This is it, the new kid on the block. Genealogically, it is the youngest, born last year.

As a rule of thumb, I steer clear of version 1.0 software. It is too likely to include bugs or be missing features. But in our tests, Family Tree Legends seemed only a little wet behind the ears.

Is there a compelling reason to choose this program? Not that we found. But this isn't the only one on the list we could say that about.

What Family Tree Legends hypes its close ties to the Internet. That's not so new anymore, but Legends carries it further than most, making their Internet server your default backup facility.

Novices might find that attractive. I don't. Without emphasis on explanations to the contrary, it seems the folks behind Legends are out to scoop your data, much like Family Tree Maker.

Personally, I view the prospect of software vendors scooping user's data as a big problem. I probably wouldn't have reviewed either Family Tree Maker or Family Tree Legends except for FTM's sales success. Apparently a lot of genealogists do not share my concern over this legal and moral issue. If you are in my camp, you can quit reading this review now.

Being new, Family Tree Legends sports a Windows XP screen style. RootsMagic is the only other program on the list to also do this.

On initial start up, the Family Tree Legends demo offered me a pick list of (a) no Internet connection, (b) dialup modem, (c) broadband connection. I lied and chose none. Legends refused to accept that answer and locked me in that loop until I hit the Big Red Button.

When I restarted, I owned up to dial up modem and had no problem after that. But at a minimum, Legend should have provided an option to let me bail on the program. (Maybe in version 2.0)

I tried to test several other functions only to find they were not available in the crippled demo version. Although this demo is better than no demo, I believe other types of demos are better. Two of my favorites are: the full-version that quits working after say 30 days, or the full-version that is restricted to 10o people or so.

The Family Tree Legends demo is included on the Workshop CD. I found no compelling reason to recommend or reject this product.