The 'Turkel Tribe' GEDCOM

A comparison of
Gedcom to HTML converters

This is a review of software designed to convert GEDCOM files to hyper linked web pages.  These programs create family groups descendant trees, ancestor trees (= pedigree), also extract notes and perform statistical analysis of a data stored in a gedcom format.

Webmaser has already tested the following programs:

  1. GED2HTML®,
  2. GED2WWW®,
  3. GEDPage®,
  4. GEDBrowser®,
  5. ged2web®,
  6. GED4Web®,
  7. GenDesigner®,
  8. gedHTree®,
  9. Familia®,
  10. Progenitor®,
  11. GenoPro® and
  12. DTFC - Dynamic Family Tree Compiler®.
None of these, however, comply with ALL webmaster's requirements
some of them are extremely good to say the least.

Here is a comparison chart of these GEDCOM to HTML converters
in the order webmaster has tested them.

     
  1. GED2HTML v 3.6 (8/2000) by Eugene Stark
    This was the most popular gedcom to HTML pages converter.

      advantage
    • very popular (almost universal)
    • compact pdigree charts combined with family charts
    • gendex support (this feature is irrelevant now)

      disatvantage
    • unreg. ver. limited: 2 generations sketch, no templates
    • no descendants' tree
    • notes are placed on separate pages
    • index files are insuffient (herein modified by webmaster)
    • NO privacy filters

     
  2. GED2WWW® v0.30 © 1996,1997 Leslie Howard
    v1.5.5 f&w © 1998-1999 Jean-Baptiste Fahy & Frank Waarsenburg
    See here our modified version.

      atvantage
    • freeware
    • SAVVY; compact
    • good surname index also divided into ABC
    • gendex support (this feature is irrelevant now)
    • simple handling of colors & nomenclature
    • built-in privacy filter
    • multilingual
    • places printing
    • Photo and storage extensions

      disatvantage
    • no actual trees (neither ancestors nor descendants)
    • source can't be displayed
    • annoying notes' format
    • overall index is insufficient (modified herein by webmaster)

     
  3. GEDPage® v2.20 (2000) by Rob Jacob

      advantage
    • plain vanilla family groups
    • gendex support (this feature is irrelevant now)
    • fair surname index

      disatvantage
    • BUG: SOURCE fileds are NOT listed
    • BUG: NOTE fields irregularly appear elsewhere
    • BUG: abort pedigree with some files
    • lack of descendant trees
    • lack of privacy filters
    • does not use RIN numbers

     
  4. GEDBrowser® v1.1 1998 Misbach Enterprises

      advantage
    • extremely fast
    • detailed ancestor trees
    • one generation descendant list
    • control the # of generations displayed
    • gendex support (this feature is irrelevant now)
    • date info off/on and filters
    • a footnote and links
    • index for surnames & 1st-names
    • overall MAP for a given RIN
    • timeline index (cute)

      disatvantage
    • children are not sorted
    • index should be modified
    • pedigree display should be further compacted

     
  5. ged2web v 3.28 Feb 1, 2002, by Wade T. Oram

      advantage
    • EXCELLENT textual tree presentation!!!
    • Program is COMPACT and CUTE
    • complete ancsetor trees!
    • complete descendant trees!
    • gendex support (this feature is irrelevant now)
    • numbering pages by the gedcom RIN
    • supporting CSS layout
    • freeware (FREE registration)

      disatvantage
    • index pages MUST be improved on to do list!
    • source can't be displayed
    • NO privacy filters

    A last word of caution.  Don't be misleaded by another (FATTY American) software holding the same name, GED2WEB v1.2 that would take 1.7Mb to download...  The above cute ged2web (v3.28) is only 192Kb!  I have seen on the web a demo page of the "FATTY" WEB2GED v1.2 that would certainly not be downloaded into my computer.

     
  6. GED4Web® v2.71 (6/2001) by Anthony Papineau

      advantage
    • neat semi-graphic presentation
    • descendant trees
    • privacy filter
    • presented in FIVE languages

      disatvantage
    • NO gendex support (this feature is irrelevant now)
    • confusing integration of the index files
    • the latest version is still incomplete
    • DEMO version is heavily crippled

     
  7. GenDesigner® 2.00 (1999) by Morten Salthe
    This is the last version webmaster has tested.
    In late 2002 it was aquired by PolishExpress, Inc.

      advantage
    • cute presentation (frames)
    • a good surname index

      disatvantage
    • BUG in beta 3.6: GEDCOM import may be stuck
    • BUG in beta 2: HTML builder trancates names
    • NO gendex support (this feature is irrelevant now)
    • Author has been unavailable for over a year!
      In July 2002 they issued version (Beta 1) of GenDesigner 3.

     
  8. gedHTree® V2.09 (2001) by Gary Walker

      advantage
    • privacy filter
    • variety of output options
    • cute ancestor tree
    • family group
    • notes
    • sources
    • photo thumbnails
    • statistics
    • geographic MAPs

      disatvantage
    • family groups should be improved
    • no descendants trees
    • slow
    • enables only 6 generations

     
  9. Familia® v1 1999 by Dr. Alex

      advantage
    • neat frame lookout

      disatvantage
    • input requires FTM®
    • presentation lacks versatililty
    • NO gendex support (this feature is irrelevant now)
    • confuses first names with surnames
    • Java problems
    • VERY slow

     
  10. webGED Progentor 2.0 Dec 1999 by Crestline S/W

      diadvantage
    • unregistered version does not produce HTML (even not a DEMO)
    • very poor presentation
    • VERY SLOW when surfing via internet
    • an excessive use of JAVA for a very simple search
    • discontinued in Aug 2002

     
  11. GenoPro® v1.91 by Daniel Morin

      advantage
    • Draws a complete family tree
    • Creates a picture album
    • Generates detailed family reports
    • Analyzes and compiles statistics
    • Has an excelent graphic presentation
    • Imports-exports gedcom files
    • Uses compact *.GNO files

      disatvantage
    • SPYware / ADware
    • NOT compatible with Netscape, etc.
      web presentation requires Active/X and OLE interface
    • limited screen width

     
  12. Dynamic Tree Generator v 9.10 August, 2002, by Michael Horey
    We use it on this website

      advantage
    • Displays fully graphical, interactive family tree on a web browser
    • Implemented as a Java Applet - very fast response to user actions.
    • Shows children, spouse and four generations of ancestors of the individual at the tree focus.
    • Individuals colour coded according to relationship to the tree owner
    • Display details by positioning mouse pointer over an individual.
    • Excellent Navigation of the tree by:
      • Clicking on displayed individual.
      • Selecting individual from colour-coded drop-down, active index.
    • Change the Language in which the Dynamic Family Tree is displayed.

      disatvantage
    • needs MS internet explorer 5+ Java
    • no descendants' tree
    • source of info can't be displayed

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