The first choice of those with Library Science degrees, The Master Genealogist  is today's powerhouse -- the Roots III of its day, genealogy's "everything but the kitchen sink" solution.

But TMG's ability to record every scrap of data comes at a high price -- this $79(US) program isn't easy to learn or easy to use.

TMG 5.0's new Beginner Mode makes data entry easier than previous versions by hiding the more complex screens. But few users will want to hide features they have just paid for. Perhaps TMG's real beginner mode is a competitor's product.

TMG wins points by being able to directly import databases from virtually every other genealogy program going (and some that are long gone) without resorting to GEDCOM. Sort of. Their GenBridge alternative hasn't exactly taken the industry by storm.

The Master Genealogist can also export data in a variety of database and spreadsheet formats (this Access and Excel) -- something other programs can't do. This is a boon for genealogists who know how to capitalize on it. (Most genealogists are iffy on this one.)

TMG’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. That is its ability to record every scrap of data you have, and record the exact source, right down to too-insignificant-to-matter detail.

Some call TMG's source database "source management for the anally retentive." It is definitely the best such facility I've seen, but may not be  your cup of tea. Data entry requires four screens! Do you really want to document sources, beyond the Ph.D. level?

TMG differentiates between "principals and witnesses" for every event, and allows you to add both. Most genealogy programs only accommodate witnesses in free-form notes. I can't help wondering how many genealogists want to, or will have the data to, use it. 

Finding and documenting the principals is usually hard enough. It would probably be an exaggeration to say I have found even 25% of my ancestors' wedding witnesses, pallbearers, godparents, etc. (witnesses).

Entering sources as you enter the corresponding data should be part of any genealogist's routine, but all programs, including TMG, let you do this later. (Thank goodness.)

TMG uses an enter-it-once, link-to-it-repeatedly source database. Full points for doing it right. But most other programs do too.

TMG has the ability to attach scanned images to source citations. Full points to TMG. I don't imagine those without this feature will miss it, but having it is nice. 

How useful TMG's multimedia Exhibit Log will be depends on your genealogical objective. It is definitely a real boon to the most ambitious of us.

Will your genealogy program produce a list of all those in your database who died before age 45 in Ontario? TMG will. It's reporting is arguably as good as it gets. Then again, how often will you find it helpful to produce such a list?

Chart lovers love TMG's included chart maker, Visual Chartform, which puts users in the driver's seat. Unfortunately, VC like TMG isn't easy to use. Expect a steep learning curve if you intend to wring the last ounce of productivity out of it. (Most competitors do a nice job on charts without the hassle.)

If your artistic skills are up to the challenge (mine aren't) and if you can afford the service bureau fee for a wall chart large enough to  wrap a small room, TMG charts will make you a star of your next family reunion. 

Like PAF 5.0 and Legacy, TMG let's you design your own data entry screen layouts. Like RootsMagic, TMG lets you open two "project" (database) windows at once then drag-and-drop data between them. (I've never wanted to do that, but others do.)

Like Family Tree Maker and Ancestral Quest, TMG makes it easy to search for your ancestor on the Internet. But only on web sites that have partnered with TMG -- ancestry.com, rootsweb, and a few others. For most of us, this is a good idea ahead of its time. I hope it catches on, but suspect it will take a long while. (Those on a budget can do much the same thing, potentially better, using search engines.)

The Master Genealogist comes in two Editions: full-featured Gold, or stripped-down Silver. 

Since Silver omits many of the output features that I think of as prerequisites, I have never been a fan of the Silver Edition. Especially since Silver wasn't updated from version 4.0 last year, and consequently it is beginning to look a little long in the tooth.

Unfortunately, "full-featured" Gold Edition isn't so complete at the moment. Version 5.0 debuted last year without a full set of reporting features.

When will the fix arrive? I have no idea. And while I am inclined to meet developers half-way when products ship incomplete, I am inclined to cut them less slack when the fix takes many months. Worse yet, the vendor (the unfortunately named Wholley Genes) hasn't even announced a target date for the final release.

For techies, The Master Genealogist is a non-starter. The problem Wholley Genes is having with version 5.0 is centered around TMG's move from a 16-bit application to a 32-bit application. Most other developers bit that bullet years ago. Most TMG competitors are already 32-bit products.

The rest of us have another good reason to skip TMG: most of the extra bells and whistles it provides encourage users to concentrate on the details at the expense of the Big Picture. Rather than spin my wheels for months, searching out marriage witnesses, I'd rather be searching for the next couple's wedding date.

TMG is the powerhouse that does it all. So much so that I suggest adding both (yes, there are two) 90-minute how-to videos, and the optional book to your TMG order. The additional cost from the TMG web site is $53(US). And while ordering, why not invest another $59(US) for Family Tree Super Tools, (a companion program providing the features TMG omitted)? TMG's reputation for customer support is such that you'll probably need them. 

There is a TMG "demo" -- actually just a Zip file containing a non-interactive slide show -- on the Workshop CD. (It is what passes for a demo on The Master Genealogist's web site.)