customers. Your new name will eventually become Ancestry/losers.com

  6503. Roger

    Considering the people responding to this post are likely the same people who built up the majority of your tree databases, as well as representative of a significant percentage of your ongoing subscriber registry, we do hope you address our concerns by either keeping FTM or coming up with some viable alternative. What you have proposed thus far doesn’t quite cut it. Aren’t we the people who have really made Ancestry.com what it is today? How many of these one-click ponies (the app genealogists) actually maintain full fledged subscriptions to your site for a number of years? I’ll bet it’s a very small percentage. This is not the type of website that will thrive in that arena. A subscription site makes money based on repeat subscribers, not the whims of the “now” generation. We have each individually spent thousands on your site and products over the years. FTM is what brought us to you – take that core product away and we will quickly disappear as well.

  6504. John

    FTM is what keeps me with Ancestry and all my research has been done using it. The reason I subscribed to Ancestry was that you had FTM. Don’t do it you will loose customers big time if you do.

  6505. I am so angry about the decision to cease FTM. Like others who have already commented on the blog, I decided to use Ancestry because of the access to FTM. There are features in FTM that are so helpful and I have a backup to all my work. To me it sounds like a move to put the bottom line ahead of making a good product.

  6506. Bob Scaffidi

    Well, folks. This is what happens when you deal with a monopoly. When a company doesn’t want to provide what their customers want, then it is time to stop dealing with that company.

  6507. Les

    Ditto to the over 7000 negative comments you have received so far. I’ve been a World Explorer Member, bought two editions of FTM and purchased 3 DNA tests, but I will be looking for an alternative web site in the future.

  6508. Jim

    I must agree with the hundreds who have now added to this blog. I think you have severely underestimated the value of the software and the loyalty of your customers. FTM holds my family tree and the Ancestry tree is simply a backup. This is a much more sensible approach. Your online tree and “life story” is poorly thought out and boring. It also leads to inaccuracies because of assumptions made about how to organize the data within the tree. I, for one, would be willing to pay an annual fee to keep and maintain the FTM software.

  6509. Kayla

    I’m one of the people who recently purchased FTM 2014. I did so at the recommendation of the Ancestry helpline technician after I expressed my dissatisfaction with New Ancestry. He assured me that FTM would solve my problems. No further comment necessary.

  6510. Jerry

    Well, this will certainly boost Legacy sales. Guess I’ll be forced to upgrade to their latest version now. Ancestry’s online interface is greatly insufficient, and has many shortcomings. The FTM interface is more professional. It would be a severe downgrade to only utilize the Ancestry web interface. Not a customer-sensitive choice by any means. Then again, what else did we expect?

  6511. O.D.Nelson

    I won’t try to add my fury to the 10,000 others you have generated. But a suggestion that you approach LDS and ask if they will take FTM over. Since they are motivated by religious beliefs, not by profit, they might bail you out of a loosing service, while maintaining the TreeSync that is so important to you and us. If you force us to go online in order to access our lifetime of research, you will be looking at the mother of all time class action lawsuit!!!!!

  6512. I’ve worked in financial services for over 40 years, and in IT for more that 30 of these years. I’ve seen situations like this before, where software suppliers have stopped sales of, and retired support for, ageing software versions (Microsoft, Adobe, etc come to mind).. but I can’t recall any cases where the announcement has singularly failed to provide a viable replacement in the way that Kendall Hulet’s has!

    OK, there will be no more sales, and support will continue for to the end of 2016… but this doesn’t mean that the software will stop working on our Laptops/Desktops, even after support stops.

    This announcement at least explains why there has been no obvious attempt to make FTM compatible with the latest Windows Versions (e.g. Win 7, Win 8 or Win 10), nor to make a version available on the Windows App Store.

    I’ll be honest – I’m still using FTM 2010 version, which I’ve found to be the most stable – even on Win 10. It’s not broke, so I will not be trying to fix anything….. Yet.

    Kendall’s suggestion that we should use the web software on Ancestry.com is flawed, IMHO. I have been uploaded privatised family tree data in the past. However with the upsurge of Identity Theft and scams nowadays, I don’t think it’s too clever to have identifiable data freely available on the web…. For example, how many of us have web password resets dependent on our maternal grandmother’s maiden name???
    And I’m sorry – Ancestry DNA is not of any interest to me.
    Like many others, my Ancestry Subscription is due for renewal later this month. I will be thinking long and hard about whether I renew it.

    Bottom Line – Kendall Hulet may have a 12 year history with Ancestry, but he has clearly misjudged the way that many of his customers choose to use the software, and he does not deserve his recently acquired position in the company. Josh Penrod, Scott Sorensen, Kenneth Chahine, Laura Dansbury…. Why are you not stepping in on this?

  6513. Donna

    WOW someone missed the boat on this one, FTM is an essential tool to many who follow their ancestry. I will be looking for alternatives and will cancel my subscription to Ancestry.ca.

  6514. Susan

    Family Tree Maker is the first and only software I have ever used. It is user friendly and generally logical. I am disappointed that it will no longer be available to suggest to new genealogy researchers to contain the massive amounts of information they are about to discover. Does Ancestry have another product in the works or can you suggest an alternative product?

  6515. Noone Special

    Can you say Class Action for breech of faith? You better offer refunds for everyone who has ever an active tree and used FTM as a backup.

  6516. Robert Brooks

    I am new to this . However, it is obvious to me based on the opinions expressed here that Ancestry has made a BIG mistake that hopefully they will correct quickly.

  6517. Christopher Burt

    It would appear Ancestry may be about to make a business direction change which may well see them out of business. Other companies have similarly failed to recognise the integration of their products and having deleted a product that was a linch pin to their business despite its apparent backward motion in sales. I would say they (Ancestry) have failed in their sales business model for the software. Perhaps it is better to move on from a failing business.

  6518. Diana Ritchie

    I hope that when FTM is gone, you will allow other software makers to have their products sync with Ancestry Family. I’ve heard that there are other software vendors interesting in doing this and certainly there are those of us interesting in retaining that capability.

  6519. George Dyne

    Just renewed my subscription to Ancestry then I get this bombshell. I will move to another site when my subscription ends 1 Jan 2017. In the mean time I am looking for a new programme. Roots Magic are offering discounts for FTM users. Goodbye

  6520. Roberta Edes

    Shocking news – I shall be evaluating my research needs and swapping to another software asap. Things have been continually going downhill since Ancestry took over a good program all those years ago. Not happy at all.

  6521. jacki s

    I also thought about whether LDS would be willing to pick up FTM and keep it alive. At least FTM would be with a reputable group dedicated to the cause. And, of yeah, I think we can actually TRUST them. Not much trust left for Ancestry.

  6522. Raymond

    This change came just in time to prevent me uploading my tree of over 4,500 names to ancestry.com as I no longer trust your site.

  6523. Randy

    After over 7,000 negative reactions to the direction of the company I’m wondering if anyone at HQ is noticing? I have to think this reaction is a nightmare. SOMEONE FROM THE COMPANY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS POSTED HERE IN THE COMMENTS OR THEY WILL LOSE ALL CREDIBILITY.

  6524. What alternatives will you provide? Just eliminating the software CANNOT be the end product of this process. Your statement is either recklessly unclear, or you are eliminating the program entirely? What provisions are you making for those who wish to continue their Ancestry research?

  6525. Gene A

    Horrible corporate decision! Customer service and satisfaction mean nothing anymore. Greed on your part. Perhaps Broderbund will re-purpose FTM…..

  6526. ThomasW

    I’m stunned at the cancellation of FTM! I cannot imagine that the website will ever be able to do all the supplemental functions that we use FTM for, such as creating charts, reviewing lists of locations for duplicates and spelling errors, creating alphabetical lists of family members, the list goes on and on. Shame on Ancestry for not understanding how serious researchers use their products, which used to be tops in the field!!

  6527. Bob

    What a shame. Taking their ball and running. Loved the program. Loved being able to have it on my computer. Sorry, now I don’t care how much info you have access to. I will be looking for another program!!

  6528. Pat

    I agree with all comments. I don’t know what this is going to mean for me, but it does not sound good. Please continue to advise FTM people as this change occurs.

  6529. Karen

    Am so very disappointed to hear that FTM will cease. There is absolutely no way I want to manage my family tree solely in cyberspace – indeed the very sensitive nature of the information people hold in their tree online would be dynamite if it fell into the wrong hands. I want to control this myself on my PC and share with who I chose, not with people who hijack your research in a bid to get back 12 generations in an afternoon. I also refuse to be held hostage to paying fees for a third party to host my tree (which undoubtedly will be the next step).

    My search to find another family tree program to switch to starts now … and may be this is now an opportune time to switch to FMP for continuing my research.

  6530. Pam Mastin

    Kendall Hulet’s response to the almost 7000 complaints and written in annoying and insulting “business speak” shows a lack of concern, in my opinion. For what I have paid per year (for 15+ years) in subscription fees, money spent for FTM purchase and DNA tests I would hope that Ancestry would see that their bread is buttered by longtime subscribers and not the app users looking for a quick family tree.

  6531. David Ellis

    I’ve used FTM for over 15 years and very much want to continue managing my own family tree on my system. Ancestry’s move to take ownership of my tree will not succeed. Your greedy decision to pull the plug on FTM will motivate me and many other people to break our long standing relationships with Ancestry.com. In just one day, enough people have pulled their public family trees off Ancestry to reduce its value to me significantly. Do you really want to be known as the person who drove Ancestry to ruin?

  6532. Pat

    It is not clear what you will be offering for the future of FTM users and how it will affect the huge files users have accumulated. Would you please give us more information. Is there something better?

  6533. Carol Bennett

    BIG MISTAKE. or did you think this is April 1.?
    FTM is a very comprehensive program and Ancestry should sell it to someone who can handle it. Ancestry’s formate has seriously deteriorated.

  6534. C.Ann

    I sure hope that Ancestry reconsiders this decision as this is interface is one of the best features of Ancestry. I have been a subscriber for many years but unless you people rethink this decision I like many others will be cancelling my subscription when it comes up for renewal. Oh and by the way I also really, really, hate the New Ancestry.

  6535. Clive

    Very disappointed by this news. I use FTM and view Ancestry as a research tool. The online tree is useless and the mobile apps very poor. Unless this decision is reversed, or you have some truly spectacular changes waiting in the wings, I have until my subscription renewal to find an alternative.

  6536. Patricia

    Obviously Ancestry does not understand there are many elderly researchers like my self (82) that have used FTM since it’s conception to build and store their research. SHAME ON YOU! I’m too old with health issues to start over again and move my research to another program. My subscription to Ancestry expires in January, 2016. It will never be renewed. Besides that I have no idea what new program to use.

  6537. Bob Janis

    Just one more thing that Ancestry seems to have forgot is not what they do for us but what we all have done for them. Without all of our monthly fees paid they would have nothing. I like so many will drop Ancestry and find someone else, their service has been tapering off for years and new software is not up to my standards. I do wish I had known this because I would not have updated to the new one. I have used Family Tree Maker since the very beginning and I am very disgusted right now

  6538. Les

    Ditto to the over 7000 other comments. I’m a World Explorer Member, bought 2 FTM versions and bought 3 DNA tests. I will certainly be looking for an alternate site.

  6539. Richard

    This must be the worst decision you have ever made! I, like many others use and appreciate the additional functionality provided by FTM compared to the Ancestry web site .If you go ahead with this you are dumbing down your offering to all serious family tree researchers. I for one will cancel my Ancestry subscription and go elsewhere as I expect many other will do. It not too late to do the right thing!

  6540. Kellee

    I am very disappointed to hear you are stopping FTM, this software is so user friendly, has a great layout, great reports, and I am able to store all my stuff in one area, and just so many more benefits. I love the treesync aspect also, it a a major benefit. I am going to be honest, I really do not like using your online tree, it is very cumbersome to use. I have used both of your programs, and the software is so much better. What about all the people that do not use online searching. I realize in todays world there are not that many, but the software is so much easier to use especially offline. Most places do not have internet access, and just being able to take your laptop with the software and all of your information with you as you travel to very remote places, little cemeteries, and small historical centers is so much easier. I have all my information with me, instead of writing everything down and making copies.

  6541. Kevin

    The biggest problem with only having an online tree is that, many times, research needs to be done without internet access and so the Ancestry tree will be not be usable for all research. FTM is an excellent genealogy programme making it easy to review and view intricate trees and information, please change your mind and retain it.

  6542. Gordon

    I have used and updated to the newer versions of FTM since the 1st one came out. Wonderful software. What now? After reading most of the above comments it’s obvious Ancestry.com is heading down the wrong road. Seems like you will all be retiring from your lucrative positions if you persist. Hopefully, someone in your organization is reviewing these comments and passing the consensus on to the powers that be, before it’s too late. I along with most will be searching for alternatives. Thanks for the let down.

  6543. Reb

    YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!!
    You have riled many serious genealogists and you need to think of LOYALTY to your customers. LOYALTY = RESPECT = MONEY. Disloyalty=disrespect=LOSS of money

  6544. John Treible

    Hmm. Looks like you are about to lose in excess of $10M in fees that we pay for our Ancestry subscription. What a stupid business decision this is. Your recent explanation is not acceptable.

  6545. simon

    Obviously this is an unwise decision. What I find interesting is a parallel with another computer debate that has been going on for decades now: Mainframe computers. Many people preached the death of mainframes, but nothing could be further from the truth. Many folks are now migrating their expensive to operate/unreliable applications back to the reliable/dependent/fast mainframes. So this current fashion of phones/tablets/web applications, while it will explore new avenues, will never replace personal ownership of data. Relinquishing control of personal data to some 3rd party is the flaw that Ancestry organization has failed to grasp. While THEY may have lots of good searchable records available, I consider Ancestry / FTM just tools, and just as I can switch my chainsaw from brand A to B, I can switch my family research tool also. Once you have lost my trust (which you have, along with many others), even paying me to come back won’t work. Even if you continue to support FTM (which I hope you do) , and even if you reinstate the “traditional” user interface/experience (which I hope you do), it is TOO late now. You have started this road to divorce, no turning back now.

  6546. Jeff

    Ridiculous. Simply RIDICULOUS. I’d like to say much more, and use language that isn’t appropriate so instead I’ll just say ridiculous. To end FTM and NOT OFFER an alternative…RIDICULOUS. I hope this means the end of Ancestry as a whole.

  6547. Rachel Moorman

    I have been doing family history research since before the internet. My first purchase of FTM was 2.0. I have been an annual subscriber of ancestry.com for several years. I have twice lost data in the “cloud”. I keep hard copy of everything! Ditto all the previous complaints regarding the new ancestry.com website. The management of Ancestry should re-think their decision to discontinue FTM keeping in mind the primary rule of business. “Your customers don’t need you, you need them.” There is a multiplicity of options available to replace ancestry.com. And if worse comes to worst, I have a pen, a piece of paper, and a stamp!

  6548. Ivy

    I have used FTM since 2000 and can identify with most of the concerns voiced, but it seems as if Ancestry are not concerned at all, and are not trying to answer ANY of the questions asked by loyal paying customers (some for many years)

  6549. Derek Johns

    I’m afraid my true opinion could only be expressed in vulgar Anglo Saxon which would be unprintable. The ‘big buck’ strikes again. You have made a seriously flawed business decision which which runs counter to your ‘homely’ image and good business sense. Your ‘up-graded’ website presentation is over ornate, confusing and obscures the true working purpose of the software. I don’t think I wish to be associated with you in the future. I was debating whether to renew, even upgrade to put some finishing touches to my Antipodean and American ancestry but have changed my mind. Goodbye.

  6550. Steve

    Still silence from Ancestry.com. I have seen competitors posting discounts for FTM users. Each day that Ancestry doesn’t retract, more customers will defect or should I call it that since we basically got the boot. Time is of the essence Kendall. Don’t make the mistake of acting too late. Every subscriber has a lifetime value. Obviously many subscribers are looking for and have possibly found replacements. Once they make that decision internally, they will not return. It may only be hundreds so far, but that number will become thousands and then changing your mind will be too late and will not help you get those lost customers back. A customer paying $100 per year is $500 value over 5 years and potentially can buy your new items like dna kits or what will come. A loss of each 2,000 customers would incur a loss of 1,000,000.00 to Ancestry. Does it really cost that much to maintain FTM? In addition, it is clear that FTM users have the biggest trees on Ancestry making it look like a solid company with strong followers to any new coming prospects. When FTM goes, those big trees will be deleted.

  6551. Mary

    I don’t keep any of my tree on the web site. I am unable to reach the web site unless I am at work, (no home internet). I now wish I had never updated to the current version because it is not an easy version to use.

  6552. Mark Wing

    Add my voice to the chorus of people who don’t like this decision. There are many things the Ancestry.com web interface does poorly. At the top of the list is managing sources. Family Tree Maker makes up the difference. If you are serious about making this change, you need to make significant changes to the web interface. This may be moot, because I am not sure can accept giving up control of my data or not being able to view my data without being online. If this change goes forward as things stand now, I will drop my Ancestry.com subscription and move to another software package.

  6553. Harley

    I have used FTM and ancestry for 20+ years. All my family tree info is there and the links to the reference documents. FTM has many options not available with ancestry like the books and keeping some info private. I think FTM should have an obligation to provide its customers with options to transfer the data they have collected for years, entered into FTM and trusted that FTM would be there so their family history could be preserved and passed on to future generations.

  6554. Ron Hanley

    Irony plus Irony. I’ve read every feedback from other users here, I only hope Ancestry reads them as well. This is like dejavu all over again. I used Ultimate Family Tree for years and then one day woke up finding out they simply shut down their servers and went away. Unlike a General well quoted about “I shall return”, the UFT left loyal users in their wake. GONE today is any respect I ever had for those who govern the running of a business. There is no longer any need for users who pay for services to put any trust in companies who are there for the “BUCK”! Loyalty is shared between friends, FOREVER, and it is never a part of monetary deals with companies doing business for one purpose. We’ve all put so much of ourselves into our research and we do it for our descendnts to know those who came before. Now what? Cast aside as we are all going to experience when Ancestry deems yet one more vehicle a dead issue which says they mean we don’t count. If “MONEY” is the issue here, then the current users should shut it DOWN. Shut down ANCESTRY by reneging on our promise to pay them for services. Just DON’T purchase another month from Ancestry. Let’s see whether our withdrawl from the game will seriously bring Ancestry to its knees or maybe, just maybe shine a light where they will now see WE have as much control over their choices as they think they do. Just to the right of this box I’m entering my feedback is the ironic statement from Ancestry stating, Looking for help with a problem? Try contacting CUSTOMER SERVICE. Perhaps we should all do that to just lock up the service givers on the phone until they make a better decision. Excuse me please, I have to make a phone call. Ron Hanley a loyal user in Rochester, NY

  6555. Robert

    This is an incredibly damaging and shortsighted announcement and strategy that leaves your many faithful customers stranded and is a breach of trust. I can understand a strategy of focusing on just one piece of software to reduce costs and improve functionality. But, the web site is terrible and not even close to a reasonable replacement. Why not fix it before you kill FTM? My horseback analysis is the web Ancestry has 20% of the functionality of the desktop. Put all your resources into fixing the website BEFORE killing FTM! Do not kill it until you have a reasonable replacement. I spend $250 a year on FTM and Ancestry. do you really want to lose that much revenue times ALL of you faithful customers?

  6556. James Hawkins

    I have used FTM since it first came out. I love it and was about to upgrade again. I am no disappointed that it will not be available.

  6557. Woodberg

    So Ancestry wants to retire FTM and have everyone use the online Ancestry.com site as their primary site for storing and working on trees. Has anyone spent much time trying to work with the online site? I have. Its like a cartoon joke. I don’t have a problem with it being a quick way to display trees/info and allow user to research and connect with one another. However, as a tool for entering new information, it is a joke. It is so inefficient, it would take forever to get anything done. And reports????? They are virtually non existent. I’ve already cancelled my Ancestry.com account and am starting my research for what serious software company will work for serious work. Another lost customer. Good job Kendall.

  6558. Rick Massey

    For those of you who have purchased FTM recently and now find from this ill considered action that it will soon cease to do what it is advertised to do you should now ask for your money back. If you have purchased from a retailer other than Ancestry, and in the UK there are some ; pursue the retailer. They hold the responsibility and I would venture to suggest they will be less than pleased. Which may result / should result in all the stock they have being returned forthwith. In point of fact it puts them in a some what invidious position as with this decision ( at least in the UK ) that stock now contravenes the Trading Acts as it is no longer fit fror the advertised purpose which means that the Trading Standards authorities could take an interest should a refund be refused. That could create some very interesting scenarios which could well point out to Ancestry how ill considered this action is. Ancestry its time to reconsider or at least put together some sort of reply to all of the posts above, something which as yet, as far as I am aware, you have been unwilling to do ~ if as you say you appreciate feedback ~ then at least have the courtesy to reply to the feedback you have recieved on this and should some respect for your customers who have been good enough to offer it.

  6559. Andrew

    I have used FTM since the beginning. I have over 93,000 people in my files that I have spent decades researching. I panicked when you purchased Broderbund. Now I know why. I have no intention of putting my trees online so I am dependent on your monthly cost plus the cost of internet which is sporadic where I live. I use my laptop in graveyards for finding and entering info. It seems I have wasted way too much money on your site. I just did a six month renewal on 30 Nov 2015. I will expect that to be refunded post haste.

  6560. Rich

    I am a huge fan of Ancestry.com and have been a member for years, typically at the max level. I am also a huge fan of Family Tree Maker and have used it longer than I can remember to organize and manage my family research. I still have software copies from Broderbund in my basement. When Ancestry acquired FTM, I thought that was a good thing. Being able to upload and synch on-line trees was a marvel. Now, Ancestry is dumping FTM – “the #1 selling family history software” – for what I understand to be financial reasons.

    What Ancestry apparently failed to appreciate was how important FTM is to genealogy researchers. It is a critical tool that provides an easy and effective way to organize and manage the vast amount of factoids discovered when plowing through family histories and genealogical collections, such as Ancestry, FamilySearch, Fold3, National Library of Ireland, etc. FTM is what makes having access to Ancestry’s collections so appealing. Judging from the 7,000 complaints already posted on just the first day of the announcement, Ancestry will come to realize that reality. FTM is the link between the researcher and the collection.

    Family researchers will still need a desktop software package like FTM. For many, including me, populating an on-line tree via Ancestry will not be an acceptable option for a variety of reasons. The trees I have on-line are abridged versions of my FTM files. Instead, the fundamental questions become what software package will be the best substitute and how easy will it be to transfer my FTM files – involving countless hours of populating – to that substitute? Once I make that transfer, I will then reevaluate my level of involvement with Ancestry. I may be saying goodbye to an old friend.

    Hopefully, Ancestry will come to its senses before then. The loss of subscribers will almost certainly exacerbate Ancestry’s financial issues. There have got to be better solutions.

    Please, Ancestry, rethink this one!

  6561. CJ Duxbury

    Didn’t expect this from a company with Ancestry’s reputation – and disappointed with some of the crass responses. Looking at relationships with other desktop solutions to integrate with Ancestry would be helpful, but ought to have been done before you made this announcement.

  6562. Lorraine

    I agree with all of the unhappy customers who have commented above. They have said it quite well!! Some people seem to missing the point that when having to switch to different software a GEDCOM doesn’t transfer everything. Yes, I have all the media in a folder in my computer but it isn’t included in a GEDCOM so I will have to go through each photo and image and attach it to each person. This would take tons of time and I don’t even have nearly as many people in my tree as many do. I like the idea of letting some of your customers who are computer programmers take over FTM. If you aren’t selling it to another company you aren’t gaining any money but just dropping it so why not give it away and keep some of your customers who are planning to cancel their Ancestry subscriptions. The tree sync feature has worked well for me and saves time so it would be great if you would let another program have access. I think I’ll wait a little before I purchase different software and start the tedious process of transferring media (although I’m not holding my breath that you’ll take any of the suggestions in our comments).

  6563. Joe B.

    My 2nd post; after some thought, why wait? I just deleted my online tree. The sooner and the more who do this, the stronger the message will be.

  6564. Alan Tucker

    Even the announcement is full of hype – why say “continue to support existing Family Tree Maker owners at least through January 1, 2017” ?
    Including “2017” in the announcement makes it seem a longer period. Why not just say “after 2016 you’re on your own…”
    Seems loyalty is a one-way street as far as the corporate Ancestry is concerned – just wait and see how many online subscribers DON’T RENEW in 2016…

  6565. Bob

    I have used FTM since version 7. I have over 140,000 names currently in my tree and upload from time to time to the web. I prefer to work through building my tree this way. Not much incentive to continue if this switch occurs. When can you ever be done once hooked on this matter. Reverse the decision.

  6566. Raymond Scarazzo

    I’m sorry to hear this decision…I believe it is a bad decision. I’ve purchased and used FTM since July 2007 and have been very satisfied with it. I’ve also purchased the updates. I guess if the program is installed on my computer, it will work for awhile, but I won’t be able to get leaf hints or other interactions…right? I don’t want my info on ANY online tree, Ancestry or Family Search. Like others, I have worked long and hard to make the information as complete and correct as possible. Who is you closet competitor and do you recommend them to replace FTM? I withdrew my Ancestry membership, because the price was getting to be high AND with all of the info you supply, I could not find naturalization records. I wrote to you and Family Search about the lack of these documents. Thank you. Ray

  6567. Jim

    I join the crowd. The website does not have anywhere near the capacity to do what I have been doing. I like the combination of the two, but worry all my thousands of hours of research will be a waste of time if we have to rely on the website which is really not useful for viewing our trees. Really poor decision and the comments above show just how little the folks in charge know about their products.

  6568. Alan Tucker

    I’ve just checked out the NEW online interface – you have to be kidding, blue for males, pink for females…
    I’m surprised there isn’t a section teaching us how to suck eggs… Bye-bye subscription !

  6569. Leslie

    This is a horrible decision. I use FTM for historic research, as well as genealogy. That academic research is not product for Ancestry or it’s users. The powerful citation tools on FTM are not available on Ancestry. Research notes are not available on Ancestry. I seriously don’t want to put speculative questions on a public website until the theories can be confirmed. As for my genealogy work, I have family members who are in law enforcement and the military. Their information will never hit a public website under any circumstance. Hopefully someone will come up with an alternative that will protect thousands of hours of research.

  6570. Tony

    It is clear from the uncompromising reply
    https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2015/12/09/more-information-on-family-tree-maker-desktop-software/#comment-302629
    that Ancestry are NOT going to reconsider their decision not to continue support for FTM or, importantly, the SYNC interface.
    The recent response proves that the decision was made purely on financial grounds without any forethought about opening up the SYNC interface or hiving off FTM to someone who would develop it further.
    What sort of business decision is that?
    It is small wonder that subscribers are leaving in droves. I shall, for one, because I don’t believe that a company with business ethics like that deserve another penny from me.
    I feel so strongly, I heartily wish Ancestry’s business will collapse.
    Bye Bye!

  6571. Bill

    Just a terrible decision. But it’s up to you, Ancestry, if you want to be in the FTM software business; we can like it or not. But if you’re thinking that Ancestry.com is a suitable alternative, you are completely disconnected from your customers and all your attempts to impress us with your investments in research are a red herring. Your research is great. Ancestry.com as genealogy software is NOT. If you’ve simply decided to get out of the business, that’s too bad for everyone. Otherwise, this decision is dumbfounding, even ignorant.

    Sell the FTM business so that a company that cares can serve their customers.

  6572. Donald Altman

    This is a horrible idea.. I think they are eliminating the ability to store records only print and use/share gedcoms and information in an attempt to force everyone to subscribe to their paid web services. This is crappy.

  6573. Ann

    I am extremely disappointed with this decision! I use Family Tree Maker as a backup because I have heard that on occasion, family trees on Ancestry disappear through no fault of the owner of the tree.

  6574. Georgiann

    I am as dismayed as all of the other responders. Like many of them, I want to have a hard copy of my files that I can take with me and to share with branches of my family – especially older people who are not as computer savvy. The Cloud may be the wave of the future, but it is not the current standard for many of my contemporaries. Yes, anyone under 35 trusts the cloud and doesn’t need to have tangible evidence of their work, because they can access it whenever they want. Many of those over 35 don’t trust the Cloud and are not willing to move to a paper free existence. You have just announced to the majority of your client base that you don’t really care who they are or what they’re doing, you’re not going to support their loyalty anymore. Do you really think the under 35 crowd is using your services? Because the majority are not. They are changing diapers and working to get promotions at work. Who is using your services? Those of us who are old enough to stop and think about things like ancestry and where we came from. Our kids are in college or out on their own, and we’re not worried so much about promotions as we are retirement packages. This is not the population that will use the Cloud. Get your head on straight and your act together Ancestry. You’re going to drive yourself right out of business. I can guarantee you that I will no longer be a consumer, as soon as I can get my files in order and transferred to a more stable system.

  6575. David

    I know this will fall on deaf ears, but I want to express my extreme disappointment and how very upset I am with your decision to stop selling and retire Family Tree Maker (FTM) as of December 31, 2015.
    I have been an Ancestry Client since September of 2010 and have accumulated almost 10,000 individuals into my tree over the past 5 years. I love FTM, especially in its current iteration. I am a retired IT Director and Business Consultant who spends many hours in research over the course of a week’s time as an enjoyable hobby, therefore do not consider myself a casual or novice user and I am certainly not shell shocked or “Glassy Eyed” by Technology. While the online version may appeal to the young, novice cloud minded casual user, it does not to me.
    I have attempted to use the online version many times, as the idea in itself is sensible. I do frequently use both FTM and Online Simultaneously when researching as the online does have some nice single views; however, for the following reasons I have always abandoned it in favor of FTM and only use the online as a backup and link to my Mobile APP. The on line version is geared more toward the “WOW” factor and “Tablet Play”, rather than the serious practical approach to research. There are many nice features of the online version; however the Con’s far outweigh the Pro’s, in my opinion for the following major reasons:
    For starters, the online version opens into a portal, rather than the last place and Tree I was working with, requiring a login and multiple additional actions to get back to where I left off.
    Basic navigation: Multi Imbedded Side by Side windows vs a Single browser window with pop ups: One Single workspace with Static index, working tree, relationships and data imbedded in static window views (never leaving the basic workspace bookmark) is the desirable. Online does not work this way rendering it awkward.
    With FTM, I can take it with me to areas that I do not have WIFI and Sync when I do.
    The online version does not offer the robust reporting that FTM does. This is a feature I strongly use, e.g. creating specialty lists, like Crusaders, Magna Carta,” who was around in 1492” related to me, multiple analysis listings for off line research etc., just to mention a few. Plus where do I view multi relationships as there could be many for an individual depending how you are related? Either in pop up or report?
    Online version does not offer comparative analysis and merging tools, e.g. “Compare and Merge”, Place and Event Management etc.
    Index window relationship to tree: In FTM this is very powerful for research and you never lose your place vs on Line Viewing and searching opens in a new window rather than side by Side with multiple window views and indexing options. I continually and robustly use this. Browser Technology does not lend itself easily to this type of structuring.
    On line version awkward to use and sluggish in response with back browsing frequently forcing a start over or loss of book mark to where I am researching. (BTW online offers no book marking or history listing views that I can find)
    Merging of information awkward to compare and use on line and requires too much flipping back and forth actions rather than multi window static and imbedded views for comparison of validity of information. Plus merging one individual with another is extremely awkward.
    The Algorithms for relationship calculation, albeit improved is still wrong and inconsistent, i.e. summary vs detail is inconsistent in the online version, and Mobil App, where correct in FTM. (For more than a year I have reported this many times and have finally given up with your development) Correction: as of this writing it has been finally fixed, but is still wrong in the mobile APP, I leave this comment in situ only to make a point of past frustrations.
    In General: FTM is by far, more robust than the online version.
    I could go on and on and easily list dozens more undesirable awkwardness, however will stop with the above.
    I sincerely hope you will reconsider your decision to retire FTM

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  6577. Adrienne Inman

    Sell your familyi tree program. This is unacceptable. I’ve had your program for years. And yes, your online system is a joke. If you are not going to support your software customers why should we support you!

  6578. Alan Tucker

    Just cancelled my next subscription renewal.
    According to the very helpful chap I spoke to (he’s just an employee, not his fault), that’s pretty much all he’s been doing since the announcement.
    BAD MOVE ANCESTRY 🙁

  6579. Janice Grant

    I was about to renew my current Ancestry.com membership, but will only do so for a month so that all my information is in sync. This is a HORRIBLE decision. I will use FTM only. You are trying to force us into higher and higher payments for unsecured data.

  6580. sotonian

    Like everyone else who has commented part of me cannot understand the shortsightedness that has lead to this decision. It must be all about making money and not serving the needs of the army of users who have been loyal up until now. Like many others I will be looking to alternative ways of working that allows me to continue to store and work with information locally and not just in the cloud though a limited web-based interface. Should this mean me leaving Ancestry for my monetary reasons then so be it, the market will have spoken.

  6581. stan wilson

    What is the basis for this decision to terminate support for Family Tree Maker? I use FTM in my laptop and carry it to archives, churches, visits to relatives, etc in order to maker changes as I go. Even if I had a high-bandwidth connection to the internet, I would still want FTM in my laptop. So expecting us to use a version of FTM somewhere in the cloud is totally unrealistic. And for a genealogically oriented company to drop the popular FTM shows absolutely no commitment to the needs of its customers. Who is running the company? What motivates that person? If this is all about the almighty buck and how much money they can make, they shouldn’t be in this business. I won’t upload my tree onto their website. Why don’t they sell FTM to a company that cares and will commit itself to maintaining it? I wonder if the CEO will bother to read these thousands of complaints about the bad decision? Is anyone at home at Ancerstry.com?

  6582. Elmar

    I understand corporate profit driven decisions without considering the customer base. Remember the Coca Cola fiasco when trying to switch customer’s taste from Classic Coke to New Coke? My big investment with FTM is the time I have invested in learning the app. It’s not the money! I thought FTM has staying power when I transferred from PAF to FTM. What a waste of my time!

  6583. Sandra Teeters

    This decision will cause me great grief! I use FTM to produce hard copies of my family trees for my family. I also download valuable info from Ancestry. Why would you do this? Why not just raise the price of FTM and make money????? I can’t believe this! It is a disaster for me!

  6584. Eddy Sims

    If you do away with my ability to maintain 25 years of accumulated research, I can see no reason to continue our association. Hopefully another organization will take over this program

  6585. Bonnie

    I, too, would like to express my disappointment with Ancestry.com for terminating FTM. I have been very frustrated with the new online ancestry as it is definitely not user friendly and does not display the information in an efficient manner. Also, I do not need Ancestry to tell the narrative of my family. FTM is a necessary companion to the online Ancestry.

  6586. Carole

    Like the other respondents I am shocked and dismayed at the decision to retire FTM. This needs to be reconsidered.

  6587. Alun

    Terrible decision and makes anything unique to Ancestry less so. Having a desktop, web and sync between the two made you unique. No reason to stay now as other sites have equivalent at a much cheaper cost!

  6588. BBK

    I’ve read most if not ALL the comments posted….NOT ONE that was positive in support of your “PLAN” I think ALL Ancestry cares about is PROFITS.. I think your plan will all but guarantee LOSSES. In this age of SOCIAL MEDIA etc.. you will see a Swell of POOR Customer Relations and will certainly come back and bite you in the ass.
    I hope you lose ALL of your LOYAL customers. This truly is “THE NEW COKE ” all over again. I guess CORPORATE GREED doesn’t lean form mistakes made.

  6589. Lee

    Of course, it’s all about the $$$. What else is new? And, without software like FTM, we homespun genealogists are FORCED to keep paying Ancestry’s subscription rates. Of course, most of us probably would anyway, but it would be nice to be treated humanely and have the option. Some of your subscribers are scraping by on their budgets (like me) and it isn’t always possible to renew right away at which point FTM helps to keep us organized as we use other resources to maintain family records, until we can afford Ancestry again. Face it, you are Number One in online geneaology web sites, but if you want loyalty, you’ve got to treat your customers as though they matter and are not toyed with. This is disappointing news, indeed.

  6590. Berny

    I don’t know how far along Ancestry.com is on building it’s new headquarters building in Lehi, Utah but you might want to start thinking about selling it or leasing space in it. You’re not going to need all of that room after the dust around this debacle settles.

  6591. William Daugherty

    Lots of comments and questions in this blog. I eagerly await all the answers. I assume that my current version of FTM will continue to work in my desk top environment even without Ancestry support. As long as my operating system remains the same and I don’t try to use any internet sync functions. Do I assume correctly??

  6592. Mike Roy

    I’ve been using this software forever. I even moved to the Mac version when it came out. I’ve always loved this product. What a great product is has been! The website is junk compared to the functionality in the desktop product. This is a VERY BAD and disappointing decision. Ancestry, there goes a large portion of your customer base. Are you sure you can weather this storm?

  6593. Jean Adams

    I have been using FTM since the 90’s, and have been a long member of Ancestry.com. Lots of money has gone to them. I just recently renewed my membership. I am very disappointed with this decision. Ancestry no longer cares about its members. With all of the recent changes, your bottom line will definitely be affected, and it won’t be good for you. Perhaps you need some management changes instead.

  6594. Jerry Shaver

    I do hope you are reading ALL of these comments. I started out reading them and found them overwhelming to get through. I think this is a very bad marketing decision on your part. I have been using FTM for years. I recently got my daughter-in-law interested in using the program to preserve her branch of her family tree. To say I am disappointed in your decision would be an understatement. I am so tired of companies getting me to use and like their product, and then they drop the product. What is to replace the functions that FTM performs? You need to explain the alternatives. I chose FTM after checking out several other software programs for my family tree which now numbers over 1800. I thought I made the best decision then and have been very happy with the FTM software. Now I wonder if I shouldn’t have built my tree with some other software program. How are you going to answer all of these thousands of comments? Or will you just ignore the loyal consumers that you have created? Very strange and, I think, bad decision for public relations.

  6595. Mowbray House

    Given the number of adverse comments so far this looks like a great business decision! I’ve been using FTM since the mid 1990s and love the shaky leaves – you often find some really interesting information which can take you in an unexpected direction. I don’t want to put my Tree online or store in in the Cloud and I’ve tried the ipad App but didn’t really get on with it. I’ll use FTM until Jan 2017 which gives me a year to chose another programme. it was great while it lasted!

  6596. Karen

    It is unbelievable the number of sites and services that ancestry has acquired and then retired. If you don’t want to maintain something don’t buy it in the first place. You are only able to do this because of your current dominance of the market, but I sincerely hope this move will be the end of that monopoly. You want people to keep their records exclusively on your servers. I want to make sure that i never give anyone full access to the years and years of hard work I have put into my tree. I will use desktop software until the last possible moment and then i will seek out a service that secures my tree without linking it to an annual fee to get full access. I will spend the next two years delinking my content from ancestry. Thanks for giving us the time to divest from our dependence on you.

  6597. Mike

    We are truly disappointed as I have misled 21 members of our family in purchasing FTM this year, and they in turn have promoted FTM to others. We think Ancestry.com is fantastic and the improvements great, however we feel that we must maintain control of our family data and now we will lose that ability without having to subscribe “forever”. We feel we have been misled on a major scale and do not feel good about this abrupt change, one without another desktop solution.

  6598. Lizvc

    I am another one who does not have consistent internet access. I can, however, work on my laptop with the software program any time. I can also take it to any relative’s house and enter data plus show them where they fit into the tree…all without internet. I am extremely disappointed in this decision.

  6599. Wes Sisson

    And what do you suggest we use in place of FTM? Any thought given to the users of FTM? Typical corporate America! Screw the customer!

  6600. Daf

    I have used FTM since the Broderbund days. I have never put any of my Family History research on line or on the cloud, and do not intend to start now, so all the panic about TreeSynch does not affect me. I will continue to use my own computer for FTM and the local library for Ancestry – if I can be bothered to go that is when there are other sites available for free. I do not have a lap top or a smart phone just a high spec PC, and a back up regime. So unless you have found a way to delete programmes/data etc. from my computer I will just carry on. But as they say in these parts, you have just shot yourselves in the foot.

  6601. Tom G

    I am one of those 12 million downloads mentioned in the announcement. I guess what Ancestry doesn’t see is how many of those downloads are now deleted from devices. The iPad app was a nearly useless app that is no longer active on any of my devices. So don’t equate downloads to active users.

    I think what this customer community has realized is that Mr. Hulet is a “Corporate” Product manager and not a “Customer” Product manager. We fully see that he has no sense of supporting the FTM customers. If he, in any way, thinks the online Ancestry site or the Apps are a replacement, he himself is not a genealogy user.

    The FTM customer community’s wishes can probably be summed up with the following…

    Request that Mr. Hulet resign or be removed from the Ancestry company.

    Replace Mr. Hulet with a true “Customer” focused VP of Product Mgmt.

    Reverse the decision to retire FTM and renew the support of FTM to the “Customer” base

    End the ‘childish’ graphical tweaks to the Ancestry online system and renew an interest in making it a great “search” tool.

    Barring this course of action by Ancestry, at least my family’s plans will be to…

    Lock all family tree records on Ancestry.

    Determine replacement program for FTM – already in contact with my state historical society to determine what will be best replacement for FTM.

    Move FTM records, data, media, etc to new desktop software.

    Verify any remaining Ancestry data is included in the new desktop software.

    Remove all family data from Ancestry.

    End regular World membership in Ancestry. May sign up for occasional month use for a quick search.

    Essentially end my many, many years “Customer” relationship with Ancestry/FTM.

    Ancestry doesn’t realize how personal they’ve made this decision. This deals with the historical records of “OUR” families. The many trips to the places our ancestors lived and all the great data we collected to trace the history of those early family members. The near literal stacks of gold stored in FTM to document the many previous generations. In a way, Mr. Hulet – on behalf of Ancestry – is telling us our families and years of hard work don’t mean a thing to them. And we’re supposed to just blindly follow them ahead with only the broken/unfinished online system? Someone did not think this through.

  6602. Carolyn

    Very disappointed! I do not wish to post my family history on the web. I like using FTM as a tool to search the web and use FTM to add family notes which I prefer to keep private. As the keeper of the family tree and history, FTM is a tool I need to stay current when family calls with updates or questions.

  6603. dj

    I certainly hope you have gotten the message by now. What a horrible decision. Family Tree Maker has wonderful report options and the new Ancestry.com site (which of course you are making me utilize) is horrible to navigate and provides very little printable options. PLEASE reconsider your decision. When I learned you ‘made’ us change to your new version of Ancestry.com, I felt that I at least had family tree maker to trust. Now you will be taking that away. Besides, many, many people like to have their family tree on their own computer. What world do you live in?

  6604. Carolyn Carroll

    I have invested thousands of dollars in ebooks from FTM that are worthless. Unreadable. Your reply you can find the information on Ancestry. But Not the pages of the Books, which is why I invested. I wanted the Books!!! I am still in a Tizzy over this!! Now my 35 years of work as I transferred my Roots 3 gedcom to your FTM and I have been upgrading your FTM ever since. Pulled many people into using FTM. You will lose the real genealogist with this move. These are the ones that FIXES the mistakes on indexes, helps the ones working on their family tress, answers questions on the side, goes to court houses, historical societies , etc. Because they need their printed forms and charts, post photos and data. They keep all their information on their computer. This is so upsetting, I lost sleep over it. Certainly not something I would ever expect from Ancestry. BUT on your behalf, I have been having issues with my program. Since 2014 my database has not worked correctly. It does not merge correctly and shuts down. A very large database, I did lose some of it. I was able to recover. So I just went on with what reopened. But the size was smaller. I think My database was started with DOS and I can’t imagine with how many versions of Windows it has seen, it makes me wonder if this is why you are forced to get out of the FTM business? I greatly appreciate Ancestry for all the help on my journey on my genealogy Quest… I hope you continue with FTM .. a Loyal customer.

  6605. Bob

    Are Ancestry filtering the Blog – I made a second post a few hours ago and it is not appearing on the list. why don’t ancestry send us all an email (as per the first) to inform us where we can go to see any response they may deign to make

  6606. Al

    These Ancestry facebook posts are telling:
    “Hi everyone, when that deadline comes closer we will be providing direction and updates on our blog regarding the Family Tree Maker program. In the meantime, we are taking notice of the feedback our members are providing us and sincerely appreciate you letting us know how you feel this.” and the best to date…..
    “We are unsure at this time what accessibility will be available to Family Tree Maker after we discontinue supporting it. Please keep an eye on our blog posts for any future updates.”

  6607. Sally Hunter

    I can’t believe your “notice” to the FTM community didn’t include at least a link to decent information about how your FTM retirement party will work. I’m going to start researching replacement software and remove my tree from Ancestry.

  6608. Sandi

    I love Family Tree Maker. If memory serves me correctly, I’ve been using it since Version 6. I now have Version 14 and will use it until I find a better answer. Unfortunately, I doubt any other genealogy software provider will be able to get Ancestry.com to allow on-line Download of data such as we are able to do now between Ancestry.com and FTM. On the hopeful side of that thought is that Ancestry will allow other genealogy software companies to purchase access to Ancestry.com to allow this.

    We all have to remember that for we genealogy researchers it is a labor of love, but for companies, it’s all about the money.

    I do not have my research in a tree on Ancestry.com and never will because too many unscrupulous people copy data and trees and republish as their own work without verifying accuracy, etc. I’ve already seen evidence of this because I’ve been generous with extended family members.

    My research is for serious, committed, honest genealogists, not those who want to publish my work under their name. When I’m ready to publish, it will be in book format, copies of which will be donated to a variety of genealogical libraries in the US, England, and Canada.

    For those of you who have your tree on Ancestry.com, see about downloading a GEDCOM file off Ancestry, which should then allow you to upload your data into any other genealogy software.

    I suspect that Ancestry.com will be surprised at the number of people who never renew their subscription since the FREE FamilySearch.org has much of the same data, as does the subscription service FindMyPast.com. I use all three because each has items the others do not.

    FTM will still work on our computers. We can have all our data at our fingertips. It’s just the interface to Ancestry.com that will disappear, and no future updates or improvements to the FTM. If you are operating on an older version of FTM, I recommend you get the latest version ASAP. I know it is available at my local Best Buy store.

  6609. James

    I have used FTM since the earliest version and have upgraded as improvements have been made. I must maintain another copy on my desktop and the ability to sync with online has been wonderful. You are destroying a very valuable research tool. Coupled with your new online format change this is a great disappointment.

  6610. Brad

    Ebay has some cd copies of the 2014 tree maker program think there 22.00 or 24.00 Shipping is free takes about a week to get, at least if your computer crashes and you have the download version and its past there deadline time youll always have the disc to reload when you move on to a new computer, you need to help using the cd, its worth having the cd and making sure your doing gedcom backups everyday your done done so if anything happens to computer your starting off where you left off ebay sold 24 of them there going like hotcakes, this is the worst decision Ancestry has make so far , top management should resign theyve made terrible decisions these last few years for the money were paying and cant wait to see what there going to want for world deluxe, shouldnt be to long before we hit $800.00

  6611. Lesley

    It’s so sad to take away things that work well. I don’t & won’t put my tree totally on Ancestry. I will find a desk top program. I’ve been a member of ancestry & used FTM since the beginning. Are you helping us or are you helping only you? You make a lot of money from us giving you our tree information & research for nothing. I’m not sure you are listening to us or care to listen to us. What I thought was my ancestry family-helping & caring. Funny my aunt used to say-you don’t know a person’s heart until there is a dollar on the table. Are we getting to know your heart? Looking forward to your answer.

  6612. William J. Maxam

    If it is to be so, would you at least not leave everyone high and dry with no viable program. You and I and all the rest probably know that even creating a GEDCOM from FTM to transfer into another program does not work well because of the FTM coding. Hundreds to thousands of pictures are left unattached along with some custom fields and source records. They have to be manually attached to people.
    When Apple stopped support for Aperture professional photo editor, they did not leave people without something, they produced Photos because photos was more cloud and app based but I still retained the photos. This is very understandable. The new program did not ruin my pictures or the names attached to them and Photo works great.
    Would you consider an alternate program development? Would you consider at least working with other Genealogy program providers Windows/Mac to develop a way to transfer from FTM to their program without data loss?
    When people say they don’t like change, this approach is why. Please reconsider your position or at least help with the transition for the many people who have supported Ancestry from the beginning so that their data/photos can be preserved on their desktop and/or tablet and in the cloud.

    Sincerely,

    Bill

  6613. Brad

    ebay has some 2014 cds left there going fast always good to have a disc backup with all this going on got scared think it was 24.00 free shipping 7 day delivery, that way if your computer crashes you can always re install after they get rid of ftm make a gedcom file everyday after your finished working so if your computer fails and you get a new one you can start where you left off, terrible decision fire them all

  6614. Ian Dorfman

    So the corporate greed kicks in as is typical of any large American corporation these days.I have seen this time and time again. I have been a subscriber for many years but prefer not to list my trees online for fear of issuing a mistake which will then be copied by many, many people. It may be good business for Ancestry’s corporate taskmasters, but much of the information contained in the family trees online is in error. Most researchers don’t really research- they just copy whatever they find without verification. This proliferates throughout the web-based trees, making much of the information erroneous. Keeping my information in FTM means I have control over the accuracy. Please do not discontinue FTM or at least maintain the links for those of your customers who have shown such loyalty.

  6615. LyndaL

    Ironically, ancestry’s Family Tree Maker was rated the #1 Gold Award in the Top 10 Genealogy software for 2016! Problem now is that they got the wrong year! The year it dies! They compare the top ten softwares for 2016 in numerous categories. #2 compares well to FTM and costs $29.99 versus $69.99. Guess they need to redo their comparisons and recommendations for 2016 (looks pretty stupid to give ancestry the #1 Gold Award for a product they are abandoning huh?)

  6616. Ken Bhirdo

    You have gotten too big to really care haven’t you? You have made this decision unilaterally with no input from your users. My subscription is due at the end of the month. I have a decision to make and it appears it will be an easy one. Shame on you.

  6617. Kathy B

    I was planning on doing my DNA, now in hearing this and now I change my mind. I don’t think it’s fair.

  6618. Ann Watson

    Like many other commenters, I used FTM before its association with Ancestry.com and have acquired info from other sources not available from Ancestry at the time (and some still aren’t). For this reason, I’ve never kept my complete family tree on-line at Ancestry.com and don’t keep a constant subscription. If Ancestry does not plan to support FTM past 2017 they should release it to some company who will.

  6619. hundley

    I have had tree maker an updated it several times over the years i do not care for a lot of the new changes you have made. Looks like i will be doing a lot of back ups I also agree with the above customers.

  6620. David

    When Permira discover how many subscriptions Ancestry will lose (including mine) a lot of execs will be job hunting

  6621. Kathi

    FTM folks, this is a blessing in disguise! Switch over to Legacy software (try it free online, but know that you will want to upgrade to the deluxe version!) and get THE BEST software around and fabulous support. That said, DO NOT VILIFY ANCESTRY for its business decision. Their online database and ability to search are excellent and unsurpassed; Ancestry is absolutely needed separately from what you are entering in your own database. I have been using both Legacy and Ancestry together for years and wouldn’t want to be without either one.

  6622. Jody Alfiere

    What a disappointment. There’s been so much negative chatter about Ancestry.com already, for quite a while now. Please, please, allow someone else to “sync” with Ancestry, or take over FTM to continue as is. Please do not leave your FTM users high and dry!

  6623. Barbara

    bad move…agree with comments….I HAVE invested a lot of time on Ancestry to work on my family tree to get rid of FTM is another blow to Ancestry. Do you care about your customers?

  6624. Evelyn

    I am very disappointed in the fact that you would discontinue this service. I like having the disc to put in. What happens when you get a new computer etc. I’m very sad to see this happen. I don’t think you are thinking of everyone that paid to have this service.

  6625. John Ambrose

    I have to completely agree with the comments made above and add my voice to the anger and regret expressed. I have had an upgrade for FTM on my Christmas list but will have to take it off, YOUR LOSS!
    Like many others I have much personal information on my desktop & laptop via ‘Person Notes’ which I do not want on the Web, so where will I go after 1/1/2017? This is very poor service on your part.

  6626. John Hegarty

    I’m addressing this to Tim Sullivan, President/CEO.

    It’s been 2 days since your Kendall Hullet made this announcement and the comments are still coming in at a rate of about 40 per hour, all against the change.

    I believe you now have a clear enough message that something has gone VERY wrong.
    If you have any professional integrity you must take ownership personally have to step in to resolve the issue.

    Your customer base is in revolt, Your company has made a huge mistake and your immediate, and publicly visible action is urgently required.

    As I see it you have 2 options:
    1. You must publicly announce your support for the direction Ancestry has taken, in which case we can all pack up, remove our data from your site and bid you and your company the swift decline it apparently craves,

    OR

    2. Listen to the voices of your customers before they leave: get behind them and BACK YOUR PRODUCT.

    Only you can publicly reverse this decision,

    You may deal with those who created this mess at your discretion.

    Your Hopefully,
    John Hegarty

  6627. louis roepsch

    i haven’t been able to use ftm or ancestery for the last three months. even thought I am paying for it. it started when I asked support if I could use 2 computers to sync to ancestary. the said sure . now I get a “unkown error” called support and the next one said o no you cant do that. now by backups also get an error. so now I sit. I need a real lawyer or a class action law suit.

  6628. June

    All these years buying and updating your product, now you quit! You know you got the information that people have sent you, charge them a subscription cost to obtain what was freely given and people have paid all these years and in the middle of working on their ancestry and you just up and quit after you get what you want. Shame on you! My dad was right to not give you anything! I am not happy with you at all!

  6629. Sharon

    I told my son that I wanted the latest version of FTM as an upgrade because I have the 2010 version. Now, if he made the mistake of getting it, I have to tell him to return it. Frankly, I’m ANGRY because it’s been an invaluable tool and is the only place I can keep a hard copy of my family tree. My mother doesn’t have the internet, and the android app is garbage, so to show it to her I need what I have from FTM, just as I need it whenever I choose to do research elsewhere and don’t have the internet. Judging from all of the other angry comments here after such a short time, I’d say you guys dropped the ball. Having my family tree on a website only place is NOT acceptable. To access it now means I have to belong to Ancestry. If I ever leave, I lose YEARS AND YEARS of work. Tell me, just how is that fair? Not everything I’ve discovered comes from this site: it has been an important tool, but not the only one!

  6630. Jercro

    As with most of these comments I think it is abominable that you are discontinuing the FTM software. I have been a loyal FTM and Ancestry.com user and member for 15 years. That is a lot of money I’ve invested in your companies, so don’t appreciate your dropping the ball here. Are you next going to dump all our family trees and information?? Please keep the software going and save our family information.

  6631. Sorry Kendall – I’ve removed my trees from Ancestry.com, and cancelled the subs renewal due on 27th Dec. I will look for somewhere else to share my hard work. Despite your Ts and Cs, morally you should not be able to profit from my hard work.

  6632. Tony

    I bought every update to FTM from the Early Banner Blue version. I love it. There is nothing like it out there in my opinion. I hope this decision is not etched in stone! You have an entire nation of FTM folks upset!

  6633. Jim M

    I’ve enjoyed the ride but you’re making it come to an end. Ancestry’s decision to discontinue support for FTM can only mean that you will exclusively rely on an online web-based service delivery model. As someone who has done both software and web app development, I completely understand the business and support advantages such a move offers for your business. FTM had grown to become a powerful, if slow and bloated, product that’s increasingly difficult to improve. A browser based app lets you make incremental improvements instantly and seamlessly for all users. That’s a big upside for you. It may help you attract new novice customers. But for those of us who more than just dabble in genealogy it represents a step backwards as previous posts point out. I will be porting all my FTM records and supporting media to another stand-alone product. Only then will I be able to maintain full control over my research data and family information.

  6634. Warren Pearce

    This is very bad. I use the sync process all the time which allows me to take my laptop to locations where Internet is not available and load genealogy data. Then I can upload that new data to Ancestry. This eliminates the ability to do good work at non-internet locations.

  6635. jennifer fraser

    I totally agree with the above very disappointed users of FTM. I have always relied on FTM for my main work and only subscribe each year to ancestry.com as a research vehicle. I have not been pleased with the new format, as far as I am concerned you have made the on-line tree more complicated and harder to use. Obviously, your customers are not utmost in your mind. I have been using both FTM and Ancestry.com for years, paying whatever it cost to use these products, I even became a VOLUNTEER indexer to help get more data bases available for YOUR customers. I cannot find the words to express my disappointment and definitely will have to rethink my loyalty to ancestry.com, as I cannot justify the subscription expense without having the FTM compatibility. I hope you do reconsider the action you are taking.

  6636. What is the point of providing content without giving users the preferred choice for data storage.

    I do not store any information online and will never do so while I am alive.

    Hopefully, my desktop Family Tree Maker will suffice until my computer becomes obsolete. Then I will seek out another desktop package to hold my data.

  6637. Margie Reed

    I think it is a HUGE mistake to discontinue FT software. I received it as a Christmas gift last year along with a subscription to ancestry.com. My family has just renewed it for another year for this year’s gift.
    This is yet another disappointment in the computer world where you purchase and use software that you like and it gives you the results you want and then, someone totally changes it or discontinues it.
    Mistake, big mistake! You are going to loose a lot of customers. You might want to give this a second thought.

  6638. Deb

    This is very disappointing news. I have 30 years worth of data that I continue to sort out and now you’re telling me I should throw it out and start over?? I was planning to upgrade this year, but now I can’t seem to even find the latest version. This is not my idea of good customer service.

  6639. WayneW

    From FB: “We are unsure at this time what accessibility will be available to Family Tree Maker after we discontinue supporting it. Please keep an eye on our blog posts for any future updates.”

    Could there be a “Time-bomb” in the latest FTM updates?? Any Whistleblowers out there?

  6640. Mike Shults

    If you don’t have FTM how about have another company that has an off line service be able to connect to your online service. Such as Legacy or Rootmagic could connect with Ancestry. I know you expected a problem but do you have a solution? Do you have help for us or are we on our own? I feel like a kid kicked out of the family.

  6641. Brian

    I am amazed at your decision. I think most users of FTM only bought it because of the interface with Ancestry.I have used it for many years, but did not like the decision to go away from a form format. I switched to Legacy, which is free in its basic format. I like the form fill system to input or see my info. I only use Ancestry for access to info your have published. Find My Past, is another that has changed format, Much for the worse. I can research your site from Legacy, so not much loss. Goodbye>

  6642. Anthony Brown

    I think everyone has said already that this is a great mistake not to have a desktop version. I will take the time to look at other software to use. Not happy at all

  6643. Dianna/Holly

    FTM is the one of the best things about Ancestry. This SUCKS! I can do so much with the FTM why would you take it away? You finally have an amazing site and now you go and wreck it.

  6644. Rosa Raiman

    Genealogy is a HOBBY. Hobbies are performed by PEOPLE. CORPORATIONS are NOT people. Corporations are greedy and gobble up the LITTLE guy and spit out the remains. That is what you are doing.
    I am a PERSON. I have been with you since version 1, back in the late 80’s. I have spent tons of money buying Broderbund’s CD’s which were eventually incorporated in FTM and then Ancestry (A WASTE OF MY MONEY). Now Ancestry is throwing us away after my spending THOUSANDS of $’s on using it in CONJUNCTION with FTM.
    BTW, your website data input, interface and lack of the bells and whistles FTM SOFTWARE has, SUCKS big time.
    Your “sync” feature, which I do love, has screwed up my FTM 43,000 person database and I am now in the process of going through each person by hand to fix it. No one could fix it and the only advice I got when I called was to look on the blog to see if anyone else is having the same problem. BUT I stuck with you and now look at what you are doing!!!!!!!!
    I have been putting all of my media online to help others and you doubled all of it in a “sync”. But I stuck with you and look what you are doing.
    You are taking a people hobby and turning it into a penny pinching board meeting “decision to discontinue” item.
    I hope your STOCK is DROPPING like crazy.
    I am not going to renew my World Membership in June and I am going to go to another program. Hopefully one of these other SOFTWARE programs will have a “sync” feature that works well and uploads to their tree website.
    Like Julia Roberts said to the shop girl in “Pretty Woman”, “Mistake, big,big, big, mistake”.

  6645. Constance Thomas

    This saddens me that you suck all these people in and they get comfortable using FTM, which I have been using for approx. 20 years. I have stayed a member of Ancestry.com even though I don’t use it all the time, because I wanted it there when I did. I was loyal to your membership. Now I will do as many others will do and discontinue my membership. Being held hostage with this news doesn’t sit well. I can only figure that Ancestry.com wants More ($$$$$) for less support/benefits. Kinda sounds like an insurance policy. I will downsize as well.

  6646. Ramona Small

    You have got to be kidding me! I am extremely distressed over this. I don’t understand Ancestry’s thinking on this. It is very important to us who have spent countless hours building our trees to be able to continue without the slightest hint of where to go from here. I am so unhappy with your decision that I cannot find words to express how I feel. It is like you have deserted your faithful customers. I urge you to consider this decision which has such an impact on your users. I no longer have anything good to say about Ancestry to newcomers.

  6647. Leroy

    I have been a Family Tree Member for over 25 years and just renewed my Ancestry subscription for another year last month. Now you tell me that you are dropping Family Tree Maker. I should get my 1 year subscription fee returned, Now I have to find another program that will accept my data. There is no way I can enter all of the data again. Poor choice on Ancestry’s part.

  6648. Bernard Draper

    Wow! I am amazed at the response to your announcement of discontinuing FTM. The announcement shocks me as it has shocked so many other users. I probably will be able to finish what I set as my goals, EXCEPT now I will not be able to use the publishing portion. And what do I do about that very important part of doing my families’ genealogies. I am listening.

  6649. PM

    What will I do with my 38,000 + names and dates now? I certainly won’t trust Ancestry with them. Ancestry has been losing my trust a lot for the past 5 or 10 years. The price keeps going up and yet the service keeps getting worse. And this latest decision is just another money maker for them. The younger generation doesn’t bother to use genealogy programs because they put all their genealogy on Ancestry and ASSUME that site will be there forever. They will be sorry for that decision! Ancestry members should all cancel their memberships or at the very least pull off all their trees now! I know I will!

  6650. Paul Richardson

    Bad decision to drop the product that differentiates Ancestry from the rest. It’s the best tool for users to minimize the amount of inadvertent or just plain wrong information in hints. Please reconsider.

  6651. D.M

    SHOCKING ! I purchased FTM 2014 in late August and have repeated problems with it…. I finally have it working… to find it will be no good soon. Not once through any correspondence with the software supplier or ancestry did anyone mention I would not be getting my monies worth from this upgrade… Shocking. As others have stated a lot of research on here is their own property and not as a result of research by ancestry but ancestry could be charging them to access it when FTM finishes Shocking!

  6652. Sharee

    Go see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5a6RoJBpZo to keep things in perspective. Is there life after FTM? Also, there has been an update to the original blog that provides answers to many of the questions we all have. While losing FTM is tragic, we will survive. Checking out other software. My local Family History Center has classes to learn how to use these other family tree programs.

  6653. Garry

    Great business model for the company (you have to subscribe to have access to your work) but it appears your customers (me included) are not so enthralled. I also have the same Qs as Melinda Bice.

  6654. Wayner

    @KRISTIE WELLS You simply have to continue syncing ability, either via your own legacy software after it’s no longer supported, or something more complete than a GEDCOM import to ensure image and notes migration. Check these comments and you’ll see that overwhelmingly, people want to continue using FTM and ancestry.com together. It’s not about FTM support, it’s about rendering it useless for sharing. Genealogists *have* to share. You have the ability to satisfy that with one revision to your plan. Stop supporting desktop software if you must, but don’t break the linkage. Keep the syncing and most of us will be disappointed but not feel angry, betrayed and left behind. We will be able to use FTM for as long as we want, continue working offline and uploading to you, and you won’t lose our subscriptions. You might even get praise for listening to your customers and shifting strategies.

  6655. RWS

    I will not be renewing my annual subscription nor participating in anymore Ancestry DNA research. I expected your profit motive to win out one of these days, and I guess the time is here. Regardless of security, I will not put my family data in your cloud. Frankly, when I access relevant trees in your system, I find that there is absolutely no quality control. So much unsourced data are published containing errors – which are then repeatedly copied by others not willing to do the “work”. So, from my point of view, those family trees are mostly useless garbage. If you think you are going to “control” the amateur genealogy community, forget it! Someone else will step into the vacuum. There will be plenty of other organizations through which to access data. Perhaps people who do quality work – like LDS – will take a new lead. Your profit and control motives are understandable, but DESPICABLE.

  6656. Nora

    I have used both FTM and ancestry.com for about 20 years, and was ready to upgrade to a newer FTM program. I am deeply disappointed that it will no longer be available, and will probably cancel my long-standing subscription to ancestry.com. Now, let’s see, what can I use that money for? Ancestry won’t be getting it! You are shooting yourself in the foot. Don’t listen to those non-genealogists on your board!

  6657. Sherri

    So disappointed, along with everyone else! Don’t you feel any obligation to keep the program going even if it’s not a moneymaker for you? I guess it’s all about the bottom line.

  6658. John Fried

    Talk about STUPID! Before I retired. I owned a software development company for over 25 years. The one thing I did before my retirement was to make sure that ALL of my clients (e.g. like your faithful FTM users) would always have support for their software. I would NEVER hang them out to dry like you are doing! This stupid decision will cost you a lot more than it will to continue supporting FTM users. If you don’t want to continue maintaining the FTM software, then go find someone who will. Either way, DO NOT cut off the FTM features on Ancestry! All of my years of FTM research and syncing with Ancestry was done so my children and grandchildren could see their tree on Ancestry. Removing FTM support/syncing will cost you a lot more than my annual subscription – my family will quit too – as will the families of all of the other FTM users who have commented on this before me. Any second thoughts???

  6659. Leatha

    My elderly friend has used FTM for years to create family history books with the book feature in FTM. She just started the last book and now we wonder if she will be able to finish it without FTM. Will there be any similar feature in Ancestry.com?

  6660. Tony

    At the time of this post, 7393 POSTS have been made since the first on December 8, 2015 at 3.56pm.
    This number of angry, dissatisfied and confused NEGATIVE COMMENTS, in posts from DEDICATED AND LOYAL Ancestry Subscribers and Customers, is nothing short of EXTRAORDINARY!! ALL comments are in response to the Ancestry.com decision to “RETIRE” (sic) FAMILY TREE MAKER – a unilateral decision made and announced by Mr. Kendall Hulet, (since March 2015) Ancestry.com Vice-President of Product Management – or as the comments above suggest from the Customer perspective – “V.P. Of Product Mismanagement”.. The announced calculated and deliberate ‘EXTERMINATION” of Family Tree Maker, is fast becoming one of the most notorious exercises in Customer Care and Public Relations ever!! I am of the opinion that the ground-swell of Customer negative opinion and rank disappointment against Ancestry.com, has only just begun. A Footnote at the bottom of this Blog announces that “Commenting is open until Tuesday, 22 December 2015.” – however, I predict that given the relentless landslide of posts – ALL NEGATIVE – inundating the site, another decision will shortly be made to “RETIRE” this access to the Blog. FOOTNOTE: A quick conservative calculation proves to be very interesting – since the first post was put up, posts have been made to the Blog at the rate of 173 POSTS PER HOUR, or approximately three posts every minute for the past 43 hours – “… and at that time, an Angel appeared before the Shepherds and announced “Be not afraid, for I bring you tidings of great …….??”

  6661. Jan Thomas

    I am very disappointed in this decision. As you can see, I am not the only one. The main question I have, is will you continue to provide us the ability to download our trees? I’ll probably be taking my business elsewhere. You have done this just to make more money because you make FTM and charge us a small fee, but the large fee is for the online. As a retired person on Social Security I cannot afford you anymore,

  6662. Blake

    I have used Family Tree Maker software for nearly 30 years and have consciously chosen not to synch because I have consciously chosen not to store my data in the cloud regardless of an ability, for the present, during my lifetime, to designate the material “private.” Since I do not plan to participate in a subscription model in which my data will not be available to me unless I pay an annual subscription NO MATTER WHAT the publicly-held company chooses to charge in the future to improve its profitability, I am forced to look elsewhere. After two days of studying reviews, questioning companies about importing data into databases supported by their software and the like, I have made my choice and purchased replacement software earlier today. There are review Web sites out there that compare and rate all the various features of all the various genealogical software products. I found them particularly helpful. I cannot imagine how the company could have reached this decision. It certainly strikes me as corporate suicide. Having mined Ancestry.com data for many years, it appears that it is time to mine other collections henceforth.

  6663. David

    I paid a significant amount of money for FTM not too long ago, and you now have the temerity to tell me that you will discontinue the software. How DARE you?! I chose it because it was recommended as the best genealogy program, and I have no interest whatsoever in your other services.
    This is the most high-handed decision – you have a hell of a nerve!

  6664. Kathi

    I do not like the new ancestry. It takes up way too much of the screen. Whoever designed it should go back to the drawing board. So do not take away FTM, it works. I will, along w/all others, jump the ancestry ship.

  6665. Darlene Johnston Quinn

    I am extremely disappointed with Ancestry’s decision to not support Family Tree Maker Software. I use Family Tree Maker formats for Hard Copies of my family trees, Ancestry offers no comparable formats. I urge Ancestry to please change their plans and continue their association with Family Tree Maker Software.

  6666. Jim

    Here is the key, folks. In their own words, “Our subscription business and website, on the other hand, continue to grow.” If enough of us are willing to cancel or let our subscriptions lapse, pull our information off of Ancestry, and boycott the site, perhaps they will be willing to consider this ill-advised decision. I am already looking for an alternative to FTM and will be ending my subscription to Ancestry.com in the VERY near future.

  6667. Vivien

    This is just a comment on what I see happening. I need my software on my computer so I can enter my data. I will then have a hard copy and a removeable gedcom file for furture referance. This is how we did it 20 years ago. What I can live without is the web site tree or treesync, although that is a good way to find other reseacher on my tree. As long as there is a genealogy tree software program out there that has updates for our newer windows programs my genealogy will be ok. I am not fond of the fact that in order to view my trees that I have to subscribe to ancestry.com. I have not been able to find where you can add notes, media, etc? Those things are the guts of our family trees because as a family historian I don’t just want names and dates.

  6668. Allan

    Last year I wasted money upgrading from FTM 2005 to the user-hostile FTM 2014 and now I get this customer-contempt development!

  6669. Christine

    I am very upset. I refuse to post my family tree online. I’ve spent years collecting this information – it’s important to me and to my family. Family Tree Maker has served us well – your decision is a disaster . Very disappointed in Ancestry.com.

  6670. John

    Glad to see such a strong response. Suspect the idea is that we will have to keep a subscription going to access our trees. Well I for one will finish off my research in the next year and then my records are safe and my own. Then bye bye Ancestry.com

  6671. Paul Knapp

    May I suggest that you make a wise marketing decision to offer Family Tree Maker after 2016 free to anyone joining Ancestry. There is not much you ever need to do to improve the product anyway. This would appeal particularly to the younger folks just getting into genealogy. You might get many new customers to replace us old timers you will probably lose. One final comment: The linkage between Family Tree Maker and Ancestry is inseparable. Either one will die without the other. Good luck!

  6672. K James

    What a horribly depressing situation!!! For many many years I have uploaded a lot of personal data, pictures and information that I had stored on FTW to your website so that others can use (and of course you make lots of extra money – you are very greedy). And now after all these years you say that I can no longer use FTW as you no longer support it because it has less profit (again because of your greed and callousness). All I can say that is that I am very very disappointed in your organization. I have trusted all my genealogical data with you , and you have utterly and totally failed me. Curse and Shame on You – so despicable!!!

  6673. Harv

    I get it – its a money thing. You will undoubtedly be going to some type of online system exclusively like Animoto for example. However, speaking as someone who uses the program once or twice a year to do some updates, I encourage you not to forget about non-power users like myself when you build your subscription/charge structure. Many companies are moving in the same direction, just like Microsoft and Adobe eliminating stand alone software and making you pay a monthly fee to use their product. However, it is worth noting that people like myself will not do that. I dont but a new $300 copy of MS Office every year, nor will I pay for basically the same thing spread out on a monthly basis…. I simply moved to another product. FTM will be no different if you dont take folks like me into account when you set your prices. I bought a new version of your software every 3 years or so when features that *I wanted* drove me to do so, not when features that *you* believed were must have were added. In addition, I do not subscribe to your website on a regular basis either. When I needed to do some work on the tree, I paid for 1 month, accomplished my work, and paid for no more. I will not be willing to pay some monthly fee for the rest of my life with your site – and the pricing that you currently have was almost not worth it to me. I could do 95% of my work offline, and then accomplish everything I need to online in a day. Even at $10/month, that is still $120year, when buying your $60 software that needs replacing every 3 years cost me literally about $2/month.

  6674. HB

    I agree!!! A very bad idea to retire FTM, – and on top of that, to offer no sign or hint of a replacement solution. Very poor strategic planning, very poor marketing. You are inviting a big loss of customers – including me, a long time subscriber to Ancestry.com.

  6675. PETET

    WOW !!! ………………………I LOOKED AT THE COMMENTS YESTERDAY AND THERE WERE OVER 8,000 COMMENTS AND NOW ONLY 7,000 COMMENTS WHO IS TAKING THEM OFF?

  6676. Jarrod Van Kirk

    Will Ancestry.com be creating a replacement for all of the functionality that FTM currently has which Ancestry.com does not?

  6677. Barb Third

    How to say this loudly enough? Ancestry doesn’t own diddly-squat. Permira, a global investment firm, owns Ancestry and is quietly looking to auction it off. Loose ends, like FTM, are being trimmed. Hulet, Sullivan and Hockhauser are just puppets dangling from strings. There’s no telling what will happen come Dec. 15. Maybe your zillion entries will be flung far from the Ancestry corral. I suggest you put on your boots and hop off this train while you’ve still got your data!

  6678. Jarrod Van Kirk

    Will Ancestry.com be creating a replacement for all of the functionality that FTM currently has which Ancestry.com does not? Overall I am very unhappy with this change.

  6679. K James

    I am still so thoroughly Pi_ _ ed off with Ancestry with their stupid and Greedy decision to stop FTM software, that I can hardly express my words strong enough!!!

  6680. David Briggs

    I can’t begin to tell how disappointed I am in this decision. While I have periodically used Ancestry on line my primary tool is FTM simply because I find it easier to work with, is far better organized and is easier to get at specific information. I know that it’s costlier for Ancestry to maintain both desktop and on-line versions of the software so should you stick with this unpopular decision I would expect a corresponding significant reduction in your annual fees to reflect those reduced costs.

  6681. K James

    Does anyone have a good Ancestry Site with supported software that I can transfer all my data (pictures, etc). I am fed up with Ancestry and their antics.

  6682. Susan Curtiss

    This is the final blow. I have used FTM since 1998, before Ancestry became involved, updating every few years, and built a homepage with Genealogy.com at that time. This was wonderful as people could access it and click on my Reports and utilize the information, as I did with others’ sites. The early FTM versions were very user friendly and it was easy to access links to other people’s data right from my screen. As time went by, and Ancestry became more involved, the free access to data diminished until there was no free access and paid memberships were required to access anything. A few years ago I was having trouble uploading revised reports to my Genealogy homepage and asked what was wrong. I was told that Ancestry no longer allowed files to be uploaded to the Genealogy websites. The next shock was when Ancestry decided to make all Genealogy websites “read only” (even for the creator) and have no interactive links for viewers. I am very saddened by this latest decision. I think it is clear that Ancestry does not care about the loyalty of FTM customers and our needs have been out-weighed by the bottom line. The decline, sadly, was steady and consistent.

  6683. Patricia R Nowak

    How will Ancestry.Com function in the future? Will you continue as an on line only tree? Will there be a way to connect Ancestry on line information with the current FTM program after 2017.
    I am confused.
    Please explain what Ancestry.com will be all about in the future.
    Thank you,
    Patricia R Nowak

  6684. Kevin

    Adding my displeasure. I had planned to use FTM with the forced use of the new on line interface. I do like additional content but the new interface is not very good for experienced users.

  6685. Mary

    Very disappointed with the withdrawal of the FTM software by Ancestry. I have tried other programs but they are not as good. I do not use the online version for my whole family tree because of plagiarism and mis-use of my data by others and because I can’t use it where there is no internet. It seems such a waste of all the development that Ancestry has done to encourage family tree researchers and then slap them down by withdrawing their support. Your customers are important and it seems that Ancestry does not care about their customers. Shame.

  6686. Alan

    What a shocking and ill-thought through decision. Ancestry – please take a long hard look at the huge number of respondents appalled by this short sighted decision and have a rethink. The online version of the tree comes nowhere close to matching the ease and flexibility of use offered by FTM, not to mention the range of charts, reports, etc etc. There will be no point in having an online tree at all if you can’t sync it – immediatelly de-valuing the use of ancestry as a site to share information with other users. I suspect that this decision has been made by someone who actually doesn’t have a clue what researching your family history means those of us who do it – it’s a lifetime’s work and now ancestry says its pulling the plug on what is actually a pretty good product. I am lost for words. Like so many others I will now be looking for an alternative software program. Ancestry – you just don’t get it, do you???.

  6687. MaggieP

    Horrified at this decision! Used FTM since release 1 and Ancestry Subscription since they took it over. As an elderly amateur genealogist, I need to be able to print and share complete/partial tree with others who will not be able to afford or justify an Ancestry subscription. This is my family legacy and I need a working strategy – Ancestry owe their loyal customers this at least.

  6688. Joyce

    I just watched a VERY informative video about future options on this website–I am not sure how long this video will be available so watch it now–it goes through the various options for other software packages on both MAC and PC as well as talks about which one seems to have put together a simple import to take FTM data w/ media into their program. I do wish ancestry would reconsider it’s decision as this creates a LOT of problems for people who like to have not only an online tree BUT also data separate on their computers—I DO hope ancestry at least coordinates in the future with a company to work with them so that as people add to their trees we will be able to update the versions on our computers without having to do so manually–please watch this video for lost of good info–https://plus.google.com/communities/104382659430904043232/stream/2e065d0c-a2ae-4981-86fd-93bbbab09bc7

  6689. James Lair

    After reading many comments on the retirement FTM I wonder if the amount of lost business will justify the retirement of FTM. Also as of Feb. I will be canceling my subscription one more loyal customer gone maybe not a good retirement.

  6690. Nancy Hampton

    I am shocked and very disappointed in your decision to discontinue FTM. I have been a loyal FTM user for over 25 years and have recommended it to a large number of other family researchers. Please reconsider your ill thought out decision and keep FTM available to us ‘old timers’ and all future family researchers.

  6691. Martin

    As another customer who just recently bought FTM, upgraded his subscription, and bought two DNA testing kits, the decision to retire FTM after 2017 has sure changed my mind about using Ancestry when the time comes to renew – as many others have said, the ability to have an offline copy with the additional features which are not offered by the website makes FTM a hit.

  6692. Bill J

    This is like “the New Coke” — one of the most colossal and dumbest mistakes in corporate history. Either you reverse it, or I will leave along with all the rest.

  6693. CAROLINE

    This is the saddest announcement. Many people like me who have so much research time , pictures and stories in our trees and share them openly will pull out. Every one doesn’t have Internet. I’m not trusting all of my hard work in a online site that could go belly up . I have been a loyal member . Your program is hard to use and the second I’m somewhere that doesn’t have Internet all of my work is gone! Shame on you for roping people in then pulling the noose. Even sadder it is my generation who cares. Do you really think these millennial kids care where or who they came from. Hopefully my grandchildren will and I will have each of them a book I printed with private stories and pictures from my own home. Probably by then your website will be shut down and my work will still be preserved. I would hope you would reconsider but In case you don’t I have shared on Facebook and emailed your decision to many others , encouraging them not to trust your site and company like i have. I have done the DNA test and have many people who follow my research. I know I can’t hurt you. It’s just sad to know you don’t care about the hundreds of subscribers it will hurt.Surely you see how many trees and work will be removed from this site BY THE THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS ON YOUR BLOG! I own my work I pay you for your tools, however I did family research long before Ancestry . I hope your greed gets you where you want to be . A unreliable website is not where you keep hours weeks and years of hard work.

    Saddened,

    Caroline S Carder

  6694. Rob

    Like everyone else who has commented on this proposal, I am dismayed that FTM is to be killed off. I find the ability to work offline to be extremely valuable: that is where I keep all my research notes. Please reconsider.

  6695. John

    Like all the above bloggers, I am disappointed in this decision regarding FTM. I have always relied on FTM for my main work and only subscribe each year to ancestry.com as a research vehicle. I have not been pleased with the new format. As far as I am concerned, you have made the on-line tree more complicated and harder to use. Obviously, your customers are not utmost in your mind. I have been using both FTM and Ancestry.com for years, paying whatever it cost to use these products. I cannot find the words to express my disappointment and definitely will have to rethink my loyalty to ancestry.com, as I cannot justify the subscription expense without having the FTM compatibility. I hope you do reconsider the action you are taking. Such a poor decision!!!

  6696. Dave Rooke

    I wonder how many people subscribe to Ancestry because of Tree Sync and links to FTM. Judging by the many comments on here it’s quite a number. One USP for Ancestry gone, time to switch to another provider I think, Ancestry could regret this I feel

  6697. Rob

    So, your customers who put out the cash for FTM are put out in the cold with a soon to be worthless program, because of a declining future purchase base. Makes one wonder what is in store for already overpriced monthly subscribers, Seems the handwriting is on the wall and the free FamilySearch site seems in the long run maybe the best way to go, for the preservation of the thousands of hours of research time I have invested. They have a purpose other than some “bottom line” for their existence.

  6698. Ancestry.com offers sad news for old folks who have grown up with Family Tree Maker software since the early 1990s. There have been many forms of genealogy software, from the database of Brother’s Keeper to FTM, Legacy, Roots Magic and more. FTM was originally sold (in my case) by The Learning Company and/or Borderbund. I have a closet shelf packed with Family Tree Maker CDs. My financial records only date back to 1999 yet they indicate I have invested over $5,500 on genealogy research, including FTM from the Learning Company in June, 1999 to current FTM versions and subscriptions on Ancestry.com.

    I wanted to add my voice of woe with everyone on this blog but felt every reader or poster on this blog should know some facts about today’s Ancestry.com. Ancestry Publishing was a small publishing company in 1983 and took 13 years growth to join the digital age when in 1996 it launched Ancestry.com. In the 19 succeeding years it has swallowed smaller genealogy websites, including My Family.com and Family Tree Maker, while becoming a privately held genealogy behemoth of Permira Investing. Income in 2014 exceeding $640 million dollars in worldwide sales and subscriptions.

    There is no doubt that Ancestry.com has been good for genealogy researchers. When my own genealogy website became outdated and obsolete, I unabashedly recommended visitors to go to Ancestry.com, providing links to Ancestry.com. For a price, Ancestry.com offered all of us access to records not easily obtained a few short years ago. But caution for all Ancestry.com users. Records found on Ancestry.com are best downloaded and saved to our own computers, for our own future use. The mercenary abuse of abandoning FTM for their loyal customers and subscribers only portends the coming day when we would have to pay dearly for the pleasure of viewing our own records on The Ancestry.com website.

  6699. Allan Casperson

    And replace FTM with WHAT? I have been using your programs for over 15 years and have amassed a lot of data, freely given to your website for others to use. Now what? Very VERY disappointed!!!

  6700. Corrine Pearson

    My concern is that there is no way to keep a copy of my family tree that is on Ancestry. If there is a way I can make a back up copy please let me know how to do that. A second concern is that I may not be able to keep up with the rising cost of Ancestry and I will lose access to the only copy of my family tree. I should be able to keep something from the many years I have purchased your program, which has amounted to a lot of money.

  6701. Terry

    Been using FTM for about 20 years – am greatly disappointed in this decision. However, as a software app developer I can understand the reasoning since Ancestory does not charge an annual renewal fee, thus, supporting tech and help desk support areas. I suggest you re-analyze your business model and consider the above based on current support needs of your users, plus, loyalty to them as they have been loyal to Ancestory.

  6702. Debbie

    I have been doing my genealgy since about 1997 and have been using my family tree maker and I am very disappointed with the way ancesty is changing with a new way of searching I do not like it. And not having family tree anymore. How I am suppose to save my information on my computer now? I think maybe you need to rethink this!! I am in my 60’s and I use my desktop computer and not the new way of doing this.
    Debbie

  6703. Shannon

    For people interested in continuing any genetic genealogy they have going on Ancestry, there are options.

    For $35 – or free if you get friends to transfer – you can easily transfer your results and your tree to FTDNA. I have my issues with their site, but those are more about website glitches, rather than the WTFery that Ancestry has just become.

    Less simple, but not too much of a stretch, is GEDmatch. GEDmatch is free, with some amazingly robust tools available for a small donation. That will allow you to match 23andme, Ancestry, and FTDNA results that others have uploaded, and they support GEDCOMs as well.

    There’s also the nascent DNA.land (yes, that’s the URL). It’s a Columbia University project not deeply focused on genealogy, but they’re in their infancy, and also free.

    Any of these – or better, all – combined with the other genealogy resources others are mentioning, will allow you to continue to find those connections. Not as handy as “Circles”, but also not prone to the same kinds of error.

    There are Facebook and Yahoo groups for all of these, with nice people who are incredibly helpful with getting people up to speed at those sites. Some of those people you will have seen on different Genealogy TV shows, and/or you’ve read their blogs. They know their stuff.

    Good luck to all – hope to see you at GEDmatch!

  6704. MidgesGarden

    After years of supporting Ancestry – The news of Family tree Maker disappearing saddens me. I recommend everyone get busy and download anything that is important to your own computer now. This step seems to indicate a time when we will no longer be able to access our own documents that we have uploaded, to help the greater family community.

  6705. Anne Carr

    So many negative comments, from so many intelligent people who know and understand both FTM and Ancestry.com. They bring up very informed issues to your decision and I don’t see where you have any plans to inform us as to how you will address our concerns. What features of FTM will you support and which ones will you give up? How will you provide in Ancestry the same kinds of features that we have all come to depend on in FTM? I don’t know where to go now to be able to find the sorts of data I depended on Ancestry to find. Does anybody have any idea where we should go when we desert Ancestry? Are we jumping from the frying pan into the fire if we cancel our Ancestry subscription? I only have experience with FTM and Ancestry and I’m terrified at the idea of only using Ancestry for all the things I’ve always done with FTM, as all I’ve ever used Ancestry for is to obtain data. FTM is what has all the features, not Ancestry. HELP!!!

  6706. Craig Lewis

    I have 2 versions of Family Tree and they barely work without errors but it is better than nothing. If I cannot export and work locally and share with my family I must reconsider using the Ancestry site at all.

  6707. John Servais

    The approach you have taken to discontinue support for FTM is disgraceful beyond the pale. Just 2 weeks ago,as a result of you promoting the FTM 2014 version to me, I upgraded from my FTM 2010 version. You gave me no warning whatsoever that 2 weeks later you would cancel support within the next. year.The sheer lack of any ethical consideration or customer focus displayed by your tactics is a large black mark on your reputation. And for what its worth, the 2014 version eliminated some notes and pictures from my FTM data base. I DEMAND A FULL REFUND OF THE CANADIAN DOLLARS I SPENT ON UPGRADING TO THE FTM. 2014 VERSION.
    I HAVE BEEN PLAYED THE FOOL.I will no longer spend any money on Ancestry, that’s for sure.

  6708. Jason Cerny

    Just read the ‘response’ posted on the blog. Just an extended version of what we where already given. No actual answers.

  6709. Eddie R

    Well … looks like I’m about to safe a bunch of money cuz I’m cancelling my World subscription. Interesting–not one happy comment and Ancestry management STILL thinks this is a good idea.

  6710. Peter Lawton

    Looks like another way for Ancestry to boost their profits. I have used FTM for over 20 years and have over 7500 individuals in my family tree. I have no desire to have to export that data and to learn a new software package just because some industry giant is not making enough money out of me. This is not a move that will make me start subscribing to Ancestry.com

  6711. Jean Troy

    I use both Ancestry and Family Tree Maker because there is always the chance I’ll not be able to afford Ancestry so I would ike my research backed up. I see no reason to stop Family Tree Maker.

  6712. Gen

    Happy Holidays? First, Ancestry forces a new, horrible online format on us as of 15 Dec 2015, and now they are taking Family Tree Maker away on 31 Dec 2015. It seems they do not like us. It is hard to imagine they would take such extreme measures with no view to the future, or so they claim. I fear they are going to try to relegate us to a Cloud (a condition with no supportive substance). We all have a lot to consider in regard to any alternatives. Perhaps Ancestry is an obsession for which I need rehabilitation. I hope that all of us can disconnect and really enjoy the holidays. After all, time with our families is what really matters. Peace, Kindness, and Good Will to us all.

  6713. Utter Disbelief is my reaction. I am investigating other products and have just purchased Rootsmagic. Their instructions on exporting the FTM tree are explicit and make it easy. As soon as my membership expires-ugh next december(just renewed wouldnt youknow) I will cancel my Ancestry account and delete all trees. I am sure they have a backup but I will clear as much as I canl. I will find a good use for the $300 I will save from my subscription. I was under the impression Ancestry was a reliable genealogical resource site. No longer. The cutesy ugly unfriendly changes in the online website was bad enough but dropping this on us with no warning at the last minute is reprehensible.
    I have downloaded 7 gedcoms and not one of them will open or transfer to a new site due to incomplete addresses.

  6714. Venetta

    I’m totally in agreement with an earlier blogger who stated that Ancestry should KEEP FTM and RETIRE Kendall Hulet!

  6715. K James

    Due to the recent announcement by Ancestry, I am contemplating moving all my files and support to Geni.com. I am wondering who else is thinking the same thing.

  6716. Rebecca

    While I have been anticipating that this was the approach that you would be taking, I always assumed that you would first build all the capabilities of FTM until Ancestry, thus in some ways making FTM redundant. So sad that it not your approach. There is also the reality that, while it is convenient to add data to my tree on Ancestry, whenever I have “real work” to do I resort to FTM the user interface is so much more user friendly. I will begin actively checking out your competition. You may think this a wise business move, but by letting down your core constituency with this gutting of capability, you have given your competitors the upper hand.

  6717. Paul Anderson

    I would just reiterate all the concerns already raised as to how individuals will be able to maintain their family trees off line ! This would seem a ridiculous business decision and will just drive people away from ancestry to providers whose current aim is to improve this aspect of genealogy not cull it. My membership will now be terminated and transferred to another on line company who probably now have a better selection of records,

  6718. David Rout

    Been using FTM in it’s various versions since about 1999. This I upgraded to the FTM Mac 3 Platinum version. It wasn’t cheap!
    Will this still be supported for the next 15 years or so?
    Otherwise can I have my money back please?

  6719. Paul

    And the real cheek of it you are still trying to sell FTM maker on your website with no warning that it is about to be discontinued. To me this is just straight dishonest and may be close to fraud.

  6720. Jean

    THIS MAY NOT BE A DONE DEAL if Ancestry googles and reads “How does dissatisfied customers effect business profits.”, as I read a few of the articles, I was very surprised to realize the power of the consumer on business profits. I think that this could easily be the down fall of Ancestry, if this is really how consumer behavior works, they may be in for a very rough ride financially if what the articles say is true. I’m just one of the many unhappy customers, after reading these articles, I figure that there is the potential for a very very big lose in future revenue. I read that 1 consumer complaint could equal 26 unhappy consumers who don’t comment or speak up but just disappear; so we have approximately 7400 negative comments times 26 unhappy customers who have not commented and will just disappear = 199,400 unhappy customers. It doesn’t end there, they says that a bad consumer experience could spreads to twice as many consumers, so already we have 7400 unhappy long term customers times 26 unhappy customers who have not commented and will just disappear = 199,400 plus another possible 199,400 customers for a Grand Total of CUSTOMER’S LOSS to be 384, 800, BIG BIG BUCKS. I also read that a loyal customer is worth 10 times more in future profits than new customers. If the share holders look at future revenue and see a possible loss in future profits because of this move, they may change there minds, this is all about dollars and cents. Unfortunately, this has been a negative experience for all of us as we have lost trust in Ancestry as they have broken that trust, one outcome you can be sure of is that it will take Ancestry many years and lots of $ to regain consumer trust. Ancestry, Good Luck in you future endeavors, I think your going to need it.

  6721. Meidina

    Suggest that is the badest decision in the history of ancestry. You should sell the programm – other concerns would be happy to have such a programm and all users would buy new versions next 25 years. Wish every FTM customer deletes his trees and information from your webside – maybe one day you will know that it is a bad way to go agaist own customers.

  6722. K James

    I noticed that a lot of the blog posts are being removed by Ancestry – they control the content. It goes to show all of us that Ancestry does not really care about us or Genealogy – Just their God – The $$$ Buck.

  6723. I can’t believe what I’m reading. I purchased my first FTM program from Broderbund. AND
    now, it’s not going to be available!!!!!! What do you offer us in place of FTM?

  6724. lanette

    So sorry to hear I have a ftm disk and have windows 10 and was upset because it won’t let me download but I like the other that have worked hard to form a tree or several trees will not be renewing my subscription when this happens.

  6725. Sandra Harrison

    I have been with FTM longer than Kendall Hulet, I bought my first program in the mid-90’s. I have to say that I am very disappointed that FTM will no longer be supported and upgraded after 2016. Due to that, I will be cancelling my membership with ancestry.com. I will not upload my family tree and then have to pay for access to all my hard work. This was an idiotic decision on Ancestry’s part. Shame on you!

  6726. Andy

    When, oh when, will big companies wake up and realise it is easier & cheaper to retain existing customers that to have to go and recruit new customers – Ancestry seem to have forgotten this important fact and will pay heavily when they finally wake up….

  6727. Let’s look at this logically. The question is, “Why would Ancestry do this?” The answer: Corporate Profits. They are guaranteeing their customer base. You are now a member for life; if you ever want see your tree again. Your tree has now become a hostage; a guarantee that you will remain a “loyal” customer of Ancestry. If you want to share your tree with someone, you won’t be able to just print out a copy. If someone wants to see your work, they will have to join Ancestry. Oh, a new customer! More profit!
    If you think Ancestry is going to allow some other company to start syncing with the databases, think again. Why would they do that? That would be undermining this whole purpose of this move. They have you over the proverbial barrel.
    Personally, I have never been totally pleased with FTM. It has too many glitches. But, it was the best program out there when linked with Ancestry.com. The ability to sync was its best feature.
    Now, what am I going to do about it? I will find a newer and better program. Better programs are out there, but usually as stand-alone program, not necessarily connected to a genealogical service. For me, it will mean a lot more typing, entering and scanning. I do not plan or threaten to drop Ancestry.com. It is the best research service out there, but my online tree will certainly not be kept up to date as on my personal computer. I will still do my research online and then manually transfer it to my computer, but I refuse to repeat all the processes again for my online tree. The “New Ancestry” is way too cumbersome to do that. And that was another dumb decision!

  6728. Sir,
    I would urge you all at Ancestry to reconsider this decision and fast. It will impact your business badly.
    Having used FTM since version 4.4 and upgraded every couple of versions it is a product ahead of the competition and easy to use managing a complex data set and linking disparate files to be logical to read and present to family members interested.
    Like many others I collect data from many sources and have a controlled dataset on my PC which I share to Ancestry to seek out family members I was not aware of. This change moves the control set from my HDD to yours, actually it will not in my case, as something else will happen.
    The issue missed is how FTM software hooks in users to Ancestry and ensures they search you first, and most, and of course we pay for that privilege, just what you want.
    You also will miss gifting where FTM is given to someone to start a hobby, handing over a tangible item is more likely to occur that a promise to pay a subscription to a body the recipient is not aware of.
    Please Please reconsider before your competition notice and sweep up the 7,472 negative comments I have just seen, that’s a lot of annual subscriptions to loose, or change into occasional monthly ones.
    Thank you for reading, the relationship was good while it worked for us both.
    Steve

  6729. Deby

    Dear Ancestry,
    I have used your software for my desktop computer since 1997 (pc to mac). I look forward to each upgrade as they keep getting better and better. I find the online tree to be NOT as user friendly and harder to navigate.
    I am so disappointed that this will end. I hope you get so much feedback like mine that you change your mind. I honestly do not know what I will use when you quit making software for my Mac.

  6730. John Deming

    So much for the #1 best selling genealogy software. Shocked, and feel like I’ve been betrayed after being with Ancestry since the beginning. I have deleted my on-line tree and will be dropping my subscription and going with RootsMagic or Gramps. I consider them to be inferior products however they have desktop software. BTW, your online tree interface is ugly (almost as ugly as Microsoft’s Metro), unwieldy, boxy, and looks like it was designed by a third grader. Not everyone is online all the time. Much of my research is done in remote locations and an internet connection is rarely available. Nice way to treat your loyal customers.

  6731. Roger

    Your decision makes no sense. There is no way I will manage my ancestral files on a central system, whether it is Ancestry or someone else. I have managed my now 3,900 names on my local computer with backups for as long as PCs have existed. I have used various database products on different computer systems over the years and FTM almost since it was released.for PCs. Now I will have to search for another product. Your decision certainly creates a very negative perception of Ancestry.com. I am reluctant to continue regular membership, regardless of the expanding range of records you add. I will rely on Family Search and its expanding services as well as various foreign resources on the Internet..

  6732. David

    I am amazed that a company in the business of “families” has treated my family, our families, and in a sense “their own family” this way. May greedy Scrooge Ancestry be visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past (all those ancestors from which they profit), Christmas Present (all these customers they have disappointed) and Christmas future (all our children and grandchildren who may miss out on knowing their lineage).

  6733. Frank Mc Gurrin

    Crass contempt for your membership shown again by (a) Cancelling support for Family Tree Maker and (b) the forced introduction of the new infantile interface. I for one will be moving from Ancestry. Your recent and soon to be implemented service changes are all about maximising Company income, reducing costs and nurturing customer dependence. None of said changes have been for the benefit of the customer. Such high handed treatment beggars belief!

  6734. Mary

    I’m just getting started with genealogy research. After reading reviews and talking with friends, I had just decided that FTM was the best software available. Now I learn that “the best” is being taken off the market! What other software do all you previously satisfied customers suggest to this neophyte?

  6735. Wendy Libby

    I have deleted my online trees. I shall find new software to store my data and Ancestry will have lost another customer. There are plenty of alternatives.

  6736. Hyatt

    This is my month to renew. In fact I already have your email asking for update info on my credit card. Musts say the online program is confusing to me and does not have what I am interested in. It is helpful occasionally when researching but generally not worth the subscription price. I prefer to keep a copy of my information on my personal computer and not rely on the online system. The FTM has the features I like and want. I have used FTM Since it first came out, upgrading regularly. I feel like you have taken me up to 30,000 feet and kicked me out of an airplane without a parachute. I will have to give this decision some real careful consideration, at present I don’t intend to continue my subscription to the on line system.

  6737. Kenneth Powell

    An ultimate irony is that Kendall Hulet and the management team at Ancestry.com not only don’t seem to have a clue how their most devoted users use and experience the FTM-Ancestry online duo, they have failed to recognized that this is a central strategic “core competence” – a key competitive advantage that distinguishes them in the eyes and experience of their customers from any potential competitor – — a core competence that Ancestry management does not realize they have! — and this sync function is one feature that brought many users to Ancestry and kept them from ever considering defecting and happily paying the not-so-cheap subscription fees to boot, so it is small wonder that masses of otherwise loyal customers feel completely betrayed, demand a reversal of this decision or at least an alternative from someone else.

    They Ancestry management team and product development team have shown that they have no idea how their customers think and what they need and want, or if they did, demonstrated brazen disregard and disrespect for their deep, loyal customer base of serious genealogists and family historians who are on a person mission.

    In today’s world such behavior can seriously damage a brand, not to mention show the hypocrisy of Ancestry’s claims to care for the customer and promote the larger genealogy community. Or if not intentionally hypocritical, I suppose one could simply chalk it up the the “core incompetence” of the management team.

  6738. Richard Bullington

    This means that we can no longer subset and combine tree elements. I have had two clients who have “gateway ancestors” who happened both to be descended from Alan La Zouche and Ela Longespee, so I was able to use the work I did on the first for the second, at least once I had linked her gateway ancestor to La Zouche and Longespee.

    That saved me a lot of time.

    Will you add the ability to subset trees and merge them to online Ancestry?

  6739. Mary C Williams

    Ditto all of the above. I have never made my research public on a website. My question is will I no longer be able to keep mine updated with births, marriages and deaths after you abandon it? I think you need to address these questions we have.

  6740. Donn Dufford

    I’ve been in your position. I’ve closed down products and facilities. I believe I understand the dollars and cents of this. But when one enters the area of genealogy and family history they make a commitment. Thousands of “customers” have become partners with you in finding their roots. Last summer, in France, I found the home my family immigrated from 300 years ago. I added significant information to my FTM when there was no way to connect to Ancestry. There is so much misinformation on Ancestry, and increasing difficulty in using it. FTM is a must, especially for older folks no up on your ever-changing Ancestry. I regularly review other software. None does what I and tens of thousands of your “partners” need. Please don’t end it. Thanks

  6741. Cynthia

    Family Tree Maker works on the computer whether or not you use it to upload a tree to the internet. By not selling it anymore, you would be depriving people like myself who use the program without the internet. Not everyone uploads online. Some of us like it to just make our own trees privately. Please keep selling it.

  6742. Adele

    My husband just bought me FTM at the end of October and there was nothing about discontinuing the software in your many solicitations and advertisement to get us to buy the program. Refund anyone? Why should I learn an soon-to-be obsolete program? I should switch software now and if I do that, why would I want to stay with a company that obviously doesn’t value their customers? I am saddened that this is my early impression of Ancestry.

  6743. Cynthia

    Actually, if you are no longer going to sell it, why did you take it over from Broderbund in the first place?

  6744. Watkins

    Please Ancestry rethink the decision to take FTM off the market. The Ancestry/FTM connection is the best. It has the wow factor, it has the difference that makes the difference – so why would you make such customer losing decision?

  6745. Kathy

    I too have been notified by Ancestry.com that I am up for renewal in January. I have used and enjoyed FTM for more than 15 years and cannot express enough how disappointed I am in Ancestry’s decision to quit supporting it. Definitely time to think about whether I will renew my subscription or not. Leaning toward not!

  6746. Kristen

    Just read K. Hulet’s comments. Most were nothing new. Others appear to be pipe dreams, no concrete plans for anything; likely stating possibilities as a result of all the criticism. But, any “enhancements” they make to the child’s toy they are moving everyone to , will require you to have all your data on their website/cloud. AT THAT POINT ANCESTRY WILL OWN YOUR DATA AND CHARGE YOU TO USE YOUR OWN WORK. They then sell it to Family Search, Google and their new DNA company. Likely they are anxious to let “researchers”match up your DNA tests with your extensive, genealogical files. BEWARE of keeping any data on Ancestry’s site. I have removed what was there (they have copies which they will continue to sell but they won’t have my complete data). I will continue to use FTM and download files from Ancestry to my FTM files until my subscription is completed in August. (I’m one of the old Borderbund people) so have been with Ancestry forever. But that will end in August. Then, I will continue to use FTM (unless I find something better) and input/scan data, which I currently do as most of what Ancestry has in their data base is exhausted in my case and does not go back far enough to source the more than 10 generations I have documented. THIS IS NOT A TRUSTWORTHY COMPANY. If they match up your DNA files with extensive genealogical files and they are hacked, everything about you and your family will be known. Think about it. We have birth certificates, death certificates, very personal documents attached to our files. CAUTION, CAUTION, CAUTION.

  6747. Valerie Kahler

    This is a purely money-grabbing move. It’s apparently not enough to pay for the software and $299+ annually. Once you have all our data, you can basically hold it hostage for whatever price increases you think you can squeeze out of us in future. I have over 20,000 documented individuals in my tree, and if you think I’m going to entrust all that work to the whims of your company, you are all out of your collective minds. I hesitated for a while before deciding to renew for 6 months, because your new interface is hard to work with, and your search algorithms leave much to be desired. Glad I didn’t sign up for the entire year. I don’t always have access to the Internet, and when I do, I won’t have unlimited bandwidth. This is a poorly thought-out decision on your part. You are basically kicking your most dedicated users to the curb in favor of those who sign up for a month or two to see what famous people they are related to, then they eventually lose interest and you lose revenue. Did you even look to see how many of your long-time customers are using this software? Ready to lose them? My family tree is too complex for you to expect me to work solely online. Obviously, it’s time for me to look for an alternative. Thanks for making me have to learn yet another software program. I’ll be repaying your thoughtfulness by not renewing my subscription.

  6748. Cindy

    This infuriates me beyond belief. I have had to purchase upgrade after upgrade when you would “no longer” support older software and now this? I will be cancelling my World Wide subscription to Ancestry.

  6749. eunice forshaw

    Cannot believe what I am reading! I am 82 years of age and am wondering how/where I can put all the information I have from many years researching . Do you know of programmes that I could transfer my Family Tree Maker data? Please let us know details.

  6750. mewsician

    How can we all approach the LDS folks and ask them to help out – surely they recognize the level of animosity toward Ancestry that now exists among a large and once-loyal following, and the corresponding revenue stream that would await anyone who can give us back what we’ve all come to rely on over the past 20 years?

  6751. bill

    Hey everyone: Don’t forget to express your feelings on the Ancestry Facebook page. Someone start a hashtag #CancelAncestryDotCom. Let’s keep the pressure on!

  6752. Mike

    If the sheer volume of negative comments doesn’t sway Ancestry on this point, they need to eliminate the comment section on future blog postings. This insane move is designed by Ancestry to gain sole ownership of your data. Once you have to give up your software based data, you will HAVE to maintain a continuing subscription to Ancestry or you won’t have access to your data. I have research friends who only do periodic memberships and work principally on their software doing entries. That will cease. From a business standpoint, this a great move for Ancestry. For its members, it’s the stupidest decision ever.

  6753. David Trestrail

    Can not believe that you are retiring FTM. I use FTM as a back up & to store private information. Also I can still work on FTM when the internet is down or Ancestry is ” undergoing maintenance”.
    Have ordered my copy of RootsMagic 7 before it sells out & am now waiting for the next bomb shell from Ancestry- a very large hike in Subscriptions perhaps???

  6754. colleen

    Extremely disappointed!! Have used FTM for years. I, too, will be leaving if I have to find another desktop software for my research. Actually, I am happy that I haven’t gotten around to uploading my trees to your site.

  6755. Sharon Tadrowski

    This is a very big mistake. Most genealogy users are often older and less web site and computer savvy. I do use Treesync as well, but want the ability to do many special trees, printouts etc without necessarily be on the web. I remember when other sites you supported no longer would keep trees current without a subscription. Besides your lookups, the software is an important part of our ability to customize and work offline. I too don’t like some of your web pages for families with redundant things like sibling born etc (timelines). Also relationships to other relatives is not provided. You will need to beef up your abilities online for any of us to be happy. Also familytree.org is catching up with you on postings and is free. I think you will lose a lot of your followers if you go ahead with this plan. If you don’t like family tree maker then need to offer other softwares etc. We are not all using apps, I-pads, notebooks, and some of those can use stand alone software. I think you should have pooled your public before making such a rash decision and how many paying customers you will lose.

  6756. Mardi

    @Jessica Murray: You forgot to mention that you can’t back up your images and other resources by downloading as a gedcom file.

  6757. Kenneth Agnew

    I have been a member and user of Family Tree Maker and Ancestory.com for several years. I have not posted my tree thru all these years because I did not want to combine it with corrupted trees as 100% of the trees for my Agnew line are in error and most or serious errors. I am now more than glad I do not have to delete it I will not renew my subscription and continue to let you provide damaged information to anyone that wants to help you maintain false information.

  6758. Jason Cerny

    They keep trying to tell us that our online tree will not be affected. Completely missing the point of all our complaints. We want control of our trees on our own computers. Not yours. And if we cant link back and forth, Ancestry will become, at best, half as usefull, that is if you get smart and go back to the previous interface.

  6759. Deborah

    I just love the phrase at the end of the comments section: “We really do appreciate our feedback.” Does anyone believe that?

  6760. Rsreid

    I was shocked and disappointed, upset that Ancestry to whom I have referred scores of genealogies along with FTM would take this drastic step affecting so many loyal customers throughout the world. Your reasoning doesn’t justified such a drastic move that will cause thousands us untold hours of work in order to manually download the rich resources you find for us. Continuing the tree syncing, which is a critical feature for me, for one additional year is just simply not enough. We have bee at this work for years and hope to continue for many more, so you are telling us you really don’t care!?? You risk loosing many of us as subscribers and I urge you to reconsider this decision.

  6761. Peg

    I worked with FTM long before it ‘synced’ with Ancestry. I intend to not renew my Ancestry subscription, keep using FTM, and thus have ownership of all of my data, and use Family Search for research. It isn’t NECESSARILY a “great business move for Ancestry!”

  6762. Roger Reid

    I was shocked and disappointed, upset that Ancestry to whom I have referred scores of genealogies along with FTM would take this drastic step affecting so many loyal customers throughout the world. Your reasoning doesn’t justified such a drastic move that will cause thousands us untold hours of work in order to manually download the rich resources you find for us. Continuing the tree syncing, which is a critical feature for me, for one additional year is just simply not enough. We have bee at this work for years and hope to continue for many more, so you are telling us you really don’t care!?? You risk loosing many of us as subscribers and I urge you to reconsider this decision.

  6763. Suzanne Carver

    Totally blown away by your pending discontinuation of Ancestry FTM. Now…How can we pull all of the information currently available in our family tree(s) down into storage on our computers in order to mimimize our losses of time, effort and the research costs which we have invested? That would be very helpful to all the frustrated folks. Thank you

  6764. Gayle

    I just canceled my subscription that would have renewed in February. I can still still use it until then but now they know how I feel, for what little good it will do!

  6765. Juidy

    Roots magic does not sync with family tree but with a site call Family Search. Which as it’s site says is a partner of ancestry.com If you want to look at any image The site says Image is viewable at ancestry.com. By clicking here you will be leaving FamilySearch.org. (fees and other terms may apply) So to see anything in depth you would end up subscribing to Ancestry. They are all in business with each other. So they are stopping FTM to get you to buy Roots Magic to go to ancestry. CHECK IT OUT BEFORE SPENDING THE MONEY. I can still use FTM

  6766. Jason

    What needs to happen now is someone needs to ‘update’ the gedcom file system to retain photos and documents and other extra info that we all add to our trees.

  6767. Lynne

    I’m really disappointed. Does that mean that if we want our tree online and a copy on our computer, we have to input our data twice, which is open to mistakes happening? Also, we will never be able to upgrade FTM, so eventually will have to change to another software. Or will any other software be available that we can sync with our online tree? Or do we just have to keep uploading an updated tree every now and again? Either way, it;s all much more hassle and makes us lose faith in Ancestry, because they have taken our money for the programme and now dropped us in it.

  6768. David Dixon

    HI EVERYONE
    NOT SURE WHY WINDOWS 10 IS BEING BLAMED AND NOT BEING COMPATIBLE WITH FTM, I UPGRADED MINE WITH THE FREE UPGRADE LAST MONTH AND TRIED IT FOR 2 WEEKS (NO PROBLEMS) I SINCE THEN HAVE REVERTED BACK TO WIN 7 AS THE INTERFACE IS SOOOO STUPID A LITTLE BIT LIKE ANCESTRY’S NEW LOOK. ALSO FTM WILL STILL WORK FOR YOUR REPORTS AND OTHER STUFF, ONLY THE HINTS AND DOWNLOADING THROUGH FTM WILL STOP, YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE TWO WINDOWS OPEN (1 FOR ANCESTRY AND THE OTHER FTM) THEN COPY THE INFO BY HAND, MY SUBSCRIPTION IS UP IN MARCH BUT I DON’T THINK I WILL HAVE FINISHED MY WIFE’S TREE BY THEN SO IT DOES LIKE IT WILL BE MY LAST PAYMENT AS FTM WILL BE A STAND ALONE PROGRAM AND THEREFORE I CAN USE ANY SITE (FIND MY PAST ETC), I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU ALL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A LOCAL COPY OF ALL YOUR TREES THEN DELETE THEM ALL OFF ANCESTRY, THIS ACTION MIGHT MAKE THEM RE-THINK, AND TO END THIS NOTE FTM ALLOWS YOU MAKE ANY FACT PRIVATE AND EVEN PHOTOS THIS I HAD DONE ANYWAY.

  6769. James Usmar

    Dear Ancestry.com,

    I wonder if Ancestry.com has lost its way, and have you acquired some management consultants who think in spreadsheets. Potentially, I put it to you, that they have totally failed to understand the user base and that you are dealing with people for whom this is a life piece of work, it never ends – and that is non standard?

    Your customer base is loyal and committed, but needs to be respected. Applying standard commercial business thinking does not work to the Ancestry.com model, and they maybe about learn the financial impact of this the hard way – shame. Is Ancestry.com about to be come the next .com failure because they failed to put the person first?

    Ancestry.com, if you are listening, please listen harder, please come to the table and reverse the retirement announcement of the desktop local application. Lets think of this blip perhaps as just a re-branding opportunity to launch a new greater locally hosted application filled with the rich value of FTM and more. “The Ancestry Desktop Application” has a good ring to it, would you not agree?

    It would be good to explain why FTM is being dropped.. maybe there are some of us who can help you fix the problem that led to this, and keep a desktop application going.

    Please contact me, a problem shared and all…

    Warm regards, James Usmar.

  6770. Lisa

    Bad bad bad idea. Like others, I agree. FTM is the best part of Ancestry. Fact that you CAN work off line when internet not available and 2) can print reports and charts is EVERYTHING!!! I go into FTM all the time to do use the relationship calculator between one relative and another. Feature on line only tells you relationship of person on profile to yourself (or person you designate – unless there is something I don’t know in which case please let me know) and since NEW Ancestry came out it isn’t even working properly (Not providing accurate calculations). I agree with others: Ancestry either needs to allow other software companies to be able to sync with ancestry or ancestry needs to provide ability to do what FTM does with regards to printing reports and charts – still doesn’t solve the problem of working off line though. AND, can you get the wickets on the home page to work already. They are down daily!!!

  6771. Eric Pena

    I have been a Family Tree Maker user and an Ancestry.com subscriber since their beginnings and have retained an Ancestry.com subscription not only because of its excellent content but also because of its interface with the FTM program.

    Unfortunately, I am not 100% sold on the online Ancestry.com tree interface and appreciate using the FTM program offline.

    Ancestry.com may actually lose this All Access member because of FTM’s decision.

    I feel that it would behoove Ancestry.com to listen to the feedback that it is receiving from the FTM users and further evaluate the impact that FTM’s decision will have on their bottom line. It may be possible for Ancestry.com to intervene and possible purchase the program rights and support of the product.

  6772. Napalil

    I suggest everyone join their local Genealogy Society and hopefully they will have a computer with Ancestry on it and you can cancel your present subscription to Ancestry….or go to an LDS center and use their computer to access Ancestry. Download your gedcom from Ancestry first so that when time runs out with FTM you can upload to RootsMagic or something similar.

  6773. Kitty

    Legacy Family Tree is an excellent program. Ancestry does not appear to value customer opinion or care. They think everything they create is what people want.

  6774. Lisa

    Bad bad bad idea. Like others, I agree. FTM is the best part of Ancestry. Fact that you CAN work off line when internet not available and 2) can print reports and charts is EVERYTHING!!! I go into FTM all the time to do use the relationship calculator between one relative and another. Feature on line only tells you relationship of person on profile to yourself (or person you designate – unless there is something I don’t know in which case please let me know) and since NEW Ancestry came out it isn’t even working properly (Not providing accurate calculations). I agree with others: Ancestry either needs to allow other software companies to be able to sync with ancestry or ancestry needs to provide ability to do what FTM does with regards to printing reports and charts – still doesn’t solve the problem of working off line though. AND, can you get the wickets on the home page to work already. They are down daily. P.S. As a paid member I wasn’t even sent a notice about this. I found out from a “Guest” who got the email notification. And yes, I am registered to receive such type of notices.

  6775. I was very disappointed to hear this. I have been using FTM since 1998 and have a base of 16,500+. I just renewed FTM not having this prior knowledge. As well I have Ancestry that will need to be renewed in 2 days. I am very unhappy about this whole situation. I called yesterday and talked to how shall I call her…..an air head who basicaly

  6776. I was very disappointed to hear this. I have been using FTM since 1998 and have a base of 16,500+. I just renewed FTM not having this prior knowledge. As well I have Ancestry that will need to be renewed in 2 days. I am very unhappy about this whole situation. I called yesterday and talked to how shall I call her…..an air head who basically could not answer my questions. I also feel that I should get a get refund. Maybe we should all get together and start a class action suit. It is evident to me that this is for the money!

  6777. Rob P

    First of all, I can almost guarantee you that NO ONE at Ancestry is reading any of this. We’re all just bitchin’ to each other.
    They have shown over the recent years that all they care about is your money. The only thing you can say that they’ll hear is, “I’m leaving.”
    I’m leaving and I’m deleting my tree.

  6778. David Dixon

    THIS IS MY THIRD COMMENT, BUT AFTER READING MANY MORE COMMENTS FROM OTHER USERS, I MUST STRESS THAT FTM WILL STILL WORK ON YOUR PC (REPORTS, PRINTING, IN FACT EVERYTHING, EXCEPT SYNCING AND DOWNLOADING INFO AND IMAGES FROM ANCESTRY.
    SINCE I RETYPE EVERYTHING THAT IS DOWNLOADED INTO A FACT I.E. CENSUS DESCRIPTION, PLACE AND DATE TO THE EXACT CENSUS DATE THE ONLY PROBLEM I WILL HAVE IS HAVING TO HAVE A SEPARATE WINDOW OPEN TO ANCESTRY (OR WHOEVER) TO SEE THE INFO.
    AS I HAVE SAID ALREADY DOWNLOAD YOUR TREE FROM ANCESTRY IF YOU HAVE NOT GOT A LOCAL COPY THEN DELETE YOUR ONLINE VERSION.

  6779. Lillian P

    RootsMagic. I uploaded my gedcom and all my media, notes, cite and information is in there. I have to say it appears “classic” Ancestry in style which I love, but it is loaded with possibilities. There is a free version and one that is $9.95 per year. FYI.

  6780. Gerald Peak

    I can not believe how tone-deaf you are! I was planning on subscribing to Ancestry World to further explore my European roots and give DNA Kits to my adopted sons. HOWEVER that is not going to happen now. If you will not support your customers needs, I will no longer support you! Thanks for nothing.

  6781. Tom

    The announced action I can understand as it is a business decision. The announcement itself is a not-so-slick attempt to use meaningless words to justify(mostly to Ancestry nabobs) the action taken. . Sorry, but in my book actions speak louder than words, so I’ll be moving on also. Not sure where, but I am sure the marketplace will develop multiple possibilities for me to consider.

  6782. Chuck

    How do we get our money back for the support we have given FTM with the MANY updates, including FTM 2014? How do I move 19,560 names with all of the notes and sources to someplace I can generate the reports and lists I need???

    Ancestry has completely lost it’s way, do you expect customers to continue using Ancestry.com when you drop us like this??

  6783. Sharon Hannahs-Gibson

    I’m addressing this to Tim Sullivan, President/CEO.
    It’s been 2 days since your Kendall Hullet made this announcement and the comments are still coming in at a rate of about 40 per hour, all against the change.
    I believe you now have a clear enough message that something has gone VERY wrong.
    If you have any professional integrity you must take ownership personally have to step in to resolve the issue.
    Your customer base is in revolt, Your company has made a huge mistake and your immediate, and publicly visible action is urgently required.
    As I see it you have 2 options:
    1. You must publicly announce your support for the direction Ancestry has taken, in which case we can all pack up, remove our data from your site and bid you and your company the swift decline it apparently craves,
    OR
    2. Listen to the voices of your customers before they leave: get behind them and BACK YOUR PRODUCT.
    Only you can publicly reverse this decision,
    You may deal with those who created this mess at your discretion.
    Your Hopefully,
    Sharon Hannahs-Gibson

  6784. Chuck

    How do we get our money back for the support we have given FTM with the MANY updates, including FTM 2014? How do I move 19,560 names with all of the notes and sources to someplace I can generate the reports and lists I need???

    Ancestry has completely lost it’s way, do you expect customers to continue using Ancestry.com when you drop us like this??

    Get some leadership in there that understands leadership, customer satisfaction and the need to provide a complete product. Without a complete product, I don’t see a reason to use Ancestry.com!

  6785. DEB

    awful news. so if you won’t be supporting FTM or bringing out newer versions or having the syncing – I can live with that – but will we still be able to connect to ancestry.com from within FTM to do searches of records etc? – if not, you have just put genealogy back into the dark ages. just the thought of having to have ancestry open and FTM open and copying and pasting info I find makes me gag. I am so disappointed that you are doing this, it goes beyond words.

  6786. Terry J Leach

    I to am disappointed, but it will not make to much difference to us. My spouse and I have been using Legacy 8 as our main Family tree program, with ancestry and FTM as a field of research. Yes it is a hard decision, especially a very late in the day decision leaving very little room for debate. typical large attitude.

  6787. Deborah

    To anyone holding out hope that this decision will be reversed, don’t hold your breath. Kristie Wells, who seems to be the designated responder on this and the the second blogsite, responded to a user who is declaring her intention to leave Ancestry by saying she understood her decision and wished her well. Not even a token, `why not stick around and see how it goes?’

  6788. AD

    Trees deleted, account cancelled. You have just proven you no longer have any interest in supporting serious research. You had a lifelong customer, but now you will never get another penny from me.

  6789. KarenM

    I have been a continuing Ancestry World subscriber for many years. I have used FTM since the Broderbund days & purchased many of the old data CDs. I’ve done DNA tests. I always thought of my relationship with Ancestry as forever.

    Lack of real tools for DNA work sends me back to GEDmatch & FTDNA. Ancestry’s “better mousetrap” is misleading and has been useless for me.

    I have been a Beta tester for New Ancestry for almost a year & find that many of my initial reactions have not changed, even though much on the site has improved. Still way too much clicking & scrolling compared to Classic Ancestry. I never do research on my phone or tablet & never will. Not enough screen real estate. Plus, I live in a rural area with limited high speed internet, wi-fi & cell phone service. LifeStory still inserts false and/or misleading info into my tree & there is no global off/on switch. So now all but one tree is private & will be removed. That remaining tree will follow shortly.

    At least I could still work in FTM…….. Now it, too, is being taken away.

    Ancestry has made it clear with all the changes and their silly marketing that serious genealogists are no longer the customer base they are seeking. Today I did what I had thought was the unthinkable. I canceled my membership. I will take my genealogy budget elsewhere. Scotland’s People & NEHGS will get my money tomorrow and I will be moving on.

  6790. Carole

    I have had FTM and subscribed to Ancestry from the begining. They must be crazy to drop FTM. Who thought of this plan. They will lose mine (and many, many others) subscriptions to Ancestry!

  6791. Helen

    I have both FTM 2014 on my Mac (for syncing purposes) and FTM 2006 on my PC on which transfer and I store all my family history (I still think 2006 is much easier and clearer to use than subsequent versions). The printable reports are most valuable. I have much on my 2006 PC version that I don’t have on my Ancestry trees, especially more personal things relating to children, grandchildren, etc which I don’t ever want online or up in a cloud somewhere. A program like FTM is still the best place to begin your genealogy. One doesn’t want to be totally reliant on an internet connection to access all one’s work.
    I do think retiring FTM is very shortsighted.

  6792. Andrew

    You claim FTM as “the #1 selling family history software”.

    What company in its right mind would then discontinue the product ?

    If you were a publically listed company, your shareholders would eat you alive over this decision (and that of the ridiculous “new” ancestry). Alas you are a private company that seemingly has a corporate death wish and the the only way your deaf ears will start hearing is if you start getting punished financially.

    I would encourage everyone to stop financially supporting this company. Its the only way they will learn to stop and listen to customers and to learn some respect for those that put money in their pockets..

  6793. Diana

    Could someone from Ancestry.com please explain how all of the features in Family Tree Maker will be available via Ancestry.com trees? For instance, I can’t look at all of the locations of my ancestors on Ancestry.com – but I can on FTM. I also can’t do a date calculation on Ancestry – but I can on FTM. FTM is a database program which has numerous important features that are sadly lacking in Ancestry.com. PLEASE explain how you plan to correct this issue before 2017. Thank you.

  6794. Joe

    Well! What could I possibly say that hasn’t already been said? I have been a loyal Ancestry.Com subscription-paying member for many years, and I can’t see how the connection with many dedicated genealogists can be so callously discarded now. Are you really interested in genealogy? … or genealogists? Doesn’t sound like it. I should have know the way you messed up my genealogy page at Genealogy.com when you took it over, that it was only a matter of time before you did it to everything else. Frankly, I was getting better information from other sources anyway. I just won’t be having to pay Ancestry now! Let me be one of the first to take my subscription off of automatic renewal.

  6795. Cathy

    I am so upset over this news … I have used FTM for years and print off charts and many of the reports (Kinship, Family Group Sheets, etc.). Will we be able to do this in Ancestry.com. Of course we will have to pay for … We want to be able to do many of the same things with Ancestry.com if FTM discontinued. Is this possible? Need some training as have used FTM for soooooooo many years. Not a happy camper – SO DISAPPOINTED!

  6796. Mike Blee

    I only got an offer to purchase the most up to date version of FTM a month ago. Is this a hasty decision which ancestry will regret at leisure. I am currently looking at all the other comments for alternative software

  6797. Craig

    What does it say about a company (i.e., Ancestry.com) when the business decision they take is opposed by 100% of the customers who took the time and effort to respond. I have yet to read a post on this blog that agrees with the decision to abandon FTM. Sadly, this blog is probably just an opportunity to “ventilate” our frustrations – but I would like to add my voice to the thousands of dissatisfied customers. I would be willing to pay for updates to FTM, but not pay for Ancestry.com if FTM is not supported. I, too, will find another way to continue maintaining my genealogy research on my desktop.

  6798. Janet

    I notice that Family Search has discontinued their Personal ancestral file software, also. What a coincidence, since Ancestry and Family Search are now affiliated. Ancestry really didn’t give much support for FTM before this announcement. I guess I will turn to Legacy, now.

  6799. Shaun

    Whatever the reasoning behind it, this is a poor decision. FTM sync to ancestry made updating easy, FTM allowed correcting trees easily, FTM could print reports and be used where there was no wifi. Now ancestry is just like all the other research sites: no way to put your research on your tablet or notebook for travel and reference
    Without FTM I might as well put my online tree elsewhere. Too bad.
    Why not give it a national group and let them do for FTM what Mozilla did for Firefox?

  6800. Janet Spencer

    I find this news very disappointing. I have been a faithful Family Tree Maker customer for 20 years. I am a serious genealogist and I believe in citing information. Sources are often missing in hints from other researchers’ trees. However, the leaves connecting ancestors to potential information on Ancestry can be very useful. I will transfer my tree to another genealogy software program. But, I think you are making a big mistake by dropping FTM. I will never use the cloud for storage or use an app on my cell phone or tablet. All of these places seem to me to be wide open for big losses of many hours of research work. Many other companies are starting to offer the services you offer and connecting us to worldwide records. Ancestry’s extra touch was the connection to FTM. This, in my opinion is a bigger loss for Ancestry than you may think.

  6801. Charles Nalls

    As an FTM user for many years, this is a deplorable decision. The ability to work offline is an essential, as is the ability to store without having to be at the mercy of a subscription service. (I am a full-boat subscriber to Ancestry.com as well.) Roots Magic has a discounted package avaiilable and I will be experimenting with that rather than invest more time in my FTM database. Hope you reverse this inane decision, though.

  6802. Karen

    This is a very poor decision on the part of Ancestry.com. From the looks of the comments this is a very unpopular move on your part. If new or updated FTM is not in the future, why can’t you keep the sync feature at least. FTM is a very good program that enables me to make books for friends and relatives as gifts and sometimes I just want to work through FTM. Please keep the interface between Ancestry and FTM.

  6803. Helene M

    I have read all the comments above, and I am still speechless – this is unbelievable. The bottom line is – money talks & control is power.

  6804. Heather

    Well, I resigned from
    Ancestry last night. You people happily took my money when I upgraded l
    several months ago all while knowing you were going to d/c the program.

  6805. john

    There are a lot of ancestry members on this blog who are talking about switching to another website and / or trying another family tree program, but the sad fact is that they pale in comparison to ancestry and FTM. It looks like the end of the line for me. I have decided to retire from genealogy with FTM. I can not believe I am saying this, but I will not renew my subscription to ancestry and I won’t be looking for alternatives. It was a great ride while it lasted.

  6806. Ian

    The only reason I keep my membership with Ancestry.com is the way it interacts with Family Tree Maker. I have exclusively used Family Tree Maker and I am most disturbed that you are discontinuing it. Family Tree Maker is the product I’m interested in more so than Ancestry.com. I currently have World Heritage access on Ancestry.com because of the easy connection to Family Tree Maker. As soon as this link is severed I will be on the look out for a new program and I will sever all connection to Ancestry.com.

  6807. Mary R.

    From Legacy Family Tree: “We are receiving many inquiries asking how to move data from Family Tree Maker to Legacy. Watch the free 90-second video showing how: http://familytreewebinars.com/video-detail.php?video_id=76

    The Legacy for Beginners training video shows how to import a GEDCOM file. You can view the video at http://www.legacyfamilytree.net/videos/beg8/LegacyForBeginners.html and select Getting Started.

    The import will be very faithful, but please be aware of the following Family Tree Maker quirks:
    1. Facts are exported from Family Tree Maker with a PLAC tag, which in all other genealogy programs is reserved for Locations. Any program would import that as a Location and not an event. In Legacy, we have accommodated this by giving the user the option to determine at the time of import if the data is actually a location or an event and where to direct it. Just click the Save button.
    2. Pictures and documents inserted in the older versions of Family Tree Maker scrapbooks do not move to Legacy correctly, or not at all, depending in the version of Family Tree Maker.

    The article “Import GEDCOM” at http://wiki.phpgedview.net/en/index.php?title=Import_GEDCOM states, “Family Tree Maker is one of several off-line editing programs that does not properly handle media object pointers within the GEDCOM. Legacy, among many others, does handle these properly.” (Media object pointers is another way of saying multimedia links, or in other words pictures, sound, video and documents.) There are some other comments in that article on issues with FTM’s gedcoms.”

    http://support.legacyfamilytree.com/article/AA-00507/0/GEDCOM-Export-from-Family-Tree-Maker-into-Legacy.html

  6808. Jim White

    Very sorry to hear the decision to drop the FTM software. I have used it for many years to research my ancestors. I am not a fan of the new look of Ancestry and am not prepared to keep a running subscription to Ancestory just to access my information I have worked hard to collect Therefore when my subscription comes du in the new year I will sadly be cancelling it.

  6809. Carole Johnson

    I started research with Family Tree Maker in 1993 and have been very happy with the software. I think you will be losing many researchers. I do not intend to be forced into buying whatever it is you mean to put in its place / Time to find another family history software and it will not be yours. I will cancel my subscription.

  6810. Jim Moses

    Please reconsider this disastrous move. As you have read the more than 7,500 posts, you have seen that the decision to retire Family Tree Maker will cause much more turmoil to ancestry.com than you may have anticipated. I, too, have used FTM for many years and have been a subscriber to ancestry.com for the last several. FTM is the program I recommend in the genealogy classes I teach, and I would like to continue to do that. I even asked someone on your staff about a change to the program a few months ago (the ability to produce a location report based on a certain field instead of the current location report that does the entire data base–I wanted to have it so I could pick a field, such as the burial place, and get a report for just that area). The person said it was a good idea and she would pass it on. I wonder now if she knew you would be cancelling the program without offering a viable alternative. You say that you see less use of the application on personal computers. My use is not that way. I do research on ancestry.com and put any information I can prove into my FTM program. Then, every so often, I link the new data with ancestry. I do not keep my entire tree only on ancestry. The problem I see, however, is that of connecting with others. I have found several cousins through ancestry, especially the DNA project. With each of us able to upload our trees and then look at them on ancestry we are all benefiting. If you pursue your plans to shut FTM down you will destroy this valuable method of communication. I urge you to reconsider. As you have seen from the other comments, you are unleashing a firestorm that will potentially destroy much of what ancestry.com is trying to do.

  6811. Michael Smith

    Blogging (Talk) is cheap, Ancestry are relying on the fact that there will be complaints and after the dust has settled there will be disgruntled acceptance for what they have done. The only way to demonstrate that they need to review their planned retirement of Family Tree Maker (FTM), at least until they have a solution that provides the functionality and features that will be lost when FTM goes is to remove your financial and genealogical support. There are thousands of comments above mine stating their disappointment with the decision to retire FTM, the only comment they raised from Ancestry was a patronising response in another blog. Given Ancestry’s poor history of responding to the customer, everyone should have serious doubts that they will do nothing will you will suffer a substandard system.

    I am going to contact all my fellow FTM users and encourage them as I do YOU to take the actions below.
    1. Copy and paste the above on the Ancestry blog, Ancestry message board, Facebook, twitter etc.
    2. Un-sync and delete my tree from Ancestry. (for some this may require exporting their tree to a GEDCOM file and importing it to a free trial version of other software, e.g. Legacy Family Tree, http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/)
    3. Cancel my subscription. (for others remove credit card authorisation and just let it expire)
    4. Evaluate and select software to replace FTM. (Legacy Family Tree come a close second to FTM)
    5. If I need to use Ancestry database resources, go to my local library use it there. (it’s a day out).

  6812. DINO

    Somebody send Kendall the Great Communicator a bigger shovel, or maybe just a Pink Slip. Did he and the “passionate” folks at Ancestry really believe that the 6 Billion Ancestors on those 70 Million Family Trees would “go gentle into that good night”?

  6813. Barb

    I have been an FTM user since 1995 and am very disappointed with the Ancestry decision to abandon all of us loyal users with no information to assist us to transition to another desktop version. While I am an Ancestry.com subscriber as well, my tree is on my desktop since I often work offline and want to ensure my information is properly and regularly backed up (under my control).

    What will you be doing to help us export all of our data, media and citations to another product so all of our hard work will not be lost?

    I would hate to have to replicate a many thousand person tree and I don’t want to have to manually review every person in the tree to ensure that the information in the new program will be intact.

    Your decision is short sighted and disregards your many loyal customers. You should reverse this decision because you are about to lose a large portion of your customer base. Other than reversing this decision, your only attempt to save your reputation and your subscriber clientele will be to quickly (don’t wait until late next year) address your point number 2 to immediately work with another program to allow it to automatically search and download findings from Ancestry to that program. As you can tell from this outpouring of commentary, we really don’t care that you want to take the best parts of FTM and put them onto the online tree part of Ancestry. You could have done that anyway without abandoning FTM.

  6814. Michael Smith

    Blogging (Talk) is cheap, Ancestry are relying on the fact that there will be complaints and after the dust has settled there will be disgruntled acceptance for what they have done. The only way to demonstrate that they need to review their planned retirement of Family Tree Maker (FTM), at least until they have a solution that provides the functionality and features that will be lost when FTM goes is to remove your financial and genealogical support. There are thousands of comments above mine stating their disappointment with the decision to retire FTM, the only comment they raised from Ancestry was a patronising response in another blog. Given Ancestry’s poor history of responding to the customer, everyone should have serious doubts that they will do nothing and you will suffer a substandard system.

    I am going to contact all my fellow FTM users and encourage them as I do YOU to take the actions below.
    1. Copy and paste the above on the Ancestry blog, Ancestry message board, Facebook, twitter etc.
    2. Un-sync and delete my tree from Ancestry. (for some this may require exporting their tree to a GEDCOM file and importing it to a free trial version of other software, e.g. Legacy Family Tree, http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/)
    3. Cancel my subscription. (for others remove credit card authorisation and just let it expire)
    4. Evaluate and select software to replace FTM. (Legacy Family Tree come a close second to FTM)
    5. If I need to use Ancestry database resources, go to my local library use it there. (it’s a day out).

  6815. Bill B

    I’m not surprised since the software hasn’t been updated since 2013. FTM was never fully compatible with our trees and was famous for creating too many duplicate facts. I say good riddance to FTM. I stopped using it a long time ago. BTW Folks: it isn’t going away tomorrow. The support ends Jan 1, 2017. I’m sure you can continue to use it locally long after that date except for maybe synching.

  6816. Gary Robbins

    To say I was stunned at this announcement is an understatement! I’ve been a loyal user of FTM for about 20 years. During that time, I’ve grown accustomed to the capabilities of FTM and have greatly appreciated the upgrades and enhancements as well as the very good customer service. I’ve become addicted to this product as it meets almost all of my needs in researching information, creating a tree, and citing sources into my FTM software on my desktop computer. The Tree Sync is amazing which is the BIGGEST reason I use FTM after all these years. I have an iPad and use that version of Ancestry on it but it’s no substitute for what is on my desktop computer.
    Ancestry.com has stabbed us in the back with no warning. I thought this company had a shared loyalty with it’s customer base but I can see that is no longer true. I find it hard to believe they can’t compete with a viable desktop genealogy program in today’s environment of ever-expanding interest in family history. The fees they charge to use their website are pretty steep and I find it hard to believe this is a financial issue. Perhaps they lose a few bucks on FTM or simply break even, but I know the website is a cash cow and it offends me to infer they are losing so much money they need to take immediate action without adequate notice to it’s customers. Is their board of directors filled with greedy people that aren’t interested in genealogy – only earning a huge profit? There are millions of people that are excited about family history and each of us uses different techniques to accomplish our goals. I know there are many out there, like myself, that prefer a strong desktop product as our main tool.
    I don’t want to transfer my tree (over 20,000 individuals) to another program and risk the data becoming corrupted in the process. I want to use FTM for the rest of my life but that is no longer possible. Now, all of us must agonize over what to use as a replacement, and the inherent issues in finding and correcting every fact that doesn’t transfer correctly. I don’t know what I am going to do but I hope Ancestry demonstrates the ethical responsibility to give all of us reasonable alternatives.
    Better yet, PLEASE DON’T DO THIS!

  6817. Jonathan W.

    @ Kristie Wells — thank you for letting us know that the decisions of this week were not made by one individual, but rather were made by the entire executive team. That is, however, not a good thing. If it were only the actions by one employee, well, that’s an easy fix.

    Unfortunately, your comments only confirm that the entire Ancestry leadership is complicit and aligned to this approach and this vision for Ancestry’s future products and services. If you do read these comments, and not just from this week but going back over the past years, it is clear that this vision is is not at all aligned to what your customers want. What a shame that you just don’t get that.

    I suspect all of you were taken aback by number of impassioned comments sent in. Let me point out what other haven’t… It’s not about Family Tree Maker. Really, it’s not.

    Ancestry’s position of late has been distant, non-responsive, and arrogant. Your motives are clearly all about money. Maybe you thought that we haven’t picked up on that, but it is embarrassingly obvious to all of us, and for a while now, and when you say that you care about your customers, you don’t. You only care about our money — our monthly subscriptions, our data, our DNA, our social ties — and Ancestry being able to monetize all it, from here to Sunday. Everybody knows that the only care and concern is to inflate the value of the company in advance of the next sale.

    I’m sure there have been many meetings and projects teams formed to run case study after case study for how to package your offerings, to set just the right price, and set the right bundles to achieve maximum profitability. Everybody knows it. And I can guarantee that the calls your taking with Permira now are all about damage control and calculating lost revenue and its impacts.

    The part that kills me is that I know there are people who work at Ancestry who really, really care about us, the customers, and genealogy and the importance of all of it. I feel so sorry for them because I know they must be taking all of this personally.

    So when these thousands of comments come pouring in over these past few days, it’s not about Family Tree Maker, it’s about who you’ve become. And that is, a company we no longer trust. What a shame.

  6818. Roy Mills

    You have certainly increased my research workload in the time remaining in my ancestry subscription, but I shall muddle through with you and subsequently without you. I am finding it difficult to comment without the use of expletives.

  6819. Al

    While I agree with the majority of the above comments, I am surprised by the number of individuals who have opted to delete their trees from ancestry. I hope you realize that this a best “a feel good” approach to the problem associated with the proposed dropping of FTM. Fact is once uploaded ancestry has fairly free rein as to the use of our data…..those nasty terms/conditions we all ignore…
    “By submitting User Provided Content on any of the Websites, you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use User Provided Content submitted by you to the Websites, to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered…….This license continues even if you stop using the Websites or the Services. Ancestry may scan, image and/or create an index from the User Provided Content you submit. In this situation, you grant Ancestry a license to the User Provided Content as described above and Ancestry will own the digital version of documents created by Ancestry as well as any indexed information that Ancestry creates. Except for the rights granted in this Agreement, Ancestry acquires no title or ownership rights in or to any User Provided Content you submit and nothing in this Agreement conveys any ownership rights in such User Provided Content on the Websites. The licenses granted continue for the maximum time permitted by applicable law, even if you stop using the Websites or the Services……”.
    As for FTM support, I seem to recall that the ability to do Ancestry web search from FTM using Windows required Windows 7 or 8, with Ancestry advising that using FTM with XP, Vista, IE8 or IE9 could result in “reduced” Ancestry search functionalty or just not be supported. I would not be surprised to see the same comment made for FTM windows 10 users!

  6820. Carol

    Really? You couldn’t tell me about this when I was on the phone with customer service just a few weeks ago, asking about FTM and how it integrates with Ancestry.com… before I purchased FTM and signed up for a year on the World Subscription? Will I be getting a refund on both?

  6821. tahoekevin

    Mr Hulet – I think you are underestimating how many people use Ancestry because it is connected to Family Tree Maker. I’ve been using FTM for 24 or more years. If you get rid of FTM I will quit Ancestry and go somewhere else. Also, I use my desktop for genealogy – – I will never use my iPhone or iPad to do genealogical work. Never. I hope your Board of Directors reads the hundreds of responses to your statement above.

  6822. Michael Von Gebel

    Ancestry’s new motto should be “We will fix it till it is broke”. You speak of your loyal customer’s it is just a shame that your so tone-deaf to. Loyalty is a two way street maybe you should put some work into that aspect of your company. Folks speak loudly by walking away with your dollars this seems to be the only voice this company understands.

  6823. Jim F

    It took me about 45 minutes to scroll through these thousands of comments. I did in order to add my voice to the masses decrying this foolish announcement. Yes, I have the Android app on my tablet and smartphone. It’s great for browsing my 4,000 person tree. But I would never use it for any volume of research or updating. If your core group of productive users are roadblocked in providing quality data, your casual Android and Web users will have nothing useful to browse.

  6824. Carol Lee Olsen

    I have used Family Tree Maker since it was a Broderbund product. I have recommended this product to many people who know me and know I have done extensive genealogical research. I have FTM loaded on my laptop for when I go out to do “field” research so I will have all of my information available to me. I do not put my research online specifically due to an issue that arose years ago when a relative put some of my information online which were my research notes and had not been verified yet. Because of this, there are some errors that have been propagated online. I prefer to have complete control over my records and research. I was a software designer before retiring and I can not believe that Ancestry is ignoring all of its loyal desktop customers. I do not want all of my research loaded online and I will be researching other products to replace FTM. The ease of using FTM and Ancestry.com together is one of my favorite features. Without that feature, I will not need to continue with Ancestry as I can research in other databases online which do not charge fees to access. I would hope that you would reconsider your decision.

  6825. GLENN SAHLI

    What happens after 2017 if I cancel my subscription????
    Does that mean that I don’t have access to over twenty
    years worth of work???
    I suppose I should make sure that I take VERY GOOD
    care of my program If I am not able to purchase in the future.
    It is absolutely amazing that someone made this decision.
    Now I feel like an idiot spending all of my hard earned $$$
    on your subscriptions, program updates and DNA tests.

    Not Happy,
    Glenn Sahli

  6826. Debbe

    You said …. ” there are several other programs available that you can transfer your Family Tree Maker data to.”
    .
    I say …. ” Will my old XP operating system, with FTM version 5 ….. transfer to another program? It is UNLIKELY that I will find another program ….

    …. That will work with XP operating system!?
    …. and that will transfer all of my PHOTOS?
    …. and transfer all of my customized FIELDS?
    …. and create my customized REPORTS?

    If you are not intending to reverse your decision, then …….

    …Are YOU going to buy my new COMPUTER?
    …Are YOU going to buy my new SOFTWARE?
    …Are YOU going to assure my files, photos, & fields all cleanly TRANSFER to an identical program?

    YOU certainly must be aware of the devasting impact you will be casting upon your loyal customers.

    … and remember it is YOUR Customers who give you YOUR paycheck.

    Are you listening?

  6827. To Jonathan W. I agree with every word you say. I loved Ancestry. I thought they cared. I recommended to anyone who asked me. Now it’s a company I no longer care to do business with. Untrustworthy, uncaring. My subscription ends on April 16 by which time I shall have removed my Trees, moved on and will never look back

  6828. Jon Sanders

    Echo many of the above comments except the refund one, I’ve gotten my money’s worth and like 2014 GUI. But questions:

    1) My tree has over 30K names, over 8K in one of my main branches. FTM is not the easiest to add names but has anyone really tried to do this on Web Based S/W. We all know the answer, no, its even more difficult, the web it great to add one person or one fact but it would be faster to do with pencil and paper than the Ancestry Tree interface. But I understand that for 90% of your users that might be okay, just not this one.

    2) Your decision means I have to find another desktop vendor so the questions are:
    a) Will you open the FTM 2014 database for other vendors to import into their tools, so that they can cover this market that you are exiting? My top need is a way out of FTM which would lower your EOL support effort.
    b) Will you open (you may already) the Ancestry API so that these vendors can find “leafs” and add into their S/W. Without this my need for Ancestry drops significantly
    c) Will you open the Sync feature (I suspect not) to these vendors

    3) Ancestry Trees – will these stay open and be free without membership for the owner of the tree, If not I need to consider removing at that point since if I cannot access then you should not be able to either.

    Thanks in advance for your answers, JS

  6829. Glenna Rice

    When support for FTM ceases so will my membership. I totally dislike the new interface and the way the new Ancestry program works. Our local genealogical society will also cease using Ancestry. I will save my money and make an annual trip to Salt Lake which is far more fun. I have used FTM from it’s earliest days–before Ancestry purchased it. How many more programs are you going to buy up and trash!! I DO NOT and WILL NOT EVER post my tree on Ancestry or store info on the Cloud! I am so glad that I have decided not to use your DNA kits and look for other avenues to explore DNA. You have lost a long time costumer and I can tell you are going to lose many more. There are other ways to do our genealogy. I am so glad I made hard copy files of all my research and will continue to do so! Advertise all you want! Once people find out how you really treat long-time faithful costumers you are going to see the result. Good luck Ancestry!

  6830. Perry

    Like so many others have already stated, this is very disappointing! I too have used FTM for many years (and upgraded every time as new versions were released) and have been a subscriber to Ancestry for the past several years. The Ancestry website is a poor substitute for the FTM functionality. In addition, I much preferred the ability to keep direct control of my files rather than uploading them to a third party website – who’s to say that the Ancestry website won’t ever be shut down, taking all our data with it.

  6831. Paul

    Well you know where you can put FTM and Ancestry. A loyal customer for more years than I can remember I am sure that the loss of a few hundred dollars a year for the next how many years I have on this earth will not affect your bottom line too much. But just consider the number of people on this site and see how that has an unforseen effect on your business. Goodbye. I will never return and will make it very obvious on my various media sites exactly what I think of your mean minded decision

  6832. Teri

    Ancestry, this is a terrible business decision. FTM is needed for offline work when internet is not available, for reporting, for PLACE functionality, and for full local backup of .com data. Taking this functionality away is paramount to stabbing your customers in the back. Please rescind this decision, and fire the idiot who made it.

  6833. Sharon

    I agree with every comment from people who are angry over this decision. The reason I purchased Family Tree Maker is because of the ability to sync with on-line data. Plus I like to have that back-up of FTM on my computer. I also totally agree with the comment from C Maarie Steele about the new child-like new interface….I HATE it too. Not sure if I will renew my subscription next year.

  6834. Gary Brown

    I, personally, am not surprised by this announcement. The Ancestry people have gotten so much information in your family trees and loaded it into their servers (AKA Cloud)and will use it as they see fit, @your expense. Doesn’t that make you feel good? I am so glad that I have kept all my information to myself.

  6835. Tony

    …Ancestry.com IS NOT GIVING A DAMN ABOUT THE ANGER IT IS GENERATING as it continues with its now well documented arrogant, cavalier attitude towards LOYAL AND DEDICATED PAYING CUSTOMERS, and nothing shows this any better than the fact that their designated “MOUTHPIECE”, a Ms/Miss/Mrs Kristie Wells has felt it necessary to respond with an answer of sorts to JUST FIVE POSTS OUT OF 7610 POSTS written so far on this Blog … What a brutal joke!!

  6836. Bob

    I can only add my great disappointment at this move. As a long time user of FTM and Ancestry.com, I am upsat and will have to look at alternative to Ancestry.com

  6837. Al

    Gray Brown is oh so correct….I am surprised by the number of individuals who have opted to delete their trees from Ancestry because of the FTM decision. I hope you realize that this a best “a feel good” approach to the problem associated with the proposed dropping of FTM. Fact is once uploaded Ancestry has fairly free rein as to the use of our data…..those nasty terms/conditions we all ignore…
    “By submitting User Provided Content on any of the Websites, you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use User Provided Content submitted by you to the Websites, to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered…….This license continues even if you stop using the Websites or the Services. Ancestry may scan, image and/or create an index from the User Provided Content you submit. In this situation, you grant Ancestry a license to the User Provided Content as described above and Ancestry will own the digital version of documents created by Ancestry as well as any indexed information that Ancestry creates. Except for the rights granted in this Agreement, Ancestry acquires no title or ownership rights in or to any User Provided Content you submit and nothing in this Agreement conveys any ownership rights in such User Provided Content on the Websites. The licenses granted continue for the maximum time permitted by applicable law, even if you stop using the Websites or the Services……”.

  6838. Pete

    Just brilliant. You are “collating” stuff to provide us with “constructive feedback.” Look up the word “Disconnect” and apply it to your current relationship with your customers.

    Out of what … 8000 – 10000 posts, how many of us asked you to seriously consider furnishing us with feedback? With feedback are going to maintain our data on our desktops? We are asking you to furnish us with FTM!

    Seriously. If you have a way for us to smoothly go forward with our research, keeping updated trees locally, then why in the world did you not include it in your announcement? The message we are getting is there is no way, now, for us to go forward, the way we want to, with ancestry.com. Please spare us the PR blather.

  6839. Graeme Angell

    This is my third attempt to get my contribution onto this blog. There always seems to be some kind of glitch to prevent this. Lucky I’m not paranoid.
    So, you give a few week’s notice of a major decision which must have been considering for many months. Now we know the purpose of the “new” Ancestry which you have been sneaking in on us.
    Like many others, I am appalled at your handling of this. Where is the information telling us how our trees are to be maintained. If you think for one moment that I am going to sacrifice the privacy of my own family and my extended families you are very much mistaken. Nor am I going to put my tree into a position where I can only access it by continuing to subscribe to Ancestry. My son is currently taking a Master’s Degree in IT with a major in security. He warned me that when your info goes into”the cloud”, security cannot be guaranteed.
    I’m also wondering what snappy product (and at what expense) you will be handing out to transfer the information which WE have worked so hard on, to your custody on line. I don’t think so.
    When you you make decisions of this magnitude to so many customers you could surely give them the whole story immediately. Thank heavens I back up all FTM stuff to two hard drives every week. Now all I have to do is find a way to transfer the information on my 7000 odd people to a new format. Hopefully, one of your competitors will come up with something.

  6840. Frances FitzGerald

    Ancestry has stated “by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community”……….SO apparently FTM members are not considered loyal……this is a disgusting selfish decision on your part and am so glad I have discontinued my membership as of Jan. 2016…….shame on you!!!!.

  6841. Heather

    I am sad to hear that the Family Tree Maker will be taken down. I have lots of info saved and am continuously adding to. I don’t agree with this decision, I find it unfair to everyone that invested time and money into this. You should rethink this decision.

  6842. Dan

    What a really bad decision! Like so many others have written here I urge you to reconsider. If this decision remains I will cancel my World subscription that I have paid you for over so many, many years. Very disgusted!

  6843. Barbara Pickering

    Finally got retired and would have the time to work on my FTM, which I have had for years, First you make all the disks that we have spent a good amount of money for, now you are making the best genealogy software unavailable to us. Think you should reconsider

  6844. Buck711

    I am hurt and disappointed that ancestry.com feels that this move is for the better. I have been using FTM and only FTM since I started my tree 16 years ago. I have had subscriptions to ancestry.com for almost as long, first with just access to USA records and as my tree grew and information became more available, upgrading to the World subscription. I have bought every new version of FTM as soon as it had came out to be up to date on all features and to make sure my researching tools were the best available. My tree has grown to contain over 113,000 people, almost 30,000 media items, and spans over 500 years. I use FTM to create and print books for family reunions and a calendar for my grandmother, who will be 100 in February. I am also very active in sharing my research with others and helping them with their research. To discontinue FTM without an equivalent or better option not only will cause people to move away from your sites, but will also hurt other researchers by having some of your best researchers and sharers leave. The idea of not having a backup on my network or having a way to access my tree without internet such as at family reunions or functions, is not acceptable. With the amount of time I have put into my tree, the amount of information I have gathered and shared, and then having the idea of not having my primary research tool, to have to move to another software or company knowing how much I will have to redo, will delay my research and will prevent my ability to help others with their research. In the next year I foresee you losing many of your current customers and the number of new customers will drop also. You are basically stabbing in the back the people who have helped make you one of the largest and most reputable genealogy research sites around. The current online version of Treemaker falls very short of the current software version in the tools we use and what we have come to expect for our money. To say that we will have to use it only strengthens our believe that you do not care about helping people find and explore their roots, but only the almighty dollar. I am sure if given the option to spend a little more for the software versus the poor alternative you are going to force us to use if we stay with ancestry.com, you would find that we would pay more for the software. I guess I will have to spend much of my valuable research time in the next year looking for a different company that values their customers, give them my money and recreate years of research.

  6845. Dawn

    From all the posts above I see I am NOT the only loyal customer that is more than disappointed in your decision. I stuck with your product when researchers complained about your prices. I have purchased updates for years and you finally got the sync program to work I was excited because I could use my phone, lap top or ipad and not have to re-enter data anymore. Now you’re telling me you’re not going to support my software that I rely on more than any of your other features so I can produce the reports I want. Personally I think this is a poor choice on your part and unless your membership prices improve by being decreased, you’re going to lose customers big time. The use of all electronic formats will never replace the paper back up copies genealogist rely on. What happens when there’s a power outage and people can’t get to your website for their data. It is THEIR data collected often by hours of painstaking research and documentation that has supported your site and made you a viable commodity. You are great at accepting things to post online at no cost to you….where is the pay back by taking away the software that started your program? I am not happy about this at all

  6846. Mike T

    People you need to take your emotions out of looking at this decision and look at the facts on what is happening. Ancestry has decided and I’m sure they are right, that the revenue they receive from selling FTM does not cover the expenses to maintain it and keep it going or they would not be dropping it. Maybe there are some other circumstances considered but it’s about revenue and profit. Sorry but they don’t give a rats rectum if you’ve used FTM clear back to when you had to pound info into a rock. The only way to possibly reverse their decision is if it costed them Revenue and profits. Sorry but it’s not going to be crying and whining. This is approximately a $700 million annual revenue company. 86% of their revenue is from subscriptions to their service. It’s not in selling FTM or DNA that is a smaller piece of the pie. So roughly $600 mil of their income is from subscriptions from about 2.2 million subscribers.
    Let’s just say that evryone of you here discontinue your service(they are banking on that you won’t) let’s say 10,000 cancelations. That’s .45% of subscriptions or .45% of their revenue of $600 mil or $270,000 per year in lost revenue. You think that is going to turn the ship? Doubt it…

    Here’s what would hurt them, financially. They have attrition each year of people dropping ancestry for a variety of reasons not anything like FTM related. They bank on getting new subscribers every year to replace the losses that they know they have every year plus a few more so they can grow their subscription base.
    I think they believe that their growth is going to come from the mobile users not us old PC dinosaur users and they are probably right. Mobile users will not be looking for an FTM type program anyway.

    Now here is what I think could hurt them significantly and it won’t be known for awhile and probably too late to save FTM and that the PR fallout. If there is such a backlash that they are perceived as a completely uncaring, not worth of doing business with company, that even the new mobile users go elsewhere, then they have major problems and will be changing their TV adds to tell us how much they love us.
    So word of mouth may be the most damaging thing that could happen to them if you just want to punish them for pissing you off.
    Either way I don’t think FTM will be saved by Ancestry anyway, but I hope I’m wrong.

    Yesterday when I went to cancel my full yearly subscription they offered to reduce my next years price………lol…..It’s all about the subscriptions.
    Another note if I were them I’d be looking hard at all options if I were a $700 mil company sitting on right at $1 billion long term debt. A lot of their assets are in goodwill. Ask them to show that goodwill when you visit their office next time.

  6847. John DeMars

    Two more comments: 1- If you are ending the software, why do you still continue to sale the software. 2- Also noted if and when you stop the subscription, you can still see your tree online, but you can no see all the documents from outside the USA that you spent good money on and downloaded to your tree, but can’t see because you don’t keep the worldwide subscription. whats the plan to also fix that?

  6848. Joan

    It is horrible to learn that Ancestry is all about the money and does not support the loyal FTM users that helped the company expand. There is no doubt that his planned “retirement” will adversely affect the company’s bottom line… So, what I would like to know… What program will Crista Cowen use?

    I agree with the rest of the posters… The website is a poor substitute for the FTM functionality.

  6849. Albert K. Taylor

    Have worked for decades on our tree. Have compiled most of it on FTM but not yet on Ancestry. Now my FTM will be obsolete……UNTIL Ancestry comes to the rescue with A NEW RAZZLE-DAZZLE IMPROVED AND (of course) MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE SOFTWARE. It’s all about greed.

  6850. Katrena Walker

    I TOTALLY agree with all of the above comments. Please reconsider this decision you have made and DON”T discontinue Family Tree Maker. I use it all the time especially when I’m not on the internet, to make charts, data, and helping me keep my trees running smoothly. I have loved this program from the first time I bought it. That is exactly why I purchased this program in the first place. If you discontinue it, I think you should be responsible enough to reimburse all the customers that have spent their $40.00 on FTM. I work hard for my money and I expected you to be a better website than treating your customers like this. Please, RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION!

  6851. Gerri Burke

    I’ve not commented, waiting for Ancestry to re-think position in light of their client feedback. Amazing that there has been no response – folks, they aren’t reading a word of what we say! I anticipate all of your responses will be magically removed in very short order. I have deleted my trees from Ancestry and cancelled my membership, not only to Ancestry but also to their collaborators (Fold3, newspapers.com, and others that claim a connection to this firm). I refuse to pay out the wazoo to a self-promoting industry to publish all my research efforts on their website and then have the nerve to back-charge me to view my own efforts on their platform. I continue to save my research on my desktop and document (footnote, end note, and bibliographic form. Never trusted Ancestry since it went haywire, about ten years ago. I am okay if it gets down to pen and paper if that’s what they want. More the loss for Ancestry is what I say!

  6852. Melody

    It isn’t a matter of adjusting to what you are doing to us, it is the matter of you not listening to your customers. You know those don’t you? The people that with their subscriptions that pay your wages??? Yeah remember those?!!!! If you take the FTM software away you are telling a lot of people that you just do not care any longer that their research and efforts and their money no longer don’t mean anything to you! If you do not give us feed back and or another product for free, then I pray that you guys go under because I for one will never ever come back to Ancestry.com. I have been with your group for 14 years and have paid a lot of money to do research on your web site and only bought my FTM about 6 months ago or so and now you are telling me that you guys are not supporting it after January. You could have said this before and or offered a different product! But you did not do that either. The people with computers that run only on Windows 7 have no way to access Ancestry after that date as well, you people have a big problem as their are also a lot of people out here who have a windows 7 operating system that can not afford to go buy a new computer, but there you go all about MONEY instead of what is for the good of your customers again! I wouldn’t have known about this because I didn’t even get notified of it, I had to hear it from my cousin! I know of a lot of genealogists that are rip roaring mad over not only this but a few other things as well. You guys really need to fix your PR problem and a few other things as well. I for one may not even subscribe again because of all of this BS!

  6853. Jerry

    In my 40+ years as a practicing CPA I cannot remember a more incredibly stupid business move. All the investment in FTM has been made. For the most part users love it just the way it is requiring little or no future investment. It could go on for years without any additional real change but Ancestry would rather jeopardize their main business by alienating thousands of loyal subscribers. I cannot think of one reason why a company would make such a insane decision. This is commercial suicide.

  6854. Gerri Burke

    Has anybody opened a FB discussion with regard to this decision? I would like to get the word out to people who purchase their products that it buyers beware: caveat emptor.

  6855. Rhonda B

    What a thoroughly Grinchy thing to do at the beginning of December!

    I am absolutely horrified at this decision. I have been using FTM for decades. I do most of my work offline in FTM before syncing to my Ancestry trees. The interfaces on the Ancestry trees are completely unusable for how I enter my data and sources. Not all of my sources are from Ancestry and even when they are I don’t link to them on the tree. The functionality of the online trees is sub-par and beyond irritating to try and enter new information. The facts page alone is cluttered with distracting and unneeded information. If I wanted to know when someone’s brother or sister was born or died I would click on their name or the parent’s name. I don’t need all that on the page of the person I am currently researching. In the FTM tree view when I click on a person I am able to see their birth, marriage and death dates and locations as well as those of their spouse. I can see their children as well as when (the full date, not just the year) and where they were born. Will you be adding the ability to create custom reports to the online trees? There is no way to do that now. There are so many features of FTM that are not available on Ancestry trees. How are you going to address these issues?

    Are we all just supposed to blindly follow where you lead us and go strictly online? I do not now, nor will I ever trust my data solely to the cloud.

    Please reconsider this decision!

  6856. Brian Shumway

    I also will not be staying with the company simply for Ancestry. It is not an adequate tool alone. If FTM goes, I go. It will be very disruptive. I’ve been loyal to FTM in my Society, but I can be loyal to another product from another company.

  6857. Arthur

    Kendall Hulet
    I have been a user Family Tree Maker for many years and I do not want to give it up, Are you willing to sell the source code to an outside third party.
    Sterling Family Investment LLC you can connect us at aandmsterling@yahoo.com

  6858. Darlene

    I have been through a lot of genealogy programs over the years: Roots (from Commsoft), Ultimate Family Tree, Master Genealogist, Legacy, and FTM. Have been using Legacy but switched to FTM because of the Tree Sync. Back to Legacy now. Hope they stay around. Some people don’t realize that FTM will still work on your computer. There will just be no sync with Ancestry. And after next year, if FTM crashes, you are on your own. And being that the only reason I bought FTM was the tree sync, I will have to reconsider the Ancestry subscription.

  6859. RMau

    Ancestry.com is owned by Permira, an investment firm based in London. Permira acquired Ancestry.com in 2012. It is one of 20+ companies around the world that Permira owns. This doesn’t count companies that Permira has already bought and sold.

    Companies like Permira are interested in only one thing, dollars (or maybe euros in this case) and having more dollars today than they had yesterday. That is how they keep score. More. Enough dollars is not part of their language. It doesn’t matter if that additional dollar comes from increasing revenues, or from decreasing costs, as long as it is a new dollar in their pocket.

    None of that is necessarily bad, but does help one to understand the motivations of current Ancestry.com ownership and senior management. They are not genealogists. Professional, hobbyist, or otherwise. They are businessmen and businesswomen who are looking for a substantial return on the investment they made to purchase Ancestry.com in 2012.

    Plain and simple, Ancestry.com has made a business decision. Make no mistake, what businesses like Permira are good at is crunching numbers. Despite the many comments about a lack of forethought on their part in the FTM decision, I think that quite the opposite is true.

    I don’t think that they made this decision in a vacuum. FTM 2014 is the current version and the #1 selling (according to Ancestry) software of its kind. I don’t think they arbitrarily decided to kill the #1 software. #1 is not usually the first product to abandon a shrinking market. They survive, at least until the market is completely gone, by being the alternative when smaller competitors close their doors.

    2014 was a while ago though. So I will speculate that the job to modernize FTM for 2016 and beyond was more involved than just adding some feature/function. Especially if Ancestry, like many companies, wanted to develop from and support a single software code base for all platforms, desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, cloud and standalone program (aka App).

    They ran the numbers, considered the risks and consequences and made a decision. There will be no more new FTM versions and at some point, no more support at all for FTM. Could the announcement about the demise of FTM been handled better? Absolutely! Really, really bad customer care. From the timing to the curtness and brevity to the total lack of empathy and awareness of the impact on their customers, Ancestry could have done a much better job of communicating the reasons for their decision and their intentions for replacing the functionality of FTM.

    I believe that they are prepared to lose some business, although they certainly would like to keep it to a minimum. Lost business is always a part of decisions like this that companies make. They have weighed that loss of revenue against the cost savings of not having to develop and support FTM any longer and FTM lost.

    What bothers me the most about the FTM decision is that TreeSync was part of the value of a subscription to Ancestry.com. TreeSync is the thing that makes working from the web and working locally take a bit less time and effort. I do not anticipate that subscription rates will go down to reflect this loss of functionality and value. Value by the way that Ancestry hyped with fervor when TreeSync was first made available.

    Paying the same or more for less and having to change the way I work with my trees is not something I am looking forward to. It is those two reasons that have me looking at alternatives to not only FTM, but Ancestry itself. Maybe there aren’t any alternatives that combine the functions of Ancestry.com, FTM and TreeSync. Maybe that is what Permira is counting on to stem the loss of paying customers. We’ll all find out what will and won’t work for us and the way we work on our family histories.

  6860. Bob

    I wonder if anyone from ancestry is reading these comments. Shame on them if they aren’t. It appears that Kendall Hulet is neither a genealogist nor an IT expert. Wouldn’t it be smarter to consider the online ancestry as a “cloud” and FTM as a workstation that feeds the cloud. The online sw doesn’t have one-half the capability of FTM. Instead of discontinuing FTM they should be giving it away to creat more users for the cloud.

  6861. Al

    While I agree with the majority of the above comments, I am surprised by the number of individuals who have opted to delete their trees from ancestry. I hope you realize that this a best “a feel good” approach to the problem associated with the proposed dropping of FTM. Fact is once uploaded ancestry has fairly free rein as to the use of our data, regardless as to whether you are a current member or not….those nasty terms/conditions we all ignore….Read paragraph 3 of T &C’s shown as a footnote at the bottom of this page.

  6862. Gessine

    Just made a difficult decision and cancelled my subscription. Once I confirmed the cancellation a box popped up and offered me three months subscription for the price of one month. Really? No thanks, Ancestry.com you made the decision to “retire” Family Tree Maker, now live with it.

  6863. Barclay

    While I agree with the majority of the above comments, I am surprised by the number of individuals who have opted to delete their trees from ancestry. I hope you realize that this a best “a feel good” approach to the problem associated with the proposed dropping of FTM. Fact is once uploaded ancestry has fairly free rein as to the use of our data, regardless as to whether you are a current member or not….those nasty terms/conditions we all ignore….Read paragraph 3 of T &C’s shown as a footnote at the bottom of this page.

  6864. Mark

    What sort of idiotic decision is this. Family Tree Maker is the primary software that most genealogists use to enter family data for keepsake and reports. I am not going online and entering stuff. That is too open to falsehoods and scams. 30 percent of Ancestry.com data is not proven as it is and likely wrong. This will just worsen it. Nothing but a capitalists move. I have noticed Ancestry.com becoming more greedy as time goes on. You need to serve people not the dollar. We will all go to another software I suppose.

  6865. Penny

    I am disappointed and getting angrier by the moment. Your Ancestry member trees are missing a great deal of the functionality that I need from my genealogy software, and moving to a different company means I can’t upload to Ancestry when I’m ready. Please, please, please reconsider. You don’t have to continue to add enhancements to FTM — just make sure that what you have already done works with Ancestry the way it does now. That’s all I ask. Please. Right now, your company has lost my goodwill.

  6866. Paul

    As a long time user, this is very disappointing, there are many of us who just don’t want our data in the cloud.
    This is purely about money, FTM is a one off sale, subscriptions go on and on.

    I have recently evaluated RootsMagic, it was a very close call to stay with FTM, looks like a migration decision has been made for me sometime during the next 12 months. I am sure RootsMagic will come out with a migration utility just like they did for PAF and TMG.

  6867. Linda

    Please reconsider your decision to end your support and updating of Family Tree Maker. I’ve been using Family Tree Maker practically since it was conceived because I have preferred keeping most of my family tree private and on my own desktop (backed up on an external hard drive and CDs) with my extensive private notes and photos attached only to my Family Tree Maker software. I don’t trust having all my information out on the internet via Ancestry.com and have not synced my tree because even though there are private settings, all things do not remain private. I have paid a large sum of money to keep both my Family Tree Maker software and my ancestry subscription renewed from year to year. I feel like you are not supporting loyal customers and I am very upset about Family Tree Maker being closed down. I don’t want to have to switch to another software program and relearn everything!

  6868. Eleanore Dryer

    Sometimes good will is worth more than just the bottom line. FTM’s image has been terribly damaged. Surely there are creative minds at the top who are capable of strategic planning and can find a way to increase revenue. More subscribers? Better marketing? My disappointment knows no bounds.

  6869. Floyd

    You are making a serious mistake. Your efforts to stop your current and loyal customers will not be rewarded with more on-line subscriptions. You empty headed executives need to be fired for taking on your loyal customers as opposed to trying to reward your stockholders or owners. There are many other subscription sites that we will go to rather than Ancestry. Hopefully my fellow amateur genealogists and family historians will follow my lead and go to the other sites. Shame on YOU.

  6870. Gene

    Don’t be fooled by their intentions, an online program will be created because of the outrage over Family Tree Maker. The new program will require all your information be placed in their online system not the hard drive on your computer. I no longer trust the executives of the company. With information that I gave a family member she posted that work online. The pictures and other data has now been copied to other sites. As soon as you post a picture or other information online you can forget about taking it back. The Find a Grave Website is owned by Ancestry, information posted was to remain your information, the pictures copy protected and could be deleted at anytime. But how many picture posted on Find a Grave is now migrated to Ancestry? I will share my work but I will not share information when it is shared at a cost to others. I do expect them to give credit to who took the photograph or supplied the information.

  6871. WLBetts

    I agree with all the sad comments from my fellow FTM Users! This is a terrible decision by Ancestry. We finally have a win-win solution with FTM syncing with our online Ancestry DB and now you no longer want to support this wonderful tool. FTM does so much more then the functions you have added in Ancestry. If you need more money, I for one would be willing to pay a yearly fee for keeping FTM software updated as a service fee. But like others if you will not support your key users then I guess we need to find another provider.

  6872. Alice

    This is a terrible idea. I have been with ancestry for a number of years and this last update is cumbersome. It is not user friendly and like many others have spent several hundreds of dollars with you which will be watched very closely if we continue. Glad we found what your intentions is and hopefully with enough resistance you will think twice about your actions.

  6873. Glenna

    My subscription renewal date is in June. I will cancel on that date. I am also canceling Newspapers.com and Fold3. The New Ancestry is not anything I want to work with. I am going back to microfilm and pencil and paper. I have hard copies of everything on file on over 4,000 people and I will absolutely not share online or in the cloud! It is my research and my family!

  6874. Eric

    What a terrible business decision. Like many above, I have spent years entering data into my tree and now all of that will be wasted effort when, years from now, operating systems evolve and the current version of FTM will no longer function correctly. Ancestry should be ashamed of itself.

  6875. Linda Windmoeller

    I, as others, have donated countless hours to index records for Ancestry World Archives Project. By discontinuing FTM software you risk losing your faithful volunteers! Most family history researchers are not the 20-something generation. Have you considered the consequences of volunteer loss to Ancestry, and how many people you will lose with paid subscriptions? BIG mistake to bite the hand that feeds you.

  6876. lilly

    This is extremely disappointing but to be honest ancestry.com has become expensive and I don’t like the new look. There is wonderful free information on familysearch.org and roots magic is a great software program that works with that site. Time for a change.

  6877. dave watson

    i would highly reccomend getting a copy from the two sellers from ebay who have the 2014 version for sale, i received mine today (bought one from each) to cover my a$$, and both installed without a hitch. once these are gone, no idea where to get them. good thing is they require no serial number or activation, it is a simple install and you are good to run the program. i would give the sellers names, but i don’t want to shill, so a simple search on ebay will get you results

  6878. Jim Martin

    First you force your customers to transition to a marginally useful and bug filled online interface. The only pretended benefit is a ‘Story’ section that we who actually do research find annoying. A ‘benefit’ is something that your customers find useful not a distraction. Next you force us to keep all of our data on your site and not on our own systems through FTM. It really appears that you are losing sight of who the customer is and who the vendor is. Since the cost of memory is so cheap now, there is no real benefit to us for these maneuvers. We pay a lot of money to you to provide your service. I won’t be renewing my annual membership. I know that your changes take into account a perceived loss in revenue due to loss of current customers. Good luck on your projections. Maybe you didn’t take into account the loss of goodwill and the resultant loss of new customers.

  6879. Roslyn

    Good timing, Ancestry with everyone busy this time of year what with xmas etc. Just like when you decided to change your site completely with no idea as to when this was going to happen. I had started creating, earlier in the year a print out of the profile pages only to find the new look was useless with so much irrelevant and useless information on the profile page, unlike the current profile page. Worse still it was not even printer friendly initially. This appears to have been corrected, however the format of the profile page can still be markedly improved as it is still wasteful. As for the our new dilemma about the FTM, the ongoing theme with most of these messages, and I have not read each and every one, is that they are implying we will no longer be able to use FTM. If it is a software program on your computer , independent of the online version of your tree, why would you not be able to continue to use. Yes, we will lose the ability to sync the tree and be unable to generate up to date reports and obviously not have back up help when needed, but you should still have the current tree available to use, wont you. I guess I had better get to it and sync my tree, which by the way you have to have both on the one computer to do that and as I have a desk top and laptop which most of the work is done on. This has not been done in quite a while, as I have newer version of FTM on a small computer I use for travelling with. Ancestry should be much clearer, in a complete email, as to what is and what isnt going to be available. The whole idea of my purchasing and I have upgraded twice, was so that I would have access to my tree at any time and anywhere, not having to rely on the internet which is often not available when travelling overseas and doing research on the go. The so called “App”” does not solve this problem as you still require the internet to access it. I have been doing serious research for over five years now and for most of that time have paid a world wide subscription. Yes, this has been extremely useful tool in that I have been able to gather information otherwise not available, but this will not longer be added to FTM, unless I do it manually. I too have the Legacy Family Tree software, which up till now I have used very little as I was more comfortable with FTM and Ancestry online. May be now I will just have to learn about it a little better.
    Overall I am not happy with the new look Ancestry and even though every time you tried to close out of this and revert back to the old version, you had to give them a reason why you did not like it. My constant comments were about the new look profile page nturally. I wonder however many of these reasons given were listened to all. I have not looked any further at the new look as I was not interested being so familiar with what I have had for the last five years.

  6880. Judy

    This is a very bad decision Hope Ancestry gets enough negative feed back to change their decision; FTM is 100% better to work in then Ancestry. Ancestry is great to search for documents and the TreeSyn is great but I prefer to do the actual work in FTM. Please reconsider

  6881. John

    This was a terrible business decision, and shows your ignorance of the fact that most family tree enthusiasts are in an older demographic. We could care less about trying to do ancestry work on a mobile device. A desktop is the preferred venue this work. You better reverse this ill-informed decision to scrap FTM software.
    .

  6882. Sheryl

    I’ve heard that Ancestry is moving towards it software versions available only via the cloud by subscription, such as Adobe Photoshop and InDesign software. Advantages include the ability to automatically roll out updates, access from multiple devices, and online data storage. True enough but the Adobe validates the software online and you MUST download and install the software on your desktop or laptop computer. You can use the software without an active Internet connection. All Adobe has done is made it a requirement to pay license fees yearly, eliminating the perpetual license, in exchange for obtaining enhancements as soon as they are made available. If you stop paying, you lose the ability to utilize your Photoshop files. What Ancestry plans to do is entirely different–there will not be software to install on our computers. Very disappointing and is a mistake they will regret.

  6883. Roger

    A profoundly disappointing announcement. I hope the FTM directors (who presumably sent the unsigned announcement) will review options and consider alternatives that will keep FTM alive – for all the reasons stated in this blog. Thanks.

  6884. Beverly

    I do hope you will change your mind. You have made it possible for researchers to find great joy in our work of keeping memories alive, and no you are threatening or saying you are actually taking it away from us. This is not cool. I paid for the family tree maker put so much time and work in it, it would unbelievable that you would do such a terrible thing and with so little notice. Now you have not offered any substitute programs that would help us to maintain our work. I loved ancestry. What now?

  6885. sue-annV

    get a back up cd on ebay as many have suggested, cheap and it works……there are a few sellers selling the latest version as a few have said, gives you a peace of mind, i got mine in 4 days, worked perfectly, always check their feedback

  6886. Jim Martin

    Another thought. One thing that Permira understood was that FTM software duplicated items that probably are projected to be future profit centers for Ancestry. For example chart printing, reports and “Smart Story”. So much easier to write and edit in FTM. BTW, I will be deleting my tree from Ancestry when I go. I suggest that everyone else do the same when they finally have had enough.

  6887. Fred L Gibson Jr

    Ancestry has just lost all of my family’s future business, and if the above comments are just a sampling it appears that Ancestry will be losing hundreds of thousands of probably their most faithful customers. Hard to see how that is a wise business decision. Now I will have to spend the next several days researching Ancestry’s replacement.

  6888. Connie

    I have used Family Tree Maker since about the time it was first introduced. The decision to eliminate the software is very disappointing. I expect if you do a survey of FTM users you will find that the majority are in the 50+ range and use a desktop computer. I have many documents and pictures attached to my files that I mark as “private” and do not upload. The TreeSync is very useful in that your don’t have to enter your data twice. PLEASE RECONSIDER!!!

  6889. Lina

    I felt the change to the appearance of Ancestry, or the “new ancestry”, was bad enough. But now to not be able to use the FTM sync process as well? I am so disappointed that I honestly am at a loss for words. I can do old school research, and it appears that that will be my best bet at having access to all of my records and information. Not impressed with Ancestry lately. And that is an understatement!

  6890. Kevin

    So I have to pay $30 a month just to access my tree?
    It is all about the money and screw the faithful users.

  6891. Ed Wood

    Well, I started off in the mid-80’s with Brother’s Keeper, subsequently exported gedcoms to Sierra Generations and The Master Genealogist – both of which went belly up. Every time I change programs, something gets screwed up or lost in the shuffle. Until FTM and Ancestry, I never bothered to attach documents or photos, but we now have nearly 8000 entries, most of which have Ancestry-linked documentation attached, and about 600 photos. Fortunately, all of the linked images (census reports, etc.) have downloaded locally with the Sync process, so as long as I sync, I have everything that is available online. I also own Reunion, which is a Mac genealogy program. I have exported Ancestry/FTM gedcoms to it and it does a so-so job of making all of the images available, as long as you configure Reunion to look in the FTM image folder. But it is messy. Images are not associated with the sources or events, but in a general multimedia folder for that person. Converting everything cleanly from FTM to Reunion will be a major undertaking unless Ancestry or Leister (makers of Reunion) or another Genealogy software provider come up with a decent import/export process other than Gedcom. I must say that the LEAST that Ancestry can do for their loyal customers is to provide such a tool for other Genealogy software, as well as a way to sync their online trees to it. I do not look forward to spending my remaining years on this planet fixing a problem created by Ancestry. By the way, Ancestry, in case you haven’t figured out from the comments on this topic, your online trees are only one tool for your customers – a place to attach researched items and conveniently review things online. It is NOT a replacement for FTM or any other feature-rich Genealogy software package.

  6892. Richard

    If everybody cancelled their Ancestry subscription TODAY, that would send a very strong message to the company that we are not happy. And remember – even if you cancel today, you will still have access to the site until the end of your current subscription period so you won’t lose access to the site immediately. Of course, if Ancestry then do finally back down on this one you can always re-subscribe in the future, but in the meantime the company will run the very real risk that you might take your business elsewhere. VOTE WITH YOUR FEET PEOPLE! (Or rather, vote with your wallets – that is the only language these corporations understand).

  6893. Kiko

    Declining desktop sales is a POOR EXCUSE. If you don’t have the resources in house, at least OPEN SOURCE it and loyal users with the technical ability will pick it up.

  6894. Bethanie

    Like almost all of the other comments, I too am extremely disappointed with this decision. I JUST updated my FTM last week! I do not wish to have all my information on ancestry’s website. I like that I can have information on my desktop that isn’t available to the whole world. I also do research for friends and they don’t necessarily want to have their trees online either. I’m very disappointed

  6895. Betsy

    I am so disappointed! I have been using Family Tree Maker in conjunction with Ancestry.com for over 12 years now – ever since I started studying my family tree during my junior year of high school. I appreciate the online tools, but much prefer using the desktop program to organize and input my data. I, like others, do not like the idea of storing so much valuable information on an online program. I do hope you will reconsider this decision!

  6896. Elaine

    Wow! This is just pathetic.No need to write anything more other than I hereby incorporate all of the above comments concerning your very poor decision to take FTM off the market. Really? You have made a very bad decision. You have lost trust and credibility and will never get it back.

  6897. John

    I have been using FTM for as long as it has been out. but i’m going to quit paying money each month for something that is no use to me. I use FTM

  6898. Stefan H

    In addition to my comment above. The only benefit, that FTM brought to me was the ability to keep my online trees on various locations more or less in sync. This is why I would lake to see an API that is usable for developers to integrate into their genealogy software.

    On the other hand I agree with all the others here that this decision comes in the wrong moment or is even wrong at all.
    The “loss of trust” will result in a significant change in the amount of users/contributors at ancestry.com

    Some time ago I contacted ancestry.com in the matter of opening a branch office in Switzerland due to the fact that there are lot’s of peoples researching and also due to the fact that the country is not on high prio at ancestry. I never received an answer from ancestry that would have made me happy.

    I’m not yet sure if I will continue to support ancestry.com longer when the time of renewal comes.
    I’m soon 40 years old and I supported ancestry.com since I had my first credit card with about 22 years.
    So there is still a long road to go with my research and I’m not sure if ancestry.com will be the first point of start anymore.

  6899. Schroeder

    I thought i find the perfect software for me, even that it is a windows program (i’m a Mac User).

    I created the Ortsfamilienbücher from Goldbeck and Brüsewitz both located in Pommern. It’s important for me to have an easy way to entry facts and associate them with sources and that is where Family Historian 6 is perfect… It has an automatic source citation pane where you can select or add a source, press a button to start and then every new data you add has this source appended. very cool and fast.

    before i changed from Reunion to FTM i tested a lot of programs, but never heard before from Family Historian. hmm

    yesterday the author announce a 20% discount until the end of January 2016

  6900. Ed Richard

    I have used FTM since DOS version 1 and demonstrated it since 1985 at the Col. Gen Society Computer SIG. As a very active family researcher I have explored other programs Roots to TMG, Roots Magic, Reunion, etc. NONE COMPARE TO THE POWER AND ADAPTABILITY OF FTM, plus FTM’s unique abliity to import documents and data from Ancestry.com. Many other features are not or not adequately provided by any other programs that I have reviewed or heard about..

    If I were not in my 80’s, I would start a new company to hire the current staff, make a contractual arrangement with Ancestry to continue the research connection and the ability to sync trees and post trees. ETR

  6901. John

    OK. By now, most of us had read “The Email” and those that found the blog and felt reason enough to comment have done so. Almost 7000 potentially lost customers. It is my guess that Ancestry took this into consideration before making their decision and are willing to take the loss in revenue. It will not be as much as we think as many of you will end up continuing with Ancestry either as an online customer or by linking to Ancestry via another genealogy program like Legacy 8.

    I still think discontinuing support for FTM is not the best decision that could have been made. Store sales of course are declining as stores reduce shelf space for software programs. If you don’t see it, you can’t buy it. Yet when I did a search of the many “10 Best …” sites, Family Tree Maker was usually #1 or #2. This has to generate online sales of FTM. Either way, it is the software installed on the hard drive that drives and then commits the user to a specific web site. These are not flash in the pan sales. One only has to read several hundred of the 1000’s of comments above to see that FTM users are long term customers. Apps on cell phones and tablets are only viable until the phone or tablet is discarded in favor of a newer offering. So what is that, 2 to 3 years? If the app is not reinstalled, that will be a lost customer. But FTM customers go back 10, 15, 20 years and more. These are not the customers I would want to lose.
    Also, I am not sure that “cloud computing” isn’t simply the current hot topic and like many fads, may not make it long term. Microsoft offers many more HD based Office 365 options than cloud options. They are hedging their bets. Rather that dump FTM, I would make FTM more profitable. Here’s how I would do that.

    FTM is a good program that doesn’t really need year to year improvement. So drop the year out of the title. Having the year in the title makes the software obsolete in just 12 months in the eye of the potential customer. This forces the team to come up with changes every 12 months to justify the “Upgrade”. And does it sell any better in 2015 than 2014 just because the year is changed? Changing the software every year requires a larger and costlier team than would be needed to support a stable/mature program. Call it “Ancestry Tree Maker Ultimate”. You can sell this same program year after year with a limited support team. Fewer bugs, less returns, etc.
    If someone comes up with a new, incredible, must have add-on/add-in, that can be advertised and sold online via digital download. Yes, once the software is purchased, that’s it. But that is the problem now if I understand correctly. It costs a lot to produce, sell and support new versions and they aren’t selling in sufficient quantities. So the answer is, don’t come out with new versions. But do provide a HD residing program that ties the customer to Ancestry.com for years and years. The software cost is low and spread over multiple years. Ancestry makes most of its profit from subscriptions and other web site products. OK. But as so many of the comments confirm, you can’t do true genealogy research that only works with a web connection. Isn’t that what Ancestry.com is all about?

  6902. griff194

    When is normal service going to be returned to the Ancestry site? I sick of trying to log in and getting nowhere, certainly not getting any value from my subscription

  6903. Treehunting

    I am very disappointed in your decision. I like the ability to work off line and to store information. I am seriously considering cancelling my subscription and looking for alternative desktop software. ‘Not happy Jan’.

  6904. Elizabeth

    I have been a loyal user of Family Tree Maker software since the very first version was issued and recently upgraded to the latest. I have over 25 years of research in this software and am devastated and extremely disappointed in your even considering discontinuing this software. I am over 70 years old and learning new software is difficult at best. In addition trying to transfer 25 years of data that fills a 2″ D-Ring Binder sets fear in my heart and mind. I am not computer literate and this news frightening to me and probably to many other older folks. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS – I BEG YOU. I like others will look at other sites to use for our research. You aren’t the only company out there and I am angry with you.

  6905. Peter

    Along with many others, I, too, think this is a regrettable decision. I have had a major technical problem in respect of FTM recently, and have tried to “reach out” to your Member Services team, both here (Australia) and in the US. Both have either been non-responsive or unhelpful. You are probably in breach of contract with me in respect of this matter, not that that seems to concern you. So, if you are looking at ways to alienate your customers (in my case a long standing one), then you are doing a very good job. I would like someone to contact me, but I don’t think for a moment that that will happen.

  6906. Patricia

    I knew you were going to do this years ago, when you started buying up all these little genealogy websites. It upset me also that I submitted my family tree information to you and then you turned around and charged me money for it or sold it to other searchers. I love “Family Tree Maker” I loved it more before you acquired it. There are still a few other genealogy websites that you don’t have control of and I for one, will seek them out. You will be lucky if everyone doesn’t delete their trees from your website and if you stop us from using our Family Tree Software, I’ll bet you will have lawyers down your throat, representing all us ” little Pee On’s ” . That would be my pleasure. You are doing a GREEDY DIRTY deed for self gain with no regard to the people that helped Ancestry.com succeed. Lots of luck in your future. And Merry Christmas to you too!!!!

  6907. Susan Parks

    1. The new web version leaves lots to be desired right now.
    2. Do you have plans to upgrade the web with the FTM features (reports, sorting features, etc.)?
    3. These were two able proudcts doing somewhat different things but complementary.
    4. This is all a BIG loss all at once at a tough time of year for this all to happen.
    5. The sync feature, when working well, was FABULOUS and worth the price at both ends.
    6. Is anybody reading these and cataloguing the requests?

  6908. Elizabeth

    PS: In my case you will be losing 5 users as there are 5 of my family members who are using this software to maintain and add to our research. My information is totally stored on my computer on the Family Tree Maker software. All 5 of my family members who use this software have been using it since the very first version on Blue Banner was produced. 25 + years of research. Very poor customer service and an even worse business decision on your part.

  6909. This is very disappointing. Like others, I have been a regular user of FTM for many years. It is the true (serious) researchers that will most be impacted. The learners (and non serious) are the winners. This will have a very negative impact for serious genealogists. Please reconsider or I will be looking for a new provider and will not renew my subscription (of many years) either.

  6910. Sandra Paine Kent

    I do not care for your new “look”.. so much so that I am getting rid of the stupid stories about my ancestors.. who is the jerk that came up with this idea.. and no FTM.. I too will be joining the masses in dumping my membership..

  6911. Jan

    If this is a sponsor driven decision, please appeal to them on our behalf. Please don’t them strip away this important compliment to your website. Losing the ability to transfer information from Ancestry to FTM will cause us all to do double work. If forced to do that I will only be entering my data on my local copy.

  6912. Jeff

    Can you tell us how you plan to reply to the posts and when? Or is this just a massive e-mail harvest tactic for sales/ marketing purposes?

  6913. Mike

    First the fatuous change to “New Look Ancestry” now the decision to ditch Family Tree Maker. Add in the overpriced and overhyped Ancestry DNA and the words “greedy” and “short-sighted” come to mind.
    Never smart to treat loyal customers with contempt.

  6914. I cant believe you are doing this. I want a good system to use on my desktop and yours was that system. I will not be continuing my membership and will be looking for another company to give my money to. You have obviously been given a better offer than relying on membership fees to survive.

  6915. ronatfin

    Mike T’s comment above has a mathmatical error. If Ancestry lost 45% of their subscribers that would equate to 270 million per year and every year not 270,00. That might hurt. Findmypast must be feeling quite happy

  6916. David evans

    Very bad news. Years of work left hanging. Are you selling FTM so that others can continue the work? My main reason for subscribing to Ancestry.

  6917. Lesley

    I’m furious and hugely disappointed at this decision by Ancestry. The desktop software IS IS IS used by thousands of people like me. FTM is the best one, and the Tree-sync feature keeps me hooked to Ancestry. What’s the point in Ancestry without it? The ‘New Look’ is pretty but not for serious genealogists. It seems that Ancestry only wants ‘new’ money all the time, doing away with the responsibility to continue to support people who signed up (and paid up!) a few years back. SHAME.

  6918. Graeme Rodgers

    I’m moving over to RootsMagic but there are a number of other very suitable products on the market.
    You (Ancestry) have hurt me and I don’t like it and nor should I have to put up with it and I won’t.
    My subscription doesn’t end until September 2016 but after this time it will be the end.
    Thank you for the memories.

  6919. Barbara

    I like many others do not like the new Ancestry layout and always work from FTM synching to Ancestry. FTM is a pleasure to work in – the website is not. Perhaps it is time to move on.

  6920. Peter

    So, having arranged your business so that access to virtually any genealogy information is only through your services you now plan to get rid of the only piece of software that works effectively with your site! This seems to be little more than a new money making scheme at the cost of your loyal users who have forked out a lot of money already on FTM and updates. The term “highway robbery” springs to mind!

  6921. Eddie Munday

    A very bad decision by Ancestry. Been using FTM for many years and has cost me heaps of money. No wait that’s what it’s all about isn’t it Ancestry!!.

  6922. Mike Edwards

    What a rubbish idea. How do i do any work on my F/Tree when I don’t have internet access. for example I’m in a records office and updating my tree in the desk top program, then when I get home I sync it to the web where other family members can see it. I’ve been buying every new version FTM since 2000, and have spent alot of money on the software and world wide subscription. Disgusted you think removing support for an not producing any new FTM programs is a way forward. Not everyone one is connected 24/7 and the web interface lacks many of the features available in the desktop program. Utter rubbish idea!

  6923. Nigel Wood

    If Ancestry are to stop selling and supporting FTM then at the very least they should develop an export facility so ALL of of our data can be safely exported and saved or loaded into other packages. Putting the internal data structures into the public domain would be a good start. Ancestry appear to have misunderstood that many researchers put only a small subset of their data on-line and security is part of that. So all those on-line family trees are the tip of an iceberg.

  6924. Like others, I am disappointed. I back up ftm files periodically on CD. Is there going to be a way for me to back up Ancestry records for my permanent on site file? And what is one to do when in a location not having Internet access? Online is not everything.

  6925. Karen

    My first FTM software was 1.2 on a Floppy disk. This change would make our research available only with internet access. I use my FTM in rural cemeteries and other remote locations. So basically in these instances I couldn’t use my research to see who I needed who was connected to who, etc… Not to mention the fact that I do alot of my research from court house documents, that I don’t need the internet access for, so the only time I will be able to use my research work is when I have internet access. NOT GOOD. And I agree with others the “sync” option is amazing. I can use my desktop at home and my laptop on the road. This eliminates all the time I used to have to spend backing my desktop up to my laptop before I went on a trip and then vise-versa when I got home. This is the product that led so many users to Ancestry.com, how can you just abandon it?

  6926. Elizabeth

    Like everyone else I am most disappointed with the decisions presently being made by Ancestry. They seemed to have lost touch with their customers. When you are on a good thing, stick to it – why change a perfectly good product and website – both so user friendly! Makes one wonder if there are any genealogists on the new team!! Or are there just money makers and computer pros who have no understanding and interest in genealogy?? I will continue to use ancestry as a research tool only and will be seeking alternative software for use offline.

  6927. Bill

    I agreed with a lot of people on this blog. Without FTM I see no need in continuing to purchase Ancestry. With FTM my family history is maintained on my computer and controlled by me. I don’t see a need to research other site and personal family history, then pay to give this information to Ancestry. As of January I will cancel my subscription.

  6928. Scott

    Are you getting the message, Ancestry? Are you going to hear the voices of your loyal cutomers, or turn your back on us?

  6929. Bill Lindsay

    Don’t forget to read the blog that has the replies to Ancestry’s response to all these comments (see below Ancestry’s statement at the start of this blog) . There’s over 1600 replies. Interesting. Particularly the one at 11.59pm on 10 Dec and mine a bit later).

  6930. Don Gillung

    It looks to me like Kendall Hulet is doing a great job starting the destruction of your company. He certainly has forgotten that your customers are your bread and butter. I am thoroughly disgusted with this nit-wit!

  6931. Ian

    This is the company that persuaded me 3 months ago to buy this programme as the version I had was incompatable with Windows 10 on my new laptop. How money grabbing can you get. They should offer compensation – but like any big organisation they will not. And they are only giving us until 22 December to vent our discontent. It is disgraceful

  6932. Ian

    Disgraceful action from a money grabbing company who persuaded me several months ago to buy their latest version as the old version I had, which I was happy with, would not run on the Windows 10 OS on my new laptop. Will they offer me, and many others, compensation. I think not! From a disgusted customer

  6933. Ron

    This is a huge disappointment.

    Ancestry combined with FTM make the complete tool. Abandoning FTM reduces the overall value and functionality you currently provide.

    – I can no longer work offline and sync later.
    – I lose the reports that FTM provides, duplicate persons and other features that only exist in FTM.
    – With Ancestry alone I will no longer have a local copy of my tree.

    Based on the responses so far it is evident you have a large number of loyal members. Please listen to us and reconsider this decision.

  6934. Tim

    If my hands were to have 100 thumbs I still wouldn’t have enough thumbs for an adequate representation of “thumbs down!” I really hate the new online tree interface. When compared to the former, it’s too cumbersome and difficult to use. I have FTM installed on a laptop which is dedicated to genealogy research and only use the online research tools when I don’t have it with me. Using FTM on a laptop has made it easy when in a research library/county records building/county genealogy center when wi-fi doesn’t exist.

    FTM has been my choice research tool for many, many reasons. Simplifying those reasons — it’s easier to use than the online interface and it is a much more robust product for producing reports, etc.

    Ancestry, DO NOT turn your back on FTM. If you feel that you must, at least pass it to another company that will further develop it and allow FTM to maintain the links and synchronizing features with Ancestry. Better yet, create another branch of your company which is devoted to FTM, and perhaps other potential software which could enhance your customers’ genealogy experience. The ancestry.com tools are not adequate and cannot compare to FTM’s features.

    I beg, I implore that you reconsider the corporate decision. Do NOT kill FTM!

  6935. James Burkhart

    All good things must come to an end… I don’t even remember how long I’ve been with FTM / Ancestry… I’ll be looking for a new home today..

  6936. Raymond Lopez

    I agree with a previous writer, I believe Ancestry is not posting many comments. I went comment by comment for December 9th, and my comments were not posted. Hey Ancestry what is the real number of complaints?

  6937. Mike

    Why would you abandon (and enrage) a large segment of your subscriber base who dutifully purchased each new edition of your software to preserve their family trees offline? I will join the ranks of former subscribers if this ill-advised decision takes effect.

  6938. Alan

    I’m still as angry now as I was when I first read the news a couple of days ago. It is the equivalent of Ford saying that after 31 Dec they will no longer sell Fiestas because there are more Transit vans on the road, and that after 31 Dec 2016 all existing Fiesta drivers won’t be able to get their cars serviced or any spare parts.

    An online tree is NOT a replacement for FTM. It doesn’t even come close. And whatever enhancements may be offered to the online version over the next 12 months, it STILL won’t be a replacement. Consider this scenario, Ancestry: You are in a record office reading old documents. The Internet connection is slow or non-existent. But you want to update your tree when you have the original data in front of you. What do you do? Use FTM of course! Simple and obvious.

    I feel tied in to ancestry at the moment BECAUSE of tree-sync. Online trees – even though the format took a big step backwards with this years horrendous redesign – is a perfect way to contact other people researching the same ancestors. But if you can’t update the online tree through tree-sync…so much information will be lost. Losing tree-sync means there will be no reason to remain tied in to an ancestry subscription. I won’t be renewing in 2016.

    FindMyPast, TheGenealogist must be laughing their heads off, anticipating loads of new subscribers abandoning ancestry.

    Ancestry, please please please reconsider. The number of posting to this blog tells you that the demand for desktop family tree software is alive and well. Your credibility has sunk big time. Reconsider now, give a signal to YOUR CUSTOMERS that you are listening to their feedback, and you might just retrieve a bit of good out of this mess.

  6939. Allen

    I have rendered my synched online tree private, but have not deleted it yet. I am going to wait until January 1 to see if there are any developments before canceling my subscription. There is another step to take. Contact your local media! Yesterday I forwarded the links to this blog posting (with comments) and to the “More Information” blog announcement (with its comments) to a technology reporter for the New York Times. (Find a technology story and typically there is some way — usually via email — to contact the reporter.) Additionally, contact the owner of Ancestry (Permira Advisers Ltd) to tell them how disappointed you are with the decision. The “Media Contact” page is here: http://www.permira.com/media-contacts/ Additionally, Permira is on Linked In where you can send a message: https://www.linkedin.com/company/permira There are a host of reasons why Ancestry’s decision adversely affects the vast majority of its customers: (1) It forces many customers who do not want to store intensely personal and identity-theft enabling documents in the cloud even if designated private including birth certificates. (2) It takes away major functionality including certain report functionality that is not available in the online version with only suspiciously vague corporate assurances that something will be done. (3) It increases the work for many, many users who work using the software in many locations where WiFi and other forms of Internet access is not available to them requiring them somehow to record their work and then record their work a second time by inputting it into the online environment when they finally have Internet access. (4) It requires future “subscribers” to maintain their subscription to access their own genealogical work product with the risk of oppressive future subscription fee increases by a firm that has now shown itself to be untrustworthy (at least in the minds of many of its angry customers). The list goes on and on. You have to read many of the comments to see the many more valid complaints that the firm’s customers — and according to many of the comments, now former customers — have.

  6940. Billy T

    All the people in my family who are researching their tree have been using FTM for ages. We’ve had a chat and the concensus is to ditch Ancestry completely, as there’s no need to have an online tree due to privacy risks. We decided RootsMagic looks like the best alternative. It appears to work with all our media files etc too so that was a big concern addressed.

  6941. Rich

    This would only be a good idea if you take the functionality from FTM and import it into Ancestry.com. Providing reports and other features are very important. Please reconsider.

  6942. David Dixon

    1. FTM is compatible with Win10.
    2. FTM will work after 2017 without Ancestry.com link.
    3. FTM features work without a internet connection if your tree is stored locally.
    4. FTM can be reinstalled anytime as long as you have the cd and code.
    5. Any problems that users face for example duplicate people, facts etc are down to the users fault in not entering data properly.
    I have used the program for 9 years over 3 different version FTM, 2010, 2012 the only difference found between 2010 and 2012 was the ability to sync which i only used a few times at first.
    This decision by Ancestry will not deter me from building my family trees,I shall use other sites as they are not the only researcg tool, and this will mean someone else will step in to replace Ancestrys tool, you have over a year to find out, deleting your online trees should be your first step, dont rely on the cloud system for back up, use your own pc and media.
    David (computer programmer and software advisor)

  6943. Alan

    Mr Hulet, I have been researching my family tree for many years and started when the intention was to make a World Family Tree. This fell by the wayside after I had uploaded my tree many years ago. Family Tree Maker arrived and apart from a few glitches, has become one of the best genealogy products on the market. Just when everything seems to be progressing well, you drop this bombshell with little or no regard whatsoever for all the people who have bought and use your product. It is typical of today’s thinking that you consider income above anything else. By the number of comments on here, which are probably only a small percentage of actual users of FTM, I think you will be the loser, so think again before your demise

  6944. Alan

    Have you noticed that the ancestry shop home page has no mention that support for the FTM products they are still selling – at the full price – will end in 12 months…tells you all you need to know what they think of customer service…

  6945. peggy

    This is bad news as I have invested thousands of hours
    on FTM. have records of close to 18,0000 ancestors
    on my FTM. Please reconsider this is a very bad move on your part I pay a yearly subscription

  6946. Dave Gee

    Relax. No need to panic. We’ve got 12 months to find an alternative PC package. Only then we can look at which on-line sites we want to use, which may or may not be Ancestry.

  6947. Wayne

    Another corporate decision that makes defies logic. Obviously the bottom line is more important than the customers family history. I, too, am a long time user of Ancestry. If this comes to pass you can kiss me goodbye!

  6948. Kevin Haan

    Like the nearly 8,000 customers who have already posted, I’m very upset by this announcement as I have used this software since before it was owned by Ancestry. But its continued use led me to try ancestry’s online research tools. Now I will be looking at both other software and research options. You ma or may not lose me as a customer, but I usually re-subscribe every 1-2 years, but with FTM, maybe not.

    By the way, as a former software product manager, you might want to heed this advice. Merely telling customers after a painful announcement that you might work with other software companies to integrate their software into your online tools falls WAY SHORT!.. This should be negotiated and in-place prior to your public announcement of the end of your software line so that clients are re-assured and know which companie’s software to purchase. Otherwise, when they purchase one of your competitors and that ends up not being the company you work with, they are doubly angry.

    This announcement was poorly thought out and implemented. You are not gaining any new customers from it, but now you have a huge number of people who will bad mouth your company to people looking to do research. Stupid, stupid move. I can understand the decision from a long-term aspect having been in the software industry, but the announcement and implementation could hardly have been implemented in a worse way.

  6949. Mike Cooper

    Anybody got an alternative program. PAF was dropped by LDS a few years ago. I got forty years of work in my Genealogy.

  6950. Rex Faulkner

    I believe you need to rethink your decision.
    It appears as though you will have a pretty significant loss of subscribers if these comments are right.
    You might have already lost a significant number.

  6951. Richard Olin

    Very disappointing move. When I started this effort, Family Tree for Mac combined with Ancestry fit my desire to work and maintain my tree on a personal computer. I took a lot of flack form others who said “why pay when there are excellent free sites?” Your
    action means that I will follow their advice. Sorry

  6952. Paul Gregory

    As both an Ancestry.com subscriber FTM purchaser I would have to say I am disappointed in this company.

  6953. Charlotte Huggins

    I am writing this to anyone who can help me decide QUICKLY what software I should use instead of FTM. Yes, I know FTM will still work, and I can still store my data there, but I want a full working system that will allow me to search for other records and after this DEBACLE I do NOT want to deal with Ancestry ever in the future. We may have until 1/1/2017 however my subscription is up for renewal February 20, 2016 and I DO NOT want to give Ancestry another $300 let alone another dollar. I had considered purchasing RootsMagic 7 but I understand it also links searches to Ancestry, which will do me no good. RootsMagic is highly rated, but if it is owned by Ancestry or a partner of Ancestry that just doesn’t work for me. The next best option I can see is Legacy Family Tree. I am 60 years old, have researched for over 20 years and I am not a techie, and I don’t even know how to use a data stick. Nor do I know how to transfer my data which is stored ONLY on my computer from FTM to another program, so I’m a bit worried. One thing I never did, and I’m so glad now that I didn’t, is share my research/tree on Ancestry. I have always shared data with cousins found in my research, but I never felt comfortable putting all my data on-line. That was the best decision I’ve ever made!! I’d appreciate any thoughts from other researchers as to possible future software. Thank you! Now, I’m going to work on my tree and link and store as much data as I can from Ancestry — I’ve paid for it dearly for many years.

  6954. John

    Terrible decision. Just awful and ill advised. Why did you not poll members beforehand? I don’t know what I am going to do – besides bad mouth you as much as possible.

  6955. France Stenberg

    Shocked, disappointed and wondering what to do after 2017. Where will I go for continued information. Ancestry is more difficult to navigate.
    Are there other programs out there that will suffice?

  6956. France Stenberg

    Shocked, disappointed and wondering what to use after January 2017. Ancestry does not have the ease of use as FTM. Are there other programs out there that are as easy to use?

  6957. Mary

    Shame, shame on you for pulling the rug out from underneath your devoted customers and subscribers. You have done some serous damage to your brand loyalty.

  6958. Larry Weathers

    Ancestry.com is nothing more than a “search engine” for me and never have and NEVER will keep my Trees anywhere in the internet. I’ve already downloaded trials of all the other DESKTOP programs I could find for testing to determine which other DESKTOP program I will purchase and move my work to. Not only that, I’ll be removing any and all pictures and stories I’ve allowed to be uploaded to the ACOM site and all the work and pictures I’ve shared on Find-A-Grave and re-up them on Billion Graves.. Ancestry needs to “Wake up” and get real… Maybe (hopefully) they will sell off the DESKTOP software to some company who will appreciate it and maintain it..
    I think they will find out this coming year how many serious users DON’T use their “cloud” and they will be very surprised at that number.

  6959. John Hollmann

    I am so glad I resisted the push to “sync”. I’ve always viewed Ancestry’s role as a data source. So this move has no significant effect on me. I’ll just continue cherry picking them now and again.

  6960. Roger Hastings

    Folks, here’s the way it’ll go. People will migrate to the next most popular genealogy database, Legacy or whatever. The big winning program will gain profits and will become large. Ancestry.com will buy them out, because they want the money. Then, after a set period of time, Ancestry will discontinue that database, too, because they’ll want those customers to use the Ancestry subscriptions as the method to enter data. It’s all about the money.

  6961. Carol Easter

    I purchased this software for my mac last year, just for the Ancestry sync feature.
    Is this a very bad business decision, or just greed?
    WTF.

  6962. Joyce

    I have used FTM for many years and have all my family records and info on it. Please do not discontinue FTM, I will be at a loss as what to do to continue our family trees.

  6963. Carolyn

    I am very upset that new versions of FTM will not be coming out and since FTM was number 1, other programs do not compare, yet. As of 12/31/16, tree sync will not work, however, we can continue to use our current version of FTM offline and continue to print reports, etc. I would advise anyone who doesn’t have a back up on FTM or another program of their online ancestry tree to back it up ASAP as I don’t think ancestry.com will be in business for more than a year.

  6964. Dean Hackett

    I started with FTM years ago when I received a copy of FTM as a Christmas Present. I upgraded FTM in 2014. I am not comfortable with Ancestry having all my hard work and holding it hostage for a subscription. I cannot control what you decide, but I can control what I do. If you continue with this strategy, I will find another desk based program and after I have somehow loaded in all my finds, I will cancel my subscription. Process may take a while and I may lose some items, but I will not be taken hostage.

  6965. Judy Reeves

    The decision to drop Family Tree Maker is probably going to backfire on them. They will loose a lot of business elsewhere. It is a very stupid decision. What about the customers? Companies just do not care about their customers, just the $. they make.

  6966. Domer Huffman

    Since Family Tree is no longer supported and I installed the new software I have had nothing but trouble. I bought a new software, Legacy 8, a competing software, but am having trouble transferring data – after sticking with WFT since Broderbund I feel abandoned

  6967. Larry Weathers

    New or Updated Programs to Evaluate

    This list of programs is as follows:
     Ancestral Quest 14
     Celebrating My Family Tree
     Family Tree Heritage
     Legacy Family Tree 8 with update
     RootsMagic
     Behold
     Heredis
     Family Tree Builder.

  6968. Stewart

    I am very disappointed and annoyed!!! to receive this news that you are ceasing your Family Tree Maker. I use the facilities offered extensively including Tree Sync. A lot of us still use Desktop PCs (I have 2 modern ones) but also have tablets and laptops in addition. BADLY thought out ancestry. I will be looking at competitors next year!

  6969. When I first received notice of the impending doom of Family Tree Maker, I searched for an alternative and found that the only available choice is MyHeritage.com and their RootsMagic7 software. I was horrified to find that neither their service nor their software compared to Ancestry. PLEASE do not retire this software, it is an absolutely and imperatively necessary tool for research and reporting.

  6970. Richard Allen

    I am curious as to why the counter no longer is working? I see many many new posts today but the counter number is still posting yesterday’s number

  6971. Monica J Primus

    You screwed the pooch on this one! What the hell were you thinking or should I say NOT thinking when this decision was made. What the heck is going on? Who is the bumbler that made the decision to stop the production of and eventually the support of Family Tree Maker and offer no alternatives? What the helll?! This is the WRONG decison! Why don’t you poll your customers to see how many people use this invaluable software? I am dumbfounded! I have been using this product since it came on the market and it has been such a wonderful tool. It has helped me connect with my family and share resources with them as we build our trees. It has allowed me to document my findings, make genealogy books to give as gifts, create charts and relationship reports, etc… This is the dumbest decision I have heard! You really bit the weewee on this one Ancestry.com

  6972. Mairuz

    Who ever thought of the idea of scrapping FTM should be sacked…I have used FTM since 2006 and love it. If ancestry go ahead and finish FTM then I will not be renewing my subscription….so annoyed….

  6973. Allen

    I put together a lengthy post outlining how each of us can contact local media (I contacted a tech reporter for the NY Time) and direct them to this page. I also outlined how to contact Permira, owner of Ancestry to express dissatisfaction. My comment further indicated how to contact Permira via LinkedIn to enable our voices to be heard more broadly than merely Mr. Kendall Hulett and his staff. Alas, my comment was flagged as spam, leaving each of you individually who wish to make the Ancestry owners and technology media aware of this debacle to research on your own how to make such contacts.

  6974. Bob

    This is very upsetting. I am not familiar with all the comparable features in Ancestry, but I can’t imagine managing the detail of not only information, but the documentation of information in Ancestry. I would be reluctant to store personal information (contact info, medical histories, my personal comments) about living persons online. What will it take for you to reconsider?

  6975. Thomas

    Ancestry.com is a for-profit company dedicated to making as big a profit as possible. Customer needs and loyalty are only relevant to it in so far as they make money for the company. The important question, for us users of FTM and the subscription website, is: What shoe drops next? There will be another one. Customer loyalty is clearly not a major consideration for ancestry.com. Those who use the website for storing your family tree, photos, etc, are completely vulnerable to the next corporate “strategic” decision. Will ancestry be merged with another for-profit site? We see that’s very popular elsewhere in corporate America. What will happen to all your material when a merger occurs? What if ancestry simply went out of business? I have never been comfortable with the idea of uploading my family tree to ancestry.com or another for-profit site. That seemed to me to be giving the fruits of all my hundreds of hours of work to them to make money, in addition to putting a for-profit site in control of all my family’s genealogical material. This move to discontinue FTM reinforces my wariness of for-profit sites. Before beginning a dependent relationship with an on-line genealogy for-profit company, we should think long and hard about all the possible “what ifs.” Otherwise we will find ourselves blind sided as ancestry.com has just demonstrated.

  6976. Marjorie Mc

    I have used Family Tree Maker since there was no version after the name. It’s the best there is, although later versions don’t compare to the 2006 that I still use. I hope you remember that not everyone likes all their personal information online. I still print out family group sheets, which I don’t seem to be able to do with the online trees. There is also no way that I can figure to document facts like I can with FTM. This is a definite slap in the face to those of us who have used the program for years.

  6977. Bob

    I hope this blog is to provide help as well as complain about the terrible decision by Ancestry so here is some input.

    As a retired IT Manager who was involved in the profession from the earliest days (1968) I would advise extreme caution regarding a previous post which suggests that if you have FTM you will be able to use it on your desktop for the foreseeable future.

    I agree that if you are using FTM at the moment it should continue to work on you current PC and Operating System i.e Windows/ Mac IOS without the WWW access or Sync facility . However, what happens when you have to replace your PC/MAC due to hardware failure or unsupported OS software (Windows/MAC IOS)? For instance, we know that FTM 2014 is compatible with Windows10 but do we know if a FTM version 2010/2012 CD will install on a Windows 10 PC even now? What about when Windows 11 or 12 comes along – will ANY version of FTM still be compatible?. Also, in the event that you have to replace your PC/MAC and you do not have a CD you will most certainly be well and truly snookered as it is unlikely that any download facilities will remain available.

    In the above context, as an example, I have a PC which I use for FTM and a MAC which I use for photography and I have already experienced a situation where calibration software which I bought only 2 years ago at a cost of £100+ will not install on my new MAC.

    There are too many questions & unknowns to be complacent!

    I am a comparative novice to genealogy but am worried about the loss of the data regarding the 600 people I have researched so far but I will be considering what software to use as a replacement during the ongoing FTM support period.

    I would say that, if unsupported, eventually (don’t ask when) FTM will cease to work on new hardware/operating system software so I think those of you who have invested thousands of hours/pounds/dollars should think very carefully about your future options and whatever you do make sure you have multiple LOCAL (NOT CLOUD) backups of your data in a format which could be imported to another suppliers software.

  6978. Nancy Brandon

    HOW COME WE GET QUESTIONS AND NO ANSWERS? WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS, YOU MUST HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHERE YOU ARE GOING BEFORE YOU FORFEIT YOUR BUSINESS? GIVE US MORE INFORMATION

  6979. Jason

    After reading through these posts and their responses, I have come to this conclusion. This goes out to all the users who have been saying you keep your trees only on your personal computers and don’t upload your trees to the Ancestry website, after next year, THEY DO NOT GIVE A CRAP WHAT YOU DO! You where there acceptable loss, they where expecting you to be mad and leave, because they dont even want you as customers anymore, because you were not sharing your info online building up there tree database. This move of discontinuing FTM is your kick to the curb.

  6980. Malinda Kowalis

    Very disappointed that Ancestry is discontinuing Family Tree Maker. I’ve used it since the first version and I just love it. I like being able to access family information. Not just the tree on ancestry. I have a lot of information built into my family tree maker. Please reconsider your decision.

  6981. Alden F Rosbrook

    I have close to 9000 names in my FTM 2014 which is not working anymore. It keeps crashing & I have spent hundreds of hours trying to fix it through your techs. Class action lawsuit anyone?

  6982. K. Loebach

    What an unbelievable announcement! What you fail to understand is that this raises many issues, but one major in particular. I travel and work on my tree wherever I go—many times in areas without internet access available. I sync when I return home. HOW DO YOU EXPECT ONE TO WORK THROUGH ANCESTRY WHEN THEY DON’T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS?? I have been using FTM since it came out eons ago and have updated with new versions. I like the format and find it easy to navigate vs. Ancesrty. Sad.

  6983. Bob

    Since my last post I see that the Ancestry MSSST has posted an entry at Dec 11th 08.07.

    Think this confirms my comments

  6984. Steve

    Ancestry really needs to explain their new business model so that custormers can evaluate whether it might potentially suit them, or whether we look for alternative software.

  6985. Bill Kepley

    Will you work with other tree products (such as Legacy Family Tree) and allow them to sync up to the online Ancestry Tree? Actually, I always liked the Legacy interface better, but used FTM because of the Treesync.

  6986. Jim

    So, thousands of comments from disappointed customers are not enough to reconsider? It’s a hit to the heart of all our research. Lots of questions, still no answers. Thanks for nothing.

  6987. Brett Cox

    The bottom line is that you’re trying to sell this change to a community of users that treasure wrinkled pieces of paper and books with their bindings in process of turning to dust while excitingly digging through ancient archive drawers in darkened rooms. In my opinion, I believe that you have lost touch with your core customers who habitually renew subscriptions year after year in the same manner national politicians wander away from understanding how much a trip to the grocery store costs.

    This is a community of people that have had their hopes of finding a solution to complex puzzles dashed because they learned there had been a fire. These are sometimes dedicated researchers who have reached complete dead ends because someone misfiled a probate record in the wrong box, not knowing if it happened yesterday or 80 years ago. Asking them to rely only on website database or cloud based service where they do not have direct control of when the data is available to them is hard pill to swallow. There is great fear in the community of losing (or being unable to access) years upon years of difficult and frustrating work that has resulted in them being able to better understand their history.

    I know that discontinuing support for the Family Tree Maker software does not end the ability to continue using the software…I have many programs that I still use that were sold by developers who are no longer in business or they no longer support my favorite version. It is the uniqueness of the combination of FTM with Ancestry.com that has lead us to mutual benefit. We, the genealogists, have the ability to use a wonderful suite of tools that interact well and you, the company, have had financial success selling software, subscriptions and mining vast quantities of big data. The apps are fantastic for on-the-go reference but impractical to use for serious research. The website is great for research but hard for serious genealogists to ensure they have their 2 sources to validate every fact in the tree.

    True, the “New Year’s Resolution” genealogists will still get a membership to ancestry.com and they will be profitable because they only increase the resource load for a short period of time like a new gym membership and then slowly fade into inactivity resulting in them paying monthly dues but not putting wear and tear on the equipment. The less profitable hard-core genealogists use resources all year long but they are loyal to a fault and will continue to renew year after year because it’s just what we do. We need to have our memberships because of a spark of an idea erupts at any time day or night and we need to be able to look something up or chase down a lead. *WE* are the recurring revenue stream and the reason the company can perform long term outlook calculations. I believe that Ancestry will see significant impact to the strategic financial models with this change. Short term savings by discontinuing the software vs. long term stability.

    For the users, we need to understand that the business decision has been made and they will see it through to conclusion now that the path has been set. I do not believe that any amount of comments, letter writing, complaints, blog post responses or sending nuts in the mail will alter the course like the fans of the television show “Jericho” did several years ago reviving it from cancellation for one last season. The best way to impact this situation is from a financial perspective. If enough users end their subscriptions and remove their data from ancestry.com to the point where they company sees an impact in their quarterly statements, then we will see change and emergency strategy sessions on how to bring the numbers back up. Or….we could all send nuts and inundate the CEO with what grows on trees =)

  6988. Bill Rusinko

    The Online version is cumbersome and hard to work with. It takes too much time to update and sync. It’s search options are all over the place when using a tablet.
    The software based version has many features that are only available there, such as finding duplicate persons, editing names and locations. The ability to attach documents, stories, and photos in the media section of a person is quite difficult on the online version. After doing family research for many years this software is much better than the online version that you are forcing user towards. You are doing your users a great disserves by discontinuing this product.
    Additionally, what about users like my who prefer do most of their work on their computer, not the web, or cloud and do not keep any information in the cloud.

  6989. Carl Tiedt

    I cannot believe you think I would be happy working from your website. I will begin my search for competetors software immediately. Customer since 1995.

  6990. bob carney

    If ancestry thinks it is a good idea to forsake us, let us forsake ancestry. I suggest we privatize all of our trees and take away one very valuable resource. My last act in 2016 will be to make my trees unavailable.

  6991. Delores

    I’ve used FTM and Ancestry.com for over 30 years. I adapted to many changes and stuck with them through lots of quirks and problems. This is how Ancestry rewards true and loyal customers who have invested thousands of dollars over the years. What? You have a new product you want us to purchase? At least you are giving us a year to adapt and fine replacements for Ancestry.com. This is the last straw for me. I will not be renewing.

  6992. Janet EHC

    I was recently looking to purchase FTM for my desktop PC but could only find the MAC version in my local Staples store. I didn’t inquire as to why they didn’t have both versions. I just assumed it wasn’t a big seller for them and that they stopped carrying it. (They had always had both versions) I have a tree on Ancestry.com but I currently don’t have a subscription to it. From what I saw of the changes they made to Ancestry.com I am not pleased. I have been thinking about subscribing again, and I probably will, but only long enough to try to get information that I may have neglected to save to my computer. I have used FamilySearch.org (don’t have a tree on it) and have found info there but I think they are connected with Ancestry.com. I have found records on FamilySearch.org but when I “click” to see the actual record I will get a message that says I have to go to Ancestry.com to view it. So it seems that Ancestry.com has a monopoly on family research. I used to enjoy doing family research but instead of it becoming easier to do it is getting much harder. That is VERY disappointing.

  6993. Peggy

    I have been a user of FTM for many years, updating to a later version several times. I like the features available on it that are not available online such as being able to print family group sheets that include the notes for each person along with the sources you have used. I print those and put them in three-ring binders to carry with me to do research where internet is not available. I especially like the Task feature which I use to clear up problems or to enter things that I need to check on.
    What are we all to do about those features that we are depend on to be available to us? Are we going to be able to access the trees online–those that some of us have been working on for years? I have been working on mine since 1965 and have lots of information.
    Please reconsider your decision to discontinue supporting FTM.

  6994. Jim Mc

    As of this posting, almost 8,000 pleas have been made to Kendall Hulet hoping for an explanation approaching some semblance of sanity behind Family Tree Maker’s decision to alienate it’s loyal supporters and the best you can do is ONE (1) reply.
    Your total lack of concern about our valid questions speaks for its self.

  6995. Linda Windmoeller

    “we will no longer be producing patches and updates to keep the software in line with updates to operating systems from January 2017” — only a matter of a couple years’ time until FTM software will not work with the operating systems on our computers. Ancestry users will convert to other companies, a huge bunch of people will be leaving Ancestry altogether, removing their trees compiled over 30+ years that we have supplied to Ancestry for free! My research of 35,000 individuals has much source information and records that Ancestry DOES NOT HAVE — records I have researched from other sources, scanned images, vital records, photos, etc. The loss to Ancestry will be huge. Wake up Admins! You are cutting your own throat!

  6996. J King

    This is HORRIBLE news! I too have used Family Tree Maker since its inception and rely it. If I’m at elderly relatives with no internet , I’m using Family Tree Maker. I’m in a rural area at a cemetery no internet, I’m using Family Tree Maker. As many have posted, you feel you are making this decision I believe out of Corporate greed. Trying to own our trees and force us to pay for subscriptions to access our own data. That will NEVER happen as many of us fell you have abandoned us and our needs, I will do the same as soon as I can and abandon you. It was the Family Tree Maker that even led me to get a subscription with ancestry in the first place. I just renewed and am past the window when I can cancel or I surely would! I wll use Family Tree Maker as long as my software supports it but I will NEVER renew my ancestry subscription. I hope this community hits you hard in your pocket book since that is all you care about! You will help your competitors market share by this decision, I will start looking at options. I paid a yearly fee which was more than your forced subscription will be. You have now lost me and my MONEY. I hope over the next year this decision causes you to lose your customer base. It looks from all these complaints your well on your way.

  6997. Delores

    Reading through the other remarks, I would like to add that you are setting genealogist back by decades. Dedicated researchers will be back in libraries and courthouses. Many of us will not be forced to maintain a subscription to Ancestry.com to work with our trees. I have been a loyal subscriber for over 25 years but will not condone this type of high-jack of our hard worked for information. Without our trees being made available, you will find that you will lose even more customers and eventually join the ranks of the greedy who no longer exists. I might add that I have always worked in FTM on my desktop and backup all my work on a thumb drive. I do not use Ancestry.com to build my tree but rather to share my information with others researching the same lines.

  6998. Marty

    I was so thrilled when Ancestry took over the Family Tree Maker software from Broderbund — and upped the professional standard. Now I am truly devastated to hear this news of selling us out!

  6999. Brad

    Just another example of Corporate greed. I love the fact that you start the press release with all the great additions in 2015, then the stab in the back news. I’m on board with everyone to boycott Ancestry and either privatize our trees or remove them from the web site. Ancestry has become such a disappointment.

  7000. Peter M.

    How about at least offering a substantial discount (like free) to those who maybe using an older version that may not run on future operating systems beyond 12/2016 and want the latest version to get some extended life before having to find something new.
    That should include a cross-platform upgrade option for long time users who may be using Parallels on a Mac to only run FTM for windows (like me, only reason I use parallels is to use FTM on my MAC). I was just going to purchase FTM 3 Mac before this new broke.

  7001. FRANK

    Like all commentators that I read, I’m terribly disappointed in this decision. A few thoughts:
    1. I’m still using MS Word 2002 on W7 and W10 machines. So I would suspect that FTM could be used for many years beyond the 2017 date; perhaps w/o sync capability. Likewise I’m still using Quicken 2010.
    2. If you or anyone you know is looking at having a DNA test suggest FTDNA or 23 and Me. I used FTDNA, in part, because I was so POed at the bugs in FTM2014.
    3. I too will look at Roots Magic. Assuredly RM has a blog and let’s all commit to provide comments and hints about our experience.

  7002. Lesley

    I am extremely disappointed with this. I find your tree methodology difficult to move forward in time and absolutely hate your new interface. It is so much easier to record, cross check and move around Tree Maker and then sync to Ancestry (which is the best part of Ancestry) . I prefer a copy on my computer as it is easier to access when off line and new information is obtained. If you remove this ability there is little point in remaining with Ancestry.I

  7003. Jeremy

    Hi everyone. I came across this:

    gramps-project[dot]org

    It’s an OPEN SOURCE genealogy program, so you’ll never be held hostage by a corporation and it’s FREE.

    I’ve given it a try and am pretty impressed. It’s not as pretty as FTM, but I did a Gedcom export from FTM and about the only thing that didn’t come across were media descriptions (so you might have to do some copying and pasting). Something I liked was that everything gets given an ID number – every person, every event, every note, every source, every citation – EVERYTHING.

    Have a look and see what you think. It appears to be a good, solid info storage and retrieval program.

  7004. Steve

    I have been a user of Family Tree Maker since its inception back in the 1980’s. I find it reprehensible that Ancestry.com has seen fit to abandon it’s loyal user’s of FTM. What happens when one has to replace an existing computer and doesn’t have the most current Start-up disk. to re-install the application. You need to reconsider your decision and support FTM for all the users that do not want their data stored on the WEB. I for one do not.

  7005. Charles Hayward

    I agree with Jim Mc – where is your decency to all the people who have supported the FTM-Ancestry.com alliance for many research years??? It appears you have nothing to say, even after almost 8,000 comments?? Typical class AAA+ corporate GREED decision with no respect to explain to us, the religious users and supporters of your FTM-Ancestry.com alliance, in failing to let us know what path to follow and what to do with our research and data, now on your site, in the future!! Will we be able to remove the data we have on the Ancestry.com site to our own computer/storage devices. The ‘Cloud,’ in this day and age, gives easy access to all that data stored there, to anyone who knows how to hack! Even our own government hackers, the NSA, would be able to get into our data, like they do now on our individual computers. The ‘Cloud’ just makes it easier for them!!

  7006. CAROL

    Wow, what a stupid move!!! what software will I use when new versions of Windows keep changing and my software will no longer work! What a slap in the face! Really dissappointed I have been a loyal customer for many years

  7007. CAROL

    are we going to be able to open our home computer files without using the online feature which comes on automatically everytime we open family tree maker?

  7008. Peter B. Kingman

    In an earlier post I said that sources were not making trip via gedcom from FTM to RM. I was wrong. They are coming over.

  7009. Leslie

    I am terribly disappointed that you will discontinue FTM. I love both programs, the online Ancestry.com and FTM, but feel BOTH ARE A NECESSITY to my research and documentation. Without FTM, I will not be able to print Ahnentafel (Ancestor) & Descendant Reports (or many other reports) to share with my family. You should NOT discontinue FTM until you have added ALL of the features into the Ancestry.com site.

  7010. Fred

    This is a callous decision, without regard for the many people who have invested time (and money) into FTM.
    There is no evident effort on Ancestry’s part to provide a smooth transition to another program maker. I know records can be transferred, but there’s always something lost in the switch-over.
    If you can’t be bothered to assist your FTM customers to maintain their records into the future, it says a lot about your organization’s attitude to its subscribers in general.
    I hope Ancestry will reconsider, at least some aspects, of this peremptory decision, and thus salvage some of its goodwill..

  7011. Dennis

    As a user of this software from its inception I am greatly disappointed by your recent announcement. I seriously have to consider if there will be any future with Ancestry and myself . I am already looking for alternatives as I write this.

  7012. Scott

    Mr. Hulet’s personal synopsis on linkedin:

    “Product management innovator focused on delivering products with fantastic user experiences

    Specialties: product strategy, product innovation, subscription-based services, market research, competitive analysis, usability testing, voice of the customer, internationalization, localization, agile development, mobile, iOS, DNA, consumer genomics”

    Ready…GO!

  7013. Betty

    I really hate hearing this, I have gotten family tree maker when it first started, and I have paid a lot to belong to ancestry.com, I like to print hard copies of my notes and pictures as well as the trees and pedigree’s, what is going to take it’s place……can you print the same stuff on what you have today…..please look at all the post, and hope you are aware that we all LIKE family tree maker….I have lost a lot of my records, because my computer got hit by lightening, but now you are hitting us again, hope I you will consider keeping FTM thank you

  7014. JohnC

    I am – or should I say was – a long term user of FTM, as it gave all the facilities I needed and liked. Especially keeping my own data securely off the web, as it includes many living individuals. As long as my data is off-web and for personal use only, I am within the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
    While FTM/Ancestry can only offer web/cloud storage then I too will be forced to move to ROOTSWEB or FAMILY HISTORIAN – both now offering discount for defectors like me.

  7015. Tom Dempsey

    I have thousands of family members in my family tree maker program. I have been a member/customer for at least 20 years. I started with a very early version of FTM back in the early 90s. I store information with many individuals in my notes section which is not on line. I have thousands of hints and follow-up suggestions, correspondence, private and personal in these notes. Without FTM, I will not be able to access them. I just started to sync with Ancestry this year. I have always had two versions of my family tree. I would need to take each person’s individual notes and somehow copy and paste them into a word doc or something like this to use my research and other notations. This means thousands of files and folders with little or few ways to organize it like a do with FTM. I do not sync sensitive information to my on-line family tree. I know I can get by for a year but what happens after that- sink or swim? I teach and have taught many classes over the years and am distraught and upset that you seem to be cutting us off at the knees. I even used your calendar, when it was in FTM, for many purposes. I miss the calendar. I will miss the convenience of having all of my information available at a couple of clicks of my mouse. I have backup copies in different family members’ houses incase of a computer crashes. I take this process very seriously and hope you will reconsider dropping the FTM software. I want it to go on. Please do not drop it. As a teacher, I will be hard pressed to suggest an alternate to FTM. Keep FTM!- Thanks

  7016. Steve

    I have been a user of FTM since the 1980’s, it is reprehensible that Ancestry.com has seen fit to abandon loyal users. I do not want to rely on the WEB to keep my data safe, and I do not want to pay anyone to be able to access MY DATA. You need to reconsider your decision and support FTM.

  7017. Gail Adams

    I am sorry to hear that Family Tree Maker (and Ancestry.com) are going out of business. I know that you say just Family Tree Maker is going out of business, but the reaction to your news shows that you are going to lose most of your clientele. So I will have to make hard copies of all I have researched, and then cancel my subscription.

  7018. Brian

    Listen up folks – privatize your trees until FTM is reinstated. Nobody will pay (or continue to pay) for an Ancestry.com subscription if all of the family trees are privatized and inaccessible! IT’S YOUR DATA – lock it up by privatizing every family tree you have! Keep your tree(s) private until they reverse this disastrous decision!

  7019. Ken

    Sad to see, what I think will turn out to be, the biggest mistake by Ancestry.com. I have emailed them for a reason, but without any courtesy of a reply.
    There’s not much response from them on this blog either. I’ve only been spasmodic with my research, but when I was active, I found Family Tree Maker invaluable as a research aid. I’ve just downloaded My Heritage Family Tree Builder program and have transferred my trees over to that. At first glance it looks ok, but only time will tell.
    I hope Kendall Hulet will enjoy his golden handshake when he gets ousted from Ancestry for making this gigantic cock-up. Watch this space!!

  7020. Richard

    The originators are cashing in, buying island and yachts, and the new owners aren’t happy with how much FTM is bringing in, they want it to be MORE profitable. Time for the new owners to be working towards their future yachts and islands. The very worst of capitalism at work. Ancestry’s originators should be ashamed of themselves.

  7021. Brian

    I just cancelled my annual subscription. I recommend everyone that has posted here do the same. Ancestry will not change their minds regarding FTM until you change their revenue stream.

  7022. Judy Covert

    Roots magic syncs with Family Search which is part of the LDS data, then if you want to get access to images you have to go to Ancestry.com. FTM can just be used on its own without ancestry but to update ancestry you have to do another update. My subscription will be canx

  7023. Irene Cooper

    I have just purchased 2014 as I couldn’t use my old one….
    I have been using this program for more than 15 yrs and feel this is not fair are you upgrading it how can I save my tree to a hard copy really disappointed I have worked hard doing my tree

  7024. Bill

    Deeply saddened to learn you are trashing an excellent product (: The Kendall Hulet decision to delete FTM is equivalent of Ford deciding to create the Edsel model. Yes time will tell.

  7025. Lee Simmons

    This is a terrible decision! You have offered a triple service thru DNA, software and online services which was much appreciated. However, you have no broken faith with me because I can no longer be ASSURED that my information is safe and secure on MY OWN SOFTWARE. How do I know that your company will be around in the next years. I have no guarantee now that all the time, effort and money that I have spent will pay off because you could be hacked, you could go out of business and I would lose everything! This is the worst service I have ever heard of. You should have AT LEAST enabled your customers to be able to print off trees and information or somehow download it to their own computers b efore cutting off ties with the software providers. Shame on you. Business people you are not! Now everyone has to go find some company that WILL provide software services and cancel their accounts with you.

  7026. Renato

    I have been checking this blog and was going to make a comment when there were 8000 comments. 5 minutes ago there were 7996 comments and now suddenly there are only 7800 comments. Are you guys for real?

  7027. Larry Vanderburgh

    PS: You’d better face up to this flood of comments soon, unless you enjoy casting yourselves as cynical in the extreme. The longer you wait, the worse you look. I’d like to know how you intend to restore trust even if you decide to support FTM long-term. How can we believe what you say?

  7028. Patrick

    Is Mr Hulet a mole working for Ancestry competition? His brief seems to be “Wreck Ancestry”. If not, you have to wonder who it was who recruited him and what their motives are.

  7029. Adrian

    To say that I am extremely annoyed at your decision to no longer support FTM after next year is a great understatement. I have spent hundreds of hours building my trees using this programme, not to mention a considerable sum of money. I’m assuming that this decision has been taken purely on cost, with very little thought to your customers. I cannot believe that you are still selling FTM, knowing full well that you will not be supporting it for much longer. I assume that this decision was really taken some time ago. I believe, therefore, that you should feel morally obliged to refund the cost to everyone that has purchased it, and its upgrades, in the last year. Using Ancestry to build a tree is more difficult than FTM and the new look Profile pages are horrible. The Facts page, basically, has too many facts! It is difficult to distinguish the “good” facts, births, marriages, deaths, etc, from the “unnecessary” facts, births of brothers, sisters, etc. The Lifestory page is full of unwanted information and photos. Does anybody want, or use, this information? This is where the births and deaths of siblings and parents should be shown. What will now happen to all the numerous notes that I have made on the FTM Person page?

    In the meantime, it would appear that you are “exploring” various options to put in place at the end of next year. In my opinion, these options should have been ready to go before you announced your withdrawal of FTM support. There seems to be a large backlash of negative feedback, so I would hope that you would reconsider your decision.

    I will continue to use FTM during the coming year, but will be monitoring the situation closely, and will then have to consider carefully whether or not to continue subscribing to Ancestry.

  7030. Devon Hull

    this is ridiculous! I need desktop software. I do not do my work on the website, I only sync my tree with it. I will probably cancel my Ancestry subscription because it won’t be as valuable if I can’t sync with a desktop tree.

  7031. MM

    I sent an email to Mr. Sullivan 4 days ago and have had no response, perhaps I should post it here too.

    Dear Mr. Sullivan,

    I have been an ancestry subscriber since 2011, I’ve enjoyed using your service in the past but am now having second thoughts about continuing. I’m wondering if you wouldn’t mind addressing some of my concerns, because your company doesn’t seem to be interested in “me” the consumer. Repeated phone calls and posts to the ancestry blogs, customer surveys etc doesn’t seem to be getting through to anyone. Now, today, I find out that in addition to the horrible changes your making to ancestry online your going to discontinue FTM.

    What I and real genealogists want is access to real documents, not indexes, not graphics that are a strain on the eyes and “new” gizmos gadgets and assorted junk that are of no use what-so-ever. I no longer feel that providing ‘me’ information is your business model but that you finding new and creative ways to take more money from me and worse…using my inputs for your own purposes. The bottom line for me is that I no longer feel comfortable providing any personal information to you, I feel your only interest in me besides my money, is for data mining.

    You provided a quality service through FTM with printouts I wanted, but were only available through FTM; now that your scrapping it what’s our alternative but to find another provider?

    Your ‘new version’ is difficult to navigate, SO much work to do a simple task. I know I mentioned it already but it’s worth noting again, the new version is a terrible strain on the eyes, unpleasant to look at, and difficult to navigate. And if you and and your other executives would take the time to actually read the comments on your own ancestry blogs you would see that this ‘new’ version is pretty much universally hated and unwelcome and yet you press on with it, why? Please also read the comments on discontinuing FTM, it may be the only place you find out anything about your company.

    In closing, I had already made up my mind to discontinue fold3, international and newspapers.com because of a lack of genuine sources and a waste of my money and time before this whole fiasco with the ‘new’ ancestry and discontinuation of FTM. Now I’m considering terminating my entire relationship with you.

    Sincerely, A Frustrated and More than Likely Former Subscriber

  7032. C Campbell

    This looks and feels like a decision made by measuring the profits made solely on selling and maintaining the desktop software in isolation – without considering how much of the profit on the website subscription comes from users of the desktop software who want to work in this way. If the statements made in these comments are true the entire profitability of the company could be gone.

  7033. Bailey

    According to Kendall’s announcement, “These changes are never easy, but by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal Ancestry community.” You HAD a great product in FTM. Why on earth would you get rid of it? If you cared, AT ALL, about your “loyal Ancestry Community” you would have #1. not made such a bone head move and #2. would confess you made a huge mistake and say you will not eliminate FTM. As so many have said, bad enough you changed the old Ancestry to this new monstrosity, but it would have been far more palatable if you had left FTM alone. You have a great product already, why discontinue? If it is because you don’t want the expense of the CD and mailing then don’t do that. Make it down load only. And if the executive team is all in agreement, then the board of directors or whomever they all answer to, should start interviewing for replacements – people who actually listen to the customer and care about genealogy.

  7034. Becky Major

    What do you mean when you say there is more information on the BLOG There is nothing but very upset (and rightly so) customers. They are right, this is about profits only . People rely on being able to find new leads and relatives through other peoples’ research, If they go, so does any new information that may help people in their genealogic quest. Thanks for nothing Ancestry. Dump the idiot whose idea this was!!

  7035. Jeremy

    I would like to echo all the comments above. I am very disappointed that Ancestry has made this very stupid decision. I shall be cancelling my online subscription and deleting my online trees.

  7036. Chris Hankin

    I think this situation is going irreparable damage to the Ancestry.Com brand the longer it continues without a response from Ancestry. I really like the FTM software AND the web based stuff, but would much prefer the FTM software to continue, or to wind down in a more subtle, phased approach over a longer time. I understand change is inevitable, but change management strategies are essential to avoid unintended consequences, as it evident at the moment.

  7037. Lois

    Not all of my FTM media uploads correctly to Ancestry.com. I like FTM very much and will continue to use it, but I have used it as my master copy and just synced to Ancestry.com to allow family to view the tree. Is there any other software that syncs with an online tree? How do I download my Ancestry.com media items. A GED file does not bring everything down.

  7038. Keith Elliott

    I have been corresponding with my cousin who recommended FTM to me and I tried to buy a copy two days ago. However, during the process, I discovered that Ancestry is discontinuing FTM sales in 3 weeks and FTM support in a year. Given the nearly 8000 negative comments from the existing user base, I’m now looking for the best alternative software that can accept an exported Ancestry file.

  7039. Ellece

    Please do not do this! The web version cannot begin to compare with the functionality of FTM. Will the sync function stop working on Jan 1 2017? At the very least, make the web version more like the FTM version.

  7040. David

    Bad idea. I agree with all those who say DO NOT retire. Web site access to family tree is harder to use. Not very intuitive or friendly.

  7041. Jim

    I have been using FTM/Ancestry since at least 2001 when the focus of these two great trailblazers really was about forging new frontiers in Family History research. Then came the decision to market FTM through Nova (and the spam just kept coming!). Upon receiving the ignominious email announcing the “retirement” of FTM it became clear to me that any semblance of maintaining this charade has now gone completely. Like other companies before them, the dollar signs associated with selling data to 3rd parties seem to be spinning in their eyes.

    For me the decision is made. I have cancelled my subscription, which was due for renewal in March, and I have already taken up the “switching from Family Tree Maker?” special offer from Legacy Family Tree. Already I see that they have continued to develop their desktop offering (unlike FTM) and it has a number of interesting features that I haven’t seen before.

    Like others, I will never give up on the desktop/laptop for a cloud-based model for all of the reasons already stated.

    I am happy to pay a subscription to have an intermediary company bring me closer to the documents I need for my research. I am also happy that they make a profit, as doing so assures business continuity. But Family History research is a lifelong passion and it is important that we forge our alliances with like-minded long-term thinkers.

    I still have access to Ancestry until March so I guess there is the very slightest possibility that a change of direction will come, but I don’t plan to wait around on the off-chance…

  7042. Reuben Ayres

    Ridiculous. The software is brilliant and many folk don’t want to put their data online. What on Earth do you think you’re doing?

  7043. Faustene

    To Kendall Hulet… Your reassurance to us re retiring FTM is not reassuring at all. It’s hard to believe you read ANY of our blogs! Don’t you understand that FTM people want to keep tree sync and want support past Jan 1 2017. Sounds like you still do not value your customers.

  7044. In other words you people have gotten, for free, billions of names all your subscribers have given you and now you’re dumping us. You people are a bunch of low down jerks and cheats. Am gonna check around to see if anything can be done about this problem. You people take and take and then give millions of us the shaft. You should be ashamed of your selves.

  7045. Carolyn

    The shock has not worn off…I have not read all the comments to date, but certainly agree with most I have…there has been so much misinformation on Ancestry trees over the years, it has sent many a searcher, especially newbies, down the wrong path. Unless I was absolutely certain of my documentation, I did not put information on Ancestry and therefore have many lines not “on line” but in my FTM where I can update as I find my ‘proof’. I also depended on reports only available on FTM. I will be searching for another off line software program and eliminating my Ancestry membership. Had been considering trying Ancestry DNA for another line, but that will not happen either.

  7046. Peter Valentine

    I have been using the desk top product since 2003. I don’t understand this move. Why would you force uses to a web based product. I will start my search for a replacement immediately.

  7047. Jean

    I have not seen a single word outside of this blog about what Ancestry is doing to loyal customers but I have seen TV Ad after TV Ad regarding Ancestry. I hope everyone is passing this on, so potential new customers are aware and can make an informed decision whether to purchase this produce or not.

  7048. Ed Deshields

    Anybody know what the options for a replacement for FTM are (assume non-ancestry.com)?
    One cannot be serious about preparing a good tree and depend on the on-line version of ancestry.com. While is a great tool it has its limitations and offers so little in the way of merging external sources and preparing reports.

  7049. Andrew S

    Why are the number of comments here DECREASING? Is Ancestry deleting comments? Sorry, but that’s just not on!

  7050. Soo

    Me again. The Internet seems to have become a salesroom for family history programs that will transfer FTM! But users should be aware that they do so via a GEDCOM file that just takes names, dates and places. If you are like me, and added notes within the Description boxes and other parts, of data from older family members that they related to me before they left this world, then I believe that those sorts of data would not transfer. I will be making a comprehensive set of reports, charts, family groups sheets etc,and saving them to a folder as .pdf files. That way all the data would be in a digital form so that either me or another relation if I pop by clogs before I complete it, can print all the things I have found out. To retire FTM is the worse thing any company could do with a program they publish and to me it is a kind of fraud! My new laptop arrives tomorrow and the transfer of my FTM data etc will start as soon as I have mastered Windows 10. But I will be putting a GEDCOM file with linked media on to an external hard drive first, together with a copy of my FTM data, and then the work begins. IF Ancestry change their minds, which I do not in a million years think they will, then I would only stay with Ancestry for further research on my direct lines. But they should know, I have used my subscription for dozens of friends to find out about their relations, especially service records etc. Those of you who have synced your data to Ancestry have the most to lose, especially if you do not keep good computer based records. Your descendants will have to continue subscribing to view your work and add to it in the future. So you synced researchers, get out of the fire now! But Ancestry could put out the fire and bring out a FTM 16 – I would buy it! More chance of a blue moon happening everyday for the rest of this year!

  7051. Kim B

    I have been contemplating Roots Magic, and may make the leap not. I really like the ease of use of FTM over the online Ancestry trees, and often find the source citations and images I upload harder to view and manipulate on the online side. There are going to need to be a lot of features added to the online side to make this as functional as the desktop version. To make me comfortable with the online only side, there are going to have to be a lot of features added that are not currently in FTM. I really like all the reports I can create in FTM, including the custom reports-will that now exist online? Being a systems analyst, I see the reasoning for this change, but am not sure you announced it in a very good way.

  7052. Olwen U

    Am very unhappy, Have just renewed my subscription for a year what a waste. Are you going to provide any answers to all the questions people have asked

  7053. DAVID

    I think there must be more than you are telling us.
    You certainly are not considering the multitude of subscribers who have used this tool for many years.
    I think it is being driven by greed

  7054. bailey

    Notice comments about those who have synched their tree on Ancestry have the most to lose. Maybe it was already posted and forgive me if I ask a question that has already been answered, but I would be grateful if someone could explain why. I keep all of the media in separate files on my computer but still synch my tree.

  7055. Catherine

    Big mistake on your part to discontinue FTM…look at the valuable feedback you’ve received so far, begging you to reconsider! And, where are your answers to questions like: Is there an alternate software program you recommend for the family trees we’ve created in FTM, or do we just lose all the work we’ve put in over the years? You suck!

  7056. John D

    Still advertised on your website as the #1–selling family history software and you are pulling the plug on it… You could at-least turn the software over to another developer to continue to maintain and support. Someone will come along to fill in the gap and they will be the ones earning my money in the future.

  7057. Steve W.

    I just voted with my wallet to send a message to the majority owners of the company (Permira funds) by cancelling my automatic renewal. I may be one only one of 2 million paying customers, but it feels good to make a statement. If more do the same, they may reverse their decision. Despite the rhetoric of their mission statement, the investors main goal is to make a profit. A loss of customers tends to mean a loss of profit. That’s the beauty of the free market. Someone else will fill their shoes.

  7058. Alan Tucker

    Think people may have given up commenting, certainly the time between comments has increased considerably… Who knows, just like the decision to scrap FTM, it’s all beyond our control 🙁

  7059. Alan Tucker

    Comments are now being moderated by moderators, so expect the amount shown to drop, probably won’t include this one…

  7060. Jack

    I will continue to use FTM past 2017. I am using FTM 2014 and just went to see the release date and to my surprise there was an update to it. I am hoping that one of the other family history program developers will reverse engineer the FTM database so I won’t have to use GEDCOM to convert.

  7061. Marion W

    As a long time user, I have found FTM to be invaluable in my research. I have found the website to be buggy, and I spend a lot of time correcting those mistakes in FTM. Also, this absolutely forces people to subscribe to the website, which is overpriced. I think this is a sad decision, and I will have to re-evaluate my continued use of ancestry.com. So far, it’s not looking good…..

  7062. Stephen

    I have been an FTM user in the UK for many years, upgrading as others who have commented have done. My version is 2012 and it has survived the Windows moves from XP, through 7 to 10 and still works fine. Without support from Ancestry it may well go on working satisfactorily well beyond Dec 2016. What will not be available is the ability to sync with a tree saved at ancestry, which I do not have. I believe that if you read the small print you will find out that ancestry are entitled to do what they wish with your data once it has been uploaded. Seeing that originally, I decided not to have an online tree at the outset. Having now read the comments on the present functionality of the online system, I am glad I did not. As a consequence I own my data and am careful to make sure it is all fully backed up at all times.

    The live hints from ancestry while running FTM are helpful in collecting data quickly; but it has its limitations. Many suggestions are from the research of others and their trees. I have with few exceptions found these sadly lacking in citing their sources. No citations makes facts unprovable and therefore of little use to the genealogist.

    I do have a subscription to Ancestry and I do use it to track down source material. This service, it seems, is not effected by the current announcement; though I may not be able to access the website directly from FTM in a year’s time. That will not be a disaster if you have a subscription.

    I can well understand the anger and frustration experienced by those with data solely kept at ancestry, and I agree with the comments about the limited online tree work that can at the moment be done. I could not recommend using ancestry trees online to anyone without seeing a much improved interface in place. However I still would not put my tree into their hands.

    On the subject of desk top computing, the market place for software on pads and phones has grown enormously; but I would not wish to use either device’s small screen to run FTM or to access and examine ancestry’s records. The desk top and monitor are for the serious work. Only time will tell whether ancestry are right in their current decision.

    On the other hand, I am not at all impressed by the answers that have so far been provided to their members. They have not been at all reassuring especially to those with a stake, their data, in the business. And they are not apparently moving to a cloud based FTM solution, which you can already have utilising software such as Dropbox – but still keep your own backup in case.

  7063. I will be canceling my membership. FTM is a serious application for serious genealogists. The website is a joke for those doing serious work.

  7064. Janet

    What is on my mind. . . hmm Well right now I am not particularly pleased with Ancestry.com. Their corporate decision to eliminate Family Tree Maker is not sitting well with me. So I, as a stockholder looked up their execute board. And found out there is not ONE, not one genealogist on the executive board. There is one archivist. There are two former execs from Martha Stewart, one from Match.com, a medical doctor (selling our DNA info I assume), an ebay executive. There is the required lawyer. The largest Genealogical Website does not appear to have a single individual with a strong interest in their product line. No one has published a genealogy. We have a micro biologist, but not a genealogist. I am a stockholder in this company. To this crowd genealogy is a widget it is not someone’s past, its a commodity to be sold and exchanged for profit. And this group of individuals are making decisions on how my family history information can be and will be used: from my research to my DNA. And they want to vertically control the data, how I search for it, how I reference it. The biggest claim to fame for Ancestry.com Mr. Kendall Hulet has is that he came up with the shaking leaf. Well for all of you with Scandinavian background you know exactly how annoying it can be to get all those shaking leaves when another person has a Nils Nilsson and the only common factor your Nils Nilsson has to 500 other Nils Nilsson on other family trees is that they were born in Sweden. (My tree has more than 8000 “matches”) Yet when you call the executive offices of Ancestry, they make it clear that “your comments will be reviewed”, but we cannot guarantee anyone will get back to you with your concerns. More than 8000 comments have been made on the blog that released the information, and another 2000 on the follow up. I, yes, I Janet Johnson is strongly considering ending my relationship with Ancestry.com, I have been a member since the beginning and I am considering leaving. Not because they want to kill off FTM, but because they have no intention on listening to their clients.

  7065. Joyce Popp

    I am extremely sad about your decision to discontinue FTM. Although I use Ancestry.com frequently, I love FTM publishing options. I use in to make large family trees, birthday lists, marriage lists etc. I have been a user of FTM for many many years. If there were a better option, we would all be using it. Please, Please keep FTM.
    Warm Regards, Joyce

  7066. Martha White

    At this point, the only way for Ancestry to stop the exodus and start to regain trust would be for us to see a headline like this: “Ancestry Corporation fires top management, brings in team of genealogists to help chart new direction.”

  7067. Ralph

    Well – I think we’ve gotten Ancestry’s answer to how they feel. Check out the YouTube video from Ancestry that was just received on how to download your family tree to your desktop.

    And by the way, don’t let the door hit you in the backside as you leave…

  7068. Bruce R. Hammill

    Because FTM is the only home-operated application produced by Ancestry Inc. that allows the general public to access and print military service records owned by our national archives, now might be the time to contact that agency’s managers (i.e.: our elected representatives) to request them to revoke that obsolete “sole-source” arrangement–in favor of a similar partnership that could then be made with a newer, more reliable, firm.

  7069. Linda

    Just cancelled my subscription as no longer any point in using Ancestry. What a stupid short sighted decision Ancestry has made.

  7070. rdc

    Why not sell Family Treemaker to another software company? Unfortunately, there just might not be a market for FTM with several other desktop software products become more mature. and capable.

  7071. Marcia Loisel

    I will echo many sentiments here and say please do not discontinue FTM. Many places I go for research do not have wifi access and it’s really handy to be able to work on my tree when I’m offline. The “cloud” is not everywhere! Also, how will charts and reports be able to be printed up? Will that be a new feature of the “new” Ancestry? And I would really miss the syncing with my online tree. How can alienating loyal customers be a good business decision?

  7072. Ruth Estess

    I will be also jumping ship when FTM is no longer able to sync with ancestry.com. I didn’t jump up and down when you took away myfamily.com…but this time…you loose me as a customer. I’ll just go back to doing research the old fashion way…

  7073. Richard Back

    This is very disappointing. As you see from all these comments, there really is a large market of people who don’t want to be tied in to your site to store, view and enhance their data. A desktop solution is perfect for this. Do you really think the market for genealogy tools is the teen audience, who no longer use desktop or laptop machines?

  7074. Alan Tucker

    The website is still selling FTM – and plugging the sync-to-online feature.
    No mention whatsoever of “Bye bye at the end of 2016”. Downright deceitful ! Shame on you 🙁

  7075. Linda Yelland

    I see no reason to continue my full access subscription with Ancestry when you abandon FTM. Your on line tree does not come even close to a comprehensive genealogy tree. It lacks so many options. I am very disappointed but will purchase another, probably Legacy, genealogy soft ware program-which is much more advanced than FTM but after 31 Dec 2016 there is no reason to be pay for Ancestry.

  7076. David Trestrail

    In reply to the blog “what is happening with the comment counter?” it could be viewed that it was disabled because of 8,000+ negative feedbacks received( & rising).

  7077. Dennis Sethe

    Since there are almost 8000 comments on this news and it is not April 1, I assume this is not an April Fools joke. It is however very disheartening. I have worked over 25 years on my genealogy and can’t even guess how many hours. Started using paper and finally when software was available switched to that. Eventually switched to FTM but unfortunately not all data was transferred by Gedcom. Never the less I persevered and got what I could on to FTM. Have been happy with FTM since until now. If any of you others have any good or bad experience swithing from FTM to another software let us know pros and cons. Also if anyone knows of a class action lawsuit against Ancestry, let us know. I’m sure all our hours of efforts should add up to a tidy sum.

  7078. Larry

    I have used your desktop software for many years and find this proposed action to be horrific. Do you really think this will serve your stockholders well? I predict you will lose a very large user contingent, of which I will be one. There is no way to maintain my database using your website. I will simply have to freeze it in the coming year and hope the kids can find a replacement. Very, very bad decision, no doubt initiated by some boob who doesn’t understand why you became what you are today. You won’t survive without it. I hope someone sees the light soon.

  7079. Ron K

    I can’t believe you are doing this. FTM is so much more usable than the website. I do all my adding, editing, etc on FTM and then sync that information with Ancestry.com. Please listen to your customers and reconsider this decision

  7080. Sean

    I have been a user of Ancestry since 2008 & FTM since the Broderbund days; one of the best features is the sync option; & I like having/using the desktop program.
    I have just deleted my Tree; cancelled my world subscription of 7 years- I have bought Roots Magic 7 as discounted Price – I will be joining Find my Past next
    Very disappointed loyal (Previously) customer

  7081. Dennis Sethe

    PS – why don’t you fire Ken Hulet and use the money you were paying him to keep FTM going instead?

  7082. John

    I use Ancestry to do research and I use FTM to input my data. I have been with FTM since it was Broderbund. FTM is for serious genealogists. Ancestry is not. I have given personal genealogy books as gifts to all my family members. The web facilities in Ancestry are in no way comparable to desktop FTM. I plan to RETIRE Ancestry unless I hear a positive statement that there will be continued support for FTM after Jan 2017.

  7083. Donna

    Since the big announcement, I haven’t had the time to post as I have been frantically searching for a program to replace FTM. I am replacing it now in order to find a program I like and have the time to get use to it before FTM synch goes away. With that said, I will also be cancelling my automatic renewal with Ancestry. When my current subscription expires, I will be looking for other places to put my money. In the future, if I want to look at something on Ancestry, I can always go to the library and search for ‘free’.

  7084. Un-believable, I agree with everything described above. I am new to ancestry and have done the DNA for two members of my family. I have only been researching for just over a year. FTM is an excellent piece of software and I like many others take it with me on my laptop. Some interested family members have no internet connection. Living in the countryside in UK even broadband speed can be hit and miss. I like all the reporting options on FTM, I use them regularly when visiting family members with queries. It should be possible to do this online but will we be charged for these reports when you make it possible. I have only a few thousand names on my tree so after reading much of the above I am only just realising the time and effort that is put into what is only a hobby for me. I am upset, I can’t start to think how your subscribers who have been doing this for twenty odd years feel, especially the professionals. Perhaps the original developers of the software/programme can come up with suggestions in respect of maintaining FTM and selling it as a stand alone service. I just hope that Ancestry reconsiders supporting the Tree Synch option as it is this exchange of information that makes the whole thing work. I have a photo of my 2nd great grandfather and grandmother. I would not have got these without the valued and generous contributions of your subscribers, the lifeblood of business. You say your tree can tell a story, but the stories we are interested in are those personal stories that your loyal subscriber are willing to provide us. Without all these valuable subscribers we lose personal stories and pictures of previously unknown Ancestors. I will not rush into leaving Ancestry until I hear your reply to all these negative comments.

  7085. Teresa Lam

    Today I’ve been without internet for several hours, this happens often and hits home that with my tree in the cloud I cannot work on it when I have no connectivity. I was upset about the FTM announcement prior to today but this made me think, I just purchased the update in June, have I gotten my money’s worth out of it? I don’t think so, not for the hassle and calls I’ve had to make to get it working. Now that it works great I’m going to lose functionality and when I have no internet lose the ability to work with my tree all together. I think this is a horrible move. Will I keep my membership, probably not.

    One of the huge functions that I use in FTM is the relationship calculator, my family is complicated and the online version only gives one relationship and no other way to view other relationships to a person. I’m sorry but families are complicated, there are multiple marriages within families, some people are their own grandpas lol seriously, some are cousins or aunts and cousins and a relationship calculator is a requirement. Point BLANK!

  7086. Mark Kubesch

    Perhaps you could do what Quicken does, that is require users buy a new and updated version of the software every three years. I would do that.

  7087. joannMurphyMorris

    Unbelievably disturbing !Have used FTM for 20 years, Is this something Donald Trump is invested in ?

  7088. Mike L

    I was using Legacy but switched to FTM primarily for the sync capability. If that goes away, so will I. I will go back to Legacy as they care about their customers.

  7089. Rebecca K

    I will also be looking for another software. I only use Ancestry.com for research and all of my trees are now private due to pirating by others. I NEVER download ANYTHING from Ancestry.com to my tree. It has corrupted my tree in the past and I don’t have time to re-build when it does that. I prefer to have control of my tree and I can’t do that if I have to maintain everything on a website I have no control over. After years of buying out your competitors, you are quitting???? what a rip=off.

  7090. Craig Landrum

    If Ancestry will no longer be developing and supporting FTM, would they consider turning the software over to a third party developer who *would* be willing to continue development and support. Software that might seem like troublesome noise to a large corporation could well be a nice opportunity for a small company or dedicated individual. Please consider doing this. An alternative could be to make FTM open source and post it on the web for others to develop and contribute.

  7091. Nancy

    This year, I purchased FTM, I have over 10,000 people and that is only on one side of my family that is not even complete yet. I have several sides of my family, my Mother, Father and his real Father & Mother, also my step/half family. My husband is also creating a tree to find his family’s history. I love being able to find out the history of my family and now I will not be able to continue this journey because you are going to discontinue the FTM desktop program, which I love because it is easy to use and research.

    With all respect, this sounds like a bottom dollar decision, not a customer satisfaction decision. In March I have to renew and upgrade to world explorer to I can further expand my search, is not my money using FTM Program just as good is not better then paying to use the website, which I can not also have access too. I can only hope that you read this along with the many others who have expressed their concerns and reconsider your decision.

    Thank you for your time and attention in this matter, May you be led to the right decision and support your FTM Users.

  7092. Vince

    fyi folks – RootsMagic ‘did’ import my tree and connected media just fine but boy is it an u-g-l-y program, looks like an old visual basic thing from 1992. But it works, both PC+Mac versions which come for the same $20 purchase via their special offer.

    Still awaiting ‘one’ positive comment here about the FTM announcement, but I suspect there won’t be any.

    Cancelled my newspapers.com subscription. Cancelling my ancestry.com subscription and deleting my tree before the next 30 days is up.

  7093. Helena

    This is terrible news. I am a user of FTM and have been for many years. I have spent years building my family tree which is stored on FTM and I also have the world subscription for Ancestry. I know there will be many people who are faced with the same problems I now face. While Ancestry can make whatever business decisions they feel right for them, you also have a responsibility to your clients who are now looking to you to resolve the future problems they face such as what program do we now use to store our family history (which is not online), will the transfer of information bring everything across, how can you further assist the process?

  7094. Tim

    Deleting your online trees:

    Many of you have indicated that you have or will delete your online trees so that your data cannot be used by Ancestry. I agree with it in sentiment, however, I HIGHLY suspect that your trees are still resident on the Ancestry servers; the act of “deleting” only removes them from the “public” side of their operation.

    Ironically, the expiration of my annual subscription coincided with the announcement of the future end of FTM. Rather than renewing as I always do, this time I’m mulling my options.

  7095. Jimmy

    Unacceptable Update!!!!! Your contempt for your customers and genealogical community is disgusting. FTM is and has been the highest rated software for a reason. Your alterative motives are obvious, otherwise you would try to sell it or cast it off to someone who would be happy to maintain it.

  7096. Galen Jones

    Really sorry to hear this. I will definitely be looking for something other than Ancestry for my future family research needs.

  7097. Barbara

    I am truly disappointed with your decision to discontinue FTM. I am a retiree and genealogy is the one thing that gives me joy. I have most of my data on my laptop and only a small amount on Ancestry. I dislike the idea I will be forced onto Ancestry in order to continue my research. At my age I don’t run all over the country to research & Ancestry met my needs. Once you d/c support, I will d/c my Ancestry subscription & move to another genealogy software supplier who is more in tune with their subscribers. By the number of negative comments so far, you should have a clue how your news has affected us all.

  7098. Jon Martin

    I just wonder how much salary the programmer responsible for FTM 2014 must be earning to eliminate his position. He could develop a portal for all the FTM inquiries so that they could restructure their data and have the portal translate the inquiry to return the properly formated responses to FTM 2014.
    So little foresight! The cancelled subscriptions could have paid his salary plus more.

  7099. Richard Schenk

    I wonder if there is ground for a class action suit here? A lot of people have invested a tremendous amount of time and a lot of money putting their genealogical research into FTM with the expectation that it would continue to be available indefinitely. Now you propose on short notice to cut off support for FTM and, rather than sell the rights to another company which would support it, you just dump it, presumably because you believe people will pay ransom for their data by subscribing to your inferior web-based program rather than having to manually transfer their data to another off-line program. Perhaps we can recover damages if we group together. In any event, if you do this, add me to the list of those who will never again spend a penny on any Ancestry product or service.

  7100. Carol Traxler

    I request that you KEEP FAMILY TREE MAKER! I am afraid you will face a lot of subscription cancellations.

  7101. Mike

    I will also be cancelling my automatic renewal with Ancestry, when my current subscription expires. I will be looking for other places to put my money. The web facilities in Ancestry are in no way comparable to desktop FTM. In fact they are a joke. I have been a user of Ancestry since 2008 & FTM since the Broderbund days. This is a very, very bad decision, no doubt initiated by some MBA who doesn’t understand why you became what you are today. You won’t survive without it.

  7102. If all the users here 7,870 cancelled base to world subscriptions then you are loosing from $315,000 to $1,574,000 annually / just saying

  7103. Elisa N

    Okay other FTM users. What are our options? What other software is out there that we can use? Any recommendations? Ancestry.com is ready to dump all of us and does not consider our needs as customers so lets figure out the best alternative and leave en masse!

  7104. Diane Stave

    I really am not comfortable putting all my years of research on line. I have been a member of Ancestry.com since about 2000 and FTM since 1998. Please advise those of us who prefer to work on their own files as to how this is to be achieved.

  7105. Tania

    Tania

    Hey Kendall Hulet:
    Here is what I think:
    Your transaction confirmation number is 130816748
    World Explorer Membership
    Expiration Date – February 12, 2016

    Refund Amount $0.00

    Your subscription has been canceled successfully.
    December 11, 2015 at 5:30 pm

  7106. Carolina

    What in the world are you thinking about? Family Tree Maker is the software to use for family trees i have used it from the very beginning of the program – thank goodness that i have my trees on my computer and not on Ancestry- i use 2012 because i had problems with 2014 downloading on my old computer and did not use it on my new computer. I really hope that you change your mind. People love this program you can see that from reading the comments.

  7107. Fran

    Do you want everyone to leave. Are you going to give us this site for free that maybe the only way you can get customers. I have been a customer for over 10 years well no more. When everyone leaves are you going to give us site to us free. The only reason we come to this site is the census but there are other sites. Over the years the information I get from your site IS NOT HELPFUL. The format on the web site doesn’t work but did you ask your PAYING customer OH NO you just thought we might like it, well YOU WERE DEAD WRONG ask the next time. If my software won’t work why should stay because I’m not going to pay someone to do what I do, or is that what you want? What are you going to do when we all leave? Your indexing leaves a lot to be desired so how will we trust you. BYE BYE Ancestry. What about all those DNA files that is our DNA not yours, so do we file a law suit to get our DNA back and our Family files as well? After see a page full complaints I would rethink your decision but that’s from a paying customer and the key word is PAYING.

  7108. Theresia

    I agree with Helena and Barbara. I’m so sad as I’ve used FTM for 20 years. That meant a lot of upgrades. I love the program and am angry that I was persuaded to subscribe and upload my tree. All the work was done offline without using Ancestry which I’ve only recently subscribed to, find difficult to use, and WILL NOT be continuing my subscription. I don’t just want my money back, but also all the information I’ve given you. Without FTM users there would be no Ancestry.

  7109. Julie

    This is incredible that I have trusted Ancestry.com for many years to do my research and organize my tree. I don’t understand why you need to change. A lot of people are happy with what we have. Am I supposed to go to another genealogy program? I do not want to lose the printing option. I also do not want my only copy to be on the web.

  7110. Sandra

    A long long time FTM user, and found since its acquisition by Ancestry.com I have become quite complacent about genealogy searches further afield. I personally feeling incredibly upset at the announcement this week from Ancestry, but in truth it’s the shake up I have possibly needed for some time.
    Even though I’m not surprised and I do actually understand their logic, today I have deleted my tree from Ancestry and do not intend to use their site in the future demonstrating my single silent protest to their lack of customer care and support.
    But have just now purchased your Rootsmagic7 and feel excited now at the new doors this will open for me and I have already found the program easy to use and the how-to video’s on transferring data are well done. So thank you RootsMagic for so easily giving my family a New Home.
    Sandra.

  7111. Pete

    Very disappointed with Ancestry. I too use FTM and find the sync function very useful to transfer info that I find using ancestry.com. My subscription is up for renewal in February – how you handle this mess you have created will help me decide to renew or not. The 8000 or so comments on this blog might seem a drop in the bucket to you, but I’m sure there are many who feel the same but will not post here. Also, this doesn’t measure the damage you’ve done to your best advertising tool – your previously satisfied customers. Just an example – last night at a gathering of ten friends we were discussing hobbies. I mentioned mine was researching my ancestors. I was asked what tools I was using. I replied “Up till now Ancestry, but they have now proven themselves to be unreliable”. Before your announcement I would have touted your products; free advertising.

  7112. Bob

    The sulliest decision your company has yet made and if not reversed may well see it’s demise. Reconsider now.

  7113. Bob

    The silliest decision your company has yet made and if not reversed may well see it’s demise. Reconsider now.

  7114. Michael

    Another disappointed customer. I will be switching to MacFamilyTree. Isn’t capitalism beautiful? They’ve not wasted a day in seizing the opportunity. Their products are slashed 50% in response. Perhaps they’ll be more loyal to their customers.

  7115. Kathi

    I have also been an Ancestry member since the 90’s and have worked on volunteer projects that contributed to the Ancestry database. I will no longer give my time to those projects, will look for another software program and will not be renewing my Ancestry membership.

  7116. Sandra Johnston

    This is the worst decision Ancestry could have made. Thanks for doing it right before the holidays too. I will definitely begin a search for another program and will not be using Ancestry when I find it. Not to smart to shoot yourself in the foot.

  7117. wtpool

    If you discontinue familytree – I hope you will allow other 3d party software to connect in a similar fashion. I know Roots Magic has offered to provide this functionality — others may have as well. Your on line interface – is a weak and unwealdy tool for doing family research. I join with others who believe the current on-line interface is not acceptable for “serious” genealogy.

  7118. Renato

    @Kristie Wells I appreciate that you seemed genuinely concerned about my remark on the comment counter and would like to thank you for your reply. Unfortunately it seems that no one else at ancestry.com cares to acknowledge the much more important comments from thousands of your very upset customers. Therefore I would like to suggest that after your company inevitably fire Kendall Hulet, they replace him by you.

  7119. Anita Erickson

    While I remain disappointed in your decision, I am glad you let us know before I ordered any more DNA tests. I have reconsidered my decision to remove my trees because I still believe in sharing. I will not be using Ancestry for anything else. I am still researching to see if any other corporation offers a comparable program to Family Tree Maker. I never work online–too many errors get into my data base. I like working off line where I can truly analyze all data before entering it. I suspect all serious researchers will be totally abandoning Ancestry. I do understand how capitalism works, but I am hoping that someone that truly cares about keeping history alive will step forward and purchase Family Tree Maker.

  7120. Marilyn

    The reaction of your customers to this decision should have your sales and marketing directors hanging their heads in shame as they are booted out of the door! In this modern age of customer/client focus and evidence-based decision making, Ancestry has clearly revealed itself to be in the dark ages. If you had done only the most basic FTM customer-focussed marketing survey along the lines of “We’re thinking of discontinuing FTM. To what extent do you use FTM in your genealogy research? Why do you use FTM? How do you use it in combination with the subscription web-site?”, you would have had the feedback of the nearly 8,000 users (and rising) who have already negatively commented in this public blog. In this age of social media I am quite sure this will expand exponentially, and it will erode your customer base across all of your products.
    How so? Well, the thinking will be that if Ancestry can do this to its FTM customers, then surely it is not impossible that one day it will made a $$ driven decision to phase out Ancestry as we know it, along with everyone’s cloud-based data.

    I endorse all of the comments from serious genealogists that we have put too much time, effort and money into our research to entrust our data solely to a third party. There is also no comparision in the analysis, data housekeeping and reporting functions of FTM to those of the website.
    It is time for this decision to be rescinded, and some serious market research to be undertaken with your customers. You will also have some work to do to rebuild the trust in your business reputation as a result of this incredibly poor business decision and process. I look forward to a new and better business model. For example, now that you have some understanding of why and how your FTM customers use your products, perhaps you might consider a special subscription for FTM customers which acknowledges their use of your research services and sync capabilities, That way, you will still have the benefit of their uploaded research for your site, and they will have access to your research data. You will need to do something along this line in order to mollify the FTM users who have expressed their wrath in no uncertain terms in this public forum.

  7121. Barb Norton El

    Others have posted their results of their transition to other software and I found it to be very helpful so I will do the same now that I have made the jump.

    I have just completed transferring four FTM2014 trees into RootsMagic following the easy to use directions. My results were great. It was faster then I had anticipated. My main tree was 13,800 people with 30,590 media files. That tree took under a minute to complete the import. I had expected it to take a lot more time than that based on the wait time in FTM to import a tree so it was a very pleasant surprise. Another of my trees was over 23,000 people but no media and took just seconds to import.

    Only one glitch that I have found so far. Two custom facts created in FTM did not make the transition. They were easy to spot as they were both used (and only used) on my own personal fact page. It was easy to just copy/paste the information over from FTM into RootsMagic into similar custom created facts there. I checked all other custom facts (about 10 or so that I frequently used on many different people) I had set up in FTM and ALL the others made the journey into RootsMagic so I’m not sure why the two didn’t. I was set as Home person on FTM so maybe that had something to do with it.

    I have been able to find all functions in RootsMagic that I use the most in FTM without difficulty. The GUI seems to be well laid out and intuitive. I was able to find my media files linked to a person with just a little bit of trial and error on the various screens. I don’t think anyone familiar with FTM will have much difficulty finding their way around their new home.

    ALL my custom NOTES attached to people in FTM made it over okay and it was easy to find them as well.

    Right now I am waiting for RootsMagic to create the thumbnails for my media files. It is at the 22 minute mark and only about 12.5% of the way through the process (if the process bar is an accurate way to well.) But 30,590 thumbnails are a lot to create so I will just let it work in the background while I do other things.

    My first impressions are positive and I’m glad I didn’t wait to start a new journey here with RootsMagic instead of waiting for another year while Ancestry sorts out the mess they’ve made.

    Hopefully, Ancestry will not remove this post so others can learn from my experience and make a more informed decision of how they are going to move forward.

  7122. msbsdrvr

    I can’t believe you have come to this decision. I have used FTM for probably 20 years. When I started it was basically just a tree. You have added so many wonderful features over the years. Your Ancestry website, which I have been a member for many years, doesn’t have anywhere near the features that FTM does. I guess we will still be able to do reports etc on our FTM but will not be able to add info from your website without typing it in ourselves. NOT!!!! So why would we need your website???? Might want to rethink your decision. If you don’t give people what they need someone else will!!!!

  7123. Fran

    if we all quit IT”S a 1,600,000.00 loss guess they don’t care if they loose this kind of money. Stupid is as stupid does.

  7124. Susan

    Soooo shocking and disappointing. This is a real game changer in my research. What happens with all our personal notes and the ability to publish our trees with them included?? Too many hours have been put into all this to see it lost so easily. Ancestry has a responsibility to continue supporting those of us who have purchased FTM and faithfully subscribed for years.

  7125. mary

    I love this comment

    These changes are never easy, but by focusing our efforts, we can concentrate on continuing to build great products for our loyal great products they are killing our great product we use now..im going to look into other research sites , they can take there company and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine they aren’t the only fish in the sea. The more people who walk out the more they will care..they need us more than we need them.

  7126. Faisal

    I ask Ancestry to invent a tool by which we can publish our familytree to our own websites so we can update our family trees directly to our own website instead of the using Ancestry website which is going to close down shortly

  7127. c2

    This clearly financial decision (you’ve bought every genealogy type business you can like the borg) is short-sighted and unprofessional. Come on ancestry – isn’t this mainly because FTM doesn’t work with Windows 10 and you don’t want to spend the $$ to make that transition? More and more of the records that used to be solely on ancestry are available elsewhere on the internet and several of those other “pay” websites will work with PC based programs. Genealogists love research and I hope we’ll all share what new venue we find and where we are moving to as fast as our fingers can type in the URL!

  7128. Doreen

    Bad Decision – downgrading to the lowest common denominator

    This is a bad decision made to attempt to control the market for online genealogy. If you don’t bring FTM back you will lose the market you are trying to control.

    At the same time as dropping FTM, Ancestry appears to be downgrading their online product to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Ancestry has forgotten that many of those who use the site are actually intelligent, thinking people who like the flexibility which the combination of FTM and the Ancestry website gives them. By working with FTM in conjunction with Ancestry we can complete and upload carefully researched and documented trees as opposed to the many trees online at Ancestry which are poorly researched, undocumented and riddled with mistakes.

    At least Microsoft had the decency to give years of warnings about the change in direction being taken by Windows. Not so Ancestry. The sudden decision to drop FTM appears to be a slash and burn exercise done for the benefit of the owners of Ancestry not for the benefit of the dedicated genealogists Ancestry should be appealing to.

    There must be some middle ground here to keep everyone happy – do some (more) research to find out who your subscribers are and what they want from your products. Then get it right.

    Lift your game Ancestry.

  7129. Flo

    Been using FTM and Ancestry for the past 11 years and now you want to retire FTM are you kidding!! Please reconcider, When I purchased FTM I was not informed that you could just suddenly drop it or I would never have spent 11 years adding my tree and hundreds of my own records to your online facility which I would have to pay for the rest of my life to see/use, If this is going ahead I will be removing my tree and my hundreds of records from Ancestry and will never pay another penny to you. I will also be campaining to family ,friends, fellow genealogist’s and anyone who will listen to boycot your company as you are showing no loyalty to your customers we should show no loyalty to you, this is how angry I am about this matter.

  7130. Kevin

    Having a background in retail of over 25 years, I can say I am shocked by this decision, but that does not minimize my disappointment. I will need to reassess my options and decide if I want to continue with Ancestry. Of course losing enough subscriptions might persuade them to reconsider. At least if they are not going to come out with new software, they can at least continue to support TREE SYNC. I have nearly 1300 records and I really have not become serious. Like FLO I began 11 years ago. I just cancelled my 6 month subscription that was set to renew in a few weeks.

  7131. Richard E. Freeman

    Another scam supported by the Mormons. After spending hundreds of dollars per year and not using the FTM to it’s but planning on doing so after my retirement next I feel cheated. I will not be renewing my membership when it expires and by the way do not send those guys with the white shirts and black ties to my home. They will not be welcome! I will be spreading the word among my fellow genealogists.

  7132. ellen

    this is a number game they know some people will walk away. They are betting on the numbers. I’m leaving well before the tree fails.’its not going to make a difference to a company this big .if everyone left they then would really listen. Kendall Hulet may be a very nice person but he is here for damage control.even if they make new software its not free and they might drop it as well.

  7133. Sheryl

    I store my family information on the FTM software and I will continue to use it. However if down the road Windows versions upgrade, my FTM may not be compatible and that will be sad. I do not use Ancestry to interface with my FTM, but I do use Ancestry to look for new data and I do have some of my family info online, which I have entered manually. I guess what I will have to do is print out a book with all of the misc info entered in FTM, so that when the software is not compatible down the road, I still have my data. Why should it be that hard to keep up with supporting this software?

  7134. Penny

    If your marketing team understand the principle of NPS then they will explain to you what impact turning me from an advocate for ancestry to a detractor.

    Instead of telling others about how great the service is i will be telling people not to use ancestry. I was about to do some dna research but not any longer.

    In comparison to other commentators above I’m a reasonably new user of FTMaker having started my tree via Ancestry.com. Having now invested a lot of time (and subscription money) researching my tree I do want to have my data stored somewhere other than just entrusting it to you. Ill be looking for other options if this is the way you treat loyal customers.

  7135. Glenna Rice

    After spending nearly $3,000.00 since 2006 on Ancestry membership, Family Tree Maker and Ancestry products, I am canceling my membership when my subscription runs out in June. It is time to spend my time and hard earned money elsewhere! Time to go back to original research done correctly’

  7136. Michael Jacobs

    Thank you Ancestry for forcing me to look analytically at how I am performing and recording my research. Your decision has clarified what I really needed to do: independent research and stand alone records which will be fully compatible with industry standards (GEDCOM) and academic research.standards. Good luck in the future as I will not be a customer when my subscription expires. There are many other on line sources these days and now that FTM is not there to support you I am free to choose whichever source I like. Find My Past is looking very good.

  7137. Mike

    I have seen lots of comments from people determined to pull their trees off of Ancestry, delete their DNA tests, and cancel their subscriptions. I totally understand your anger and wouldn’t blame you if you did. But before you trash your DNA tests, consider one (or both, which I have done) of the following alternatives so you can continue to get benefit from having your DNA tested:

    1) Family Tree DNA has an offer where you can upload your DNA from other companies, such as Ancestry or 23andMe for $39. The instructions for doing so are easy to follow, and once your results are up on FTDNA there are some nice tools for comparing with your DNA matches. You get e-mail addresses for all of your matches so you can communicate with them. The only drawback I have seen is that the tools for manipulating family trees are pretty rudimentary.

    2) Upload your results to GEDmatch.com. It is a free site, and it has a great set of tools you can use for comparisons. Like FTDNA you get e-mail addresses for all of your matches so you can communicate directly with them. For a small donation to the developers, you get some extra tools that are really nice for doing comparisons. You can upload a GEDCOM so your matches can see your tree, but no real tools for doing much with it.

    Again, your disappointment with Ancestry is understandable, but consider one of these alternatives to keep your DNA tests out there for your benefit. You can stick to Ancestry while at the same time continuing to use your DNA as an extra resource to discover your family tree.

  7138. Linda

    They are not going to change their minds…..so I am going to look else where…..maybe all the above could start a new facebook page to help each other get started again…….the WHATTODOAFTERFTM group

  7139. Gary Oldenburg

    I much prefer working on FTM and its straight forward screens. With over 20,000 people in my database, many with the same names, I rely heavily on having the names and birth years in the scroll box on the left side of the screen. This is not possible with Ancestry. Other than syncing to my Ancestry tree, I seldom use it. FTM is my clear choice for entering data and extending out family lines for review. Please don’t scuttle a great product!

  7140. Paul

    Huh? The online service is greatly improved from what it was, but it does not have MANY important features of FTM software. I absolutely need to have a way to produce textual reports and other components that are incorporated into “books.” I am a I hope you can see from the many, many responses to your announcement……..it is a grave error to dump this on FTM users without providing an answer to the obvious questions you knew were to come.

  7141. Paul

    oops, my comment was added before I was ready… I was just adding that I am another first-generation Banner Blue customer that is deeply disappointed with the information presented to date.

  7142. I have had to scroll to the bottom of nearly 8000 comments to post this. It is extremely disappointing after making the investment in time and money in Family Tree Maker for Mac and an Ancestry subscription. I expect that there will be a significant decline in Ancestry subscriptions now. Most of us do not wish to use the website as our main file, so will be moving to MacFamily Tree or similar. You will lose much of your custom over thie ancestry.com

    Heather Sjoberg

  7143. Peter Gray

    I don’t think this is a good fact that I will not be able to sinc to ancestry and have to go in and add it a gain really must make me wonder if its worth having a tree on ancestry please rethink this

  7144. Ronald

    I don’t think you appreciate us at all. If you did you would have explained all of the other tools that we might have to maintain our family trees and reporting processes, at the same time of the notice to discontinue. It seems to me that you no longer want us as customers. Enlighten us as to your real intent for service, how are you helping us, in order for us to want to even keep our subscriptions. You do realize that you are taking away the ability of a lot of lower income people to process and maintain their family trees.

  7145. Diana Hanson

    Wow talk about a money thing now! I have been a member of Ancestry since 2002 and the reason I am a member is because of Family Tree Maker. The new Ancestry is too hard to navigate and does not have near the options of FTM. Guess I will have to do research on a different program and online site.

  7146. Carolyn Powers

    Please let us know how to proceed in the future so that we may access the files without a connection with FTM and Ancestry?

  7147. Jill Brown

    I am so disappointed that FTM is to be no longer available. What software are we to use now? I love FTM. How is this going to affect your current customers

  7148. Kevin Stagg

    This is what happens when low-grade, unintelligent, uneducated people, such as accountants, have more influence than creative, intellectual people, such as software engineers. FTM is the main event; the website is an adjunct. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for the software and associated new website that will fill the gap. And incidentally, my work is my intellectual property. You may not keep it on your website without my permission.

  7149. Keith Davis

    The syncing tool was a major selling point for me. I also loved being able to compile all the reports and charts from FTM. I think it would greatly behoove A.com to offer an alternative or provide the online equivalent to making these resources available.

  7150. Barb Norton El

    For those considering RootsMagic…I found a major problem with the conversion. If you have used the Description field in your Facts on FTM and they are over 50 to 60 characters, you will lose the end of the entry. This is a major problem for me as most of my Description fields are way over this threshold and, on 13,800 people with multiple Fact entries, this is a serious setback. Back to the drawing board.

  7151. Stacie Condrell

    Ancestry online requires working with records one at a time, with NO batch correction, processing, pruning, troubleshooting, etc.. So to improve family tree consistency and accuracy, one must use a PC/MAC based tool. Personally I prefer a application more robust than FTM for this. BUT uploading to Ancestry a new corrected/improved tree as a GED renders the HINT function worthless. A new file starts from the beginning showing EVERY record match, even those already incorporated into the tree. For any tree its wasteful, for a reasonably full tree, it’s unworkable. It is why so many depend upon the FTM sync function. Me included.

    The choice many will make is to remove their family tree’s from your site, to stop building them there and simply keep the info offline, using Ancestry only as a lookup service. The impact of the loss of robust, researched family trees to Ancestry’s business would be a much greater $$LOSS than the cost of maintaining customer support on an existing tool.

    Reminds me of 1985 and “New Coke.”
    That was, and this is, an unfortunate idea.

  7152. Alison

    I suggest the Management of Ancestry take note of all the negative comments regarding their decision to discontinue support for FTM. This is clearly not about the declining software market but more about Ancestry keeping customers hostage in order to access their information. Unfortunately your customers are not so stupid and will revolt by moving to a rival such as Find My Past. The genealogy business is no longer a monopoly which will no doubt allow another to reap what you will lose.

  7153. Ric Phillips

    Cutting FTM members adrift with with no adequate replacement is totally unacceptable.If FTM is to be disbanded the least Ancestry can do is to provide members with the option of obtaining a hard copy of their family trees/research.

  7154. Paul Knieser

    I too hope Ancestry reconsiders and keeps updating and maintaining FTM. First, I think you misjudge many of us for whom membership in Ancestry is a luxury we sometimes cannot afford. Having membership on and off for decades, when I could afford it, I never serious considered nor looked for any other online service. Now for financial reasons I do not understand you have made a decision that will undoubted cause many membership cancelations and drive many people, like myself, to begin to search for others more sensitive to their members needs and wishes. I think it was very telling when a very upset member comment that you really seem much more concerned about money than members because you did not, in the least, suggest any new actions, modifications, or programs to address the many problems people already envision. I don’t honestly know how long I will keep my membership. I guess we both, along with my others, now have a lot of unanticipated work to do.

  7155. Yeah, I said it

    Kendall Hulet is showing himself as a airheaded newbie at his job. Maybe you should go back to school and learn about how NOT to kill a business and how to listen to the customer…. what was that saying again… “The customer is always RIGHT?”

  7156. Andy

    I have a lot of information on one version of my family tree including photographs. There are a number of living relatives who do not want this information going onto the net. So where does that leave our grandson in future years. Particularly given that his Ancestry goes back through 3 nations. A hard copy would be massive.

  7157. Cameo

    A snippit of Kendall Hulet’s 2016 performance review:

    “Well Kendall, I see that you have reduced our software development expenditures by $2 million per year. Very good….

    But, can you explain why our subscription revenues have fallen by $4 million per year?”

  7158. Alan

    Still waiting to hear from ancestry CEO – not the mouthpiece – what he expects FTM customers to actually do once tree sync is no more. Maintain 2 trees? Abandon the online tree and leave it inundated? Or find another provider? Either way everyone loses – ancestry loses its customer base, we the family historians lose access to our own trees online and those of other people, ancestry loses a heap load of credibility. A daft decision beyond words.

  7159. Beatrice

    It shows again, for the managers of ancestry only counts the profit. I have been using FTM for years. It looks as they are trying to force us to upload our trees which I will never do! For my part, if they stop producing FTM I will switch to another genealogy program and cancel my ancestry membership. I preferred the old ancestry website; it was much more comfortable to navigate in the family trees.

  7160. Mike

    Deleted my tree yesterday. Just bought Roots Magic today. I already have a Findmypast subscription.
    Goodby FTM/Ancestry. The company needs its customers – the customer does not need the company!

  7161. John

    Time to look elsewhere. I’m impressed by Family Historian version 6. Rated well in recent reviews. There is a special offer on for FTM users to purchase a download version at a reduced rate. The User Group website has comprehensive advice and support for doing GEDCOM transfers from both FTM and the Ancestry site. It does web hints via a data link to My Heritage. It doesn’t do phone apps and generally I’m more optimistic that this company won’t leave its customers in the lurch like Ancestry seems prepared to do.

  7162. Bob Barber

    So disappointed just as FTM 2014 starts settling down you close the thing down and I think many other people will be thinking the same. I have used the various programs since 2005/6. I will just have to look else where for a tree program any ideas anyone?

  7163. joe

    So it appears we are being forced to either store our private information on the web relying on the security of the vendor (instead of being able to store it locally on my PC) or switch products. Time to export to GEDCOM and look for other products. It was nice working with ancestry.com but I’d prefer to keep my files local and switch products.

  7164. Colleen

    I am very disappointed that ANC is discontinuing FTM for Mac. I have 25 years worth of sourced genealogy records on my synced tree with Ancestry. As others have said, the online tree does not give genealogists enough control over their data or provide the type of reports we desire. FTM for Mac has always been glitchy regarding syncing, so please, Ancestry let other software developers develop an API to sync their programs, like Rootsmagic 7, with Ancestry. I will leave my public tree on Ancestry, but as of today, I am jumping ship and going to Rootsmagic 7 which is a robust program for MAC and PC’s and it links with FamilySearch. Again, very disappointed in Ancestry.

  7165. Robert

    I have made some comments and read some comments and truly some people are really angry including myself, but one comment in particular really got my attention and should get Kendall Hulet and the private equity firms that owns Ancestry attention as well, in fact it should give them sleepless nights.

    The comment is this; if people leave Ancestry and delete their tree, Ancestry will still own your data and can use it, But here is the real concern, some have made the suggestion that if this is the case they will be sabotaging their trees as they leave making them useless for further research.

    I personally don’t approve of this but I understand where this anger comes from. But here is the real concern; the data that people collect for family research is based on trust and if the perception is that trees associated with ancestry have been sabotaged due to this poor business decision why would any real genealogist use them I certainly would not. Kendall Hulet does not seem to realise that family trees are like family members to people and people are taking this personally it is common sense for this to happen if one messes with peoples family.

    This really is a new Coke decision but Ancestry is not as big a Coke will they survive this past 2017????????

    Most businesses pay big bucks to marketing agents ( probably what happened here )to know what there customers want but here for free we the LOYAL customers are telling ancestry what we want, but they seem to not be listening. This will make a great case study for business schools on how not to treat customers.

  7166. Vicki

    Like so many others I am unhappy about the change. I do not want my history uploaded to the cloud, and use FTM on my desktop, where I can at least use it when I have no internet! My concern is when I have to upgrade my computer I will no longer be able to access my date as there will be no FTM upgraded version.

  7167. Scott Cook

    Just cancelled my subscription, was lucky as it was about to renew in 2 weeks time. Saved myself $215 dollars and purchased the upgrade to RootsMagic 7. Very disappointed in Ancestry, but not suprising.

  7168. Alex

    Translate the current FTM in other languages and you will have new markets. In this form, you´ll only lose customers. In Europe people want to keep their data offline on a PC and not in a cloud. I don´t want, that you will make money with my data but i´m willing to spend money for a good product like FTM.

  7169. Bruce

    Like many of those responding I am very unhappy with this extremely poor decision made by corporate Ancestry. I am long time customer of FTM and as someone who has been working on my family history off and on for over forty years. With Family Tree Maker I thought I had at long last found a company that “GOT IT.” that shared the same values and interests in genealogy that I did . It seems now that I was wrong about your company, you are just like all the rest. In a way, I do understand it, you are a business and this was a purely business driven decision based on what some high paid marketing company advised you. You took their advise. What you left out of the equation is what made you what you are, your customers, your base. Those of us who have been with you through various versions over the years and remained loyal are what made you what you are today, not the newbie’s who have just recently been bit by the family history bug who use your online version. They will easily tire of the work and drop off. That was not true of those of us who have been paying for the new versions of FTM as well as for subscriptions of Ancestry. As was mentioned by others, what happens when our computers need to be upgraded? I’m am very comfortable with computers and know my way around them but I am not comfortable placing my family history in the cloud. I do not wish to place over forty years worth of long hard work, photos, interviews, and memories..many of family members no longer with me in something that I have no direct control over. I like having the sense of control that comes with a desktop version. This is very bad news and as you might have guessed I am extremely unhappy with your decision to “RETIRE” the best genealogy software programs on the market. As I have read from other posts, you will loose customers by doing this, clearly you do not care.

  7170. Susna Hambling

    Oh dear. I read through many of these posts at random; can’t find any good ones. Looks like you’ve just broken your company. Well done!

  7171. Jim Theut

    I want to as succinct as possible. When support for FTM ends, my subscription to Ancestry Tree will end!

  7172. Stephen

    I’ve been using – and registering the software with my e-mail address – FTM for nearly 20 years. And the only reason I know about this “outgrade” is because my cousin forwarded the e-mail to me. Typical.

  7173. R.E.W. Newenham

    We have heard what you intend to do. What will you replace the deleted FTM with and will it work as well.
    People, lets not totally damn until we know what the alternative will be. Over to you Ancestry to reassure us all!

  7174. Elizabeth Benton

    I will be looking for a new company. I need to do reports and comments on my software. I just updated my subscription which will be the last, unless you reconsider this decision

  7175. Anne Marie

    I think this is a terrible decision on your company’s part. You are in effect abandoning your customers. I am not okay with storing my research in the cloud. I prefer the security of my desktop and the fact that I can backup my research myself in whatever way I choose. I have been with your company for quite a few years and through multiple versions of the software and I am very disappointed in your actions..

  7176. Laura Semenik-Rogers

    Like many others here, I’ve been using FTM for decades…I’m the family historian for both sides (mine and my husband’s families) and I’m at a loss of what I’m supposed to do now. Is this going to be just online? What do I do when I don’t have internet access? Will there be an offline version to use and upload when I’m reconnected? Will you offer other suggestions for those of us who need a software based, rather than web only, genealogy solution?

  7177. Rosemary

    With the help of FTM I have created a total of eight genealogy books. I love the charts and Smart Stories. I am addicted to the shaky leaves. I hate the online tree. It is to hard to follow. What reason are you giving us to stay with Ancestry in the future? We need more info please.

  7178. John

    I’m running an older version on an older PC with plans to upgrade both in 2016. Even if I bought the software now, how would I move it to my new PC since it is only available via download? I might as well cancel my subscription now and use the free access from the county library.

  7179. George Blood

    Nothing is forever. FTM is the third software package that I have used over the years. The first was a MS DOS version of Family Ties shareware given to me on a floppy by a coworker. This evolved to Personal Ancestry File (PAF) that I eventually used to generate a GED file to upload to Ancestry. There are lots of other genealogy software choices on the market; I have tried Roots Magic for example. What they all lack is the capability to sync with Ancestry. If other developers are allowed to use this feature, I’m OK with Ancestry getting out of the desktop/laptop software business to concentrate on their core business, which is a unique and very useful service.

  7180. Leslie

    I thought there would be additional information here…but I don’t see any…just a lot of complaints, questions and anger. Add my name to the list. I have used FTM for years and years…and I too hate the Ancestry trees. If the only place to store my tree in going to be on-line…and you haven’t really been clear on that – I will start looking for another solution. I am very disappointed in Ancestry.

  7181. Dave Mitchell

    Like most others I am really annoyed that Ancestry have decided to kill off FTM. I’ve been researching since 2002 and using FTM through it’s different versions for about the last 10 years, and I find that FTM2014 is probably the most stable. I only run it in Pedigree view and have never made any changes via the website, all changes done in FTM and then Tree-Synced to Ancestry so that I can use the app on my phone. I don’t like the Family view used in FTM and on the website.

    I feel that I want my research to be under my control. What happens if Ancestry goes out of business, suffers a major data centre failure (yes I know that they probably do all they can to prevent it, but working in the IT industry I know that nothing is completely foolproof)? Will everyone’s research just disappear?

    I was considering taking out a Premium subscription (the free 6 months from my last purchase of FTM has run out) but won’t be doing so now. I’m looking now to switch to a different desk top package and may not come back to Ancestry for records, I can get what I need elsewhere and the advantage of Ancestry with the integration to FTM was a big plus, but no more.

  7182. Kopfschüttel! Ich hatte 2005, 2006, 2010 gekauft.
    Mit dieser Enrtscheidung wende ich Ancestry den Rücken. Meine Daten habe ich gelöscht. Ich habe mir Legacy 8.0 gekauft.

  7183. John Hegarty

    Folks, This is a copy of my correspondence with Ancestry.com Customer service. The short version is they are saying “Go Away”.
    __________________________

    Phil,
    First thank you for responding. Unfortunately I did address the issue to Tim Sullivan and I do require a personal response from him. I have invested well over $500 in subscriptions, products and services with your company over the lifetime of your product to date. Small fry to you but it was a lot for me.

    I have been a loyal and active subscriber and user of your products for many years and I deserve and expect better from you.

    I believe I deserve a personal response from Tim Sullivan before I could continue to trust and invest further in your product, but in its absence my course of action is clear.

    Please be aware that this is an issue of the utmost priority for me and I expect it to be treated with the same level of urgency at your end.

    In all my years I have never encountered a company actively telling its customers to “Go away” as you have done below. When companies refuse to serve their customers, then the customers do go away, never to return. Such companies cease to exist in very short order. It’s an unfortunate reality.

    I do have other options to evaluate and fortunately they do not require the existence of your company.

    I have withdrawn my shared family tree from your site. I regard any data I shared with you to remain as my property and only I can certify the accuracy, or the original sources of the data I shared. Even if you continue to hold copies of deleted data, in your hands it is inaccurate and worthless.

    Good luck in your future endeavors but I believe I shall have to watch from the side-lines as a once brilliant idea is destroyed by what can only be described as the biggest corporate mistake since Volkswagen got caught.

    Good luck to you,
    John Hegarty.

    CC: the Ancestry Blog

    From: Ancestry.com Support [mailto:ancestrysupport@mailmw.custhelp.com]
    Sent: Saturday 12 December 2015 12:29
    To: XXXX@XXX
    Subject: FTM Debacle [Incident: 151211-000851]

    Recently you requested personal assistance from our Support Center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.
    Please reply to this message if your issue has not been resolved.

    Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you.
    ________________________________________
    Response (Phil) (12/12/2015 07:29 AM)
    Hello John,

    Thank you for contacting Ancestry regarding FTM.

    We value every single member in our community, but sometimes, the product offerings we have do not align with the member’s specific need and they are better served elsewhere. It is an unfortunate reality.

    If you need additional assistance, please feel free to reply to this email or call us at 1800 303 664 between the hours of 9 AM to 10 PM GMT, Monday through Friday or between the hours of 9 AM to 8 PM GMT, Saturday and Sunday.

    Sincerely,

    Phil
    Customer Solutions Associate
    Ancestry

    For more information regarding our products, please follow the links listed below.
    Online Help | Facebook | Help and Advice
    Customer (John Hegarty) (12/10/2015 01:43 PM)

    I’m addressing this to Tim Sullivan, President/CEO.

    It’s been 2 days since your Kendall Hullet made this announcement and the comments are still coming in at a rate of about 40 per hour, all against the change.

    I believe you now have a clear enough message that something has gone VERY wrong.
    If you have any professional integrity you must take ownership personally; you have to step in to resolve the issue.

    Your customer base is in revolt. Your company has made a huge mistake and your immediate, and publicly visible action is urgently required.

    As I see it you have 2 options:
    1. You must publicly announce your support for the direction Ancestry has taken, in which case we can all pack up, remove our data from your site and bid you and your company the swift decline it apparently craves,

    OR

    2. Listen to the voices of your customers before they leave: get behind them and BACK YOUR PRODUCT.

    Only you can publicly reverse this decision,

    You may deal with those who created this mess at your discretion.

    Your Hopefully,
    John Hegarty

    – See more at:
    https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2015/12/08/ancestry-to-retire-family-tree- maker-software/#comment-302757

    [—001:001796:51986—]

  7184. Renato

    Email received from ancestry.com:
    We’ve canceled your membership, as you requested Membership: World Explorer Membership
    Effective Date: 1/4/2016
    Confirmation Number: 86412987-143069156

  7185. Martina

    Ich kann es nicht verstehen, werde die alten Versionen offline nutzen solange was geht. Den online-Datenklau mag ich sowieso nicht.

  7186. June

    This makes me angry. I’ve been using Family TreeMaker for years. Tried other programs and stuck with this one. I hope you get enough negative comments to change your mind about this decision.

  7187. Beth

    I have used this software for a dozen years or more. I am appalled that you would do this. There are many who use the software and not the online service. You WILL NOT force me to use your online service this way (I’ve exhausted what you have to offer)

    So I WILL find another software company clearly more committed to it’s customers. The search starts today!

    I will be removing my uploaded tree so you can’t sell my information to others and make a profit without providing some form of service to me.

    A HUGE MISTAKE ON YOUR PART !

  7188. Richard Ames

    Sounds like just more corporate greed! .. A way for Ancestory to keep your hand in our pockets, through some kind of subscription service if we want access to our family tree. Sounds like the Gillette business model … why let a person buy a and own razor that he can sharpen and use for years when you can replace his razor with a overpriced solution and lock him into a new subscription product and he has to pay for that privilege day after day everyday of his life … You don’t care about your customers as much as locking down and controlling them. Holding all their hard earned research as hostage! Corporate Greed!

  7189. Liza

    As a long time users and buyer of every new version I say – Foolish, foolish move. Motivated by what? Money could be the only answer.

    adiós, adieu, addio, adeus, ciao, auf wiedersehen, arrivederci, au revoir, sayoara, totsiens, vale, zaijian – GOODBYE

  7190. Myrna Schosser

    I have used Family Tree Maker from the time it was only loadable from a floppy disc. I have never used strictly the Ancestry site to store my data…………….thank goodness. I have never had an annual subscription to Ancestry as it is something I cannot afford. From time to time I take a monthly subscription to do lookups, but I continue to maintain everything on my desktop, with backups on other drives. I cannot believe you are actually doing away with Family Tree Maker. I did appreciate all of the advantages of being able to incorporate information from the Ancestry site directly into my FTM on my desktop, but am certainly glad I did not depend on Ancestry alone.
    It does appear that you are doing this to force those who have been using Ancestry to maintain an ongoing subscription just in order to maintain their records. Looks like pure greed to me.

  7191. Ivy

    Like the commenter before me, Myrna, I’ve used this software from the first day I started my research and it was “the” software to use. I’ve told everyone about this software for all positive reasons. I now have to do an about face and tell you and everyone else that this is NOT the service to use. Visit family search through the mormon church where they are motivated by something more pure that greed.

    I do subscribe to the online service from time to time, but will not do so any longer. I don’t like your business model of forcing long time customers to do your bidding. There will be no shared information from me for you to resell.

    Like Myrna I sure am glad I didn’t depend upon you entirely. Thank goodness I have my research on my computer and not solely online –> see the problem?

  7192. Glenna Rice

    For all the reasons you are now witnessing, I have NEVER put my research on Ancestry. I own it, it lives on my desktop, it is mine to control! I do use Family Tree Maker and have since it belonged to Broderbund. I truly enjoy using the program but will now look for other software to use instead. When my Worldwide subscription is up in June, I will not renew. I already have Find My Past and do make use of Family Search. Quit frankly, I think Ancestry is about to tank!

  7193. Penny Hansford

    As somebody who does all my Family Tree Maker/Ancestry work on a desktop computer, with data carefully backed up to an external drive, I am really worried about how safe all the hard work I have done will be in the future if it can only be accessed on line, especially as Ancestry has been hacked in the past. Whilst we have to wait to see what you are going to do in 2017, we obviously need to be planning for that day if your decision is already set in stone. Please, please, please can I have regular updates of what is happening, to enable me and many other users to make informed decisions about what to do next.

    By the way, no doubt you have spent lots of money on updating how Ancestry looks recently – it really isn’t an improvement, and is now very confusing to use.

  7194. Beth F

    I strongly believe you are making a mistake. Your customers will go in search of other services and you will lose them. You’ve lost me unless you do an about face.

    No one works exclusively online without personal backups and you’ve just told us you’re going to hold our information and we should trust it is good and safe and oh by the way you’re going to resell it and reap the benefit of our research. I don’t think so.

    This could very well be the end of you as there are just as good options elsewhere. What you did well was FTM and now it’s gone.

    Who is the genius that made this decision?

  7195. Dean Hackett

    And before I cancel my subscription, as painful as it will be, I will delete all my photos, news articles, and family trees in Ancestry.com.

  7196. Debbie

    As many others, I have used both FTM and Ancestry for many years and sorry to see it go. However, this is a lesson to all to not be dependent on others to preserve our research – it is our responsibility and we don’t have to pay others to do it. There is an abundance of free information online now – such as FamilySearch. Thankfully, my Ancestry subscription is up for renewal in January. Goodbye Ancestry!

  7197. Dean Hackett

    I hope everyone is deleting their photos, news articles, etc. , then their family tree before canceling. This will be painful for all , but we should not leave our personal information with Ancestry.com

  7198. Don

    Just bought a new laptop for the purpose of taking my tree off the desktop and in to the field where there is no access to your online systems. Two days later there is this email that says FTM is done at the end of 2016. It all about the database and mine has 3,683 people plus photos and comments. Please at least keep the database maintenance part past 2016 for field work if not the whole product. If you can’t do either then sell it to someone who will, please.

  7199. Jan

    In light of all the recent changes – I may be gone even if they reconsider this decision!! Ancestry has shown nothing but contempt for their consumers with the last two changes. What else to they have up their sleeve for the future? I prefer to do business with a company who values their customer and their opinions …. and Ancestry does not fit that bill. The library is only 2 miles from my house if there is something I would need only available from them. I will need to investigate other options like Find My Past which has been recommended to me. In the end, I think Ancestry will be sorry they have expected their customer base to follow them like lemmings. They have underestimated our ability / desire to find something else! I just have NO confidence in Ancestry anymore! Wish I had not renewed to World back in October 2015. But it does give me time to make an informed decision as to where my trees will land so I guess there is an upside.

  7200. RWS

    Friends, BEWARE:
    1. I just cancelled by January annual renewal. You have to agree to their “Terms and Conditions” to cancel. I’m no lawyer, and my eyesight is not so good at an advanced age – but the way I read it:
    (a.) If you subscribe for everything annually, you must give them 7 days notice in order to cancel. (b.) Everything you put on their website (e.g., your family trees) they claim ownership of. So start deleting!!!
    2. They are letting this blog just fill up with “disappointments” so that it would take hours if not days to read everything. They seem intent on burying the names of alternates services – or at least make them hard to find by this community.
    3. You can get screwed now – or screwed later. Once a corporate culture goes in this direction, it is almost impossible to turn the ship around. The comparisons to Coke are not relevant as that had to do only with taste. This has to with a life’s worth of work. The manner in which the announcement was made makes me suspicious. They may throw you a lifeline now, but they will eventually drown you. There is no way they will continue supporting FTM thorough future Windows releases. So a word to the wise – IT IS OVER; GET OVER IT – GET MOVING SOMEPLACE ELSE FAST.
    3. Somebody please start a Facebook page were we can comment on future alternatives and not dwell on this idiotic group of executives intent on driving a company into the ground. Too many MBAs think they know that their “business model” is what steers the ship. This is different – this is a base community that WON’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!

  7201. Gary Donaldson

    It looks like the comments on this disappointing news are running about 95% negative, and I’ll add my voice to the majority. If this means that Ancestry’s alternative is to force us to maintain our trees exclusively “on the cloud” (in other words, “someone else’s server”), then I don’t think I’ll be sticking around.

  7202. Dave

    I was once in a management team that convinced itself that it could close a chunk of the service, but still keep the cash coming in. The bean-counters reckoned we would save 75% of the cost and keep 75% of the business. Within 2 years we still had 50% of the cost and less than 15% of the business. Customers simply voted with their anger. In this case I am already looking for alternatives and I have 11 months of subscription to run.

  7203. Diane

    I agree with all your unhappy costumers and I wonder just how important Ancestry.com will be to me once this goes into effect.

  7204. Diane

    I agree with all your unhappy customers above and I wonder just how important Ancestry.com will be to me once this goes into effect.

  7205. Tim C

    I have waited three days to comment but it doesn’t mean I’m not deeply disappointed and incredulous over your revelation. It took me this long to settle down enough to comment. You have totally lost sight of the heart of your customer base, the serious genealogist. You have alienated your best and most loyal customers. We are the ones who upgrade year after year, and we will never entrust our valuable and painstakingly gathered research to the cloud.

    Let me repeat what 8,000 others have said – no serious genealogist is ever going to put their database in the hands of a private company. Many of us have 20, 30 or more years of research in our family tree, covering spans of time measured in centuries. Unlike corporations who are worried just about next quarter’s bottom line, we take the long view. In a hundred years I want my research in the hands of the next generations of my family, not a corporation who might or might not charge for it, destroy it, or disappear. Will ancestry be around in a hundred years? Not if you keep making decisions like this one.

    With that said, I want to say that I have loved ancestry and its capabilities up to now. The greatest thing you have done is the Tree Sync. It enables me to keep my data on my own PC, sync my work with ancestry to give me access to your millions of records, and share it with family and friends. It’s like a three legged stool, and you are knocking one of the legs off.

    I urge you to please reconsider and maintain support for Family Tree Maker. If you can’t do that, then why not sell it, including Tree Sync, to someone else who will maintain it. But if you can’t do that, at least, please, open up the API and allow other companies access to the tree sync, and I’ll migrate to another software maker again if I have to. That would at least allow your most loyal customers access to what we have now.

    I know you have many employees who feel the same way, please listen to them and not just to the bottom line top management.

  7206. David Dixon

    Re comments about the comment counter, unless any comments have been removed, the counter does reflect the number of comments that are on here, my little program counted them.
    Also removed my auto subscription for the 16 March 2016 and left a comment regarding the way they have treated FTM users, it will only fall on deaf ears as they have made their decision

  7207. Steve Marshall

    What a PR mess you have managed to create with your detail-lacking announcement. I get you want to move to the cloud like other developers so you can charge us an annual subscription fee – the writing has been on the wall with your lack of new dev to FTM or any buzz on a new release. But why wouldn’t you announce this in a Q&A format so we’d understand the implications to us and what our options are? I too have used this program since its early release and sync my tree daily. My desktop database is my main repository and will continue to be regardless of what program I may choose to use. You’ve actually made it easier for me to exit ancestry and rely solely on your competition like Findmypast. I’ll just download records and never again set up an online tree. Did anyone even take into account your demographic prior to making this decision? We aren’t primarily the generation who are comfortable storing our hard work and in many cases YEARS of research online only. Regardless of how this nets out it was poorly planned and executed. Almost 8000 posts, all pretty much negative confirms that. Count me as another disappointed customer who has been doing this hobby for almost 40 years who will adapt to the next change quite likely without ancestry. You sure weren’t around when I started!

  7208. Bob Runion

    I am distressed to learn that Ancestry is proposing to eliminate the FTM genealogy program and/or total support for it effective 1 Jan 2017. I spoke to a technician a few days ago who indicated that during the ensuing year, that ancestry will be working to modify the GEDCOM features to permit a smooth transition for those of us who wish to maintain the Ancestry TREE and also a genealogy program on our computer.

    I have been experimenting with some of the present GEDCOM features that currently exist and find the resultant upload to the current FTM 3 for MAC and my older REUNION 11 programs. I uploaded the Ancestry Tree GEDCOM to the following and glaring results noted below:

    (1) Ancestry Tree GEDCOM uploaded to REUNION 11:
    (a) ALL media is unable to be utilized since it shows and ‘… media missing’. This includes all Photos and Source documents.
    (b) Notes :
    (1) an entry of some magnitude precedes all note entries as the first sentence which makes no sense at all. The following is a sample that would have to be purged for all persons with NOTES in this program: ‘…{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\cocoartf1404\cocoasubrtf130{\fonttbl\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Helvetica;}{\colortbl;\red255\green255\blue255;}\pard\tx560\tx1120\tx1680\tx2240\tx2800\tx3360\tx3920\tx4480\tx5040\tx5600\tx6160\tx6720\pardirnatural\f0\fs24 \cf0…’;
    (2) there also appears in the midst of the notes a ‘/par’, presumably a paragraph break, which clutters the notes with useless data.

    (2) In using the ‘Standard GEDCOM’ selection (presumed to be version 5.5) of the Ancestry Tree GEDCOM uploaded to a new FTM 3 for MAC file:
    (a) 8,863 Media items listed are shown, but are unusable and appear to be corrupted. One would have to visit each of these items to connect the Media item to the appropriate person!
    (b) All 3,714 PLACES would need to be resolved!
    (c) All 2,104 SOURCES are missing the identity data I had affixed to them in the Ancestry Tree which would entail ‘linking to existing Media’ for each Source I have in file!

    I was advised that modifications to the GEDCOM would be made to permit retaining the MEDIA, PLACES and SOURCES intact when the GEDCOM is finalized. I do hope this is the case, since my experiences with the present GEDCOM features leave much to be desired insofar as using it to set up my elected genealogy program. Present GEDCOM features, without massive changes, do not appear to allow continued use of a workable FTM if we intend to retain that program beyond 31 Dec 2016, nor does it appear to permit a workable non-FTM program either.

    Perhaps I’m being premature and pessimistic, but if it isn’t broke, why are the changes in the offing?

    A Concerned FTM user

  7209. Joanna Harrington

    I’ve been an Ancestry subscriber for more than 10 years but will be ending my subscription. I find the current family tree awkward and annoying and I have NO intention of having the family tree I’ve worked on for years become only accessible via a paid online service.

  7210. Linda

    Since your announcement that you were discontinuing FTM, I get nauseated every time I see a commercial for Ancestry.com. You make it sound like you are there for the people, when it all comes down to lining your pockets with the money of hard working patrons. I know you have made thousands off me for many, many years. I thought I was making an investment not only in my family history, but also an investment to provide Ancestry.com to continue to bring documents to the masses. Instead you have taken my family photos, that you would otherwise not had the means to get and all the data of my life long research and continue to use that to line the pockets of your executives. With the Freedom of Information Act, I have other means to gather data and you are leaving the market wide open for another company to step in and take over where you failed. For a company that started out to help the masses you fell prey to the almighty dollar and lost the focus the company had when they started out, and all I can say is SHAME ON YOU! This will be my last visit to your website. It’s now time for me to find an alternative even if it means spending hours in dusty basements searching through documents.

  7211. Robert B

    I am extremely disappointed in your decision to discontinue FTM. Since I use FTM to store volumes of information on my computer collected over many years not disseminated through the online version, it pretty much makes all that work worthless if there is no way to maintain it and update it. It makes no sense to continue to make information available online if there is no way to link or sync that data with my records. I have no desire to move all my data to the web or to the cloud. Unless there is a way to continue maintenance of my data on my PC, I suspect this may be the end to my research. I will be looking for alternative software and I will be cancelling my membership as well.

  7212. Michael Skidmore

    If the powers that be do not reverse their decision, maybe its time to cancel my subscription !!!!!!. Thanks for nothing.

  7213. Judy

    When I see the ads I also get upset. Seeing the ‘new’ DNA from another company is even worse. They fail to say that ‘123’ DNA costs $199!! I am waiting for one DNA to come back then I will canx. My subscription expires in Feb.

  7214. Patricia

    l think I have been ripped off. FTM does not like Windows 10. My FTM crashed, and per your advice I had to repurchase FTM. I still do not have my media back. Very disappointed. Now I have new and soon obsolete software. What a lousy way to do business.

  7215. Tracy

    What a crappy decision. Your web and ios based programs don’t even come close to the Family Tree Maker software. This decision is cold and heartless to those who have put years into researching their family trees. If you’re not going to support FTM, at least allow for continued syncing so those of us who want to use a professional program for our family trees can do so instead of using the kiddie version you have on your website.

  7216. kyle

    When will you have answers? Leaving people hanging is the worst roll-out/update since Coke rolled out new coke!!!

  7217. Eric Gagne

    I am extremely unhappy with Ancestry this morning. I just found out that the software I bought only 2 days ago will be discontinued in less than a month.

    I find it completely unacceptable that they would let me pay for a program that you knew you would stop supporting in about one year.

    This is very bad business practice, if I had been warned that the software was going to be discontinued I would not have bought it.

  7218. Gillian

    Are you sure Ancestry is growing and thriving? To add yet more insult to very many injuries, I now have to put up with and advertising banner across the top of my search results. NO, I do not want to try a FREE TREE – I’m already a WORLD subscriber. For Goodness sake, get rid of it, before many other people see it and ask themselves the same question as I did – if Ancestry is doing so well, why target EXISTING subscribers for new business – Ah, is it because you don’t expect many FTM sales this Christmas?

  7219. Judy

    As the blog does not give the option to contact people though I would let you know I assume (we know what that could mean) that you can keep the FTM on your computer and work it the same way. Reports etc. however you won’t be able to sync with Ancestry. It should be like having a 2010 version of a software and it will still function. I have the FTM 2014. What is so wrong is what Ancestry will not allow people to do with it.

  7220. Richard

    So very glad that I have not uploaded my FTM with Ancestry. Also now I am glad that I have waited with the DNA testing. Looks like everyone is going to have to start over looking for information, or doing it the way it used to be done. Hope gas prices stay down. Just wondering, what do Senior Vice Presidents and others do in a company with limited customer base, if most everyone doesn’t renew their subscription. What well Ancestry due with all that information and no one to share it with? Another unhappy customer.

  7221. Pam

    I am in complete agreement with the other that people that have complained about this news! I have been working on FTM since the late 80’s and on Ancestry for the last 15 yrs. Ancestry is making the biggest mistake in the history of their business! Have you ever heard of mass exodus! This is the result that you will have if you continue to follow this path. I can tell you this that I will be looking for a new program and website that will offer user-friendly programming and information! I will spread the word to my follow friends that were in the process of starting their family trees to look elsewhere! I also agree that we should have a refund! An unhappy customer!

  7222. Bruce

    Looking at Ancestry’s long and growing track record of genealogy programs/projects businesses it has started/acquired and then abandoned over time, it would not surprise me if at some point they abandon their Ancestry DNA project (which is only autosomal DNA testing). If you are interested in genealogy DNA testing, take a look at FamilyTree DNA (www.familytreedna.com) which does Y-DNA, mt-DNA and autosomal DNA testing and is a leader, if not the leader, in the genealogy DNA testing field. By the way, according to a phone call I just had with Ancestry, Ancestry used to do Y-DNA and mt-DNA but no longer does that – part of Ancestry’s growing list of abandoned projects.

  7223. Peter

    Interesting blog. There is a unanimous consensus from us customers that cancelling FTM is a really dumb idea. But no one from ancestry has had the courtesy to explain or discuss it with the customers. This is also a really dumb way to run a company. I guess they figure they have a monopoly so their customers just dont matter. WRONG.

  7224. Gillian

    I think it is time someone at Ancestry commented on the “ownership” of the trees and data and refuted – if they can- the claims made on various comments to this Blog that Ancestry is in a position to sell the data in one form or another. Have I been rather naïve? by the way, I presume your have told the reatilers of all sort that FTM is defunct. you’re not going to stand by, are you, whilst people buy the programme in good faith only to find they’ve been sold a pup.

  7225. Kathleen

    In line with many of the above, I will be finding other desktop software, removing my ancestry tree, and discontinuing my long-term relationship as a World member of Ancestry.com. I also detest your new GUI and have only remained because of the ability of FTM so sync data. So much for that.

  7226. Brian Grant

    I only bought FTM a few months ago, along with the guidebook. Now, that money and the time I spent learning the program is wasted. Clearly, Ancestry cannot be trusted, as they did not mention they were thinking of getting rid of a piece of software they were marketing. If their practises are this unscrupulous in relation to software sales, what are they in relation to data protection and security for the online version. I will be looking elsewhere for an online and desktop program. Your competitors will be be pleased by your decision.

  7227. Debbie

    I am real upuset over you retiring family tree maker I also do not like the new ancestry you are offering. To me it is confussing/
    I have been researching my family tree since 1997.
    I am concerning taken my tree down off of ancestry and cancelling my ancestry. If it isn;t broke why try something else. If it wans’t for the us doing the research you won’t have a job.

  7228. Bill Walker

    From a customer loyalty point of view, this is a very poor decision. I predict use Ancestry will decrease substantially. BAD DECISION

  7229. Teresa

    Not good at all. Very dissatisfied with the terrible news. I’ve been a member and a family tree maker customer since its beginning. Please update us with solutions.

  7230. Judith Monte

    We need to know more. It seems that we are losing many services and products. What will be left on Ancestry just searching and DNA? Will we have to remain customers forever in order to have access to our family tree(s)?

  7231. Frances

    I recently purchased Family Tree Maker as a Christmas gift for my sister – how am I going to tell her it will only be useful on Ancestry for ONE YEAR and then it won’t do what it says on the tin ? Would definitely not have purchased FTM if I had known. My own annual subscription to Ancestry will not be renewed.

  7232. Barbara Norvell

    I just upgraded a couple of months ago. Why wasn’t I told then. You did this to me with MyFamily site after years of working with that, now FTM. I have been looking at some of the comments and am wondering if the desktop version will continue to work, just not sync, etc. CAN WE STILL USE OUR FTM in other words, without support, without sync, without uploading to Ancestry.com.

  7233. Christine Conway

    Stopping Family Tree Maker is terrible news. I like to have my PC files updated in FTM sync. What are we supposed to do now with an obsolete prgramme which I only purchased last year. Can I have my money back? I cannot believe that you are going to discontinue supporting Family Tree Maker.

  7234. Isabelle

    It looks like Ancestry should have asked FTM users what we thought before making a decision to discontinue FTM. I already have another desktop software that I like (and the basic version is free) and will be moving my information over to it. I’ve used FTM almost since it came out, I think I started with version 3, I’ve always recommended it when asked what software to buy. I too will be removing my trees from ancestry as soon as I can. Does anyone other that Ancestry think this is a good idea?

  7235. Jairo

    Unacceptable. Enough concessions. Let’s show the power of consumers. There are plenty of good options to spend our money. This is NOT charity… and it is not cheap.

  7236. Mary R.

    @spektazmocha and others who gave their DNA: Copy quickly: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-21/google-s-calico-to-scour-ancestry-com-data-for-longevity-genes.
    July 21, 2015. by Caroline Chen. “Google Inc.’s Calico, a biotechnology firm created by the search-engine giant to study aging and related diseases, will delve into the genetic database amassed by a unit ofAncestry.com LLC to look for hereditary influences on longevity. AncestryDNA, a division of the Provo, Utah-based genealogy company, has gathered more than 1 million DNA samples from the $99 testing kits it sells to consumers to help map their family history. Beside the genetic information, Calico will have access to tens of millions of public family trees created by consumers, which include birth and death dates, relationships, and geographical locations.
    “Now that we’ve got 1 million samples, there’s enough statistical power in the dataset to elucidate drug targets,” said Ken Chahine, Ancestry’s executive vice president and head of DNA and health. “If you aggregate a set of individuals who had long-lived families and we have their genetic information as well, that’s a way to start making hypotheses about the heritability of longevity.”

    Health companies are mining the growing amounts of digital information on people’s genetic codes to hunt for clues about how diseases develop — and how they might be cured or prevented. Databases are growing as costs fall as low as $1,000 to sequence a whole genome, while selective genotyping is even cheaper. Closely-held Ancestry.com reported $619.5 million in revenue last year. Chahine wasn’t able to say how much the DNA kit sales contributed to revenue. The companies declined to disclose the financial terms of the deal…etc., etc.”

  7237. .Alan

    True, FTM is on sale for another 2 weeks but I see it is available on websites with no warning that it will be obsolete. Doubt Ancestry can tell retailers what to put on their site but have they tried? I would not like to purchase software and then find out that it is virtually obsolete.

  7238. Charles B. Lee Jr.

    If Ancestry continues their current plan to discontinue FTM, they will never see another penny from me. The only thing their web site is good for is records…most of these can be found for FREE on FamilySearch.org. So without the online functionality of FTM, what good is Ancestry.com? Exactly…it’s absolutely worthless. I will be blocking all Ancestry domains in the Windows HOSTS file (Google it) so not even their advertisements make a penny off me. This is not the first but it WILL be the last time Ancestry screws me over as a paying customer.

    I advise everyone else do the same.

  7239. Bruce

    I am currently looking at the combination of MyHertiage and Family Historian. Haven’t made a choice yet and will continue looking. When I decide I will drop Ancestry.com and delete my family tree data it’s site.

  7240. Charles B. Lee Jr.

    For those looking for alternatives & spelling it out for the imbeciles at Ancestry…

    Records — FamilySearch.org is FREE

    Software & Service — RootsMagic is cheaper the Ancestry

    Ancestry — Worthless once FTM’s functionality is gone

  7241. Stacye Mehard

    I felt betrayed when Ancestry ended MyFamily.com, having been an original member of that site and having put several hundred hours of work in to that site and having lost all that work and now to lose FTM. Loosing confidence in your integrity Ancestry. What gives? Getting too big for your britches ???

  7242. Bruce

    One other item. I’d like to see Ancestry’s bottom line next year. If you extrapolate the number of people in this blog who are dropping Ancestry to Ancestries total population, there will be hundred of thousands gone. Big impact on the bottom line.

  7243. AndreaJ

    I suffered a great loss this year. My house burned down, I lost 3 computers & an external hard drive! My daughter made fun of me for having soooooo many back ups! Well, because I use a different pass word for everything all of which were on my old computer that never went on line & had a print out in a loose leaf that burned up, not only was Ancestry & Microsoft Corp not helpful, I had one executive laugh at me over the phone! 🙁 I only want what I paid for & could no longer use! My husband buys me Ancestry for Christmas each year. I told him not to this year. I feel they all are unfeeling money grabbers! This FTM is a prime example to everyone else! I did thank the last rep that helped me extend my Ancestry membership 3 months! So, 8.5 years of my life shot!!!!!

  7244. Bev T

    Ancestry and FTM are like “peas & carrots”. This was NOT a good long range business decision. I would ask the decision makers to rethink their decision. I for one have put thousands of dollars into FTM/Ancestry. Has anyone at Ancestry responded to the comments?

  7245. Simon

    Already cancelled my Ancestry membership and Christmas is a good time to replace the desktop software! How can you trust a firm who promote a product in the knowledge that it will soon be redundant.

  7246. James Usmar

    Retiring FTM is clearly an awful position to take.
    Well, conservatively if just the tens of thousands who have actively bothered to blogged, posted, and commented on this stop paying subscriptions and for new FTM software licenses, then Ancestry are now about to lose £/$ millions upon millions every year!
    I wonder what that does for their financial position and that $1billion of debt they have and the relations with Permira and Spectrum Equity?
    … Ancestry Financial Results: http://ir.ancestry.com/

    Dear Ancestry,
    Did you actually mean just before Christmas, to tell us that all of the great FTM features and functions are being woven into a new app available from the Microsoft, Google and Apple apps stores that will also work off line?
    That would be an interesting Christmas present, I might even buy it. I’ll beta test for you.

    Merry Christmas, and do have a very happy and prosperous New Year!

  7247. Thom

    Great business model:
    – usury pricing
    – coercive data rights
    – non-responsiveness to customers
    – cancelation of product without an acceptable alternative for users
    As I have done with Microsoft, Adobe, ArcSoft and others with a similar business behavior, I will abandon you as have me and find an alternative means to meet my needs and to preserve the records of 40 years of genealogical research.
    Bye!

  7248. Robert

    Ancestery I think your silence and lack of engagement in this regard is pathetic.

    I wrote a post on friday where I said if things are not corrected shortly on your end it will be too late, people are now openly talking about sabotaging their trees when the leave.
    At my guess the latest you have is until monday afternoon to fix this for your sake as we all seem to have made up our mind. FTM is what your customers want but obviously you cant see it.

    If you want to save your business and retain your loyal customers the following is the least I would expect and possibly consider in keeping my business with you:

    1. Reverse your decision to retiar FTM.
    2. reduced rates for further updates of FTM for long time users.
    2. give every one of your members a 1 month unlimited access to all your records.
    3. become more engaging with customers we are here to help you make a better product .
    4. commit to securing all data forever including DNA if users choice to publish it in the cloud free of charge.
    5. if you use data from someones tree let them know and give them a downloadable record credit for each unique record they upload that some one else uses.
    5. Public apology

    This is the least of what i would consider for me to keep my business with you.

  7249. As an extensive user of Family Tree Maker since circa 1997, I am extremely disappointed that the software will be discontinued by Ancestry.

    As genealogy is your business, what is baffling is the seeming lack of understanding about some of the most common use cases of Family Tree Maker. The notion that the Ancestry website can be used as the sole substitute seems to demonstrate a lack of not only knowing your clients, but advanced genealogical research, as well.

    The Ancestry website may be suitable for novice and beginning users, but it is grossly lacking for advanced and experienced researchers. There are numerous examples of missing or lacking website features that I could enumerate, but I will keep it simple with just two: NOTES and REPORTS. These are two features of Family Tree Maker that I use religiously, intertwined together, and neither are available on the Ancestry website. The lack of both intertwined is a total “show stopper” for me.

    NOTES: Every single one of the 9,800 individuals in my Family Tree Maker database contains extensive Notes. These Notes are the entire basis of my research, and include background on how decisions were determined, transcriptions of all records, documents, newspaper articles, etc.

    REPORTS: I regularly use the Reports feature to create PDFs which include those Notes, as they provide a cohesive narrative. This might be to share with others, as well as to examine the status of my research, identify branches to look at further, etc. In fact, I have so many Notes that certain Descendant Reports are hundreds of pages long.

    In previous dialogue with Ancestry, I have commented and suggested about the lack of (public!) Notes integration between Family Tree Maker and Ancestry. The response and recommended alternative was to use the Stories feature of the website. But this directly ties into the lack of a Report feature. Even if a Reports feature was added to the website, would it treat and include Stories as Notes are with Family Tree Maker?

    Given the announcement, I will obviously begin to explore all possible other software alternatives. Obviously, it appears my paid Ancestry subscription will be ended by no choice of mine. While my Family Tree Maker database is linked to nearly 25,000 source records on Ancestry, the most important part of my research is, quite simply, my notes. So I am more than willing to sever that record linkage to Ancestry, if necessary, and it will not matter which paid source I view and transcribe records from, etc.

    The original announcement, and the subsequent clarification, both make mention to potential future website features coming, which are a long way off. This announcement was obviously not well thought out, and was done prematurely, before any clear answers and resolutions were even determined. Unfortunately, this announcement serves as an example of how not to handle corporate public relations for the textbooks.

    Timothy J. Barron
    tim@timbarron.net
    http://timbarron.net

  7250. Linda

    So many good comments, we need a movement, we have the numbers, lets set an official date for us all to cancel, lets hit them where they hurt and we all know its the pocketbook.
    Please stand behind our comments and take a stand, we built this company and we can impact them…….Who is on board, stand up and be counted. Idle threats and whining are not sending any real message. Is anybody on board?

  7251. Florence R

    This is appalling! Have been using FTM since it’s introduction. Never considered using any other software. I do not have internet service at home, so uploading to the cloud does not work for me! Have been a member of Ancestry for many years and will be dropping my membership when it runs out! Good luck to the people who made the decision to discontinue FTM. Remember anyone and anything can and will be replaced!

  7252. Peter Dawson

    They were happily selling the software a week ago but now say they will not support it in the future. The timing is very suspicious. Just before Christmas when people are busy on other things and the manipulation of dates is cynical. They say they will support FTM until 1st January 2017 so it sounds like another two years but it is not. By making the announcement in Dec 2015 (not in 2016) and then generously taking it ONE DAY into 2017 it looks like two years when in fact it is only just over a year. A typical example of a corporate outlook that cares absolutely nothing about customer goodwill. They always say bury bad news at a busy time!

  7253. Ed

    What a terrible decision. For many years I have valued this product and don’t know now what I will do. Thanks for nothing…

  7254. Peter Dawson

    I doesn’t take a genius to see what Ancestry are going to do. YOU have supplied them with the end results of YOUR hard work and research and once all YOUR data is only available on Ancestry via the cloud they will jack up their subscription fees and you will have no choice but to pay up to maintain YOUR OWN data. I challenge Ancestry to say this is not true by making an unambiguous statement that they will not increase annual subscription rates above British rates of inflation for the next twenty years. I bet they won’t.

  7255. Ed Jenest

    The day you stop supporting FTM is the day I will cancel my Ancestry Subscription. I’ve spent some serious amount of money with you for years and years. Get serious folks, this is a bad decision.

  7256. Carol

    I, like many others before me, am very disappointed and distressed by your announcement. The glaring omission in your e-mail is how we go forward. There are reports and tools in FTM that I use on a regular basis that I don’t find on Ancestry. I wondered if those reports and tools might be on Ancestry and I just didn’t know where to find them. So, yesterday I went to look. All I found were things relating to FTM. While it is easy to find information on Ancestry, it is FTM that makes it easy to work with that information. And the ability to sync means I don’t have to enter everything twice. If you were to make every tool and report that is currently in FTM available on Ancestry, I don’t think you would have a problem. But you didn’t say that or anything like that. You’ve left us all mumbling deleted expletives. I can’t help but think you have just shot yourself in the foot.

  7257. Phillip Dauben

    This is crazy. First my yDNA is no longer supported and now my Family Tree Maker isn’t supported. Someone is trying to run this company into the ground and run all of the customers off. I’m sick of this.

  7258. Mary R.

    @Charlotte Huggins, I can’t imagine how you’ll find this, but if you do, know there’s a YouTube video explaining how you can download your Tree as a GEDCOM to your own computer’s hard drive from Ancestry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWm5E-ShvVA

    It’s very simple and your Tree will still stay intact on Ancestry until you yourself choose to delete it. You’ve got only two days to save your tree to your hard drive before the New format wreaks havoc on it!

    Being thus emboldened, in the future, you’ll have no problem “downloading it” (moving it just as easily) to a good site like Legacy Family Tree quickly and for free.

    @Tim and Others who suggest a Class Action suit: In the same Terms & Conditions based on your using the site, you agreed not to sue for ANY reason (they’re all listed) and – in bold print – you especially agreed not to sue with any other person.

    Re: Us not deleting our trees because, Yes, Ancestry has copied all the information anyway: People buying DNA kits have been led to believe they’ll find instant families and full family trees. If trees are gone, they’ll find only phantom hints and error messages.

  7259. Cheryl Moran

    I am begging you to reconsider this decision. This is one of the reasons I joined Ancestry. I use FTM for the benefits of all the reports and share with my family. I also like the idea of having my trees synced and having a program on my computer in case I die my children would have access to it immediately (not knowing passwords or if I have paid to you). I assumed that since you offered this concept you would continue to support it. I am begging you as are many others to not do this.. I always assumed that this company had the interests of its consumers… Please reverse this decision!!!!

  7260. Bob

    Not a well thought out decision. Screw your faithful constituency. All about money, right. Adios to my account, you idiots.

  7261. EA

    What a terrible decision I do not want personal family history on the internet or the cloud which is why I use FTM. Come on ancestry don’t do this I have spent years working on my family history so my children can read it privately What a waste of years of work

  7262. DeAnn

    This is a TERRIBLE decision…just like shutting down myfamily.com!! Why on earth would Ancestry do this? After upgrading to a fully paid annual All Access membership just days before this bombshell, I feel like I’ve been cheated! Look at all the customers you have upset by this decision! Somebody needs to take that into consideration. Please reconsider this decision and don’t cancel Family Tree Maker.

  7263. Save: Old Ancestry-com~"Classic"

    Most likely this will get deleted. So, instead of posting the links to avoid the spam filter.

    Search GOOGLE for SAVE FAMILY TREE MAKER, SAVE: Ancestry_com~”Classic, as well as the petitions on care2(dot)com, change(.)org.

    Be sure to help, sign, and post your comments which are not hidden, deleted, or altered. Speak your mind. Leave your mark!

  7264. Mark R

    I have done all of my record keeping and pictures on Family Tree Maker. I hope what you come up with to replace it I can upload all of my work into from FTM. I’ve invested a lot of time and money into my information.

  7265. Stupid Move!!!!! I have been doing genealogy since 1979 and at present have over 30,000 names in family tree maker files with over 25,000 images. I am a Senior Vice President for a major wall street investment firm and discussing this with my investment bankers they question this business decision.
    1. This announcement destroyed much of ancestry’s good will and creditability within the industry. Once you have violated the public trust it is nearly impossible to mend those fences.
    2. Having a computer and a web based product is a sound business decision allowing the firm to well diversified channels of use. In today’s environment of cyber hacking all that could possibly be left of ancestry members data could be the memory of years of work destroyed or stolen by malicious cyber criminals.
    3. Much of my work is done in remote locations that still do not have internet access, which will take me back to pencil and paper days of 40 years ago.
    4. You have said that over the next year you will be working on a method of smooth transition. It is never a good idea to make a major announcement with out having the new product up and running and available for testing. To simply say we are working on it convinces me of your lack of appreciation for the complexity of the decision you have made.
    5. I would highly recommend you create a spin off company of a core group of your present employees to continue supporting Family Tree Maker for the genealogical community. This would make more sense than the total destruction of a wonderful product that has been used for years by the most talented and skilled genealogist.

    How many years has it been since Coke a cola changed their formula and then had to go back to the original? It will be decades that ancestry that ancestry will be talked about in the same light as we remember Coke’s major misstep.

    Hope you sleep well tonight, I won’t.

  7266. Royski

    Are you that much driven by corporate greed. You have a good thing why ruin it with making folks pay more for less. This is what is ruining our corporate greatness, is the need to make change for change sake as long as it is driven by more avenues to make customers pay for less. Lost another customer for sure. The best medicine for all your customers is to abandon you.

  7267. RS

    I am not sure of what all this actually means? Does it mean I wont be able to use FTM on my desktop? Will I lose everything i have spent years working on? My tree is not on Ancestry just my desk top. What do I do now? So upset.

  7268. Royski

    Forgot the most important comment… I bet the corporate officers “WON’T” show this whole scenario and all the comments to the stock holders.

  7269. Ian

    Is Ancestry getting nervous? My last comment was approved (having passed Captcha) but not published even though it was sometime ago.

  7270. Dan

    I know that many of you are planning to find other Genealogy sites as I am. Just a reminder that Ancestry.com has a television show called “Who Do You Think You Are?”. If you want to hit them where it will hurt, find out who sponsors that show (other than Ancestry of course) and send them letters, emails, etc. letting them know in no uncertain terms that you will boycott all of their products until the refuse to do anymore advertising on that show until Ancestry decides to honor the commitment it made to all of us who use FTM.

  7271. Lori

    This is truly a terrible decision which needs to be reconsidered now! I will not be renewing my ancestry subscrition without having the convenience of syncing trees and FTM generally.

  7272. Jim Dunn

    It appears from the blog comments that a lot of FTM users are confused about what is happening. FTM is software owned by the individual. It is not an online product and Ancestry will not have access to the names in FTM. FTM will still work after Jan, 2017 but there won’t be any link or merging of data online (No feathers!). It would be logical and appropriate in any business for the company to respond to the complaints heard here. It is surprising that Ancestry.com is so quite when there are answers to a lot of the complaints. Shoddy businessmen run the company apparently. That is a good reason for all FTM owners to leave Ancestry as soon as possible. They are NOT on our side and are just as likely to change their site on a whim without thinking it through, as they have just done with FTM and as they did with the ridiculous rearrangement of the web site. Obviously, there are people managing the business who have no business managing a business. We, along with thousands of others, will not be renewing Ancestry.

  7273. David

    What a stupid decision! That has just lost you thousands of customers immediately. My subscription expires in Feb, 2016 and I was thinking of renewing it but not now. This purely commercial based decision based on greed alone cares not a jot about its loyal customers who have paid them tons of money over the years. I now say to hell with Ancestry, I am taking my family tree and my money elsewhere, thank you very much!.

  7274. Dan

    Leaving Ancestry? Don’t just delete your tree! Ancestry will steal your data.
    Unsync with FTM first. Then make as many nonsense links with unknown peopleand add as many incorrect facts as possible.
    Then cancel your subscription, but leave your tree on Ancestry.
    Ancestry will have difficulty selling your data if it is unreliable!

  7275. John

    Well, the silence from Ancestry in response to this deluge of customer feedback is deafening, isn’t it. I think it tells us all we need to know really. This is the company whose published values statement says, ” we are emotionally connected to our customers” and ” To make decisions we … listen to our customers…” Oh really? Has the cat got the CEO’s tongue or is he simply waiting for his taxi?

  7276. E Scholze

    Have you gone stark raving mad!!?? Ancestry.com will be of very little use to me withoug FTM. It’s time to find a new interest to spend time on and forget my subscription.

  7277. Gareth

    Have been a loyal customer for well over 15 years… I have always resisted the temptation to move across to another provider of data believing the tree sync and associated aspects will be worth it in the end. There is nothing keeping me to Ancestry now and have cancelled my subscription…. congratulations ancestry you are now losing a loyal customer base… you have lost our trust.

  7278. Ann Boudrot

    Is it true that the media links will no longer show up in our copy of FTM once support stops and we will lose them? Not happy with this at all. Guess it is best to go back to paper instead copies of everything. Seems like we are going backwards instead of forward. Not liking this at all.

  7279. Angela

    My feelings on this decision is as all of the previous responses. Bad decision, I do not like working on your web site. So many things I can do on Family tree that I can’t do on Ancestry and don’t like having just your web site. I will have to think long and hard about moving on.

  7280. Alistair

    Dear Kendall Hulet,
    I’m adding my name to the growing list of disappointed customers. I bought FTM this year and have found it to be a very good product, like many users, I especially liked the sync function. With this going, I have no reason to stay an Ancestry subscriber and will almost certainly not renew next summer. For what I need, Find My Past is probably a better site.
    I’ve been trying to understand the decision from a marketing point of view. Every product has a life cycle, and sales of PCs are declining as more people use mobile devices more of the time. I guess you have seen the sales of FTM shrink as a percentage of overall subscribers, so you have decided that you are a service based company, not a software provider and therefore do not need to offer this product anymore. However, to many long term subscribers FTM is more than just a piece of software; it is a tool that allows them to seamlessly connect their research to your website. By making this announcement without offering a viable alternative, you are effectively saying to a core of long term subscribers that you no longer value them.
    Ancestry is a subscription based service and any cable company will tell you that it is harder to get new subscribers and keep them than it is to retain existing ones. Judging by the comments here, you are losing a big chunk of your most valuable customers. I hope you reconsider or offer something to your previously loyal customers that is at least as good as, if not better than FTM before it is too late.

  7281. Michael

    The sync feature between Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker is one of the best tools I have ever had in my genealogy. Removing this access would force me to reevaluate my subscription to the expensive membership to Ancestry. com. Will you be offering something in lieu of that feature? Something to build my database of ancestors with ease, that I may store on my hard drive? I think doing away with this syncing of trees would really hurt Ancestry.com. To have an updated family tree, with all the links, pictures and resources, readily available to share with family members at a given notice, is so powerful in our families history record keeping. To do away with something like this is a blow to the study of genealogy by millions of family researchers.

  7282. John Manutes

    Like most people, I am not happy about your decision. I can only hope now that you give other software companies, like Roots Magic, the ability to sync.

  7283. Roger

    Obviously the software will continue to work after Dec 2015, so I shall continue to use this, but shall delete any on-line tree. However I shall NOT be renewing any subscription as that would be pointless.

  7284. Carrie

    I have already stated my disgust on ancestry’s Facebook account, but i will add it here as well. I have felt for a long time that ancestry has moved away from service to the serious genealogist and is only interested in getting new people and their money. This move has confirmed my suspicions

  7285. Trevor

    So, let’s put some flesh on the bones of this decision i.e. what is its impact to researchers? On December 5, I was casually searching member’s trees based on one of my ancestors and got 31 hits. I just did exactly the same search today (December 12) and got 11. Two-thirds of all the trees that were visible one week ago have either been made private, deleted, or had key information removed (as I’ve heard talk of). TWO THIRDS!!! I can’t help but feel that the usefulness of Ancestry as a web site has just plummeted.

    Come February, it is bye-bye from me!

  7286. Peter

    The original retire email came through on my desktop whilst I was trying to sort out yet another sync error. I have sync problems almost monthly and have now had the second in less than a week. Ancestry support seem incapable of doing anything other than sending an email response incorporating the exact same details that can be read in the help sections.
    I shall,of course, retire my copy of FTM and seek out a new standalone software package. Having only just renewed my worldwide membership I shall,of course, cancel that in January 2017.
    This is probably the kick that I needed to rid myself of the useless sync process anyway. Apart from that FTM is just exactly what we all need but perhaps without Ancestry.

  7287. Sheila

    I was very disappointed to read your email advising you were discontinuing the Family Tree Maker program – especially as I’d only bought the program 4 days prior to you sending the email!! There was no advice on the FTM page that this would be occurring and obviously had I known this was going to happen I wouldn’t have bought the program. Will there be/is there another program that will replace the FTM and if so will there be a discount on the purchase of the new program should I decide to buy it. Also, due to the short timeframe between my purchase and your advice will there be any refund?? Very very disappointed in your decision as there is always a need to have a backup copy of my family tree offline and the obvious ability to produce charts, reports etc of the tree.

  7288. RMau

    If anyone is going to rootstech (http://www.rootstech.org/) in early February out in Utah, one of the most entertaining spots to visit will probably be the Ancestry booth. I’ll bet they get an earful from people attending the conference. And FamilySearch, findmypast and MyHeritage will all be there too, encouraging FTM users to switch.

    I hope Ancestry is offering more complete answers to people’s questions by the time rootstech gets started.

  7289. rp

    Come on people!
    Put your money where your mouth is. Join me and several others who have canceled subscriptions and deleted online trees. Don’t wait ‘until then’. Do it now.
    That’s the only thing that ANCE$TRY is going to notice.

  7290. Ronna

    I think you just shot yourself in the foot with this decision…… please note….. there is absolutely NO positive feedback on this move!

  7291. Terri

    I hope you are understanding all these negative comments from the ACTUAL genealogy community that use your site. You are catering to smartphone and tablet users instead of the folks that truly use your site in full. I hope you reconsider this decision due to the HIGH volume of unhappy responses from your customers. I assume your accountant said “yeah you will lose some customers but you will gain some tablet users”…problem is the folks that are researching genealogy on a smartphone or tablet just want to play around on your site until something else distracts them in like 10 minutes. Guess I will be looking for a new membership and software elsewhere.

  7292. Peter C

    Extremely unwise decision. I have just started evaluating a couple of alternative software packages. Obviously, I will not be renewing my subscription.

  7293. Richard

    Having used FTM for at least 25 years I am appalled at your action. More people than ever are beginning to trace their family history and you do your best to deter them. Shameful

  7294. Gail

    Horrible news. I have used FTM since it came out and I want the reliability of having my info on my own personal computer. How are we to continue? Or do you expect to have ALL data and info on your website? Not good. Please reconsider.

  7295. Derek Butcher

    I only purchased FTM in September after much searching as to which program would serve me best on my Mac to facilitate work on my Ancestry Tree from my home PC. FTM was the best around and the sync facility was the clincher.
    This decision to discontinue FTM is ridiculous and all I can say is Ancestry in finished unless it reverses the decision.
    I also use FMP and I daresay they and other family history sites will be clamouring for ex Ancestry members with special offers of encouragement.
    What a bad decision and why the heck did they not talk with members first. The damage in incredible and leaves Ancestry in the position of being an unreliable and untrustworthy site to use as a Family Tree builder. Totally shocked by this and I am expecting a refund asap. Cost me $NZ90 via the Mac App store, I notice it has been removed already.

  7296. Robert

    Marketing 101! – It’s significantly easier and less costly to look after your existing customers AND TO ASK THEIR VIEWS than it is to secure new customers. Clearly, no one at Ancestry has undertaken a marketing course! Get ready for the mass exodus of extremely loyal customers.

  7297. Vickie

    Your decision not to listen is appalling. I have been offered opportunities to go to My Heritage and RootsMagic. Unfortunately my subscription just renewed for 6 months and I have 2 DNA kits for Christmas to give. The longer you let this go on the more members you are losing and it makes it that much more difficult in our family searches. It has been 4 days since your announcement and I am sure that your yearly subscriptions have dropped much more than we are seeing comments on. I have spent many years recommending and praising your site and now this. An extremely sad day indeed!

  7298. James Jeffreys

    I have used FTM since version 1.01 for DOS, and have upgraded consistently. The ability to search Ancestry.com records from within FTM has been an invaluable tool for me. I do have an account with Ancestry currently, and have synced my tree online. The online interface does not give me the functionality that the desktop software does. I have many alternate facts, and document images (that I scanned myself) as sources. I need to be able to save the alternate facts with the correct sources, and be able to compare them easily in order to make determinations on what the true facts are. The online tree is OK for referencing my information when I am away from my PC, but it does NOT give me the tools that I need to do my research. I do not blindly merge people or records unless I am certain that they are correct and I trust the sources. If tree sync is disabled, I can live without it, but woiuld prefer not to. If access to Ancestry records (census, etc.) from FTM is disabled, then I will quit Ancestry.com, and start to look for some other software. Even if you don’t continue to make changes to FTM, you should consider continuing allowing the current FTM users to have the same access to Ancestry that they currently have. If not, the value of Ancestry.com will be greatly reduced.

  7299. Carolyn

    After reading all the other comments there is nothing I can add except my own disappointment over this situation. I have been a supporter of Ancestry and FTM for many years. But this is the ultimate betrayal of our trust.

  7300. Jeannie Bushnell

    I can’t believe you would think of something like this! Why didn’t you say something sooner?! Before I spent $70.00. Big mistake on your part!

  7301. Stephanie Town

    I cannot understand why Ancestry.com is so shortsighted to decide to stop supporting Family Tree Maker software. This must be a mistake. While I was irritated by the software bugs in FTM 2014, I am completely turned off by the decision to discontinue support for a desktop software genealogy program. Please reconsider this decision.

  7302. Mark

    Some in the preceding 8000+ comments there appeared an interesting idea. If you’re really dissatisfied, update all of the trees that you currently have on ancestry with ones in which you’ve changed all of the data for everyone in the tree to “Private”. Presumably the update will result in your tree no longer being of any value to anyone else on Ancestry. If everyone who is serious about genealogy did that, the value of Ancestry’s data holding would be dramatically reduced. If Ancestry rescinds it decision to withdraw/discontinue FTM, it would be easy, as a quid pro quo, to update the trees again with useful data.

  7303. Devon

    I’ve been looking at reviews and Family Historian looks like pretty good software. I going to try the free trial. It supposedly syncs with MyHeritage.com I’m going to try that too and if I like it I’ll just cancel my Ancestry subscription. I’m really disappointed because I’ve been using FTM or its precursor since 2003. Ancestry.com you can stuff it.

  7304. danrtempleton

    can anyone please tell me a good alt. software I agree with everyone lots of time & money a lot of us do not have internet all the time this sucks

  7305. Marilyn Wil

    As everyone, so disappointed, long time user, sad to see changes in our ability to control our own information. Not a chance they will make it open source. No money in that. Can see law suits coming, they are using our personal information.

  7306. Robert W. Bullen

    I think this is poor move on ancestry.com…. There are going to be more membership’s canceled when you do this… Is there is something else that you can do to keep Family Tree Maker … Ancestry.com has made money on all of it’s user’s per adding family tree information in on FTM and ancestry.com… Like I said It is poor decision on Ancestry Company…

  7307. Susan

    My 3rd comment on this blog. First frustration and anger then asked a question-as yet unanswered. I am in process of doing what many others are doing — getting my family trees OFF Ancestry. I created multiple trees for various branches and relatives. At least two trees were attempts to work out relationships between multiple people — did she really marry her 2nd cousin once removed? Bottom line– trees will be removed from Ancestry by end of December and moved to another software program. I can access Ancestry at local library when I need to.

  7308. Bernie Guenther

    I am relatively new to genealogy and had been contemplating buying FTM and subscribing to Ancestry.com. You’ve made my decision for me. I will not do it. There are competitors, e.g. Legacy, Roots Web , Family Search that I’m sure can fill my needs since they are dedicated to the genealogy community, vs. Ancestry that is driven by outside equity investors, only interested in the bottom line, maximizing profit so they can do an IPO and reap a large profit.

  7309. Judy

    What else can be said that all my peers have failed to say? PLEASE DON’T DO THIS. FTM is the back up for ancestry.com and the REPORTS! We need the reports. We use them together. PLEASE!

  7310. Along with the many, many other Ancestry subscribers and FTM users, I wish to also voice my very deep concern at the decision to discontinue producing and supporting FTM and ask – most sincerely – that you please re-consider.

  7311. Viv

    Blogging (Talk) is cheap, Ancestry are relying on the fact that there will be complaints and after the dust has settled there will be disgruntled acceptance for what they have done. The only way to demonstrate that they need to review their planned retirement of Family Tree Maker (FTM), at least until they have a solution that provides the functionality and features that will be lost when FTM goes is to remove your financial and genealogical support. There are thousands of comments above mine stating their disappointment with the decision to retire FTM, the only comment they raised from Ancestry was a patronising response in another blog. Given Ancestry’s poor history of responding to the customer, everyone should have serious doubts that they will do nothing and you will suffer a substandard system.

    I am going to contact all my fellow FTM users and encourage them as I do YOU to take the actions below.

    1. Copy and paste the above on the Ancestry blog, Ancestry message board, Facebook, twitter etc.

    2. Un-sync and delete my tree from Ancestry. (for some this may require exporting their tree to a GEDCOM file and importing it to a free trial version of other software, e.g. Legacy Family Tree, http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/)

    3. Cancel my subscription. (for others remove credit card authorisation and just let it expire)

    4. Evaluate and select software to replace FTM. (Legacy Family Tree come a close second to FTM)

    5. If I need to use Ancestry database resources, go to my local library use it there. (it’s a day out).

  7312. Paula

    To me, having the connection between ancestry and FTM has been the best thing ever. I switched from my other desktop software program to FTM because of this huge benefit. Now ancestry is taking this away after preaching the benefits of FTM/desktop-based software all this time? Seriously makes me want to stop supporting ancestry. What is this really about? I am baffled and totally disappointed….and I just bought an ancestry dna kit. Unbelieveable!

  7313. Dianna/Holly

    Look what I got in my mail from S&N Genealogy Supplies. They are already stealing your business. Will be nothing left and still you refuse to make the software program. This is what S&N SAID:

    Thinking of changing from Family Tree Maker/Ancestry?
    We have been inundated with emails from users of the Family Tree Maker software who are looking for a new program. We understand that changing programs can seem unsettling, and we’re here to offer help and advice on a new program for you.

    Can I import my data from Family Tree Maker into another program?
    Yes! You can import your data into any other family tree building software program using a GEDCOM file. You can export a GEDCOM file from both Family Tree Maker and the Ancestry website, and this can then be imported into the program.

    Which program should I choose?
    We have a wide range of software available. Our most popular package is RootsMagic, which is easy to learn and use and has powerful charting capabilities, suitable for both beginners and experts alike.
    In the UK you can choose TreeView, RootsMagic and Family Historian.

    I am sure that the USA companies are out getting customers now as well. I loved this site but you are gonna have nothing left…why don’t you change your mind….what more do you need?

  7314. rob

    I posted this on ‘the other’ blog (they should consolidate these):
    You know, people… after reading pages and pages of comments (here, in several blogs and forum pages, and on many other websites), it is apparent that Ancestry has completely miffed off maybe 10,000 customers. We can all leave, drop our subscriptions, go our merry way… and nothing will have affected the corporate giant in the big picture. This will just be a blip in Ancestry’s financial spreadsheet.
    Marketed as “entertainment” (vs. real Genealogy), they have millions of paying fool customers. We 10,000 who care about the research and data don’t really matter.
    I’m going to quit crying and move on. See ‘ya, Ancestry. Enjoy.

  7315. Ava

    Since ancestry changed its format, making it harder to explore, I rely on FTM and the synch option. I also use the shoebox app on my phone, which also gets synchronized. This is very, very unfortunate. If ancestry is planning to synch with another program, it will be a complete waste of time. I will also stop my ancestry subscription, as I visit the genealogy library on a regular basis.

  7316. I started out with FTM Ver.4.0 many years ago and got fed up paying for an annual upgrade.
    I moved to Legacy Family Tree in the early 2000’s and can testify that it is an excellent desktop application (without the annual fee grab – they incrementally upgrade at no cost & only charge for a new version when a major upgrade is made).

    Try their free version for starters.
    http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/

  7317. Nancy Iacobelli

    This is terrible. I have been a customer for 17 years and have invested so much time in my trees. Please don’t do this or give us more time to find alternatives.

  7318. Jeff Smith

    Mr. Kendall Hulet…you’re fired. In reading the posts before this, you already knew your web-based software couldn’t perform like the desktop software, but you elected to discontinue the service with no strategy to support customers from here to there. A company that valued its customers, how needed to move customers to another software type, would have identified each inferior issue, designed and tested a suitable alternative, validated it worked, before executing such an incompetent stunt. So here’s my reply”

    Your transaction confirmation number is 138305267
    World Explorer Membership
    Expiration Date – August 13, 2016
    Refund Amount $0.00
    Your subscription has been canceled successfully.

  7319. Jon Brooks

    Absolutely gutted about this and disgusted with Ancestry.com. This is a cynical betrayal of their customers and whoever came up with the idea of dropping FTM is a cretin!

  7320. John Foster

    Hulet, To quote the famous line in the movie “The Rainmaker”, You Must Be Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.
    But you do have a chance of redeeming yourself. Just
    reverse the decision and return to a desktop based, and stored basis.

  7321. Jan

    Statement by Hulet about listening to the Ancestry community – let’s see if he is really committed. Check this out – Ancestry Blunder from 2007- http://globalgenealogy.com/globalgazette/gazed/gazed146.htm

    Ancestry.com Blunder Becomes PR Nightmare
    Posted: 01 September 2007
    By: Rick Roberts, Biography & Archived Articles

    Ancestry’s response to this week’s PR nightmare

    The following statement was issued today by Kendall Hulet, a product manager at Ancestry.com, in response to the controversial Internet Biographical Collection Ancestry published this week:
    Hi, my name is Kendall Hulet, and I’m a product manager at Ancestry.com. I’ve probably met a lot of you at FGS, NGS, and other conferences. If not, I look forward to meeting you in the future.

    I wanted to write you a note because I’m extremely concerned about the frustrations that the recently-removed Internet Biographical Collection has caused. We had hoped to provide a way for you to be able to search the entire web easily for genealogically-relevant pages and provide for preservation of sources for future generations. In looking back, we understand why members of the community are upset.

    We’ve heard you loud and clear, and we’ve removed this product with no intention of re-releasing it. Instead, it is my hope that someday we’ll be able to provide a free web search engine that links directly back to the live web pages, and can become a useful tool to the genealogical community. If we do move forward with this type of initiative, we will seek your input and talk more with community leaders to make sure we get it right.

  7322. Noel

    Ancestry to Retire Family Tree Maker.
    Sir I wish to protest most Vigorously at your company’s decision to retire FTM, I have in the past upgraded my (PC) version of your software, going to the extent of Purchasing the instruction books which greatly helped in my understanding of the software’s operation, (AT CONSIDERABLE COST, BEING A PENSIONER).
    Now because of my age I find I have to come to terms with a new Genealogy Programme, which I suggest will become more difficult as time goes on, while at least now at the moment I am aware of how your programme works, But my reasoning is “It is better to launch into a New Software package now” than wait until a few more years have taken the toll on my reasoning and understanding to be able to learn new software intricacies.

    Your company’s decision is deplorable, and without consideration of any of your Loyal users who have supported you & Your company’s products over many years!
    Those who have possibly, uploaded their families Genealogy data to Ancestry are included in this e-mail, (That I Know Of) As I am sure they will have considerable problems in converting their data to GEDCOM data files which they will have to try and relearn a new software package.
    And then Converging the GEDCOM file into a new software package.

    We the users who have invested ‘Many Dollars’ as well “Considerable time” have into our families histories have been treated shabbily in this matter, and request your company reverses this total inappropriate decision!!!!!
    Let’s see if we can reverse their short sighted decision, as far as we the users are concerned
    To register your Disapproval, please e-mail and all of your friends, Who Use FTM, and ask them to register their protest.
    The e-mail address at Ancestry is, tsullivan@ancestry.com
    Even though they say they will be supporting their software until 2017.

    Folks to see more detail on this subject Go to:
    https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2015/12/8
    Ancestry-to-retire-family-tree-software.

  7323. Robert

    @jan How things change, no REAL engagement on this and the second blog, or twitter and facebook no engagement but he will re tweet about doritos and peasants in 1400’s . ” talking more with community leaders to make sure we get it right. ” ahh fail.

  7324. Paul Doughty

    My partner, who is a subscriber to FTM, mentioned that she had heard about this decision. Finding this news myself has not been easy. In addition Ancestry is STILL advertising the FTM 2014 software on its site and Amazon is still selling it as an on-going product. Perhaps this is a good business decision but the way it has been communicated and executed is very poor. We haven’t decided on a way forward at the moment but aren’t rushing to subscribe to Ancestry based on this experience.

  7325. Dianna/Holly

    I don’t use apps…I have a regular old fashioned cellphone. Even if I was Rich…I wouldn’t use anything else….except my computer. I don’t even use the Cloud because that seems pretty scary to me to have Microsoft have access to all my information…it would know everything and that’s almost Big Brother to me. lol I don’t think that Ancestry is going to change it’s mind for a few old fashion people as they have Millions of subscribers. The voices of 8500 people doesn’t add up to anything.

  7326. Richard

    I saw on the Ancestry website they are still actively selling FTM. Dishonest or what! I also noticed they were offering a service to get UK birth, marriage and death certificates for £22.99 each. You can order them direct from the General Registry Office for £9.25 each. More rip off!
    I have been researching for years with Ancestry, but now researching other software and will be gone before my current membership runs our. I have sent this information to all the people I have helped with their trees over the years so the word will spread. They have not caught onto the fact that only a small percentage of people will post hear. Most will just vote with their feet. I see people are starting to share their thoughts on other software options. Suggest we all do that.

  7327. misterc6

    Your transaction confirmation number is 129508974

    Worldwide membership

    Expiration Date – 12 January 2016

    Refund Amount £0.00

    Your subscription has been cancelled successfully.

    Quite a sad day really. I’ve removed my trees from Ancestry and downloaded and removed my DNA raw data.

    I’m ashamed that I signed up to Ancestry without realising the full implications of their Ts and Cs. I regard the fact that they can still do what they like in perpetuity with the personal data that I provided as highly immoral. I wonder if anyone has the expertise to bring a class action against them.

  7328. Jeff

    Perhaps this is a good thing as I haven’t been particularly happy with FTM 2014 as information I entered seems to be missing in action, or maybe it is just hard to find, unlike earlier versions. RootsMagic is offering a discount for FTM users to change and I will probably take up the offer UNLESS Ancestry quickly advises that they are offering a better product than FTM. If they aren’t then they should allow other software to sync with Ancestry.

  7329. Mike Jennings

    This really is a disastrous development. Earlier in the year I considered moving my tree to Find my Past (FMP) the one thing that prevented my doing so was the sync facility with FTM. Please reconsider, I have recommended Ancestry?FTM to a number of friends who are now upset with this decision.

  7330. Kristen

    After being more than miffed about losing a great research tool; FTM will be soon obsolete without upgrades as operating systems move forward, I began to think about what is going on here. This company is fast heading down the path of genetic research, a respectable goal if taken by itself but they are using the “hobby” of genealogy and DNA to get there. They are just not upfront in what they are doing. Very small print that probably no one reads. They are not the least interested in you learning about your family and where you come from — the are interested in Ancestry learning about your family and where you come from. Combined with your DNA, this is GOLD for their genetic research. They just do not make clear what their purpose is. If any other company was gathering this type of information on this many individuals, it would likely be illegal. At least (finally) members are beginning to scour the internet for business articles about what they are up to. Are you worried about being hacked if you are in their cloud? Well, wake up, Ancestry has already hacked you. They have enticed their customers to provide them with everything about themselves and their families (for generations) that they can possibly glean from any records they can find. We have given them information about births, deaths (and likely causes thereof), addresses, occupations (and by naming the occupations, any known associated hazards). They have this information for every family member you can find for generations back. They have managed to do all of this, and have you do all the work, and pay them for the privilege. The only way this really works is if you put all this information on line, where they will own every piece of information you so willingly provide. They sell it to others, just like any company that makes it’s money marketing your data, habits, etc. I’m sure that brings in a small chunk of change but the GOLD is in all the genetic research. We have provided not only DNA but every known aspect of our families lives we can tease out of records. Stories we create about families along with provided facts, just add more to their lifestyles that make the DNA more valuable. You are sitting out there fascinated about discovering your family and Ancestry is laughing all the way to the bank, delighted the genetic researchers will have more information. FTM must, of course, go. It is the only tool that prevents them from accessing your data, should you be wise and not sync the data online. My guess is they know exactly how many copies of FTM they have sold where people do not put their data online. They likely calculate they will entice part of these into putting their information on line, and the remainder are expendable. It’s beginning to seem as if there is something highly unethical and frankly sinister about what they are doing. If your data is incorrect, don’t worry. I am certain you have convinced other family members to get on board, and they will be able to trace one who does better research than you do. All the unsuspecting nubies will be starting out on line, not really realizing that they are giving Ancestry complete ownership of every piece of information they put on line. Should they stop paying, they lose all access to their work. Currently, it can’t even be printed, so they won’t even have a copy. My advice is not just to drop your membership, RUN AWAY. Articles state they are currently studying DNA and all your Ancestry files for things such as longevity. What’s next? Cloning may be illegal (for now) in the US but for how long? We are providing them with sufficient data to eventually genetically engineer any type of person they desire. Everyone needs to give some thought about what they are paying to provide this company. Frankly, all the virus/computer protection software should sound a huge warning: UNSAFE SITE, when you go on line with this company. The only serious research they are interested in is what you provide to them that they can provide to genetic researchers. WAKE UP.

  7331. David Taylor

    Kristen’s comments are right on target. I am not renewing my subscription when it ends this month and I am definitely not paying you to provide you with a detailed DNA analysis. I am writing to my MP to ask him to support an inquiry into the control of sensitive personal information by private entities.

  7332. Graeme Rodgers

    Wondering how many of our posts are now getting through. One that I sent previously, didn’t make it.

  7333. Jan

    @Kristen. Oh my goodness! You have just articulated exactly where my thoughts have ended up. I have posted previously in much the same manner as the majority of other posts and also been following both blogs in the hope of getting a better understanding of what this is really all about. and the best way to move forwards.

    I am counting my blessings that I haven’t done the DNA test (despite being sorely tempted). Somehow I sensed the potential for serious misuse. I have been trying to tell myself not to allow my mind to run away with me but your post could have come straight from my own thought processes.

    I hope we are wrong. but Ancestry’s silence despite this deluge of response from it’s members and the potential impact this is going to have on their future membership suggests that they have an agenda far more complex than we are privy to.

    Is anyone else having difficulty posting? I have made seven attempts in the past two days to answer someone’s question and my posts are being moderated but not appearing or they are going into their spam filter. I have had to use a friend’s e mail address (with there consent) to post this message. How many other posts are being blocked.. I wonder?

    I am already in the process of leaving Ancestry. My trees have always been private but they are now unsearchable. The lights (shaky leaves) are going out on Ancestry. When my membership expires in February 2016 I will delete them for what it’s worth. The thought of sabotaging them is hard but if I have to I will, Can’t help but feel Ancestry are probably one step ahead of us in this regard as well though. If the agenda Kristen proposes is valid then I guess a massive backup will already have been done at Ancestry prior to announcing the retirement of FTM.

    Interestingly the message that I was trying to post was an answer to how you can export your trees with all the media records etc. as well to another site or software. You can’t do it from Ancestry. It is essential that you link and synch your tree to FTM. From FTM you can then export your tree. The instructions of how to do this are on the Help pages of FTM. For anyone in the UK who still has access to the Old Ancestry, it might be safer to do this before the switch over to the New Ancestry on 14 Dec 2015. In my experience there are errors and missing media appearing on my tree in the New format and I do not want them to transfer to my FTM tree.

    Good luck everyone and thank you for what has been a wonderful experience of likeminded people worldwide sharing and giving of themselves.

  7334. Lin

    Having just upgraded to FTM 2014 I am more than a little miffed at this decision. As of today my tree has gone from your website and have downloaded RM.

  7335. Lin

    Having recently upgraded to FTM 2014 am more than a bit miffed at this decision. As of today my online tree has been removed from your website and have downloaded RM. I shall think long and hard about whether my subscription is renewed when the time comes.

  7336. Jeff Deyo

    I have been unable to sync for about a year and the support team has been unable to repair the problem. Try this, try that, it is a bad file no I have to find the file. It is a source file that is bad, try to open the source file, if it does not open it is bad. WHAT??? First: The source files come from them, why is the source file my problem? Second: I have thousands of source files and they want me try open each individual file. Kristens comments above are well taken and are very much the problem. I wonder if my 33,000 files cannot be sync’d is another way Ancestry is keeping me from having my records at home..?? See other comments about the sync error at: http://ancestryforums.custhelp.com/posts/d406309443
    Also at:
    http://boards.ancestry.com/topics.software.famtreemaker/10975.3/mb.ashx
    Also at:
    https://www.facebook.com/AncestryUS/posts/10152853477776630
    also at:
    http://www.familytreeforum.com/showthread.php/93287-FTM-2012-Sync-giving-error

  7337. Jeff Deyo

    I have been unable to sync for about a year and the support team has been unable to repair the problem. Try this, try that, it is a bad file no I have to find the file. It is a source file that is bad, try to open the source file, if it does not open it is bad. WHAT??? First: The source files come from them, why is the source file my problem? Second: I have thousands of source files and they want me try open each individual file. Kristens comments above are well taken and are very much the problem. I wonder if my 33,000 files cannot be sync’d is another way Ancestry is keeping me from having my records at home..??

  7338. Clover Jackman

    I have been away and just came back to this shocking news! I have been with Ancestry since 2007 and now hold eight different family trees some quite extensive indeed on your system. Will I now lose all this information and hard work? Why on earth are you doing away with Desk Top FTM? I am one of many I am sure who need to use the desk top version with the bigger screen because of eyesight problems. I find your online APP OK but very little use for anything other than looking at it when I am travelling to do further research. The TreeSync is a marvellous facility especially when your computer fails and has to be renewed as happened this year.. Re-loading the trees is so easy with this system. The Online Trees allowing family abroad to view and comment is also really special. I was asked to complete trees for two members of the family who are in really poor health and this move by your organisation will deprive them of being able to be part of their own family history research. YOU MUST RECONSIDER WHAT I AM SURE WILL PROVE TO BE A VERY BAD DECISION ON YOUR PART!

  7339. Jan

    UP.
    @Kristen. Oh my goodness! You have just articulated exactly where my thoughts have ended up. I have posted previously in much the same manner as the majority of other posts and also been following both blogs in the hope of getting a better understanding of what this is really all about and the best way to move forwards.

    I am counting my blessings that I haven’t done the DNA test (despite being sorely tempted). Somehow I sensed the potential for serious misuse. I have been trying to tell myself not to allow my mind to run away with me but your post could have come straight from my own thought processes.

    I hope we are wrong. but Ancestry’s silence despite this deluge of response from its members and the potential impact this is going to have on their future membership suggests that they have an agenda far more complex than we are privy to.

    Is anyone else having difficulty posting? I have made seven attempts in the past two days to answer someone’s question and my posts are being moderated but not appearing or they are going into their spam filter. I have had to use a friend’s e mail address and computer (with there consent) to post this message. How many other posts are being blocked.. I wonder?

    I am already in the process of leaving Ancestry. My trees have always been private but they are now unsearchable. The lights (shaky leaves) are going out on Ancestry. When my membership expires in February 2016 I will delete them for what it’s worth. The thought of sabotaging them is hard but if I have to I will, Can’t help but feel Ancestry are probably one step ahead of us in this regard as well though. If the agenda Kristen proposes is valid then I guess a massive backup will already have been done at Ancestry prior to announcing the retirement of FTM.

    Interestingly the message that I was trying to post was an answer to how you can export your trees with all the media records etc. as well to another site or software. You can’t do it from Ancestry. It is essential that you link and synch your tree to FTM. From FTM you can then export your tree. The instructions of how to do this are on the Help pages of FTM. For anyone in the UK who still has access to the Old Ancestry, it might be safer to do this before the switch over to the New Ancestry on 14 Dec 2015. In my experience there are errors and missing media appearing on my tree in the New format and I do not want them to transfer to my FTM tree.

    Good luck everyone and thank you for what has been a wonderful experience of like minded people worldwide sharing and giving of themselves. I guess there’s always going to be someone or something out there that sees the potential for corrupting goodness into something less wholesome.

  7340. Paul Lea

    Very very wrong decision on your part. Do you realise the hours , days, dare I say it…weeks the people on here spend researching their family tree’s. Its more than a hobby, and your decision to discontinue the link with Family Tree Maker is a poor one, not only from a customer service point of view, but financially. I am sure you will regret this decision, the person responsible will be sacked, but it will be too late by then as we will all be using a different software by then. RECONSIDER PLEASE !!

  7341. Susan Edwards

    I understand now just what is going on with Ancestry and FTM. This is just a business for profit ploy to see how many people are tied into using FTM w/TreeSync. I do not believe they have any intentions on removing this program and will now use the 1000’s of replies begging them not to stop. Just wait and see how your next email will read “Due to the over whelming response we have decided to continue with FTM and TreeSync for the mere increase of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  7342. Keith Timbrook

    I am using ancestry for my family tree, You keep changing everything so much it is not funny !! I will find a way to get my information off of your site, and I do believe you owe me money also !! You need to be STOPPED !!!! 🙁

  7343. Malcolm

    Dear Kendall
    Thought you might like to know that after subscribing to your website for over nine years and purchasing a copy of Family Tree Maker, I have, today deleted my trees from your website and cancelled my subscription with great saddness, as I had hoped to remain with you for as many years as possible, but as I cannot stand the look of the new site and the cancellation of the Family Tree software means I cannot link trees there seems no point in continuing on this site. Should you ever have a change in thought I may rejoin, but from the look of things your members wishes are not worthy of consideration. Thanks for the good years I have had here, shame there won’t be more.

  7344. Swanee Gibson

    There are other alternative’s out there. Ancestry’s is going to lose a lot of its paying customers if it does this, me for one. IF IT’S NOT BROKE DON’T FIX IT,. Ancestry doesn’t seem to get this message.

  7345. Tim

    Many people have expressed that they do not place their tree(s) on the ancestry.com site, preferring to have their tree(s) resident only on their computers within FTM. I wonder, do you suppose that Ancestry has performed metrics and realized that, because there are people who don’t post their tree(s), they are losing that salable tree data? That through the elimination of FTM that it forces people to their site to build their trees? In the world of e-data that is plausible, if not probable.

    Nevertheless, Ancestry’s act of killing FTM pushes their FTM users to other software and forces them to reconsider their Ancestry subscription which influences Ancestry’s financial bottom line.

    Echoing what someone else said, Ancestry could turn our protests into a marketing boon; responding to our distaste for their FTM decision by declaring that FTM is the world’s most desired genealogy software.

    Ancestry, are you listening?

  7346. Josh

    Another strong vote against this. I cannot afford a continuous subscription to Ancestry just to have access to my family tree. I have a large tree created over several years, and don’t need to be a full time suscriber. I want access to my tree on my own computer. I’m sure my version will continue for several years without support, but where does that leave me for handing down my data to my children. Obsolete software with no alternative except an expensive subscription service is a poor option.

  7347. Linda

    What a huge disappointment! I have been using Family Tree Maker since 1989 and have gotten half a dozen family members to use it as well. I have transcribed records for Ancestry, thinking it was a way of giving to the community on Ancestry and making sure we had access, but with no way to tie those records into my own tree, it no longer makes sense. I don’t want all of my records in the cloud, and without software updates, my family tree work will become unusable as soon as Windows does another update. I guess I am back to the pre-digital age…..

  7348. David

    Amazing, truly amazing. Over 8,000 unhappy customers. No response from Ancestry and Hulet still has a job !

    I need FTM; I don’t need Ancestry.

    The online trees are rubbish in comparison to FTM.

    So, all you unhappy people, express your disdain here and then do as I’m doing. Not renewing subscription and removing all my data.

    Anyone at Ancestry listening? I thought not.

    Goodbye….last one out turn off the lights!

  7349. Val Baker

    Disappointed to say the least. The printing facilities you have on you website are not nearly as good as can be done with the software. Also, I have to say, why are you still advertising your software on your website if you intend to stop selling after the end of this year?

  7350. Roy Edwards

    FTM is the only family history software i’ve ever used and have bought around 5 upgrades over the last 15 or so years. I only use Ancestry because of the link to FTM. I will be moving to Find My Past once support stops

  7351. Jan

    This is probably not the place to post this. But I think there are many eyes from my fellow researches so here goes. After looking at my alternatives, does anyone have an opinion as to which would be the best online company for a MAC user to switch to (with reasonings if possible)- MyHeritage or FindMyPast? Also for a MAC user, which software is better? RootsMagic with Bridge (what is this bridge?) or Heredis. If there is a better forum for this – I welcome suggestions. Thanks

  7352. JS

    I agree with most of the disappointment you have caused. I have never uploaded data to you because I DON’T TRUST ANYONE WITH MY PERSONAL INFORMATION. Boy, was I right!
    I have cancelled my Ancestry World subscription and I will NEVER return. I am taking several family genealogists with me.

    I will now reconsider my information on Find A Grave. You may change the rules on this site, TOO!

    Whether we realize it or not, EVERYTHING we post can compromise our personal data and potentially invite identity theft….remember the hints we use on sites we purchase from……

  7353. Leanne

    Looks like Legacy Family Tree software is going to get a LOT of new converts. They don’t seem to have any problems whatsoever supporting a robust, full-featured desktop software. Perhaps you could partner with them so that Legacy users can use the Sync and other useful functions that will be phased out for FTM? Unfortunately, it is only available to Mac or Linux users with newer systems that can run Windows in a sort of shell, and I don’t know how well any integration would work under those circumstances 🙁

  7354. J Carter

    Very disappointed to hear you are discontinuing FTM. I only bought the software last year and am just getting started, so what are we supposed to do now.
    From one very unhappy customer.

  7355. Tim

    The Ancestry web interface is clunky and poorly designed. Using FTM allows me to easily see my tree and navigate around. I’m hoping you reverse this decision to stop supporting FTM.

  7356. Mercats

    Like everyone else, I’m completely dismayed at the news. Having my tree on FTM which I sync online enables me to share the tree with family who are also researching, so we can share our finds and make good use of the hints. I use the app regularly too so this is a great setup for me. I will continue to use FTM and I hope you take everyone’s views into account and at the very least let us continue to sync FTM. If not, then I will delete my online version and seriously think about an alternative provider, which would be a great shame.

  7357. John

    Very unhappy about this announcement but even more so that you give no indication of what will replace FTM and how we will be able to carry on with keeping our records. The App is nowhere near as easy to use as PC based program and has less facilities. How am I supposed to do any printing from my Ipad without buying yet more equipment etc. Very disappointing. I’m irate and upset by the way you have handled this announcement.

  7358. Paul

    The biggest problem I see with this entire mess is that a download of the gedcom file does not include media. So it doesn’t matter what other desktop program you go to because all the media will be gone. It will all have to be found again and linked to your program. FTM (later versions) maintained that info. Ancestry, get on the ball and get the gedcom file updated so that ALL of the information needed gets saved and we can use it in other programs.

  7359. Sheila Geary

    I am very disappointed with the news that Ancestry.com are going to stop supporting Family Tree Maker. I have used this product since the beginning and upgrade every 2 years. I found it much easier to search through my tree using the computer copy and I can also show people my tree when I don’t have internet access. Family Tree Maker is far easier to use in every way – adding in photos, seeing the notes, photos etc. – some photos have not loaded properly on the website. Please reconsider this or allow other companies to take over
    Family Tree Maker and letting it sync with Ancestry.com

  7360. Glen Jones

    I stopped using FTM years ago because it was getting to expensive, Legacy Family Tree is in my opinion better the FTM and works with ancestry just fine and it is also cheaper Family tree Magazine rated it a couple of years ago just as good as FTM.
    Many Genealogical Societies have switched to it and support it.

  7361. Debra

    I have been on the fence regarding my continued subscription with Ancestry.com for a variety of reasons and they have with this latest decision to discontinue FTM, helped me with my decision; I am cancelling my subscription with Ancestry and will find another worthy software program to manage my family tree data. I want total control over my family tree data, not to mention the cost of an Ancestry.com subscription and their desire to become an empire in this industry, acquiring other data gathering sites, etc. Considering what Ancestry.com charges for their subscriptions, I’m sure my cancellation will mean nothing to them anyway, just making a stand for myself.

  7362. Terry

    I’m mortified, have 8,900 people in my family tree, been using Broderbond and it’s re-incarnations since 1989.
    Can I have some positive response as to where I should take my money?

  7363. Janet Smith

    I have been using Family Tree Maker since 1997. I will need something to store my research in on my PC as I validate information that I find. I run reports and use the backup features…I will go somewhere to buy something else…so you will lose that $$ from me. Surely you will rethink this decision after all these Customer responses…You will lose alot of customers…from the sounds of it..

  7364. Judy

    This is terrible! FTM has great reports and charts. Your new layout on Ancestery is hard to read and takes 4 pages to print instead of one on FTM. I use FTM reports to inform my family of their heritage. I have photos on FTM that I don’t want on Ancestry.

  7365. Liz Brash

    Like most others posting on here I have used FTM for many years – I work offline and use FTM for printing and publishing books for the family. Will have to work out what to do now?

  7366. Dean

    Following-up on my comment above. I am very aware that you are making corporate decisions based on future customers, the younger ones that right now only use a phone for computing and presumably will never purchase a desktop. For them everything is an app and in the cloud. I know that. I see it at work with my younger colleagues. But then there’s the rest of us, the ones who built your business over the many years. We have a voice and will not be dismissed!

  7367. John Brooks

    I have been using FTM since the original version from Banner Blue. I have tried a lot of other software packages and kept returning to FTM. I am very sorry to hear about your plans to shut it down. Since I know you don’t want other competition for the Ancestry site there are no plans to sell it off. Time to pass the research to the next generation….

  7368. I am in agreement with the many postings that are so upset about your decision to stop selling FTM. I can’t imagine working solely with Ancestry and I can’t imagine putting all the work into a product that requires an annual subscription. I have used FTM since the early 1990s. I love the connection between Ancestry & FTM, but don’t like Ancestry alone. Hope you will listen to us!

  7369. Bruce

    I’m glad to see so many people as annoyed as me. Time to start looking for alternatives. I would never want all my information solely stored online. It is really odd that Ancestry announced this in such a way with no solutions for customers who would obviously be concerned. Somebody in corporate wasn’t thinking very clearly. Hopefully they will come to their senses and reconsider.

  7370. mjmoster

    This is not good idea. I purchased FTM with a digital download and I don’t have any more downloads available nor do I have a product key that will work. What am supposed to do if I need to reinstall the program. I like the interface of FTM, I don’t like how Ancestry.com works. It is harder to navigate between family members. It seems like your decision has already been made. If you cannot support the software then I will have to retire from Ancestry at the end of my current subscription.

  7371. adevane

    I have used FTM long before you bought the program out. I will continue to use it and when the FTM program no longer connects on ancestry. I will just have save from your program as I did before we could connect with you. I will continue to use FTM because the format is better than that of your online program. I don’t want your format. I want my own, which I can create with FTM. Your new format is not helpful nor compact enough. It is difficult to get through to what I need. I synchronize with ancestry to protect my FTM info, but I work only on FTM through ancestry. It is easier to find the things I want. I think you need to rethink your decision.

  7372. t

    horrible, i don’t want to resign on this software. familytreemaker was the best software i have ever used. the onlineversion ob ancestry was a good extention but never real alternative.

  7373. I just googled “ARE LAPTOPS DEAD?” and suggest you do the same. One particularly good comment:
    “Additionally, the personal computer’s biggest threat — the tablet — is going through a sluggish sales period at the moment. A once-hot tablet market has cooled as users gravitate toward smartphones with large screens that serve a dual purpose. It seems that for many mobile users, a five- or six-inch smartphone screen isn’t that much different from an eight- to 10-inch tablet screen when it comes to performing most mobile tasks. That is, unless you’re trying to do real work. You know, the kind of work that involves writing for long periods of time or manipulating numbers in spreadsheets and databases.”
    http://www.informationweek.com/it-life/8-reasons-the-pc-is-not-dead/d/d-id/1320375 May, 2015

    The work I do in FTM is SERIOUS WORK!

    Besides, in case you haven’t noticed, the young are not your demographic.

  7374. Kathy

    Too bad. I have used FTM for years. Hopefully, there is a good alternative. I wouldn’t use any online only program by Ancestry or another software. Just another way to get money out of people I guess.

  7375. Randi Rivenbark

    I just registered my complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and I urge everyone else to do the same. I have over 16,000 people on my tree and some websites cannot support uploading that many from a GEDCOM.

  7376. John Lane

    Ancestry.com site is just one of many sources of genealogy data. FTM is/was the best desktop appication currently available. Lets hope the software development team join a rival company and help them recreate it.

  7377. Chris

    I have over 62k names in my tree and have been using Family Tree Maker as far back as I can remember. I’ve had computer crashes over the years and thankfully have had an external hard drive back-up of my tree as well as the Ancestry on-line tree. This recent news from Ancestry is both surprising and disappointing. Does anyone know anything about Legacy Family Tree or RootsMagic? Do they offer on-line trees/sync?

  7378. lady159

    I would like to know if the FTM will still work as a stand alone programme, I have used FTM since it started and have upgraded each time a new one came out. Why can’t Ancestry still have the capability of syncing with the FTM programme even if they no longer make or upgrade the programme itself. With programmes available on the net like Find my past to find information, people will just quit Ancestry and go to other programmes that are cheaper. In my opinion if Ancestry think they will make more money by doing what they are doing, I think they will find they have lost a lot more than they have gained.

  7379. Rick Waggener

    I remain in shock over this decision, and continue to hope that common sense will prevail. The FTM software is the keystone to all the other services ancestry.com provides. It is so important to your business, if you were really smart, you would give the FTM software to anyone who wants it, for free. The software is where everyone builds their tree, gathering and organizing all the records and information they have found with their subscription. Without the software the need for a subscription is significantly diminished. I have been a loyal subscriber since the 90’s, defending ancestry.com against criticism on lists and other forums. If you go through with this I will be looking elsewhere for my genealogy needs. This is a huge mistake on your part and your business will suffer for it.

  7380. liz

    Good idea of Randi’s to register a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I’ve just been looking at UK equivalents, and it appears to be the Trading Standards Office, or the wonderful Citizens’ Advice Bureau as a first port of call. I’m reading up a bit more about this before doing anything, but I feel we have a valid complaint. BBC TV’s Watchdog might also love this story.

  7381. Debra

    You could read an article posted 12/9/15 in Family Tree Magazine newsletter for other software programs, draws and drawbacks are given, interesting article.

  7382. thomas hamlin

    Tragic!

    This is what happens when software become a “Rube Goldberg” of patches, fixes, and good ideas that gone bad. From a development perspective, it speaks to a major lack of design and architecture.

    Tragic!

  7383. Matt Sawyer

    Replacing FTM with nothing is a bad business decision on Ancestry’s part. I use FTM to sort and print my trees, as well as offline work. Unless Ancestry intends on integrating the functionality of FTM into another software package, then you’ve hamstrung all your serious Ancestry users. I’ve invested years of my time and money into building my tree, so what do I do now?

  7384. DD Smith

    Unbelievable. This is a future disincentive to use Ancestry and destroys investment of those who depended on Ancestry for their software.

  7385. Gerard

    Not a great loss. I tested Ancestry.com’s desktop software and was not impressed at all. Buggy and unstable.

    Doing a family tree online is only good for casual users. Desktop based family tree creation is much more rewarding and secure and there is no limit to the number of people in the tree. Even more important, there is no crippling subscription fee at all. Also: the photographs of living people can be displayed, if one so prefers.

    I have been using MacFamilyTree the last couple of years. It’s connected to a very large international database which is entirely free. I publish my family tree from time to time on their free website and do my backups on Dropbox.

  7386. Dave D

    Quote: “liz I have just sent a long message to BBC’s Watchdog and referred them to the comments on this blog.”

    Well done, liz, and lets hope they get hold of it with both hands. Let’s hope also that Ann Robinson uses her cutting words to make our point.

  7387. Jan

    It is important to me to have a copy of my tree OFFline and, even more concerning, FTM has great and easier options that the online version doesn’t have. I depend on them. Please find a way for us to work with FTM for the future. We are loyal and long-time customers and don’t want to lose what we have worked so well with.

  7388. Kent Blacklidge

    I think I understand now. If you think about it, Ancestry.com has been advertised all over the place for a long time now. Advertising for Family Tree Maker has gone to about zero in the same time. Someone in corporate made the decision to drop FTM a long time ago. No wonder FTM software sales have dropped — no advertising!

  7389. Karen O Fort

    Time for a class action suit, sounds like. Maybe if you made even more profit of of us, you’d be willing to continue FTM. What will replace it? How will we maintain our current access to our info and each other’s info?

  7390. Shirley

    I’ve been using Family Tree Maker since 1995 and have over 10,000 names and 900 photos.

    I was going to upload it to FamilySearch.org, but unfortunately, I was informed that I would have to relink each photo to the individuals, as well as their site doesn’t link living individuals to their family members.

    After you have uploaded your tree, you have to do a compare before it is available to the online community.

    Also, their support staff is all volunteers and has no knowledge on how to use the software.

    I believe that Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org are affiliated. I did some research about FamilySearch.org hooking up with partners to help them upload all the information that is in the LDS vault.

    I also read that the partners can charge a fee to help recoup their expenses, but the LDS site is free.

    Also, not everyone (like myself) is not a member and there is talk about not allowing non-members to access their information from their home computers, that you would have to visit one of their Family History libraries to access your tree.

    Family Tree Maker is a great software that allows me to input notes, as well as give credit to those who’ve gathered the information and made it available to the genealogy community.

  7391. Frank

    I too was very disappointed to hear this. I use FTM to do a lot of things that just cannot be done on ancestry.com. I also need good printing/documentation options which simply are not available online. Now I guess I will also need to look elsewhere to move my tree/subscriptions.

  7392. Nancy

    You were just pushing this product not too long ago and now you are discontinuing it? Are you going to add the report writing feature to your online product?
    I pretty much agree that this decision is not a good one.

  7393. Andrew

    I am in total agreement with the multitude of previous comments that FTM is the ideal vehicle for serious family history research whilst Ancestry Web, although useful for gathering research, is hard to use, lacking in features, and too easy to unwittingly add rubbish to your tree from the hints. I only maintain a skeleton tree in Ancestry and have never synchronized with FTM because of concerns about confidentiality, giving away information to Ancestry for nothing in return, and to serve as a barrier to control the quality of data in my real tree.

    Ancestry’s announcement has made me reflect further on a concern that I have been mulling over for some time, and underlines the issues at stake here. For me, as a family historian, I have two main objectives:
    1. To enjoy family history as a hobby for myself and to share with my family; and,
    2. To be able to pass on this rich heirloom to subsequent generations. As many of you have pointed out we may spend thousands of hours or even a lifetime on our projects. It makes the project all the more satisfying if we know that our hard work will be enjoyed by future generations.

    This announcement by Ancestry in many respects serves as a wake-up call for all of us. If we are interested in passing our work on to future generations it is worthwhile considering the risks involved in the different options open to us:

    1. Using an on-line service such as Ancestry is never going to give us the security over our data that we should demand for our extensive investment of time:
    1.1. Cost: I object to all my future descendents having to pay the subscription to Ancestry to be able to access our own data.
    1.2. Data security:
    1.2.1 Various commentators have mentioned that they have already lost data following technical updates to the Ancestry on-line tree.
    1.2.2 Ancestry could decide certain field are no longer of importance (or are too expensive to maintain!) and deletes them with all our data.
    1.2.3 Ancestry has a system crash without sufficient data back-up and various or all of our trees are corrupted or lost.
    1.3. Data quality:
    1.3.1. Many commentators have commented about the poor quality of data in many on-line trees. Using an on-line tree increases the risk of passing on erroneous information to our descendents.
    1.3.2. Too many poor quality trees on Ancestry could risk reducing the attractiveness of Ancestry’s product. They could – In a bid to reduce this risk – unilaterally decide to delete trees! Who knows, but we have all seen over the past days how they are prepared to act.
    1.4. Ancestry goes out of business (as various comentators have been predicting!). We would almost certainly receive no notice but just find the web page down.

    2. Using a desktop database programme gives us maximum control over the security of our data:
    2.1. Control of data: It is our responsability and only ours if data is deleted.
    2.2. Control of back-up: We can ensure that that we maintain regular back-up copies, preferably with versions stored off-site and distributed to other members of the family who live elsewhere.
    2.3. Control of version changes: We can decide when to adapt to a new version rather, and once we have seen that opinion about an upgrade is favourable. I’m not sure how this would work under Windows 10. At any time we could receive a system update which makes Windows 10 incompatible with the genealogy program that we are running on the desktop. Good providers should be in contact with Microsoft to ensure upgrades to their program are issued, but it could be a problem for older versions.

    3. Transferring data to another generation is the most risky part of this to ensure that our data is not made inaccessible to future generations due to technological change. I have just taken over the primary role for maintaining our database now that my carneros no longer able to. My children and nephews and nieces are all between 16 and 21 and whilst they are broadly interested in our family history, it could be between 15 and 25 years before they start to become serious in taking over responsability for the data. Will I last that long?
    3.1. An on-line service could never guarantee availability of data for this length of time (perhaps longer than the Internet has existed for the majority of us!).
    3.2. Saving data in a genealogical desktop program format would rapidly become obsolete.
    3.3. As far as I can see the best solution would be to save the data in GEDCOM format, and this additionally read into and saved onto a basic text editor, and on various media formats.
    1.4. We should also remember that “bells and whistles” added by a particular provider is useless if it cannot be exported to the latest GEDCOM format.

    Any further thoughts?

  7394. I cannot understand this decision every commission that I take for tree research includes FTM in the price, the completed tree is then synced online and the customers are then encouraged to take out an Ancestry subscription so Ancestry will lose a considerable amount of money with this decision,

  7395. marilyn

    Wow….this is crazy.
    I started using FTM in the mid 90’s, long before I subscribed to ancestry. It’s a great program and I much prefer it over your new improved online program. I believe you are making a huge mistake.
    Please reconsider, or at least wait a few more years, time for people to adjust and decide what direction to go with their work.

  7396. PegMrow

    This is such a bad idea. I am able to catalog much more information on the FTM program than on-line. Plus I have a little more control to weed through “real” sources and deadend sources. I will need to start transferring my information to another system, at which point, I will probably cancel by ancestry.com subscription. If I can no longer link, what is the point??

  7397. Jane

    I have used the Family Tree Maker since the 1990’s when it was Broderbund. I use it only on my computer and use Ancestry to research. Ancestry seems like a waste of money now and am reconsidering whether or not I will renew my subscription. I am very disappointed and my sentiments echo all of the above comments.

  7398. Ed

    I have used Ancestry for many years and am not thrilled to use the new software. I am not sure I will continue to use the website. I was very comfortable using the old software. I now have to take the time to learn the new software and hunt for common items.

  7399. Linda Simler

    I agree with all the previous comments. I have used FTM since 1995. I have several families in several files. I used to use Ancestry.com to locate new people to add to my files. I am very disappointed in your decision to stop supporting FTM. No more membership to ancestry.com for me. Thanks for the years of service.

  7400. George Kelly

    Simply put, Ancestry has lost my trust; first you run from y-dna now Family Tree. What’s next? This is not a good business plan. I will be cancelling.

  7401. George Kelly

    Simply put, Ancestry has lost my trust; first you run from y-dna now Family Tree. What’s next? This is not a good business plan. I will be cancelling. You have lost your way.

  7402. Paul

    I certainly hope they lower the price on the subscription service. $19/month is WAY too expensive to even tempt me to use it. I suspect I will be moving to other software.

  7403. Jeffrey Mark Paull

    This will go down as one of the most short-sighted, ridiculous, and poorest tech business decisions since Apple fired Steve Jobs. Ancestry has managed to reduce the value of the their core business, AND alienate their loyal customer base in one fell swoop. Congrats Ancestry … enjoy watching your subscribers go bye bye!!

  7404. Juanita

    I have spent years entering my data and spending money on you guys. This is fraudulent as we were never told this could end and we relied on it. You all need to make it right.

  7405. David

    What a callous and crass way to ditch your customers! What I find really ironic in the announcement was that on 8th December I was working on my FTM tree, on my laptop, whilst travelling on a train where internet access is, at best, intermittent. Hence offline working is essential. – just as it is so many other situations. Not only that, offline working is preferable when working on the tree itself and adding data from private sources. Then, when we hit an area with a good signal, up popped the email from Ancestry saying that they do not want people like me as customers any more.
    I came to be an Ancestry subscriber because I purchased FTM and found its direct link to enable searching their website with the data already in the tree very useful. That is, until they redesigned the website and made it much less attractive. Since then I use other sites such as Findmypast as my primary sources and Ancestry’s website as a secondary.
    I also am not willing to place my family’s personal data on a website where it is vulnerable to data poaching by Ancestry, nor the risk of hacking to which so many commercial sites have recently been victim.
    So, if FTM goes there is no reason for me to remain a subscriber to Ancestry. Like many others, I will expect to be cancelling my automatic subscription renewal and looking for an alternative PC based product to which I must migrate quickly.
    If only some reputable company were there in the wings, capable and ready to take over the rights and maintenance of FTM.

  7406. Arthur Prescott

    Surely, this is all a hoax. You can’t treat loyal customers this way – this is betrayal. What happens to all our data if we cancel the ancestry subscription and we have no supported desk top software available. Disgraceful !.

  7407. Like so may above, I started using FTM when it was Broderbund and on DOS, although I did not subscribe to Ancestry.com. I do sync my tree to the ancestry site but just in the past year and do not really like the online version that much. My desktop FTM is the best. Perhaps I am old fashioned and behind times. I have not always updated to the new version when it comes out and it continued to work great until I did see a new feature in new version I wanted. I have a Tree on Rootsweb also and in fact, I receive more comments from it’s users than I have from my ancestry Tree.
    I will probably continue to use FTM 2014 as long as I am able, and will make up my mind about Ancestry subscription at a later time. I am really disappointed in the company policy on this. It has always been focused on providing more and better resources, instead of cutting the good things out. There is SO much the online Trees do not have, that FTM does, seems a waste of the past money and time to discontinue.

  7408. Jack Barnhart

    I began using Legacy since it started and liked it except for its inability to sync with Ancestry. I only bought FTM for that ability and have continued to maintain my tree in both FTM & Legacy. Now I know why! Might you permit Legacy users to sync on Ancestry now!

  7409. judy

    Rose – I have been using the FTM when I did not have a subscription to Ancestry. I became a member after about a year of not being when I needed to update the on line tree. I had no problems with FTM.. The On line trees just give access to more information. I am at the point where all the information on line is the same as what I have. Even all the hints are the same. When I look at the cost of a subscription and the lack of any more of the information I may need to end the subscription. The cost can get be too high. Plus not being able to sync will be pointless

  7410. K Smith

    We have just spent $NZ400 on DNA.WHAT NOW? Being relatively new to Genealogy and have tried other programs but found FTM the best as semi literate computer users. Now we have to find another program.

  7411. Mike NZ

    Like everyone else I am very disappointed about Ancestry’s stance to stop supporting FTM.

    As an alternative, what about an option to charge an annual support fee for FTM? Would fellow FTM users be prepared to pay say $50 per annum to keep FTM alive? Would that level of funding work for Ancestry and keep FTM viable? It would certainly save everyone a whole lot on unproductive work migrating to a remaining product.

    Ancestry would be much the poorer if serious genealogists responded by removing their trees in mass from the site – something that would not be in anyone’s interests.

  7412. Shirley

    After doing some research and reading the reviews on Legacy Family Tree, I have decided to order their software.

    They have a free tutorial for beginners that walk you through their software. I am very impressed with what I saw, as well as what I read from former Family Tree Maker customers.

    Legacy members can sync their tree to FamilySearch for free. The LDS has been preserving genealogy for over 100 years and that is why they have such a large repository in Utah.

    Since I have friends and some family members who are members of the LDS church, they believe that in order for families to be together, they need to be baptized and that is why they encourage their members to do their family tree(s).

    Legacy also offers the “To Do List” that Family Tree Maker used to have. Plus there are other features that I really liked.

    They have two (2) versions, so I ordered the Deluxe, because you have more features.

    As I’m sure you are aware, the information that you provide to Ancestry they have stored somewhere in their office(s).

    So, if you unsync your tree, it will no longer be available to you or the public, but they will have the information to use and/or sell to others.

  7413. ConnieM

    Just got flagged for URLs, so go to rootsweb, scroll to bottom, hit ‘about us.’ Under corporate news, hit ‘third quarter reports’ and read away, hitting each tab on the left side to see all.

  7414. David

    So you “strive to provide our customers with the best experience possible.” I think not. What you really strive for is money, money, money! As owners of a company who propound to adhere to certain ethical/moral standards, this decision is revealing.

    Revising the look of your website only made it more cumbersome to use. Eliminating Family Tree Maker and not providing equivalent options in Ancestry.com makes Ancestry.com worthless to me. I’ll be switching over to another company and will be deleting my trees. My six-month subscription ends in a few weeks and I won’t be re-subscribing – ever.

    I had delayed in sending this comment in the hopes you would come to your senses after seeing customer reaction, which you have failed to do. I think you will ultimately find your decision quite shortsighted; not only will you lose thousands of previously loyal customers, those who remain will be very unlikely to recommend your services.

  7415. Since you are at least the 4h owner of FTM, since Banner Blue SW had a DOS version in the 80’s, maybe you can sell it to yet another. Or put the code in the public domain.

  7416. Roseann

    I’m with the guys posting so far. If Ancestry had reliable connections AND if there were reports that will replace what is in FTM, ok, but I didn’t hear anything about the reports and those are absolutely key given the total lack of reporting on Ancestry.

  7417. Joseph P.

    While I’m not defending the poor judgement by ancestry.com, it should be noted that while they are erroneously dropping FTM, the program WILL continue to work on your computer. You’ll just have to make manual entries into ancestry.com (if you decide to stay with that site). But given ancestry.com poor judgement on its site operation, there might not be too many people sticking around to want to add any family information to the site. I just hope that those who has left and those who intend on leaving remember to delete their family tree(s) from the site, no sense in letting ancestry.com profit from “OUR” hard work and dedication

  7418. Dan Dubbs

    The holidays have traditionally been a great time for me to stay warm inside and do research with FTM and Ancestry.com. Instead I find myself comparing alternative software solutions for FTM and reading reviews on a replacement web-based database. Terribly inconvenient and unproductive…. something like the December 8th decision by Ancestry….

    However, reviewing the free market alternatives to FTM has been eye opening…. Many of the alternative software providers actually do what I have been suggesting to FTM for years. Maybe I should say thank you.

    I figure at some point in 2016 Ancestry will realize that the baby boomers are the ones spending money on their products and they know a little bit about value and integrity.

    I have Mar 18th 2016 circled on my calendar. Let’s see how they do on signing up a software provider to sync with Ancestry.com, providing online publishing tools, and providing customers a new lower cost for their ‘improved’ universal Web based solution…. funny thing is improved web means equivalent to FTM 2014 which they are currently abandoning. Don’t Figure.

    Anyway Merry Christmas, the lump of coal is on the way….

  7419. Tony

    Bugger! I just renewed my 12 month membership. But that is now the end for me. I suppose it will give me time to find another service to use. Maybe the decision will be reversed but I doubt it.

  7420. Jan

    This is a test message. It is about my 14th attempt to post a message. My posts are being blocked by Ancestry’s spam filter. Is anyone else having this problem?

  7421. SUCH SORT NOTICE — WE LOYAL USER DESERVE MORE NOTICE, WILL ALL OF MY FAMILY FILES AND INFORMATION GO BLANK —- HOPEFULLY I WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE USING AND ADDING TO THE FILES AND FAMILY INFORMATION OR NOT. A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT HAS GONE INTO RESEARCH AND COMPILATION OVER A PERIOD OF OVER 15 YEARS. 2 WEEKS NOTICE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO FIND ANOTHER PROGRAM AND TRANSFER FILES!

  7422. Jay Mumaw

    I haven’t had the time to read everything but I haven’t heard WHY yet. What is the reasoning for not continuing what I felt was one of the best genealogy tools ever. It has to be money and possibly what someone says is the massive amounts of information they have been obtained thru this tool. I for one never uploaded my tree but if anyone I talked to wanted a copy I sent them a gedcom. There was something I just didn’t like about giving Ancestry all my hard work. They always had those ambiguous groups of information that I just couldn’t figure out how they got. Just remember it all still works until next year. I’m deciding whether or not to buy the 2012 edition just to have an updated copy that will still work with my computer. Most of my recent work has come from the LDS site anyway. I’m sure they’ll start charging pretty soon. oh well, C’est la vie

  7423. Faustene

    I don”t want to use and have absolutely no intention of using my Ancestry tree as my main database. How could I trust Ancestry not to do something equally pernicious to my main database, thus destroying many hours of hard work. The idea of scrapping FTM is rediculous and a betrayal of the trust of Ancestry members who use it. I will never again have confidence in Ancestry. I could understand if the software was sold and maintained by someone else, but it was not! This decision reeks of extortion by requiring a membership to access information that was obtained free from longtime genealogists who did all the searches. This is a slap in the face for those that have been dedicated to FTM for years.

  7424. Sue

    How many more thousands of posts are necessary before there is an official reply? Based upon the feedback from Phil in Customer Service, it seems there is little interest corporately in reversing their decision.

  7425. I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I READ? What are we supposed to do with our Family Trees now? I am reasonably sure that you guys probably have another “new improvement announcement” waiting in the wings which will tell us we can get back (almost) all of FTM features by just signing up for the NEW software you’re offering, and it will only cost PART of an arm and a leg if we just try it for 30 days, and sign up.
    Although it won’t be of interest to Ancestry, I have sacrificed to continue my yearly dues (as I am on a very small pension). It probably won’t be beneficial to me to renew my membership, I am pretty sure I won’t. I am so very discouraged over your “…new improvement.”

  7426. So what do I use now to build my family tree and make it suitable for printing and framing? You provide NO details on how it will be done now.

  7427. Paddy

    Can I say how shocked and disappointed I am with the decision to abandon FTM. I have constantly purchased FTM as each new version was released and really appreciate how much it has helped me in my family research, in particular, the sync option. Your website is absolutely useless for generating detailed family history reports and without this option your site will experience a massive drop in subscriptions, thereby negating the reasons for dropping FTM in the first place MONEY. You have just lost one customer right here.

  7428. Cindy

    I am very disappointed to read your announcement. Please reconsider your decision, give FTM users, especially the part-time researchers, more time to save what we have. Why not allow us to keep synching our data without any upgrades to the sof
    tware? That alone might appease some of us.

  7429. Robert Aiken

    Echoing most if not all of the comments here this is a VERY BAD decision. I feared such changes when I heard earlier this year that Ancestry.Com had been sold to another company. I use FTM and consistently have upgraded over the years. I also subscribe to Ancestry.com, though I have yet to put my family information online and I see little likelihood of doing so now or of continuing my subscription to your services when they expire in May of 2016. This is a sad day for all of us to lose such a valuable tool. Hopefully another company will see the error of your ways and offer us a viable and compatible alternative.

  7430. Roger Powell

    This is definitely a terrible decision and judging from the comments written on this blog is one that needs to be reversed. The combination of FTM and the web enabled Ancestry site is the reason I continue to use your companies services. Break this chain and I will be looking else where for a repository for our family files. I look forward to receiving advice that you are strong and brave enogh to reverse this situation.

  7431. William Collins

    The only reason I use FTM is ensure a backup on my computer for my Ancestry file. I realize that I could run a gedcom and input it into almost any desktop genealogy program, but it would be very time consuming. There are other places to take my business, and I will have to start investigating what will make the most sense for me.

  7432. Tony Benson

    The true business acumen of management is measured by their response to their client base. In this case, the result shows that the Management of Ancestry are not even listening. Under normal circumstances, this would indicate pending corporate collapse for lack of intelligent and clever management. Time for Ancestry to listen up; you have made a terrible mistake and now you have a very limited time to fix it.

  7433. Tony

    Subscription CANCELLED. This plus the new Ancestry.com interface is so awful, I fear RSI from the new interface with twice as many click and having to move around more, plus no FTM. I can always re-join if things revert back to what we liked.

  7434. Lynne

    I will not renew my subscription if you do this, I will have no way to associate my source documents to my tree. Oh yeah and when I go, so does my tree which has helped hundreds of Ancestry users. SHAME ON YOU! and by the way the new interface is a disaster, glad your web developer thought it was cute because no one else does

  7435. Ric

    Interesting in scanning through the hundreds of comments there are none in favor of what you are doing. Good bye Ancestry.

  7436. Dennis

    I guess it’s quite clear how the customer base feels about this as do I. Obviously you have a choice to make. Continue the product or destroy your future customer base.
    Regards

  7437. William Greene

    You’ve collected quite a resource of material since I first began using FTM and ancestry.com, about 1998 as I recall. Unfortunately, with this action, I hope you have your retirement account in order for there won’t be many there to use that fabulous collection of material you have consolidated. I will be canceling my subscription the day you discontinue TreeSync.

  7438. Roxie

    Revising the look of your website only made it more cumbersome to use. Eliminating Family Tree Maker and not providing equivalent options in Ancestry.com makes Ancestry.com worthless to me. This decision also assumes that subscribers have internet access everywhere they go. WRONG! A poor decision at best.

  7439. virginia

    For MAC users, check out MacFamily Tree in the app store, offering demo and 1/2 off for all us Ancestry refugees. I just played with it and seems to work better than any of the others I’ve tried the last few days.

  7440. Judith C White

    All: If anyone knows of another family tree software option, from another organization, that we can use to transfer our records to, please let us know. Perhaps another company will see the market value in keeping us supplied with a similar more capable, working family tree venue, as the value to families is immense. We have paid for this collective service for many years, but elimination of the software part, of the capability, disrupts the whole package greatly. Without it, the rest is basically worthless.

  7441. Wendy R.

    Getting too curious for my own good here! Does anyone know what the time delay is for blogs being posted?? Mine was not abusive and did not contravene any Ancestry.com rules. In fact, it was polite compared to the hundreds I have now read. No sign of it – 9 December. Have also read comments from the same bloggers over the last few days. Oh Well!! I created my first Gedcom file last night from my Ancestry.com FTM and uploaded it to My Heritage. I am now concerned that my Ancestry.com DNA results which, with the exception of Raw DNA, CAN’T be printed without chopping pages, illustrations and maps in half, (no page breaks – clever, Ancestry), will disappear also. If Kendall Hulet is such a talented individual, perhaps he could spend a little more time on this problem. My DNA – My Money – My support of Ancestry.com. Don’t rush in folks – wait and see – we still have time to see Ancestry retract this one. Or am I the only optimist??

  7442. JeanC

    Another change by Ancestry for the WORSE. We have continually complained about the changes to the website layout and NOW they are cancelling the only option to print out a decent hard copy of OUR family trees. I do a huge amount of research for family and friends and they are always so pleased to have a printed copy of their family tree. FTM does a wonderful job of allowing this to happen. Ancestry, on the other hand, 8.5 by 11 prints of selected pages. If you want to get a larger size printout you are forwarded to MyCanvas which is a paid printing site. UNFAIR Ancestry, we don’t want that. What we want it to be able to print hard copies in whatever size or layout we want! I will be looking at other providers and discontinue use of Ancestry for holding my trees if you do not reconsider you proposal.

  7443. Jack

    I think some of the commenter’s have misunderstood Ancestry’s release. I agree it is a bad decision to stop development of FTM. However, they stated that they would stop selling it after Jan 1 ,2016, although you may still be able to buy after that date. Secondly, they said that they would stop support of FTM on Jan 1, 2017, that doesn’t mean FTM won’t work after that date but they will be no enhancements to it. Whether TreeSync works after that date depends on Ancestry. Since I don’t use TreeSync I will use FTM until either I quit my research or it doesn’t work on a future versions of Windows. That later is highly unlikely since programs written for Windows XP or 7 run on Windows 10.

  7444. Juan Gonzalez

    Boy, am I glad I did not link my more than 2,000 names family tree to Ancestry! I do most of my research myself and have found Ancestry helpful only in rare occasions. So good ridance. You will be sorry about this decision.

  7445. Kitty

    Sure wish we had a genealogist attorney who could review and see if we have any “rights” at all either individually or as a group….since most of us gave up any rights when we agreed to Ancestry’s terms….sigh…..

  7446. Isaac Scott

    I likewise am terribly disappointed in the announcement about Family Tree Maker. And I am somewhat skeptical about the “new” Ancestry, thought I have no control over that. However, I do have control over the software I choose to purchase and the memberships I elect to purchase. Therefore, if the corporate “geniuses” at Ancestry have a decent bone in their collective bodies, I expect and in fact demand a better, more thorough explanation of this action. If you think your announcement is going to encourage me to post my entire family tree on the website, you certainly are dumber than you look. From what I’ve seen in this blog, as Ricky Ricardo told Lucy – “you’ve got some plaining to do”. Get to it.

  7447. robert

    Just bought another vendors software. I am glad my subscription with Ancestry is up in March. I have cancelled it and happily starting on my next adventure in Family History with a vendor that at least for now wants my business.
    Good by FTM / Ancestry it was a good 16 years . You will miss me more than I will miss you.

  7448. Ron

    Seems like common corporate greed to me to stop supporting the sales of a decent piece of software to many have invested hundreds of hours with only to force an monthly subscription option as a cash grab. Sadly disappointed in the company, and only hope that with the thousands of comments hitting this site, that the greedy bastards in high places at Ancestry will reconsider this move while they can, before it backfires on them with a mass rejection of their efforts.

  7449. Allen

    Very disappointing. Why didn’t you at least try to sell the software functionality to another vendor or partner with them? The ability to get hints, search and integrate into software that offers the ability to make notes, work off-line in a library or courthouse, create and print visuals to share, etc. is extremely valuable and your current web-based software is sorely lacking in basic tools. I’m sure at some point I’ll renew with Ancestry but since I have to do the same work to get things into my database, I’ll use other sources for a while and save some money.

  7450. Rhonda

    I’m wondering how Ancestry can tell how many people actually use their desktop FTM software if it’s not synced to Ancestry and used offline? I still think this is a poor decision on Ancestry’s part to think that everyone is going to online/cloud usage only!

  7451. David King

    Like everyone else here, I’m profoundly disappointed by what Ancestry is doing, and maybe someday this will be written up in a Harvard Business School case – for what not to do. Example: though Ancestry is not answering complaints here, they are repeating the same answer on their FB page – and here it is… ” once the Family Tree Maker is no longer available we will only be supporting trees online. If you chose not to have your tree online with Ancestry, there are other options for family tree computer software out there.” That’s all we are going to get from them. I hope there’s a lawyer out there who can figure out how a class action suit can move forward – because I’d sign on with the rest of you-all.

  7452. robert

    ftm / Ancesrty have been good for me over the years. They now have a new way to look at amcestry and is moving on.
    I too have another way I want to do
    ancestry and it does not include them.
    GOOD BY

  7453. Mike

    Judging by the responses in the comments, you clearly did not research this decision with customers before committing to it. Like most of the responders here, I too will have no use for Ancestry.com if I can not sync with local data on my computer.
    Why in the world would I trust my updated information to reside only online?
    The online Ancestry has indeed been powerful for pulling in information from world databases, but it pales in comparison to the desktop version for editing and cleaning data, searching based on advanced criteria, adding and updating media. This is a BIG failure on Ancestry’s part, and the ONLY way to redeem yourself is to A) go back to supporting FTM, or B) permit and enable third party software to synchronize with the online trees

  7454. Tim

    I understand this move. The program you install on your local computer is going away, and being replaced with the web. You can still maintain your family tree and all the data, but it will be in “the cloud”. This is a good thing. You will be able to access it on your computer, your tablet, your smart phone, and soon via your house or refrigerator! It’s the sign of the times people, and it’s not a bad thing! 🙂

    The bad thing was the short warning, essentially just a few weeks. You should allow us to transfer our license (and the money we spent) and apply it to the web version or give licensed users a free year or something to make the transition. That way at least you would make the switch easier and keep a lot of you customer base.

  7455. Heather

    What are you thinking????? What do you think any of us use when we’re stomping through cemeteries without access to Wi-Fi and need to determine if a nearby grave is possibly an in-law or relative in our database or even just to compare data? That would be FTM offline. I have spent hundreds of hours with my computer open to FTM on the hood of my car as I checked and compared info. So glad I’ve never given you any of my 9,000 names, it’ll make the break-up so much easier, just have to cancel the $389/year I give you. Clearly, you’ve misjudged your clientele.

  7456. William L Grimm

    I have purchased RootsMagic 7 but I’m having trouble importing my files from Ancestry or FTM 14. I’m a member a world wide Ancestry member. I not sure I’m going to renew my subscription for $300.00. It seems kind of expense for 1 yr. I’m a DNA member of Ancestry DNA and 23andme DNA. I don’t know if the DNA is another annual subscription, but if it is I’m not renewing DNA. I know in the last 3 yrs, I’ve spent over $1,500 with Ancestry.

  7457. W Lager

    You were really proud of what YOU have done, but now the bottom line is you “sure know how to screw the rest of us!”

  7458. Robert Whitton

    Like many people I need a PC based genealogy system that works without internet access. I have 10,000 people who are still alive and 40,000 in total most with comprehensive notes and confidential information that will never be put on line. Looks as if we will now never get a version that works on a tablet sadly. Ah well will need to loose Ancestry so it will be good-bye to them as soon as possible and pay for an alternative. I have spent thoudands with them.

  7459. JanA-J

    Why does Ancestry go an cancel things that work, they have seem to have done this from the very start, over and over again. I have been with them from the very start. First it was My Family – Cancelled. The Mundia – Cancelled. The time and effort I have spent in all these years, not to mention the cost, and this is how you repay us, the loyal customers, yet again. Cancelling a goof product that works. I use Ancestry at work at a Library, I encourage our patrons to use it and teach them how to research and often explain to them what good family tree software can help them with. So now that part of my job is becoming very clouded 🙁 I will now have to rethink my approach.
    It seems such a shame that all the years of hard work, all the information and research I have been able to share with others and this information you Ancestry have been able to share, with no cost to you, that you are now repaying us, by taking away a wonderful tool.
    I am assuming, as you have not stated, that you will not be replacing FTM with any other like minded program?
    You are really misjudging your clients by doing this, but then as you have previously made other bad decisions in the past, I guess this was just to be expected. Such a shame, maybe us, the clients, all need to move on.

  7460. Doris

    I too have been working on my tree for over 30 years and I love the FTM software. I keep my tree on my computer and not on Ancestry due to the LIVING generations in my tree. I’m not putting them online for someone to hack and steal their information and identity. This is selfish on there part. I’ve paid Ancestry allot of money over the years and will be reconsidering renewing my subscription when it’s up next year. I will have to start looking elsewhere to take my business. I too do not care for the “new” ancestry setup being forced upon us starting today. It is not user friendly. I hate it. Sorry to see them make this choice.

  7461. Alan

    During ancestry’s process earlier this year of redesigning the ancestry website, Dan Lawyer, ancestry’s product director, was quoted as saying “We are constantly looking at the comments in an effort to understand people’s needs…” (Source: Who Do You Think You Are magazine, Sept 2015, p12). Clearly no-one at ancestry is bothering to look at THESE 8000+ comments or – if they are they – why are we still getting no acknowledgement that they understand and will respond to “people’s needs”. Shameful.

  7462. jacki s

    Alan, I agree totally. Every couple of days I check back at this site in hopes that SOMEONE at Ancestry would at least acknowledge their customers’ frustration. What kind of customer service is this?

  7463. Mr R Parker

    To say I am disappointed is a huge understatement. I feel pretty cheated. Having taken out a trial with ancestry, liked it and then purchased the Family Tree Maker Software because it ticked all my boxes I am shocked that 18 weeks later I get am email saying that it is being retired. I bought it because it allowed me to build my trees, link with the website and sync and most importantly store my information on my own computer. I do not want my only access to information being via the web site!!! You need to rethink this!

  7464. Gilles Forget

    Lana Rodlie and others : I downloaded Legacy 8.0 for 20$US (currently on sale on legacyfamilytree.com), imported my 30,000 names GEDCOM into it from FTM 2014, and since then, I am fully satisfied with Legacy. True… I lose my sync with Ancestry’s web site, and its link to the Android platform. I don’t care, I was never really satisfied with those anyways. Too clunky, and Ancestry never followed up when I told them about issues.. So switch to another program an enjoy it. Ancestry has become way too big to understand us little genealogists we are

  7465. Sue1

    I feel you have shot yourselves in the foot with this move – at one time you were the best site around – no longer, sadly. I have not renewed my ancestry membership.
    Money is the root of all evil – a good thing to remember in this situation! I now use FSOrg which is FREE (oh joy). With FSOrg my descendants will be able to view my Trees (2) without needing a subscription to do so. By the way, the new look ancestry I find extremely irritating – alterations have been made to my entries i.e. City of London – it is NOT in Middlesex or any other county or, as in one case Ontario or, indeed, in some island I have never heard of! I stupidly thought it was my tree – I was wrong.

  7466. Chris

    This is a big mistake. I only use Ancestry because of the FTM software with its integration to the site and also supporting products such as Genelines, Map My Family Tree and Charting Companion, none of which will work with just an online version that you can’t download. Ancestry as a platform is no different to any other genealogy supplier without this plank. At least guarantee that the current web software will be left in place for FTM users to continue to use after the cease date. With a decision such as this, for ‘Ancestry’ read ‘MySpace’

  7467. Ernest Beabes

    HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY POSITIVE RESPONSES IN THE 8500 SINCE YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT 6 DAYS AGO TO THIS DECISION TO RETIRE THE PRODUCT THAT PUT YOU IN THE FOREFRONT?

  7468. Raymond

    A way to protest this decision by Ancestry is to deny public access to your online Family Tree. That would show Ancestry that a good percentage of their informational data base would no longer be available to other members.

  7469. Randy Everette

    BOO BOO. HORRIBLE. I LOVE FTM. Make no mistake folks, this is nothing but money and greed by Ancestry.com. They merely want to force us to not use FTM (about $70 and only one time) and instead sign up for ancestry.com so they make over $200/year. Well I’m not biting. I will NOT use Ancestry.com. They will lose a huge user base here.

  7470. Robert

    I’m getting Legacy 8.0 to replace FTM. Ancestry software in recent years is out of touch with the user. I still use FTM version 16, the last version simple and easy to use. Ancestry is only concerned with attracting new customers who use smart phones. Be glad we have GEDCOM to move our data to somewhere else where they want us as a customer. They say if you like a product you tell 2 people, if you hate it you tell 10 people. So, go forward and tell people what you think now of Ancestry.com!

  7471. Roger Hastings

    Cancellation Details
    Your transaction confirmation number is 142336163
    U.S. Discovery Membership
    Expiration Date – December 19, 2015
    Refund Amount $0.00
    Your subscription has been canceled successfully.

    Yeah, there was a pop-up window that said I could get 3 months for the price of 1. I still cancelled. So long, Ancestry.

    Also, how would we pass our database on to the next generation? You want them to pay the subscription just to look up their family history, too. Nice. Eventually, the most recent version of FTM won’t work with the latest version of windows. Your lack of servicing past 2017 doesn’t make it. It’s not about family history with Ancestry.com – it’s about the money. And now we don’t trust you, and don’t consider you a partner in helping us find our family history. The new Ancestry is confusing to the point that it’s too difficult to use, by the way.

  7472. Mike

    Well!!!!! I was going to upgrade FTM and re-subscribe to Ancestry but guess that is not going to happen. I felt FTM & Ancestry had a good thing going even with the high cost of the Ancestry Subscription but have to step back and see what else is out there. I find it hard to believe they are not reading all the sadness in these replies and taking that into consideration before they pull the plug. Legacy 8.0 huh!!! I’ll check that out.

  7473. Nickie

    When considering other desktop software, a couple of suggestions. If your eyesight is not so good, you need to be able to see your data entry screens properly so try as many free trials as possible. I find RootsMagic’s actual data entry screens too small – and am not willing to change my overall computer’s screen resolution just for one program. One program I have tried which does let you customise just about anything to which ever colour, font size or style you like, is Family Historian. What comes out of the box is not too attractive but I have changed everything to suit my taste and it looks a whole lot better.

  7474. vj

    As a Mac user my frustration with Ancestry runs long and deep. The buggy FTM software should be an embarrassment. The fact that I have to log in again nearly every time I want to view a document is another annoyance. But my real problem is the new on-line product. The new search algorithms are truly awful. Fewer and fewer serious genealogy researchers put their trees online. Newbys just accept the faulty trees and perpetuate them. How is any of this helpful? While Ancestry has a vast store of information, what good is it if I can’t access it because of poor algorithms and site design?

  7475. Robin

    First GenForum and now this. I was just thinking about switching back (NOT happening now) to FTM for one reason. My new genealogy software does NOT embed multimedia files (photos, documents, etc.) like FTM does. What does this mean: if you attach a picture to a person and then decide to move, rename, or delete the picture from your computer, it will no longer be visible in your genealogy software because the link was broken. I found this out the hard way. After adding 20 pictures and documents into my new software, I decided that my computer files really needed to be better organized. After doing this, I went back into my new genealogy software to continue adding information and found that all of the documents and pictures I originally added were gone. Because of this, I no longer add multimedia files. I just wanted to give everyone a heads-up on this and it may be something that you want to keep in the back of your mind when looking for a new software program.

  7476. Rachel

    I don’t use Ancestry.com — but I have used FTM since its earliest versions. Wonder whether some other company or a group might take it over so it can continue. Obviously from these many comments, there would be a lot of support for that.

  7477. RG

    Like I said in a previous post, this is just a way for ancestry to get us to use their other software Legacy which is harder to use, bulky, we lose all matched photos and have to reinstall them with a transfer to legacy. I have Legacy and DO NOT
    USE it after a significant time of working on it.

  7478. George

    I wish I was still a grad student working on an MBA because I am sure that this will be one of the classic case studies of how a company commits suicide by not respecting its customers. How do the the shareholders feel about the customer dissatisfaction evident in this blog?

  7479. Garth Woodward

    This is shocking news. Why do you guys keep doing things that cause people so much stress. And you are only giving 3 weeks notice that the software will no longer be sold !!! I was planning to buy a new tower / desktop next summer. Now I have to go out and buy a new desktop this week, and get it up and running, just so I can buy the FTM software online and install it before you quit selling it !! Why such short notice ?? Why cant you keep selling the software but by 2017 you can just have a disclaimer that it is no longer fully compatable with the website anymore. There are some places in rural North America and other parts of the world that still have very slow internet, and forcing those people to do all their family tree work online is horrific. FTM has a large number of great reports and other features. The website simply does not offer many of these features. Your continuing efforts to make everyone a prisoner to your subscription based website are causing so much stress for people.

  7480. Linda Windmoeller

    Raymond writes: “A way to protest this decision by Ancestry is to deny public access to your online Family Tree. That would show Ancestry that a good percentage of their informational data base would no longer be available to other members.”
    I agree and have already deleted one online tree, and locked my other tree to “Private”.
    Also, I am withholding indexing any more records for World Archives (55,000+ to date) as a way to protest until we users get a positive response from Ancestry. I had often indexed records in the old German handwriting, so this will be a loss as few people have studied to read the old Sütterin script. Withholding Indexers’ free labor is another way we can easily protest to Ancestry their decision to end FTM without having any alternative desktop software in place.
    NOTE: I tried the Legacy free software last night. My ancesters’ Lutheran Baptisms must be put in as Christenings in order to view on the individual’s page, and I cannot find the ability to customize the fields I want to see (such as Baptism and Arrival). I do not want to search or sync with FamilySearch.org (the LDS) using the tree software, and Legacy is designed to do that. Also, my description fields were cut out in the middle of the description! And all my place names for Poland and Ukraine seem to be changed to Germany! I have 34,000+ names in my database. Anyone know if LegacyDeluxe does a better job of being able to import a ged.com and customize?
    Ancestry — I hope you are listening!!! You’ve got major issues with your users. Genealogists and family historians are not generally the 20-something crowd. Most young adults do not have the time for the hobby. Everyone in my local genealogical society is 50+ years old. It is usually later in life that a person gets interested in finding their roots.

  7481. This is truly a bad decision. I have put years of work into my tree and shared it with ancestry to help others.
    Now you wish to hold us to random by having to pay a yearly fee to access our trees that we worked so hard to complete. I don’t think so
    As you say in your terms and conditions you still own our work and have a back up copy. I will be sabotaging my on line tree before deleting it if this goes through

  7482. Chere Jones

    BAD, BAD, IDEA!!! If the customers’ feedback is really valuable to you, please take this comments and change your mind. While it is not perfect, so many of your customers are very dependent on this program and the sync ability. I have about 2000 individuals on my tree, including pictures and documents. You have made so many of us “junkies” and you are now saying you will not fulfill our needs. That is dastardly!

  7483. Mary R.

    @Wendy C, re: “concerned that my Ancestry.com DNA results which, with the exception of Raw DNA, CAN’T be printed without chopping pages, illustrations and maps in half, (no page breaks – ”

    Can you download the page to a flashdrive and take it to a [Staples, for ex.] copy center? They can print you out a huge chart.

  7484. Rob

    This is absolutely horrible news and like countless others above i guarantee I will cancel all Ancestry subscriptions and engagement and will never touch this company again

  7485. Cynthia Bryant

    I am not a happy camper!! I have been on disability for several years and money is really tight for me to spend on extras, but I try every year to renew my subscription to Ancestry.com so that I can build my 2 Family Trees on FTM. Please do not let the valuable program go!!!! We need FTM

  7486. Ralph Stephens

    I have been looking forward to my retirement so that I can dedicate time to research of family history using Family Tree. There is no comparison to ease of working with FT vs other Ancestry tools. I do my research in Ancestry and then do all the documentation on my desktop with FT. So, I guess I have to start looking for desktop replacement. Any suggestions?

  7487. Karen W

    I replied when you first sent out this email, but I reread this again this morning. What do you mean, people are not using desktops as much? Laptops are used the same as a desktop. Only better because we can easily take it with us when we travel. I don’t know about everyone else, but a tablet just DOES NOT work for genealogy. I retired from a company recently who had change their marketing and taken away certain items the public loved. They have been in business for over 60 years, and guess what? They will be gone in the next 5 years because of corporate greed. This is what is going to happen to Ancestry. I hope you reconsider, not only for all of us that work with FTM, but also for your employees. They need their jobs!

  7488. Lisa

    I wanted to add my voice to those protesting about the demise of the FTM software. I had already cancelled my subscription to Ancestry before the announcement was made but it just confirms I had made the correct decision. The link with FTM was the only thing keeping me paying the ever-increasing subscription charges. There have been very few new record sets for the UK, which is my main area of research. I got a half price world subscription with findmypast in their recent Black Friday event (£64.75 for a years subscription), and they have so many more record sets that I am interested in. I shall be deleting my tree. Goodbye ancestry!!

  7489. chris

    This is a big mistake. I only use Ancestry because of the FTM software with its integration to the site and also supporting products none of which will work with just an online version that you can’t download. Ancestry as a platform is no different to any other genealogy supplier without FTM. With a decision such as this and the comments already posted this could see the end of Ancestry

  7490. Chris P

    Extremely poor decision! Great way to reduce your customer base. Ancestry needs to rethink this decision and Mr. Hulet’s position.

  7491. Ron

    I’ve been a Legacy Family Tree user and not FTM. I have to admit I’ve envied the TreeSync capability. Without that capability, I have my primary records in Legacy Family Tree (allowing me to do all the reports that people talk about needing), but put just enough in Ancestry to allow it to do the background research for matching records. It would be nice if the TreeSync API were made available to other desktop-software makers (i.e., Legacy) to allow the interface of two strong products: the family tree management software and the records database and associated “behind the scenes” research.

  7492. Edward Fields

    I though by now after 9 days, that I’d get over it, and move on, but I find that I continued to be really bummed out over this turn of events. I reinterate, a web interface while convienent, is not a rich work environment. Especially in tree tools and mainenance.

  7493. Michelle

    Thoroughly disgusted with this announcement. I have been using FTM since its inception. I have not, and never will, pay to use Ancestry for the simple reason that it lacks hugely in functionality compared to FTM software. The TreeSync was very valuable. All of my 20+ years of research has been done with FTM on a desktop. I will never put the faith of storing everything I’ve worked for online.
    In all the years I have used FTM, I have promoted it. In fact, I have several friends who have purchased within the last month.
    Great job of dropping the ball with this decision. You think your user-ship has dropped before, just wait. It doesn’t take a marketing genius to know what a shot in the foot this will be for Ancestry…

  7494. Terry

    I must as my voice to this list of people that have raised concerns about the discontinuance of the desktop/laptop “versions” of FTM. I have used it for years and find that while making genealogy trips for research that having the “local” copy of the database to be essential. There are times when I am in small town libraries, cemeteries, historical societies that the internet is not available and I need to reference my data. This would be impossible without a “local” copy of it. Please reconsider!

    As it is I will still use my local program, even without support!

  7495. Rick

    This is the worst news I could imagine. I rely on FTM to keep my records available on my PC and laptop and to be portable and viewable. It provides many means of finding possible errors in my tree that I do not find online. Also. what do you plan to do about all the publishing and printing capability in FTM but not found on Ancestry. I suppose you will offer a separate package for report capability. , for one, will use this next year to get as much data in my tree, download as much documentation as I can so I don’t need to rely on the site for details, and look for a new software that will provide me with as close to the same data collection as FTM. When all that is done, and you pull the plug on FTM I will likely cancel my annual subscription to Ancestry as all the benefits will be gone. I suspect you will lose a lot of subscribers as a result of this decision.

  7496. Beverley

    I’m extremely disappointed and upset at your decision. My feelings have been well stated above, but I haven’t been able to find where you have addressed any of the many questions other customers have asked. I want to be able to print my tree information off the way or at least similar to how I do it with FTM. Is there any way to do that with ancestry? FTM is so much easier to use than ancestry and that is where I do my work with using ancestry as a means to get new information. My organization is done on my FTM. Please reply to your customers questions and better yet, do not make the change.

  7497. Ken Grolle

    This doesn’t really surprise me. I purchased one of the original versions back in 2005 or so and really like it. Then I took a “break” from genealogy for a few years and woke up to find out that in YOUR opinion I’m a dinosaur! Yes, I have now bought the latest version of FTM, but I don’t like it and it was a HOLY NIGHTMARE getting the data migrated over. Now you say I have one more year of your support! Shame on you. You really never “supported” any of the prior versions. What I need to do is figure out a way to print out all my genealogy stuff I loaded in to “OUR TREEMAKER” so it will really be kept for my future generations after my computer finally dies.

  7498. Jim McGowan

    So how do I keep all the info I have gathered and insure that it is viewable on some platform? I sure hope that I am missing something here… So what do I do now?

  7499. ConnieM

    TO LINDA WINDMOELLER ABOVE:
    I tried the free trial version also and purchased the full version Legacy 8.0 Deluxe Edition. With the full version, all your fields will transfer over, including the custom fields you made. I haven’t gone so far yet as to make custom fields in Legacy yet. But that will come.

    MAKE SURE YOU DO THESE THINGS AT LEAST:
    I practiced and practiced with a few people from my FTM into gedcom before downloading the entire tree(s). Do that first before you load your trees. This will give you a chance to look around and practice before the big download.

    BEWARE NO. 1: Descriptions you make in the fact fields will be truncated to approximately 67 characters, but Legacy will put the rest in the Note field automatically. If you are inclined later, you can auto transfer the note truncation back to the description field. But, of course, with thousands upon thousands of people, this would be awful to have to do.

    BEWARE NO 2: The way Ancestry’s sources work and the way Legacy brings them in is not great! Get a picture in your mind of how the FTM Sources look in the Source main directory. (Left side a list, middle where you see the link, and right where you can type into it.) On the right side, there are three boxes in a column: Main, Sub, and Finished Product. When you bring in your gedcom data to Legacy, you will be able to see only the info in the first box. Then you can open further and see what is in the second box. Okay! So you think you’ve got all your data. You don’t! You know that nice little place where you put the URL if you find your source on-line? Well, it doesn’t transfer. That one thing is more important than anything! So, before I transfer, I am putting ALL my eggs in one basket (the top basket). I want to see it all at one time, and I definitely want my URL. I am cutting and pasting the second box into the first box, and then the URL into the first box. When I transfer, I can see it all at a glance.

    BEWARE NO 3: I have quite a few “web links.” I don’t see them transferred or a place to do it in Legacy, so I will have to manually go through them, if I want to put that information somewhere (like in the Note field).

    BEWARE NO. 4: It will bring in your “Also Known As,” but I had a hard time finding it. Legacy puts it under an “Alternate Name.” It is hard to find. Couldn’t find it until I used Help. You won’t see the aka on the screen. There’s an icon to see it, which can be edited. And your Name List won’t show it until you revamp (edit) the list to your liking.

    BEWARE NO. 5: I saved the worst for last – Images. The only fields it brings over is the “Caption.” The Date and Description fields DO NOT transfer. The ONLY thing that transfers is the Notes for each individual image. Go to your “Media” screen in FTM. The right column shows your Caption, Date, and Description. The date and description MUST go into the Note section. If you haven’t used the Note section, it is the right icon button just above your caption. Let us not get caught with this nightmare again! Put everything in the Note section. Here is how I am making it easy on myself (I think). Make one large image report for everyone and save it as an RTF. If you have Word, it will come out nicely. Put your Word doc on one side and FTM on the other. Keep your Note field up for FTM and go to each image, one by one. Copy or Cut and Paste the entire FTM Date and Description all at one time into the Note field and Walla, Walla, Bing Bong, perhaps before FTM won’t work anymore, we will have all our image information we need in the right place. Again, all in one basket! I am so glad I was anal about putting information on my personal photos right onto the picture, i.e., naming people, etc.

    As you can see, the key is to make sure everything you do is in a Note field – the only way gedcom likes it.

    TRANSFERRING INFO 101 by Connie made really, really, hard to deal with. Instead of spending your time researching, you can spend your time fixing!

  7500. Raymond

    Why not boycott Ancestry? Just make your Family Tree private. That will take off the Ancestry website a good number of research information gathered by members.

  7501. Richard

    I think in the next 2 years you will realize the mistake you have made – possibly too late. The fact is, I suspect that a large majority of your subscribers started a FTM users and came to you for the advantage of the sync/link offered. I have little doubt that, like me, I will not find your site nearly as helpful as I did FTM. In 2017 you will lose me and I will also delete my tree as it is based on the fruits of my efforts. I will also want my DNS data removed from your database at the same time.

  7502. Tim

    This move demonstrates a total lack of commitment to long term members and a the whole notion of providing products and information to those who value family histories. This change implies a commitment to corporate greed only and a lack of vision and innovation to expand on FTM rather than eliminate it. You should at least sell the software programming and code to someone else who can continue to support users. Providing no alternative solution after 2017 is a slap in the face to all of us who have relied on FTM to build our family trees and store information from countless hours of work. I will end my subscription as well along with the many people above who share the same sentiments.

  7503. Karl Blixt

    This is a terrible decision. FTM has been a very suitable program, easy to use. Working with a large screen desktop is not a dinosaur. What are you thinking??

  7504. Gene

    As a desktop Family Tree Maker user through several editions of this software, I find your latest business “decision” to discontinue its distribution and servicing totally despicable and repulsive ! ! It appears to be clearly and totally driven by your profit motive with little regard toward ethical customer service. I have even purchased software for my relatives to use in the past. It appears the future may hold attempts to entrap your clientele with other options (for a $$ price) in order for them to sustain the data bases they have spent many hours in developing. You are now putting consumer trust of your organization in jeopardy by these latest actions. It would be wise both from a long term business perspective and a public image standpoint for your Board of Directors and CEO to reconsider and reverse your latest decision about discontinuing the desktop product.

  7505. This termination is BAD. Twelve years of work is about to become a chore that’s not going to easily allow me to copy and pass on information to my grandkids, nieces or nephews. It’s been tough enough to get them interested and now have to stop the process. More then 1300 relatives cannot be controlled with the one system.
    Please rethink what your teenage analyst have recommended you do.

  7506. Carol

    BAD, BAD, BAD. How anyone could keep a tree only on-line is beyond me. There are so many more features in FTM for keeping notes on your research, tasks to do …. I’ve been using it for 15 years and can not imagine being without it. I have also had an ancestry.com subscription for about 12 years and will definitely cancel if you do this. Please reconsider. You are making our life work obselete! There must be a transition plan for all FTM features or a continuation of support for FTM.

  7507. Tony

    This seems a bad move to me. You may well have a point in not selling FTM anymore but to stop servicing it and your loyal customers is diabolical

  7508. marilyn

    $$$$$$$$…that’s all this is about. No concern for loyal customers and what WE like. It’s just to get more $$$$$ from us. Disappointing.

  7509. Larry

    Ancetry.com auto renewal cancelled. Fold3 and Newspapers.com cancelled. Coke did this once. They really don’t teach this stuff in business school do they? I’m done with you! Finis.

  7510. Chuck Crannell

    @Tim – I understand, too. The cloud is awesome! Until you can’t get at it. We currently have all the benefits of the cloud, plus all the great stuff FTM provides the cloud does not. Not everything deserves to be in the cloud (I don’t put my finances or tax reforms there). Not everyone has perpetual high-speed access, either. Here’s where a local program on your laptop while you’re at a remote cemetery, church, etc. comes in handy. But yeah, the desktop market is dying… NOT.

  7511. Sharon

    I think Ancestry is now making more money selling our DNA then from our monthly subscriptions. I too am canceling because of all the changes being made.

  7512. John

    Wow. Three days into your announcement and you already have over 23,000 negative comments between these two blogs. What a great business plan this is. Most companies go out of the way to retain their best customers. You are going out of the way to lose them. Good job!!!

  7513. K Smith

    We are a small group of genealogists aged between 60 and 93.To change to a new program is probably a recipe for disaster and a loss of decades of research.
    Ancestry please consider your clients and keep the status quo.

  7514. Pat

    This is very disappointing news, I agreed with the majority of the comments about the work that has gone into to creating our trees. The web version of ancestry does not lend itself to printing large trees and the desktop version does allow a way to keep info proprietary while working within the online version. Being able to upload and sync was a key feature, however I don’t see how I can maintain the cost of the membership without having more control of my trees. I hope you will consider finding another desktop program that will work as well or better with ancestry otherwise I will need to do something else. I really have enjoyed all the new information I have found within my family trees over the last year.
    Please reconsider your decisions to discontinue FTM. It was where I started (version 2) and gave me so much control over how my tree could look. My cousins and I have used FTM for years and preferred it over other software programs. I hope that these comments will cause you guys to reconsider this decision.

  7515. David

    Very disappointed in your decision. I will echo many of the other notes . . . the desktop is the most powerful way to maintain thousands of records (your current desktop is software is very good!). It also gives the greatest control. To me FTM is the front end; Ancestry.com is the back end database for sources. Please listen and reconsider keeping the customers you will likely otherwise loose.

  7516. kay

    I subscibe to both Ancestry and FTM and I am extremely disappointed with Ancestry for thie disregard of your customers wishes, Great Job Ancestry,NOT. Also I cringe logging into the new interface of Ancestry, you have really stuffed up my Tree, doubles,people missing even information that I have put in has had a life of its own, info coming from God knows where. GIVE BACK FTM AND THE OLD ANCESTRY or I for one will not subscribe again.

  7517. kay

    Just a reminder Ancestry the people who comment are only a very small minority that bothers at all, the fall out will be larger than you think. You must have done very well with the money we have invested in you to be able to disregard your customers wishes

  7518. John Carroll

    Most vociferously, I support and reiterate to the nth degree what the others above have expressed.I hope you see these comments as indicative of the tremendous customer support you and, and will lead you to tethink and change this decision. I believe that you have at least some moral obligation to continue support of FTM even if you no longer seel this product. I have nearly 3000 names in my trees as well as photos and personal data which I promised those who aided me to keep private. Thus, I do not want to put these data on Ancestry.com. for public consumption, even if other statements “assure” privacy. FTM (in its various supplements) WAS ONE OF THE VERY BEST
    PURCHASES I’VE MADE. PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS DISASTROUS DECISION.THINK OF THE LOSS OF CUSTOMER GOOD WILL AND THE DANGER WORD-OF-MOUTH BAD ADVERTISING MAY CAUSE!

  7519. Carol

    SOOO glad I’m not a FTM user. My genealogy program is a old one that was born before FTM. Simple, accurate and I loved it. With the last few Windows updates it won’t work (print) so I was checking out ALL programs available. I almost bought FTM but just didn’t like it not to mention the idea of re-entering the data from 40+ large notebooks of Family Group sheets didn’t thrill me. Had I done that and retyped all the data I would have been so ticked off to hear this news. So glad I didn’t fall for another of their traps. I did the first DNA they had then out of the blue found they were no longer supporting it and said ‘but you can buy the new one’ .. Don’t think so.

  7520. Harriet Leitch

    Why would I want Ancestry to be the sole holder of my genealogy? I want to hand it off to my descendants along with the wealth of other information (documents and photos) I have collected. I have used FTM since the 1990s (as did my sister before her death in 2001). I have used Ancestry since the early 2000s too. Without the FTM tie, Ancestry will also be history for me after my very expensive membership expires late next year.

  7521. Jackson Dorr

    This ill-begotten scheme is one of the most ignorant and short sighted business moves of the century!!! My foray into researching my tree began with FTM. It is my ‘Bible’. Ancestry is a tool I use for live research and whenever I learn of new facts, I manually enter them into FTM. Unlike others, I will never ‘Sync’ the two databases. I don’t trust Ancestry data since some users copy and paste the most irrational factoids–Like a woman giving birth 10 years after her death, etc. While I catch most of those errors from other Ancestry trees, part of the rigor in keeping my data ‘pure’ is to isolate the two databases. I can drop Ancestry in an instant and not miss a beat. FTM is the heart and soul of my research, and If I have to seal it off from the rest of the e-world so be it. HOW DARE YOU TRY TO FOIST YOUR “No One uses desktop stuff anymore” attitude. As if you didn’t know that it is likely that 90% of your customers are ‘old school’ and unwilling to give over their trust to a single source. You need to abandon this really ignorant idea and have FTM keep on keeping on, even if you sell the FTM to another entity. If your blinders don’t let you see what is so obvious to us customers, then at least keep FTM support alive indefinitely.

  7522. Corinne

    I’ve had a subscription since Ancestry’s beginning, and have had Family Tree Maker when it was owned by Commsoft and was named Roots for Dos, then came Roots II, Roots III, Roots IV and Roots V and Visual Roots for Microsoft Windows. I’ve subscribed to Ancestry’s databases since it’s inception and have had a subscription to Ancestry World since it was offered. I’ve spent thousands on Ancestry products.. and now to see they have abandoned Family and Tree Maker and their faithful subscribers who have been with the Roots and FTM software for nearly 30 years… . I am now seriously considering abandoning Ancestry. Because of this I have made my trees on Ancestry private and am considering deleting them from Ancestry cloud. Besides Ancestry I have Legacy and will likely be switching my allegiance to Familysearch.org, which I use along with Ancestry whom they partner with. I will make my decision within a couple weeks.

  7523. Nick

    Clearly you don’t care as evidenced by your ‘update blog’. I’ve deleted my tree and I want my membership cancelled too. Please cancel my membership as I’ve just found out there is no way to do this. You do NOT own my name and details! You do NOT have my permission to force me to remain a member. You also do NOT have permission to use ANYTHING at all that I have uploaded from my personal collection in the past! Please cancel my membership for me since you won’t let me do it – I’m sure you have the technology. BEWARE FOLKS – ancestry are mining our information and if you want to cancel your membership good luck trying!

  7524. Chris

    Thanks to Ancestry. Before today I had not looked at Legacy but all these posts put me on to it. Download a copy (with the current special offer) and played around a bit with it. I’ll see my current subscription to Ancestry out then it’s bye bye to FTM and Ancestry!

  7525. Bruce Larkins

    It is a sad day – like others, I will not be renewing my ancestry.com membership when it expires in May 2016.

  7526. BARBARA

    I expect this will be the ‘Death Knell” for Ancestry! Too many people use the program to access the Ancestry web site and download the information. I was waiting until after my catacact surgery to renew my Ancestry membership, but I guess I won’t be renewing if my software is no longer available.

  7527. Kathleen Blumenschine

    WOW! Talk about pulling the rug out !! I definitely will try to find other software and will scale back my Ancestry dependence. I have a public tree there, but if it stays, I’ll make it private. Too many users there were adopting my family and my pictures which had NO connection with their family. I prefer to use the software, but chose not to do the TreeSync. I actually don’t care for the trees on Ancestry nor how new data or sources are added. I have appreciated using Ancestry for new data for the software. Thanks for that, but It’s hard to learn new things. Just thinking about switching it all to another software gives me the willies, but once I find another, I would like to say a not so fond farewell to Ancestry. As you say, nothing lasts forever, and I want to associate with a company that’s dependable. People who work on genealogy put a lot of effort and years into it. Starting with a new software is very unappealing, but —. What you are doing seems to negate all the good you’ve done.
    Kathleen

  7528. Cynthia

    How sad that Ancestry has chosen greed over true interest in helping people document their heritage. Feels like you have left us out in the cold. How hard & expensive could it possibly be to continue to offer & support the Family Tree Maker product?

  7529. Sarah

    Disappointed to say the least! I only really pay the subscription for the convenience of using the TreeSync facility as I travel a lot and use three different laptops and it is the most convenient way to keep things up to date. Guess I will have to go back to fiddling around with flashdrives in the future but my bank balance will be better through no subscription fees…..

  7530. Don

    The least you could do is let the current owners of 2014 have a new download key to get a copy on a new pc. Since the software is dead really no need to spend $50+ to get a new download key. Just buy a new product, but that’s what you want anyway, right. As I said before we can not access Ancestry.com where there is no internet, and in Texas there are lots of those.

  7531. Lisa Mills

    Do you realize how many people use FTM because of the way it makes Ancestry better? Do you realize how many options we all have to access other softwares, but we purchased and keep FTM just because of the way it interacts with Ancestry? This is the worst possible decision you could ever make. You really must want Ancestry to tank—-because other softwares are going to work with Family Search and Ancestry is going to lose all of us.

  7532. mike

    Deleted my three trees on Ancestry. I have my “master copy” on FTM & will be looking for a suitable replacement. No need to spend $150+ per year for records I can get elsewhere.

  7533. Jay Weber

    TO ALL FTM PROGRAMMERS: If Ancestry is going to cancel FTM it stands to reason they will also cancel FTM programmers. With roughly 9000 disgruntled commenters on these two blog pages it seems to me that there is sufficient market for you soon-to-be-cancelled people to go out on your own. Who knows FTM better than you? We’re game! Are you? It looks like you have a year to consider this. Just a thought!

  7534. Dave "Coytson"

    Member since the about 1997 don’t remember exactly. Since before you used your email address for an ID. Bless you all and I agree with the vast majority of the comments. As a point of info, I have been running FTM 2014 on a computer with Microsoft XP that is not connected to the internet and hasn’t been for over a year and all the internal function work just fine. Can’t sync or leaf but my data is just fine.
    Folks you need to step back a little bit and remember that Ancestry is a for profit company and that like ALL for profit companies their objective is to make the maximum earnings for their owners. There responsibility is to their owners. IF WE WANT THIS FIXED, WE HAVE TO ATTACK THE BOTTOM LINE. They obviously perceive that FTM will not add customers as most of the folks that really want to put that kind of effort into their genealogy are already on board and the fertile market is folks primarily wanting something less rigorous–hence the abomination of the online program. It appears to me– I could be wrong– that this is just one small piece in a very extensive campaign to monopolize the genealogy industry. They have been acquiring a lot of other “assets” and it appears to me they may be working to degrade those which are free but might pull business away from Ancestry. Find A Grave comes specifically to mind. I suggest you go to Chris Mills Contributor number #46897617. See the story relative to Tropico Graves.
    ACTION. If you want to get Ancestry management’s attention ACTUALLY CANCEL your subscription. Swear off for 3 or 4 months. Pull your data–don’t forget to clean out your shoebox– and just spend the time getting your backlog cleaned up and looking at other sites you have been ignoring. Yes it will be a pain in the — well anyway it will be– but it is some short term pain to try and avoid a long term disability. DO it in January. It may not work but if we don’t try and stand up, I guarantee it will be gone. Then contact all your friends and try and get them to participate. Let’s give it a shot folks.

  7535. judy

    Lisa Mills – Family Search is the site for Church of Latter Day Saints, to be able to see any images you have to log into Ancestry and therefore have to pay the Ancestry subscription. I get email from the WIki Tree which I do not like. I have a DNA result pending and my subscription ends in Feb. I certainly plan on canx ancestry because I don’t see the further expense, and will wait to see what happens after they close out this blog.

  7536. Bill Moss

    A very poor decision made without any real reason being given. If there is any shred of customer-orientation within Ancestry management, the flood of negative customer responses must surely mean the decision will be reversed? We can only hope!!

  7537. Joyce Seno

    Very disappointing news. The real value of Ancestry is FTM and the ability to maintain my family records on my own computer and not just on some cloud. I will remove my tree and let my subscription run out and search for a new source.

  7538. Bob Gregg

    Not sure I agree with Dave about dropping everything to get the message across, they have been dragging on FTM for years and this is really no surprise. I have used the software since the beginning and the support is virtually non existent the last few years. What surprises me is that their competition offers two different local packages. One is free and one costs money and the software is not bad. However the way they use your data is dramatically different so I have stayed away. The cost is higher too. I am not happy with this change and will greatly miss FTM. I need a local application to hold my data and FTM matching with Ancestry did that exactly what I needed. Who knows maybe they will market a local app like their competition does. To bad The Master Geneologist software was retired last year. Oh well I will keep looking but I will miss the sync process once they turn it off. In the long run if Ancestry does not resolve this they will lose customers to the competition.

  7539. Joined Ancestry first over five years ago. Bought FTM to fix errors Ancestry couldn’t do. STILL CAN’T DO. The other reason was to do relationship charts and other reports.

    The NEW Ancestry is HORRIBLE. Can’t navigate through census records and find transcription errors as OLD ANCESTRY does. I could list over ten TOOLS gone as of DEC 15 and now an additional four with the news FTM is dead. Familysearch.org is looking better and better, and it is free!

  7540. Jim

    Everyone likes a champ that goes out on top. FTM is the most used genealogy software in the world, despite some minor usability issues. I believe the only objective created by this retirement is to give the competition a free hand to expand and control the future of Genealogy software. The position and value of Ancestry.com will be weaker in the long term as other software vendors find features and alternative to Ancestry they will never be able to recover. If your economic plan for the future of Ancestry is to succeed, please consider selling this branch of your core business to a another vendor and allow the tradition of FTM to continue for generations to come. I truly fear the end of Ancestry as much as FTM but the die seems cast with this fiscal maneuver? Please reconsider your decision and keep the faithful user base informed of your progress or plans for the future. Even the mighty Microsoft has learned the value of listening to it’s user base, It’s time to straighten up and fly right, please.

  7541. Now that some of the dust has settled, here is some additional constructive feedback from a business and corporate perspective. This is after reading some of the thousands of comments, and recognizing a pervasive and underlying theme.

    The primary justification given for retiring FTM was the “declining desktop software market and the impact this has on being able to continue to provide product enhancements and support that our users need.” For the sake of argument, let’s assume that as an individual business unit, FTM is declining in year to year (YTY) revenue, and let’s go as far as assuming that the unit operates at a financial loss. If that is the scenario, many companies will divest and drop individual products that are money losers.

    There were a number of FTM users who indicated that they use FTM as standalone product, and do not have any type of paid subscription to Ancestry. This type of user, obviously, has very limited revenue and profit potential to Ancestry, other than version upgrade fees every year or two, etc.

    There were also a large number of FTM users who indicated that they had paid subscriptions to Ancestry, and stated to be because of the aspect of synching their FTM tree with Ancestry records. This type of user overwhelmingly indicated they intend on continuing with some form of desktop software product, for various reasons. The real problem for Ancestry, though, is that many of these users indicated they would be would be cancelling their (paid) Ancestry subscription, and some have even publicly posted their cancelation confirmations.

    While the intent may be been to divest of what may be an individual money loser for Ancestry, it appears there may have been a failure to recognize the broader impact. The pervasive theme from numerous comments is that FTM may have been a “loss leader” for Ancestry, where it “dragged” a certain degree or rate of paid subscription business with it.

    As Ancestry is a privately held company, the figures that we do have have access to are that of the 2.2 million stated “subscribers,” how many of them are actually paid subscribers. And of that number, how many of them are FTM TreeSync users. The aspect of FTM being a “loss leader” for Ancestry paid subscriptions may or many not have been recognized, and it may have been a “calculated risk” of losing some of those subscribers, taken by Ancestry’s executives. For example, if FTM operates at a loss, how much of that loss is offset by FTM users that are paid subscribers, and how many cancel, etc. Time will only tell.

  7542. Phillip

    Hey Kendall. Are your figures correct? 70 million trees with 6,000 million ancestors being an average of 85 people per tree? I guess that’s why you need to get rid of FTM. Selfish FTM people like me with 23k in my tree are obviously taking advantage of your kindness and generosity. (Hangs his head in shame and disappears into the night).

  7543. Marilyn Darke

    How can I keep all the data that I have worked on over the years? Can I make a copy of it?
    Can I save it to a disk?

  7544. Linda Windmoeller

    ConnieM — a BIG thanks for your detailed reply about transfer of ged.com to Legacy 8.0 Deluxe. It appears FTM software is not very compatible with the other top-rated genealogical software because additional information is not kept in a “notes” field required for ged.com transfer, but instead FTM has it’s own program fields for media as to date, place, description and also for source citation as to detail, citation text, and web address/URL. If I understand this correct, none of the extra fields (except notes) will transfer via a ged.com, and so I’d have to re-do all the entry fields for my thousands of media and source citations by copying and paste into notes on each media and each citation. BEWARE indeed! I think Ancestry is betting those of us with large trees from years of research will find this too cumbersome and time consuming, and thereby we will reluctantly pay the annual fee to work with our own online tree, and also pay a subscription fee to publish/print the charts and reports currently found in FTM software — so we can be charged twice, and Ancestry makes even more money.
    Please, someone correct me if I have it wrong!

  7545. Linda

    I am adding my name to the list of unhappy people. I was persuaded to purchase FTM2014 as it was improved over the 2014 version and now you plan to discontinue? Ancestry has continued to raise its subscription costs, yet reduce the value of the content provided (example: index file only, where there were actual records before), and now to eliminate FTM. Unconscionable!!

  7546. I

    sincerely hope that with the demise of FTM you will be implementing the back up of the online member trees on your system. I was shocked when I learned that this isn’t a service currently provided. Without the ease of transferring my tree data from Ancestry to my FTM program the potential to lose years of work is great. You really need to make back up copies of our online trees to protect in case of an unforeseen disaster.

  7547. x-subscriber

    I am so glad that several months back I started all over again with my tree and downloaded + printed out every single document I had ever bought from you. It’s made deleting my online tree less painful and already I have found a software option that is actually better than FTM anyway, that being Family Historian. What fools you are! So glad too I hadn’t signed up with your dna,it was so close! Your loss! I advise everyone here to download every thing you have ever paid for from these rouges – it’s yours after all. Ancestry, since you have never paid me for the screeds of information I have uploaded via tree sync you do not have my permission to use it. I would like my membership cancelled too please. Disgruntled members, the ONLY way to get through to these corporate fools is by way of their pocket, $ are all they care about that is way clear. Delete your trees, cancel your subs, it may be the only way to make them realise they need us way more than we need them. Old habits die hard, but there are other fantastic software solutions out there. Goodbye ancestry, you will have to majorly suck up to ever get me back online with you again. I won’t be holding my breath you will! Moving on …..

  7548. Linda Windmoeller

    Does anyone know if in FTM, edit source citation, at bottom “include in reference note” boxes to check: “Citation text” and “Web address” will allow for the source to transfer correctly in a ged.com to another genealogy software program? Or is that only for FTM internal use?

  7549. Paul

    @Tim – it’s not always a good thing. Some of us don’t WANT our stuff online only.

    Also – regardless of the convenience of it… now instead of paying $50-100 for the FTM software, they are expecting us to pay $20/month for the website (or $99 for 6 month)? No thanks.

  7550. Cathleen Barker

    I am very disappointed in your decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker. Although I have not been online frequently due to some life priorities, I have been using Family Tree Maker long before you took it over. Like some of your other clients, I did not upload my personal information up to your site as I spent an incredible amount of research on my family and did not believe the family would appreciate it being on a public site. But I am happy to share it with my family members. I like printing the reports and a number of the features. It took some getting used to, the new look, and was planning to upgrade once again. Give it back to Broderbound as someone else mentioned above. Quite frankly, I don’t understand why you are dumping it. I believe you should allow someone else to take over FTM, since you are no longer interested or willing to maintain it. Rather than discontinue the program, give it away to a company who would love to take it on along with all its loyal customers. It was in existence prior to your take over, allow it to continue through another company’s efforts. From the comments it looks like you are going to lose a lot customers – so might retain some of them if you allow it to continue under another company’s umbrella. What have you got to lose?

  7551. Bonnie Conrad

    This can’t be true. For one thing you never worked out the problems with Famiy Tree never being able to print out the entire ged com file as a book. I have 5 thousand people in my files as of 40 years of work. I used Origins originally but since I’m one of the first Ancestry members I went with what the “experts’ suggested. I have never downloaded it to Ancestry as my purpose was to print as a book for the county I was born in so they could sell it to help maintain the Historical Society there. What would you suggest I do? This is a very sad decision.

  7552. Pierre

    Check out FAMILY HISTORIAN software, stand alone made in UK. They have free trial and discount for FTM users.

  7553. Michael Miller

    My FTM sync to ancestry.com hasn’t worked since May. I recently switched to Mac, bought the Mac version of FTM and again, the sync failed. I have been a FTM customer for over 20 years, always buying the new version and enjoying the upgrades. This decision leaves me NO choice except to switch to a different software since my online tree WON’T update. I certainly hope ancestry/FTM comes to their senses the way Coke did after introducing New Coke, but if necessary, I will reluctantly change to a different software and cancel my ancestry membership.

  7554. Jean Lee

    I have never uploaded any part of my family tree to Ancestry.com., nor do I download any part of a tree or record directly from Ancestry to my family trees. However, I do search for clues within other family trees at Ancestry. I use the original records available to add to the family trees I create.
    Does this new move mean that I will not be able to access these records unless I upload my family tree onto the ‘new’ site?
    Will my 2014 FTM program still work?
    Will the tree owners on Ancestry be able to remove their current trees from the Ancestry site?
    Too many questions, and I am afraid no one will answer them.
    J.Lee

  7555. lyn

    Although my comments are likely a bit repetitive; I will leave them regardless. My reaction is disgust, possibly less about your company’s decision and more about the thousands and thousands of hours (and dollars) that I have spent during the last 15 years of a very busy/hectic career, building a family tree. This time and money will become largely wasted. I started 15 years ago by simply research the best valuable software to capture existing family tree knowledge and became “hooked” with the added value that ancestry.com could provide. I had planned to continue working on the family tree over the next several decades, used the computer based software (i.e., I have become accustom to its laminations, and I would not consider posting a tree online and could not, even if I wanted to due to various family member requests). Marketing 101 tells you that retaining existing companies increases your profit margins over needed to find new customers – based upon the prior responses and my intensions, you are losing many customers. I have no intentions of converting my tree to another software package or continuing any paid membership at ancestry.com, once I can no longer use the computer based software.
    Customer loyalty also comes into play, since the ancestry tree mapping (the backbone of ancestry.com website) was created by former and existing members. You can choose to ignore that, as a business that is obviously your right. However, in a positive way–you have freed up some time and costs in my early retirement by eliminating something what had become a bit of an obsession … thank you for the cure.

  7556. dsmithquan1

    I am very upset to hear you are discontinuing Family Tree Maker when I just purchased it last month after talking to your representative who insisted how wonderful it is and what a nice addition to my subscription it would be. I am feeling very cheated right now!

  7557. I

    would like to see a detailed communication about what features will and will not work when using the Family Tree Maker after support ends. I would like to continue to use the program for as long as I can before there will be a forced change with a new operating system. I think you owe the users and supporters of your company more information on this future retirement of the best genealogy software program that has been implemented to date.

  7558. Mike

    I have never seen such an outpouring of disgust at a product decision, rightly deserved. Ancestry failed to recognize that the online and desktop programs are part of the same product. Take away one and you have cannibalized your entire business. Either way, Mr Hulet, now would be a good time to brush up your resume’.

  7559. Mike

    In anticipation of your disastrous transition, I did a quick port of a copy of my data to Legacy, Family Historian and RootsMagic. Legacy and Family Historian are designed like it’s still 1996, and sorely lack functionality in the management of facts and photos. Issues such as not being able to take PDFs or eve TXT files (for stories), ignoring critical fact types, and absolutely HORRIBLE graphical displays of trees make them completely unusable (not sure why some people like Legacy). I would recommend RootsMagic, but even that has some nasty issues, such as a dysfunctional mapping feature, and it’s tree navigation is not as good as FTM. Advanced features such as changing a fact type globally are not possible In my opinion, making a deal for another program (like RootsMagic) to sync with Ancestry will STILL lead to the demise of your business.

    It’s odd that Ancestry’s FTM is at the top of its game, leagues ahead of its competitors, and yet the developer quits. Out of over 8500 comments here so far, EVERY ONE of them is an angry or upset customer. Consider that a statistical survey and I would say you have just alienated 100% of your customer base.

    My suggestion: keep supporting FTM and its sync capability. If it is a cost issue, don’t bother updating features. You are already way ahead of everyone else, and most customers are annoyed when developers think they have to keep changing a program’s features and design. It works just fine as it is

  7560. lizfarmer1

    This is a serious game changer for security of the trees that I have built and entrusted to Ancestry and FTM for years. Your GedCom exports bring across the minimum. So I now have to pay you for ever? What if you too become unfinancial or get hacked and data destroyed? Whats left of my trees then? Please advise the back up strategy to maintain the security and content of my trees off line. This is extraordinary.

  7561. Donald Severance

    Gentlemen: I have Ancestry Family Tree Maker 2014. Generally it works quite well. I bought it when another genealogy software company went out of business. I have seen three other software products mentioned, Legacy, Bruderbund, and Family Historian. Are any or all of those products compatible with Family Tree Maker? If not, or if so, do you have a recommendation for a good substitute genealogy software product?

  7562. Graham

    Stopping support for FTM is crazy. I agree with all the above comments for why you should keep it going.
    Why not cut some of your advertising budget to cover the cost? There are so many TV adverts I would think it is hard for people not to have herd of Ancestry!

  7563. Gillian

    I have just read the Ancestry content in the Additional Answers link above.There is nothing there, really. I may as well issue a weather forecast saying that it may rain today. Ancestry’s contribution has received as much “support” as the original announcement. Unfortunately, we are over a barrel. any expenditure on alternatives may well be wasted if a couple of weeks before next Christmas, Ancestry announces a replacement for FTM or SYNC with some other software. I feel sure there is something else going on here. Perhaps Ancestry will confirm or deny that there are plans afoot to sell out/be taken over/take over other software/re-invent itself etc., etc.,etc.with or without Family Search

  7564. Ashley Scruggs

    I so HATE to hear this!!! I LOVE Family Tree Maker and it has so many great features. Please reconsider!!!! This is a HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT to all of your customers not just myself!!! Again, please reconsider for all of your valued customers who spend so much time using this GREAT product!!!

  7565. Bruce

    So now people have to spend a lot of time migrating from FamilyTree Maker to some other genealogy software instead of focusing on finding new info on their genealogy. Way to go, Ancestry.

  7566. Tim Eades

    My Gt Gt Grandfather was an early pioneer leaving UK in 1849, but returning in 1859. Had enough of Brigham Young and the church. I now know what he felt. A proper man would admit that the decision to stop FTM is a big mistake, and one that only an accountant could make. Reverse the decision – now.

  7567. Randi Millman-Brown

    You now have almost 10,000 comments all of which are upset about your decision. Your blog posts do not really answer any questions about WHY you are doing this. Really bad decision.

  7568. Carole

    I want to echo the comments above. Losing Family Tree Maker is going to be a hardship for all of us. It is not only a compliment to Ancestry, it is the tool we use for the presentation and organization of our research. I am especially disgusted to receive this decision so late and after I, too, invested in the newest edition of FTM. Surely, Ancestrry has had this move under consideration for a long time. You, in effect, have deceivied you customers. Now, do the right thing and give us an alternative way to deal with FTM’s loss.

  7569. Debbie Pitts

    This is a terrible business decision. I have been using Ancestry for about a year and thoroughly enjoying my new hobby. Had to decided to purchase FTM recently and could not locate a hard copy to purchase. I want to preserve my work on my computer. How will I be able to do this?

  7570. Phillip Baker

    Go to the Better Business Bureau national site and register your complaint under Ancestry.com. The Bureau will send your to complaint to Ancestry.com for a reply. The Bureau replied to me in just a few minutes after registering my complaint.

  7571. Roberta

    Unbelievable! I have been a member for years and love working with FTM. How can you just dump all your loyal customers .I am always telling people to buy FTM to record their records. Guess that won’t be happening any more. Sooooo sad.

  7572. Larry

    Not a good idea after all these years. Ancestry does not provide enough options and requires you to be online all of the time. Reconsider or you will loose me and family members in USA and England to another company

  7573. Judy

    This was posted at the top of the blog UPDATE: Please note we have curated your feedback and provided some additional answers in this post. IT ANSWERS LOTS OF QUESTIONS.

  7574. Marlena Vega

    If you Google ‘family tree software,’ there’s already one website that states Family Tree Maker users have a new home. Is this really what you wanted to see? Family Tree Maker is portable on my laptop, requires no internet to be able to share or print. If it’s no longer supported, then I must leave.

  7575. rob

    Like many others, I’ve severed all my Ancestry ties (including deleting my trees). I’ve test-imported my data into RootsMagic and Legacy for evaluation. The data transfers fairly well, but the programs are seriously inferior in look, action, and features.
    FTM was “the #1 genealogy program” for a reason.
    But I DON”T want Ancestry to reconsider this. I DO NOT want to ever associate with this careless greedy company again.
    And I don’t want Ancestry to develop a “sync” function with anyone else. I don’t need it, won’t use it.
    What I pray is that they’ll $ELL FTM to someone, so it could continue. (Yes, Ancestry, that word starts with “$”. That should fit you.)

  7576. Mary Beth Marchant

    It be wrong to kick Kendall Hulett for this thing since he is only employed by Ancestry and does not own the company.

    I do want to mention something that I do not think has ever been brought up before-at least I have never seen it discussed. I first purchased FTM I think it was version 3 way way back and really enjoyed the ease of use. I continued to get the newer versions through FTM2006/Version 16. FTM through FTM 2006/version 16 is a completely different piece of soft ware than FTM 2008 through FTM 2014. Using the prior versions I just installed my software and opened FTM and all my trees were there. Beginning with FTM 2008 that was not possible-each file had to be imported and if the new software did not like something then my file was not imported.

    I am hoping that RootsMagic will make genealogy research fun again because right now it is not. Being forced to use the “new Ancestry” makes genealogy research a chore and not fun anymore. Hopefully I will be able to import my FTM 2006 trees into RootsMagic and then mostly use Familysearch.org for research. I am taking a wait and see approach about keeping my Ancestry subscription which expires in March 2016. I will have to think long and hard about whether I want to spend $300.00 or more for something that is not fun.

  7577. Lshellwhitfield

    As an Ancestry member and FTM owner, I am sorely disappointed in this decision and will be cancelling my subscription if this decision is not reversed.

  7578. Richard Smith

    I have no use for an Ancestry subscription without FTM sync and leaf hints. Ancestry was only a backup/share site for me with all research done through FTM. I’ll drop Ancestry and move to RootsMagic. If RootsMagic is allowed pick up the sync and hints capability from Ancestry, I’ll consider resubscribing to Ancestry.

  7579. I think that it is encumbant on the management of Ancestry.com and FTM to prepare routine summaries of comments AND a response from the management to the summarized comments. A Blog should be a dialogue between the parties. I should not be just the sound of one hand clapping

  7580. RonB

    I think all the important points have been made here and I do hope someone wakes up a smells the coffee and doesn’t discontinue the desktop software. I don’t like the new Ancestry – it is clumsy in just about every way as I have tried to force myself to adjust. I’ve kept using an older version going on my old XP machine that was no longer able to search from a few years ago which began my alienation. I use an unsynched desktop on my current laptop and I cannot fathom using just an online method. I do like a few things about the new but for anyone who wants to be serious about genealogy a desktop version is a must. I’d like to see you guys try to get back to 2005-2006 rather than where you are going. I may or may not renew in two months but I most assuredly will not continue if you kill the desktop. Please reconsider.

  7581. Sandy

    Please do not do this! I have been an ancestry.com member for many many years. At a world-level member you have gotten a lot of money from me. I forgave you when you wiped out my first tree ~10 years ago during one of your “upgrades”. (there was no way to have a duplicate copy of my tree safely stored on my computer back then). So, I had to start over from scratch. But, I did it using Reunion on my Mac where no corporate decision could ever wipe it out again. I keep another copy on ancestry.com to share my findings with others however. I won’t bother to do this if you eliminate FTM.
    The reason for this is that I do not have internet access for many months of each year as I travel the world researching my ancestry. What use to me would be building my tree (to increase the value of YOUR website) and posting my finds if I could not access it myself?!
    This is a stupid corporate desicion. Do not proceed down this path!

  7582. Robert Y

    Premira, your decision to drop FTM software and support is obviously based on “the bottom line”, however it appears you may be looking at things with tunnel vision. I believe over the long run you’re going to lose money! This decision is a real knife in the back to your customers. We (the customers) have considered ourselves to be part of a very successful team with Ancestry being the team leader. It appears that the team leader has now officially been replaced by an “Investment Company”.
    Your customers have been a great source in finding the sources you pass on to other customers. I have been amazed how many “Hints” I’ve received from Ancestry that were from works that I myself supplied to Ancestry. We’ve reaped benefits from Ancestry but Ancestry has reaped the benefits of our research, often at a cost to us, the customer. I estimate that I have spent a couple thousand dollars out of my own pocket over the last four years (not including my fee’s to Ancestry) doing research that I’ve shared with Ancestry and in turn “The Team”. I worked with many others that have incurred expenses that Ancestry has also been the beneficiary of.
    Investment companies are notorious for only caring about the bottom line. I feel this decision to drop FTM software and support may be a shoot from the hip bottom line decision, but I also believe it to be a short cited decision. I urge you to reconsider.

  7583. PhyllisAnn Muse

    I have had FTM since it first came out and haven’t updated for a few years and was about to do an upgrade and really get working on some research again, till I saw this! Makes me very sad!!!! I don’t have a clue where to begin getting all of my info or what to put it on lost very much lost!!!!!!

  7584. John

    Couldn’t be a more wrong-headed change. Genealogists work over decades. Companies appear to function over years. I used roots3 (now defunct), Ultimate genealogist (now defunct), The master genealogist (now defunct). I installed family tree maker purely for the ease in importing records and documents (didn’t have to create census people). I usually do scanning and research on my laptop, and until I began having sync issues kept them synced. I am completely not willing to risk decades of research on the hope that the cloud site of ancestry doesn’t go extinct like the remainder of genealogy programs ( I remember asking Bob V this once and he assured me that TMG was here to stay). I don’t really believe anything is here to stay for decades and prefer the redundancy of a computer backup given that we no longer us paper. TMG (although sometimes ugly), had the best of both worlds. Hard to understand why they wouldn’t see how their user base would react

  7585. Jim

    I too have steadfastly used Family Tree Maker software since it’s first release on DOS by Broderbund several decades ago and am very displeased by the decision to discontinue support of the desktop software. While I understand that there may be few additional features that can enhance the product, I hope that Ancestry will continue to support the existing functionality for a longer period of time than one year. Other software companies continue to support their products for several years after they stop selling it. Why can’t Ancestry?

  7586. Alan Tucker

    And still, Kendall Hulet seems to believe that exporting to a gedcom file will allow a magical transfer of decades of work, complete in every detail, picture and source… The man has no clue whatsoever !
    Total let down….

  7587. SINCE ANCESTRY.COM WILL NO LONGER BE CARRYING FTM, I WILL NOT BE AN ANCESTRY.COM USER! AFTER DECEMBER 31RST I WILL BE CANCELING MY ANCESTRY.COM. THANK YOU FOR ABOUT TO RECEIVE!

  7588. Rita Gillespie-Stein

    I am one of the original users of Family Tree Maker and my trees were some of the first in the World Tree. I have seen Banner Blue, Broderbund and everyone on board since, I think, 1989.This is one of the worse decisions I have ever seen a company make. I can’t imagine that everyone with FTM will not unsubscribe to Ancestry.com since if the online site will not sync to the software after Jan 2017, will we be back to writing everything new down and entering it into our PCs by hand? God, I hope not!

  7589. RJB

    I will not continue to invest in building out my portion of the Ancestry data base without the security of retaining a full copy of the information on my own PC. I will start looking for another application that can support my own PC-based family tree.

  7590. Cathleen

    I have downloaded and imported a .ged file from FTM to Reunion 11 for Mac. I am please to say that all the media transfers over and stays connected to family members. I have found 2 issues so far…in the media files, it cuts off some of the text that i had entered in the description field in FTM. About half of the text is there, so I will have some cleanup to do. Also, any links to sources like census documents: the source itself transfers over, but the url or the image do not. I just barely started my tree about 2 months ago, so I will go ahead and clean up what I have done so far, using Reunion. For you guys with huge numbers of family members, it will be a problem. Sadly, I think that is probably going to be an issue for any transfer to another software. Ancestry knew exactly what they were doing, didn’t they? They are basically working on a monopoly…I will continue to use whatever free resources are available online. And when ancestry pulls a google and monopolizes every single database, well, I will just quit geneaology and go back to painting, before I will pay any more money to this greedy company.

  7591. Joan Hall

    I recently bought FTM to put on my computer, it even has 6mths ‘free’ sub to Ancestry!! I am very very disappointed that Ancestry should make a decision like this. To me, it would be best served if Ancestry KEPT the FTM. I think they are going to lose a lot of members over this matter.

  7592. John

    Closing in on 25000 unfavorable blog comments not including the social media comments. Loss of at least $5,000,000 in revenue and climbing. What a great business decision!!!

  7593. Jack

    I purchased your software about 6 weeks ago with no indication whatsoever of what was coming. Business as usual – Cash, yes, service no! You probably did not know then. Count me on for a class action suit!

  7594. PSGeni

    What a mistake! Ancestry has enraged everyone using FTM – READ THE COMMENTS! How can we be sure that you won’t end Ancestry altogether and leave us with nothing?! How do you expect your “customers” to print out reports? Save information for future generations? Whoever is making these decisions must not understand anything but the bottom line! I’m sure you will loose many more customers than you realize! I think it is ANCESTRYS RESPONSIBILITY to provide answers to the problem you are setting before us.

  7595. Ben

    Fantastic decision, I don’t think although many commercial people will step in to fill the gap, I’m sure you’ve done it to make more money through the on line site and nothing else, so don’t try to pull the wool over our eyes. Also I think the new ancestry site sucks, not as good as the previous versions and seems so childish. A very very bad move on your part Ancestry. Think I’ll be going elsewhere when my subs end.

  7596. Kathleen Byrd

    I agree with everything that has been said. I need something to work from on my computer. That way I can play with theories which can be easily changed without someone else being led astray. Bad decision!

  7597. Rita Gillespie-Stein

    Someone mentioned a class action lawsuit… not a bad idea. I can’t even add up the 1000’s of dollars I have spent with this company and the 1000’s of hours in genealogy research. Since Ancestry was built on the free contributions of millions of members, I believe it is only fair to ask to be compensated. I also believe that every current member of Ancestry and/or tree contributor should be asked for permission to continue to use their trees… for free.

  7598. Cy Daul

    I was just about to upload my tree. WILL NOT DO THAT. Your revised site really sucks. I will NOT renew my subscription. For research, other sites are just as good. I liked searching other trees for info but had to be very careful there too. A lot of the info is incorrect. I will be looking for another product. I am just as discussed as everyone that commented.

  7599. Garth

    Back in the 1990s and the early 2000s I was using the Mormon software for my genealogy (Personal Ancestral File – PAF). The PAF program always worked fine and was simple and straightforward. To make attractive reports they had an add-on program called PAF Companion. Meanwhile Family Tree Maker was constantly constantly changing things. Reports and Forms that worked fine one day would be all messed up a month later. There were updates and patches every month or two. People sometimes lost data because of the endless changes, problems and transitions. I thought to myself, thank God I use the PAF program — it just works, plain and simple. I wondered what is wrong with the FTM designers who were constantly messing around with things and driving people crazy.
    It seems the kind of thinking that the FTM designers had circa 2005 is now the same thinking used by the people who run Ancestry.com They are just constantly changing things, messing around, and tremendous stress for so many people. Fixing things that aren’t broken and then causing so much stress. Some things never change.

  7600. Thomas Thayer

    At this point, who cares? Ancestry has made their (moronic) decision and even if they reversed it now – I’ve lost faith in the company. I would just assume they’ll repeat the same foolish mistake a couple years down the road.

    Moving to Heredis and not looking back…

  7601. Gene Ology

    ok everyone, what are the best alternate programs out there ? What are their pro’s and con’s, and which ones import the FTM backup data with the greatest success ?

  7602. Jackie

    I see in the update that Ancestry is exploring options about integrating with some other software program. Hopefully you will also look at something for the Mac and not just pc’s. I always used FTM until we got a Mac, then had to go to Reunion, which I did not care for. I was thrilled when FTM came up with a Mac version. Please don’t leave us hanging out to dry!

  7603. Drew Schmidt

    Yup – – so glad that I bought it last year……and all so I could have my data local offline for when I”m not connected to the internet.

  7604. Roger Wright

    This is mad but typical of software companies who think 100% cloud computing is the future – it isn’t and I’ve worked with such systems for 20 years. Genuine genealogists need the features offered by FTM and the web interface is rubbish for anything other than publishing your tree. Serious users want their data on their hard drive where it is safe, always available, and instantly accessible. I was thinking of renewing my Ancestry subscription but that is now out of the question. They will have us lock, stock and barrel if we all go web-based with storage charges and all sorts of other chargeable services plus adverts and goodness knows what else. I recommend we all pull up the drawbridge, stick to the latest version of FTM and migrate to another product. There will be plenty of vendors with open arms and easy transition plans. In my career as an IT specialist I’ve seen this happen so many times with all sorts of software from accounting to engineering. Ancestry you are a big disappointment and your claim to hold millions of records does not impress the majority of us who want local data not worldwide stuff. Rubbish decision.

  7605. Jack

    I have read Kendall Hulet’s update and even with all of the 8000 plus comments, he is still pursuing the online service only. I guess he does not believe the many negative comments concerning storing and working on our family trees online. There is still no strong support to support FTM beyond I Jan 2017 or to sell the software to another software company. I have been a FTM for a number of years as well as a subscriber to Ancestry.com. I recently purchased 3 DNA kits for my family and will have to stick around for a while to gain some benefit from the results. If there is no positive change of position by Mr. Hulet during this time, they will absolutely loose another customer before the end of 2016. I have 5 family trees on FTM and have always maintained the trees on Ancestry as public, but as a form of protest, they are now all private. I am looking at Legacy to replace the FTM. They have also been very responsive to my questions. Too bad we are dealing with a company that has no respect for their loyal customer base and only care about the bottom line.

  7606. Helen; Tasmania Australia

    I can only add my disbelief, anger, frustration et all to everyone else’s comments. Likewise I will likely cancel my Ancestry subscription and feel very let down that you can be so heartless and cruel as to destroy all the years of hard work, let alone our history. Shame on you!!!!!

  7607. Have just caught up to the email regarding the FTM. I really regret this decision from Ancestry. I use the software off line and don’t want to be totally dependent on a web based system. The software enables me to work away from the internet when I travel to more remote and country regions of Australia. For me this significantly decreases the functionality of ancestry and unfortunately after a number of years with this company I will be actively pursuing other alternatives. Guess there is no chance of getting a refund?

  7608. Wayne Lorenz

    I am very disappointed about your decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker. I have been using it for many years and prefer using it to manage my family tree rather than your website. Family Tree Maker is easier to use and more intuitive than your website. I have been a loyal member of Ancestry.com for many years and this is making me reconsider continuing my membership with you. I will explore other options. Hopefully you will reconsider and continue supporting Family Tree Maker.

  7609. Robert Doherty

    I have been a FTM user since the mid 1990’s and am disgusted with your selfish decision to destroy FTM.
    I was about to renew my Ancestry account again however, not now, why waste my money on something that will do nothing for me.

    A selfish decision, but I guess that you will understand!

  7610. JohnTucker

    I don’t agree with your decision, but I understand it. I believe you need to inform all owners of Family Tree Maker what the best options are for documenting, archiving and publishing their ancestry research. It’s not ethical to just abandon your loyal customers.

  7611. Robert Mullner

    Very disappointed in this decision. Very short sighted of the owners. I have maintained a long time subscription to Ancestry but will NOT be renewing when my subscription runs out in August.

  7612. Bill McGahan

    THIS is an absolutely disgusting and heartbreaking decision on your part. I have used your software for years. ALL my family history is on FTM. MONEY – not service. CORPORATIONS-not people. This STINKS.

  7613. sarita

    It doesn’t matter what we say or think they have thought of every angle! Below is a paragraph taken from Ancestry Terms and Conditions. I wish I had read the fine print a little sooner.
    [ By submitting User Provided Content on any of the Websites, you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use User Provided Content submitted by you to the Websites, to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered. You hereby release Ancestry and its Group Companies from any and all claims, liens, demands, actions or suits in connection with the User Provided Content you submit, including, without limitation, any and all liability for any use or nonuse of your User Provided Content, claims for defamation, invasion of privacy, right of publicity, emotional distress or economic loss. This license continues even if you stop using the Websites or the Services. Ancestry may scan, image and/or create an index from the User Provided Content you submit. In this situation, you grant Ancestry a license to the User Provided Content as described above and Ancestry will own the digital version of documents created by Ancestry as well as any indexed information that Ancestry creates. Except for the rights granted in this Agreement, Ancestry acquires no title or ownership rights in or to any User Provided Content you submit and nothing in this Agreement conveys any ownership rights in such User Provided Content on the Websites. The licenses granted continue for the maximum time permitted by applicable law, even if you stop using the Websites or the Services.]

  7614. Martin Coull

    Just repeating what others have said. The online trees are not comprehensive enough for normal use. The internet is best described as ‘flaky’ in Australia with meny of us getting dial-up speeds outside the capital cities. Not a thought out decision. I will not be renewing my Ancestry subscription, there is no real reason to is there. Must now start looking at alternatives, maybe Open Source software that I can always use to protect my data (30 years worth). I think that Ancestry has just taken a step back to being a small business with one badly considered move.

  7615. Anne

    I am also disappointed by your decision. The strength of your product is that it covers all bases – online, desktop and apps. To lose a component of that weakens the package. In a perfect world we would all have access to the net 24/7 but this isn’t so. Sometimes it’s an access issue, other times a cost issue. I personally work both online and off, then sync my tree. I also prefer to have a full copy of my tree on my desktop. I can only do this from FTM as getting a GEDCOM from Ancestry doesn’t include all the media. Unfortunately I will have to purchase new software with the demise on FTM as will many others. AS to my subscription I will wait and see as I have just renewed it. Maybe my local library will suffice – we will see. I too wish you would reconsider, but I doubt you will! In my opinion shortsighted – loss of customer confidence is not good for your company.

  7616. Val Hardman

    I don’t sync my tree but have used FTM sinc version 4 I have been a user of ancestry for many years but will not rejoin if FTM is not to be supported after Jan 2017. Many of the members from Deniliquin Genealogy Society Inc are of the same mind set and are also considering discontinuing their subscriptions

  7617. Peter

    I have been a loyal supporter of FTM since v.4 and in light of this decision I am cancelling my subscription to Ancestry.com.

  7618. Gary

    I was just thinking what other crazy things might Ancestry do in the future that would infuriate everyone……..and I realized what it could be ………taking everyone’s family trees and trying to merge them all together into one giant global family tree….. .the Mormons tried this back in about 2000 and it was a huge catastrophe ……..but considering Ancestry’s track record, such a folly is very possible. Therefore it is urgent that everyone put copies of their trees on other websites in addition to Ancestry. In a year or so it will perhaps be impossible to download your data from Ancestry, so make backups now.

  7619. Mary

    Well, this is indeed disappointing news to say the least! Personally, I don’t like the new online version and prefer FTM 100 times over. I appreciate the new documents that are made available and that can be synced to my FTM. I will have to research programs since I really, really do not like the new online version.The historic features that are suggested are never useful or have anything to do with my ancestry. I may seriously have to revisit Legacy or look at some other program. Ancestry, you gave no consideration to the many who prefer FTM or to even send a survey. If you did, I never received one. Not a happy customer. Not a good Merry Christmas.

  7620. Ian Henderson

    Having recently upgraded to 2014 but due to 12 months in Thailand had no chance to continue my research nor take up the accompanying membership. Bitterly disappointed in your action as we in Australia seem to be a small cog in the American wheel.

  7621. Mike

    Dear Ancestry,
    Be prepared to join the ranks of AOL, Blockbuster, Kodak, and Polaroid, for taking all the wrong steps in keeping your business viable. Judging from the responses in this comment thread, how many subscriptions do you expect to lose? 20%, 50%? Can you absorb that loss?

  7622. Sarita

    The terms and conditions of Ancestry have changed 5 times since Oct 6, 2010. That is the first revision I could find. The ‘user provided content’ section is at least twice as long now as it was at the beginning. They have provided themselves with many more rights. I just assumed the terms and conditions were the same as when I first subscribed in 2005, WRONG. I feel like I have been scammed. I don’t think it matters if we delete our data or not; they have stored it and can use it anyway they wish.
    Live and learn 🙁

  7623. Dell

    Extremely disappointed with Ancestry. I have only ever used FTM as it was the best. They need to rethink their actions. I for one will not renew my subscription. I will stick with FMP. If Ancestry is doing this, what next will they come up with? Lesson well learnt.

  7624. Anthony Bombich

    ncestry’s decision to retire Family Tree Maker (FTM) is a horrible one. I had believed that Ancestry.com was an honorable company. Now, I see it as just another company looking only at the bottom line. When TreeSync™ was introduced, the “ultimate” genealogical tool and outstanding synergism was the product. Those of us who have been using Ancestry/FTM are betrayed as though we have lost a family member. That is, unless Ancestry does the right thing and does extensive development to the Website product that replicates the to-be lost features of FTM. I had hoped to have a portable software product for the long haul, but no! Professional and occasional genealogist who have been using your tools for years need these capabilities.

    There are numerous capabilities offered by FTM that DO NOT exist online in the Ancestry website. Some of these useful capabilities include splitting branches of family trees, great publishing capabilities, and a superior Windows format platform with user friendliness. How will I be able to do reports, charts and all the features of the software program that are not available on line?

    I am disappointed and dissatisfied with the redesign of the Ancestry website. I have used it for months and I still HATE it. And since retirement of FTM had to be internally under consideration, I believe that Ancestry’s investment would have been better served to improve the Website to add capabilities offered in FTM. This includes publishing, tree-splitting capabilities, and many other of the unique functions that exist only in FTM.

    You said that, “We will continue to support existing Family Tree Maker owners at least through January 1, 2017. During this time, all features of the software, including TreeSync™ will continue to work. Our Member Services team will also remain available to assist with questions or issues you may have”.

    After January 1, 2017 even if FTM is unsupported, will TreeSync™ still work. That will make lack of new updates to FTM somewhat bearable.

    I strongly believe that Ancestry is moving in the wrong direction. If the PC software support was considered unprofitable, why were other ideas not considered such as price increases or even a monthly or annual subscription. Many of FTM’s users may have been happy to pay more to retain and preserve FTM capability.

  7625. Wohlert

    I just spent the last 6 months manually converting from other discontinued software to FTM. Now this. Who ever made this decision should be fired. You’ve alienated your entire customer base.

  7626. misterc6

    As previously reported I’ve cut all ties with Ancestry and my subscription ends on January 12th. Being an Apple only household I’ve just bought:
    MacFamilyTree 7 £18.99 (50% discount at present)
    MobileFamilyTree 7 £5.99 (for the iPad)
    Free Family Search account £0.00
    Everything going well so far.

  7627. AnnM

    Ancestry appears not to have considerer all the loyal users, promoting the product, then pulling the plug when they realise how reliant members have become with the features, FTM are so keen they became an asset to ancestry by promoting FTM to their friends and colleagues.
    Shame on Ancestry for not supporting the FTM after Jan 2017, they need to rethink a very poor decision. I will not be renewing my membership
    Genealogy society need to advise all their members of the issue, as many are cancelling Ancestry memberships .

  7628. chderrin

    I was on the fence about what to do after being forced to the new Ancestry, but this announcement made the decision easier. I absolutely loathe the new system.
    I used the special promotional offer to purchase RootsMagic, so installed RM7 and imported all trees from Ancestry. I will not be renewing my subscriptions to Ancestry, Fold3 and newspapers.com this year. If I have to relearn how to do my research, then I would rather do it elsewhere, which I am currently exploring.
    I believe that other genealogy resources/databases will thrive with the mass of people leaving Ancestry.

  7629. robin percy

    I have never used ancestry but I was thinking of doing so. Your action has decided me. I will do anything to avoid ancestry and I believe I have upgraded under false pretences. I say no more mainly because I am so angry. you may think that this is the best way to go for the business. I think you are wrong.

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  7631. Suzanne Coburn

    We have followed updates of FTMaker software for many years and feel let down by your decision to not continue to support FTM. We value this software and it deserves the continued support of your mammoth organisation. Please listen to your supporters.

  7632. Rob Blundell

    Ancestry is typical of a business that forgets who supported and help them grow to the position that they are now in – it’s all about money. Charge exorbitant prices, get everyone on board and then boot them out the back door. The new site is absolute rubbish – if it’s not broken don’t change or replace it – Ancestry another business that has lost the plot!!

  7633. Robert

    Well I have waited 8 days for a positive response from the CorpaRATS at ancestry regarding FT, 2 days longer than I planned and I have just downloaded mac family tree 7 thanks for making the decision easy for me Ancestry

  7634. Everett Bennett

    It’s a shame, the FTM for MAC actually works now. This includes backups, exports, etc. Can Ancestry provide the specs on the software so that OpenSource may take over the support of Family Tree Maker?

  7635. Carolyn

    My first reaction was sadness — but after more thought, I became angry. I rely heavily on FTM for the excellent reports, charts, and family trees that bring life to a person and which Ancestry continues to fail to provide. The only reason I joined Ancestry was to be able to research online and sync the information to my wonderful FTM. I am by no means wealthy, but I continue to pay what I consider to be a very high membership fee to Ancestry because you promised me the ability to use Ancestry and FTM to compliment each other. I will no longer be able to justify this expense. You’re spoiling my enthusiasm and my love of genealogy. You’re spoiling everything! Please rethink this and come up with a suitable (better) solution to whatever problem forced you to make this decision. Wrong … wrong … wrong. By the way, I am embarrassed to admit that I have recommended FTM and Ancestry to MANY genealogists who now also love FTM and are disappointed in your decision.

  7636. Brenda Neyra

    I have been a Family Tree Maker customer for YEARS as have others and you have used our hard work to make your money with Ancestry.com. Then held us hostage with your high subscription prices for YEARS. The ONLY reason I have a subscription to your service is the sync feature between FamilyTreeMaker and Ancestry searches. It is obvious after reading these posts that customer service is not important to you. You wont receive any more subscription money from me and other sites offer DNA matching as well. BAD MOVE ANCESTRY.

  7637. Ed

    I too just purchased this and now find it will be obsolete. Not good! By reading others on this blog, your reputation is starting to resemble the cable tv people…like Comcast.

  7638. Rick

    I find it laughable and criminal at the same time, that if you go to your FTM site you are still selling FTM and lauding it as “the #1-selling family history software” and I could not find any reference that you are no longer going to support it and will in fact discontinue it in a year. First – how can you in good conscience sell something based on the sync connection with Ancestry when you know that is now a lie, seems to be boarding on fraud to any new customers. Second – why would anyone discontinue selling the #1 software, or is that not a true statement as well? Dropping the “#1 software” has to be a bad business decision. It would not surprise me to see a big drop in your shareholders – if they are smart.

  7639. Laocoon

    This is very bad. I have large files with extensive information in the notes. I do not like the social media aspect of Ancestry, as many of my lines are hypothetical (reasoning and context-based) not definitively fact-based. I am very disappointed in Ancestry for removing this essential part of its product line. I stayed with FTM because other programs didn’t work very well. I’m furious about this.

  7640. Jenny Shangraw

    Huge marketing error on Ancestry’s part–both in ceasing to support the software after Jan. 2017 and not creating a relationship with another vendor(s) and announcing so at time of press release. Loyalty to a product can end quickly and other genealogy websites might fill the gap.

  7641. Judy Ruf

    Folks as soon as the announcement came out I purchased and downloaded Legacy. My file easily transferred and everything moved fine except a problem with my sources. Contacted Legacy customer support and they were very responsive and within 48 hours acknowledged the problem and are working to fix it. So folks for just a few dollars you will have a choice to use on your desktop. Yes it might take a little getting used to but that is a small inconvenience compared to what FTM has done to us all. I have over 15,000 persons in my large file so I am resting better now. Unfortunately my Ancestry was renewed just a couple months ago but now I have time to work on finding a different search site also because I have no intention of renewing with this company. If you read this and know how to get the word out to others, please take a minute to do it.

  7642. Dennis

    Not Happy with the ending of FTM. While I use both the online and the desktop I always carry my laptop while traveling to visit or meet new relatives, search cemeteries, search records and at times I have no internet connection or cannot get on the wi-fi that’s available or very weak signal. FTM desktop is a great tool at times like these. Seems I will be canceling in Nov and moving forward.

  7643. Robert Shirkey

    Ending FTM is a terrible loss. I use Ancestry.com for two reasons: the breadth of your online data and the ability to sync that data with FTM. The latter is more important to me than the former. There are other sites with data and records to search. There is no other site to sync with my FTM. I have so many more records on FTM that I have researched in libraries, courthouses, cemeteries and in person interviews. Unless I can have a software program on my computer that syncs with Ancestry there is no reason to continue subscribing to Ancestry. Ancestry has inferior DNA data versus 23and me or Family tree DNA. The sync capacity is to me the selling point of Ancestry.

  7644. Rose

    Terrible decision which I’m sure was driven by the $$$ money (i.e. greed) for whatever reason. And in addition the new ‘look’ of the website is horrible. Whoever came up with that should be fired.

  7645. David Perkins

    I just started Ancestry.com in Nov 2015. I purchased FTM to supplement Ancestry.com. The sync with Ancestry.com on FTM is a great feature which makes it worthwhile to have both. I can only hope that you provide more details and explanations as to how Ancestry and FTM will work together if at all after you disable this feature in 2017.

  7646. Carole Williams

    I feel very angry about his. I’ve been promoting FMT & Ancestry membership to all 3 of my FH groups at our U3A for many, many years!!! I shall stop doing this immediately and promote Find My Past instead. I doubt I shall be renewing my own Ancestry membership for 2017. No FMT, no membership, simple!!!!

    I also agree with the above comments re the new look website – it degrades the seriousness of our research hobby. It promotes the idea of gathering of as many facts as possible, however loosely linked or not!

    Come on Ancestry – respect your members!

  7647. JasonB1967

    I have used FTM for a few years now and it has been an invaluable tool in keeping my tree correct. Very often you can go off in the wrong direction and add people to your tree who may or may not be relatives/ancestors and after syncing the ancestry tree to FTM these can easily be identified and removed from the tree where necessary as all the names are listed in alphabetical order on FTM and you can go down this list one by one to see the actual relationship to you. Also FTM allows you to create various tree formats to view your family tree – just direct ancestors/decendents or to include everyone on the tree. FTM also lets you know how big your tree will be if it is printed out (mine currently measures 10′ x 7′ and is growing). However, I have not yet worked out the best way to print out my tree as I do not really want to print it out on A4 paper (which will run into 100’s of pages) and have loads of blak pages then have to stick them all together. FTM is needed to complement ancestry and, in my opinion, is the best product on the market. It is user friendly and very simple to use. I have read most of the comments on this page and, like others, would like to know what happens after FTM is discontinued.

  7648. Kenneth R Wilson

    All of the comments seem to be giving a negative feedback. This should say something to you.Nowhere did I find out how to get my extensive data on FTM to another program. The biggest advantage to FTM is being able to search directly from FTM and have that data right in front of me. If I have to go out of my tree on whatever program I have to search say on ancestry or another source, I don’t have MY date on that tab. And of course I can’t merge. Merging was a bis plus. As some have said $$ back should be considered. We are not getting what we paid for.

  7649. David

    What a disgraceful, greedy decision. I would suggest you think again and consider all the people that put their faith in your organisation. 8569 comments to date should mean something to you. By the way 1 years support is not acceptable

  7650. Brian

    There is no reason for me or the many customers to continue supporting Ancestry.com. Your business is based on a community sharing its information. We provide you as much resource as we get in return from you. Ancestry website is too cumbersome for serious work. To keep our data with a single entity on its web would be ridiculous – and you have now shown the reason why – your business decisions could remove it or make it cost prohibited to access at any time.
    I’ll do my work until my subscription ends, save my work knowing that eventually my computer operating system won’t run FTM, and cancel my subscription when it expires in May unless Ancestry does not change its mind about FTM. You can be into this business for the profits only or you could make a reasonable return and be serious about what service your business provides and work with your many long-standing customers. I would hope it would be the second but it appears you will chose otherwise. I’ll be waiting to hear better news before May.

  7651. Keith

    Wow…seriously bad move!! The formula you have with a cloud based system along with the highly functional FTM is genuis. I can’t believe, that of all the options you have, you have chosen this one. Seriously…rethink this decision. I know you can come up with a much better solution to whatever problem you are trying to solve.

  7652. Sam

    They don’t want to solve anything. They want to be the only bank in town, where you deposit your money but you can’t make any withdrawals.

  7653. Gord MacKay

    I think we should all be grateful that they are not continuing with FTM after the substantial down grade they recently made to the Ancesty site. We got splash and dazzle at the expense of functionality so who knows what they might do to FTM if they continue on with it. We should also be aware that the next steps may well be to start curtailing access to Ancestry through libraries etc. and ratcheting up subscription rates so start now to gather links to government sites etc. where you do research.

  7654. Linda Windmoeller

    As already stated, Ancestry owns our uploaded trees. We can privatize or delete, but Ancestry might continue to store the info we provided anyways. BUT…much of my tree is not backed up by records found on Ancestry or anywhere online — but by private researching of records from paper sources not yet digitized, or sources unavailable for purchase by Ancestry. Perhaps in 10-20 years a website like Ancestry might have all the world’s available digitized BMD records, BUT until some person could painstakingly match my ancestors to those records, the info is unusuable to Ancestry. I don’t expect East Prussian records, for example, to be online on Ancestry very soon. Thus the Ancestry site does not gain anything by keeping my tree unless Ancestry wants to invest huge $$$ to do the match up to some-future-year online records.
    What Ancestry will especially lose is the collaboration among researchers that spend years digging for the records that do not exist online (as yet). These important sharing-connections between people will be lost, and the Ancestry website will lose it’s credibility, except for the records it can put online. Without the confidence of researchers, will government offices, archives, churches, etc. trust providing or selling their record holdings to Ancestry? There’s a lot at stake for Ancestry to lose besides its costumers who prefer FTM desktop software. Appears to me that Ancestry needs to do some quick-paced analysis of losses that will result from their decision, and some PR damage control.
    As for our DNA, maybe we should all switch our AncestryDNA over to FTDNA (Family Tree DNA) — or has Ancestry acquired that also?

  7655. Patty

    YOU MUST NOT discontinue the FTM software program until the Ancestry website has the same functionality as the “PUBLISH” feature on FTM. The reports, charts, etc of the FTM “publish” feature are the best available anywhere, they make the few publish/report features of Ancestry look extremely child-like and totally unacceptable. Additionally, the new format for the Ancestry website is awful !!! It’s too cluttered, too chopped up in appearance and takes up too much space. UGH—I can’t believe that it’s 2015 and after all these years of genealogical searching, detailing and reporting, this is the best Ancestry website that they could come up with. Totally disappointing!! What has happened to your website designers?—-Is it that they never use the website for their own personal use to make sure it flows together well, looks neat and clean and is easy to navigate? Oh, by the way, now that Ancestry has acquired the Find A Grave website, will they soon be changing/shutting that site down too?

  7656. Tom Davis

    I hope that you are leaving us high and dry.. I do not know enough about this to form an opinion. Please help me to understand.

  7657. Clare O'Regan

    Like most other people on here, I am extremely disappointed to hear that FTM will be discontinued. I will cease my subscription in 2016 when it is due and use the rest of the year to find another family history pc programme to use. I really don’t want Ancestry having the only copy of my tree that I’ve spent decades working on. I really hope they change their mind.

  7658. Kathy Corbett

    Bad Decision for Ancestry
    As a long time genealogist and user of both FTM and Ancestry, I have loved the integrated system because of the ease and time saving feature with “tree sync”.
    As a teacher of genealogy, I have long recommended both FTM and ancestry because of the tree sync feature and the ability to have material up on line to share with distant cousins AND to have a copy of that info on a personal computer. No more!!!
    Who is making the decisions in the last year for ancestry? Putting data and numbers above customer service is always a downhill slide for a company.
    Bad word of mouth alone will cause significant loss of potential customers. Long time users like myself will stop subscriptions and pull down extensive family trees with pictures, maps, stories, etc. You depend on all the genealogists out there who add to your “database” and share freely with others. Don’t underestimate the loss of these clients and their important imput. This loss cannot be replaced by short term, one time subscribers. Loss of trust and, therefore, old customers will never be replaced by any amount of expensive advertising.
    This is an extremely bad financial decision. There are lots of free and/or inexpensive genealogical sites to recommend to others. The one important thing that Ancestry had going for it was the integrated system.
    Secondly, the new website page for personal profiles was not beta tested on the majority of your long term users who are mostly over 50. The page is difficult to see and find information easily. The color scheme is uninviting. Light print on a black background is never a good idea. Small print and more content make it difficult to focus on the overall picture and to zero in on what you want to find. This page was designed by younger people (engineer mentality) who think “more detail is better”. Really, “less is more” and the old webpage was much easier to see.
    The board of directors of Ancestry needs to rethink its future direction.
    Kathy Corbett

  7659. J. Pickering

    As an older user of FTM I concur with most of the previous comments and feel that cancelling my Ancestry membership is is only alternative you have given me. I had intended on giving FTM to a friend as a gift but that will not happen now. Please reconsider your plans.

  7660. Mike

    In anticipation of the calamitous transition, I tested other software. Guess what I found? All the links to database sources(census, directories, draft registrations) are dead, because they reside only in Ancestry.com. They don’t even contain enough detail to reference them in other public databases (fortunately, I have been saving images of every source, but i’m sure most people have not done that). So… TAKE THAT, Ancestry customers!!!

  7661. Angela

    Well I’m not very happy about this happening! Why change things when they work well? Along with waiting around 5 months to get my DNA sorted, I am very unhappy!!!

  7662. Len

    I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS DECISION! I WANT MY TREE AND INFORMATION ON MY COMPUTER SO WHEN I TRAVEL I CAN UPDATE INFORMATION WITHOUT LOGGING ON TO ANCESTRY.COM.
    From the looks of it you have a lot of mad people that were LOYAL, but are not now!!

  7663. Melissa

    Ancestry.com, you are not Microsoft, which is making moves in the same direction. Force everyone to pay for use of your cloud. Without making the database an open source so that millions of FTM users can easily convert to another product.

  7664. Karen

    As many of your unhappy customers have stated you have put us in the position that our years of work will potentially be lost. I believe that your actions are potentially open to litigation as you are denying your customers access to their “work products.” I believe some clever attorney should look at a Class Action Suit. You need to provide your customers with the mechanisms to download their trees along with their own research, not just a GEDCOM. I have had FTM, but have been unable to sink for more than one year. FTM recently crashed and I cannot even restore the SW now. I am now forced to print ten of thousands of pages just to capture my own research.

  7665. Judy

    There is other software out there, folks. You should look at Legacy. It’s easy to import your current FTM file into Legacy. Legacy is very powerful.

  7666. I have read probably 75% of the comments contributed to this blog, and the other follow up blogs about the retirement of Family Tree Maker software, and the complete switch to the New Ancestry website, staying up half the night on several occasions, marveling at the solidarity of Ancestry members in condemnation. I agree completely with the negative view point of these changes. I have never commented on the blogs to date, but did fill out surveys in the past year. I did not complain about the additional charges levied for formerly free databases such as newspapers. I tried to restrain other negative opinions about the erratic search results, finding it irritating that my own database info and pictures are copied but rarely appear in search results for public trees, and that, on the other hand, too many irrelevant hits are included. I believed the database would improve over time as the programmers continued to upgrade the product. I began to be skeptical when television and internet ads began to pop up everywhere. How much of your budget is now devoted to advertising rather than improving the products and services that your customers find so essential? On Sunday, December 13, Ancestry had an ad on the iconic investigative TV news magazine SIXTY MINUTES, which has to have one of the most expensive rates for advertising in all of television. In fact, another advertiser on that same broadcast was one of the pharmaceutical giants so notorious for wealth extraction, hawking a product (a cream) for use for a very common, non-life threatening condition for which they charge almost $200.00 per ounce, per month. So Ancestry has ambition to be in the profit margin league with Big Pharma and ComCast, the most hated corporations in the USA. Your reaction to your customers’ response to dropping your flagship product has so far been to stonewall. How epically arrogant! Your reputation has taken massive hit. Your customers are in revolt. You have transformed your image from much loved essential adjunct to a group of people’s most consuming interest to that of just another money grubbing weasel corporate tyrant. It took Coca Cola about 2 months to act to rectify their error. The meter is ticking.

  7667. Flora

    I am seriously disappointed that you will be discontinuing FTM. I am using an older version but was thinking about updating to the current one. Now I’m not going to waste my money. A lot that can be done on FTM cannot be done on Ancestry.com, like charts and error reports. I’m with the many others who are considering not renewing. Please rethink this idea.

  7668. Bill

    I have been researching Family History from the days of paper documents, microfiche, standalone systems, and the web. Each time I have a change in the medium of storage of the data has changed their have been advances e.g. costs have reduced per item, information and evidence could be uploaded and data more easily shared. The key question I have is if Family Tree Maker is removed will an app be available that will allow you to continue to store all the information that you have collected over the years independently on personally backed up media not just on the cloud. Particularly as working as a Security Consultant I know the levels of risk that occur in not employing such protection. The old father, grandfather, son principle for backups in different has to be applied to all data. Perhaps ancestry need to look at that solution before retiring this product.

  7669. Graeme Hoddinott

    I add my support to all the previous writers commenting on the disappointing and unbelievable decision the discontinue FTM. Ancestry apparently has become a company that does not have its clients at its heart or have the understanding of having information at hand on ones own computer.
    The changes recently made to the research faces of the Ancestry website were bad enough and showed a lack of understanding of how researchers valued the site as it was set up before the changes. Now to dispense with FTM which allows researchers to synchronise their own computer with the website to more fully detail their family history records than the Ancestry site allows beggars belief.

    I see little reason to continue my membership beyond the current financial period. You have lost the one main advantage that FTM gave you over other research sites.

    I urge you to reconsider your decision to cease Family Tree Maker.

  7670. Brian

    M. Hulet’s Holiday Disaster! How to ruin a business and your customer’s Christmas and New Years in two steps. I prefer the Jacques Tati’s movie to this version.

  7671. Peter

    When will you allow API access to other software. RootsMagic looks like a good alternative and API access to Ancestry would make the switch easy

  7672. Roy Millsap

    Ancestry.com is ONLY a success because of the vast data that has been submitted by the users of Family Tree Maker. You collected our data with no recourse from us and we gave freely anyway because – WE TRUSTED YOU TO KEEP OUR DATA ACCESSIBLE (in the same way we so generously gave it to you). We see now that you have what you want, we now longer matter. I assure you that there has never been such a backlash to a company as you are about to receive.

  7673. Sharon

    “Winter is coming” and it is the Winter of our discontent with Ancestry.com’s recent decisions. I am saddened and dismayed by their display of utter disregard towards loyal customers.

  7674. Kent

    Not a surprise. I just came back after being away years because I lost all reports when you changed the reporting structure to online books only. Looks like I’ll be off again to another product.

  7675. Thomas

    Before you give more of your genealogical work that is reflected in your family tree, please remember ancestry.com is a for-profit company whose primary and most important goal is to make money. Period. Customer loyalty and support are relevant only as far as they help the company make money. If those two considerations diverge, then money will always win. For those of us who are holding memberships, the question is what shoe will be dropped next. Given the changes we’ve already seen, it is certain there will be more. I had planned to eventually upload my extensive family tree to ancestry.com using FTM, but I will never do that now. Instead, I will upload it to a non-profit site.

  7676. Kevin Anderson

    I cannot believe you could possible think this decision is good for your customers and going to improve our Ancestry experience… certainly not for the end user! Your package has been great, and the TreeSync is the most valuable features I use, since it reduces a great deal of work on my end, since I don’t have to manually transfer data between your site and my research into the 8+ family lines I’m currently working on. I pay good money to your company every year, you are not cheap and I expected your software to continue to work well into the future. You have taken the “easy” out of Genealogy on your site, and greatly increased my work, slowing my research down. Your profits are not my concern, and judging by the comments posted on this forum, I’m not the only one disgusted with your company right now.I strongly suggest your company seriously reconsider this bad, ill-conceived, selfish decision and think of your customers. As Family & Professional Genealogists, we certainly pay you enough for access to your services. I expected better.

  7677. David Gipson

    Well so much for that. I must say this is a complete let down. I have not worked on my tree for the better part of the last year and was just about to buy the updated version and subscribe again. That will not be happening now. When you folks get your heads out of your butts and correct this death blow to your company, I may then reconsider. Not one second before. I think whomever thought this was a good idea, needs to find another line of work soon, while you still have a career. You folks need to have your heads examined. Good riddens!!!

  7678. Nancy

    Ditto to ALL of the comments above!! Hours upon hours have been given to finding family history that I do not want to lose!!

  7679. One ANGRY customer!

    I’m angry! Yes, eventually, I will learn another replacement software and will obtain my information from other sites. I’m angry that I have to! I work full time and I don’t have enough time in the day to do the research I need to do now. I don’t have time to learn another software. Not that I can’t. I don’t want to. That’s why I’m angry. I trusted you Ancestry to maintain this software! I paid you to maintain it! And, if I read another blogger telling me, “Not to panic!” “That it’s not the end of the world!” Of course, it’s not the end of the world. I will get over this…reluctantly! It was not a 2016 goal for me to export my data to a replacement software and to painstakingly make sure all the data in each field is imported correctly. I don’t want to spend my precious time doing that. And, now you are forcing me to do this. I would be an idiot to trust my family tree data to be on your servers ONLY! Can you just let FTM continue to interact with Ancestry.com for eternity? If you continue to allow me to download records to FTM…I might reconsider renewing my subscription. But, if you don’t…you have lost another customer and I will NOT renew. I know you Execs are waiting for this to boil over and you think all your customers will come back. Well, time will tell…but I think your customers are pretty angry “like me” and as hard as it will be for us…it is in our best interest to show you how wrong you are by not giving you any more money. We will move on and get over you…we are just angry we have to. We were very comfortable and love new features…but when you take away a major tool…you have set back all of our research. That makes me angry!

  7680. Jenny

    I am flabbergasted at the FTM decision. I am not a computer expert and I have put my info into FTM on recommendation of other users and have talked others into it myself. I will not be ordering DNA kits. I will reconsider my subscripiton. With FTM have the world’s biggest market share and you want to dump us?! Doesn’t make sense. What information are we customers missing?What’s next?

  7681. John Anwin

    Thanks very much Ancestry for bailing out of FTM, having just installed my new version. I am not a fan of the new format of the on-line tree site either, this is not meant to be an advertising glitzy exercise you know! too flowery and unnecessarily showy. Who was the genius who dreamed up this, not a user of the site I’ll bet. Very disappointed with Ancestry, you used to be a leader in the field, but you have dropped the ball, there are several sites far better now. You have too many duplicate entries also and I doubt the transcribing is being done by people with English as a first language either. I will be most unlikely to renew my membership when it comes up next year.

  7682. Blake Francis

    Just to let you know. I have decided to circle the wagons and await your next move. I have deleted all ancestry apps from my ipad and phone. Logged out of ancestry from FTM and have backed up my tree every way I know how. I am off for the winter and will return in the spring just about the same time as my account expires. I will regroup then. My only other and last comment is “WTF!”.

  7683. I appreciate that the move to web / cloud based solutions is easier to manage for companies and organisations but in the end, the data that I gather about my family from a range of different sources is mine or at least my families and not that of Ancestry or any organisation that might provide tools to help me build that tree. This ethical concern seems to be ignored in the rush to this connected world.

    I also have another concern. Many of my family members that we share our family research with do not have internet connections (yes, this still happens in 2015 and will for a number of years yet). It is nice to be able to take a laptop with all the data on and share it with these people. When they have no internet connection, they cannot simply look up a web based solution and see what is happening. The other issue is the unreliability of internet connections when travelling or places where you can access physical family history data. The desktop solution allows that data to be captured and shared later. I appreciate that sales of Family Tree Maker may be declining but it doesn’t mean it is no longer a valuable tool for those who use it.

    Is it possible that if you no longer wish to support it, you might consider making the source code available through an open source solution? This would allow those with an interest in a desktop solution to continue to develop it and to allow it to die a natural death if there is no longer any support for its maintenance.

  7684. John Skeates

    After many years of research & over 3000 names in my database, I am very concerned at your proposed action.
    How do I backup my database to a DVD disc, in a format that will work with other software?

  7685. KK

    1. I see Ancestry.com have extended the life of this comment section till the beginning of March 2016. Well done.

    2. Kirstin, above, is absolutely correct. There appears to be a misconception amongst many of the people commenting here, that the data that they have entered into the Ancestry.com website, either directly or by syncing, belongs to them. This is not correct. It belongs to Ancestry.com. As does the DNA data that you were foolish enough to provide.

    Quote (From Part 3 of the T&Cs)
    By submitting User Provided Content on any of the Websites, you grant Ancestry and its Group Companies a perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty-free, license to host, store, copy, publish, distribute, provide access to create derivative works of, and otherwise use User Provided Content submitted by you to the Websites, to the extent and in the form or context we deem appropriate on or through any media or medium and with any technology or devices now known or hereafter developed or discovered.
    Unquote
    The key phrase here is “…and otherwise use…” This vast store of data relating to you and your family going back many generations and including DNA information is the real reason that a firm of City of London private equity investors have paid US$1,600,000,000 for this company.

    4. Ancestry.com is not owned by CJCLDS. It never has been. (See Wikipedia) It was started by people of the Mormon faith and had dealings with the CJCLDS and some access to CJCLDS data but was never owned by them. It is now owned by a private equity company (Permira) who are there to maximise their profits in the shortest possible period and have no interest in genealogy. If you want proof of this look at the mess that Formula One motor racing is in, having sold the rights to their sport to CVC Capital in return for what then seemed a large amount of money.

    3. I, like most of you, will be removing my data from Ancestry.com as soon as possible. However, I strongly suspect that it is already backed up, for them to use and sell as they wish, in one of the huge data stores somewhere in the America. I will now be downloading my trees as GEDCOM files and researching other desktop genealogy software programs (that run on Mac).

    KK

  7686. Mike

    Knock .. Knock .. Is anyone there? You’ve got a P.R. and customer nightmare on your hands and all you’ve done about it is post a a Q&A that makes the situation worse. The people posting here likely represent only a fraction of those who are concerned by your actions. You are “exploring” some issues but you aren’t answering the heartfelt comments you’re getting. The longer you delay is providing real answers and and addressing real concerns, the deep the hole will be that you’ve dug for yourself. Your brand loyalty is taking a huge hit and it will likely affect your subscriber base. Ask any company that has gone through something like this and you’ll find that it is EXTREMELY difficult to recover goodwill from customers. You should consider bringing on a crisis manager quickly and you should be MUCH more responsive in the content and frequency of your reactions to the comments you’re receiving.

  7687. Grant S

    I have invested a great deal of my time and money into your website, giving you the funds to grow your business, which unfortunately now has grown into selfish mindless monster, who believes they can just dump their core team or researchers and supporters. I have always brought every upgrade since 2007 for FTM, along with my membership fee, believing that this was the world leader in software and family history records, along with the support and sync available to both. If you carry on with your intentions, I will certainly cancel my subscription, due in May 16, and find a more caring organisation that supports its followers. I will immediately switch off my sync and delete my tree on your web site, which hopefully will be bare very soon of other peoples research that you can market on as a research tool for others. I just wonder at who made the great suggestion at the Board meeting, that suggested “lets alienate our whole customer base, and even better lets tell them just before Christmas, when a lot of people have invested in our business, with false promises, as a Christmas present for a loved ones”. I hope your Marketing Director is very proud of themselves and chokes on their Turkey!!.

  7688. MarkS

    Ancestry is interested in selling the company off, not in selling and supporting the software that actually makes its highly problematic webservice useful. This is a “Short View” decision simply because that is what some short sighted “individual” sold to some other “individuals”. I can see the PowerPoint presentation with all of the carefully selected self-serving data. What was left out was the fact that those of us who actually buy and use the software influence others! We tell others what our recommendations are for software and services. We get others interested in genealogy and this is what has fueled the growth in genealogical research, not the cute advertising. Unless Ancestry makes an immediate about-face, we should do everything within our power to move other away to other software and services. It would be interesting to know if a representative of the bankers or those interested in purchasing the assets of Ancestry have viewed the activity here. Hopefully that is the case, if so I suspect that a certain boneheaded “individual” will soon be circulating their resume.

  7689. I am VERY disappointed in Ancestry, whom I have entrusted for many years to provide tools for genealogists. Now, you expect us to switch to the web &/or a smartphone. Have you ever tried to maneuver through a 1000-person tree on a smartphone ???
    How do you propose we work in areas where internet service is not available ?
    When my current subscription expires, you will see no more of me.

  7690. Sandra Teeters

    Please understand that I do genealogy FOR MY FAMILY. The purpose of my research is to give my family knowledge of its history. This REQUIRES that I generate the history in hard copy. How else will this be passed down through the generations? I can use another local program, but I will have to re-enter thousands of references because only GED coms can be transferred from one program to another. YOU ARE HEARTLESS!

  7691. Jack

    I like so many above use the desktop version for editing my tree when internet is not available and doing reports that are not available online. Once upon a time ancestry.com was useful to the serious genealogist , but sorry to say that you are changing that. I have been using you for 20 years but I have to say you have made a decision that will force me to find a better provider. So much for brand loyalty. I am sure I will see you fade into obscurity like visicalc.

  7692. Robert

    It is appalling to me that Ancestry has made the decision to discontinue its desktop software!! It is certainly of no benefit to me or the other users of FTM. You need to reconsider this decision

  7693. Kent

    I would love to have been a fly-on-the-wall at the meeting(s) that led to this decision. I want to know what it is that you’re *not* telling us.

  7694. Karen Sembower

    I like many of the above have been a loyal ancestry customer that you will most likely lose if you do not reverse the decision to discontinue familytreemaker. I also prefer privacy and the option not to post family trees and if you do not respect this you do not respect me and I will not be an ancestry member. Not only do you lose customers in this way but brand loyalty to your other products as well. I get upset now every time I see one of your commercials and I don’t even want to watch TV programming sponsored by you! You must reconsider this decision.

  7695. John McC

    Over 20K shares – will we manage 10K complaints before Ancestry shuts down this blog? I guess we will – I just noticed they’ve extended the deadline till March 7. Are they finally listening?

  7696. David Shepherd

    Ancestry : so when are going to rescind your order to stop selling FTM on Dec 31st. You have made a dreadful decision and have angered 10s of thousands. None of us will ever again look kindly on Ancestry. Have you got that idiot Trump advising you?

  7697. Jeff

    With nearly every State having a digital archive and adding to it daily, and a thousand options to not only interact and bring in new family history researchers, I see no reason to continue to use ancestry considering the only reason I used it was for the FTM interactivity. FTM abandoned, no need for me to renew ancestry.

  7698. Verne

    From the beginning when you purchased FTM (your completion) I wondered how long it would take you to dismantle it. You take our information and sell it to others and now you want us to be happy about it. There just might be a law against what your doing to the consumers.

  7699. Cecil Deming

    Has anyone investigated other software companies?? I have used FTM for at least 20 uears..I did a research of reviews of other softwares and Legacy News seems good. Please contact me at cgd1938@yahoo.com if you have any suggestions. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee!

  7700. Carol Hinchliff

    Why are there no replies – either general or specific – to all these comments and questions? It seems obvious that you do not value your customers at all.

  7701. Jane

    I rang Ancestry today and was told by their employee that more people like the new version than dislike it! Er no – that’s complete rubbish and I was actually offended that they would feed me lies to try to make me feel like I was wrong. I then tried to explain an analogy to her. I told her to imagine that an artist spends many years creating a wonderful masterpiece which he then places in what he believes to be an honest and safe gallery – and he pays for the pleasure. For no fathomable reason, the curator decides to stick fake moustaches on all of the faces the artist has painted. When the artist asks for the moustaches to be removed the curator says no, I like them and because your masterpiece is on my wall you can’t do anything about it. Deal with it. You’ll get to love false moustaches too – embrace the change. My masterpiece of my tree has been violated by Ancestry. This whole situation that they haves created disgusts me and I hope users abandon them in their 10s of thousands. I can’t stay with them after this – they can’t be trusted.

  7702. EB Wright

    I am dismayed that Ancestry is taking this step. I used Family Tree Maker long before I joined Ancestry. FTM has many more reporting and publishing features than Ancestry but not the searching capabilities. I could update my FTM software at a reasonable cost and work on my reports etc. without paying a high fee to Ancestry. I am an amateur searcher, don’t do extensive searches throughout the year, and can’t justify the cost of a continuous yearly subscription. What happens to all my files once Ancestry no longer supports FTM? Please consider the needs of individuals such as me.

  7703. Linda Windmoeller

    A bit of better news…
    Today my local computer specialist was at my house to do a laptop computer restore. We got talking about the FTM softward problem. He explained when Microsoft created Windows 8 without consumer input, they learned their lesson after they receiving so much negative feedback from consumers that didn’t like what they’d done to Windows in version 8. From that negative feedback they created Windows 10, which will run all older version Software and Windows 10 is slated to be good for the next 10 years! So, what thay means to me is IF I get a new computer with Windows 10 (mine is still Windows XP), I will be able to load my Family Tree Maker software ( I have the discs for version 2008 and 2009) and it will work with Windows 10 for about the next 10 years. I am guessing Ancestry figured this into the equation of the decision to end the software. Not that I’m happy about not being able to syncronize after 2016! It would require me to add information to both my FTM on my computer and also to my online tree at Ancestry (should I decide to NOT delete my tree on Ancestry–currently my tree is locked private). At least this knowledge gave me some relief from worrying about converting to another software soon. Now I just need to buy a new computer (sorry Ancestry, but you won’t be getting any money from me for my World membership again any time soon, if ever). I think Ancestry took this Windows 10 into consideration when they made the decision to axe FTM. According to my local computer specialist he thinks what Ancestry is doing to go to “online tree” only is so they can guarentee subscriptions, but the people of the world may not be ready for that for another 10 years yet. If so, Ancestry will lose out unless they do some damage control quick!

  7704. Irene Andrews

    Further comments from Ancestry regarding FTM have not changed my opinion. I need a desktop family tree progrtam for the reasons stated by other users. I do not want to use an online site for my family hostory. I only use the synch functions and search facility. I have now removed my family trees from Ancestry and will be cancelling my subscription in June if FTM is not continued. I see no reason to continue to support Ancestry as they have let me and others FTM users down. If they don’t support us why should we support them!

  7705. KAmmon

    Would you sell the FTM software to another company, so that it continues to be available and usable? As you can tell, many of us don’t rely solely on the online database. Personally, I keep all my info off-line. Names, dates, notes, photos, etc., that I have researched and accumulated for almost 20 years (and at least 6 different versions of FTM). My computers are not always on the web. The information is always there for me. Please do NOT leave us out in the cold.

  7706. Nev

    Very very disappointed to read that you are retiring FTM at the end of the month!! Do you have any plans to upgrade Ancestry.uk to include all the features included in FTM?

  7707. Sharyn

    I LOVE FTM, its heavy and slow, but nothing else merges as well, I feel at home in the interface, my head feels right there. I will continue to use it until it stops working completely. I would love it if it was continued, but, the developers need to make money I guess, shame it cannot just be a service that you offer loyal customers as other sites do (yet not good software). Thanks for making it, has helped me a lot.

  7708. Ben Williams

    On your website you claimed FTM is the #1 Selling Family tree software, if this is the case why are you retiring it? Maybe the board needs to retire. FTM has so many applications that the website does not have. Most importantly it lets you retain the information on your computer and its your choice if you want to share it. I loved the option of using either Ancestry or FTM, I never looked at any other program because it was the best. I will be looking else ware now.

  7709. Lynn

    Dear Kendell,
    It’s obvious that you have not used the ancestry website to craft and maintain a family tree. If you had, you would have NEVER decided to retire the far superior FTM. Perhaps it’s time to get your hands dirty and actually use the site, perhaps then you will understand what we the clients are talking about. It is time to right the wrong. Keep FTM current and alive. Do not retire FTM

  7710. Rod

    Still waiting to hear something from management.

    What sort of a “blog” is this anyway?
    Why set up the blog if it is only going to be one-way communication?

  7711. Michael Belden

    maybe look at selling the rights and code to someone else so they may continue to sell versions of FTM

  7712. Karen Sembower

    After reading many of the above comments about people removing their trees from the site immediately I feel a great loss of value in my current FTM and my Ancestry membership. This will only worsen over the next few weeks and months. How will you replace the lost value in the products I purchased?

  7713. Kathy

    I’ve thought about it several times before, but finally just bit the bullet and moved on to a competitor for desktop software. I’ll still use Ancestry for documents. But I won’t be dependent on the “cloud” to hold what took many years to compile. Still can’t believe the demise of FTM, but I’ve discovered I can move on.

  7714. Tommy Wood

    This is a very stupid decision. I’m not sure what I will do, but you will not get any more money from me.

  7715. Todd

    What the heck? BAD decision. Not everyone has access to Internet all the time. I do much of my research on my computer first, then synch it up. I will no longer use Ancestry at any level, and find something else. The software is far superior in look and ease of use then the web access. Sounds to me that this is more about having data entered on your site. The good news is there are other options that are not only free, but even some of the newer ones are far superior. Good luck, you’ll become the Woolworth’s of genealogy in the next decade.

  7716. Lora

    After reading the comments, which I agree with completely, I am waiting to hear your responses, which I believe were promised up at the top of this page.

  7717. Leigh Torgerson

    Mr. Hulet is a young, inexperienced computer geek who took an MBA from Wharton School of Business just 6 years ago, and went off to do what every MBA does, which is to fixate on greed, boosting their own salaries by maximizing profits at the expense of customers, and to hell with the consequences. Like many of his generation (out of college just a decade ago), he thinks the entire world is wired with high speed internet and endless connectivity to the Cloud. I believe that we should all be making it very clear to the management of Ancestry.com that this is unacceptable and terminally stupid. I cancelled my subscriptions tonight and will be removing my data from their site.

  7718. Jennifer

    This is very disappointing. I prefer working on my family tree in FTM over the website and also appreciate the ability to sync between the two. Please reconsider…

  7719. Jeannette

    This is very disappointing. FTM is a key component of my research process.
    I will also be looking at alternatives, and will not be renewing my worldwide membership with ancestry when it expires.
    As a sign of my unhappiness, I have made my trees private.

  7720. Mary

    Wow! Ancestry.com is no longer the site for serious genealogists. They had just about cornered the market and soon will only have a small piece of it. It’s a business decision I certainly don’t understand and I certainly hope that whatever company decides to fill that niche lets me know soon.

  7721. Max Wald

    Poor decision.Money hungry. You buy out good software to grab the market. Once you have the market, dump the members that have built your company. Haven’t you made enough from selling DNA kits. Good way to lose GOODWILL.

  7722. I have used the family tree from the very start and have upgraded every time a new version came out. If my computer crashes now I will lose all the work I have done on my tree throughout the years? Can we go some other place ? I wish you would reconsider your decision? You will be greatly missed!

  7723. Don

    It was Family Tree Maker that got me started in genealogy. The interface and reports has kept me interested in genealogy. I don’t know what I will do at this point, but ancestry.com interface and reports just doesn’t impress me. I will be looking for an alternative.

  7724. edie

    Looks like plenty of messages have been posted and I am guessing not one is in favor of the ridiculous decision made be corporate folks who have no personal interest in genealogy – only their own financial situation. Shame, shame on all of you. Ancestry will not longer be a part of my life, as it has been for 10 years.

  7725. Linda

    Please reconsider your horrible decision! I really don’t understand why you would get rid of the Family Tree Maker software. I use the software as my main genealogy file. I have used it since around 1996. Not everyone has access to the internet in every location and at all times. I’m sorry I think it’s very greedy and not a lot of thought of others except money! I never understood how you could cancel GenForum either or My Family.com, that was a good source of information too! As you can see there are a lot of people still using the software and are very upset because you all have decided to be greedy! I really loved the Family Tree Maker software and Ancestry.com and have told so many people about it. I DO NOT SUPPORT GREED, so I too will check out other avenues to continue my family tree and will tell other people not to support Ancestry.com anymore.

  7726. Missy

    I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS AT ALL!!! Over the years I have bought every new version of FTM. I think y’all need to RETHINK this terrible idea!!

  7727. Kathy

    Very unhappy with this decision, and will probably be looking for an alternative. This just feels like a way to “force” people into purchasing an ancestry membership continuously. Why would anyone want to use Ancestry if you can’t link it up with a program on your own computer. I hope some more thought goes into this before it’s implemented. I’m sure a poll of your customers would show most DO NOT want you to do this. Do your customers matter?

  7728. Liz

    Not happy at all. What happens to the data stored on the FTM if I decide to end my Ancestry online subscription? I have got to the stage where the required records I need are few and far between and I get little reward for the annual subscription. Also I do not like the new Ancestry – far too cumbersome

  7729. Mike

    Just a note to other commenters on their notion that this is about corporate greed. That’s a pointless argument. We expect a company to be motivated by profit. The problem here is that Ancestry’s decision is disastrous for their bottom line. They will incur huge losses if they follow through with it – losses that will jeopardize the profitability and the very existence of the company.

  7730. Tom Miller

    When the treesync with FTM ends, will it also end for the android application? I have spent a very large amount of time adding photos to the individuals in my tree. You have stated we can still download our tree in gedcom format, but the photos are not part of that type of download, so most of my last 10 years of adding photos, will be lost to me?

  7731. Steve Amend

    I too would like a refund. When I called in Sep 2015 you said I had to buy the upgraded FTM to get the improvements. You had to have known you were going to dump it. No replacement. I will be getting out of that DNA program and dump Ancestry when my membership expires. It is amazing that you allowed this new guru to come in and change one of the main reasons to buy Ancestry. I’m sure you’ll have a very small following within the next year. Bye to profitability and more than likely the company!

  7732. Jack

    What concerns me now, does that latest update of FTM in the last few day somehow alter it to prohit it from running run after Jan 1, 2017. They said is was mostly bugs fixes but what else did they change.

  7733. Jo

    Everyone who is ‘liking’ this blog – you are raising the Ancestry Facebook page likes – it has gone up in 10’s of thousands so they look really popular (as this is their blog).

  7734. Barbara

    After looking at the corporate people in Ancestry.com, I realize that none of them are genealogist. So for you it is all about the job. Sad. Because you people don’t understand the passion of our work. I have been doing genealogy for many years. I have 51000 people in my tree. I have used Family Tree Maker for so many years and I also have a tree on Ancestry.com. My desk top of family tree maker is my main source of work, with all my sources and notes and things I don’t have on ancestry.com. Ancestry.com tree for me is just a back up. I really can’t believe you feel that desk top software is going away. If you look at the people who use apps, they don’t do research. They just keep copying other peoples trees and say they are genealogists with out doing the work. And then, most of the information being passed from tree to tree is wrong. I hate to think of what all of this is going to be like in 20 years. All wrong information. I take my work very seriously. It is my passion. Instead of retiring Family Tree Maker, why not sell it to someone who really cares. Because I don’t think you people at Ancestry really care about us.

  7735. Francis

    I feel that this is a very bad decision. What alternatives do you offer for desktop users. I don’t want to only have an online file.

  7736. Gary T

    To all those, which would include a majority of these posts, who ask Ancestry to reconsider. If they do, can you really trust them now? May you still be putting your information in jeopardy?

  7737. Gerald Grainge

    The absolutely critical thing is that it is only through FTM and the associated Charting Companion that we can print off reports and charts for insertion in other documents created, say in MS Word or MS Publisher.

    Very important for those seriously writing up family history. That’s what I bought it for.

  7738. Steve

    Whoever made the decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker should be removed from the position as being incompetent.
    The idea of linking Ancestry Trees and FTM was an excellent decision. It allows many of us to travel to places where the internet is not available or too slow or too expensive.
    Using FTM, I can travel and add people and information to my tree right away. Later, at home, preferably, I can sync it with the tree in Ancestry. Most genealogists maintain their data on their pc/laptop and in physical documents. Being able to put a tree on Ancestry is a convenience, but not a necessity.
    I resisted putting my trees on Ancestry as I wanted to be sure they were protected from someone else changing/updating them without my permission. I finally put one tree on Ancestry to share with a cousin. Apparently, that was a mistake. Without support for Family Tree Maker, I will have to remove my trees from Ancestry and try to find another software program to use to support my research. I’m disappointed, to say the least.
    From the comments I’ve seen, so far, it appears the decision to “drop” FTM is not supported by your customer base. Please re-think this action; I, for one, am not really interested in moving all my research to Roots Magic, but don’t see any alternative.
    I originally started with Family Origins, it was taken over by your predecessor and so I have been using FTM for many years.
    If FTM is going away, will you provide a linked tree access in Roots Magic as is in FTM? If not, my Ancestry trees must be deleted.
    Steve

  7739. Ann

    This is a terrible move by Ancestry. I started using Ancestry because of FTM. How am I to save this information for my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren? I called Support and they said that upon my death my family will not be allowed to access my trees because of privacy reasons. So all the thousands of hours I’ve invested in piecing together my family trees will be lost. What is your policy and how will you handle this? And by the way, to say I dislike the “new” ancestry is a very soft way of expressing my feelings about your “new look”. It appears that the motivations for this change is not one of customer concern for your customers. What happened to the customer is always right? My concern is that by your actions, you are loudly expressing that pleasing your customers is not important.

  7740. mike

    Just to echo what I have read here.My main work is with Desktop, including lots of original research which I have happily shared in Ancestry. I am actively looking at programme more suited to my work preferences. You have had my ancestry membership for more than ten years. That will change when I move software. You must be aware that there are increasing alternative to Ancestry – one of which I also subscribe to. I have just renewed my membership with Ancestry for another year. It may be my last.

  7741. Steve J.

    I agree wholeheartedly with Mike’s comment about the misplaced emphasis on corporate greed. I am upset as anyone about Ancestry.com’s decision, but Ancestry’s decision is not solely about greed. All companies try to maximize sales and profits. We should expect that. Ancestry’s decision instead was simply bad judgment and reflects, I think, a failure to appreciate and listen to their customers, especially their most serious customers. Hopefully it has the kind of effect on Ancestry’s finances that it will offer FTM support for far longer. Instead of greed, I suggest ego as the main culprit. I see this all the time. The new manager comes in and wants to make his mark and ends up destroying a perfectly good system or process or look simply so he can say, “This is my accomplishment.”

  7742. ConnieM

    You have killed our ancestors that WE brought to life! You must realize by now (or maybe you already knew or didn’t know because you don’t have genealogists on your corporate ladder) that those using FTM are having REAL problems with purchasing new software. Gedcom required for FTM2014 export and import to a new program is wholly inadequate. For those of you who have not been looking around, gedcom to new software has so many problems, including, but not limited to: No transfer of images/documents with sources; no transfer of dates, descriptions, or sources of your media; truncated descriptions in the fact fields; sources that are stripped of all but the Master Source description with absolutely no URL transfer of your source was on-line; etc. Some of the software people are feverishly working on getting their programs to accept FTM info, but not all of it can be done on their side. Some of it has to be done by FTM gurus. What do you think the chances of that happening are? So, 10 days into the “bomb,” we aren’t getting used to the idea, we’re getting madder. I’m one of them! YOU at Ancestry aren’t the ones who will be spending countless, and I mean COUNTLESS, hours revamping trees to fit into a new product. I think it only fair that you get busy doing some magic for those of us who need FTM to talk to a new program. N-O-T. Heartless!

  7743. Linda Windmoeller

    Mark Tolley said: ” The managers of Ancestry
    http://corporate.ancestry.com/about-ancestry/leadership/
    Not one a genealogist, not one even expressing an interest in genealogy. Might explain a lot.”
    I add: Ancestry leadership of 11 people on their management team — and ONLY one woman among them? The ten others (90%) are men. How did that glass ceiling get established at Ancestry?

  7744. Linda Windmoeller

    You have killed out comments as well. I just submitted a comment, and another screen popped up to enter a code number, and after “Thank you. Your comment will be displayed as soon as it is approved by a moderator.”
    My post had to website of the leadership of Ancestry and I added that there are 11 people on the Ancestry Management team: 10 men and ONLY one woman.

  7745. Very disappointed with your decision. It seems you are wanting to pander only to newcomers to family research, with no avenue available to expand their interest once their appetite is whetted. Please reconsider your decision as I believe you will drive away all the dedicated researchers out there who have given you the benefit of their own studies, and who spend time emailing others with corrections. You will be left with a list of newcomers, and you will open the door to another more forward-looking competitor to take over a market that you currently lead. At the very least, provide a decent rationale for your decision.

  7746. Rand

    Can anyone explain to me why I would store the product of my research on a Web site that will charge me a substantial annual fee just to access my own data, most of which would be lost if I ever stopped paying? And if large numbers of users with substantial family trees stop uploading, Ancestry.com will only have its own raw databases to sell. Ancestry has not responded in any way to over 8000 universally adverse comments; if it waits to the end of the comment period on March 7th the damage will be permanent and Ancestry.com will be finished.

  7747. Gayle

    ancestry is really not letting many different ideas get posted today. I posted regarding an article from last April about a HuntingtonPost article where it mentioned ancestry was getting into the DNA business because of all the info they have amassed..yes, from US! Just google and you can read the ad. They must not have liked that I had added the direct link. After reading that article and a few more along the same lines, it becomes apparent that ancestry is no longer going to be a genealogy site…

  7748. BOB

    I will never go with ancestry after taking away my ftm. you could have at least provided simple software so I could easily transfer my data on ftm to a format that could easily be transferred to another company.

  7749. Robert

    Hello is anyone at home at Ancestry? Your customers are demanding an answer and now there is this suspicious update for FTM that no one is trusting I wonder why?
    Perhaps the people at ancestry have taken some time and common sense off for the holidays.

  7750. Kimberly

    I can’t believe this! This isn’t valuing the customer. This is for another reason, perhaps the DNA business or betting on a pure-play subscription business. If software sales have been dwindling, perhaps it is because people don’t upgrade the programs they have. I work for a software company, and I can tell you software isn’t dead, but you do have to get creative about integrating premium features, online services, and software as a service. I am not interested in storing or accessing my genealogy content online. I can’t always be connected in the field or expect Ancestry to be up when I want it. Time to explore another genealogy program.

  7751. Laurie Kelley

    I do not want to store all of my valuable work only on your site! The tree sync is why I use your site. Are you going to give Ancestry.com the same capabilities as the FTM software? Can we print the same charts/reports/forms? This is what I use to share with family members. How about tree management features such as Merge, Import, Branch Extraction, Duplicates, Updating places, etc? Ancestry.com has a LONG way to go to have the same abilities as the FTM software. Please reconsider!

  7752. Joyce

    I am most disappointed with the new design of the Ancestry web site. The decision to discontinue the support to FTM is a total let down.

  7753. Lance

    Just got an email from Ancestry saying that my subscription is due to be renewed on the 18th January 2016. MMMM I don’t think so. You just blew me off so never to return unless you decide to do a back flip on this idiotic decision.

  7754. Geoff Walker

    Why are there no blog posts after Dec 8?
    If FTM is not restored then Find my Past will get my subscription next year. A 25% increase in Ancestry subscription fees & the loss of Family Tree Maker will be my reason. Well done Ancestry for pricing yourself out of the market.

  7755. Alan

    On what basis does ancestry claim there is a “declining desktop software market”? RootsMagic doesn’t think so – they are I understand working on a native AppleMac version. TreeView doesn’t think so – they are working on an upgrade which I understand will sync with The Genealogist website. Is it perhaps because ancestry does no marketing for FTM despite the fact that it is (arguably) the market leading product and in TreeSync it has (at the moment) a USP unmatched by any other software? You can’t open a family tree magazine in the UK without seeing a half- or full-page advert for RootsMagic, but you’d never know FTM even exists. Ancestry, you have dug yourselves a deep hole and your continued reluctance to even acknowledge all the many and perfectly valid counter arguments on this blog to your “decision” – and we have all noted it is a “decision” not a “proposal” – has only made things worse. Shame on you.

  7756. Edward Fields

    So how long can we expect Ancestry to support Rootsweb? Will it also effect their bottom line and get trashed like FTM?

    RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community. Learn more.

    About Us | Contact Us | Acceptable Use Policy | PRIVACY STATEMENT | Copyright
    © 2014 Ancestry.com

  7757. John

    With these changes, I feel Ancestry is more interested in catering to the casual user who wants things built for them rather than the serious genealogist willing to research. An approach I disagree with as I constantly had to comb out bogus connections to kings and other folk from my shared trees in other sites.
    FTM is one of those tools that anyone serious in their research uses. I for one will be looking at alternative tools as this FAQ failed to answer the questions I cared about posted among the nearly 9000 comments on the previous post (honestly 9000 posts on a blog should tell any management of the anger and frustration they created. This is in an age where survey companies note diminished response rates in surveys causing companies to spend greater amounts of money to try and take the pulse of their user. Ancestry, this data is gold to you, please embrace it and use it. Management does NOT know better!)

  7758. Candace Otte

    I guess by now you know this announcement has not made Ancestry any friends.

    I have used FamilyTree Maker since version 1. I have probably identified all the ancestors I will ever complete but I am now working on linking everyone to the Census pages where family members are found.

    THIS IS NOT A TASK I CAN DO FROM THE WEB VERSION. I NEED TO READ THE CENSUS PAGE AND LINK EVERYONE ON THE PAGE THAT IS IN MY DATABASE.

    I am identifying new relationships, verifying family members who have similar names (can’t be in two locations at the same time although a few were counted twice.) and learning other bits of information from the census.

    I have HUNDREDS of hours in this effort. I do not want to move to another software program because it is likely that my links to the census pages – entered in FTM SOURCES will not be preserved by transferring my tree as a GED file.
    If you cannot match the linking of sources within Family Tree Maker with the online version – I like many other folks here will loose many years of time and effort to build a family tree based on facts – not just gleaned from other individual’s trees that often contain REPEATED and COPIED ERRORS.

  7759. Christine

    Since you have made this decision, I would think that you would already know what program will replace it or could detail what this decision means to all of us Family Treemaker users. Seems that as a big corporations the bottom line is what affects you…not your customers who actually made you the big corporation that you are. The people who put you in business could easily put you out of business as you lose subscribers.

  7760. William E Goff

    Ancestry.com has always had a “take the money and run” mentality. Lets see what happens when their customers take their membership premiums and go elsewhere. The product was nice, while it lasted. The insult of of the circumstance is akin to a mate saying “thanks,but someone else has made me a better offer”.

  7761. donna Sterling

    Emmmmm…I have been a faithful follower of both FTM and Ancestry for years. I realize you are saying this is year out. All the people ( and many more) on this blog and I hope you change your minds.
    I for one do not want to reinvent the wheel.” If it isn’t broke why fix it”, as the saying goes.
    It would be a shame to see this come to an end most of us have worked really hard to match up our ancestors, until recently I spent years combing web sites and writing letters to get the answers I needed. It was very time consuming. I know you think this is a good business move but its really not as you can see by the hundreds that have written in. We all only ask that you reconsider this move and leave this marriage alone. None of can imagine what you would be changing to, how is it going to work with what we currently use, how we can continue to use FTM and sync with ancestry. There is a powdery of questions that’s coming to our minds, it will make your head spin. What to do what to do.
    I do hope you will leave it alone. Or enlighten us sooner then next Jan. on what your plans are so we can all make educated decision on what direction we will be heading. Thanks

  7762. bruce graham

    What happens to all the work I have done over the past 20 years, is it still going to be on ancestry or do I have to find another way to save it. Which I started doing the day of your message.

  7763. Allan Brough

    Absolutely appalling decision. If this does happen and I lose FTM, I will not be renewing my subscription to Ancestry.

  7764. I totally understand the reality of hard decisions in the commercial world, having been there myself. But, over the span of my career, I have continuously seen failed strategies as impulsively invoked changes have been implemented. I don’t have any questions regarding, “Why is FTM desktop software is being discontinued?” It is clear to me that Ancestry, which was largely built on contributions (both individual Family Trees and recurring subscriber fees) from individual researchers like me is now abandoning their core customer base in favor of new projected revenue streams approved in their board room. The magnitude of lost Good Will from discontinuing FTM will be soon revealed. Other product offerings may not be able to overcome this loss of Good Will. It was a calculated decision on the part of Ancestry. But, a far as my community and me, my support is gone. Like corporations , I pursue a business model for my private genealogy research based on finding the least cost and most economical mode of operation. My “business” model may not be compatible with Ancestry’s new model.

  7765. Martin Fee

    I echo all of the comments above. Making it impossible for your customers to keep their own trees on their own computers appears self-serving on the part of Ancestry. Understanding the general migration of data to “The Cloud,” I believe genealogy is highly personal and we should have the ability to keep copies of our own trees if we choose to do so. Not to mention that FTM has much more robust functionality, etc. as already mentioned by so many others. Please reconsider this decision or at least create an alternative whereby we can keep a copy of our Ancestry tree on our own desktops. Otherwise many of us will be forced to abandon Ancestry and move to an desktop-basedsoftware program.

  7766. Hohenwald

    Seems that the stockholders of whoever owns FTM should clean house of those that made such a poor business decision, but the damage is now irrevocable. Your customer base has spoken and what FTM loses other software firms will seize the opportunity and are the winners. I wish them well and hope they have the foresight to value their customers better than FTM has. As FTM users we all will suffer short term … I really doubt that it had to end this way, but such is the result of a bad business decision.

  7767. Edward Fields

    so 9000 negative comments. hmm, what does represent of the total users? 10%? 90,000 irate users? not sure of the metrics of how many take the time to voice an opion against how many just throw up their hands and walk away. In any event, it sure looks like someone dropped the ball. Time for a Hail Mary on Ancestry’s part.

  7768. Robert W. Acord

    Stupid…stupid…stupid. This is a stupid business decision. [The first rule in business is – Don’t do STUPID. You must have missed that class in school.]

    As someone once said – Crow is a dish best served while still warm. It, like any problem, doesn’t get better with age.

    Best to rethink this stupid decision, admit that you’ve made a mistake, and take aggressive action to make things right with your rapidly shrinking (and soon to be smaller) CUSTOMER BASE.

    I hope (I really do) that you have the courage, character and integrity to do the right thing here.

    Go ahead. Take a breath and fix this now.

  7769. Ridgway

    It’s a door opener, hard copies is the issue which will be replaced by someone else’s software and converting interface. Ancestry’s decision is partly based on your data being removable at anytime you see fit. Their hope is this will incline you to keep your data on their site and use a new web based interface to communicate. Many sites use this type of communication Facebook, Linked In to many to mention all by name. If the software can’t sync as of Jan 1, 2017. Will this kill the software? Will it cause a data issue? The many benefits they hope to achieve one being a fear that you won’t be inclined to see the Y in the road and want to keep your data online just doesn’t make sense. What if you choose one day that you want to pull your data from their site, they must allow it. If you afraid of losing a master hard copy your going to go through the hard work of having one web window open and another window for the PC based hardware. Any real genealogist does this anyway, One window Findagrave, another a state archive, another familysearch.org in truth many realize were already doing this already and quite accustomed to this separated process. Ancestry is less then honest and in the end may have opened the door to other sites hoping to grab the position of data collector from Ancestry. I personally have grown tired of Ancestry selling my research and data back to me and pretending like they did the work then handing them a check for it.

  7770. Barbara

    I’ve read hundreds of the letters, as well as commented early on. I was offered Ancestry World for $10. in early November when I called about another issue. I accepted & also got another month with my years subscription. Now I know why. I believe your World was too expensive for many users. By sweetening the pot, so to speak, you think I will continue after my subscription runs out next December….NOT!!!! I locked my one small tree on Ancestry & have no intention of putting the nearly 12,000 people on my FTM on Ancestry. I actually was considering it. Yikes! I have purchased Roots Magic & though it may not be the same as FTM, I’ll learn Roots Magic; at the age of 76. There is nothing I can add that hasn’t already been said. It’s just sad for the genealogy community who deserve better. You know the old saying” what goes around, comes around” will eventually come to Ancestry.

  7771. john nicholas

    Who made this stupid decision to stop supporting F.T.M. I have been a loyal customer for many years,over this time I have encouraged many others to do the same. In helping people research their family trees I have recommended many others to use the F.T.M. What a mistake !!! that was You have made fools of us all

  7772. Rebecca Albrecht

    As a FTM user since the 1990’s I find this decision very disappointing! I will no longer subscribe to Ancestry.com. This is a stupid decision! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Wow, I am so disgusted with this decision!

  7773. Jackson Dorr

    The fact that the management of Ancestry has spent even 1 microsecond considering MOBILE DEVICES should be a clue to all researchers that they are completely ignorant of the community they pretend to serve.
    Seriously, how many researchers would pull out their “Mobile Device” while in line at the grocery store to check out the birthplace of a 5X grandparent or whatever.
    No one who has actually done serious research would harbor any thought that ‘Mobile Device’ compatibility be of any priority in this field. We’re not trying to listen to music, we’re researching. That takes time and thought.
    Please excuse me; I just gave Ancestry management credit for thinking…. my bad.

  7774. Kris

    I am SOOOOOOO disappointed and sorry to hear that you are going to discontinue the best part of you system. I have used FTM desk top and bought the up-dated FTM every few years from the very first one you put out. It is the main reason I pay the subscription fees to keep access to your site. Shame on you!!!! Ancestry allowed users to add their family info in to your site then Ancestry took everyone’s info for your own personal gain to build your Ancestry.com site. Then started to charge us the owner of the tree a subscription fee just to access our own info. If it wasn’t for the genealogists who have stood by your FTM system and endured your increasing fees you would of never gotten most of the current info or users the site has. By discontinuing the FTM desk top system you are telling the genealogy community Thank You For NOTHING for all your time, money and info for building Ancestry.com site but you are no longer needed!!! I like many others are have grown tired of Ancestry selling my research and data back to me (and others) there by pretending like they did all the work; then wanting me to hand Ancestry a check just to view my own info. I think it is time that the genealogy community who deserve better than this slap in the face looking in to the legal facet of blocking them selling use of our personal information for their profit!!! Please Ancestry reconsider this REALLY BAD MOVE TO DISCONTINUE THE FTM DESK TOP PROGRAM AND MUCH LOVED INTERFACE!!!

  7775. Vicki

    FTM is so much easier that Ancestry.com, especially with the new “look.” I changed from another genealogy program JUST for the tree sync so I would not have to enter in information twice. I much prefer working in FTM than on Ancestry.com for everything but searches. I am extremely disappointed in this decision.

  7776. Connie McKinley

    Hey everyone, Legacy 8 genealogy software is offering a special sale through December 31, 2015. $10 off their premium price of $29.99 = $19.99. I just took a class on this product and it looks like it is much better (for me, at least) than FTM. Also, did you know that Ancestry.com and Familysearch.org are sharing information, so why pay for ancestry?

  7777. margaret

    I found until the past 4 months, the hints were pretty accurate. When they changed Canada to the new system, I was flooded OVERNIGHT with 1350 new hints and they were either items already saved in my tree or wildly un-related to the person they were for. Another marketing ‘red herring’ that is useless. When i look at them, it’s TOO time wasting to go through the new process only to find I already HAVE it, that I am just ignoring ‘hints’ now. A year’s prepaid World membership that’s becoming useless.

  7778. Bob

    Like many users of the desktop app I do 99% of my work on the desktop and only use website to share. Looks like this will no longer provide me what I want in a Genealogy program. very disappointed

  7779. Henry

    I echo most of the views already expressed. I’m just not ready to become totally dependent on the ‘cloud’ and will seek alternative desktop solutions.

  7780. Andrew

    This is terrible news. Luckily there are a growing number of alternatives to Ancestry appearing on the market.

  7781. Michael K.

    I am extremely disappointed in this decision. My first Family tree was in DOS, Have own 7 version , Stupid…stupid…stupid.

  7782. Travis Hancock

    Hi Folks –

    This may be a blessing in disguise. We all know the non-resolved problems over the past few years. This just shows how bad it must be……sooooooooo –

    I’ve spent all week evaluating all the major competition to FTM and for my needs Rootsmagic looks great.

    Have a good look at it and some others before you just despair. Don’t let these fools ruin your genealogy.

  7783. Mike

    I can only assume that any company thinking of purchasing Ancestry from the ghastly Permira take the time to read these comments. Permira may well be stuck with the monster that they have created.
    The irony!

  7784. val

    what a disaster1#1 selling program! that’s a laugh! Guess its time to to vote with my feet…that is no renewal of subscription

  7785. Len George

    unbelievable…sounds like the same decision for New Coca-Cola. this is a very bad decision and will probably made me reconsider Ancestry.com for the long-term. this will hit your bottom line…there goes your bonuses and maybe you jobs.

  7786. Tim

    Here is their phone 1-800-401-3193 (toll free)
    Let them know until they listen. 8725 comments, 99.99% negative at this point.
    Just received my renew notice – not happening.

  7787. Kevin

    I was very disappointed in learning of this change! I felt FTM was one of the great options this site offered. Please consider reversing your decision or working with another desktop package to allow continued offline access.

  7788. Dennis Rice

    I have been using Family Tree Maker software for many years. I also have been the resource person and have led seminars on Family Tree Maker to our over 300 members of our Jewish Genealogical Society in Palm Beach County Florida. Many of our members have expressed their unhappiness with Ancestry’s decision to stop supporting it. Many of us felt the syncing with Ancestry separated it from other Software programs. Many of us will be forced to turn to other programs . Please consider reversing your decision.

  7789. Ray Baker

    Ancestry.com LLC, the world’s largest family history website helping users trace their heritage, is exploring a sale that could value it at between $2.5 billion and $3 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter.

    Permira Advisers LLC, the buyout firm that owns most of privately held Ancestry, has hired investment banks to run an auction for the company, the people said this week

    This gets more interesting all the time.

    Ray

  7790. Marcia

    As a very long time user of Family Tree Maker I am extremely disappointed that Ancestry is discontinuing this software. To leave users without a replacement product is reprehensible. The name Ancestry.com is forever tarnished in my name.

  7791. Please, please, PLEASE reconsider dumping Family Tree Maker. Ancestry family trees alone are nowhere near as powerful as what Family Tree Maker offers, and no other genealogy software offers the integration with Ancestry that FTM offers. Ancestry works best when integrated with FTM, and FTM works best when integrated with Ancestry — it’s a synergistic partnership that cannot be duplicated in any other way.

    Could you not consider maintaining Family Tree Maker, including its integration with Ancestry.com, forever? You need not provide any enhancements to its functionality in the future — just keep what you have already. It is, after all, a highly evolved piece of software — I would be perfectly happy if there were never another enhancement, as long as FTM continued to integrate with Ancestry.com. Please consider this as an option.

    One of the reasons I switched to FTM, after three other genealogy databases died over the 30 years I’ve been doing genealogy, is that I was sure FTM would never die. I lost data every single time I was forced to change to another software program, but surely Ancestry would never cause me the same problems, right? Well, wrong.

    I am terribly disappointed in your company, that you would even consider killing FTM. You are doing an incredible disservice to your customers. Please reconsider.

  7792. Tom

    I am sad and disappointed at the news. I went with Ancestry because of its interface with FTM. I don’t understand the decision. No person serious about tracing their ancestors and maintaining a family tree would dream of not having a desktop programme to keep records. Ancestry and FTM are great together because they have components in each which compliment each other. If you are withdrawing support then I will be looking at other products.

  7793. George Beddoe

    About the only reason I have used FTM is for it’s reporting function, and backup for use when I cannot get internet. The Ancestry.com reporting function is almost useless.

  7794. Sandi

    It is not fair. I just bought mine! The whole reason I upgraded was because of the sync feature. Why weren’t we told this when we purchased our Family Tree Maker 2014?

  7795. Robert

    “Permira ‘exploring’ Ancestry.com sale.”
    “Ancestry.com is said to be the world’s largest family history website, with a database of more than 15 billion historical records and more than 2.1 million paid subscribers. According to Reuters, subscription fees accounted for 83 per cent of its total revenue of $619.6m last year.”
    Don’t you fools realize that without FTM you don’t have any subscriptions!

  7796. ConnieM

    Here is a quote from Bloomberg Business at:
    http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=241489411

    NOTICE THE DATE: 21 May 2015

    “Permira Advisers LLC Key Developments

    Ancestry.com Reportedly Exploring A Sale
    May 21 15

    Ancestry.com LLC is exploring a sale that could value it at between $2.5 billion and $3 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter. Permira Advisers LLC, the buyout firm that owns most of privately held Ancestry, has hired investment banks to run an auction for the company, the people said. Permira declined to comment, while an Ancestry spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.”

  7797. ConnieM

    Here is a quote from Bloomberg Business:
    NOTICE THE DATE: 21 May 2015

    “Permira Advisers LLC Key Developments

    Ancestry.com Reportedly Exploring A Sale
    May 21 15

    Ancestry.com LLC is exploring a sale that could value it at between $2.5 billion and $3 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter. Permira Advisers LLC, the buyout firm that owns most of privately held Ancestry, has hired investment banks to run an auction for the company, the people said. Permira declined to comment, while an Ancestry spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.”

  7798. Linda Windmoeller

    world wide web (dot) bloomberg (dot) com (slash) research (slash) stocks (slash) private (slash) snapshot (dot) asp?privcapId=241489411

    Read the May 21, 2015 notice at Blommberg Business web site.

  7799. Linda Windmoeller

    Permira has 12 offices throughout the world. Ancestry is but a small part of this investment firm. Per their web site: “Permira is a global investment firm that finds and backs successful businesses with ambition. We share our deep sector insight and network of senior specialists to help our partners grow their businesses into worldwide industry leaders.”
    If we all cancelled or not renew our Ancestry subscription (83% of Ancestry revenue) then maybe Permira would quickly sell off the Ancestry company.

  7800. Peter Loudon

    I’d suggest you do a side-by-side feature comparison between your site and FTM. There’s a lot that is missing on the site. Take the mapping facility for starters. Or the ability to go through public tree hints one at a time.

    My subscription has just come up for renewal and I’ve cancelled it.

    In looking around, beyond Ancestry, it’s clear that there is a LOT of genealogy information and tools out there to work with, most of it in the public domain, and being indexed by communities.

    I think you guys just slaughtered your golden egg laying goose.

  7801. Linda Windmoeller

    Ancestry.com LLC Reports Third Quarter 2015 Financial Results
    — Third Quarter Revenues $171.5 Million, Up 10.9% Year-Over-Year;
    Up 13.1% on Constant Currency Basis —
    — Third Quarter Adjusted EBITDA $67.4 Million, Up 21.5% Year-Over-Year(1) —
    PROVO, Utah, Oct. 21, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ancestry.com LLC (the “Company”), the largest provider of family history and personal DNA testing, reported financial results today for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015.
    “Our third quarter results benefited from strong business fundamentals and good execution, highlighted by double-digit year-over-year growth in revenue, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow,” said Tim Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of Ancestry.com. “Our subscriber base remains healthy, engagement trends are solid following our staged roll-out of the New Ancestry website and customer experience, and AncestryDNA is now the world’s largest consumer genomics database with sales in the quarter doubling relative to last year. We are poised to deliver outstanding performance in 2015, and the strategic investments we’ve made in the business position Ancestry for attractive new opportunities in 2016 and beyond.”
    Third Quarter 2015 Financial Highlights
    Total revenues for the third quarter of 2015 were $171.5 million compared to $154.7 million in the third quarter of 2014 driven by growth in revenues from AncestryDNA and the core Ancestry websites. On a constant currency basis, third quarter 2015 total revenues would have increased 13.1% year-over-year.

    Net loss for the third quarter of 2015 was $(0.6) million compared to a net loss of $(1.2) million in the third quarter of 2014.

    Adjusted EBITDA(2) for the third quarter of 2015 was $67.4 million compared to $55.9 million in the third quarter of 2014. Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended September 30, 2015 included $1.5 million of professional services fees related to litigation and costs associated with a return-of-capital distribution declared in August 2015 to our parent. Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended September 30, 2014 included $0.8 million of professional service fees related to litigation.

    Free cash flow(3) totaled $44.2 million for the third quarter of 2015, compared to $31.0 million for the third quarter of 2014.

    Cash and cash equivalents totaled $114.1 million as of September 30, 2015.

    Obligations under long-term debt(4) totaled $1.0 billion as of September 30, 2015.
    AncestryDNA — AncestryDNA kit sales approximately doubled compared with the prior-year third quarter. AncestryDNA also released new product functionality to help customers determine if their cousin matches come from their paternal or maternal lines.
    Ancestry has more than 2 million paying subscribers across its family history websites and approximately 1.2 million DNA samples in the AncestryDNA database.

    find this info at corporate (dot) ancestry (dot) com (slash) press (slash) press-releases (slash) 2015 (slash) 10 (slash) ancestrycom-llc-reports-third-quarter-2015-financial-results

    Maybe we should all stop buying DNA kits, along with cancelling our subscriptions! DNA analysis for actuarial science (longevity studies for insurance companies) must be a huge money maker for Ancestry!

  7802. Jeff Lutz

    I use Ancestry.com more now than Family Tree Maker. However, I still use FTM when I’m in locations where there is no wifi or internet (i.e. Family Reunions in the local state park or church fellowship hall). I like to set up my PC with FTM open and have my relatives check their information and provide data on deceased loved ones. I guess I won’t be able to do that any longer. This decision to discontinue FTM seems to be purely based on money with no regard to how it will effect its millions of users. I love Ancestry.com. I love the new updated website. Does Ancestry.com have a solution for those of us who need offline access to our research from time to time?

  7803. Linda Windmoeller

    Here are parts of a job description for Financial Analysist with Ancestry:
    “management review of budget vs. actual results and trend analysis”
    “Analysis and tracking of strategic initiatives, including development of supporting models and expected outcomes”

    I wonder at 2015 year end if Ancestry’s “trend analysis and expected outcomes” will look anything like they expected with so many consumers now cancelling their Ancestry subscriptions with the company’s announcement to end FTM software.

    I cannot in good faith renew or continue my annual World Explorer subscription, if Ancestry does not reverse this decision to axe FTM software.

  7804. Linda Windmoeller

    Ancestry’s decision to stop using Family Tree Maker software will hurt a lot of researchers, Ancestry will lose credibility, and next year’s projected financial income from Ancestry subscriptions and DNA tests will be reduced. So, whatever it costs to maintain the software will be a smaller amount in comparison to what it costs the company in lost revenue.

    Please reverse the decision, and maintain the Family Tree Maker software.

  7805. Sharon Singer

    I am very disappointed in this announcement. I have notes on my FTM that I would never upload to a public location, but I’d like to copy to my relatives one day. PLEASE keep FTM going! I for one would be willing to pay for an upgrade.

  7806. Scott Gibbs

    I live where I must rely on a celular connection to the internet and pay for data uploads and downloads. Moving to a cloud based solution will not work for me since this will significatly increase my monthly data traffic. I guess I will be looking for another software tool rather than FTM.

  7807. Rudi193

    I’ve been a subscriber to Ancestry for over a decade and doing family research for over 20 years. I use FTM in tandem with Ancestry and other sites. I don’t always have online access and I don’t want my years of family research stuck in your cloud with only you controlling it. I’ve tried the mobile app, hated it and deleted it. Like the majority of those commenting, I truly believe your decision has to be one of the worst ones Ancestry has ever made. So, I’ll be shopping around for another genealogy service. You can buy all of the world data you want, but if you don’t have the users to pay for it, it will be for naught.

  7808. timhav8tor1

    Ancestry without FTM would be terrible. FTM is one of the major tools in maintaining Ancestry. Ancestry alone does not have the draw to keep people interested when one is producing reports for family. Rethink your need to depart with FTM…

  7809. Julie Nelligan

    Please reconsider your decision to stop supporting FTM. I use it for offline work and to have a backup of my data among other things. If FTM goes away, I will definitely consider dropping my membership to Ancestry.

  7810. Wushie27

    I have used FTM since it was owned but Broderbund in the 1990s . I really dislike the online app – difficult to navigate, slow to load, no real way to organise my tree. Why on earth would anyone want to be ONLY in the cloud. I may be old fashioned but I have paper copies carefully stored of all my documentation, which has come in handy often after various computer glitches. No real genealogist would consider only online source documentation. I prefer to keep my tree private anyway – too many times my info and even photos ended up attached to someone else’s tree. An inaccurate family tree is actually worse than no tree at all. Definitely finding another provider.

  7811. Barry Graham

    I am also disgusted, on the other hand the Family Tree Maker of today is pretty awful compared with the early Broderbund versions. If you think I’m going to start using your web site instead, think again. Geni is far better, it’s free and it works.

  7812. Tyrone

    I was an early early EARLY user of ancestry.com and have recommended it to countless family members. ‘Count me OUT’ if you do not reverse this decision. I will not allow myself to be forced to keep my content in the cloud.

  7813. Diane

    Sorry, but i have to agree with most of the others. I started ancestry.com a few years ago. Before that, I was using another program and made the decision to switch to FTM based on the promise of being able to sync with the online trees. I have gotten other members of my family to login to or join ancestry and/or to purchase the FTM software so they can access my tree information.

    Since some of the advantage of continuing to subscribe to Ancestry.com is gone now if FTM is dropped, I will have to reconsider how long I really need to subscribe.

    BTW, I never use the cloud for personal information and will not use it for family tree information.

  7814. Michael Rogers

    This is the most absurd business decision, I have ever seen/ You have thousands of dedicated users, who only use Ancestry.co.uk and .com because they can sync to the online sources. Many will now stop using the website and not renew the membership. My renewal is due this month so unless you reverse your decision goodbye.

  7815. Michael Rogers

    This is the most absurd business decision, I have ever seen. You have thousands of dedicated users, who only use Ancestry.co.uk and .com because they can sync to the online sources. Many will now stop using the website and not renew the membership. My renewal is due this month so unless you reverse your decision goodbye.

  7816. Sid Miller

    I will continue to use TreeMaker as it will still be the best software. However, when my Ancestry subscription lapses I shall switch to FindMyPast.

  7817. Lynn

    Cancelling my subscription. Pulling my tree off. I have spent quite a bit of money at Ancestry.com – no more. I have a well researched/source documented tree of 7,000+ individuals. Unless I subscribe, I (and other family members) will not have access to my own tree? This is ridiculous. Why would I do this? Switching – https://www.rootsmagic.com/FTM/default.aspx

  7818. I agree with everyone on the new Ancestry, it is really childlike and very hard to use, plus you deleted many functions I used, a lot. I really can’t stand using it, I try because I pay good money for it, but after a few minutes I have to get off. Plus…you completely lost the Ancestry brand. PLEASE put the old Ancestry back and forget about getting rid of the desktop FTM. Larger companies than you have fallen because they did not listen to their customer base.

  7819. LK_Poole

    If you don’t want to continue FTM at least give Legacy or other Genealogy programs the ability to sync our information. Still think this is a terrible idea!

  7820. Ralph Ellerbrock

    Unless there is a vast improvement in both the navigation and reporting from Ancestry, there will be many other retirements from this site. That means many $$$. Watch the competition

  7821. Brenda

    Very disappointed. I like that I can print, email, etc. reports to other family members from FTM. Are you adding a “feature” to Ancestry. ca website to cover creating reports, charts? Or allowing other genealogy software companies to “tap” into the Ancestry website to sync so we can create hard copies? Or at least integrate the FTM features into the website.

  7822. Eleanor

    You want everyone to be in the Cloud. Well, you must be “in the clouds” with such a poor, poor business decision that violates your subscribers’ trust in Ancestry as a whole. Genealogy research is personal. Your subscribers are invested (your prices are too high, anyhow) and vested. Clearly, your company has no business sense at all. Many subscribers are not techies either. Hopefully, another Ancestry-type company will pick up all of us as subscribers so we can continue using Family Tree Software.

  7823. Alun

    This seems to be another example of a company selling what it wants to without any regard to customer’s wishes. I have no wish to use the Cloud. From observation all clouds eventually leak and disappear. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!

  7824. Marge Braddock

    I am 80 years old, have been using FTM since 1975, have three trees up and running. Through Banner Blue to Broderbund to Ancestry I have been adding/editing/compiling data and now what? I can keep it all on the laptop, but new data and new relatives can’t find me except through Ancestry. I feel the need to simply print out the whole fam damily and pass it around to those interested and abandon my research altogether. What a cruel decision – tarnishes the LDS brand that has stood behind the service for so long. Please reconsider and keep the service as it is, if off to the side, as a service to those who have placed their faith in Ancestry. Sad, sad, sad,

  7825. RootzNShootz740

    I have never used Ancestry’s online trees. I do not want my trees online. I have Ancestry.com as an added tool for Family Tree Maker, NOT the other way around!
    I am tempted to give Ancestry a little time, to see if you realize your mistake and decide to continue offering AND ENHANCING FTM (I have sent a number of suggestions over the years, just as others have).
    If you stand by your decision to eliminate one of the top desktop genealogy software applications available, I will have no choice but to move. I have already started researching, and am considering Legacy Pro, although I haven’t made a final decision yet.
    Rather than discontinuing it, have you considered selling FTM to another company and continuing to allow it full connectivity to Ancestry.com? It would be really great if those of us who prefer to work offline could band together and create a company to support and enhance it for us, its owners/users.

  7826. Barb Olmstead

    I couldn’t agree with RootzNShootz740 more!!! I can’t imagine that you will not revisit your decision to eliminate FTM. I too am a desktop user and prefer it that. Don’t force me to vote with my pocketbook and drop Ancestry. a third party sale could be an alternative, but I hope you will continue to support the product as part of an interconnected whole!

  7827. jon

    I think Mr Hulet will regret this decision, and certainly the way it has been announced – such a bland statement.
    It is unclear if any (or all) of the features of FTM will be made possible online – for subscription and guest users. Further information is definitely required.
    Like many other users (despite, or because of 30 years in IT Industry) I am reluctant to put all my years of hard work and research on to “The Cloud”. I would also like preserve some of this information in traditional paper format.

  7828. Henry Schiffbauer

    Where is the transitional support? Give us an idea of what our options will be? Tell us something. Let us provide input to the future product.

    Not everyone has the time to go through hundreds of responses on blogs…

    Your direction seems to be only for online use. Not everyone wants their family tree in the cloud. Who can trust it? Where will my tree be tomorrow….or 10 years from now.

    Thank God for hard copies of info… and photos… from 100 years ago.

    What you have today could be gone in seconds on the cloud. Then again what you put on the cloud will be in someones hands in seconds… using it to their advantage …or your demise. Show me online data that is secure from unwanted intrusions?

  7829. I am so disappointed in Ancestry.com. To announce it the same month they discountinue the software is about as unethical as it gets. I will not be renewing my World membership in January. Such a shame, I chose ancestry years ago to be my source.

  7830. Dr Maurice L Hooks, PE

    The termination of FTM is ridiculous!! As a software developer for 53 years I assure you this is not a sound decision! Your change to the Ancestry Web GUI is also ridiculous. Never change successful software unless a technology change requires it! No one in the industry today understands that!! I advise you to continue to support and improve FTM and to revert to the previous Ancestry GUI … it was much more professional and much less a child’s toy!
    Listen to your Customers today or you’ll have none to disturb you tomorrow!

  7831. Jan

    I rely on my trees ( there are 4 ) on Family Tree Maker because I am not always in an area that has internet connection when working on the tree. By taking away the sync between Ancestry and FTM, you are negating any benefit of keeping my trees on Ancestry. Please reconsider what you are doing to your customers! You are causing us to do double the entries to keep both Ancestry and FTM.

  7832. Deborah Goldammer

    I feel this is unfair without giving some alternatives. I do not wish to keep my data in the cloud so I guess I will need to find another software package for my desktop. I like the ability to move between my data base and Ancestry.com in storing information. I am not sure I would continue my membership in Ancestry.com if I can’t do that any more. Please to not abandon Family Tree Maker.

  7833. Martyn K

    Been a FTM user for more years than I can remember. Appalled by this decision. Ancestry – you are now part of my history

  7834. William Morin

    Just adding my voice of disappointment and befuddlement over this decision. Hope you reconsider in light of your customers’ comments.

  7835. Nancy

    Is Ancestry.com just going to ignore all the comments posted? How about some answers to all the questions? They just drop this on all of us without explaining how the site will work in conjunction with other software.

  7836. Steven Sherlin

    Just got my RootsMagic 7 the other day. They are offering FTM Users a special discount. So far, I have found RootsMagic 7 to be a Great Program for beginning and those of us who are Professional Genealogist’s. Has some outstanding features. Wish I had this program years ago before I entered over 12,000 names and thousands of documents and media to FTM. The transfer of the Gedcom file from FTM to RootsMagic 7 is smooth and easy. The bad thing is that now I will have to re-enter all my facts, census, and media. FTM has caused me a world of trouble and disgust. I predict a mass exodus of Users of FTM and Ancestry which has already begun and is creating research sharing problems in mass. Great Job Ancestry!! You have destroyed your credibility and lost the trust of millions of loyal, longtime customers. Your demise is on the near horizon!

  7837. Carol Robinson

    Like everyone else who has posted, I believe this is a terrible decision. I will never enter my tree into Ancestry due to data control concerns – my family tree mine, not Ancestry’s. Like others, I will be cancelling my subscription when it runs out due to Ancestry’s lack of consideration for the user community. Since you don’t want to the software and don’t believe it to have any value, why don’t you make an effort to recover from this public relations fiasco by making the software available to a group that values and is willing to maintain it?

  7838. Lynn Baker

    I have been a Family Tree Maker user since day one. I have been a beta tester and feel what we have is a part of me. When Ancestry purchased it I was very concerned tht it would change BUT never thought anyone that had any interest in genealogy would cut it off and end its existence.

    Ancestry is about money and not genealogy since the sale of ancestry.

    I’m sure since you are only interested in money you haven’t thought how many people are members of Ancestry only because of the support and the leaves that we have on FTM.

    Once my world membership runs out I will not be renewing since there is no purpose belonging to Ancestry if there is no FTM.

    How foolish – thinking people purchased FTM because of Ancestry. The only reason I joined Ancestry was because of FTM.

    Instead of cutting FTM off consider selling it to an organization interested in Genealogy and not money only.

    Lynn D. Baker
    34 Sacedon Way
    Hot Springs Village, AR 71909
    FTM LynnBaker 66
    Ancestry LynnBaker1

  7839. Christine Chaplin

    I have been a member of Ancestry for many years and have purchased many versions of FTM during this time. I have loved the experience but have become extremely disappointed with the service provided over the past year.
    It began when Ancestry decided to wipe the My Canvas book option. I had many books in the making and was forced to rush to finish as much as I could before the deadline of the option ending. We were then told that My Canvas would continue to be available through the firm that printed them. I have continued to work on my books, but now the cost of the books has sky rocketed.
    Ancestry now informs us that they will discontinue all of the FTM software and to me, that is the final straw.
    It is plain to see that Ancestry do not want us to save our trees to our computers. They want us to only be able to access them online. Stop paying and you lose your trees.
    Well, FTM will be around for another year. Thank you for that Ancestry, it will give us all time to save our trees to our computers and then go elsewhere. I definitely will.

  7840. Tom Humphrey

    Just another money making scheme to rip us. Less services for more money when we do the majority of the work. Will be looking for other services. I have subscribed for many years. NOT HAPPY!

  7841. Peter Whitehead

    I am really disappointed with this decision as I have used this program for many years. Will I be able to copy across to another program. I have invested THOUSANDS of hours entering data. I sure would not want to have to reenter it all, but want a stand alone program on my computer NOT just on ancestry. Will you facilitate our ability to copy info…I guess not as they are your competitors but you are NOT LOOKING after us with this decision. Shame on you!

  7842. Peter Whitehead

    Does anyone know of a program that we can copy Family Tree Maker info across to without losing facts, saved pictures, etc? Surely we won’t have to re-enter all our stuff?

  7843. David

    I have commented before about this decision. Subscription will not be renewed and all my data has been removed. I hope everyone else will do the same.

    For those who love FTM and want to continue using it…just carry on it will work without all the “integration” with Ancestry.

    Microsoft dumped “Money” back in 2011, which was and still is the best personal finance package I’ve ever found. It still works and I have used it on all Windows platforms right through to Windows 10.

    So, keep using it if you love it, no need to move all your data…so long as you haven’t been foolish enough only have it on “Mickey Mouse” Ancestry.

  7844. Marjorie

    I have thought family tree is jaked so bad almost from the time I first got onto the site in 2012. Ancestry owes its customers access to all the trees they have on Ancestry since we paid to get them. Is Ancestry going to come out in a while with something that is priced so high reasonable people will not be able to afford? Very few companies have the customer as a first thought. True customer service is about totally gone.

  7845. D.P.

    I am so disappointed in Ancestry. I have been a member for many years. I have promoted ancestry to anyone who would listen. I have been a staunch supporter. But gradually I have become disenchanted. It started with the changes to the online tree format. It is so terrible that I cannot really believe a thinking human being designed it. I absolutely hate it (along with thousands of other people), and have provided feedback at least 30 times. No response. No changes. Ancestry obviously makes decisions for whatever reason they believe to be good business, and then moves on it. They make a “show” of listening to subscriber comments, but they really do not care.

    I was 50% read to cancel my membership because of the online tree changes, but was still trying to give Ancestry a chance, hoping the powers that be would actually listen and change things. But then, this situation with FTM. OMG.

    I have an online tree of over 40,000 people. I also use FTM and synch the two. i like the online tree because I can share it with family members (privately) and can easily search records and add information quickly v. manually. Synching gives me the best of both worlds. FTM is not perfect, and there is loss with the synching, but I could live with that.

    But now, I am totally, 100% disgusted with Ancestry. I agree with the thousands of comments in this blog (many of which, by the way, were deleted). This move by Ancestry demonstrates a significant lack of concern for customers. It’s clear to me that Ancestry is moving in another direction. They are going to try to make money on peripheral services (e.g., DNA testing, selling databases, etc) v. the main function all of us come here for, which is the research and family tree building.

    I know these comments all of us are posting will make no difference whatsoever to Ancestry. There is nothing that is going to change this situation. And even if they did change it now, who would trust them for the future not to change something else without telling us?

    In any case, I am disappointed, frustrated, and just disgusted. I, like thousands of you before me, will be removing my tree from ancestry and not renewing my subscription once it expires. I will find alternatives

  7846. Gail

    If you think removing your tree from Ancestry is a “get even” move, think again. They have and will always have your information. I am so sad to Tree Maker go. Please reconsider.

  7847. Kathy Leggett

    Sorry to hear that we have worked on our family tree since 1975 we have over 56,000 people and over 8000 pieces of media linked to our tree me and my two sisters love the program we do not like the online version we work on the tree about 6 hours every week minimum I hope someone comes out with a compatible program that our data can be transferred to do not want to lose our history

  7848. Tory

    Skip the 10% discount on an overpriced subscription and KEEP FAMILY TREE MAKER!!! That is what your customers want!

  7849. Graham

    It seems that all the advertisements I have seen for Ancestry.com on TV use Family tree as a basis for joining. Good logic!
    So why discontinue such an obviously well appreciated program.

  7850. Tom Z

    Very sad…have used FTM since it was in its DOS form and been an Ancestry member for many, many years….but you’ve made your decision and I’ve made mine now. I will NOT be renewing my Ancestry subscription. You’ve made a very poor, very greedy decision.

  7851. Fred Jenkins

    I am very disappointed to see FTM retired. I’ve been a loyal user for 15-20 years. By loyal, I mean that I ordered all updates, no questions asked, as soon as they appeared. I can understand business decisions re: profitability, but a company must also continue to serve loyal customers who have helped build the company. This is where I fit in. I feel abandoned for the loyalty I’ve shown, which I believe technically contributed to the company’s growth. I also would like to know 1.) what do you expect me to do with my 3,700+ person tree that I do not put up in the clouds on ancestry.com, and 2.) how can I transfer this data, complete with all media and sourcing, to another desktop program?
    Jury still out for my future with Ancestry.

  7852. Carolyn

    Have “the powers that be” at Ancestry stepped up and responded to any of these thousands of complaints? I find it interesting that on this blog page, there’s a propaganda ad from Ancestry about this “Ancestry blog” that states:
    “Here you will find informational, and sometimes fun, posts from the folks behind the scenes here at Ancestry. WE HOPE YOU’LL NOTICE JUST HOW PASSIONATE WE ARE ABOUT FAMILY HISTORY AND ABOUT THE PRODUCTS WE’RE BUILDING TO HELP CONNECT FAMILIES OVER DISTANCE AND TIME.” (Emphasis added)
    You are shameful! All the hard work that so many of us have done over so many years is now useless to us – but oh so useful to Ancestry. You need to apologize … you need to make us all whole again.

  7853. Bill

    As of today, 12/22/15, there have been 8,806 responses to this post. If everyone tells Ancestry that they will cancel their membership if they do stop using FTM, they will have a $3,425,534 dollar hit to their pocket book. I, for one, will be cancelling my membership when FFTM is retired.

  7854. George Schreckengost

    Disappointed that you stop Family Tree Maker, especially that some of our data you stored on your cloud. Please advise how to retrieve our data in ways to transfer it to other software. Ancestry fees may be no longer justifiable since dropping Family Tree Maker.

  7855. Dan

    Terrible !! Here is my 2 cents worth………….. Reverse the decision and fire everybody that made the decision to retire Fam Tree Software.

  7856. Linda

    I am disappointed to that FTM is being retired. It is my main source of recording my family history. I haven’t found Ancestry to useful when it is offered free on a weekend because it always takes me to the page asking me to buy membership in Ancestry. If I actually found something useful, I might join. But I prefer to have my family history on my desktop.

  7857. Carolyn

    Must agree with all of the above posts. I was a FTM user well before Ancestry purchased it. The only reason I subscribe to Ancestry is because it interacts with my FTM. I will definitely be cancelling my subscription and looking for other companies to do my research through. PLEASE sell FTM to another company so we can maintain all of our years of research on our own computers within a software that provides wonderful ways to share info with families.

  7858. Tom

    I want my money back for the product I bought, or give me a free upgrade to your replacement product. If not, like hundreds (or thousands of others) I will canx my ancestry and take my business elsewhere. VERY SHORTSIGHTED, YOU HAVE LOST CUSTOMER FOCUS !!!

  7859. Tex

    I am removing my FTM generated family trees from ancestry.com! If all FTM users did the same, Ancestry profit mongers might notice their database shrinking to nothing! Ftm users, unite!!!!

  7860. Wayne Ohlsson

    When I can no longer run my FTM 2007, I will stop doing genealogy research! (2012 version is terrible!)

  7861. Michael Madden

    Is this another greed grab, of which we have too much of in recent years? Airlines, banks, . . . and now you?

  7862. Greg Watkins

    Wow, I don’t how to proceed. Is everything I have on my desktop FTM already on the Ancestry web site? How do I know that I am not losing precious data by switching to the online version?

  7863. Dorris Loesch

    I started doing genealogy research in 1975 by hand. No computer. Then, after I got a computer, I started putting my information into FTM and purchased an upgrade almost every time there was one available. When it was first available, I found a lot of information on Roots Web, which was free. I subscribed to Ancestry, off and on, for many years but, never found much more on my ancestors. Now, I keep getting emails saying there are new hints for my tree but, when I look them up, the hints are things I found years ago by going to libraries and court houses. I hope some other company will take over FTM. If not, I hope support will be provided to those who don’t know how to switch data from FTM to another program.

  7864. Bob Weithofer

    I started my research over 45 years ago. I first entered my data into an Apple II genealogy program produced by a friend of mine in California. I did the testing for that program. When FTM was released I upgraded my computer partially to use FTM. I’ve paid for every update and been a member at the highest level since day one. I bought almost every data CD they released. I’ve used FTM to publish to Family History books and keep them up to date. All this to say that I’ve supported FTM & Ancestry but I will be canceling my membership once the support for FTM ends. I’ve already removed my database of over 34,000 individuals from Ancestry. I hope everyone else does the same.

  7865. Annette

    I’m Glad I Did not buy the new one was going to update my software this christmas to sad all you did is set your self up to loss money

  7866. Beth

    Started with FTM and only got Ancestry because they worked in conjunction with one another. I always worked from FTM not Ancestry. The “new Ancestry” is not my work, but a computer deciding what should be written. I really resent that they feel they can change my trees. Just renewed my World subscription in Nov. When it is up, I will be done with Ancestry. In the meantime, I am figuring out how to transfer DNA test results, have made my trees private, and will no longer be syncing with Ancestry. I will be moving to another software program as soon as I can. My trees will be removed or greatly altered if I cannot remove them. What a mistake by Ancestry. A big thank you to all who have posted helpful hints and links. Terrible time to do this to everyone. It should be a time of year to be enjoying family and friends and preparing for the holidays. What a rotten present from Ancestry.

  7867. Donna Baker

    I believe Ancestry has made a terrible business decision. I have already found a replacement for FTM and have not used Ancestry since the announcement. Because the best substitutes for FTM sync with FamilySearch, rather than Ancestry, it seems my future lies there. How many others are thinking the same thing? Does Ancestry plan to survive on the casual users, who don’t understand what they’re missing to have an exclusively online solution? What will happen as all those who are serious about genealogy and are the teachers and guides for everyone else begin to steer people away from Ancestry? Only one way to salvage this, as I see it. Ancestry needs to open up to sync’ing with RootsMagic, Legacy, and other software products. Otherwise the money and energy will be moving elsewhere.

  7868. Jo Ann

    I just learned about ancestry not supporting family tree maker. What do I do to replace my files? What software is available?

  7869. Mike

    Ported to RootsMagic (best of other options, but still falls short of FTM). Had a revelation – all those great links you get in FTM where you can see the original documents (census, draft records, marriage certificates, etc), or detailed data on indexed records (Social Security Claims Database, etc) – They are gone. In a large number of cases, you don’t even get a proper citation reference. Everything is behind an Ancestry.com “firewall” and the only citation reference is to the homepage “Ancestry.com”

    Unless you prepare, you will lose a tremendous amount of valuable information when Ancestry cuts out the TreeSync with FTM

    Here is what you have to do: make sure all document images are saved (fortunately, I did that as I went along). Then add them back as “Media”

    Second, you have to go through all/most of the Sources in the Sources tab, and copy the citation text of the source into the Citation text field in FTM. That text contains a lot of valuable information that is not recorded as Facts when you accept hints

    Now, when you export to GEDCOM, you will have all the data you collected – you are fully portable to another program

    We are all upset with Ancestry, but I have to say, the process exposed a vulnerability in my tree (and that of many others), that would make is susceptible to losing more than half the available data without fixing.

    I should add that this will require a tremendous amount of work, and shame on Ancestry for not including Citation Details and Texts when recording facts (or at least letting the user choose that option)

  7870. Trevor

    Whilst I completely and utterly disagree with the Ancestry’s direction, reading various post referring to sabotaging the data that is already on Ancestry seems to me to be counter-productive to the wider genealogy community.

    Would it hurt Ancestry? No – they are only interested in traffic, it is clear that they no longer have the interests of serious genealogists at heart.

    Would it benefit you as a saboteur? Only inasmuch as giving you a somewhat petty feeling of revenge.

    Could it harm the wider genealogical community? Yes. The more inaccurate information there is out there, the more likely it is that you will stumble on innocently propagated data of that nature in the future in a totally different location potentially causing you and subsequent generations much pain in terms of additional, unnecessary research.

    Who wins? Nobody.

    I can not, in any way, defend what Ancestry have done to their site or FTM but sabotage of the proposed nature is not the way to take this forward. Ending your subscriptions is – hit them in the pocket; but sabotage is not a valid approach in my opinion.

  7871. H. Joseph Dobrowolski

    I do NOT log into my Ancestry account, my FTM software (Ancestry’s BEST tool) does. If it no longer works, then Ancestry doesn’t work for me; when Ancestry lets my FTM expires so I will let my Ancestry subscription expire and look for software that links with DB sites (FamilySearch, FAG, etc.) not Ancestry as I’m certain their software & links are proprietary. Moving from one piece of software to another will be a HUGE task, but finding web sites to replace Ancestry shouldn’t be that difficult, especially if they continue to make BAD decisions like this!!! You SHOULD have asked your customers, NOT your inhouse advisors.

  7872. Carl

    Are you going to replace all the reporting capabilities of Family Tree Maker on Ancestry.com? If not, I will have to search for another solution and move my trees to it. It is the part of Family Tree Maker that I find absolutely necessary. I am not talking about paid reports provided by a third party, the ability to generate a PDF Report/Chart/Book and download it without additional charge.

  7873. Jan

    It would be very usefull to publish full installation file that would include all SPs. I´d like to avoid installing original installation disk and 1 or more SPs. After it you can switch off the light and go.

  7874. Chris J

    I’m another disatisfied customer.
    I have used FTM for years and think it’s great. I only link to Ancestry to synch and check out ‘hints’. All my work, data and media is stored in FTM.
    I have just renewed my membership but bcause of the high costs reduced from international to only national. I wont be renewing next year and will use alternative (some free) from then on.
    How much were the consultants/accountants paid to come up with this decision?

  7875. L K Evans

    I have to join the others who have complained about the elimination of FTM. I maintain my information on my pc. I have absolutely no intention of being forced to upload my data. If I wanted to do that It would already be in your system. I know that there are errors in the data and I prefer to make all corrections before releasing information. I will probably eliminate membership in 2017 unless your decisions are changed

  7876. Karen

    I will be cancelling my subscription to ancestry.com and moving to rootsmagic or legacy 8.0 for my trees. Too bad. I hate the new ancestry.com interface but I stuck with it and have had a membership for a long time. But now I can see that to continue would be throwing money away. I will export my file and delete data / unshare my tree.

  7877. Henry Bosman

    This is very bad news. I have put years of effort in to searching and confirming my family tree and made my research available to your customers. Now I feel like a hostage, “pay or you will not be able to see your tree” or is it extortion?

  7878. DugC

    I’ve used FTM for more than 15 years, and an extremely disappointed with this news, which I’ve just seen now. I don’t want my family tree details on the web – I like the security and control of having my records kept on my personal desktop, and so will have to use another company’s software – you’re clearly losing a lot of loyal customers by this decision.

  7879. sol

    This post will probably be deleted for some reason. I have typed 3 previous messages, none of which have appeared. I just want to join with everyone in their comments. I agree 1000% with all of you. Ancestry clearly is not focused on the subscribers to their services other than DNA (which appears to be the future of the site – they even have an M.D. on their Leadership Team. By the way, she is the ONLY female in Leadership. The others are middle aged white males, all from corporate backgrounds – see ancestry’s corporate leadership info for bios on on all these folks, along with pictures). It is clear that Leadership members are NOT users of the information all of us want from ancestry. To us, this site is personal, our families are here and in FTM. But the Ancestry.com leadership is so far removed from this, they cannot relate to anything we are saying. They do not use the services and they are not interested in ancestry. They are interested in making money (read their bios, flitting from big corporation to big corporation). We are truly wasting our time giving feedback to them, but it does help ME to know so many others are joining with me in my disgust over how they are treating us. They truly don’t care though. .. Oh, and a little birdie tells me they are monitoring blogspots with comments about FTM, not that any comments they read will matter either. ….I have downloaded Legacy, which is a great program. But I now have to manually add some information to over 40,000 people I have in my tree. Once I have everything saved and in working order, I will cancel my membership to Ancestry, along with the thousands of others in this forum who will be leaving. Again, not that Ancestry cares. Too bad, they had a good thing here for all of us (and themselves). I will be sorry to see it all end. My prediction: We will all survive. But Ancestry will not survive this.

  7880. Bob

    Good riddance! I had given up on FTM some time ago because of its quirky bad behavior – randomly renumbering RIDs being the worst.
    I’ve been working on moving my master database to Legacy Family Tree for some time now, and was amazed at how much cleanup I had to do. I’m not going to cut my nose off by unsubscribing to ancestry.com, there is too much info there to ignore, but I will probably delete all of my online trees.
    On a a different subject, it is interesting to note that while there continues to be lots of new posts to this blog, the total number of posts doesn’t seem to change much. Odd.
    –bob

  7881. Julie Preston

    I am gutted. I have used FTM for the last 15yrs and have my tree set up for FTM. There will be no point in keeping a subscription to Ancestry as the information is going to be hard to get into our trees. Double handling all the records I keep is not an option. Hopefully another company comes up with a better solution. Records can be got from other companies often for less but the reason i stay with ancestry is the work is less. Gutted Gutted. that also means that findagrave is pointless too. I will be deleting my trees and info off ancestry when the time gets closer and then i will cancel my subscription and do a pay as you go for what records i want. This is only a small part of your business but will have one hell of an inpack on your overall business, why just because someone can’t be bothered listening to what people want, you must have money from the millions you get in subscriptions to be able to save this program.

  7882. John Salentine

    I’m very disappointed with the decision to retire FTM. It takes years to build a family tree and now the tool to do this is being taken away. Did anyone from Ancestry bother to discuss this change with the many people paying subscriptions to use FTM? I’m disgusted. I, like many other subscribers, will be cancelling their subscriptions if this decision is not reversed.

  7883. Midge Burton

    I think you better go back and take note of all the unhappy FTM users….myself included! This is NOT a good move for you. Too many of us depend on being synced with FTM & Ancestry and it will totally mess things up! PLEASE re-consider!

  7884. Dudley Fraser

    I concur with the hundreds of FTM users that this decision is profoundly regretted. Like many users of FTM I hope you will reconsider this decision – you have a huge following and for many reasons already given please give this more thought. I thought of subscribing many times and definitely will NOT If the decision stands. If I were a subscriber, I would cancel immediately. Your users and subscribers are your life-blood – don’t cut them off!

  7885. Bob

    I have been using FTM since 1996. If I am not able to sync my tree with Ancestry.com records, what is the impetus for me to continue my membership? I’ve read many of the shared posts and agree with at least 95% of them.

    If Ancestry is going to turn its back on the people who fund it, just where do you expect to realize increased profits when we start dropping our subscriptions? I haven’t been spending $299 each year for at least a decade to get kicked in the teeth. Color me gone if you can’t find a way to make this right. This feels like New Coke all over again.

  7886. Ancestry.com is so wrong. You can do thing with Desktop Software (Family Tree Maker), that you can’t do on Ancestry.com. IT ALL ABOUT THE MONEY, IT ALWAYS IS. I like so many others having been using Family Tree Maker way back from the days when a lot of information was on CD’s. How is Ancestry going to replace reports, duplicate people, printing a book, etc. etc.? They are not unless can sell additional services in addition to the basic package. I THINK IT’S TERRIBLE THAT ANCESTRY IS ABANDONING ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS EVER MADE FOR EVERYDAY COMMON PEOPLE THAT IS USER FRIENDLY. And no; we don’t want to use some other program out there like a Gedcom. This decision is so bad.

  7887. Tamy

    Buy up the competition and then discontinue it. Forces more of the market to go with your program. Don’t you just love monopolies? NOT

  7888. Sharyn

    This is such an unfortunate decision. I teach genealogy and have promoted FTM for many years BECAUSE of the integration with Ancestry. My students were angry and discouraged by the changes in Ancestry this past year because they found the site harder to use. Classes resume January 4, 2015 and I will be expected to advise and guide them through the FTM issue. Looks like I will need to give classes on RootsMagic and other programs but first I will tell them not to upload any more information to Ancestry.com. I have used FTM since 2001 and realized it was best to keep my personal tree on my computer and tried to tell students that they should do so. Your very genealogist unfriendly decision validates my decision.

  7889. Ray

    My main reason for subscribing to Ancestry was to use Family Tree maker, and it’s sync facility which saves an enormous amount of time. I also use FTM for generating reports which is very useful. If Ancestry cease to support FTM I may well look at an alternative on line source of Genealogical records, such as Find My Past .

  7890. Evan

    This really is a dumb idea! I have relied on FTM to manage my tree for 15 years. I’m dependent on my PC software to access the records as I cannot always have internet access. No doubt the FTM software will continue running after January 2017, but the lack of support from Ancestry could be a killer. With over 5000 persons in my tree and a vast quantity of facts it’s worrying that Ancestry is giving up FTM. PLEASE reconsider! If not, then please give advice on how to transfer to other software.

  7891. COLIN DALE

    Had an email offering 20% off annual worldwide subscription. NO THANKS !! won’t be renewing after this decision

  7892. n. groocock

    Anyone who commits their family history work to an outside body reminds me of those who marry for a second time – the triumph of hope over experience. I have Windows 2005 and 2008 loaded onto my new Windows 10 HP computer and Ancestry can go out of business for all I care. I have published 9 books of family history trees using the simple inputs on the former and the excellent indexing and publishing properties of the latter so what more do I want.

  7893. Darlene Kennedy

    Well another stupid decision by Ancestry they are so out of touch with their loyal customer base. Family Tree Maker made it easy to have your tree on line and an in sync copy at home or on a drive. First they announced they were getting rid of the most important DNA test used in genealogy the Y chromosome, then My Canvas, then they implemented the new ancestry. Look at what really doing they are going after the 25 year olds market, forgetting real genealogists. If you are not canceling your subscription to Ancestry then make all your trees private. All the pictures, family histories information you have put on Ancestry has made them millions, by making those items private the newbies searching will not see those items and Ancestry will not get the new subscriber. Also share your thoughts on their new stupid DNA test, it may be helpful for someone who has not done any research but for someone who has their DNA tests are disappointing and a waste of money. Ancestry says If you don’t get the results you expected, purchase another test for someone else in your family and they may get better results again its useless results but they will have your money.
    Maybe when their poor decisions starts hitting their bottom line they will contact the old once faith customers and see what they need to do help grow and get Ancestry back on track and giving genealogists really want.

  7894. Jack

    Now is the time to take some steps to be able to continue to use FTM. If you don’t have the latest version for Windows (2014) get it now, same for the MAC. Ancestry is not going to sell FTM or the database specs for it because that would cause them to lose more users. If they were to sell either of those items, the price would be exorbierant to the point that no other family history program developer would buy it. We need people to explore using the other programs and tell us the problems they had and their likes and dislikes. I am currently trying Family Historian and Roots Magic. Imported GEDCOM from FTM into both. I am using the free version of Roots Magic which doesn’t have all the features of the purchased version. I am using the 30 day free trial of Family Historian. To you other people that have converted or testing conversion, what are you comments.

  7895. joanne

    Your self-serving explanation as to why you’re discontinuing FTM doesn’t convince me; so far, i’ve not noticed one positive comment about this change. Even Coca-Cola recognized the error of their ways when they tried to change the formula!!

  7896. Peter McGregor

    Much of our reaction to Ancestry’s latest developments – the sense of being betrayed by the company and the feeling that we ourselves have betrayed all those family and friends to whom we’ve recommended the company’s services – comes from our belief that we are the company’s customers.

    Well folks, we aren’t, and we haven’t been for some years.

    The strongest and most apt metaphor I can think of for what we really are is this: We are like those bodies they used to steal and slice open in order to advance medical knowledge.

    Let’s throw some facts onto the table:

    One: Ancestry now hosts the largest genealogical database in the world.

    Two: Ancestry now hosts the largest DNA database in the world.

    Three and four: Ancestry’s terms and conditions state, in almost identical terms for the family trees and the DNAs, that (although we own our data) they have the right to keep copies of our data indefinitely and do with it what they like even if we take down our trees and leave them. [Check it out, in the last paragraphs of clause 3 in both sets of terms and conditions.]

    Five: “We want to be the largest personal genomics company on the planet,” [CEO of Ancestry.com, Tim] Sullivan said. [From the Huffington post 6 April 2015 in an interview for an article called ‘Ancestry.Com Is Quietly Transforming Itself Into A Medical Research Juggernaut’.]

    So we aren’t their customers any more. We were. We were fairly well looked after until they got what they wanted – under the terms they dictated. They don’t care how many of us leave them now because they only ever wanted us for what we could give them to keep. They care least about the long term researcher, because they long ago got what they wanted out of them. They’d like a few more of the younger ones who can give them details about their recent ancestors. And they’d like to keep growing their DNA base.

    So when the dust settles the advertising will continue.

    Their real customers now are the companies they can woo to buy (or more likely lease) their mammoth databases (in full or in part).

    I have no legal background so I don’t know whether what they have been doing as they’ve been building up to this point and what they are doing now and will do in the future has any illegal parts to it. However, if I had the power, I would certainIy condemn them for the unspeakably poor morality shown towards their old customers. It doesn’t seem to matter at all to them that family historians, almost by definition because it’s what we deal in, are loving, caring and trusting people. Ones they’ve sliced and diced, harvested for parts and finally, of no more use to them, tossed aside.

    And a Merry Christmas to family, friends and fellow researchers.

  7897. Bonnie

    I was just getting ready to buy the latest FTM. It’s been a while since I used my previous programs. I focused on getting as much information as I could from the website. I thought I should have this information on my computer in case I can’t be online at times.

    This is how Microsoft operates. They decided Windows XP should be done away with. Never mind that it is the most user-friendly of all the programs they’ve created. I wasted $1,100 buying a Dell All-in-One computer. I hardly use it because I can’t stand Windows 8.

    Why don’t companies listen to their customers? It appears that you have angered many – and perhaps even alienated them. You should offer as many platforms as will be needed in our research. This very poor decision should be rethought. Let the customers decide what they need.

  7898. Dave jones

    How about some advice on what services will be available. What do we do with our files now. How can we transition to what will be provided? Don’t abandon your faithful clients. how about some useful information on the future… in simple terms.

  7899. John R

    I will not renew Ancestry. Your decision to not support it and to tell us how we can keep our data and explain our options in keeping our work product is inexcusable.

  7900. Sam Curtis

    It appears that my comment on Ancestry.com being sold is not making through the ‘censors’ after 17 hours. So heare goes again but without the web links:
    Permira is selling Ancestry.com (as of 20 May 2015). With this in mind, it appears Permira is ‘cleaning up’ loose ends on Ancestry.com to make it more presentable and profitable to sell.
    This blog is not allowing links to the articles but if you Google “permira” “ancestry.com” “reuters” “altaassets” together the info is there.

  7901. Delores

    Who made the stupid decision to eliminate FTM? The publish feature in FTM is worth purchasing the software. You were smart to sell the Publish feature in Ancestry because it was awful. To create a book using Ancestry would cost hundreds of dollars. I have books that are 1000 pages including all the photos. As others have stated I also hate the new interface of Ancestry. I’ve been a paying member for many years and I think you are crazy to do this. FTM has so many tools and publish features that Ancestry does not. Unless you add tools, publish, etc to Ancestry you will be losing many of your current customers. TreeSync was one of the best features you could have added and now you are going to take it away. Unless you plan to add the features of FTM into Ancestry, I for one will begin looking for a replacement for Ancestry and FTM. You had it right at one time and now you are committing suicide. You are not the only software and genealogy website out there and you seem to be pushing your customers away. Sorry, but you have it wrong this time in a BIG way.

  7902. Richard McCunney

    With the decision to abandon FTM, it’s clear that ancestry.com cares little about their customers. However, if they continue to let FTM be non-GEDCOM compliant, then they care absolutely nothing about their customers.

    See http://genealogytools.com/replacing-family-tree-maker-part-1-how-to-scrub-your-data/

    For those of us who want to migrate to another desktop product, we need FTM to be GEDCOM 5.5.1 compliant to facilitate the transition. Otherwise, errors and other disconnects will be exported to our replacement desktop software.

  7903. Scott

    “We really do appreciate your feedback . . .”
    Really? Since you have not even bothered to respond to the comments of thousands of subscribers expersing their feelings of betrayal, exploitation, and anger, your credibility has reached ZERO!

    As soon as I can develop an exit strategy, I will be moving on. I cannot support people who not only betray, but also exploit others for their own financial gain! Shame on you, Ancestry! You have moved from first to worst in my estimation!

  7904. ed fields

    This should be reply #8870. The posting seems to have run its course, or has it? Lets see if this message falls into the bit bucket.

  7905. John Brady

    I am very disappointed to hear this. I have been using the program for about 15 years and consider it to be fantastic. I am not always able to connect to the internet and this makes the program very important to me. I use it on my desk top and laptop all the time. I do share with others but don’t care to share with everyone some of the information I have. I Have always liked being able to import information directly in my tree. I maintain two trees on line as well as in Family Tree Maker. Again I am very disappointed in your decision.

  7906. Amy

    This is ridiculous. I will never upload all my information to Ancestry. It’s private and I will determine who I share it with…and it won’t be Ancestry. They’ve increased their prices to much and many people can’t even afford a subscription…I will never let them have access to my family tree info.

  7907. Bob Upton

    This announcement is one hell of a kiss off to those like me that have loyally updated our FTM software AND consistently paid to access your data for so many years. No mention of what we are to do with the FTM family files we have amassed, in my case for 15 years. I imagine that you conveniently left that part out, only to surprise us with the end game of this retirement decision at a later date, when we have no time to work on alternatives. Your end game no doubt comes from the realization that more serious genealogists like myself have never uploaded our files onto your computers for the world to see. Imagine our arrogance to not want to relinquish our thousands of hours of work to you so you can then sell it your other subscribers as a full family file, no work needed. We do all the work, you try to force us to upload our data to your servers and low and behold it becomes your property to sell. Quite a business model.

    I will certainly not be giving you my data, and will not ever be paying to access your data again in the future. This 15-year customer will be an ex-customer when this plan is implemented.

  7908. This is so very disappointing. I have worked with Family Tree Maker first then Ancestry & Family Tree Maker. I do not know how I will be able to get the charts, books etc without the Family Tree Maker.

    I just do not understand the reasoning behind this move. I have used FTM for over 20 Years, since the first one came out.

    Do you have any suggestions as what we are to now do with out desktop software. I agree that Ancestry is great mainly because of the sync to FTM. WHAT NOW???????

  7909. Bill Hopwood

    Well business decisions are sometimes tough and this has to be one. That said, you MUST issue a statement of the PATH FORWARD. Will our current FTM still function? Will we be able to reload it in five years when our hard drive crashes? This is an important question and I hope the answer is “yes”; if so, we can continue on with a great piece of software.
    Please tell us what will be the upcoming rules of the game!

  7910. Juliefer

    This is a crazy foolish decision. My personal tree information does not belong online and FTM has been ideal. I will join many others who cancel their subscription and start to look for a reliable way to preserve generations of research. I hope Ancestry sees the light!

  7911. Darla Carlson

    So abandoning millions of users/buyers of products( DNA THIS CHRISTMAS) I AM SO FRUSTRATED!! Can you refund my money please? I don’t get it?
    Is ancestry Bankrupt? wtf

  7912. Rob Jackson

    I would like to know if we will still be able to use FTM in offline mode after the official support ends? I bought it so I could keep my family tree information safely offline, having cancelled my Ancestry subscription.

  7913. John Milton

    I hope there is an alternative someone will post and everyone will leave Ancestry by 2017.
    The people can vote on this with their wallets. It seems to be a terrible move.

  7914. E. Ralph Judge

    Will there be a compatible software that will be available to copy our Family Trees to that will allow users to continue to use Ancestry to gather family information. I have been using Family Tree Maker for a good numbers of years and now you are not going to support it anymore. Thanks for your information. a faithful user

  7915. Ann

    Some of us only have the FTM desktop to work with – we are older and not as computer literate as the younger generation. Please explain IN DETAIL what will become of my FTM program and files. Will there be a program to replace FTM? I agree with the comment that the latest change of “style” for FTM is poor.

  7916. Alan

    I have been using levels of this software since the 90’s and will be very unhappy with it’s cessation. There are so many features that make it the best. Like others I would want to know what will happen to the tree sync, as there should be no reason why you cannot continue this interface. I agree wholeheartedly with all comments regarding “poor show” on ancestry’s part. my tree will not go online, I will use other suppliers of ancestral history data etc etc.

  7917. Paul

    Please can you tell me how to save a gedcom file that will link to over a 1000 media files that I have on FTM 11 and that can be opened by other genealogy software.

  7918. I feel the same as most others listed above. I hope you change your mind and keep FTM working. This makes me sad and worried that all my hard work is going to be lost. I feel you are making a Big mistake. Absolute power ….well you know the ending of this quote, I wish I knew the ending to my problem.

  7919. Mary

    Any chance Ancestry.com is going to respond to this thread? Or have they posted a response somewhere else that I’ve missed?? 🙁

  7920. Jim MCelherne

    This is very sad….The reason I started with ancestry .com was because of Family Tree Maker. I understand the revenue story between the purchase of single software vs. monthly subscription. It is the least that you can provide a workable solution that I can backup my data on Family Tree Maker or other similar software in case of my death.
    I am the family historian. My 4 children and 55 immediate family members do not use ancestry.com nor Family Tree Maker and they do not have the time for our family research. They are very happy and encourage me to continue our McElherne Family research and value it brings to them for them & future generations. So when I die the ancestry.com will be discontinued due a deleted credit card account closed out. Hopefully, In the future, one of my family members can rely on Family Tree Maker data folder on my computer to save our McElherne photos & data for future generations! I believe it is in your best interest to RE-THINK this narrow-minded doomsday decision. There has to be a more long term solution that benefits both ancestry.com and every family historian!

    Thank you for your time and I am looking forward to better workable solution from ancestry.com

    James Patrick McElherne Sr.

  7921. Donna W

    Wow, almost 10,000 comments about this news …. I am glad to talk with the powers to be about rethinking this plan. I have both. FTM seems to drive subscriptions holders from reading these comments. Contact me for a better plan.

  7922. Richard L. Halliday

    I began working on my family history when I was a high school student in 1948. Then the tools were india ink, steel pen and paper. I have experienced all levels of research from letter writing to telephone to traveling (US, England, Wales, Scotland) to microfilm to Personal Ancestral File (founding member of the Silicon Valley PAF Users Group). I have done serious studies (and comparisons of different genealogical databases) of different methods of record keeping (paper, microfilm, personal computer, on-line, etc.). I have found Ancestral Quest to be the very best!!
    Your decision to eliminate this program is NOT in the best interest of the community. I do not fully understand your logic (?), but strongly disagree with it.

  7923. Alan Tucker

    I’d like to think that someone (who can actually achieve anything) at Ancestry is reading these comments, but I have a sinking feeling not…
    Plan B has to start a free blog at (e.g.) Google’s blogspot, and publish all of the reports, trees, ahnentafels etc. – along with the pictures – generated from FTM whilst it still works.
    At least that way it will remain freely accessible, and visible to search engines, for future generations…

  7924. Tex

    Ancestry.com, you have made a huge mistake! Undo this horrible decision!
    FTM users, back up your tree in every way you can, then remove your tree from ancestry before you cancel. Maybe a shrinking database will get their attention. (2341)

  7925. Jack Cluett

    I have used Family Tree Maker for years and have found it easy to use. I have been a long time member of Ancestry and recently have participated in the DNA program. I am also a senior and happy with my desk top and have no interest in spending more on the latest electronic technology (I-pads, etc.) To hit me with this announcement without explaining how we handle your change and how it benefits your loyal customer group in my mind suggests you are run by the ‘techies’ and have little understanding of your loyal customer base and their needs. Where do I go from here?

  7926. Erica

    I wonder why people are so upset. The only change that seems to be happening it that Ancestry isn’t SELLING FTM anymore. TreeSynch will still work! It’s in BOLD up there, guys. Come on, it’s okay. You have the program. It will still work just like it did before!

  7927. John Davis

    I’m still trying to digest the impact of this decision. As many others in this blog have written, I’m a long-time user of FTM and Ancestry.com subscriber. The main reason for my genealogy work is for my children and grandchildren. I can always leave them a gedcom file, but what about my online tree? Will that just go away if the subscription lapses? Would all the info have to be entered again if one of my descendants picks up the maintenance? Such SHORT NOTICE on this! Unbelievable!!

  7928. Robert Copeland

    This decision is an absolute disaster. For ethical reasons (e.g., standing behind your promises; respecting those of us who have used–and paid for–FTM for years) this needs to be reconsidered. I don’t suppose there’s the chance of the proverbial snowball that you’ll recognize the disappointment and outrage you’re causing, or will reverse the decision. I’m not only disappointed that I have to find somewhere else to keep my data, but angry about your ethics.

  7929. Dianne Stallings

    FTM being canned?!?!?! A ridiculous, absurd and bad decision. I have been a FTM user since its inception and I do not like the Ancestry setup, it’s not flexible or user-friendly. I am highly disappointed and quite angry. Luckily there are other on-line genealogical sites – Ancestry doesn’t own everything anymore.

  7930. Rolf Meier

    Who can understand this policy? Today I got an offer from andestry.de for a premium-membership. What for? What are these new memberships good for anymore?

  7931. Leannee

    I want to transfer FTM version 10 from deceased fathers computer to my computer. We no longer have the install disc. How do I do it

  7932. Dawn

    My subscription is due for renewal. I will NOT be renewing. I need my research on my computer not owned by you on your website. I have paid for years for the privileges of using the research information you have available; it has been a nice one stop convenience. Again . . . I PAID for using your service. Now, you are taking the hard work of thousands and usurping their ownership of their efforts. Shame! Again . . . money matters over service and business conduct.

  7933. Verona

    Has anyone found an alternative software package where all media can be exported from FTM and imported into a new package? I was disappointed when FTM was sold to Ancestry in the first place and we lost the ability to read all the resource CDs which came with the original version. Yes, we could continue to gain access to that information, but only with a subscription to Ancestry. Originall, FTM was very expensive because it included all the resource information. But that version became obsolete with the new product Ancestry offered under the FTM name. Personally, I think Ancestry used the FTM software it to gain access to information only to build their own commercial database. Now that it is huge, FTM is no longer needed.

  7934. Jim

    The decision by Ancestry.com is truly regrettable. The company has abandoned a fine application that provided data management, customizable features, reporting, and was a major means of utilizing your content services. As has been shown time and again is that Family Tree Maker (FTM) is a far better method of developing and maintaining a family tree than the pitiful mobile app and/or website. Real data management calls for a tool with a concomitant focus. Your service-oriented alternatives are wholly inadequate to the task. I was lured to your online services by my relatives use of FTM for over 15 years. The ability to use your considerable content / database was also a huge bonus! The removal of future support sometime after 2017 is a real slap in the face of your serious customers. My aunt sincerely enjoyed using FTM for well over a decade and never used your mobile app nor website as it lacked the serious features needed.

    I can further confirm the lack of functionality of the mobile app and web-site alternatives as it does not have capabilities I quickly found in FTM. “Server Unavailable” messages abound and the very nature of the Internet lessen the capability, security, and reliability of an application as compared to a desktop platform. The performance and features can not compare to those already available in FTM and are downright impossible to be securely delivered to the public. The mobile app & web site may look terrific but function poorly.

    As an IT professional, database designer, IT systems engineer, and a Business Manager, this is an unequivocal mistake worthy of a Harvard Business School case study. I will forward this suggestion to my former business school scholars to see if they would be willing to start such a paper.

    I agree with the previous commenters in that the decision appears to be a transparent example of phased approach of European Owners extracting the last remaining value from their initial purchase. What needs analysis is why alternatives were not considered to obtain remaining value without alienating the best customer market any company has — their existing customers. Bone-head move ancestry.com.

    Having seen the true nature of the business path and management style of Ancestry.com, I will not be actively providing any additional data to your system which you then sell at a profit. My tree will go private as I follow the good advice of those at AncestryInsider.org. I will be working to stage “MY” data for export to another system. I recognize other vendors have a bit of catching up to do relative to FTM but I’m willing to work with another more customer-centric company. I regret to be leaving this excellent application system and wish to thank all those developers and support personnel who came before in bringing this excellent product suite to life. To the remaining employees at Ancestry.com — RUN! Save yourselves!

    Shame on you Mr. Hulet for fomenting the darker side of a greedy and myopic financial analysis. Your decision lacks vision, has been poorly explained, and abandons a huge potential market for the earnest Hobbyist / Genealogist. The best and most focused market for a business is from the existing customers. As a group, I’m confident the majority feel the same as I in saying; I would have expected at least a nice dinner and a kiss before being treat this way.

    Good bye and Good luck to we abandoned customers.

  7935. Rupert

    This seems short sighted for those of us that like to keep our records offline, and don’t want to be linked into other individual records online when they may not necessarily be correct.

  7936. Sandra Coulter

    I cannot believe that Ancestry is no longer going to support Family Tree Maker! I’ve been using this program since about 1996 and it is unbelievable they will no longer support this product.

  7937. Linda Windmoeller

    According to the Ancestry Insider about changes to Privacy Agreement at Ancestry on 27 Jun 2015:
    If you contribute information (such as a public member tree or a photograph) and other users copy it, and you later delete it, Ancestry will not ferret out all the copies other users have made and delete the copies. However, they delete the attribution formerly given to you.
    And…if Ancestry goes bankrupt, your private information can be sold off as one of the assets used to raise money to pay off its debts.
    Oh sigh, what have we gotten into by sharing our years of research, in order to help others and preserve it for future generations?!

  7938. Joel Silverman

    This is a very poor decision for those of us who have depended on this software over the years for me it has been my primary program for my family tree. Ancestry.com came later. It is a big mistake to discontinue this program at least let the development team break away and continue the developments.

  7939. Al Trombley

    It seems that Ancestry has gobbled up so many of their former competitors that they’ve become the 500 lb. gorilla in the room, so they can thrown their weight around as they wish and the customer(s) be darned. I’ve been paying for the world membership for several years and do not want to lose the ability to use and update TM as new leaves appear.

  7940. Scott

    You’re a mean one Ancestry
    You really are a heel.
    You’re as cuddly as a cactus,
    And as charming as an eel,
    Ancestry!
    You’re a bad banana,
    With a greasy black peel!
    You’re a monster, Ancestry!
    Your heart’s an empty hole.
    Your brain is full of spiders.
    You’ve got garlic in your soul,
    Ancestry!
    I wouldn’t touch you
    With a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!
    All I need is a reindeer!
    So he took his dog Max, and he took some black thread,
    And he tied a big horn on the top of his head.
    Then the Grinch said, “Giddyup!” and the sleigh started down,
    To the homes where the Who’s lay a-snooze in their town.
    “This is stop number one, ” the old Grinchy Claus hissed
    As she climbed to the roof, empty bags in her fist.
    Then he slid down the chimney, a rather tight pinch.
    But if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch.
    Then he slithered and slunked, with a smile most unpleasant,
    Around the whole room, and took every present.
    Pop-guns! ? And cookies! And Drums!
    Checkerboards! ? Popcorn! And plums!
    And he stuffed them in bags. Then the Grinch, very nimbly,
    Stuffed all the bags, one by one, up the chimney.
    You’re a foul one, Ancestry!
    You’re a nasty, wasty skunk!
    Your heart is full of unwashed socks.
    Your soul is full of gunk,
    Ancestry!
    The three words that best describe you
    Are as follows, and I quote,
    “Stink, stank, stunk!”
    You nauseate me, Ancestry!
    With a nauseous super naus!
    You’re a crooked jerky jockey,
    And you drive a crooked hoss,
    Ancestry!
    You’re a three-decker sauerkraut
    and toadstool sandwich,
    With arsenic sauce!

  7941. Gordon

    You have set a new low in customer service! This is a bad decision. The features lost by discontinuing FTM will precipitate discontinuing my subscription to Ancestry. Goodbye!

  7942. Wayne Feltman

    I have a little experience with software development running projects with up to 85 full-time coders. Frankly, your latest overhaul to the Ancestry.com user interface was a big step backwards. Your new “pretty” interface is information sparse and useless for serious genealogical work. Clearly you are catering to a mass market of ancestry dabblers and have abandoned your support of serious family researchers. However, your data sources are extremely valuable so luckily there was a decent interface, FTM, that could access that data. “Was” being the operative word. Well, you can expect me to be a loyal customer as long as you support a robust FTM interface, but when that interface breaks down or FTM 2014 become unusable with Windows revisions, sayonara Ancestry.com.

  7943. Kevin

    Disgusted with Ancestry over the decision to scrap FTM. Funny they never mentioned this when I forked out £100 just over a year ago.

  7944. Alan Tucker

    It is rather sad that, in our attempts to contact others with similar ancestors, we seem to have donated all our data to an asset that Ancestry may be able to sell.
    Even if we delete our trees, there is no guarantee that wipes the data – it just disappears for the database that we can see…Someone else on here said that they haven’t actually said that TreeSync will cease, but it’s pretty obvious that it just might become “unworkable” very soon after the start of 2017 – quote –
    “After January 1, 2017, features that require connectivity to Ancestry, such as TreeSync, uploading and downloading trees and media, and Web Search, may no longer be supported. – See more at: https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2015/12/09/more-information-on-family-tree-maker-desktop-software/#sthash.JuFlJkBj.dpuf

    I’m beginning to feel more than a little “conned” in this season of goodwill 🙁

  7945. Jason Hadick

    Ancestry has succeeded in alienating a major segment of its client base through this precipitate announcement. One is reminded of New Coke, JCPenny’s “No more discounting” and the Edsel. Ancestry has built a big company on the backs of its contributing customers, which it now sees only as a bunch of cost centers, eager to abandon their desktops for mobile apps. Has anybody ever tried to view a family tree on an iPad or (horrors!) a smartphone?

    Formerly loyal users of FTM and Ancestry will now have to migrate their entire databases to a competing software, not all that hard, given the flexibility of gedcom files. But I, for one, will never again trust Ancestry, and will remove my tree from their claws as soon as possible, lest they renege on their commitment to respect customers’ wishes to keep trees private.

    It will be interesting to se how long current management of Ancestry will survive the debacle they will have wrought in the next 18 months.

  7946. Carol Martin

    I am extremely sorry to hear that you are basically abandoning Family Tree Maker. I purchased it because it has features that your online product DOES NOT have–readable backup of the data; the ability to produce usable reports and documents; the ability to keep private data entered completely private and off the internet; and an easier way to data about a person and their relationships to others. Does this mean that I will need to enter data into Family Tree Maker manually in order to keep it up-to-date?
    PLEASE RE-THINK your decision!!

  7947. Richard

    I will be looking for another provider and will no longer be accessing htis site once my membership expires. WHy support a provider who now says sorry we aren’t going to provide the service we have been providing. They have received all my information and now they have it so I guess they don’t need us anymore is how it feels.

  7948. Edward

    Today while attempting to do primary research in my tree on Ancestry, I came across the realization that I needed the naturalization papers for the brother who arrived 7 years later. So I immediately though well, I better make an entry in my Task List so the next time I get to NARA I would remember to get it. Wait what task list? That list is in FTM and is not in my Ancestry Tree, great, just great. How is one to do serious research activities in an Ancestry Tree?

  7949. Kevin

    Almost 9,000 people have voiced their objections to your decision to stop providing FTM software. How many more need to object in order for you to reverse course!?!

  7950. Edward

    While editing a document’s details in my tree’s gallery I found that the zooming of a photo (natualization page from NARA) is extremely limited, same for census records. Tired eyes need more that an one step zoom support. Again, severely reduced functionality has reared its ugly face.

  7951. Janice

    I have already complained to Ancestry about the appalling new website and now the idiotic decision to stop FTM has set me off researching alternatives. We don’t all want detailed family info online which is why I and others run FTM alongside an ancestry subscription. This is a really stupid decision.

  7952. Dottie

    I am in a turmoil as to how I will proceed with my genealogy in the future. I have used FTM for at least 20 years and also have subscribed to Ancestry.com for as many years. Disappointed at the decision to dc FTM? Yes, and like so many of the above comments will probably discontinue my Ancestry,com International membership and resort to other research methods. Also would like to know why there are no replies from Ancestry.com to the many comments of all of the disappointed users. Or don’t you care?

  7953. David

    I just got back into genealogy after many years sabbatical. Resurrected my old FTM software and got started. How lucky for me I did not subscribe this month as I intended. I’ll look for Roots Magic, Legacy, FindMyPast or something else.
    BTW if FTM ‘really do appreciate your feedback’ how come there is not one response to the universal vilification of FTM above? How do you set Kendall up in a small business – give him control of Ancestry he will do the rest.

  7954. Paul

    At first I was disappointed as I have a system where I add details to the Ancestry tree (even when I have found on other search sites) and then sync to FT. This has meant that I have maintained an active membership of Ancestry. Now I start to think of it, as I won’t be able to sync I can get a membership of another search site and see what new things they have. So I see this as a good thing as I will add breadth to my research and will no longer be committed to Ancestry.com.

  7955. Carlos

    I’ve been a full-meal-deal subscriber to Ancestry for a number of years. I’m really disappointed to hear the software will no longer be produced or supported. REALLY disappointed.

    So much for valuing your customers’ wants and desires.

  7956. Linda

    This is really a poor business decision by Ancestry. Through many of your decisions in the last few years, Ancestry has shown no interest in maintaining their long term customers who are serious about genealogy. I have uploaded subsections of my tree and tried the online app. I am computer savy and have absolutely no interest in maintaining my tree online. Do you realize serious genealogists go places with their laptops to research where online access is not available. There is data out there that will never be available online. When ancestry botched the FTM updates, I stuck with it as I liked downloading data directly to FTM. Until the last couple years, I was a continuous subscriber but have had protest unsubscribing here and there due to really poor decisions by Ancestry with the search functionality. Looks like there is not a whole lot of reason to stick it out with Ancestry as the price has gotten unreasonable and it will be of less value to me without FTM.

  7957. Lisa

    I knew this was coming. I have used FTM since it’s Broderbund days around 95. I knew when Ancestry was linked up it would eventually come to a point when we have to pay you to see/use our own information, not to mention you will call it your own as part of One World and selling it once we leave you. Unbelievable! As an IT Professional I understand the goal of moving to the cloud however, that product is no where near as robust as the desktop product which really isn’t great either. You just don’t have much competition. I might have to work on that. Since I just renewed my Ancestry subscription, I will spend the next year transferring my data to another product. Good luck with your new business model.

  7958. Nancy

    I too am extremely disappointed in your decision. Internet is not reliable everywhere. I will not be using Ancestry in the future either.

  7959. Boni

    Along with many other customers of Family Tree Maker and Ancestry I am very disappointed and disgusted to know about Ancestry’s decision. I have spent many dollars, and hundreds of hours entering information into FTM. I do a lot of family tree work offline and keep a backup copy of the files I have worked so hard to create. Just having an online/cloud family tree is unacceptable to my way of thinking. All my family tree work has been removed from Ancestry site, I do not plan to renew my Ancestry subscription. Hopefully we can find an acceptable replacement for FTM. It will not be easy to be weaned from Ancestry/Family Tree Maker.

  7960. Linda

    I won’t be continuing my subscription with Ancestry after Jan 2017 and will just go to the library / family history club and access it for free. Very, very disappointing. I hope you change your minds or replace FTM with another compatible software.

  7961. Brenda

    Sad to learn of the decision to end FTM since I have had every single FTM program since it started. I’m also a very long member of Ancestry. My membership to Ancestry will also end.

  7962. Loma Eftekhar

    Tree Maker save me once. I had a family member showing up twice. Married to the same woman twice and yes a the same set of kids twice. I deleted only one of the father and everything before him was GONE! Thank goodness for Tree maker. Are you going to have an undo setting or a backup for the last 6 month. I don’t even think some one will read this that can make a change. I am mad as he!! and think you should give me back my money for my DNA test that was a Christmas gift. WELL?

  7963. Stabia

    You can try using Roots Magic 7. It interfaces with FamilySearch.org. It works pretty good. and you can keep your tree on FamilySearch.org. I haven’t try it yet but maybe someone else has and give some ideas.

  7964. Sharon

    I like many others have invested a lot of time in FTM and like to keep a copy of our family history on our own computers not be beholden to a website. FTM allows you to find duplicates easily, run various reports, synch your work and much more. All good reasons for joining Ancestry. Why would I want to renew my membership when it expires in June if Ancestry are unable to provide these functions. In effect Ancestry has taken my family history for their use and I will not be allowed to use this unless I continue subscribing. Perhaps we should delete our history from Ancestry and find new ways of storing our family history.

  7965. Suzanne

    I’ve been using Family Tree Maker since the the 90’s. The news that it is being dropped is very upsetting. Look at the amount of responses on this page and reconsider! The program has advantages that the website alone doesn’t.

  7966. David

    Having used FTM extensively over the last 5 years in conjunction with my Ancestry membership subscription I am at a loss to understand the decision to ‘retire’ FTM. Does Ancestry have any idea just how disruptive this could be to the ongoing research of established users of the software. Not everyone wants to do everything on-line. Many prefer to retain control over their own data storage. Also spare a thought for those ‘of a certain age’ who do not find it easy to adapt to new ways of doing things.
    also the recent changes to the website leave a lot to be desired. I can no longer access some of the data in Trees e.g. Media Gallery . I feel like a workman whose tools have been stolen !

  7967. Judy

    I finally converted from Ancestral quest to FTM because I could sync my trees… now this. How do we sync our online trees? I can’t maintain both and won’t give up my local copy. I am determining that Ancestry won’t be of much use if I can’t download what I find. I think this was a very short-sighted decision and not one in favor of your customers.

  7968. Sandra

    I last looked when there were 3225 posts on the blog. Now they are not even showing that. There have been a paltry 4 responses from Ancestry that I have seen and none of them really address the problems everyone is asking about. I can only assume that you don’t care what we think. You’ll do it anyway and to hell with us users. Well, you will lose me too, as soon as I can and well before the January 2017 deadline you have set. I find your behavior regarding this action to be appalling. Please provide better feedback in an email form so we all know how little you think of us all. You’ll get no more of my money.

  7969. Al

    In Mr. Hulet’s comments at the top he states in part “we’re also continually evaluating ways to focus our efforts to provide the most impact and best product experience for our users” . As I read through the comments I get the impression that you are failing miserably at providing the best product experience for your users. The new format is awful! And dropping support for FTM is a bad move. If someone there is tabulating positive versus negative responses then I hope you publish the actual results around 8 March 2016. Hopefully someone there will wake up and have the courage to recognize the mistakes being made. I will not be holding my breath.
    Bring back the old format or at least keep it as an option!!

  7970. George

    Not surprised, had a hard time cancelling my subscription to ancestry. I went to MyHeritage which has the worse support ever. But with hard work ,it’s a diamond in the rough. I think those of us with FTM experience can get them straighten out and put ancestry out of business. With a fair amount of effort I could transfer my FTM files directly into MyHeritage. The sad part, it would have take very little time if I had the right directions. I now have eight years of FTM data with over 600 names in MyHeritage. Although its early , I have had it only week, it seems to be a better program. The first thing I did was correct all the errors that were in my FTM trees.

  7971. Lynda

    This move is disaster. Can’t believe that it is happening. What are you thinking???? The least you could do is to respond to concerns in the e-mails.

  7972. Fred

    I’m extremely disappointed to hear that you are stopping support of the software. You are leaving people no choice but to move on to other sites. Maybe when your revenues decline, you will see the light.

  7973. Eileen

    I cannot believe you would do this to customers who have paid you lots of money over the years. How are we to manage our trees now? PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS. YOU NEED TO COME UP WITH A BETTER SOLUTION.

  7974. Dave

    I totally agree with the thousands of comments already posted meaning that Ancestry have absolutely no idea what they are doing or what their customers really want.
    The ‘improved’ Ancestry site is terrible and I fully intend to but myself Rootsmagic which advertises that I can import from FTM. That means I will be free to stop paying my Ancestry fees.
    It looks like Ancestry will be losing thousands of customers and millions of dollars every year due to this decision.

  7975. Elaine

    I am so upset to learn that Family Treemaker will be discontinued! I made a huge family tree on FTM 16 several years ago on my computer with Microsoft Vista and when I got new computer with Microsoft 7 I was unable to view the family tree. I was waiting to get my new computer to buy the newest version of FTM, but found that it was not compatible with Windows 10! It seems that my computer was too outdated or too new to be compatible with my tree! I really don’t know what to do in order to view my tree – I have copied it onto an external drive, but haven’t been able to view it for many years. Could someone please inform me how to view it on my computer so that I can update it? I look forward to hearing from anyone who can help me on this issue. Thanks.

  7976. Marianna

    It saddens me to see FTM going away. This is a poor business decision regarding your loyal users. I have been using FTM when Broderbund was the manufacturer at least 17 years ago. The program adds functions that are not replicated in Ancestry.com. Not everyone wants to get online and providing had copies or PDF files of the information is provided to my family members – they just won’t go online when I invite them. Also I like having my information on my own computer and that means having a tool that will manage the information. Sorry to say you don’t have your users in a bind as there are other means to get the information you provide more “easily”. Syncing the information was the best sell feature to work with FTM but isn’t a “must” have – in these times I guess we all look for the conveniences at our fingertips.
    This is a bad decision on your part.

  7977. Betsy Sargisson

    Very disappointed. Have used FTM since the beginning. I will cancel my Ancestry subscription next year. What are people switching to? I have been so dependent on FTM I don’t know what is out there. I have been very unhappy with the new /Ancestry…the made up family stories are very unprofessional.

  7978. Kathryn Sproull

    Amazing to me that after weeks of more negative comments than I can count, Ancestry has addressed none of the issues raised. There needs to be a forum where specific questions can be answered about how to salvage work, sometimes many years of work. No wonder people are upset, not only because of this unwelcome news, but because of the lack of responsiveness.

  7979. Sharon K.

    I am very disappointed in the news of FTM becoming obsolete. I have been researching my family tree since 2000 and have used this program almost as long. It has been a fantastic tool and I have updated programs for the new tools every 3 years. I was ready to complete my new update when I had the rug pulled from under my feet by the notice to terminate the program.

    I do not have access to internet each and every time that I visit relatives to scan photos and gather information. I like to have documentation to back up my data in my tree and don’t rely on sketchy data or someone’s amateur research to fill in the branches on my tree. For this reason much of my entries are not from the internet/ancestry.com. You have made my research more difficult creating the need to log data in one form and then transfer the same data later. This is something I thought I was done doing because of this program.

    Now I won’t be updating the program and waiting for someone to fill the niche you have just created with another program. I won’t be uploading my tree to ancestry due to the limitations my research needs and privacy issues that concern those that share their personal information with me. Good luck in your subscription business. I will likely not be a participant.

  7980. Alistair Orton

    After using several other programmes I turned to FTM and have been happily using it for many years. I add my name to the hundreds of FTM users who are totally disappointed that this product is to be discontinued, and that support will be eventually unavailable. We have been let down!!

  7981. Peter O'Loughlin

    I would like to add the following before this opportunity ends.
    While many public trees are well researched and documented and after much checking found to be reliable, if Ancestry thinks it can use this information for its own ends, it must be pointed out that many trees are absolute rubbish. Errors include the eldest child being the mother under her married name (same dates – surely this should be obvious), two or more families being amalgamated because their unrelated fathers have the same names, this time usually with different dates, and bringing their wives with them, and children being added on at the end of the list who were born many years after the deaths of both parents. And there are many other errors, to the extent that a Tree can only sensibly be used to provide lines of enquiry for checking. The new Ancestry ‘Fisher-Price’ family histories have clearly not had even the most cursory checking, the computer not even picking up blatantly incompatible dates.
    The people who run the U.K.-based Ancestry helpline deserve my thanks and gratitude for always being polite and patient while taking the time to make sure they identified exactly what my problems were before doing their best to solve them, usually successfully. If only the rest of Ancestry was of this quality . . . dream on . . . but it was good a while ago.

  7982. Tigs Gillespie

    This seems a popular decision with your core user base, i.e. the one that create well researched Family trees. I hope you get satisfaction from providing a service to the majority that haven’t a clue after the ones that do move away. Short term thinking at it’s worst!

  7983. Craig Pedersen

    Adding my name to the many who are disappointed. I can assure you that I will not renew my Ancestry.com subscription after 12/31/2016. Please rethink your decisions. I am one who would be willing to pay a small annual maint. fee for the software if it was to be continued and linked to the online side. At this point, whatever your costs are, be advised customers will be walking away.

  7984. Ruth Miller

    Your decision to discontinue FTM and the ability to sync with the on-line tree is very disappointing. I, like others who have commented here, often don’t have access to the internet when I am doing research. I will have to go back to printing and taking notes – and then, later, updating my on-line tree – which makes double work for me. It was so much easier to take FTM on my laptop, update my files, and then once I had completed my work, sync my tree with my on-line tree. I use FTM to store many family pictures, etc., that I don’t necessarily want published on the internet. I also use FTM to clean up my errors – before I sync it with my on-line tree. This will force me to discontinue my Ancestory.com membership and move to another on-line family tree by the end of 2016 – if this is your final decision.

  7985. Burg Bechtel

    I’m sure you have carefully calculated the financial loss to Ancestry, both in the near and long term. How many refunds will you hand out? How many users will immediately cancel their membership or not renew if on an annual membership. I’m sure it’s insignificant in your eyes. You vision of the trends in technology is and has been misguided by folks who just don’t have the experience needed to be successful. You have really not listened to your customer base, and that is a fatal decision. Ancestry is not immune to a class action suit, of course you factored that into your decision making. Social media trends will prove this out. It seems a majority of the users affected by this decision have been using FTM and Ancestry well before your decision makers where out of grade school….. Listen to your members, your customers.

  7986. ConnieM

    (1) After countless hours of trying different software to replace FTM,
    (2) After countless hours working with different software customer assistance departments to help in transferring CORRECT data to CORRECT places on their program,
    (3) And after countless hours on one of my small family trees cutting and pasting data into spots on FTM that will transfer to different software,
    (4) I have decided to add the following disclaimers on all media and sources:

    MEDIA DISCLAIMER: Incorrect placement or loss of Captions, Dates, Descriptions, and Sources are not the product of the owner of this family tree. Incorrect data transfer is the product of Ancestry.com/Permira’s egregious debacle of 2015 discontinuation of Family Tree Maker without assistance in transferring data (outdated gedcom) to other desktop software.

    SOURCE DISCLAIMER: Incorrect placement or loss of Sources, Citations, Repositories, and URL’s are not the product of the owner of this family tree. Incorrect data transfer is the product of Ancestry.com/Permira’s egregious debacle of 2015 discontinuation of Family Tree Maker without assistance in transferring data (outdated gedcom) to other desktop software.

  7987. Susan E.

    Several people asked about support and how to save an FTM file to GEDCOM file. I have FTM14. Open FTM tree, click on menu under ‘File’, choose ‘Export’, choose ‘GEDCOM’ in dropdown menu, click ‘Yes’ on next option, then name file and choose where you want the file. Done.
    Another hint — for all media files, copy ‘descriptions’ to ‘notes’ for the person. Yes, this is tedious, especially when you have lots of people. Another person gave directions for making a copy of all descriptions that you typed in. For one of my trees, this resulted in over 200 pages that I saved to my computer for later comparison.
    I have deleted some Ancestry trees, after making sure that I had saved GEDCOM files. First, I synced the tree to FTM, then unlinked the two trees, saved FTM tree as GEDCOM, then deleted Ancestry tree. At present, I am updating remaining synced trees almost daily. I plan to delete most of my remaining trees from Ancestry within next few weeks. I have created a combined family tree for all branches, with much less detail than the individual trees. I am no longer posting any personal photos, certificates, documents, etc. to my trees. Also, not posting any info found from other sources. Yes, I am keeping my Ancestry membership for now but not sure how long I will keep it.
    I checked several software programs and decided to buy RootsMagic. So far, I am pleased with the program while still learning. I haven’t used it enough yet to determine if it has all of the features that I want or not. Legacy is another good option that is preferred by many.

    Bottom line: Look at other software now. Choose one and begin transferring your trees. If your trees are only online through Ancestry, save those trees as GEDCOM files. You may lose some information but still have time to retrieve the info. And, trees will be saved in a usable format if you decide to discontinue your Ancestry membership.

    Do you think anyone at Ancestry has even looked at the 1000s of people who have posted their disappointment on this blog? Being able to sync FTM to Ancestry has been a powerful tool that avoided the ‘double entry’ dilemma voiced by many. I guess that we will now return to the ‘old ways’. I have found myself relying more on Ancestry for info and not searching elsewhere as much. So, the announcement has been a good wake-up call for me — Ancestry is NOT the only source of genealogical information!! And, some of those sources, such as USGenWeb American Ancestors, and http://www.archive.org (source of many digitized family, local, and state histories) are free!

  7988. ConnieM

    @ Susan E. Thank you, Susan, but I already know to do all that. That’s what I’ve been doing! And I’ve been taking it pretty well and in stride. But not today! Today I wanted to vent. And yes, it is a big wake up call for all of us. I will eventually move on, but will continue to post here until Ancestry stops this so-called blog. I have purchased Roots Magic and Legacy, and I am undecided. And thank goodness I have not used Ancestry as my sole resource and NEVER the interactive stuff. Oh my! That would definitely be disastrous. I have voiced my transfer findings with the Roots Magic forum and have a dialogue with them regarding all the fact fields, etc. One of their techs has been working that over the Christmas holiday and hopefully will come up with a few things. They have been very helpful and made my transition easier. It is the FTM end that is time consuming. Have a wonderful New Year!

  7989. I LOVE the new cloud version of FTM. It is 10 time faster than the desktop version and much easier to use. I have been using FTM for 20 years and this evolution is superb!

  7990. Susan f

    This is unacceptable. I have bought a product from you and you have continually asked me to upgrade which I have on several occasions, and spent a considerable amount of money with you over many years and have been very happy with my product.
    Now you are not supporting it anymore. To be honest Im not sure what I will do but withdrawing this is causing a lot of people , a lot of upset and anger. I’m sure I will find an alternative but I will not be using ancestry again when my subscription is up for renewal unless this decision is reversed. I feel cheated and let down.

  7991. Chris

    I am glad to see that I am not the only one very disappointed with Ancestry.com and FTM. I have used these products since their inception and feel that it is sort of pulling the proverbial rug out under their client’s feet. Ancestry, you need to rethink this decision or you are going to fall to other lesser products and set much of American genealogy back many years until someone can replace you. sorry, but it is a dirty and loathsome decision on your part.

  7992. Stacy

    I am disappointed in the decision to discontinue FTM. I have only used the web version as a sort of backup for my information and a way to connect with others and I have only used used it for a couple of years. I tend to be optimistic when faced with change and I am normally a driver of change so at first I was not that upset by the decision. Since the announcement I have tried working with the web version and I do not care for it at all. I have had more trouble with searching, poor results and adding records than I have ever had in my life. It makes finding errors nearly impossible and fairly easy to make errors.
    I also print reports from FTM regularly to carry with me when I do not have internet access and I am out in the real world searching for information. Yes, some of us still get out of the house and spend time in court houses and cemeteries, and interview and share pictures with those who will not be here much longer in the hope that we can identify and preserve some small piece of history. I have had multiple instances in the last 24 hours where your online version has frozen or failed to display information. I have limited time to dedicate to this so I need everything to be there and work when I am able to give it my time.
    I have referred many to Ancestry.com in the past, but I will not be doing that anymore. I do not want Ancestry.com to be my sole information repository and I do not have the time to duplicate my efforts. I think most of those that have posted here just want to use it for access to information they could not easily obtain otherwise. You have made a poor, selfish decision that does not reflect the needs of many of your long term, serious customers.
    I will be looking for another database to maintain my information. FTM was not my first and evidently it will not be the last. I can not afford for three generations of research to be lost because you made a business decision not to support it.

  7993. bailey

    over 8,000 comments that confirm FTM demise is a huge mistake. Hey, Ancestry, ARE YOU LISTENING?? Wake up. Admit your mistake. Rescind the decision to get rid of it. Hey, we all make mistakes. Time to admit yours.

  7994. Jack

    I suggest that you New Year’s resolution be to convert your FTM to another PC based program. Try all of them before making a choice. Roots Magic and Legacy have a free version and Family Historian has a 30 day version that you can use. I tried Roots Magic free version and GEDCOM error list was very long. Also, tried Family Historian and only had a few errors that weren’t handled by putting the data in Notes. One problem is that is doesn’t accept PDF files. I am going try Legacy free next.

  7995. Gale Black

    I bought FamilyTreemaker for Mac in 2010 when it came out without much research which other Mac software was out there. I was “ok” with it, upgraded to Version 2 and 3 when they came out. I also had an ancestry subscription and found some useful but many bogus information through it. When I read this announcement two days ago, I was in deep shock. The web interface of ancestry is HORRIBLE, never can a website replace a real desktop app. The web interface is sluggish, limited and badly designed.

    I wish I had thought out my initial choice of genealogy software more thoroughly. I bought MacFamilyTree from synium last evening for my Mac and it is a HUGE improvement over FamilyTreemaker for Mac 3: http://www.syniumsoftware.com/macfamilytree

    In the end, thanks ancestry for discontinuing FamilyTreemaker. Without that I would still pay your ridiculously expensive subscription.

  7996. Elaine

    I am so disappointed that Ancestry would even consider not supporting Family Tree Maker. I want to keep my family tree data on my own computer and not rely on a website – this is unacceptable. I agree with the negative comments that others have posted about the new and “improved” version of ancestry – it is terrible. I am hopeful that you will reconsider your decision but if not I will not be renewing my subscription to Ancestry.

  7997. Chuck

    This is VERY disappointing news. I hope you change your minds. In the meantime, what is the consensus of the community? What is the next best program to use for family tree work?

  7998. Jack

    I just tried the free version of Legacy and to me it appears to be the best, at least for me. I had no errors in the conversion. I have rejected Roots Magic due to the long error list. Family Historian stores the data on your computer in GEDCOM format which I do not like, but I would not reject it on that basis

  7999. Dave

    I certainly hope more functionality will be added to the online version. Like basic reports for ancestor, and descendant lists. And return of the location mapping feature . After many years of loyalty to Ancestry, I too am shopping for an alternate provider.

  8000. Kathy Q

    Does any know all the large genealogy companies that Ancestry has purchased over the past years? Such as Roots web, Find a grave and so on. If I am to purchase another genealogy provider it don’t want it to be connected to Ancestry at ALL> ahtnks.

  8001. Ginny K

    After over 40 years of doing family tree research, I thought it was great that Family Tree Maker came out. Now with over 10,000 people in our family tree, I see that Family Tree Maker is no longer going to be supported. We have family lines that go back to BC and those that were born this month. Because of the sheer volume of people who are still living and my years of research, I will not be putting my tree on-line for privacy reasons. I also believe that I should not have to pay to store and access my research on line. Since I believe in trying to back up as much of my information by obtaining facts like birth certificates, etc., it includes traveling to government offices, family reunions, parks, grave sites, and other people’s homes. Many places have no access to internet which leaves all my work inaccessible. So to summarize I will not be putting my tree on line for Ancestry.com to make a profit from my years of work and to make it impossible to continue my research. I will be looking for a substitute product.

  8002. Dianne Ward

    You have effectively shot ALL users in the back and your corporation in the foot. You have NO IDEA what you are doing to loyal users of both FTM AND Ancestry.com who have supported YOU and paid big bucks for DECADES! Many of us are on Social Security and really have scrimped and saved for many years to pay the fees to continue our beloved genealogical research. I have been loyal to FTM since I began my work in the mid 1980s. NOTHING is as good. I have been a member of Ancestry.com since shortly after I bought my first computer in 1995! I want an UPGRADE of FTM not to LOSE the best genealogical software in existence! My data is MINE. It belongs on my computer where I can easily keep private notes on information family wants PRIVATE. With the dangers of identity theft these days it’s too easy to tell too much. I share as much as I can when there is enough to make it worthwhile. I also am always delighted to share with people who prove to be DNA connections with my lines. The trees online are only skimpy working copies for my ongoing research. …….I thought I would be working om my genealogical research with my beloved FTM and Ancestry.com until the day I die. I guess it’s time to wrap it all up. We supported you, respected you, and have been loyal to you. Thanks for the betrayal!

  8003. Mike M

    What a profoundly shortsighted decision – one which reveals your commitment to your customers. The fact that you have announced the decision without any guidance as to how you will add the missing functionality to the website underscores your level of commitment – and suggests that B-grade accountants must now be running the show.

  8004. Philippa

    Holy Hamburger Batman! This is your point of difference, the 1 thing that separated you from being wholly populated by populist amateurs. The credible contributors will gradually move elsewhere. How strange.

  8005. James

    I’m still using FTM 2011 and I’m relieved that I did not upgrade as I intended recently. I have taken advantage of the special offer on Legacy software until 31 December. I have a few months to decide whether to continue with Ancestry or not

  8006. John Williams

    I have used family tree since before it was called family tree (Banner Blue back when). Over the years I have watched my subscription price rise to a painful level. I can only imagine what ancestry.com will charge once they have control of your tree. I’ll be changing to a different program bitterly knowing that no two programs will sync perfectly and will require that I reenter much of my thirty years of research. As one member suggested I’ll be taking my family information with me. I don’t feel like helping a company who would try such a business model.

  8007. Edwin Ledingham

    The news that Ancestry.com will no longer market Family Tree Maker, nor guarantee to support existing users beyond 2016 is indeed a blow. As a user of FTM since its Broderbund days, it has enabled me to maintain and enhance my research. I have spent the last month since the announcement seeing how on-line maintenance of my records is possible; unfortunately, the ability to control, sort and select records which may or may not be pertinent is just not available on-line, but readily available in Family Tree Maker. It is also much slower in accessing and displaying the research records. I understand that records maintained by software may be in the minority, but my experience suggests that the quality of the information contained in those investing the time and effort in the software is much more accurate. And with the ability to sync on-line, the Ancestry.com database has been the beneficiary of this enriched and more accurate data. I too will be looking for software alternatives should Ancestry not reverse its decision to at least keep the existing version compatible with their database indefinitely. To do so is is beneficial for both our interests – for users, we remain committed to Ancestry, for the corporation, a subscription revenue stream and enhanced and accurate data. I urge you to reverse your decision quickly before your expertise base which you have spent decades cultivating and encouraging moves on somewhere else.

  8008. William Davenport

    After learning that Family Tree Maker will no longer be supported, I panicked and went to my online tree to test it out and learn more about how to use it. My worst fears were confirmed when I discovered that none of my audio or video files would play. They play just fine on Family Tree Maker, but when I go online and click on them, nothing happens. This is very scary. And nonreassuring.

  8009. Mrs. B

    I’m not a techie … I’m just an old lady that loves working on genealogy. I have read most of the postings on this blog and now have a simple question. Why can’t we continue to use this really wonderful FTM program for many years AFTER Ancestry pulls the plug? The program we all purchased is OURS — the program loaded on our PC’S will still function as a tool to create family trees, reports, charts, and all those wonderful things we love. Sure, we won’t be able to sync with Ancestry.com and we won’t have the benefit of those crazy leaves — but think about it — after the way they’ve dumped all of us, who cares? And we’re all going to stop subscribing to Ancestry anyway. We’ll just have to find other research resources (other online sources, or maybe make more trips to libraries, historical societies, or courthouses), and we won’t have the benefit of support from Ancestry, but wouldn’t the FTM program itself still be viable for many years? Long enough to avoid the stress of migrating all the work that I spent so many years accumulating and knowing full well that all of it won’t transfer? Seems like the choice is easy — either continue to use FTM until it doesn’t work any more, or migrate to another program with minimal confidence. Can anyone give me a good reason why I can’t just continue with FTM and backup my data to an external hard drive and wait for a good solution?

  8010. Dan

    You who … Kendall Hulet … are you there? Are you taking the time to read the comments from your customers? Do you hear the pain? How about acknowledging the uproar you’ve created and giving all of us some hope that you’re actually working on a new plan. We’re all waiting to hear from you. You owe us that much.

  8011. Wiley

    With over 8 thousand negative comments, it is hard to imagine that Ancestry has not chosen to rescind the decision to discontinue FTM. I think they think this is all a bluff by their membership. Maybe they think this will all blow over and that we will eventually calm down and eventually fall in line with their grand plans for more profitability. Well I think they are mistaken and have made the biggest mistake of their corporate history. I am sure many of the click and copy beginner genealogists will not be seriously affected by the loss of FTM. and the future genealogists that come to Ancestry for the first time will not know what to miss about being able to own, manage and safeguard your data on your personal computer. But the currently established genealogists, the ones commenting here and now that have experienced data security will indeed miss FTM.

    But what will we be missing? I think the only thing I will miss is the ability to Sync new information that is found on the Ancestry web site to our personal genealogy software located on our computer, laptop or smartphone.

    I personally will probably be glad that FTM has lost the ability to Sync. This move allows me to try other sortware for fuller features, better interfaces, and a better way to store and display the data I have been collecting. Because of Sync I have been linked into FTM. I have purchased Legacy and am looking at Roots Magic and so far I am fairly impressed with their software. I will be making one of them my main repository of my family data. I will have to manually transfer any future discoveries manually, but I will benefit from their robust reporting and presentation capabilities. So thank you Ancestry for making me get off my lazy rear end.

    So what can I do to let ancestry know they really made a mistake? First of all I have made my tree private. Ancestry should not be able to use my data to line their corporate coffers. Next I will pull my credit card off their site so my subscription will not automatically renew. If we all remove our credit card information, that should get their attention. In the future I will renew my subscription only when I want to do some research. I should be able to sign up for a month at a time and let it expire when I am not actually researching their data base. Why pay for 12 months of research when I will not be using it. Third, I will delete my tree from their database when my current subscription expires.

    Let’s do more than just whine about their stupid decision. Let them see our displeasure where it will hurt the most.

  8012. Judy

    Folks, those of you who think there is only 8K entries, take note at the top as that number has 22.1K and I think it is true. I watched the first 48 hours after the announcement and it was going up like crazy. Also to add insult to injury now Ancestry keeps sending these wonderful offers out. I will unsubscribe soon to their mail but I was hoping and praying that Kendall Hulet would be fired and they would see the handwriting on the wall. Guess they are all airheads like he as nothing from them yet. And to the lady who says why can’t she just keep using it. She can but of course there will be no support and at some point if she gets a new computer with an updated operating system, her old FTM probably will not run on it. Also I tried Legacy and I too am evaluating Roots Magic but I have to say that Legacy Customer Service has been over the top awesome. Anyone going to Roots Tech ought to give Ancestry a good piece of their mind. It will probably go over their head, but at least it will give you some satisfaction.

  8013. Leonie Meaux

    Why all the changes at Ancestry? You had a great product, now it is just slow and tedious to get things done. Now you want to get rid of FTM. Please do not – This is a great tool – at the least, allow someone to buy it and allow synching with our trees online.
    I understand that you are trying to get the tablet user. But do you really believe youngsters are going to have the discipline to build a tree on Ancestry? It is just not going to happen.

  8014. Tom Sandford

    Never in the history of business (and ancestry.com is a business) has such a decision been taken which has so infuriated its customers. I bear no ill will towards ancsestry.com, but I can guarantee you will be commercially damaged by this decision. I used to work for a large high tech company widely regarded as arrogant and we paid the price, just as surely as ancestry.com will. I beg you both for your benefit and the benefit of your customers to reverse this decision or find a technology compromise.

  8015. Shelly

    Everybody who is concerned about not being able to print reports anymore etc : The software won’t be supported anymore but it doesn’t mean that the version you’ve got will stop working. You can still use it for doing your tree offline and you can still print reports etc. You just can’t sync trees anymore or look up the ancestry database when you’re offline. So actually FTM becomes a normal tree program you can use offline, like many other ones just with a bit better look. Still better than nothing I guess 🙁

  8016. Linda

    I received the announcement just a month after I purchased an upgrade to FTM. I am so disgusted with Ancestory.com right now. I have been in IT for over 20 years and this is just plain bad business. You couldn’t have even offered alternatives in the announcement to at least attempt to soften the blow? I will likely be discontinuing my membership.

  8017. Deb Douglas

    Was unhappy after upgrading my FTM and Ancestry account on my PC to find after I bought my new Mac I had to buy a special edition for the Mac making me spend more. Now I learn that the Mac edition and the PC edition is going bye, bye. Sigh… and to think of the years of research and MONEY I have given to your company for such an ideal combination of tools. I have never trusted Ancestry because of the horrible errors that plague the site. Still it was useful for leads… which made using FTM worth the effort and the costs to buy Ancestry. So what now? What program will sync? What program can we transfer the years of data to? (How does my half blind neighbor learn a new screen when she has used FTM for years mostly by memory.) Geez whiz people. When did you decide that we the customers had so little value. Other bloggers have expressed the same disappointment with more intelligence than myself; but, in the end we are all ticked and wondering what are you thinking. This will hurt you more than us in the end… or maybe not. But be careful…what goes around comes around. Tom Sanford… you are a smart person and Ancestry should take your words to their bank.

  8018. Jeff Legault

    I suggest FTM users seriously look at hosting your data on a personal site using this great tool. FTM data is exported as gedcom then you upload all your local images and the links are retained. Access can be controlled to keep it all private. http://www.tngsitebuilding.com/

  8019. pam kannady

    Don’t do it!! You may want to consider how Netflix shot itself in the foot by alienating its users a couple of years ago. You are going to lose so many subscribers and are likely to deeply regret this move.

  8020. Rene

    Very disappointed in the decision to discontinue FTM. There are so many things that FTM can do that ancestry.com can’t. I won’t be renewing m y subscription if I can’t use FTM. This is a bad decision, it seems ancestry.com doesn’t care about their loyal customers.

  8021. Connie

    Very disappointed with your decision! I am on ancestry.com Almost every night. I can’t believe you would discontinue FTM! I will probably cancel my subscription next year, also.

  8022. Paul

    I can not believe that anyone could think that this was a good idea. If you think that that your website can replace bespoke software then you are wrong. Please do not believe that everyone is connected to the web, they are not and many people study their ancestry offline. If this is the way you are going then perhaps it is time to find anyway of collating my research and cancelling my subscription to you. So sad this decision was made.

  8023. Jane Jones

    I’ve used FTM since the days when it was on 3.5″ disks, upgraded along the way and loved the way it was so easy to use. Last year I moved to a MAC and upgraded yet again so that I could continue to use it. I couldn’t find anything that worked as well on MAC. Now, it seems I have a year before the support and the sync facility stop. I have paid for a worldwide Ancestry subscription for years but I don’t trust having only an online software or online storage. If you can pull the plug on support, you can pull the plug on storage too, and what if this software was only available online? We would have nothing. I’m glad I bought the CDs. What are you doing Ancestry? FMP has just annoyed many of its members with a sudden charge for the 1939 Register that they thought would be included in their subscription (and which is missing chunks of records, and full of transcription errors). Now Ancestry is about to go the same way – losing respect from long standing customers, probably in order to satisfy shareholders

  8024. Lee

    I certainly will not have my information residing only in Ancestry’s possession. If a suitable solution is not available quickly, I will transfer my research to Gedcom, discontinue Ancestry and do my research elsewhere.

  8025. Eileen Brown

    You have just taken all the joy out of my family tree research. I have used your services for 15 years and the Family Tree Software is phenomenal and the best part of your product.
    I really do not like the online tree app and find it difficult and confusing to use.
    There are probably a lot of people in my age bracket (60s) who are dedicated users because they are retired and have more time to research and if they are like me, do not take too kindly to having a good programme terminated for no good reason.
    You are throwing the baby out with the bath water.
    Can anyone recommend a good alternative research service?

  8026. Mary

    Do you have an alternative plan in mind for to sync information and continue researching and connecting with others? What is the point of the DNA if there are no genealogy trees to show connections? I am very disappointed. It has taken me years of searching and entering data into the Family Tree Maker to get as far as I have with genealogy research. Will I have to enter all my information into another program? That will take all of 2016!

  8027. jim

    No use rehashing all the negative you have created. we cant fix stupidity.

    still waiting on Ancestry to fix a bug on the the new ancestry tree navigation tool. have not heard anything . Good reason to move on, no more money from me, glad I am on monthly service

  8028. Dianne

    Just bought the software for my Mac and it arrived today – December 31st – had no idea this was going to happen – wouldn’t have bothered

  8029. Marsha Peruo

    This is a terrible business decision and no way to thank your loyal customers! I’ve been using FTM for over 20 years! What do I do now? The next generation has started to arrive and each name gets added to the tree. I feel more secure having my file on my laptop and back-up drive. Please reconsider your decision!

  8030. James

    Come on Ancestry. Swallow your pride and do a U-turn on this. The UK government did it on the issue of tax credits so it CAN be done, Listen to your client AND INCOME base!

  8031. Kathy Q

    Hey guys, I found out all the major genealogy companies and data bases that Ancestry has gobbled up in the past several years.
    As I said before when I switch to another software concern I don’t want it to be connected with Ancestry in any way.
    These are the data bases they own:
    Ancestry, Ancestry DNA, Ancestry health, Ancestry Pro Genealogist, FTM, Fold 3, Newspapers.com, Find a grave, Archives.com and
    Roots web. Most of these are truly just data bases, but, some may pop up their ugly heads as “New genealogy tools”. This info.
    can be viewed by checking out the wiki for Ancestry.

  8032. Carl

    The decision to drop FTM is completely non-customer focused. Without support for FTM and the SYNC option, users will be forced to keep a paid subscription with Ancestry.com.

    This will force people to maintain two separate data bases. Otherwise, if you drop your Ancestry.com subscription, you lose access to all of you family history information.

    Plus FTM does much more than that online data base…reports, relationship calculator, etc.

  8033. Terri Carrow

    This is very disturbing and disheartening. I have been doing genealogical research for 20 years and have trusted and used FTM for research, storage and publication of my results. Each time it was upgraded, it was improved to a wonderfully functional product we are now using- then “Boom” – you shut it down, leaving many of us in the dark about what we will be using after it is rendered “unuseable”. Please reconsider. What do you have to lose except loyal researchers who know, love, and faithfully use and upgrade your software?

  8034. Carol Norwood

    This is so disappointing. Everything I’ve been working on for years is in FTM. I’m so discouraged over your decision that I want to forget the whole thing & hope another relative will pick it up in the future. Hopefully with something different from ancestry. Any trust with your company is lost. Can’t believe you would leave us all hanging.

  8035. Joyce McGilvery

    I am very unhappy that you are discontinuing FTM. I am happy that Roots Magic is offering an alternative which I will be taking them up on. I will also be ending my Ancestry acct and will not be putting my tree online. Very disappointed in you.

  8036. Cheryl Lewis

    I am very disappointed that FTM will no longer be supported. Ancestry and FTM are such a good combination.

  8037. Mary

    This is a very poor decision by Ancestry. Now I have to spend the year 2016 looking for another program for my trees. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am in Ancestry. You are taking a very good product and making a mess of it. I wanted to spend 2016 working on my trees but looks like I have to go shopping for another product. Bad move, Ancestry.

  8038. Marie Sutley Dallas

    I tried to update my Family Tree Maker software before the deadline today, but you had already blocked the ability to purchase or update the software and according to the message on the screen, you had changed the deadline to 12-30-2015 (from 12-31-2015) without any notice. I then tried to call, but you had closed your support center early for the holiday. Your posted contact hours are 9am-11pm ET 7 days a week, without any mention of exceptions. Therefore, since you chose to change the deadline that we could purchase or update the software and chose to close early, I feel that we should still be allowed to purchase and/or update the Family Tree Maker software.

  8039. Roslyn Gill

    Well there are a lot of people that are not happy, just reading the comments above. I totally agree with the 100%. No more subscriptions for me….I think you should rethink.

  8040. SUE

    I just spent 3 hours reading the postings to this, and have these comments . I was doing genealogy a long time before FTM, and Ancestry was added because of it. I will not trust Ancestry.com in the future – no matter what they do with this mess.

    AND – do not renew your subscription, make your tree private, and delete your tree if you want, and lastly, recommend an alternative to Ancestry.com for others to see. The only way to fight money grubbing companies is to hit them in their wallets. The fewer trees that are out there, the less attractive the site will be. With the comments over 9200 of comments so far, the volume of unhappy customers will HAVE to make them sit up and take notice.

  8041. Carol

    Found this thread after going to purchase FTM and the page not being available!! I have been doing my research and creating my tree on Ancestry.com for years but had never got round to putting it into a program on my desktop until now. I had looked at FTM a month or so ago and decided that I would get it in the new year. I am now pleased that I didn’t purchase it then but where do I go from here. All my information is on ancestry.com and my renewal subscription is due shortly – because the cost had now gone up by more than 50% since last year I had decided I would defer renewal until I had all the information entered onto my desktop. Is there another program that experienced users would recommend?

  8042. Rosalie

    Totally agree with the multitude of negative responses you have received after deciding not to support FTM. I much prefer having my data under my own control on my own PC and using a website to share the information with other family members. I can do that with My Heritage which does have a software program they support. Will not be renewing this year unless FTM is going to continue.

  8043. Ann Peat

    I’m concerned that there are no publishing/printing report features on the present online tree. I think any serious researcher would not want their only copy of their tree to be online. Not having Tree Sync multiples the work. Have you thought about these issues?

  8044. Tammy

    I have spent almost 20 years using FTM. I can’t believe you are just leaving us in the dark with no format to change it to but your own. Sounds a little greedy to me. Please don’t do this, I will have to start all over

  8045. Tom Sandford

    Denis Healey, who died recently and who was a distinguished UK politician had a saying: ‘When you are in a hole stop digging’. Ancestry.com are in a hole – the decision to withdraw FTM is causing them enormous reputational damage and will apparently lose them huge numbers of long term customers and cause then a major financial hit. I am not aware if Ancestry is listening to the feedback, but if they are not, the hole is getting deeper!

    Ancestry’s customers are also in a hole. You only have to read all the feedback to see the time and trouble that customers are going to expend to get away from Ancestry, so they feel they are in control of their own genealogy.

    Corporately Ancestry have shown they do not understand their own market. The technology world is moving towards Cloud Computing and away from local desk top computing. Most large, small and medium sized companies now use some form of Cloud Computing. As an example Amazon, as a provider of web services, makes more money from Amazon Web Services than it does out of selling ‘stuff’. BUT and this is a huge ‘BUT’, genealogy is a hugely personal interest and if you are compiling your family’s history, you want to have full control of it on your PC and not be dependent on a website somewhere in the cloud. So the cloud computing business model cannot be extended to the individual compiling their own family history.

    So my conclusion is that a technology compromise is necessary and that Ancestry should listen to its customers.

    I have a suggestion. Is there a way that Ancestry could identify say half a dozen of its customers who could negotiate a compromise that would satisfy both parties. The customer ‘team’ would obviously need to have expertise in genealogy, but some of them must have an understanding of technology and how it is changing and how business and technology together are changing. For the avoidance of doubt this customer team should not include me.
    There are a number of social networking and other IT ‘platforms’ that could be used. I am sure Ancestry could identify the ideal platform for negotiating a compromise solution.

    I can already think of some compromises. I am sure that with the right people on each side some innovative solutions can be found to satisfy both sides.

    Let me pay Ancestry a compliment. You have been very brave and open to publish all the feedback. Now you have the feedback I suggest it is time to react.

    Ancestry – are you listening? Over to you to respond!

  8046. Patty

    This is very unfortunate for all the users. You built a great product that many people have come to rely on then just pulled the rug out from underneath us all. A respectable company would have had a transition plan in place before the announcement to discontinue FTM. It is your many subscribers that built your company…now what are you going to do when they are gone? At least you gave us a years notice so we can gravitate our info elsewhere.

  8047. Elaine

    This is very sad, and such short notice. I would have liked to update to the most current version, but appears I am to late. Giving a notice like this around the Holidays was your loss. Your online platform is not user friendly and difficult to see everything I want to. I probably will let my subscription expire. Most of the things I do are within the software and not online.

  8048. Jon

    So, after a few years “off” from doing research, I thought this was the year to reinstate my ancestry.com subscription, and update/upgrade my Family Tree Maker software. So I responded to an ancestry.com email and reinstated. Then went looking to purchase the current version of Family Tree Maker. And discovered this debacle. “In the old days” I never used the ancestry site, because as many here have pointed out, it didn’t have much of the functionality of FTM, esp. report formatting, etc. The “new and improved” site is even worse and so “dumbed-down” as to be laughable. Seems ancestry.com is going for the lowest common denominator, and in the process they’re alienating the real backbone of their customer base: the serious users who build whatever solid trees and data there is out there. Well, I turned around and cancelled my reinstated subscription to ancestry.com, and will be considering ALL my options. Because ancestry.com is so much less valuable without FTM.

  8049. Kenneth B BrockSr

    Seems like Ancestry.com wants us to get out of the way so they can gain more funds from other sources. I will be withdrawing my family tree and dropping my subscription wehn the notice comes to renew which is soon I hope. I find it rather disgusting to have put in so much time and effort into my tree by using the FTM software and now to have it jerked out from under me because of some money grubbing company officer’s stupid thinking. I hope Ancestry.com looses it’s shirt with this decision.

  8050. Pat

    I too, like so many others, am so disappointed with this decision to discontinue FTM. I have been using FTM since the mid 1990’s- and have convinced many of my family and friends to also use this easy to love and easy to use software. Please reconsider this highly hurtful decision and find a way to continue FTM. If you really do appreciate our feedback it should be clear what you need to do now.

  8051. Glyn

    Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Your existing loyal subscribers will be looking for other websites and programmes.

  8052. JayPak

    Very disappointed in being forced onto the new Ancestry. I was about to start recording my tree offline with FTM. Now have purchased RootsMagic and Legacy. Hope they will be able to sync with Ancestry in the future. Until then I will be canceling my subscription to Ancestry.

  8053. JB

    Deeply disappointed in Ancestry for this decision. It hurts that you’ve made something that was a joyful hobby, a painful and tedious task to transition to something that will work for your FTM users. Like many, I’ve used FTM for over 20 years and am at a loss as to next steps to preserve and build on my hard work to date. Appreciate and guidance recommmendations from Ancestry.

  8054. MikeR

    Like so many others, I was shocked and disappointed with this unexpected news. FTM is a longtime and loyal friend with whom I anticipated many fruitful and satisfying years in retirement. Please reconsider.

  8055. Bruce Dawe

    Extremely bad and unreasonable decision. This does not make any sense given the overwhelming support for genealogy software. Foolish from a corporate perspective methinks. Legacy FamilyTree will be pleased.

    Just read your feedback.

    Sincerely,
    Bruce Dawe

  8056. Leon D. Jackson

    I have 27,612 individuals in my family tree in Family Tree Maker 2014. Discontinuing Family Tree Maker without a suitable replacement is not good. You are chopping both the arms and the legs off of my family tree research.

  8057. William

    Well, well, well. So Mr. “Kendall Hulet has served as … Senior Vice President of Product Management at Ancestry since March 2015.” What an extremely stupid and ridiculously crappy example of Product Management!!!

    Why would anyone make such a bone-headed decision to discontinue the Family Tree Maker software? Did you save a dime on the bottom line of your profit and loss statement, Mr. Kendall? Or did you get a super-duper vacation bonus for your hard work?

    I’ve been a Family Tree Maker customer for 20+ years. Because even the basic Ancestry membership is way too expensive, and therefore unaffordable for me, I do not subscribe to any of your online services. And for personal reasons, I have not and will not upload my family tree to any website.

    However, except for needing some serious upgrades to its report producing capabilities, FTM has always been the best software I have found to record and compile my family tree data.

    Even though I have over 25 years in the IT industry, I do not use Facebook or Twitter or any other social media site. I don’t have, want, or need a “smart” phone. And I don’t need apps that work on a mobile phone, laptop, notebook, or any other mobile device. As for my family tree research, all I do need is good genealogical software that runs on my desktop computer. Family Tree Maker WAS that software!!!

    Mr. Kendall, as a former paying customer I have to ask again, why would anyone make such a bone-headed decision to discontinue the FTM software?

    Here’s hoping you are soon reassigned to the position of Senior Vice President of BATHROOM Management. You seem to be well qualified in making shi**y decisions.

  8058. Maria

    As a Swede there are better sites to do my ancestry research on than Ancestry. ArkivDigital.se has re-photographed all Swedish church records in color. They also have a much better interface for scrolling through and viewing the different pages. The Swedish National Archives have most if not all the Swedish records that Ancestry has. Most Swedes have their family tree on MyHeritage and not on Ancestry. So why do I have my family trees on Ancestry? Is it because of the leaves? Absolutely not! The leaf feature is at least 99% inaccurate and should always be used with caution. However, I prefer(red) the layout and workability of my family trees on Ancestry as compared to MyHeritage. A major drawback to Ancestry is that there’s no point in adding source citations to the people in your trees because you won’t be able to access these records when you’re no longer a paying member. For a while I would go around this problem by printing pages from ArkivDigital, scan them and then upload the image to Ancestry. That was very time consuming especially the upload stage to Ancestry. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the data you generate after just a few generations of research and w/o a proper way to organize this data it’s hard to do effective research. In comes the Family Tree Maker where I can add, organize and store my data. The ability to sync my FTM trees with my online trees at Ancestry was a useful plus. I don’t mind having my tree on Ancestry as it has allows me to find a handful of people who are related to me. However, without FTM I don’t know if Ancestry is useful to me. As a company you should be careful with what you do. You might find that a lot of people are members of Ancestry because of FTM and w/o this software your site just isn’t as useful anymore.

  8059. Will H

    Using FTM is the only way to print out, publish and backup Ancestry.com trees, while maintaining the links with family photos and other documents attached to the ree. Taking away FTM will be a huge problem, because Ancestry.com is not capable of creating a reliable replacement for FTM. The constant problems with the hint system and other features of Ancestry.com prove that. Very poorly managed company.

  8060. Peggy

    I have been using FTM, Ancestry and DNA searching for many, many years and have over 7500 persons in my information. Ancestry has become less useful because of the search engines and the others more useful for any real researcher although the actual records are valuable. We all need a way to provide a program like FTM to pass on our info to our family members so it will not be lost so our question is how do we do this. I am sorry to say that most all new Ancestry search methods are harder to use and of less value than they once were and it seems to be only the bottom line that interests you. I appreciate that need but expect value for many years of use and support to your company. I have not uploaded my information and we all fear losing years of work so is there any alternative other than giving up all our personal hard research to Ancestry? I do not think anyone minds paying a fair price for a valued service but losing control of our personal research is not a good faith option. I share openly with other family members but want my work available for my family without a forever charge.

  8061. Helen

    9000 posts and counting …. I haven’t read them all, but I certainly haven’t seen a single one applauding this move! Anyway, rest assured, you can purchase Roots Magic for a mere $20 and transfer ALL your information (photos, documents, notes) from FTM 2014 with absolutely no problem at all. If you ask for help, you’ll get it, personalised not generic like Ancestry spout, within a day or two – not a week or two like Ancestry. And no, I do not work for Roots Magic – I was as distraught as everyone else at the announcement about FTM being discontinued.
    You can try Roots Magic free, to make sure it imports your files correctly.
    Oh dear, Ancestry – did you REALLY think we’d all toe the line and transfer our years of hard work to your inadequate website? And did you SERIOUSLY think there wouldn’t be other companies out there who would welcome us (and our money) with open arms? I even feel (having had a long unresolved issue with FTM) that Roots Magic actually LIKE me as a customer and want to help me! It’s novel after my years of experience as an undervalued customer with Ancestry.
    I could say “Farewell Ancestry”, but you know, I really hope you don’t!

  8062. Gary

    FTM provided the fundamental database tools needed to manage the data and create reports, while the online site has virtually no capability to do either, it merely facilitated finding information. A serious user really needs both to accomplish anything. FTM isn’t perfect, but it is essential. Without it to make Ancestry more functional, it isn’t clear why anyone would stay with Ancestry.

  8063. Catherine

    I already had a copy of the program for my PC and recently before this announcement bought an updated copy for my new MAC only to find out it is being discontinued. I loved the program, and am disappointed in this move. I’ve been preparing documentation for older family members who do not use a computer, and the program was invaluable. I much rather have the data saved on my computer, than only hosted on on website. Especially given the amount of hours put into research. Please reconsider this decision.

  8064. Lori

    This is absolutely the worst news ever regarding Family Tree Maker. I have been using the program for a long time and prefer the desktop functionality over the web. If you really appreciate our feedback (9000+), please re-consider your decision to eliminate this invaluable tool!

  8065. Misty

    I have a lot of medical issues and for the last year, using FTM has gotten my mind off myself and made me come alive again. I just bought the $80.00 upgrading to FTM 2015 and getting a manual. With all the posts, can you not see the people want FTM? Your supposed to give what your people want, not what you want. Please reconsider your decision.

  8066. Karen Vlasaty

    How will I make Family Pedigree sheets for my relatives, if I can’t access FTM? This is not a good idea. I don’t understand it.

  8067. Susan

    Is there a way to delete your family tree on Ancestry without being a current member? I had to drop my subscription last summer. I think that there are a lot of people who posted to this blog who would like to know if this is possible.

    AND – I was about to renew my membership again – SIGH ! ! !

  8068. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ME! Due to the holidays in Nov. & Dec. this is the news I receive when I get on my emails! Literally I’m sick to my stomach to think of what everyone will have to go through to transfer their information to another style of your choosing. I’m a novice on the computer & to have another program forced upon us is disheartening. Please if you don’t rethink this decision, at least make to alternative an easy transition for all of us, with over 14,000 names in my Family Tree Maker I’m VERY worried.

  8069. Charles

    This totally sucks! There are endless posts in the same vein before this, so I will not reiterate.

    What I have NOT seen is Ancestry’s response to overwhelming (paying) user complaints. Hopefully, they will reconsider.

    Ancestry, you have a lot of loyal supporters out here, and you’re not reciprocating!

  8070. C. Measham

    Terrible news. Toss the customers. Loyal paying customers for years and years, out with the trash. I’m sick to hear this, and mystified to think why you are doing this. Reconsider, support your serious genealogy consumer who does not work through an ‘app’, or you’ll lose us all. We don’t want to go, that’s why we’ve stayed for years touting your No. 1 position in the field. You’ll be a shadow of your former self, and having lost our trust, never see us again. It’s not too late to reverse this crazy decision.

  8071. Tom

    Firstly, Ancestry, your decision to “retire” FTM is probably the worse corporate decision since the Coke fiasco.
    Secondly, why does Kendall Hulet have to bum himself up at the lead of every article he posts – talk about big-headedness!
    Thirdly, as a long-time subscriber to what was the best genealogy site on the internet and having almost completed a “Whole Graveyard” study compiling a genealogical history of a graveyard in Scotland with over a thousand marked and four thousand unmarked graves I am at a loss to understand the decision which will render my researches meaningless and inaccessible to the genuine genealogist after the end of 2016!
    Finally, to all those reading this blog realise that every time they open their FTM file they are immediately connected to the internet and Ancestry can access all their files whether the user wants them to or not!! I currently am operating two laptops so that I can now add detail to my FTM without Ancestry accessing my updating files. I suggest that all users make sure that their open tree is offline at all times.
    Oh and finally, finally – I will cancel my World subscription as soon as I have completed my current project.
    Can Ancestry really stand the loss of so many subscriptions??

  8072. Ed

    I understand Ancestry’s reason for this dastardly deed, but I don’t think Ancestry.com’s management understands or appreciates the vociferous objections of the client base. I am somewhat relieved that I started doing most of my genealogy work on MyHeritage.com, Geni and some other sites a few years ago when I perceived that Ancestry.com was concentrating on expending the customer base with the new search engine while abandoning those of us who do not want an overly intuitive search tool that makes it harder to access previously accessed sources. It seems programed to direct the search to the most obvious data and NOT the data actually being sought. You have not thought through the continuing uses/needs of experienced users. As a subscriber since pre-2000, I will probably be saying good-bye, good riddance!

  8073. Mulley

    There is one thing more alarming than the decision to cancel FTM sync & support in January 2017. That is the fact that so many people seem to think that they will lose everything or have to re-enter everything manually into another program.

    I mainly use a desktop computer for my daily research but have a laptop for travel. I recently upgraded to Windows 10 on the laptop as a test and all my programs and files stayed installed and work perfectly. I then did this on an even older laptop with the same good results. FTM will continue to work, probably for many years. Operating systems are getting better about that.

    I have also downloaded the free versions of Legacy and Ancestral Quest to see what they are like. There is a page on familysearch.org that links to all the genealogy program’s websites. All you have to do is export your FTM file as a gedcom file and import it into the other program. I have done this with several trees with no problem. Even my custom facts transferred. Of course there is no sync function but if ancestry continues with this decision many of us will leave ancestry so it won’t be needed anyway. The only people left will be those that are not serious about their research.

    One reason ancestry.com is so poor is because of the lack of reports that you have on FTM. Well these other two programs have way more reports to choose from. Many of these reports and other features and tools are only available in the paid versions but you can test each program over the next year and see what you do or do not like about each one before making a purchase.

    I sincerely hope ancestry does not leave us in the dirt but if they do, well, we have many, many other choices and are free to walk away from them.

  8074. Mulley

    One more thing to note is that if I leave ancestry because of this decision all of my tree online will be deleted. I love being able to share my research with others who have similar interests but if I leave ancestry my work will too.

  8075. lreops

    Where will we be able to see your response to all of the previous mentioned concerns??? Best response would be that you are reconsidering this change!!

  8076. Cecil

    I only hope that some other genealogy software like maybe RootsMagic will be allowed to syn with Ancestry soooooon!! I am considering RootsMagic to replace FTM but also plan on keeping Ancestry.

  8077. If you can have the ability to back up your entire tree with GEDCOM, pictures, recordings, stories, records, vitals, and so on, in other worlds “everything”, that would be a great solution now that you have announced that you will not longer be supporting Family Tree Maker and the Sync option. What were are all desperately wanting is a way to keep backing up our work. Even though Ancestry.com is cloud based, each individual nees to be able to back up their family history. Currently this option is not available. Currently you only have “Export your family tree data, as a GEDCOM file, to your computer.”

    Please add in backup!

    Rdohm1 – Rodger Dohm
    760-484-4392
    rdohm@lycos.com

  8078. Graham

    I am very disappointed to learn of this decision. Although I might understand Ancestry.com changing its business model, it seems that you are leaving your loyal customers “high and dry” without an option to research privately before sharing information publicly. PLEASE revisit this decision with your customers in mind!

  8079. Bill Gmelin

    I was very disappointed to learn that Family Tree Maker will no longer be offered. FTM is consistently rated above all other genealogical software and I have even seen it rated as high as 10/10. This is obviously a quality program and it is very rare for any product to get these types of reviews. I don’t understand why your company is just throwing it away. Even if the software is not profitable, it certainly adds a great deal of value to Ancestry.com as a whole. I would say that there will probably be less of a need for Ancestry.com and less exposure of it’s brand. I am hopeful that you will recognize what an unfortunate error this decision has been.

  8080. Phil

    This is the wrong decision at the wrong time. Either the management at Ancestry will listen to this chorus of dissatisfaction and reverse this foolish decision, or they will ignore it and lose the support of thousands of customers. If they take the latter action then senior management will have consigned the company’s future to the dustbin.

  8081. Mike

    Damm. I was just about to upgrade my subscription from a month to month to a full year and buy the FTM software but now that i’ve read this news I’m going to look elsewhere.

  8082. Mike

    Ok people. Ancestry has shown us the door. I know we can save .ged files to our computers. What software or other site options do we have that will work well with the saved .ged files?
    Saying this also makes me realize that Ancestry may consider instituting a blocking mechanism to prevent such downloads and try to force people to stay with them.

  8083. Mike

    Ok people. Ancestry has shown us the door. I know we can save .ged files to our computers. What software or other site options do we have that will work well with the saved .ged files?
    Saying this also makes me realize that Ancestry may consider instituting a blocking mechanism to prevent such downloads and try to force people to stay with them. I dont trust them any longer.

    btw… i’ve had the same problems with their site constantly freezing / crashing as others have mentioned and i really do not like their “new look”.

  8084. When I initially started to create a family tree a few years ago, I tried various free software offerings and found them all to be fairly clunky – the user interfaces felt like stepping back in time to the days of Window 95 or even earlier in many cases.
    People recommended I try FTM & so I purchased a copy & found that it did most of what I wanted it to. Sure, there were a few issues, but more recent versions fixed a lot of these.
    The reasons I went for software rather than doing everything online was that I found there were many tasks that I was unable to complete online, and as far as I am aware, this is still the case.
    Not only that, but I like being able to have a local backup. It is my data & I like to be able to make multiple copies of it, so that it is always going to be there & accessible in other ways if anything should happen. What happens in 5 years time, when Ancestry decides to End of Life their existing online offerings – in favour of whatever happens to be flavour of the month then? We are left completely high & dry – with the data that was already locked into their system left locked in completely.
    I think discontinuing the software is a poor decision, motivated only by the desire to have more control over the users and to use them as a continuous revenue stream.
    Looking through the comments here, you have annoyed a colossal amount of people and I am sure many more have yet to comment. Is it really worth it?

  8085. Brenda

    I have an older version of FTM and recently purchased a new computer with updated software. My old version will not work on this computer. I was ready to purchase a new updated version of FTM only to find out you are no longer making it available. VERY Disappointing! I also was a subscriber for a number of years even though it was more money than I should have paid. I will be looking for something else but I sure hate the idea of having to re-enter hundreds of names into a new program.

  8086. Susan

    So I get an e-mail wanting me to return to Ancestry.com with a promise of 1/2 price. I came SO close to renewing until I stumbled on your plans to discontinue FTM. Therefore, I will not be renewing. This is a betrayal of all your loyal customers. As for everyone else out there who is upset over this all I can say is “WALK AWAY”… don’t sign for new memberships. Don’t renew current ones. Since Ancestry singlehandedly made this decision without even thought of consulting the users, then let them live with what they did. There are other ways to access information. Ancestry is just one of the many warehouses for this information. WALK AWAY if you wish to make an impact.

  8087. Paul Bledsoe

    Does this mean I have to pay an Ancestry membership every year for the rest of my life in order to access and maintain my genealogy work? Frankly, I do not like sharing everything I do, because I put real research work into it. Bad enough that some of my family members have simply copied my tree, without asking for any of the sources. Thanks for making the decision for me. I will NOT renew my ancestry subscription. I’ll go back to the libraries and courthouses.

  8088. Teresa

    I will not renew my subscription in February. I think you have treated your customers with no regards!

  8089. Paul

    I will not be renewing my subscription in March as well. I found FTM to be the superior interface to the website/APP for research and analysis.

  8090. Sherri

    DISAPPOINTED!. I find typing difficult due to MS. So a few years ago I upgraded FTM because it offered Treesync, which helped me to enjoy my hobby again. I anticipate that Ancestry will compensate for the cost. Money doesn’t grow on TREES, just people.

  8091. Rod

    FTM is the master repository for my family history data. I will alway maintain control of my research on my PC. I sync the data with the online tree to share it with others. I will not be using Ancestry online tree as my master. I will be changing to another product, probably Roots Magic, and with no sync function, my online ancestry tree will not be supported. See how it works, Ancestry? You cut support so I cut support.

  8092. Dawn

    Goodbye Ancestry! No longer interested in Genealogy, just M$NEY$. Goal is to get you to use only the online features so they can mine your data and work! Has been less and less useful over the past couple years and is now suitable only for newbies to get taken! No more free info from this part of the world!

  8093. This is a very bad decision on Ancestry’s part! I don’t like the new online Family Tree format either – too much distracting info on the desktop (timeline). As a researcher for our family organization, it will distressing to report to our membership that there is a time limit for our sharing family info, using GEDCOMs or reports with FTM. Our making connections with records gives Ancestry an instant method to provide shaking leaf hints to all of its subscribers for that document. You’re cutting off a huge resource for your services by stopping FTM.
    VERY, VERY disappointed in this decision.

  8094. Chris

    I can’t find a comment from anyone who thinks this is a good idea! I agree with what most people have said, that it’s a bad decision on Ancestry’s part. I also don’t like the new online Family Tree format at all. It certainly hasn’t made navigation easier in my opinion.

  8095. maxine

    Oh No!
    i have used ancestry a lot and thou i have problems with the new one, i keep on,
    What will happen to our Families Trees we have contributes to ancestry ?
    I Agree with most of you public, consider us. ?

  8096. Stan

    I agree with the overwhelming majority that the decision to discontinue FTM is poor. This will likely cause a lot of people to drop out of Ancestry.com and this will end up costing you more than you are attempting to save….not a good long-term momentary decision in my opinion. Please reconsider.

  8097. Jack

    For you people that want to upgrade to the 2014 version, EBay has copies available at about $22-24 each with a CD. you might want to get them soon since Ancestry could try to stop there sale or buy up the rest of the copies

  8098. Sean

    Ancestry.com suffers from poor usability and lacks advanced features desired by those who are serious about genealogy. This is a bad, bad decision. If this is just about money, why not charge an annual fee for both, with a license expiring after 12 months?

  8099. Kathy

    What can I say that 100s of extremely unhappy people haven’t said before me?! Just add me to that ever growing list. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO ABOUT MY DATA?!! I refuse to keep it online or use a web-based version.

  8100. Linda

    I am so disappointed because I use and like FTM and have for many years. I will spend the next few months looking for a best alternative for my family tree information.

  8101. Shelia

    Ditto all the negative comments above. I was just about to update my FTM software but won’t now – I will be looking for an alternative software program. In addition, am seriously considering canceling\not renewing my Ancestry subscription. Very poor decision – seems to be strictly financial on your part and disloyal to your customers. Would be wonderful if Ancestry were to reconsider its decision, but – if it goes with way of most Big Corporations – you probably won’t. . .tragic!

  8102. Jeanette

    I am saddened by this news. I have been using FTM since 1995, I have been a full subscriber to the ancestry site for years. I have tried other applications in the past and was never as pleased as I was with FTM. I do not want my file all online, I do not like the way that Ancestry Online handles sources and other details, and the limitations of a generic Online tree. I have spent 25 years building books, and reports that I do not want to lose. With over 20,000 individuals in my main tree I am at a loss on what I will use next.

  8103. Tim

    It does appear that all good things must come to an end. I too am said to say goodbye. Farewell old friend.

    Loyal FTM customer from its inception until May 2017

  8104. Jim

    I will not be renewing my Ancestry membership. The link between FTM and Ancestry was the reason I continued to maintain the subscription.

  8105. Mary

    Kendall Hulet should be FIRED!!! Fortunately I have an expired credit card listed with them, so HA HA! you can’t renew me ever again!!!

  8106. Jamie

    I too am very upset by this news. This is an example of Ancestry totally ignoring its true customer base. Most of us do not want to rely on trusting a faceless corporation with preserving our family history “on the cloud”. We rely on our desktop software to be the primary archive of this information. Without the integration between the website and my personal software, I see no reason to maintain my Ancestry subscription either. Shame on you!

  8107. Richard

    Hmmm, While good software is expensive to produce and maintain, I disagree with their decision. I often have both FTM and the website open simultaneously and make changes in both, trusting sync to reconcile. Many SW features are NOT available on web. I will not leave my information ONLY on their server. I’ve spent thousands of $$ over the decades on FTM and later, subcription fees. The 500 pound gorilla does what he wants. We’re the puny weaklings who are getting stomped. I’ll find another solution in the coming year. See ya !!!

  8108. jj

    Thank you Ancestry 🙂
    You have done me a GREAT favor!
    I went shopping for a replacement for you and have been totally surprised by the depth of OTHER software programs competing for my business.
    I now know it is truly a blessing to leave you.
    I will be getting something SO MUCH BETTER.
    Everyone interested…..look at Family Historian 6.0 and Legacy 8.0. They put Ancestry to shame…….

  8109. Roy

    Very disappointing! Will you be giving long-time FTM (and Ancestry.com) users a comparable alternative recommendation?

  8110. Patti

    I just heard today about FTM being discontinued. I have worked so hard on my FTM as well as ALLOWING Ancestry to enjoy the benefits of my work. I think you are making a big mistake to many loyal FTM users and Ancestry subscribers by no longer supporting FTM. I hope that there will be reconsideration after review of the current 9,092 comments above mine!

  8111. MattEngr

    My yearly subscription runs out in November 2016; when it will not be renewed! This decision shows no commitment to the thousands of people who pay your wages and give you profits. Goodbye Ancestry.com

  8112. Anita

    The main reason I use FTM is for the report and book functionalities of the tool. Will you be offering this type of function online in Ancestry.com? Without a report or book function, there is no way to export data from my online family tree, therefore, all my data sits on your server where I cannot print reports to share with my family. This is such an important function of anyone using your subscription and FTM. MyCanvas does not offer the same reports or the same book options as FTM. What is the alternative?

  8113. msandlin62

    When are we going to get some answers to these questions. I mean the simplest of functions like running a report is impossible with ancestry. I cant understand why Ancestry is stalling on these functions and no information is being sent out. I take that as if they are waiting to see how many people they will lose in the initial shock and then slowing make changes over the years to allot for increased membership fees. I would like to be able to download the whole tree ( NOT A GEDCOM FILE) becasue I have done this 4 times and none of the pictures or documents I have uploaded will download. Please, Please give us some answers so we can get on with our lives and our passion for doing family research.

  8114. Tom McClure

    I also believe this is a very poor decision. I agree with all the comments that were made especially for the FTM ability to create reports. When I say this I also started comparing my web notes to notes I have made in FTM and the notes or additional events entered in FTM don’t seem to sync to the Web version. That means a lot of information lost! Ancestry needs to reconsider this strategy!

  8115. Pam Whitby

    I am absolutely disgusted that Ancestry is retiring Family Tree Software! After many years of research and use I am now being told that my efforts have all been in vain!! The Ancestry website, whilst useful when researching online, is no comparison to the FTM desktop version. I have spent hours and hours inputting information into a product I thought would only improve only to find out that after next January will no longer be supported and retired. I am sure many people feel as I do and I think we should form a steering committee to decide what to do next. Anybody willing to join?

  8116. edgris1

    Family Tree Maker has always been feature filled and user friendly. The online family tree functionality at Ancestry.Com is feature limited and user unfriendly.
    Yes, I’m sure that the desktop software market is contracting somewhat (and now that you have stopped selling Family Tree Maker, you will see the sales drop to zero). When support for Family Tree Maker goes away in January of 2017, you will also see the (expensive) subscriptions to Ancestry.Com drop by 75% among FTM owners… as they move to other sources of data and other desktop software programs. It’s a shame that this decision was motivated money.

  8117. jlharrelson

    I am heartbroken and frustrated. I have used ftm for 30 years or longer. I refused to upload my data to Ancestry until you offered sync. That gave me another backup that I have actually used because my computer died. That is the only reason I gave you my data. Now that you have it, you are going to capitalize on it and at the same time take away my ability to have my own data base. I have volumes of notes, my own sources, tons of pictures and scanned documents and God only knows what else of which you plan to take complete control . Ftm is software that I can use any time and anywhere. I don’t need the internet when I am in some graveyard or archives doing research. With over 7000 names, I can’t take books along to do research and shouldn’t have to in 2016. I understand the costs involved, but you need to understand the customer is always right. Of all the messages above that I read, I did not see one that was in favor of your decision. I too will shorten my membership to Ancestry. While paying for an annual membership and not using it each month, I will now subscribe on an as needs basis. I urge you to reconsider your decision from all points of view, the customer as well as your profit. I am 72 years old and don’t need to try to find another vendor that could possibly take all my data without losing any much less learn a new product. For those of us who have recommended your product over the years, we do not deserve to be treated this way. In addition, no one will want to recommend a product when the vendor takes its patrons so lightly.

  8118. Chris

    Mr. Hulet:

    I have a few things to politely ask.

    1. Please reverse your decision to discontinue developing and supporting the Family Tree Maker software with its vital ability to sync with the online Ancestry trees.

    2. If you will not reverse your decision, please choose as promptly as possible another software developer/provider and allow that software to integrate via syncing with the online family trees.

    3. PLEASE step forward and give us all an update on this issue. I realize you already stated your intention to discontinue the software; but it should be obvious that there are quite a few people in shock, to put it nicely, about the decision, and are imploring you to change your mind. I know you might feel like the leader of some country that is listening to the angry mob outside the palace, but how about you step out on the balcony and at least confirm that this software is definitely being discontinued, and if so where we may go if anywhere to find a software vendor you are going to work with and allow to sync with your site.

    We have been dedicated to using FTM and Ancestry, helped build your company. How about at least step up and confirm all of this so the ones hanging on like me can start the very long and tedious process of migration to other software.

    Please.

  8119. Ian May

    This very disappointing. I have spent a lot of money on that software, including paying for a n upgrade version.

    Come the end of 2016 I will close my Ancestry account and take my custom elsewhere.

    Goodbye
    Ian May

  8120. Ryan M

    I’m very disappointed to hear this. For many reasons (including privacy concerns), I have full information on FTM, but do not have everything on ancestry.com. This is very disappointing to hear, especially given that FTM started out as their own company which you acquired and are now retiring. I will certainly be looking at other alternatives instead of Ancestry as a result of this, as I’m sure many amateur and professional genealogists will be doing as well.

  8121. Kevin H

    Just to add another voice. This is quite a blow to those of us who have used FTM for YEARS building up our personal history. Please reconsider this decision

  8122. Tom Taroni

    How do I do “Places” on the online version. I too am going to cancel if this is not an option.

  8123. Brandie

    I have been an active (daily) member since 2003. If you discontinue FTM I will be forced to leave.

  8124. Dwight

    I was upset at first but now I am finding that it is a blessing in disguise that they are retiring FTM even though I have used it for several years always verifying the information before syncing it to my online tree. I thought I had been careful and only used hints that I was sure were verifiable and could be documented. I have spent hour after hour trying to verify a hint before I accepted it. I did not even use other people’s public trees as sources. For the last few weeks. I have started using Legacy 8.0 on a converted FTM GEDCOM file. I cannot believe all the errors I have found when I ran the GEDCOM file through Legacy. Some of errors the Legacy program points out were blatantly obvious once. I am having to delete large number of people that have erroneously been interred that I was sure correct when I added them. I am finding the vast majority of the Ancestry.com hints are unreliable and gimmicks they have used to get people to sign up and are garbage. They only come up a match because of some IT person’s computer program who has no concept good genecology research just matching coincidental bits of data. Thus garbage in online syncing to FTM is garbage out. People should be very careful in accepting their hints. They are just teasers to sell their system and make fancy TV commercials. I looked at their board of directors and none of them are genealogist. So thanks Ancestry for removing FTM and forcing me to learn the hard and forcing me to delete people and facts that in no way belong in my tree. Now I am going to have to spend hours cleaning up even my small trees with only a few hundred people. So hats off to Legacy for developing a program that does a better comparison of facts makes me look more carefully at data. And thanks to ancestry for inadvertently showing me just how genealogical poor your data banks and programs both on and off line are.

  8125. Paul

    Unbelievably bad PR. Have used FTM since 1990s and thankfully never uploaded my data. BUT like the 10,000 others, I’ll be looking for ways to convert to another software. Goodbye Ancestry.Stupid.

  8126. Keith Z

    I have been doing genealogical research for over 35 years. I’ve found FTM to be the best out there. For diehard genealogists, i.e., those that manage information, still to be confirmed, I found FTM a better tool than Ancestry. Believe me, I love both, however, I’m still confused as to the technical cost to Ancestry of a mature and flexible product like FTM. Please reconsider removing product. I know of many new genealogists who prefer to start out with a local client like FTM, before providing their data to Ancestry. I believe this will actually cause a setback to Ancestry’s progress with new clients.

  8127. Anne

    I downloaded a copy of MacFamily Tree 7 which connects to Family Search. Has anyone tried importing their gedcom file to this software yet? How did it go?

  8128. Richard Smith

    I have a suggestion for all who say they WILL cancel their subscription. Do it NOW! Since Ancestry does not give refunds you will still have full access to your database and research tools until your subscription end date. But cancelling now will stop Ancestry’s auto-renew function, it will allow you to state WHY you are cancelling and it will cast your vote on Ancestry’s idiotic decision. I also made my database private and removed search permission. I intend to delete it just before my subscription rights end. Don’t just complain, take action!

  8129. Peter

    Since this bombshell I have been trying to work on the Ancestry site as an experiment. Can I say it is awful, and I add my name to those above who say they will look for an alternative to FTM.

  8130. Linda

    PLEASE DON’T! You could take a page from Netflix’ experience…not everyone wants/needs streaming/online only. There’s got to be a way to make this work for you and keep all the FTM customers happy, and I hope you find it!

  8131. K.L.

    Well, I saw this coming. I noticed when Ancestry started buying up so many “free” genealogical websites and archived databases–all free, as well as Fold3, death & burial data sites, and several other websites, I knew that greed was taking over what started with Broderbund as a very good tool for hobbyists to search their family lines. Been a customer since 1995. Now so many are pushed off the cliff since Ancestry has gotten everyone to upload their family research and can charge to see it now. They took personal research and will probably now charge you back to access it. I never uploaded mine for this reason. I do have an older copy of FTM, but did not sync it to the website. I consider my research as proprietary. I will share with family members, but not a general population. I recommend same to others as a genealogist for nearly 35 years. Ditto, the now gone, MyFamily.com which was eliminated only a few years back. It was a great ride, now gone, since it could not be controlled or adequate profit. Greedy, greedy, greedy, and a sign of the times. Folks, take your GEDCOM files and look at the 8 other good software packs on the market, and do your own work away from the host website! Use Ancestry as a resource only, a tool, if you must, and do your field work and research away from Ancestry’s website if you need to. NARA and other sites can assist. Programmers, find a good way to offer new services and hosting to all that are now without support. FYI, the new format at Ancestry has been horrible and set up for a very inexperienced person to use. Useless, confounding and insulting to everyone who takes their research seriously and wants to get into search engines, get their data, and then get out! The parsing and sort has been awful, and nobody has been listening at Ancestry. There is hope: find another source for your research and hosting & upload your GEDCOM, pull your data off Ancestry if you can and take it home to your own computer for use! I deleted my shoe box holdings last year, and other materials when I saw their indications of how they would sell customer’s data. By the way, I had to correct so many errors in postings and transcriptions on my own, intimately known, family, both from amateur researchers wanting high numbers in their trees, and Ancestry! There are really good sources on line for searching your ancestors and for proving data. Do the field research and get off your desktop to verify your data! I did it, and have over 8500 ancestors in mine. Mostly confirmed and researched long before Ancestry or FTM.

  8132. Kathy

    Pam Whitby: Forming a steering committee sounds like a good idea for those interested in collaborating with others interested in a new product that meets their genealogical needs.

    As a long time user of Family Tree Maker and Ancestry.com I’ve been panicked about Ancestry.com’s decision to discontinue a product that has so much appeal. My husband is a professional software developer and is in the process of designing a new family tree application that will allow me to replace Family Tree Maker as my at home software solution. Shortly he will be launching a Facebook page to recruit interested people with input to our product and possible beta testers. The name of our new software is Our Family Lineage. If you or others are interested…Stay tuned.

  8133. jeanne

    your customers are speaking – are you listening – please do not stop FTM and Tree Sync. I fear if you do not change your mind that alot of customers will walk away.

  8134. George

    Pease people, wipe your tears and go to MyHeritage. I did and I regret the years I spent with Ancestry.com. They bend over backward to help you.

  8135. Dale

    I have a huge investment of time and money in FTM. Your on-line service is not nearly as useful or friendly. Please reconsider.

  8136. michael_sandlin62

    If you move to a different service how do we get all the pictures and other media to transfer. I have tried several and the tree comes over but none of my media will move. I called in and I was told that we will not be able to download the full tree with all the data. I cant even print them out so I am just about to wipe the whole tree out. 2500 names..

  8137. michael_sandlin62

    Kathy that would be great please contact me when you have something. I have been trying to figure out a way to get all my pictures and media files downloaded.

  8138. Jim B.

    I hope Ancestry rethinks this decision. Personally I don’t like the new website. Too much flash and “extra” stuff being added in, that to me are worthless. FTM sticks to the basics and thats what I like about it. Its also great for me to work with when I cannot access the internet. If you take this tool away from me, chances are I will move to another software package and move to another site as the core for my research. It’s a shame as I’ve been with Ancestry for nearly 10 years now…

  8139. Peter Allen

    Kathy……Ditto on that from me as well….I have some 250 rare family photos that are all uploaded and detailed out on Ancestry. Now I am stuck with an inadequate system about to be worse in January 2017. Your husband should ask Ancestry for the Source Code and rights to FTM (Mac) I’ll buy it. surprising Ancestry doesn’t go to a subscription system of managing the FTM.

  8140. Brian Broughton

    As it is obvious that Ancestry has no intention to do a U-turn I have now deleted my on-line tree & cancelled my subscription which was due to renew in February: I will be using “The genealogist” which is shortly to release software which will sync with it’s on line “Treeview”.

  8141. Christine

    I got curious as to how many had commented about the passing of the software. At the bottom of the comment window was a note: commenting is open until Monday, 7 March 2016. Most of us who have used your products for 15 years or more won’t need to comment. Our actions will speak louder than words.

  8142. Charles E. Ratliff

    To say that I’m disappointed is an understatement. As a loyal long time (20 years) user/subscriber I wonder now why I placed so much money, confidence AND time with your product. At least I have some time to find another provider before my renewal date. Your decision is poorly thought out and you may regret it in the coming months and years. But hey, business is business.

  8143. sjks

    Well….A very interesting event has occurred here, Ancestry is removing people who comment regarding the problems plaguing FTM GEDCOM files etc. The comments were in no way defaming toward Ancestry and FTM. They just told the truth. Thank goodness I found them before they were removed. I am moving on now and taking at least 10 colleagues with me. We have decided to go to Legacy Deluxe 8.0 and believe me it is an amazing piece of software……goodbye:)

  8144. Dan Brewer

    This is about the worst news possible. I, like others, have been using FTM for decades. And now the plug is being pulled. Please reconsider.

  8145. Sue

    I have only just brought the 2014 update for a second time as I had issues. first issue. I have put in many hours on my family tree and feel let down by ancestry as one of the reasons for buying this program was the ability to add the source. I can only hope you will serious rethink this decision. I will not link my tree with ancestry on line as there are too many personal details that I have no wish to share there is no where to add some information .

  8146. Lesley Wale

    I’ve just upgraded to FTM 2014 and am assuming that everything I save or add over the next year will be synced online but also remain on my desktop. That can’t disappear can it? I hope we will still be able to add to the tree on the desktop and also send as Gedcoms to other family members.

  8147. I thought you would like to know this: As moderator for a group of 50 plus members that take a family tree maker class at the OKC computer club, we have decided to eventually move to Legacy. I have suggested that they get all of their data into FTM, and sync with Ancestry, until the Ancestry sync function no longer works, then export to Legacy. Then at that time in order to avoid updating both on line and off line, quit using ancestry for maintaining a file, and let that file go stale, altho they can still browse ancestry and use it for data if they so desire. However many are going to start doing familysearch data which is free, since they will no longer be syncing with Ancestry.

    I still advise them to maintain an Ancestry account for use with DNA information, altho it wont be as useful as in the past since their file on Ancestry will not be maintained.

    Those are all facts that Ancestry may wish to consider when reviewing their alternatives about pulling family tree maker from the shelf.

    I know I am probably the 10,000th person to comment so I really doubt at this point in time that Ancestry is really reading these comments anymore. I think they have already gotten the idea by now that many folks are not happy. Still I wish them well, and maybe getting with Legacy or roots magic to allow syncing, may be the answer.

    I noticed that the family tree decesion was made by committee and not by one person. I have always found that committee decisions are usually poorly made, and that it is a way for one individual to spread the blame to the whole committee for a poorly made decision. I hope that is not the case here and that in the end both Ancestry and the users of Family Tree Maker will end up with a happy solution.

  8148. Kitty

    My relationship with ancestry.com has become like a marriage whose trust has been violated. It is time for me to get a divorce.

  8149. robertjvan

    And here I just ordered a DNA test, been useing FTM since version 3. Looking at other FT Software companies.

  8150. Marilyn

    This really is Bad! I have over 66 Thousand names in my Tree and have used Family Tree Maker since it was created for Personal Computer, and what happens with the Sync Trees that are online in the cloud! Ancestry needs to come up with something else to help the Customer to make sure that the Program will be functional for the Ancestry Customers still! Sounds like a Class Action Law Suit needs to be performed! I love my ‘Family Tree Maker and what is the Customer suppose to do! Shame on you Ancestry because I am smelling a Scam and Rip off here with the taking us up the Tree!

  8151. John

    Well I suppose it is time to shop for a new offline genealogy software that I can count on to be there in the future. Ancestry will now take a back seat in my box of genealogy software tools. It’s amazing what greed does to one’s being (or not being).

  8152. Anne

    Someone was asking about native Mac software. I downloaded MacFamilyTree and uploaded my gedcom to it. Some glitches, but not too bad. You can choose to keep the database in iCloud and then it will is available on all your devices. I am cautiously optimistic.

  8153. Nancy

    This is crap with discontinuing the software. Just like every one else what do we do now. We dont pay we cant access our on line tree. I would like it on my computer so I can print out report and have hard copies to hand out to the family Now we cant do that and the on line tree dont do that. So like every one else why pay to access our tree with all the years we have spent searching and building trees you want to take it away. Looks like you have enough complaints to bring it back so come off it make people happy
    WHY WHY WHY

  8154. John

    I have been happy with FTM 2012 for years, and was finally ready to upgrade to the latest version when I found this bad news out. BAD DECISION to abandon the desktop software. Any serious researcher is going to work locally on a fast data-rich and feature-rich interface, and not on a slow-updating web interface that encourages data errors. I’m glad that tree-sync will still be available, because I NEVER edit my tree online. FTM allows me to easily determine duplicate and misattributed individuals, and the merge function is fantastic. For you to abandon serious use for your own profit is maddening. When tree-sync or my FTM stops working, I will no longer pay Ancestry anything, and recommend the same to everybody. If this message actually posts after the apparent deadline, and you folks at Ancestry skip over the thousands of disappointed people’s posts to the bottom, please understand that you have made your previously faithful customers extremely dissatisfied.

  8155. KatieMcDonald

    I spent some time wandering around the website as if FTM did not exist and I am left with these questions
    1) How do I link matches to my tree so that it records sources?
    2) How do I create and print pdf descendant reports? pdf trees?
    3) I found some extremely tedious mini videos but they seem to deal with basic searches. There is no question Ancestry has lots of good source material, I already know and have been searching since you first came online. What I need to know is how to do online, what I currently do on FTM?
    4) Finally I have to wonder why Ancestry is making business decisions targeting millennials, when it is us boomers and post boomers spending all the money and doing all the research ?

  8156. Chris

    John, if the only reason you are paying Ancestry anything is to sync your FTM with the online tree, you may as well stop paying now. You can be a registered, non-paying guest member and perform those functions. I cancelled my ACOM subscription in 2010, after years of using it for research. I still maintain a regularly updated tree online. Like you I almost never use the online version for input or editing. I only have the online tree for others to be able to see. If all a person is using ACOM for is sharing an online tree, they shouldn’t have to pay, since they are giving ACOM something they can charge others to search for. From reading the posts above, it seems like ACOM is being deforested…Mr. Hulet, your trees are falling off.

  8157. Bruce

    I am disappointed that FTM will not be supported in the future. I have a copy on both my Mac desktop and Mac laptop. I sync both with my Ancestry.com tree (a bit of a hassle to do it for 2 computers); however, I prefer to add to/edit my tree through FTM. I like having access to my tree when I am not online. It makes it easier to share with others/look up facts when I do not have internet access. Certainly, when I have internet connectivity, it is nice to look up info from my online tree. In addition, I never like relying on anything completely web based. I want to have the files and ability to view the files locally. Overall, I am not happy about the abandonment of FTM Mac.

  8158. Pete

    Mr. Hulet: It’s been 1 month since your obviously unpopular decision, 9k+ comments, and still no reply to the questions and concerns of your customer base. What are you thinking? Or perhaps you are not.

  8159. June

    I have to agree with all the folks who are disappointed with you. When changes were made 2014, I had difficulty working with it for the year, so did not renew. Such a shame your people working on this do not consider many out here were born in the 30,
    40 and 50’s and trying to put together ancestry for grandchildren etc. An app? I don’t think so.

  8160. Denny

    If you really do this and force us to use the online only version, which I don’t care for, my contributions to the cash register will stop!!!!!

  8161. Marion

    I only by accident found out about this today and am very disappointed and upset. I have been using FTM and Ancestry for nearly 20 years and have thousands of names in my database. Why do companies make obsolete perfectly good programs that do what people want and need them to do? It all boils down to the bottom line with not a lot of thought about the user and/or their recourse. These are not games here but research and storage of information that millions have spent a good chunk of money and time compiling. It is history. Please reconsider this decision , it is not a good one. If our feedback is important to you, I suggest you listen carefully.

  8162. sharon hoblit

    I am very confused as to how this all works. If the trees won’t sync, what good does it do to pay for Ancestry? Are there answers anywhere to everyone’s questions? We will have options? Will you reply? I have questions where do I go? Thanks, Sharon

  8163. Maureen Butler

    After reading all of the negative feedback, I need not say anymore. Not sure how you bigwigs think. I also have used FTM for many many years. I hope you truly read all of the “requested” feed backs and change your minds and support FTW I have better thinks to do with my time then redoing all my work.!

  8164. James

    Hugely disappointed. Have used FTM for years and years and all my research is tied up there. Have spent lots of dollars on it over the years. What does it take to change this decision?

  8165. Rubydelboy

    I have just cancelled my annual renewal to Ancestry. I sincerely hope that the board of Ancestry.com views the comments made by the masses of clients. It is not too late to reverse your decision regarding Family tree Maker but to not do so would be very damaging to the company. Fish without chips, bread without butter and bacon without egg is the same as saying Ancestry without Family Tree. Come on directors/board – wake up!!

  8166. Jim

    This is a horrible decision. The website does not have all the options that FamilyTree does, like merging and looking for duplicates. I like to place my notes on FamilyTree and other options before I use Ancestry. I like having a personal copy of many of the documents local instead of relying on the internet. I may have to re-consider continuing this after the software is taken away or perhaps look for a competitor’s software to maintain my tree.

  8167. Barvi

    You have over 9000 responses every one in the negative to shut down FTM. I have used the program since it’s inception sometime in the early 1980’s have expended years of work and money to Ancestry to be told it is all for nothing. One article with no real explanation is not good enough. You need to explain clearly how people can save their data and years of research not merely by using an app or online which is not as capable. You will find that you will lose more by discontinuing FTM than save in the long term.

  8168. John

    My first ever comment is considered a duplicate so the negatives must have been stated in every possible way. I’ve used many versions of FTM but only off-line. Bad move on your part to drop FTM.

  8169. Diane

    This is frustrating, as not only did many purchase this software, but have paid for many upgrades, as well. Very disappointing!

  8170. Brian

    Have version of FTM on my Windows7 laptop. Found out about this Ancestry/FTM issue when checking whether my version is compatible with Windows10. Sympathize with the enormous number of disenchanted Ancestry Users. My advice (albeit too late for many): Do not store your private data solely in a 3rd party’s software/hardware system that does not GUARANTEE to the Owner of the data that it is always accessible, is secure, will not be corrupted and can be conveniently modified/printed/shared. So this means the Owner must possess a robust offline system (including back-up) that is future-proof. The former can be quite difficult but is a lot easier/cheaper than many folks investment in researching Family History. Beware the hype of modern IT. Good Luck.

  8171. Anna

    Kathy, Interested in the Facebook page your husband will create. There are two named Our Family Lineage already. One is open group and one is closed group. I don’t think either one is his??? Somehow can you let us know when it is officially up. Very interested in his software. Thanks!

  8172. TInglimo

    I was devastated to hear this! The biggest reason I chose FTM to begin with is that is has been around a long time and I had faith that it would be around for generations after me to use. I prefer a computer program over being totally online because I don’t necessarily want all of my records, research, etc to be online. I know you can keep some things private but with hackers and other entities…it’s still not totally private. I am seriously hoping you’ll reconsider!!

  8173. Virginia

    Also been a FTM user for years. I am going to try out Roots Magic. They are welcoming us with a discount price for program and their fee of $7.95 a month (for annual access) is appealing. Ends tomorrow!!! Cheaper than Ancestry. Currently waiting on the book before I dive right in. (They sold out.) Seems to be also connected to LDS site . I know at least one of ancestors on their site has a lot of mis-information so I look forward to correcting some trees when I find out how to do so.

  8174. Pat

    I help on a family tree help desk in the local library and recommended FTM and Ancestry to a number of people. I apologise to all of you. I upgraded about a week before this announcement after speaking to the help desk and am very disappointed that nobody said anything at the time. Being charitable I am assuming they did not know. Will have to look for somewhere else now and will not be renewing when my subscription expires.

  8175. Cathy

    I had used paf and converted to ancestry many years ago, as your software was better in not only the links of merging information, but more importantly the reports that are not available on-line. I use the software and the on-line version of Ancestry.
    When I tried to upload my full family tree the size of my files locked up, as Ancestry on-line for some reason could not upload the entire file. I had to split it which continues to be frustrating to work with multiple files.
    I was very disappointed in the newest on-line upgrade, as the layout of the screen and the steps it takes to get to things is a huge step backwards in efficiency, specially the loss of the family group sheet with all the leaves visible on one screen, without having to scroll. When you work on researching each family member that view is invaluable. The new format is quite poor and does not reflect the information on one screen , nor do the leaves appear for all family members on one screen. Lots of scrolling and flipping to other pages is required. With those troubling features,
    I had considered going back to using my software more, because I don’t care for the new on-line layout.
    Now the elimination of the software. While I understand the financial aspects of it, there are some questions that need to be clarified to your existing software customer base:
    1: Is it a correct assumption that whatever version of the software people still have will still work, but you will disconnect the interface to search and merge feature on Ancestry.com. ?
    2. Will the Web search feature ( I have ver. 2012) still work, so there might be some way we could still link into ancestry in some way to do searches (if yes, still a step backwards) and any other workaround?
    3. Will you be adding all the features that we have available to us on software to the on-line (some examples: paper reports located in publish, and regional information, calendars and so many more), in the way we can see it today on software?
    The inability to use these software features is a distinct negative to your on-line website relationship that I find increasingly frustrating. If you are considering adding these features on-line, so that we can print, and run reports, perhaps as a customer relations appeasement, this feature would be offered free to your many loyal “grandfathered” software client base.
    While the world is trying to go “paperless” the world of family history is still very paper driven. If I make a trip to a cemetery or a town, I still need to be able to produce reports (yes on paper) to take with me that is a list of all the individuals that might be located in that cemetery or that town. Your on-line version just doesn’t have the capabilities to do what your software already does, specially In the new format and print it.
    I am grateful to retrieve information on-line and do it all the time.
    Customer concerns for their for privacy these days is very important to people.
    I think that termination in this manner without offering other positive alternatives for the features that are only available on software needs to be addressed if you want to retain a valued customer base.
    Additionally, I already have memberships with Newspapers.com and Fold3.com. You offered an all access option, and when I called customer service, they had no way of merging it from your side. That option should be considered when you make “offers”.
    People don’t like change, but continued elimination of things that were good, may cause your paying customers to look elsewhere if you don’t offer what they perceive as what they want, fixes or viable alternatives. While you ask for feedback in what we are looking for, you might be neglecting in asking for feedback in what we want to keep.

  8176. Jim

    I too along with just about everyone here wants and needs the software, your making a big mistake in this move watch as your loyal customers all leave

  8177. Dianne Fleeman

    After reading many of the posts, I don’t have much additional to say, but it is extremely disappointing to note that there has been NO responses from the Ancestry ‘team.’ Guess Ancestry doesn’t care much what we think. I will begin today looking for alternatives to the site. I am quite concerned that my source information may not be available when my FTM is no longer supported. As of now, there is no way to generate and save the genealogy reports, etc., with Ancestry. This is one of my favorite features of FTM, as it allows me to share the information with other family members. I see that the comments date has been extended – I just hope that you are reconsidering this dumb decision!

  8178. Debby

    I, myself, decided to stop my syncing with Ancestory and give them no more of my data. I am also ask that all the date I have supplied over the last 20 years be removed completely!

  8179. KarenProkop

    Truly not seeing any kind of response to any of these questions. I have used FTM for many many years and have been a member of Ancestry.com longer than I have had FTM. Please find a better solution or help us find different software that will import the information we have entered in to FTM. I have a very large amount on FTM and would hate to have to enter it all into another software program. Thank you, Please answer all of our questions.

  8180. Wayne

    I loved the software. I use it offline at family gatherings in places I don’t have internet connection. I’m starting to look for a suitable replacement now. I don’t like putting all this information online as I have other information other than the standard – he lived – he dies – he was buried – that I don’t want to be available to everyone. I have stories and comments. With all the money being made in the DNA area these days you’d think they can keep the software going. I used to collect stamps , then ancestry as a hobby, maybe model trains next

  8181. Kenneth C. Williamson III

    I know your foundations are Mormon, but do you folks remember the Coke-Cola debacle? Your enterprise solution is not context bound. Your clientele are not the new generation that has no concept of data ownership. I and others will not be using cloud based applications over desktop software. That means you will be losing customers. You sold us a software package that will not communicate with other software programs. This meat that you would continue that software. You must provide a data export strategy for those that you have let down or we are all facing a total loss of our data that took hours to generate at an expense you willingly accepted. Shame on you.

  8182. Jim Beucler

    I believe that in 2003 you acquired Familytreemaker, and now are making the VERY unpopular desision to discontinue it. Sounds like you sucked everything you could out of it and now want to toss it. I agree with all the previous comments that this is not a favorable decision that you have made, and also that you have not responded to these opinions.

  8183. Bruce

    You are making a poor decision, Ancestry. “Double down” your efforts to improve the software, not eliminate it.

  8184. Ian K Heffernan

    Like so many I keep my family tree in my computer and will continue to do so. I have been using FTM for well over 20 years and have spent many thousands of dollars researching. I have subscribed to Ancestry for many years I only used FTM because apart from it being a very good program I believed that FTM was here for the long term. Boy was I wrong. My subscription to Ancestry ends around the middle of this year Anf it Ancestry do not do somthing to ensure that customers like me are not looked after That is where my dealing with ancestry will also end. I see no other reason apart from greed for Ancestry to do this to us. If they care at all they will they WILL see to it that we can continue to do what we love so much . the way we want to do it

  8185. Linda Twort

    I am just so disappointed in Ancestry at their decision to no longer support FTM users after Jan 2017. It is unlikely that I will renew my membership.

  8186. Peter Woodier

    This is simply outrageous, and purely to suit your company and not the customers who have been loyal to you. Your explanation is mealy-mouthed, and does not cut any ice. My membership is not being renewed on 5th February. We will see if money means anything to you.

  8187. Ken

    Eliminating FTM is a very poor business decision. Like many, I keep more personal information on FTM and Ancestry (minus the more personal information). I very much rely upon FTM.

    My Ancestry subscription renews this Summer – so I decided to cancel my Ancestry subscription. In doing so, I will still be able to access all of the Ancestry features until my renewal date. I also left a comment specifically identify their decision to stop supporting FTM as my reason for cancelling.

    I would recommend others do so. Hopefully if enough people voice their opinion Ancestry will reverse course on FTM.

  8188. Donna

    Go to MyHeritage.com your will recuperate your losses, be better off and curse the day you heard of ANCESTRY.COM.

  8189. My displeasure at the direction both FTM and Ancestry’s New Interface over the past year is disheartening. I am as disappointed as thousands of others with the decision to no longer support FTM users, although I have always returned to Roots Magic since its inception because their source software seemed superior than other programs I tried. I did use FTM for direct ancestors and appreciated its offerings. With the FTM debacle and the redesign of the Ancestry website with its annoying, extra pages that provides so little information, and is not available for printing three family listings on one page for easy viewing and comparisons, the subscribers are the big losers. Researchers are interested in what they have missed or possibly erred on, not in reading a generalized profile of boring sentences. Maybe your DNA programs will save your standing among genealogists. I have been a member since its inception, and I hope you actively strive to restore the assets that have been weakened or destroyed.

  8190. Jenny

    I have to agree with the many complaints about the decision to discontinue FTM. I use my computer software while doing research where internet is not available. I also keep personal notes that I do not desire to have public to the world. I have been a member for several years. I do not find the on-line system to my liking as much as I do the software program. I feared this day was coming when I started being unable to view the documents via the software while connected on-line. I hope you reconsider your decision. I have recommended this software to so many I have encountered during my research. If this decision stands, I may have to explore other research alternatives and discontinue my research with Ancestry. I do not want to have all my research held somewhere out of my reach. What happens when you need to do something else for the sake of making money — will you start deleting trees? I started with this software so that I could leave my research to my children. Doubtful this will be possible if it is only on your servers to be used solely at your discretion.

  8191. Judy

    I am very disappointed with Family tree maker being discontinued. I have used Family tree maker for many years and have over 3,000 names in the software on my machine. I have used Ancestry and will not promote your site very again. Family tree maker on my laptop was downloaded and I have no backup of the program so if something happens to it I will be screwed. Is there any other software available that I can switch too.

  8192. Linda

    With this latest decision you have let those who have been your greatest and most loyal supporters down. I am so disappointed! Please consider changing your mind.

  8193. Katherine

    Add my name to the list of very disappointed customers. I was convinced by your customer service rep to upgrade my edition of FTM last year. I did so with the intent of working on it upon my retirement. Great investment. Thanks. 🙁

  8194. Bill

    I have no intention of working my tree online to a service I have to pay for or I lose my tree. This means I will be leaving ancestry.com after many many years and looking for a new provider who allows me to keep my tree on my computer but also share it online with others. Goodbye, Ancestry

  8195. Cindy

    Value? Since one of the main advantages of ancestry for me personally has been the ability to take my tree with me on my laptop to places with no wi-fi and the reporting function, what advantage will ancestry now have over other products? Dare one hope you intend to beef up the DNA service to provide chromosome comparisons? What will you offer to entice people to remain with you?

  8196. This is the 2nd BIG disappointment I’ve experienced on Ancestry.com I spent $40.00 for the Family Tree Maker because Ancestry stated I would be able to use it to update on my computer, now after receiving my money you are stating after Jan 1st I will no longer be able to use it. This is not Fair and I feel is dishonest! This also happened with the 1st DNA test they offered, we paid $99 for that and the info for that test is no longer available to us! I am definitely going to be weary of the products being offered thru Ancestry in the future. I feel if you continue to be dishonest with the products you are offering you are going to lose valued members. Also, why was there not more communication about this, it looks like you put it on the blog, but didn’t mention it on the site where the majority of your members visit. I had family members who wanted to become members because they could purchase the software and just found out it was only available thru Jan 1st. You are coming across as being really shady… NOT GOOD BUSINESS!!!!

  8197. Richard Jackson

    I know that you are keeping the comment section open until March 7, 2016 but it appears that you have no intention to respond to any of the comments, hoping that people will calm down. This is a poor decision to discontinue FTM. You have asked for a Divorce from those whom have been faithful paying members. Just allowing people to blow off steam and offering no solution is not the answer. Very disappointed with your decision and will not renew my membership next year.
    Thank You

  8198. Paul Sherr

    I am a lawyer who is helping an elderly client with a genealogy project. Last fall, at my recommendation, she bought FTM and opened an Ancestry.com account. This was a significant expense for my client, who has no desire to build her tree online exclusively. You have made me look bad.

  8199. Mike C

    I am certainly disappointed with the decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker. It makes me wonder if I should continue my subscription to Ancestry. I orginally started with Ancestry because of my use of FTM. I use it as a repository for the information I found researching various web sites. I like FTM’s smart storage and display of this information. In using FTM I also liked the Ancestry customer service help and the friendly, knowledgeable reponse of the representatives so I decided to “pay my fair share” with a paid subscription for web access. I still use FTM for saving all the information I have found. I only use the web site as a way to pass on to other Ancestry users the nonpersonal information I have found.
    PLEASE DO NOT DISCONTINUE SUPPORT OF FAMILY TREE MAKER!!!

  8200. Jeff T

    I have been a big user of your FTM product for many years. it was this product that allowed me discover my true roots and reconnect with a family that was shattered by the Cold War. After years of research and using FTM to organize my efforts I was able to travel to Belarus, Latvia and Russia and visit with my relatives for the first time. Because of FTM I was able to show my relatives in these countries other relatives that they did not know existed, but lived in the same town! PLEASE do not discontinue this product, it has profoundly changed my life and the lives of my relatives and I know that it has changed the lives of many FTM users.

  8201. michael

    I am likely alone here, but after posting a very negative comment immediately, I have come to think that this is the correct decision. It really is much better to have ones genealogy in the cloud, not on ones PC. There are problems of course: 1) the on-line tools are not up to the PC version, and 2) I still do not trust Ancestry to keep my information on living relative private.

  8202. Bill

    I am not happy at all with this decision but, most of all cannot believe Ancestry’s silence over these thousands of dissatisfied comments over a six weeks or so period. Is there anybody, still alive at Ancetry, who has any reassuring comments to make. ANCESTRY, PLEASE BREAK YOUR SILENCE.

  8203. Teresa

    Will I be getting a refund for the subscription renewal I just paid for? Why did you promote this if you intended to shut down the site? That in itself is very irresponsible on your part. Apparently I have wasted my money over the years. information of this sort should have been announced sooner. That way instead of the money I have wasted on your program I could have put onto a different program. And if I did, would I be able to transfer my data, or is it just lost forever? It seems the money I have spent, and others, it not enough to keep your company going! Years of research will be lost, and it seems you could care less.

  8204. gary

    Ancestry, your behaviour is disgusting and baffling. You have the best selling genealogy software on the market, and you decide to kill it. You should at least tell people the names of the other programs that are capable of importing FTM data, custom events, and photos – I think that Legacy and RootsMagic are capable of this. However because of your lack of information some people are left thinking that their data will be lost. However it takes a bit of familiarity with computers to transfer the data. This is such a horrible people to treat people, especially seniors who do not know computers ver well ( I am not a Senior, but this move it stressing me greatly as well). Genealogists are always concerned about the long term survival of our data, and this behaviour means we cannot even be sure about what’s happening a year from now. Why cant you just keep selling the program, but tell people that in the future it might not Sync very well with the website anymore, or the Sync might not work at all someday. If you are killing FTM you should start to offer a whole bunch of printable reports on your website then, so people can give data to their relatives. You guys are such immoral greedy untrustworthy crooks.

  8205. Mike C

    I agree with Michael (not me) that “I still do not trust Ancestry to keep my information on living relative private.”
    I have run across several instances where I have put private infomation up on the Ancestry site that I made Private that other people had put in their trees. I knew the information was mine because of the wording I had used on the Ancestry web site. If you want things to remain PRIVATE I suggest that you DO NOT put it on the Ancestry web site.

  8206. Rosemary V

    Let me reemphasize that Ancestry is not helping to advise those users of FTM what we are to do with our data and manage that data with Ancestry and other programs. I have just opted to join the World Explorer portion of Ancestry for $250 per year and what program options are available to me. If FTM is going to an API, I do not have to save my data to the cloud to use the program. I’m not thrilled with this marketing plan, but I can work with the limitations you are giving me …. but are you actually working with FTM on this application?

  8207. Klaus Scheffer

    Years of work and aroud one thousand persons in our Family tree. And the only way to keep this save for the next generation is the cloud? Unbelievable decision. I am very disappointed and thinking of stopping my Membership.

  8208. Pat

    Finally got a live person at Nova Development to learn that “someone” cancelled my order for a Backup CD when I bought Family Tree Maker in November; kept my $10, had no intention of sending me the CD, and claims they will now refund the $9.95. I only bought this software because I thought you were behind it. Very disappointed. I think I should be refunded the entire $79.94. From long list of feedback above, I am not the only one disappointed with Ancestry’s promises.

  8209. Rhonda

    I just heard about this. I work alot off line. I also will have my program open and while searching other websites for new information. My computer files are my undated files, since I make the changes to them only. Since I will have to find a new program, I will not update them on line on Ancestry, if I can not just sync. I guess I will just have to make sure I upload my GENCOM file more often to familysearch for safe keeping. People really into researching get their information from many places. I take my laptop to family reunions and do not have access to the internet. So I need a program that I can pull the family info up on and add any new information someone is giving me. I stopped using ancestry for a number of years and just start paying again this last year and a half. Looks l may not renew my membership when it becomes due next time.

  8210. Jane S

    How are we supposed to collate our info for private use & not display on Ancestry? Very annoyed you sell a product then remove availability – need a refund !!

  8211. Chris

    Very disappointed. I have tried many different software programs and found FTM to be the best and easiest to use. Why would you do this? Makes no sense, especially after reading the many comments. I, like many others, do not trust the cloud, so will have to search for an alternative software program–or pray that I don’t have any problems with my current FTM software being compatible on a new computer when I have to upgrade that.

  8212. Richard

    I’ve read comments suggesting that RootsMagic, Legacy, MyHeritage or others can transfer all FTM data. My experience so far is that only FTM can read the FTM database. That means that information can only be transferred via GEDCOM; limited to only basic essential information. Am I missing something? Is there a more comprehensive solution?

  8213. agatha harris

    would like to know what alternate software you are offering. VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT THE DROPPING OF FTM AND OF YOUR RECENT CHANGES.

  8214. Jack

    I converted my FTM file to Legacy using GEDCOM and had no errors. However, some people had two copies of the same photo attached. I did a test on the GEDCOM file and found one person that had all her photos twice in the file. FTM does not adhere to the latest GEDCOM specifications

  8215. Larry T

    I just received notice of the discontinuance, today, despite asking for assistance back in December to install the software to a new computer, after mine crashed.

    Why would FTM not proactively send email notifications at the time they made the decision. At least then, everyone would have had time to print major branches of their trees.

  8216. David B

    Obviously FTM doesn’t have a clue about what their customers like, want or need from their product. Just another dumb-ass decision made by a corporate executive listening to some tech advisor about server based data being the latest and greatest or some BS like that. These are OUR FAMILY TREES, not yours. It’s our work and our data. FTM doesn’t seem to understand thay were just one tool we could use. But since they have decided to make that tool un-user-friendly, Roots Magic, here I come!

  8217. Jack

    Richard, as far as I can tell all my data was transferred to Legacy, including photos and Source documents. I suggest that anybody that wants to convert to another program, create a GEDCOM from FTM and import it into the other program. Then look at the error report and go back to FTM and make necessary changes because you are familiar with FTM. This might take several iterations. Then compare reports to see if you have more problems.

  8218. Joan

    I have used FTM since it was a Broderbund product. I was going to upgrade to v 15, when I read the news. I work mostly offline, rarely upload entire trees to Ancestry, only certain branches so I am not too overwhelmed. What are you doing?? There obviously hundreds of users who not happy with your decision, and many more who, like me, will find out you have essentially abandoned us. I am one of them.

  8219. Lee

    If ancestry is to continue with existing or creating new products can customers like myself, who has used ancestries products for years, feel free from worry those products will be discontinued? What products would be recommended to replace the investment customers have made. Not much time to prepare for replacement.

  8220. Frank R

    This is a really bad idea. You are shutting out all of the FTM users and their orderly access to Ancestry.com. The FTM interface is much easier to use and allows the user to keep their tree on site, not in a cloud. Not very secure I think. Back in the 60’s and 70’s all data was centrally located on a mainframe computer, then in the 80’s everybody thought with PC’s let’s distribute the data to nodes (PC’s) on a network -less chance for a massive failure of all data. Seemed to be working OK. Now the we are are cloud thinking , back to centralized data (60’s/70’s policies). Don’t keep the FTM/Ancestry data on a PC or MAC, let’s put it all up there on a cloud without copies on the users PC/MAC. Not a smart move in my opinion.

  8221. Cheryl

    it is disappointing that ancestry has gotten so large that they have lost connection with their most loyal customers, who will find other solutions. Or is this a New Coke scam?

  8222. Maureen Lavis

    You say you ‘really do appreciate feedback’ well, you certainly do not respond to anyone’s feedback. It seems Ancestry have become so big and wealthy that you are forgetting all those who pay out hard earned cash to buy software from you, I’m one of them and now you dump us. This is NOT RESPECTFUL to us. I strongly feel Ancestry should reconsider retiring Family History software and work for those people who put the bread and butter in your mouths and help you be the wealthy company you are…. or are we too insignificant?

  8223. Friedrich Zahn

    Please add me to the list of Ancestry customers leaving, because FTM features will no longer be available.

  8224. Amanda

    Like many of the thousands of disappointed customers I am also disgusted by Ancestry current attitude to its loyal customers. Instead, they have decided to alienate their loyal customers who have supported them for many years and paid good money. Their attitude seems to be that we just don’t want change and to force that change they are just going to cut us off, wear the fallout and we will eventually come around to the online cloud-based future. If we had a problem with change we would not have embraced much of what is on the internet today and we would still be travelling overseas to do our research. The problem is that not all change is for the better and discontinuing such a useful tool such Family Tree Maker is not a good change.

  8225. Amanda

    Most genealogists would never think of posting all of their research, including all their photos and certificates/other records they have purchased, to websites like Ancestry because that information then becomes the property of that website and you relinquish ownership of your research. You then have to pay to access your own research. We only ever put bare-bones trees and info so we can reach other people researching the same people who might be interested in sharing their research.

  8226. Amanda

    I don’t think Ancestry really understands the customer base they are trying to target with this latest thinking. Those targeted customers are not serious genealogists, they like simple apps with minimal information that will fit on the mobile or tablet screens; they have short attention spans, don’t care about the validity of the data and have absolutely no brand loyalty. Not good business sense!

  8227. Amanda

    It is sad that such a world leader in genealogy has fallen so low and they now appear to be on a course of self-destruction. By the look of the comments on this blog serious genealogists will be leaving in their droves. As we all try to transition away from Ancestry, can I ask bloggers to recommend alternative desktop products in posts and maybe someone who is technically savvy (not me) start a blog where we can help each other make the transition. I suspect comments posted on how to transition away from Ancestry may get removed fairly quickly.

  8228. Robert Shuttleworth

    I am vdery upset at this knowledge. I have used FTM for more than a dewcadew, and it has been invaluable in researching both my own and my =wihes family information, spome of which extends bac=k to the 1600s. I hope some consideration will be made foir the thousands of loyal fans who have for so long followed their ancestors with FTM.

    Ancestory.Com has been a valuable assety as well and it is my hope that the FTM information and tools will be incorporated into the Amcestory.com format.

  8229. A bit late to the party, but let me just add my voice to those who are extremely unhappy about this decision. Frankly, I have not been happy with Ancestry.com for quite some time now; frankly, they seem to have zero respect or consideration for their customer base, and *only* interested in making money, without regard for their customers. This was really the final nail in the coffin. FTM is the best family tree application/program out there, but I will cancel my subscription and start using another application for my computer. Because I am not relying on Ancestry, or any other genealogy website or cloud-based whatever, to store and safe keep my research. Goodbye, Ancestry.

  8230. Kathy

    I have 1800 people in my data base. I am very disappointed and overwhelmed because I have no idea what I am going to do with all the detailed information I put in FTM. If you care about your loyal customer base you will reconsider. You have so many options to make this right. I hope you do the right thing and not leave all of us hanging, especially after inputting years of information into the FTM program. We made you who you are today! Please do the right thing!

  8231. Kathy Garrison

    What about people like me who can’t afford Ancestry? I am retired with a small SS check, but I love my FTM. Will I be able to access it after January 1, 2017?

  8232. Jack

    Kathy, you should be able to use FTM after Jan 1, 2017. The only that probably be not available is Tree Sync which you probably don’t use

  8233. Gretchen

    I am a disabled senior who has been working with FTM for years. I could afford the software but not the subscription basis you have. You really suck the energy out of my efforts to find my family links. Ancestry is nothing more that a profit making machine. You try living on $999 a month and see if you can manage. Why do you want to cut people out of their trees that might benefit others. I am really upset about this “company” move. Is Mitt behind this? Probably. You have a bad case of Affluenza.

  8234. SHOT

    I started out 20+ years ago with FTM. After FTM 16, it was a slow, confusing, troublesome process trying to get FTM to work. It was if all of the Technicians left the building, but I hung in there hoping someone would fix the entire problem. After, I would say, over 100 calls to the support center and hundreds of email message’s, a ton of time spent trying to get the program to work correctly, I finally jumped ship and went with another top rated program. This was the absolute best thing that I could have done. It was to the point that I worried that I would loose my valuable information on my family tree. Going with another program was the best thing I have done in 55 years. The present program that I use is very sophisticated, contains a ton of extra information that I am still uploading into the program and the best thing about this is it was less expensive then FTM. When I received the email telling me that FTM was pulling its program, it was a blessing. I am very pleased with my new program, their customer service is exceptional. Instead of the usual, “do this to fix the program” after waiting a few days, with my new software, if I need an answer to a question, I am contacted within hours with an accurate answer. What a difference. It took me a long time to decide which software would be best for me. I am 1000 percent confident of the new software, mostly with the fact that it actually works perfectly and if I have a question, it is answered within hours, not days. I can now feel confident that my 65,000+ members in my tree are in good hands and safe. When working with this many members, my new software will automatically backup into a file on my computer with a few clicks letting me feel good about closing my program.
    I think that Ancestry made a great decision to eliminate the troublesome, crash filled FTM. This decision should have been made many years ago, but continued leaving their customers very uncertain as to the Fact that it did not work correctly, Crashing or freezing up very frequently.
    Thanks Ancestry for dumping FTM. I still am a paid member of Ancestry and will continue being one. With my new software, I am very impressed especially with the Customer Service. I hope that Ancestry will put 100% effort into ancestry.com and continue to improve upon any problems that occur. Amanda wrote it as it was, a major error that was not attended to.
    I would like to recommend Legacy software to replace FTM. I researched this software for 6 months along with a few other programs on the market. I feel as if I made the right decision. Good Luck to everyone looking for a replacement. I put my trust of over thirty years of researching my family into Legacy Deluxe. It is a great program.

  8235. Pam

    I’ve been doing genealogy research for nearly 40 years. When the first home computers made their appearance, I had one. When the first FTM software became available, I had it! Other programs have come and gone, and FTM remained the best available. I am extremely upset and frustrated with this recent decision to stop supporting FTM. I don’t want all of my research “out there” for the whole world to see. Some of the info – yes, but not everything. I love the various choices FTM has to print hard copies for our personal records. I, like thousands of other FTM customers am extremely disappointed and frustrated with this recent decision Ancestry has made concerning FTM. I do hope that someone, SOON, you will be offering some helpful suggestions that will answer the many, many questions and concerns addressed in all of the above comments. Many of us have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on programs upgrades, subscription costs, etc over the many years. We have added to the profits of your company. What can you do to help those “old faithfuls” who have been with you from the very beginning? You say thank you for supporting us all these years, by dropping us cold? Is this the new American way? Sad, sad, SAD!

  8236. unikornfairy1

    I too am totally disappointed to learn that FTM will no longer be upgraded or continued. I have tried to work in the Ancestry.com online program, but lacks so many of the options I have in FTM, not to mention it is just difficult to maneuver about in. FTM is totally user friendly, the website is NOT user friendly at all. How will we print out family reports? What happens to our FTM tree on Ancestry.com if we cancel Ancestry.com due to the fact it is just not viable to me anymore? How will the “Connect” with family work after FTM is cancelled? Will Ancestry.com be upgraded to work more like FTM is now? I’ve been a loyal customer for more than a decade (pushing two decades) and I fail to see how this change is customer oriented rather than company oriented because FTM has had a few glitches in the past? Why not invest the capital and really work on FTM to make it the best software in the Genealogy field? Just so disappointed and hoping Ancestry.com comes to its senses once they realize they are truly upsetting their loyal customers.

  8237. kuhlfam

    Dear Ancestry, It seems there are quite a number of users who are decidedly upset about the decision to cut off FTM. I am not ready to abandon Ancestry until after the commenting period is over (7 March 2016) and if Ancestry chooses to ignore the pleas of many of its subscribers, then I will be among the many jumping ship. I will hang in there until then. My advice is to LISTEN to your members. They make or break a company. SHOT, thank you for recommending Legacy software. I will give it a try!

  8238. Gaylord Gill

    Add me to the growing list of dissatisfied customers. I thought the combination of desktop FTM and online Ancestry was just right, as there are appropriate times and circumstances for each tool. To simply drop FTM without providing an alternative seems irresponsible.

  8239. Judy

    Not sure why the comment I wrote yesterday was not posted.

    I refuse to use the CLOUD – it is a disaster waiting to happen. Not everyone has internet ALL the time. My ISP had service interrupted for several days. Yes, an anomaly, but it does happen. I have multiple copies of my tree on external drives. Many companies now want us to force customers to use the cloud and buy subscriptions but forget the customer.

  8240. Paul Gill

    Just to add to all the above I am extremely disappointed to hear the “closure” of family Tree Maker” I chose this software as the best around as it had the capability to synch to your web based system, allowing me to work both on and offline. I regre tif you continue down this path I will be switching to an alternative product such as familysearch

  8241. Linda Windmoeller

    This decision is really about “we’ve taken a hard look at the declining desktop software market and the impact this has on being able to continue”…”double-digit year-over-year growth in revenue [3rd quarter = 21.5%].” Ancestry, by it’s continued silence to respond to concerns on this blog, makes it clear the company owners are unwilling to invest in keeping the FTM software and consider a lesser growth in revenue (like 15% instead of 22%). But a mass exodus of paying customers has not been envisioned or figured into their equation. Out of touch with their customer base!

  8242. Karen

    Unbelievable. Count my vote: I am VERY disappointed in and frankly disgusted with this decision. I guess it’s a money thing. Ridiculous. I hope it’s worth it for you to chump your paying customers to realize a few more $$ profit. I cannot imagine such a choice. Clearly Ancestry is NOT concerned with its customers. CANNOT renew my Ancestry membership.

  8243. Pam T

    I am also very sad to hear this and worried as all our tree is saved with an extension that only FTM will open. Are we just walk away from all this work? I hope you come up with something else that will migrate this data into a new tool.

  8244. DBTB

    I along with the other Ancestry.com subscribers have paid good money for the Family Tree Maker software and upgrades with the understanding that it would be a tool for our family research. It is very disappointing that the decision to discontinue Family Tree Maker has even been considered by Ancestry.com. As a result there are many upset subscribers and if this decision does come to fruition it will definitely affect the future of your company. Please listen to what your subscribers are saying!!!!

  8245. Dennis Devine

    Your Decision is a real let down to your faithful customers, I’m very disappointed, I thought you were a first rate organization!

  8246. Susan M

    I have been using FTM for the last 12 years & have been a subscriber to Ancestry for nearly as long.
    I have stuck through the various changes made to the website & software – partly because I thought it was the best out there and partly because – since my migration to Apple products – FTM really was the only viable mac based software I considered worth purchasing.
    I haven’t liked a lot of changes made to the Ancestry & FTM layouts (my favourite layout is still FTM 2005! – simple & easy to use & navigate) but I have stuck with it & upgraded several times over the years. Like so many of your users I have found the family tree desktop / online sync facility a really good feature because it is such a great time saver. It is unique & worth paying for.
    There are, however, many occasions when I have to work offline – and having a desktop family tree is the only way to maintain an overall vision of my work and research.
    I would never maintain a family tree solely on-line – I only uploaded my tree to Ancestry as a research tool for others to use.
    There are serious privacy and security issues around keeping all one’s information / data / files online. For example what would happen to all these trees and the data stored on the Ancestry website if the company went into liquidation / discontinued trading or what if the data files were severely corrupted? How much personal data is on there for hackers to access and use for sinister purposes?
    I am paranoid about backing up my work by keeping virtual copies of all my (non-security) family tree documents and files in multiple locations on the internet as well as hard copies of many documents & reports.
    The single most important organisational tool (for me) is the desktop family tree software which I can take with me (internet or no internet) wherever I go on a laptop (data fully backed up in multiple locations of course).
    I realise that, in theory, I will still be able to use the FTM software I have now after January 2017. However, as computer operating systems are upgraded the current versions of FTM will eventually become unusable.

    I cannot continue to support a company who has made a unilateral decision to ignore the needs of it’s loyal customers and just drop such an important tool in family research.

    I have been looking at Legacy today. Their software offers me the basic tools I need to continue my research. I can download it for free to a small Windows netbook I possess.
    I do not need or use a lot of the tools in Ancestry / FTM. Most of my research now consists of ploughing through original Parish Records and is all from the UK – so the types of records available online in Ancestry are of limited value for me at the moment.
    Ancestry has therefore run it’s course for me. This incredibly poor commercial decision to discontinue producing & supporting FTM is the final straw. My Ancestry membership ended today – it has not been renewed. That’s £100 I’m better off and Ancestry is worse off.
    If Ancestry decide to continue with FTM I may revise my decision but, for now, it’s “Goodbye Ancestry”

  8247. Karlene

    Unbelievable decision to drop FTM. Completely agree with the last post. To me this just shows how disconnected Ancestry.com is with it’s subscribers – too caught up in the technology hype. That would be fine if your customer base was primarily the under 30s. But most are would be over 50 and don’t really care how beautiful and clever Ancestry.com is – they just want to do their research. My other concern is the impact on the cost of Ancestry.com. If having all the FTM type functionality in Ancestry.com means that the subscription will increase then that would impact greatly on my decision to continue my subscription. I’ll look around for other options to get the information I need.

  8248. Gavin

    I first started in 1985 with I believe Broderbund version that was taken over by FTM. I have updated the software each year and now and been extremely pleased with the product. I echo those comments about being online only and the data issues along with the it available online only. I for one and it seems many others will be fogoin

  8249. Wendy

    I also am very disappointed that you are canceling FTM. I like my own personal copy on my Computer. I personally am very disappointed in this decision and will be looking at other genealogy program and I totally agree with all the comments made on her

  8250. Douglas Bob

    Two of the most common questions we at Millennia get asked at trade shows and conferences are, “why should I change to Legacy,” or “what does Legacy do that FTM doesn’t?” Instead of coming up with our own biased answers, we decided to ask our users. The following comments come from Legacy users who converted from Family Tree Maker.

    1. Company-user relationship, support

    • “Millennia Corporation offers free, timely, helpful, courteous customer support. That’s my number one reason for switching from Family Tree Maker to Legacy! I also hate how Family Tree Maker buys up the competition and then ‘kills them off’ leaving them without support.”

    • “They have frequent free upgrades and listen to what the users needs/wants are whereas with FTM you are constantly putting out money for very minor upgrades of the program and they do not seem interested in what the users want/need.”

    • “The Millennia policy of frequent, free updates to fix reported problems; listening to the end users and offering a forum for users to voice their opinions; having a “visible” presence by the developers in the news list inspire confidence that the end users matter.”

    • “The LUG [Legacy User Group] is mostly wonderful and the support from Millennia is unbelievable!”

    • “You seem to be very responsive to user’s needs.”

    • “Most of all is the fact that you are available to the people that use your product. That is so unusual in this day and time. Keep up the good work.”

    • “Legacy owners and staff truly care about their product and what their customers desire.”

    • “We love your approach to marketing and customer support. The frequent free updates make us feel that you want your customers to have the most up to date program in their hands at all times. Your pricing policy has always been somewhere between outrageously cheap and fair. Thanks. It seems to us that you enjoy developing the best genealogy software in the world as much as we enjoy using it.”

    • “Millennia is interested in making a really good genealogy program, and is willing to listen to what the people want (and they end up supplying it).”

    2. Reasonable pricing and free updates

    • “Even though there is nothing with FTM forcing you to upgrade, there is the feeling that you’re going to miss out on some feature or bug fix if you don’t. Legacy’s pricing is much more reasonable.”

    • “There were many reason for my changing software, but the fact that I purchased the full version of 3.0 and then the deluxe version, which was still less than what I had paid for one full version of FTM or TMG, plus the countless FREE updates I have received! I am disabled now and on a limited income so money is important.”

    • “Best of all is the price. I could go on and on with more features.”

    • “With Legacy I feel I have a guarantee of a quality product, with excellent support, at a reasonable cost.”

    3. Navigation and data entry

    • “Legacy’s data entry is much easier to navigate (most data entry for an individual can be done on one screen), whereas FTM forces you to continually go to new pages. With FTM you can’t see the major information for an individual from one screen.”

    • “Legacy was so easy to navigate that I found that I kept returning to Legacywhen I wanted to add any research.”

    • “I loved the screen for data entry, the ease of navigation.”

    • “It displays up to 15 children without having to scroll down, while FTM only allows 4.”

    • “Family view and Pedigree view screens tell me more about the parents and children at a glance.”

    • “I love the family view with the option of having up to fifteen children showing. Much easier to use than FTM format with only 4 children showing at a time and having to switch back and forth to enter the information.”

    • “I appreciate the ability to look at the entire family, all at once, without having to click on the tabs to see the parents.”

    4. Sourcing capabilities

    • “I like the fact, that in Legacy, you have Master Sources and individual citations that are linked to that main source, a lot less typing on my end.”

    • “Sources for an individual can be viewed all at once on screen.”

    • “What is very appealing to me is the source clipboard and the useful examples provided on the web site.”

    • “I noticed that Legacy had a much better handle on entering sources.”

    • “The ease of the sourcing (and the clipboard!) are well above average.”

    5. User-friendly

    • “I like Legacy’s user-friendliness and ease of use. Gedcoms import beautifully.”

    • “I like your Family View design and the ease of inputting names.”

    • “It is very intuitive.”

    6. Reports

    • “You can preview reports on screen, and they are rated higher in comparison with FTM reports.”

    • “I love the RTF so I can move my reports to Word and edit from there.”

    7. Name list

    • “What I like best about Legacy is the “mini” genealogy program that is available when you go to the list of individuals. It is WONDERFUL to be able to see so much information in one spot.”

    • “Being able to edit and enter info from the name list is a huge time-saver!”

    • “I like being able to see everyone on one page and I dearly love the name list with all the info on the right!”

    • “The name list, showing the information on the right side is wonderful, and even better is the ability to edit from there.”

    8. View multiple databases side-by-side/drag-drop

    • “You can have more than one family file open on the screen at a time and up to 8 different views of the same file open at the same time – easy to move info about this way.”

    • “I like the side by side feature of having two files open, or the same file open twice.”

    • “I love the ability to have the split screen. Also to drag and drop, I find this very important.”

    9. Web pages

    • “I wanted to put my family history online, but didn’t want to be tied to using the FTM web site and I wanted to be able to customize the pages to reflect my interests.”

    • “In January of 2000, I decided to create a web site. FTM would only allow me to upload to their web site and their way. Only Legacy allowed the control I wanted. Thank you.”

    • “I love the HTML option. Yours is great with the clickable links to individuals with more information. And it can be uploaded anywhere.”

    • “Probably my all time favorite feature of Legacy vs. FTM is the way it allows me to create web pages. I get compliments on them all of the time and mostly from complete strangers.”

  8251. Juanita H.

    I just saw that Ancestry is discontinuing FTM, which I have used since Broderbund owned it. Interesting they didn’t have the courtesy to inform all Ancestry users via email. The connection between FTM and Ancestry was a huge part of why I have an Ancestry subscription, which I JUST CANCELLED. There are other sites, and other software packages. I will use those.

  8252. Linda Windmoeller

    Well…when I went to Ancestry.com website today, I got invited to take a survey for possible selection for further one-hour survey/input. It asked which software I used (FTM for me). Why didn’t Ancestry conduct this survey before their announcement to cut FTM? Looks like the VPs are backpeddling.

    Just today I added a marriage source, but had to manually go to the husband and the wife to recreate the source citation for each person (twice the work). Also, even though I linked a marriage photo to both husband and wife, the photo would only link to the facts of one person (husband), so I had to go to the wife and link the media photo to her facts. Talk about double the work! Then the website also would not let me merge 2 individuals (again!!!) stating “We’re sorry, this page is temporarily unavailable.” I have gotten ‘unavailable” many times when I’ve tried to merge. I doubt the website will ever work well to organize our trees — too many online. I prefer to make my corrections in my FTM software (and then re-sync, but now that option is gone!) Bad move on Ancestry.com’s part. Bad public relations too. I hope someone at the helm gets their head screwed on straight, as Ancestry is loosing respect and long-time customers!

  8253. Mary

    I am very disappointed in this decision and Ancestry as an organization . The tools available in the online Ancestry application are much inferior those available in the FTM software. I’ve purchased multiple versions of the FTM software, paid the annual fee for the database access 10 years and subscribed to Ancestry’s monthly magazine – hardly a small expense. Now I will soon find myself with an online family tree, well documented after years of work but no way to continue to update, improve or to pass it on to my family. As I am sure your technical people are well aware, in just a short time, I won’t be able to even view it through FTM as internet infrastructure and operating system changes will not be made in the software that I bought in good faith. All I’ll have is a tree I won’t be able to even view. Shame on you Ancestry.

  8254. Ken

    I agree with the comments I’ve seen so far. You are eliminating one of the main reasons we us Ancestry and that is to update and create an exciting family tree. Maybe you guys should start thinking outside the box. If the software market is declining, why not tie Ancestry to the FTM software and make it a combined product. Think your current knee jerk reaction will not help the company.

  8255. Norma Stout

    Thanks a lot Ancestry!! I have been a member since 2001 using both the website and FTM. I hate the new website but have been dealing with it because it interfaced with the FTM that I recently upgraded to FTM 2014 — I want my $40 back and I will be moving on to more reliable software. Goodbye Ancestry!!

  8256. rob

    “We are reading everyone’s comments and feedback here and I hope to have another update from the product team in the near future as the team is working on several options as I type.” – January 17, 2016 at 1:23 pm
    Sorry @ Kristie Wells… I don’t believe you. After more than 10,000 negative comments, we deserve another response NOW.

  8257. Pedro P. Polakoff III

    So where do I get my refund for the subscription to ancestry.com & the FTM software? I switched from myheritage.com a number of years ago because of FTM, now I guess I go back. This is just another case of a company getting to big, and wanting to lock users into subscriptions for everything.

  8258. David Hartley

    I have just cancelled my Subscription to Ancestry because of the issue with FTM. Their customer service guy wan’t to know the reasons, which I explained were due to the retiring of FTM…Apparently I’m the first one to give this reason..How strange and also how unlikely this is.

  8259. I have been a member since 1999. I am extreme upset that you will no longer support Family Tree Maker. Ancestry.com is great for getting the information but if you want to run different type of searches, forget it. I agree with BC above Ancestry.com will no longer be usefull to me. My guess is ancestry.com wants to keep all the data and then charge us if we want to download informtion. They will be even more greedy than then are now.

  8260. Steve

    Really bad decision. FTM and sync is (was?) the main reason to choose Ancestry over others. It’ll make me reconsider….

  8261. Virginia

    Please reconsider this awful, awful decision. Why would we continue to subscribe to ancestry without family tree maker support?

  8262. I am so sorry you have done away with the Family tree maker this by far the worst thing you could of done. Family tree maker is the main reason I have used this web site for over 15 years I not sure I need to continue this service !

  8263. Cathy

    This is a really bad decision and I will be
    out of the family history business if I have to deal only with Ancestry. What a mistake!

  8264. Jackie

    I’m also very disappointed with your choice to retire FTM. I’ve been using this site for over 15 years, done the DNA, paid for full access and now things sound like they are going to go down the tube. What will you do with all the data you have accumulated? How about the trees we have built in your site….the connections we’ve made? You may believe you are doing a great thing by discontinuing FTM, but you are doing a great disservice to your loyal members. I’ll be researching other avenues to continue my research.

  8265. Tom

    I was surprised to find out that Ancestry is discontinuing FTM. Very disappointed that this as happened as I have been a user since it was a Broderbund product. Have you forgotten who your customers are? Have you forgotten about customer loyalty? Frankly, this is lousy customer service and lousy relationship management. Have you done any outreach to find out what types of tools customers would prefer to use or was this just a backroom, pinheaded decision by some bright executive. Given the outpouring of negative reaction, here, likely the latter. I hope you will take your customers’ feedback seriously and reconsider your decision. Remember “New Coke”? This is Ancestry’s version.

  8266. Karen

    It has all been said- But in case you missed any of it in summary – Bad decision, Poor – no totally lacking in customer service, You deserve the financial backlash that will follow your decision to abandon customers so thoughtlessly. do those who allow you access to public records understand that you charge every customer to access really understand your business plan or were they too hood winked into believing you offered a service ?????????????????

  8267. SMB

    For those like myself making the switch to an alternative software, I read that Legacy is owned by the same company as FTM so will be avoiding that. Having done some research it looks like Family Historian is the one for me, with Rootsmagic coming a close second. If you’re wondering how to make the switch, you just need to export the file to GEDCOM format and then import it using your new software. Good luck folks. After 16 years of using FTM, I’ll wish you good luck too Ancestry, for I think you’ll need it more.

  8268. Maris Stanard

    Your site has major flaws in it. You have so many trees with misinformation but evidently no one is checking them and the misinformation multiplies. I was a Family Tree user and a subscriber to Ancestry for many years. I find that the new program is ridiculous!!! I see no sense in renewing my subscription after this year. You may have more information on your site but it is much harder to find what you are looking for. Hire some new programmers and researchers and fire the idiot who changed all this for the worse.

  8269. Janet Palmer

    Ditto on what everyone else said. I feel very upset that I won’t be able to print out things for my family. I use FTM for that purpose and have for many years. I’m guessing you will provide this through Ancestry but we will have to pay every time we print something!!!!!

  8270. Rita Caldwell

    I can’t believe what you are doing to us. I have used FTM for years. I just wish you would send us some information on what we are supposed to do with all of our research. Very very unhappy with your decision.

  8271. V.S.

    I have converted to Roots Magic because the website said they were trying to become associated with Ancestry. I am also continuing to use FTM and Ancestry . As I understand it, I will no longer get green leaves after Dec. 31st. I am not sure whether I will continue with Ancestry, but I know of no other on-line source for such a wealth of information.

  8272. Robert Webb

    Just another greedy company FORCING people to not be able to work offline with the Family Tree Maker and have to PURCHASE an online subscription. SHAME ON Ancestry.com by the way they are not the only online paid subscriber. Export your GEDCOM and pay another company that isn’t a greedy loser like Ancestry.com has become. PATHETIC just PATHETIC

  8273. Robert Webb

    UPDATE: Ancestry.com gave away their “FREE” Family Tree Maker with website and a 250 entry limit to thousands of people. NOW all this information is on THEIR servers and those of us who have spent YEARS of Researching and Updating THAT database are being told to Pay Up or Bug Off. I am sure this was planned from the beginning. WHAT A HUGE SCAM THIS APPEARS TO BE

  8274. Patrick Yeager

    Dear Ancestry,

    I would encourage you to continue with some element of a desktop app that allows people to work on their trees offline. I just started using your service in 2015 because of the ability to work offline, and then share with my family. Fortunately I’m in a position to move my meager tree to some other app, I feel bad for those who have tens of thousands of names in here. As an element of feedback, I’ve tried using the web version and I will contend the refresh rate is insufferably slow. I’m sure that has something to do with the speed of my internet connection, which is why the offline option is perfect for me. Please understand the web is good for some things but not all things.

    Sincerely,

    Patrick

  8275. Christine Hunt

    I have used FTM and ancestry since the start. As a response, I have let my subscription lapse and I will be attempting to find different software. I have found over time, data corruptions and missing data through the sync process and online file and I find it hard to think Ancestry wants us to rely on their files entirely. Not happening.

  8276. Virginia

    Poor, poor decision – echoing what others have said. I own a marketing business, and if were to receive the massively dissatisfied feedback from my customers that this decision has received, I would rethink my decision and eat humble pie. Like others, if Ancestry does not change its mind about discontinuing FTM, I will seek a replacement software. My information is NOT going to be resident only in Ancestry’s cloud, subject to Ancestry’s ownership and access restriction. It’s MY information, that I have worked to compile, verify, source, and maintain.

    So I have a business suggestion: why not have a two-tiered pricing option for Ancestry memberships that REWARDS customers who also use FTM? By purchasing FTM for your PC or MAC, you get a discounted Ancestry membership. This would encourage beginner genealogists to delve deeper by purchasing a more robust family tree program than the online system provides, and at the same time enhances the link with their online research. And it ADDS revenue to the company by creating multi-product users–like your nearly 10,000 commenters.

  8277. Darrell

    Still waiting for Ancestry to reply to these almost 10000 messages of complaint. Will they or won’t they at the 3 month mark?

  8278. Steve

    I cannot believe Ancestry is doing this. I don’t like the way the website has changed as it is more cumbersome to work on hints and research. I rely upon FTM. It has many great features I use regularly. Please reconsider keeping your customers happy.

  8279. Narelle

    Why, Ancestry does not give reports that I use in Family Tree, I hope your change your mind or give us these in Ancestry.

  8280. Stephen

    Anyone know of another company to switch to? I have been with Family Tree maker for a long long time, I am ready to change now!!

  8281. ed

    I’m trying, really trying, but maintaining my trees using ancestry.com rather than FTM is simply not going to work for me. Perhaps I’ll dust off my stamp collection. It is a shame, truly, that the demise of FTM is lurking down the road. – ed

  8282. I was not surprised by this news and fully understand some of the reasoning behind Ancestry making this decision. I just sincerely hope that eliminating support for FTM will free up Ancestry to provide even more records which is what we all pay them to do. I can enter my own data into my own genealogy program as long as I can access the information. That’s how I started, and although I like all the syncing and merging capabilities I’ve enjoyed, I don’t expect Ancestry to do my job for me. All I want is for them to keep adding records so I can have more information to add to my own tree. Thank you, Ancestry for providing me with oodles of death certificates, census records, wills and many other things that researchers used to have to go to libraries and courthouses to obtain. Vital records have to be purchased individually, and you have to pay just for them to search. But Ancestry provides us with copies of those records whenever it is legal to do so. I will not complain because I have gained more information from Ancestry than I ever could if they were not here. Ancestry has to change with the times and based on the complaints I have seen here and on FB, I think the smartest thing they ever did was to stop supporting FTM. Some folks think Ancestry obligated to make it easy for them to gather their data and enter it into their computers for them but that’s not how it is supposed to work. I plan to stay with Ancestry because I am still finding vital records of my ancestors and my subscription is cheaper than trying to get those things through vital records.

  8283. Sandra Aeppli

    Very disappointing news. I like the features in FTM and like the feature that allows me to print out portions of my trees in different formats. I also liked the tree sync to Ancestry. It saves a lot of time because I don’t have to input the data twice. Please provide alternatives to FTM when you phase it out.

  8284. Steve Geisenberger

    Looks like lots of questions with no answers. I like many others like having the program as its much easier to work with. I use the online apps but I feel secure that I can do reports in FTM. Please get blogging on your proposed solution. Are you saying if you don’t maintain a subscription your screwed going forward??????????

  8285. Chris

    Frank Carman: the website your link pointed to, apparently your company, was misleading. While this may well be something that they will also change, it currently is cost-free to upload/work/display a tree on Ancestry…if that is all you are doing on their site. Message boards and such are also cost-free. I maintain several trees on Ancestry and have not been a paying subscriber for years. Your website says they now expect folks to store all their info online and pay a yearly fee to access it, and I had not seen where they have (yet) changed the free access for tree-only guest users. Have they explicity said yet that they will be doing that? I am like others who refuse to use the cloud as the only medium where my info is kept, but if ACOM coughs up a viable solution like with another software vendor AND they do not kick off non-paying subscribers, I am staying on board.

    Ancestry: see…the vultures are circling around…why don’t you give us some solid status reports on what you are doing with all this. This makes it even worse you ignore us.

  8286. After all the hours I spent and the money I invested, the least you can do is renew my basic subscription at no cost until 2017 when you end support of Family Tree Maker. I am very disappointed in your lack of customer service, considering the customer loyalty that all of your members have given.

  8287. Extremely disappointing choice on Ancestry’s part. I fell for the ‘new’ FTM with sync, & purchased it, one month later you are now cancelling it. It could be viewed as tightening your grip and having that much more control which will enable you to charge another fee in the future for what is now “part of the deal.” My, my how we’ve changed over the years. Does ‘to big for your britches’ come to mind anybody?????

  8288. Tom D.

    I bought Family Historian 6.0 for $49.00. It took 19 minutes to install the program, export my FTM data to GEDCOM and to import the GEDCOM into Family Historian 6.0. The results are perfect. Seamless. Family Historian appears to have all the features of FTM except the oak leaves and the ability to tie directly into Ancestry. I miss that–but the anxiety and concern of what to do is over. Looks like a new home–and new opportunities. “Change is never easy” for sure–and I would not have changed, but for Ancestry’s decision to discontinue FTM. I am now looking forward to new opportunities and new resources–now that I know my work to date is safe and will remain accessible in a usable format.

  8289. Kathy Q

    Tom, When you created your tree on FTM did you use the quaking leaved to merge any information into your tree?? There is some contention that the info. that was merged and not really SAVED into your tree will not transfer. I have created my tree MOSTLY that way. I just automatically thought that by merging into FTM it was saved. Now a knowledgeable person on the software program I have chosen to import my FTM tree into, states that info only merged will not transfer. I was looking for someone who has done this task to ask if all his info did transfer. I have SEARCHED FTM extensively for a SAVE button- none found. The software program I have chosen is not Historian. thanks for any help.

  8290. Winfred Ball

    I was waiting to up grade from 2012 to the next up grade. Now, I will not be able to. If you shot down your site, how are we going to look up leafs or are they going to be gone too? I wish you would reconsider. PLEASE

  8291. Kathy L

    Another reason to let my subscription run our on Jan 31 and save $AUS450. I do a lot of work offline and use online only as a backup copy. Despite a few problems the software is still better that the ‘new ‘ and flaky interface on desktop or ipad. 12 months ‘support’ is meaningless and worthless. Ill go to Findmypast if I want my family tree purely online. For those of you who have public trees make them private. Ancestry says it helps you to have them public when in reality it helps them.

  8292. Terry V

    Horrible decision. I have used FTM for well over 20 years. I have never used Ancestry.com and based on what I have read here, never will. As far as desktops going out of style, I will always have a desktop or laptop available for detailed work like family tree organization.
    If you don’t rethink your decision to discontinue FTM advances, please consider selling the software to another company so enhancements to a great product can continue.
    For those of you concerned about your existing FTM not working after its discontinued – the software will continue to work. Just don’t lose your original disk if case of need to reinstall.

  8293. PB

    Still no reply from Ancestry management. They are probably overjoyed that their decision generated a “mere” 9,307 unfavorable comments.

  8294. tazvet

    Extremely disappointing that Ancestry has jumped onto the ‘cloud’ wagon as our only option. The site is definitely going downhill. I’ve been a member for 10 years and done genealogy using FTM for since it was first released by Broderbund in the 1990’s. This step to maximize profits and greed instead of taking care of customer needs and desires is concerning enough to consider using another venue for the family tree.

  8295. Agent21

    It’s bad news when you have to have your Family Tree online for all to see.
    It will a Goldmine of information for Government agencies, and other nefarious people, and they wont be coming to tell you, “you have Inhereted a Castle”.
    Privacy doesn’t exist with Governments or Paying agencies and least of all on someone elses Server.

  8296. Sergeant

    You have to be kidding me. You decided to “RETIRE FTM”. All the work that I have put into my research and moving forward were for nothing. You people at Ancestry are just about as smart as Donald Trump.

  8297. Dan

    Can’t add anything more than what others have said. Typical corporate stupidity again. Will drop you in a heartbeat come 2017

  8298. Lance

    I agree with everyone of the above comments that disagree about retiring FTM. I have used it since 1996 and like the tools a lot better than the online site for managing my tree.

  8299. Odette

    I firmly believe that retiring FTM is a huge mistake! Customers would be better served by your fixing the “bugs” in the program. Working online is much more difficult, as far as I’m concerned.

  8300. Larry

    Your decision to discontinue FTM seems to me to be strictly a financial decision to force people to use and pay for Ancestry.com if folks want to share their family histories. I am the main researcher for my family and my wife’s family and I share my research with other family members by the reporting options available in FTM – I create pdf files to email to them.

    I have not placed our family trees on Ancestry.com because of the poor interface and lack of reporting.

    Obviously, I can continue to use FTM on my computer. However, when I purchase a new computer, I can reload FTM from my DVD but will I then be able to receive software updates? Will you offer a final DVD of FTM before you discontinue support?

    I agree with all the other folks who are very disappointed and upset about your decision to stop selling and supporting FTM.

  8301. Mike Parnelly

    This pretty much proves the fallacy spreading around about everyone preferring online apps to desktop software, doesn’t it? So many companies are misinformed. Online apps have a very long way to go before they’ll be able to outperform desktop software. For simple, collaborative functions, online apps are great, but for data-intensive functions, no.

  8302. Mike Mesenbourg

    This is an extremely shortsighted decision and I suspect that you are going to lose a tremendous number of subscribers as a result. Every change you have made in the recent years indicates to me that none of the decision makers have a clue as to how their subscribers use their product. Not sure who is making these decisions but I would firmly suggest that you rethink this one long and hard. Every person I know that uses tree maker is going to walk when their subscription runs out and if not already looking to change are going to be looking into and using other sites to continue their work. Your loss in so many ways but it is a huge loss to many of us that have been utilizing this tool over the years

  8303. Johnny Ricketson

    I am extremely disappointed that you have discontinued the Family Tree Software for the same reasons expressed by the many others. Having the software on my computer as a backup and my permanent record is more important to me than having my family tree posted on Ancestry.com. Having desktop software available must be part of the total package if you want to provide a full service genealogy website. Don’t try to force the market to meet your needs because you will pay a price, but provide what the market demands and success will most likely follow.

  8304. I have recently written to Ancestry regarding the demise of Family Tree Maker, I really think they couldn’t care less about us mere mortals. Be warned this is all about money, once FMT has become a thing of the past every body will have to pay an annual fee to maintain/look at their own Family Tree on Ancestry. Of course you can always save your tree as a GEDCOM but we all know this doesn’t include your media files or notes. My suggestion is we should all ask to have our Family Trees taken down from Ancestry ,com. maybe they will listen to the people then.

  8305. Helen

    Great, I finally go and buy the platinum FTM, as it was on special for $35 and then see this, so I guess it’s not worth me opening the box and installing the software if it’s going to be dissolved in a year. So I have been a monthly subscriber for a while now, as I can’t afford a yearly subscription. Are they going to stop this also?

  8306. Jack

    Peter Jones – I recently transferred my FTM file to Lagacy using GEDCOM. All my notes and media were transferred correctly

  8307. Janice

    Sounds like Legacy is the place to go… where we will be respected. I have had nothing but trouble with my FTM since a year ago and they can’t seem to get it fixed for me… so out I go also, with the rest of the folks here. I am a good person, have been a really good customer and refuse to be abused like this. There are more fish in the sea than you Ancestry. Can’t imagine what you could come up with at this late date after making such an announcement. I would not trust you again after this. You’ll come up with something more for us to spend on and then when you have had enough of us again there will be a repeat of this action. Well you will not do it to me again. You have my money for the rest of the year but no renewal after that. My money is all you want anyway.

  8308. JudyM

    I am stunned! By accident, I just found out that Ancestry has discontinued FTM. I received no e-mail from them stating that fact but I have received ads selling the DNA kits. Having been with them since their earliest version, I really feel like i have lost a close friend.

    I have nine trees for various branches of our families with thousands of records and photos attached. I only work on my trees using FTM on my laptop, never on the Ancestry site. Having backups are vital. Relying on a cloud is foolish.

    I pay for a subscription to do research and share my work with family members. Looks like that won’t be happening with FTM anymore so I will have to do some research and move on.

  8309. Kathy L

    Oddly I posted comments and they disappeared and now they are back. This is a cut and paste of what I posted when they disappeared because now that post has gone!!!! I bought Family Tree Maker because of its features and started my tree offline some years ago. I still frequently work offline adding details and media. Loading that tree up to Ancestry and syncing was purely a convenience, and mostly for backup purposes. Now I find that this software will be retired at the end of the year and I will be left with only an online front end with less functionality and more ‘flakiness’. My Ancestry subscription runs out on Jan 31. I won’t be renewing at $AUS450. If my option is to have a mostly manual genealogical software package I may as well bite the bullet now and look at something like Legacy, joining FindMyPast and saving lots of money in the process. Despite what are supposed to be placating comments by Kendall Hulet, I am not paying another year in the hope they make good for their loyal customers. Many of you who have made your trees ‘Public’ because Ancestry tells you it improves your chances. As a gesture, consider making them ‘Private’ as your trees are currently also helping Ancestry. It would annoy many who use your work as leverage for their research. For example, “Heir Hunters” in the UK. I’ve seen snippets of trees several times on that and other shows. All I have to do now is make sure the images I need are downloaded to Family Tree Maker, because once my subscription expires I won’t be allowed to see them anymore although I have already paid to see them over many years. That’s how you reward loyalty.

  8310. Hayley

    My comments are all similar to the above but just adding to the throng. I have had FTM for many many years and not uploaded to ancestry. I joined anestry this year and now just stumbled upon this by accident so not happy at all. I like the ability to have it on my own computer in my own home so I can work on it whenever I like……. so goes the blurb, reread all the others above if the message doesn’t get through. Not happy and will be removing trees that I have recently added and jumping to the next third party software as there is always someone to fill the hole.

  8311. Brenda

    I have already commented but so far since your announcement, you have not made any attempt to reassure your loyal customers that you will try to work something out. As much as Ancestry costs some of us on SS will be forced to cancel Ancestry because You have refused to listen to why we need to keep FTM. Why was it necessary to “improve FTM” every year? All is becoming clear. Ancestry wants a monopoly just like Microsoft, so you bought out FTM, Genforum, Fold #, as well as other online helps for the genealogist. Then you started closing them one by one. Genforum was the best for finding others with the same family or to have questions answered. Guess Fold 3 will be only available if my tree is on the “cloud”. I will not continue to play your games. I have already subscribed to Legacy and Roots Magic because they offered amazing software at more than reasonable prices. I also have removed several of my family lines from Ancestry and will remove the rest in the next few weeks. Need to get used to a life without Ancestry. I Will not be renewing my subscription. I believe you have made a huge mistake, hope it was worth it.

  8312. Don

    Just got my DNA tested from Ancestry and was about to get a paid subscription. No way now. Moving to Legacy…they also have an app for the Iphone similar to FTM.

  8313. Sandra Combs

    I have used Family Tree Maker ever since it has been available. That is many, many years of investment of time and money into your product. I think this is a total disregard for the people who have invested themselves into making your organization what it is. I am very disappointed in you. I hate to think that you disregard your customers over the years this much as to just throw us to the wind. I guess if you don’t need us, maybe no one will need you. I hope you don’t regret your decision as much as I regret investing so many years in your product. I guess I will buy several reams of paper of print my info off, then bid you goodbye. Hope everyone else does the same thing. Others can replace you and I hope they do !

  8314. Joe

    Did some 20 something hotshot decide this? From a business standpoint, how does a company throw away the most popular genealogy software in America? At least, why not have FTM available in the cloud ala Google Docs? or sell or give the program to another company (keeping the Ancestry links.) It’s obvious that your developers are having trouble fixing bugs. Give it to a company that can. Read the comments – you have created a lot of ill will for Ancestry.

  8315. Marti

    I too have used family tree maker for over 25 years. I have been a loyal customer. As I read the comments, I notice that there is NOT ONE comment that thinks this will be a good move or that supports the company decision. Even if you change your mind and decide to keep FTM alive and well, I’m not sure I would trust the company to be a long term solution. The damage that has been done to your reputation and your business is unmeasurable. I think the thing that FTM and Ancestry.com does not understand is we use your products BECAUSE you have the laptop version of FTM. Without that, I’m not sure why I would keep Ancestry.com. It has been a wonderful tool but it has not been the source of the majority of my research. I will not give up my laptop capability for keeping my family tree – so I will have to find an alternative. No doubt about it. you are forcing me to go to your competitors. There is no other alternative to my way of thinking. You have made my decision for me – I have to switch! To say I am disappointed is a major understatement. I think you have done major damage to your company but it is your right to do it. And it’s my right to change. It’s been a great partnership. I am sad to see it end.

  8316. kenneth wood

    I was about to resubscribe to ancestry when I got your notice that FTM was going to be dropped. After years of membership I’m done with Ancestry!! The customer is… NOT IMPORTANT! RIGHT? BYE!!

  8317. Mike

    After the FTM debacle I have moved over to RootsMagic. I have now just received an email fro Ancestry encouraging me to upgrade to an All Access subscription. I wouldn’t have a subscription at all If they had said what they were planning to do with FTM just prior to my renewal. Talk about a company being disconnected from its customers.

  8318. Mary

    Unbelievable. After all of your loyal customers purchased your product and filled your website with their data that YOU profit from, you are cutting them off! Disgraceful!

  8319. Chuck

    Interesting! I was just getting ready to purchase this product for my wife, who does all the geneology. Thank goodness I didn’t buy it for her for Christmas like I was thinking of doing. I just talked to one of your representatives who could offer no input on alternative software or provide me insight into what decision you will be making in 2016. It is clear from the hundreds of comments above that no one is happy and your decision will cost you lots of loyal customers and revenue. Seems like a bad decision on Ancestry’s part. I realize you want to do this ‘Cloud’ thing, but I have a problem having my personal stuff on someone else’s server somewhere. I wonder if Ancestry plans on tapping into other folks family history and using it for their benefit? Finally, what’s really interesting is all the negative comments, yet no response from Ancestry to answer anyone’s questions. I assume this ‘blog’ will be ignored also.

  8320. Pat P

    I’ve posted here already, but because this blog is so-o-o long and difficult to completely navigate, and this really needs repeating, here’s my advice (and I’m going to post this to “both” blogs):
    1) Go ahead and CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION now. Don’t just threaten to! You will get NO refund, but your access will remain as-is until your original expiration date. You will then become a “registered guest” with continued access to your tree, and you won’t be AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED. You can still renew manually, if you so desire. Cancellations is all they’re seeing (blog complaints are only among us.)
    2) Download and start getting familiar with an alternative to FamilyTreeMaker. The leading contenders are Legacy, Family Historian, and RootsMagic. They all have free trial versions, and they all have special deal$, and are courting FTM refugees. There are issues with each; they’re all good. There are several good website reviews, how-to’s and other help – just look around.
    3) This last piece of advice is not necessary,; is severely criticized,; and is only my opinion… DELETE your Tree, or at least make it “PRIVATE”. Ancestry has become a joke in the genealogy world, of little or NO respect or credibility. Yeah, they DO have the world’s largest repository of genealogical data, but their REAL and only interest is MONETARY. They profit from your hard work, and your tree makes them lots’O-$$$. Share your tree only with people you know, with true genealogists.
    I have cancelled my membership, deleted my trees, and am going forward with RootsMagic.
    Do your own.

  8321. Linda F.

    MyHeritage Family Tree Builder and Legacy both have free versions for PC’s. It’s a great way to try them out before purchasing their premium product. RootsMagic is offering a special price on their software. All of these programs took my gedcom from FTM and accepted all my notes and media perfectly. I loved FTM and purchased every update since it was first introduced. I hate the fact that I am having to make a change, but I am pleasantly surprised that there are several outstanding choices on the market.
    I always contributed my trees and made them public including many hundreds of photos. They are going private now until I decide which program I will use. Then they will be removed from Ancestry. I also realized I was using my U.S. subscription to Ancestry year after year to find records, instead of using all the resources available, so I will not renew.
    Ancestry when I called for help-your employee’s were always ready to assist. I would rather stay but since you are abandoning us, your customers, I must abandon you as well.

  8322. Robert Monday

    It is a shame that the Ancestry group has stopped selling and will soon stop supporting Family Tree Maker. It is a great program, while the software on Ancestry.com is pretty much junk. However, that seems to be the way most software proceeds from good and reasonably priced to bad and expensive. Plus the Ancestry company is run by Mormons who have never passed up a dollar that they can snatch from someone. Guess I’ll start searching for an alternative.

  8323. Barb

    From GENEALOGY NEWS: “In a blog post this week, Ancestry made it official. They are now moving everyone to the new Ancestry website. This has created a certain amount of controversy in genealogy circles since some people don’t like the new Ancestry. The need to interact with family trees as opposed to doing a simple ancestral search is a feature that many find particularly annoying. It is certainly no coincidence this announcement comes one week after the announcement of the shutting down of the popular Family Tree Maker software… From a business perspective, what Ancestry is doing is fairly straight forward. They now have a two-step process for retaining customers. They not only want you to find the ancestral record you need, but they also want you to keep it on their website – FOREVER.

    “Obviously, someone at Ancestry has done the math and realized the number of annoyed customers they will lose from these two moves (shifting to the new Ancestry and shutting down Family Tree Maker) will be more than offset by the extra revenue the company will generate from other people keeping their subscriptions longer because they want to hold onto their online family trees. Big corporation thinking really…. One thing that has been missed in all the online discussions about this issue is that it has been several months since Ancestry has actually added any new major record collections to their website (just go through our newest genealogy records list to see the last time we mentioned Ancestry).

    “For several months now, Ancestry has been incrementally updating old record collections, scrapping free record collections from the internet and publishing free data sets they received from FamilySearch. But no major new record collections. We doubt this can be a coincidence since some of their competitors (like FindMypast) have been going great guns this year with original new record collections (once again, you can see the pattern if you scan through our newest genealogy records list for the last several months).

    “In our September 2015 genealogy news, we mentioned back then that we thought Ancestry had quietly shifted strategy from historic records to keepers of life records for the current generation. Perhaps we were right? Something to think about before you renew your Ancestry subscription if your main purpose for doing so is to stay on top of potential new record collections. Going forward, you might not see many new original ones from Ancestry….” – See complete article at: http://www.genealogyintime.com/genealogy-news.html#sthash.ildGeFHI.dpuf

  8324. Mark Foss

    I agree with the many people above who have expressed dismay at the decision your organization has made. Ancestry’s Family Tree Maker has been an excellent way to organize my family’s history. I DO NOT want to put my hard work in any online cloud without controlling what I preserve right here in my own backup system. I think this is a shortsighted business decision and it will backfire. I came online to see what upgrade might be available and found your decision to my dismay. Please reconsider.

  8325. Jan Mishkin

    Wow, I am really disappointed at this decision to drop the FamilyTree Maker application as I have been using it since it was a DOS version. There have been a great deal of changes and I agree with many that the application keeps up our tree independence. As someone in IT I realize maintaining two systems is costly, but until the community using FTM is comfortable with an online version removing FTM is a big mistake!

  8326. Susan Griffith

    I agree with everyone else. I want to clean up and work on my family information BEFORE putting it out for all to see. I really want reporting capability too.

  8327. Dianna

    I too have been using Ancestry and FTM for many, many years. I love that we are able to go into FTM and follow the leaf to Ancestry and retrieve information. Now that FTM is gone, what are we supposed to do? I feel like I have done all of that work for nothing over the years (since 1995) and now all I have to show for it is a bunch of names. I have over 11,000 names in my FTM and no chance to progress. I may be cancelling Ancestry as it really is no use to me now. I do not want my trees only online.

  8328. Brian

    Apparently Ancestry management believe we aren’t serious about this issue. I haven’t seen anything that makes me believe they give a hang about their customers. When this first hit the fan in December I canceled my long standing auto-renewed subscription and instructed them to remove me from ALL of their junk email. As of this week, I am still receiving email soliciting my business. What part of “remove me from all email lists” don’t they understand? I will not budge on this issue of destroying FTM and of their kidnapping of our data! I’ve been a customer of Broderbund’s FTM since the late 1990’s and have seen all the transitions on this website as well as the websites that were acquired (ruined) over the years. I’m not happy with the current FOREIGN owners of Ancestry nor of the creator of the “shaky leaf”. As far as I’m concerned Ancestry should be blocked from any US Government data stores, in whatever format they are in. Any government contracts currently in place need to be suspended until there is some clarity regarding Ancestry’s control of personal data. Just because some believe Ancestry’s “legalese” gives them the right to act in this manner doesn’t make it true. Don’t blindly accept as fact any posted comments to the contrary! I believe that it’s past time for our legal system to get involved and scrutinize some of the more egregious issues that have come to light with the decision to kill FTM.

  8329. william

    Was just about to re up my subscription until I read this, there’s no way I want any software that runs over the web.

  8330. EMW

    I was also disappointed with the dropping of the desk top software. Every one I know uses the desk top software to hold their tree and configure printouts exchange files, etc. The software is complex and undoubtedly expensive, but I will not signup for a further Ancestry subscription. I realize that those who purchased Ancestry are demanding more income so they can recover their purchase price, but it just might backfire.

  8331. Kristie Wells

    NEW FAMILY TREE MAKER OPTIONS

    We have listened to your concerns over the last month and are excited to share an update on Family Tree Maker!

    Software MacKiev, with whom we have a long-standing relationship, is acquiring the Family Tree Maker software line. This new agreement means you will receive software updates and new versions from Software MacKiev, and have the ability to purchase new versions as they are released.

    We have also made an agreement with RootsMagic to connect Ancestry with their software by the end of 2016. You will have access to Ancestry hints, Ancestry searches, and the ability to save your tree on Ancestry once that work is done.

    We ask for your patience as we work diligently through all the details to make these solutions available, which could take several months.

    If you would like to read a slightly extended version of this announcement, you can find it here: https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2016/02/02/good-news-for-users-of-family-tree-maker/

  8332. Linda Windmoeller

    Funny that Ancestry did NOT make this current annoucement of ‘FTM to be continued’ prior to the Dec 8th ‘end of FTM’ announcement! What were those those well-paid VPs thinking?! It was bad public relations to prematurely announce ending the software, and backtrack afterwards and now say FTM is saved by another company. Ancestry better offer some sweet deals for membership to keep from losing paying customers.

  8333. Mike C

    I just got the email that Software MacKiev is acquiring FTM. I just wondered why a software company wasn’t contacted months ago about taking over FTM. This is the first thing I thought about when the announcement was made about FTM support was being dropped.
    Because no other options were available at the time, I tried out two applications that were suggested on this blog: RootsMagic and Family History. RootsMagic was satisfactory but was missing a lot of features and was seemed somewhat primitive. Family History is a modern, slick windows based application which seems to have a lot of “bells and whistles” (add-ons, data conditioning tools, etc) that are needed that even FTM doesn’t have. I used a FTM GEDCOM export file to import data to FH and was up and running instantly.

  8334. Linda Windmoeller

    wikipedia: “Software MacKiev is a company specialized in consumer and educational software development and publishing for Macintosh, Windows, and mobile platforms. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Software MacKiev has its main workshop in Kiev, Ukraine.” Just like I thought, functions/works out of the Ukraine.

  8335. Richard Mangus

    Money, money, money! It’s all about profits now and what brings in the most money for this business. That’s why the subscription fee has skyrocketed. The software business doesn’t bring in enough money so it’s time to get rid of it.

  8336. melanie

    disappointing. have invested more than a decade with FTM and sounds like the “partnership” between ancestry and MacKiev/Roots Magic won’t be as good. from what someone else said, Family History might have been a better move. …

  8337. Lyle

    My main Trees and research is on FTM. I will never move anything but a rudimentary tree with few or no sources to Ancestry.com and then only for DNA matching. This is mainly due to Ancestry’s privacy policy. Anything posted becomes property of ancestry even private data. I research, write and do paid research, some of it, I or my customers may copyright, I am not about to post it and let ancestry have it for free. It looks like my business model and theirs is in conflict. As a Family historian and geologist, the tree layouts and graphics of Ancestry are woeful, the online reports don’t work well and do not lend themselves for making professional looking reports. Ancestry.com’s online tree software just does not have the features needed for a serious researcher. Their access to data is good and the ability to find and download sources is why I subscribe to ancestry, but if this capability is diminished, the subscription value is diminished accordingly.

  8338. Dan

    I missed this news and just read it. I know you have your reasons, but it’s a shame you’re discontinuing the most useful of your products. I’ve never liked the idea of uploading my research to your servers and kind of hoped the software would eventually allow us to upload our research without putting it on Ancestry. It seemed kind of dirty to me that you would only allow us to post on line if it supported your business. You had a decent product. Now you don’t.

  8339. Ronald Byram

    I too just read the news. Sorry any prior emails that went out were never received. I like the others have invested 25 years to FTM. I guess times change. and so must i?

  8340. Howard Rogers

    As a customer who first installed the original Banner Blue FTM from floppy disks and has since purchased every upgrade and spent £1000s of pounds on Ancestry subscriptions, this is just a slap in the face. A ridiculous decision. Direct debit cancelled, loyal customer seriously upset, no further recommendations of your product and services and the end of a long and profitable (for you) relationship. I’ll leave you with a short piece of advice to consider at your next board meeting. “Understand your customers before your accountants”

  8341. Rex Perry

    I seem to remember reading in a blog posed by Kendall Hulet on 12/8/2015 that Ancestry.com was terminating support for Family Tree Maker, as of a certain date, and that there were no plans to sell the rights to the FTM software to anyone. The last time I checked there were well over 9000 comments in your blog on this subject and each of them decried your stupid decision. For some foolish reason I tend to believe what I am told. Perhaps it is because I tend to do what I say I am going to do.

    I have used FTM for many years and the genealogical data that I have amassed would be most difficult to replace. Although I like FTM my decision was to migrate to another software supplier before some unknown upgrade, on one end or the other, rendered my data useless. Ancestry.com has a proven record of disregard for these things unless there is money in it for them.

    I have moved my data to Legacy and although there is a bit of a learning curve I suspect that it will be as useful as my old FTM program. So far that seems to be the case.

    Should someone foolishly ask me my opinion on this subject I will most gladly let them know what I think.

    I am quite sure that management at Ancestry.com will be patting themselves on the back for this great decision to sell FTM. Unfortunately, at least in my case, it is too little, too late. They should have listened….

    Rex Perry

  8342. Jon Hall

    I’ve been a loyal customer since the early days FTM from floppy disks and has since purchased every upgrade made. Ancestry.com is in the business of steeling data, only to re-sell it through their subscriptions. Since Ancestry has abandoned its loyal customers, maybe we should cut ties with them.

  8343. Malcolm

    Got home this evening and found this message from Ancestry.co.uk in my inbox, in case anyone is still interested and haven’t received a copy you may want to take a look and make of it what you may:

    Dear Family Tree Maker™ community,

    Since our Family Tree Maker announcement last December, we have continued to actively explore ways to develop and support Family Tree Maker and ensure you have choices to preserve your work in ways that matter to you.

    Today, we are pleased to announce two options for desktop software that will work with Ancestry.

    Software MacKiev

    Software MacKiev, with whom we have a long-standing relationship, is acquiring the Family Tree Maker software line as publisher for both Mac and Windows versions. Software MacKiev has been the developer of Family Tree Maker for Mac for more than six years and is thrilled at the opportunity to publish future versions of Family Tree Maker for Mac and Windows.

    This new agreement means you will receive software updates and new versions from Software MacKiev, and have the ability to purchase new versions of Family Tree Maker from Software MacKiev as they are released. You will have continued access to Ancestry Hints, Ancestry searches, and be able to save your tree on Ancestry with Family Tree Maker moving forward.

    RootsMagic

    We have made an agreement with RootsMagic, a leading genealogy desktop software program publisher, to connect Ancestry with the RootsMagic software by the end of 2016. With this new relationship, RootsMagic can serve as your desktop family tree software, while having access to Ancestry hints, Ancestry searches, and the ability to save your tree on Ancestry.

    We have heard your concerns and are working to provide the solutions you requested. These new agreements will make it possible to preserve your work on Ancestry and Family Tree Maker and enable future features and benefits to help you discover your family history. Be assured that Ancestry, in cooperation with Software MacKiev and RootsMagic, will continue to support you as you discover your family history.

    We ask for your patience as we work diligently through all the details to make these solutions available. You can find additional details about these Family Tree Maker partnerships on our blog. We also encourage you to continue to check back on our blog for future updates in the coming months.

  8344. ed

    This week’s announcement of Ancestry’s collaboration with Software-Kiev and Roots Magic is promising. If only Ancesty could have made a heads up announcement with or shortly after the death of FTM announcement many many would have been spared the anguish that accompanied that original announcement. Perhaps Ancestry could do something to compensate those of us that took the time to redirect the company via our 9300 messages, How about a couple of months of additional subscription time?

    ed

  8345. Nancy

    I can’t believe that Ancestry not only made this decision but seems to be ignoring the multitude of unhappy customers not just for FTM but Ancestry.

    I was one of the original customers for Ancestry and have paid significant fees over the years for membership. I loved Rootsweb which was free but I do feel that Ancestry gave me value for my membership with access to all of the databases. It is certainly easier to search online than to use microfiche.

    However, with that said, I won’t be renewing my membership this year. I loved sharing my data online but I want full control & access in my own software program. If this issue isn’t resolved, I will be removing my online database of over 15000 ancestors.

    Ancestry has had almost 6 weeks to provide a response and all we have received is that they will provide support for one year. This isn’t sufficient & I can’t wait one year to find a solution. Almost 10,000 comments @ at least $200 per year. You’d think a loss of $2,000,000 would get a response a little sooner.

  8346. Gloria Bott

    I agree with all the disappointed people who have written before me. I especially want to be able to print my own reports…family trees, generation reports, etc. I certainly hope this is one of things you bring over to Ancestry.com. But I also want my info to stay on my hard drive. And I don’t know why you can’t allow us to upgrade to the last version during this year of change! Not sure what I will do in the future….probably depends on you.

  8347. Brian

    @ Kristie Wells – Thank you for the news regarding FTM. Please inform Mr. “Shaky Leaf” that, since he posted the original subject of FTM’s demise, he should be the one to announce this “news”. I still cannot believe the extremely poor way this was handled. As another poster recently stated: “What were those well-paid VPs thinking?!” As far as I’m concerned an official apology is in order. Regardless of the reasons this entire episode has not been handled properly, has severely shaken my faith in present management and has damaged Ancestry’s reputation as the industry leader. What really angers me the most about this situation is the fact that I was really enjoying the combination of the two – web and PC. I’ve even used the Android app on more than several occasions while out and about. Even though the cost of on-line access has steadily increased, I still kept my subscription in place. I’ve had my wife’s and my DNA tested and have told numerous people about Ancestry’s DNA product. Then Ancestry has the gall to abruptly terminate FTM? Seriously? Ancestry has a lot of fence mending to do. I now have to decide whether or not to reinstate my yearly subscription. An official apology for the poor way this was handled would go a long way, at least for me.

    @ Linda Windmoeller – I agree whole-heartedly with your recent comments regarding VP’s. However, please bear in mind that just because a company has employees in Ukraine doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t good software programmers. I’m going to hope for the best because frankly I’ve been underwhelmed by the lack of quality with the PC software since FTM 2008 (a wretched product) was released. Perhaps The Software MacKiev Company will do better than Nova Development did since they now have ownership of the FTM title and might actually care about it. We shall see. Of course, now that FTM has been sold The Software MacKiev Company could kill it sometime in the future and Ancestry will then have a scapegoat and go forward with their web-only plans without looking like they planned FTM’s demise to get their grubby little fingers deeper into our pockets while tightening their grip on our personal data.

  8348. Jobeth

    Not at all surprised. Waaay back in the mid 90s a large group across the nation found genealogy and the new websites set up to help us talk to each other. I had a geocities website with all my info on it…Ancestry and others…but especially Ancestry…began copying theses sites for the “Free” info they provided and of course began charging others for that info…regardless of our “copyright” statements. I have found some other sites that have some of my info…word for word…without credit to sources. This just may be for our benefit…putting all our info in the cloud leaves a VAST amount of info up there for someone else to convert to their own uses…including charging for the info you and I dug out and traveled for. This just may be a blessing in disguise people. Keep using FTM and keep it on your own computer. Shame though. As an early group of new genealogy buffs we were dedicated to free interchange and help to one another…That changed with Ancestry and some others as they came on the scene…to create a buck. If you want to pay all that money to find “easy” info…That’s up to you. But there are a lot of us who got a very bitter taste when we found out what was happening…by taking out hard work and charging for it…by those who’s only work consisted in getting others to put up their genealogy for the taking.

  8349. John

    Will KENDALL HULET resign? Ancestry.com is pretty useless without FTM. Its like trying run a car without wheels. Across the board I can see folks already searching out better alternatives to Ancestry. Ancestry.com is overwhelmingly unfriendly to use … dare I say clumsy? I haven’t renewed my subscription and I doubt I ever will unless an updated FTM or FTM clone is released.

  8350. QueenJane

    WOW! I can’t believe the negative and threatening response from the community. How old are you people? Oh…maybe that’s the problem.

    This move away from desktop software is THE WAY OF THE FUTURE, folks. Many, many companies are doing it, and it’s been predicted for decades. Sorry to burst your bubble….but you can’t live in the dark ages forever. Get over it. You sound like a bunch of whiny children and internet trolls, when I’ll bet most of you (like me!) are well over 50. You live in a rapidly changing world of technology, so grow up and deal with it. Be flexible. Be aware. Be kind. Ancestry.com WILL give us plenty of new options — I HAVE FAITH.

    Eventually (if you have the patience and self-control to not overreact and abandon the company that has served us so well, for so long) you might even come to find that it’s BETTER than the desktop experience.

    And maybe, if you are NICE to the folks at Ancestry about it, and you start telling them what features you want to see in the web-based version, you might be hearing “wish granted” in the near future.

    Clearly Ancestry is dedicated to the cause….but they should not be expected to maintain old and dying technology. Everyone has to move out of the dinosaur age of technology. It’s not about greed, it’s about practicality. Sheesh, people. Grow up! I’m disappointed in all of you.

    @Ancestry.com and @Kendall Hulet: YOU GO GET ‘EM! I have no doubt that you are going to knock our socks off with the future of Ancestry.com. Woohoo!

  8351. PB

    At last, after 9370+ negative comments, a positive view. Queen Jane – just what position do you hold in the Ancestry organization? For your information I don’t consider myself old at 80, just more experienced and wiser. I remember when 8-track tapes were the wave of the future. Do your thing with the “cloud” and I’ll do mine with my desk top version. 10 years from now let me know how you made out.

  8352. Jack

    Queen Jane – I can’t believe what you said. Yes online access is the wavy of the future but most of us amateur genealogists want our family trees to be private NOT open to everyone else.

  8353. Gene Stoddard

    I really think you need to offer better information regarding alternatives to Family Tree Maker. I have copies of FTM 2005, 2012 but will they be supported. 2012 version is all but useless without Ancestry support. Will we be able to download our gedcoms to other software that will include photos and notes? I see many questions here but no answers.

  8354. Dave

    95% of Ancestry.com’s income is from subscriptions. Only 5% is from sales of FTM and other misc. The only way Ancestry can grow is by increasing the number of subscribers. From what I read they plan to do that in Germany and other places. Perhaps the potential subscriber market in the U.S. has flattened out. To me Ancestry has primarily been a place where I can interact with other amateur genealogists. We share family trees and sometimes my family tree will grow based on info from another tree. I will miss that interaction and the DNA connections as well. But I must have my master tree on my home-based PC, Laptop, Tablet or whatever. I do most of my updates offline. I have never really been satisfied with FTM as a tool. Now I’m free consider other family history tools. It’s been a good run, Ancestry. I’m sorry it has come to an end.

  8355. Bill

    Just go back up this blog to 2nd February and Kirstie Wells’s blog. I missed it but there is a further blog if you click on the bottom line. Surely this blog is over now.

  8356. Kristie Wells

    A couple of days ago we announced two new agreements that provide choices to preserve your work in ways that matter to you:

    (1) Software MacKiev is acquiring the Family Tree Maker software line as publisher for both Mac and Windows versions. This new agreement means you will receive software updates and new versions from Software MacKiev, and have the ability to purchase new versions of Family Tree Maker from Software MacKiev as they are released.

    (2) We have made an agreement with RootsMagic to connect Ancestry with the RootsMagic software by the end of 2016. With this new relationship, RootsMagic can serve as your desktop family tree software, while having access to Ancestry hints, Ancestry searches, and the ability to save your tree on Ancestry.

    You can read the whole announcement here:
    https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2016/02/02/good-news-for-users-of-family-tree-maker/

    We ask for your patience as Ancestry’s product team works with Software MacKiev and RootsMagic. As soon as we have an update, we will make another announcement. For now, just know these options are coming and will be in place before the end of the year to ensure you do not have a break in tree syncing and preserving the work you have already done.

  8357. John

    This is probably the result of Ancestry spending too much on marketing and not enough on support or development. My FTM hasn’t worked in months and the “fix” from Support, who emphasized that this was a “one-time exception” didn’t work. FTM is holding my data hostage until March 1st. What a ridiculous situation.

  8358. Lu

    PROVO, Utah, Feb. 03, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ancestry.com LLC, the largest provider of family history and personal DNA testing, will release financial results for its fourth quarter and full year 2015 on Wednesday, February 17, 2016, after the market closes. Following the release, the Company will host a conference call at 3:00 p.m. MT (5:00 p.m. ET).

    A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the investor relations section of the Ancestry website, http://ir.ancestry.com. Participants can also access the conference call by dialing (844) 831-3026 (domestic toll-free) or (315) 625-6887 (international) approximately ten minutes prior to the start time.

    The webcast replay will be available for 12 months on the investor relations section of the Ancestry.com website, http://ir.ancestry.com, under Events and Presentations. http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2016/02/03/807348/0/en/Ancestry-com-LLC-to-Announce-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2015-Financial-Results.html

  8359. Nice to see the change of heart. It may be that 95% of revenue comes from subscriptions but I guess many, like me, only subscribe to Ancestry because of the link to FTM – otherwise I might as well chop and change to whichever source of records I’m interested at the time. The FTM link is the USP for Ancestry as far as I’m concerned.

  8360. Trick37MP

    This is simply a bunch of crap. I had stopped my research for the past 6 years because of graduate and law school. My software is from 2006, and it won’t work with Windows 10. I was going to purchase the most recent version, and I found this out.

    I HATE the new interface…I don’t want all of my information online, like what is being required now. It’s hard to get to a spot to check something, and I sometimes have very low internet speed or bandwidth, thus it takes too long to research. I get more and more frustrated than is necessary.

    Let’s hope that the new company will keep the software going. And by the way, WHEN can we get the new software so I can work on my tree in a proper manner once again?

  8361. Katherine

    Can you guarantee that Ancestry.com website will always exist, will never go bust, and your server farm will never ever fail. Really. Because this is what you are promising if we entrust our years of research to your economic well-being and server. I prefer to have my data on my own computer and backed up on my own hard-drive. And you are assuming that I will never be in a place where I don’t have internet access. That’s idiotic. By abandoning the FTM program, you are making us dependent your continued existence and dependent on the availability of the internet in order to access and maintain our records and data. The people who have entrusted all their work to your server will get a nasty surprise someday when they read that Ancestry.com no longer exists and all the data has vanished. Or that the company that bought Ancestry has quadrupled the price and the subscriber has to pay it or kiss their work goodbye.

  8362. Keith

    I am prepared to jump to another tool that matches or exceeds the functionality of FTM. I refuse to let all of my family information reside on line without local backup. If Ancestry.Com kills their desktop software with such a cavalier attitude towards it customer, any other genealogy functionality they manage can also be terminated (along with our family data).

  8363. Gary

    A very bad business decision and one that will affect revenue and growth. As noted in many comments before your customers will move their business to your competitors.

  8364. Carolyn

    FTM coupled with Ancestry.com have been my right hand friends for as long as I have been doing geneaology (about 30 years!) Now I feel abandoned. I am too old to start learning a new program or to start transferring data. Please don’t do this!

  8365. Thomas

    I think the comments by QueenJane only serve to highlight a saying that I heard a long time ago in the IT development world, i.e. “That’s why we have the P (personal) in PC (personal computer)”. PCs are here to let us do whatever we want with them, they are personal to us. They are not the old mainframe “dumb” terminals only giving the user what the mainframe developers and operators wanted to put there.

    Thus, QueenJane has a right to have any attitude toward her PC and others have their right, too. One might say that calling some thousands of people writing here whiny and complainers serves no purpose.

    As for the cloud, it is not something that PC users may have gone out and demanded. It exists as a new way for technology companies to monetize the data storage market. If we all ever store our data on cloud servers and pay for the privilege, tech companies will have added a lot of money to their cash flow. One notes the effort to build consumer trust in and use of cloud servers is fully entwined in their ability to protect the data they store from theft or technical failure and data loss. One opinion is that while you may wish to store data in the cloud, you should not store sensitive data but perhaps only that data you wish to access on different devices in different locations. The cloud is only the future if everyone accepts it as the ultimate place to store their data and are willing to pay per month in perpetuity. Meanwhile, others may choose to store and protect their data on their own storage devices, especially since multi-terabytes of space gets cheaper by the day.

    Users did not demand the end of owning software and instead ask that all software be purchased and downloaded, that is a preference of software companies, it lessens costs and boosts profits. Is it bad? For me, not so much. But anyone who objects is welcome to their opinion and I won’t call them names for their “personal” opinions.

    Had the management of ancestry.com been truly on top of this issue, they would have sought another company to take over the maintenance of FTM, just as they have now been forced to do by the overwhelming negative response. One person’s whining and complaining is another person’s personal opinion but can’t be ignored by a company that wishes to retain the whiners and complainers and continue to receive their money. 9000+ unhappy customers is a certain signal that a company has made a bad decision, i.e., ended support for desktop software and left only the option to use a web application and cloud data storage. The lesson is not every situation lends itself to one solution, especially, it seems, the world of genealogy.

    Perhaps ancestry is on the right track, now after so many months, it is offering a reasonable alternative to its wish to divest itself of maintaining FTM.

    They can only hope the damage they have done to themselves will not be a severe hit to their profits.

  8366. Marilyn

    Need something to be able to hand this info to my children and so on…
    They won’t continue with this subscription if anything happens to me and don’t want info lost – support documents etc.
    My tree is extensive – and was going to use FTM to take care of all the above. What to do now?

  8367. Greg

    I have FTM on my personal computer and was looking for an update. Looks like I will be going elsewhere. If Ancestry believes anyone who has made the historical leap across the pond will sign up for a monthly service, they are sadly mistaken. Better to sign up for free, gather pertinent resources quickly, and find something else for continued research.

  8368. Elaine

    Even if you backpedal now, saying you will allow tree syncing with RootsWeb, because you listened to the vast outcry from so called “valued” customers, the damage to your company integrity has already been done. It’s clear to your subscribers, the people who have made Ancestry what it is (the customers!) that this company does not care about the vast financial and dedicated loyal support it has received from its customers. First, Ancestry mades terrible website interface changes users did not want or mostly disliked, ou don’t provide tools online to allow users to actually print or save the fruits of their labors, such as useful trees, charts, reports, etc online, but you DID encourage these users to spend even more money to buy FTM in order to do these tasks so obviously necessary in genealogy work, and now you’re breaking the promise and now you are taking away FTM in order to raise profits. At the very least you could show some dignity by offering RootsWeb at no ADDITIONAL cost to those who have ALREADY PAID for the purchase recent versions of FTM. But it’s too late now, as the damage to your business integrity has already been done. It is clear that many customers would jump ship if there was a good alternative source for Ancestry research. With competition growing, watch out. It is a foolish business practice to ignore the voice of your customers. This is a disgusting greedy move and the damage is irreparable.

  8369. Jim

    Unbelievable decision. We are not your typical 20 something’s that think that the cloud and that generated child like software is the holy grail. I have been buying the FTM software since 1995 and suspect that with this change this will be the last interaction I will have with Ancestry. And I pay you over $400 per year. It is clear to me that you have with this decision failed to recognize your customers essential needs . I am very disappointed and unless you reverse this poorly thought out decision that I will no longer be your customer.

  8370. Betty

    Worst. Decision. Ever. Please realize what a horrible error you’ve made and recant. If I have to choose between FTM and Ancestry, FTM is going to win.

  8371. Nicki

    From “The Ancestry Insider” –

    RootsWeb Update: Still Down and No Known Resolution Date.

    Posted: 26 Feb 2016 04:28 PM PST-

    RootsWeb error messageRootsWeb has now been down for over two days. It went down before 4pm MST on Wednesday, 24 February 2016. I asked Ancestry.com’s spokesperson, Matt Deighton for information and he issued this statement:

    “Our development and web operations teams are working on the problem and will have it resolved as quickly as possible. We do not currently have an estimated time that this issue will be resolved, but we will update the site as new information becomes public.”

    The unavailability of RootsWeb may not seem related to the New Ancestry, but in a way it is. While we think of digital information, including systems like websites, lasting forever, in reality they don’t.
    •File formats are replaced. When the software programs that read the files are gone, you’re toast.
    •Software programs becomes obsolete. When the operating systems that run the software programs are gone, you’re toast.
    •Operating systems become obsolete. When the hardware that runs the operating systems is gone, you’re toast.
    •Manufacturers create incompatible hardware and stop making old models. When obsolete hardware dies, you’re toast.

    A computer website has to be rejuvenated every decade or less or it will die. That may be one reason why Ancestry produced the New Ancestry. However, there are times that companies transition a website—under the covers—so seamlessly, users don’t know anything has occurred. Ancestry obviously should have done that with New Ancestry and then introduced improvements gradually. (I once programmed a system that made millions of dollars [none of which went into my pocket] because people will pay good money to avoid change. But I digress…)

    Since Ancestry.com hasn’t invested any money (visibly, at least), in RootsWeb in very many years, it is now a ticking time bomb. Or rather, it was a ticking time bomb. It has exploded and we wait nervously now to hear how much damage ensued.

    Notice: The opinions expressed herein are those of the Ancestry Insider, not necessarily those of Ancestry.com or FamilySearch. All content is copyrighted by the Ancestry Insider unless designated otherwise. See http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com for other important legal notices.

  8372. terri Lindquester

    I was shocked to hear this news. I just got a new computer and I need my FamilyTreeMaker software! I just bought it this year! I like the desktop software, and I don’t want to be solely dependent on the Internet! Please after all of this feedback reconsider! FamilyTreeMaker has been and still is the best software providing the flexibility of managing, printing, and organizing my family trees. You are essentially a monopoly and putting consumers in a no-win, no-choice situation. Please say that you have changed your mind! A boycott is in order.

  8373. TMEL

    QueenJane, you need to take note of Thomas’ comments. The move away from desktop software may be the “way of the future,” but my prediction, as many people have pointed out, is that people will continue to desire self-control of their years of collected and organized, precious data. We are not nearly ready (and neither is the technology) to rely completely on cloud technology as the keeper of this valuable information. We still need desktop software for our use, for the convenient interface, and for the piece of mind at any age. Not everyone reads their books on Kindles or their phones. Our society has learned that many (maybe even most) people (including me and my young daughter) will always prefer a real book.

  8374. Hopefully things get corrected soon, I started with the desktop version in 1989, some folks a lot lot longer. If family history research is truly what the company is all about, then you keep all your tools that allowed you and us to do that. You still develop more and future research options, as you are doing, but keep your original blueprint. Thats what made you!
    You are taking away the very substance, that has feed you from the beginning, even though you have plans on selling it off to other companies. Ancestry is just following the blue print direction of what all companies and institutions have gone, Cash flow first.
    The human race is just a number on a projection flow chart.
    The world has gone this way and Ancestry has stepped in line.

    In my opinion only, All we can do as a consumers is search out other options to continue our research….
    I always call this “life crossroads”,
    You can go left or right or forward…
    it might be time to take a turn………

  8375. RobM

    It seems you are addressing a symptom rather than the root cause of your problems. I’m sure FTM has been a headache since v16 was rewritten by a software team that lacked the skills to do a good job. You should have upgraded your development team many years ago rather than letting the problems fester so long that you had no choice but to abandon the whole mess. I will not commit my valuable data to a web only solution.

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