Brothers Keeper

Discussion in 'Genealogy Software' started by Guy, May 18, 2013.

  1. Guy

    Guy Whose knowledge is boundless. R.I.P.

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    The family history program I use to record my research is Brothers Keeper, though I must admit I use an older version BK5 rather than Bk6 as it suits my style of working.
    Advantages of Brothers Keeper version 6


    BK6 supports Gedcom

    Names and locations can be 100 characters, occupations can be 150 characters.

    You can enter over 100 different events (Birth, Baptism, Death, Burial, Other, Ref., etc.) and multiple events of the same type.

    You can enter mutiple marriages for each person and at least 75 children for each marriage.

    You can enter a source of any size, and you can enter multiple sources for each event.
    It is also possible to attach sources to non-event fields like Name.

    Version 6 allows multiple pictures for each person (up to 999) and also mutiple pictures for a marriage.

    You can add message lines or up to 999 text files to each person and also attach notes to marriages.
    External programs may be linked for text files.

    You can enter 10 million people if you have time.

    Other points
    Version 6 will work better than 5.2 with Windows 2000 or XP or Vista and with USB printers and with plotters.

    It can show witnesses to an event and can show multiple names for a person.

    In version 6 a name search will match the first 10 letters of the first name and 10 letters of the last name instead of only the first 5 letters of the first and last name. (If you type only 5 letters of first and last, then it will search that way also.)

    Version 6 shows more generations of relationships (up to 60 generations instead of 30 for the relationship report.)

    It is also able to print pictures on the Ahnentafel Book report and the Indented Book report and Register Book report.
    It also has an option to print separate paragraphs for the husband and wife on the Register Book report and Indented Book report.

    (For accuracy much of the above comes from the Brothers Keeper web site.)

    Cheers
    Guy
     
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  2. Bookworm

    Bookworm Now in the arms of the Angels

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    That sounds very impressive Guy - cor blimey, up to 60 generations!
    Oh well, I'm happy with my 9/10 generations - they keep me busy enough as it is ;)
     
  3. Guy

    Guy Whose knowledge is boundless. R.I.P.

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    It is very impressive Bookworm.

    I should also have mentioned that updates of the program may be downloaded free of charge, unlike some other programs.
    Plus the author John Steed is very helpful and frequently posts on the Brothers Keeper mailing list.
    Cheers
    Guy
     
  4. GJH

    GJH Well-Known Member

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    I've used BK since its DOS days. When we ran our tree printing business I used most of the packages on the market, in order to respond to customers, but was never tempted away from BK for my own records. I'm still using version 6.4 (6.6 is the current version).
    Graham
     
  5. Malcolm Webb

    Malcolm Webb Well-Known Member

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    I also have used BK since DOS days and currently use the latest version 6.6. I've looked at other programmes but have never seriously been tempted away. I have been a registered user since 1995. The great thing about BK for me is that I can have direct contact with the programme author John Steed through a user's forum which he monitors. He also provides programme updates regularly (at least every 3 months) for free. Long may this continue.
     
  6. Ma-dotcom

    Ma-dotcom A Bonza Little Digger!

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    Sounds great, has anyone ever compared it to Legacy?
     
  7. Malcolm Webb

    Malcolm Webb Well-Known Member

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    Not Legacy but I have dabbled with RootsMagic -- the main attraction for me with RM at the time was that RM can be installed on a memory stick whereas BK cannot. If I was starting from scratch I could be tempted to go with RM -- I like the look of its interface -- but importing a GedCom from BK to RM threw up some anomolies in the transfer of notes and sources which I would have had to resolve. Having spent 15 years getting to know BK and making it produce reports in the format I want I didn't fancy learning all over again so I decided to stick with what I know and love.

    My recommendation for a genealogy database is to make a choice, stick with it and learn to use it to the full. They all do more or less the same thing.

    I now keep my BK databases in DropBox and backup onto my own computer every time BK closes down. The latest databases are therefore accessible from my desktop, laptop and netbook -- the latter being part of my standard kit when visiting archives.

    All the best
    Malcolm Webb
    Lincoln UK
     
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  8. busyglen

    busyglen Well-Known Member

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    I have BK6 and updated this from BK5 (well I didn't my PC man did) and can't imagine using anything else. As Guy said, it gives you such a wide choice of options to expand, and I have never used it to its full potential.
    I back-up when closing it down, and can't imagine using anything else. :)
     
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  9. Bay Horse

    Bay Horse Can be a bit of a dark horse

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    I use BK6 as well. It gives me a sense of being 'in control' of my data - it doesn't link to the internet, which for me is a plus.
     
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  10. Stafford

    Stafford Well-Known Member

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    I've looked at both BK and RootsMagic, unfortunately neither works on my iPad. Can anyone suggest an alternate package?
     
  11. Malcolm Webb

    Malcolm Webb Well-Known Member

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    You cannot install third party software on an iPad. I have a programme called GedView on both iPad and iPhone (bought through the app store) and I upload my family history via a GedCom exported from Brothers Keeper. It's OK for checking your database on the move (in archives or libraries etc) but not much use in my opinion for entering data.

    I have my BK databases in dropbox (backed up onto my PC every time I close the programme) and they are accessible from my laptop and netbook when on the move.

    All the best,
    Malcolm Webb
    Lincoln UK
     
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  12. Findem

    Findem The Fearless One. Rest in Peace.

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    Hi Guy,

    I've been using Brother's Keeper for many years now and I'm very pleased with it, it has more bells and whistles than I'll ever use. I've never experienced any problems whatsoever with either BK5 or BK6 versions.

    Regards.
     

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