More and more people are discovering the fascination of tracing their roots. Need evidence? This April, Jupiter Media Metrix reported an unwavering climb in the number of visitors to the top ten genealogy Web sites. EllisIsland.org alone had 1.5 billion hits in its first six months. Chances are good that even if you're not yet researching your family, someone you're related to is.
The latest batch of genealogy software is easier than ever to use, and many of the extras from older versions are now standard. Though their interfaces and extras may differ, each of the packages we review can create good-looking charts, reports, and scrapbooks. They can also include multimedia files, upload data in industry-standard format, and create family-tree Web sites.
If your research is closing in on obsession, consider trying Master Genealogist ($80 street, www.whollygenes.com). Though too complicated for most beginners, its professional tools are powerful enough for those who take their research very seriously.
