Brother’s Keeper

by John Steed
The most respected and successful shareware genealogical program. Has been around a long time and has many dedicated users. A DOS version is still available.

Purchase • Windows • Full Featured
http://www.bkwin.org/
37 Reviews, latest Aug 20, 2010
Enjoy Using It4.78 out of 54.78 out of 54.78 out of 54.78 out of 54.78 out of 5 4.78
Use It Often4.62 out of 54.62 out of 54.62 out of 54.62 out of 54.62 out of 5 4.62
Easy Input4.81 out of 54.81 out of 54.81 out of 54.81 out of 54.81 out of 5 4.81
Useful Output4.68 out of 54.68 out of 54.68 out of 54.68 out of 54.68 out of 5 4.68
Overall Rating4.72 out of 54.72 out of 54.72 out of 54.72 out of 54.72 out of 5 4.72
Add Your Review

37 Reviews of Brother’s Keeper     RSS 2.0 RSS     Showing 1 - 20

Brother’s Keeper Review by Chris Sørensen,  Aug 20, 2010

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

Brother’s Keeper is nice and easy

Brother’s Keeper Review by Rudolf Okker,  Aug 6, 2010

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

I was recommended this program by a second-cousin in the Netherlands whom I stumbled on in the Net. His recommendation was absolutely right, John Steed is very helpful , especially for beginners. I have used this about three times a week for a year and have always been able to access my various databases with great ease, also able to make corrections which are often preceded by a helpful query such as “Do you really want to delete this person, you can unlink them etc?” This has saved me from major mistakes quite often.Reports are easily accessible and of many varieties. The help tab is very informative.

Biggest Pro: ease of use and clarity of reports
Biggest Con: difficulty of making Gedcoms for partial sets of the database

Brother’s Keeper Review by Otto Jørgensen,  Jul 28, 2010

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

cover also many nationality and languages and also events that are in different countries. There are many types of event that are not common all over and many of them are not in the Gedcom of many different programs.

Very important is also the support from producer and all the sponsors around the world.

Brother’s Keeper Review by Wayne Jones,  Jul 27, 2010

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

Have been a registered user of BK as far back as the old DOS – in those days, before fast internet John would send us 1.44 floppies with the update. A great program that is not a rip $$$$’s off

Brother’s Keeper Review by John Smith,  Jun 13, 2010

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

A super programme and John Steed has been there to hold my hand the only time I had problem.

Two thumbs up

Biggest Pro: ease of use
Biggest Con: teeny weeny little niggle…….. I wish you could change colours a little easier.

Brother’s Keeper Review by Kenneth Leber,  Feb 15, 2010

  • Not Rated
  • Not Rated
  • Not Rated
  • Not Rated
  • Not Rated

I have the version 4.3 DOS program that will not run on windows Vista.
Can the old dos data files be converted to run on version 6.3?

Biggest Pro: Easy to use

Brother’s Keeper Review by Darrell McGraw,  Dec 25, 2009

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

Excellent program. Very user friendly. Mr. Steed updates it often to make corrections and improvements. I have been using BK for over 15 years.

Biggest Pro: Ease of use
Biggest Con: None

Brother’s Keeper Review by Jim Meade,  Dec 21, 2009

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

This is an excellent genealogy program. I have been using it since the mid-1990s (DOS version), upgraded it to Windows when that became available, and have recommended it to several others. Over the years, author John Steed has made several improvements, fixes and changes. The GEDCOM import/export is a great way to share data with others.

Biggest Pro: Easy, intuitive to use
Biggest Con: Would be nice if users could access data and generate own reports, using something like CrystalReports

Brother’s Keeper Review by Sandy,  Dec 3, 2009

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

I have been using Brother’s Keeper for years. Mr Steed always answers my occassional email to solve any questions when I can not find answers on “Help”. I know the updates are free but every two years or so, I buy an update from Mr Steed because I believe you should support resources and I want the updates and support to continue. It can be cumbersome to fix my mistakes, i.e. entering male instead of female and discovering the error two or three generations later.

Biggest Pro: Easy of you and quick email help
Biggest Con: The reports are great but I can not get all the different types reports that I would like.

Brother’s Keeper Review by Bridget Rogier,  Oct 27, 2009

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

Easy to use. Love the Register Report. I feel like I have control. Last year I got help with new computer that came with 64 bits from John Stead himself! Even have BK in my little new netbook. I have had Brother’s Keeper for 18 years. My friends have it too.

Brother’s Keeper Review by Malcolm Webb,  Jul 13, 2009

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

I have used this programme for 15 years — the first 3 as a trial version then I registered. I have looked at a few other programmes recently but not been tempted to buy any. Register once and then it’s free to use forever with free upgrades via the BK website. There is a very active e-mail list which the author monitors and responds to. It has a bit of a dated look about it but that in no way affects its useability. Brilliant programme.

Biggest Pro: Easy to use. Free regular upgrades.
Biggest Con: None.

Brother’s Keeper Review by Dave Sloan,  May 29, 2009

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

Mail list is used for support and John Sneed is there to help if needed.

Biggest Pro: easy to use
Biggest Con: none

Brother’s Keeper Review by Lyn McGrath,  Apr 3, 2009

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

I have used this program for many years. I have purchased 3 other genealogy programs, but I keep going back to Brother’s Keeper. It is very easy to use. I cannot find any fault with this program. I will use this program for many years to come.

Brother’s Keeper Review by James Brooks,  Mar 29, 2009

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

I’ve found the software to be very user friendly. The support is outstanding, with a brother’s keeper email list that is very active, and monitored by the author of the program, getting help is a few keystrokes away.

Brother’s Keeper Review by AET,  Mar 9, 2009

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

Have used this program since DOS days. It does not frustrate with constant “upgrades for dollars” and file format changes that make reading one’s files from an earlier version impossible. No other software, of any type that I am aware of, provides better support for the user. I am simply amazed at the constant attention to correcting problems and to satisfying users’ requests for modifications to the program.

Biggest Pro: Does what a Genealogy Program should do.
Biggest Con: No Con unless you expect your Genealogy Program to do your Internet Searching for you.

Brother’s Keeper Review by Rusty Erpenbeck,  Mar 9, 2009

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

I’ve been using BK for twenty years now. Tried out Family Tree Maker, mainly due to its popularity, but went back to Brother’s Keeper . BK was easier to use, and gave better charts and reports.

Biggest Pro: output
Biggest Con: box charts should be tighter

Brother’s Keeper Review by dragonasbreath,  Feb 11, 2009

  • 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5
  • 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5
  • 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5
  • Not Rated
  • 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

downloaded the free trial on this one - not only could I never get it to accept my data, but I actually had to do a rollback to unlock my computer from whatever it did.
I had heard good things about this one - but will not try it again.

Biggest Con: locks up my computer

Brother’s Keeper Review by Mao131,  Jan 28, 2009

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

It is one of the greatest program, just need some facelift…

Brother’s Keeper Review by RICHARD TRUDEL,  Jan 26, 2009

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5
  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

Simple and effective– SERVES ALL YOUR NEEDS
Easily updated — YOU GET YOUR MONEY’S WORTH!
PRINTED MANUAL ALWAYS AVAILABLE - SMALL AND PORTABLE to keep close at hand for quick
referals!

Show 21-37 »

Add Your Review of Brother’s Keeper

 

 

 

Your rating

Enjoy Using It
Use It Often
Easy Input
Useful Output
Overall Rating


Biggest Pro

Biggest Con

If you see this field, leave it blank:

* Your e-mail is kept private. You will NOT be spammed. This site is safe to use. See the FAQ for more info.