Family History Computer Program Updated

The Family History Department’s popular Personal Ancestral File (PAF) program for IBM and IBM-compatible home computers has recently been updated.

The updated version 2.2 of the MSDOS-based PAF program offers a new match-merge function that allows users who get family history information from another computer to find duplicate information quickly. Version 2.2 also pre-qualifies names for submission according to the latest rules for having temple work completed. It has the ability to personalize forms and reports by groups and ranges of names, and it offers enhanced backup and restore options as well.

The PAF program is now available as version 2.2 for IBM and IBM-compatible computers, as version 2.1 for the Apple Macintosh, and as version 2.0 for the Apple II. The Apple Macintosh version, which was released late in 1988, enables users to do almost everything the newest MSDOS program will do, but it lacks the new features mentioned above.

The cost of PAF for home computers is $35. Registered users of earlier versions of the MSDOS-based PAF, however, should have received or will receive a letter explaining how they can upgrade to PAF 2.2 at a reduced price.

Information about the PAF program can be obtained from the Ancestral File Operations Unit, Family History Department, 50 East North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150, telephone 801-240-2584.

The program may be purchased through Church distribution centers. The stock numbers for the new MSDOS version 2.2 are: PBGS1828 (5 1/4-inch disk) and PBGS1839 (3 1/2-inch disk). For the Macintosh: PBGS161A. For the Apple II: PBGS1187.