FM12 Curious about FileMaker Development

[Lisa M.]

Hi everyone:

 

 I am at present working on a “just for fun” project to rebuild the original version on an internal tool called Vendor Experience (VX) which was originally a 3-table database one vendor can have many contacts and one vendor can have many addresses thus contacts and addresses can be linked to only one vendor…  really simple relationships.  
 

the newer versions of VX have had way more features and tools added over the versions like multiple notes for each vendor, contact, or address… a flag that exempts a vendor or address as exempt from body-worn camera activation, etc.  so, my logic was rather simple… “What if I rebuild the original three table no-nonsense version of VX with some of the more modern comforts like a launch pad, and about screen, and a few others?  That should allow me to dive headfirst back into file maker database design, and brush up on skills… Simple project”

and that brings me here to the present with these questions:

1.  Is it still worth my time to build “new” database applications and repackage them as stand-alone runtimes to either sell or give away?  Basically has the world moved on from FileMaker and I just refuse to get with the new way of doing business?

2.  If I wanted to build a stand-along runtime application for Windows using FileMaker 12 Advanced but also make it cross-platform without having access to a copy of FMPA for Mac; what would I need to do?  Could I just include my *.fmp12 in the installation as a separate component and say “*cross-platform and multi-user support require FileMaker server software 12 and FileMaker pro 12 on each workstation?”

3.  Would the world benefit from me releasing my (several years out-of-date) projects as open source*1? Just release the *.fmp12 file and say “if you’ve got FileMaker 12 advanced you’ve already got all the tools and source files you need to make my solutions better fit your needs. Go nuts, modify the original, share it around, learn from it… just 1) don’t blame me for your questionable choices in software, and 2) don’t claim you came up with the whole app on your own if you just rebranded and re-colored it. 
 

*1 my FileMaker file itself could easily be open source, but the runtime components for the standalone application and any dependencies along with the FileMaker Pro/Advanced and FileMaker server/advanced 12.x  are covered by their own license terms which are different (and probably more restrictive) than my license I chose for the source *.fmpa12 file. 
 

hope these questions make sense and someone can help me in determining some answers.

note: still on 12 because:

1.  I Don’t like change and never have

2.  My computers would grind coffee for 30+ minutes if I upgraded the OS so… not worth it on development and lab machines

3.  Financially I’d be out on the streets if I bought all the current generation FileMaker programs and the hardware and software to support them

4.  Some of my original medical apps were built on FM so I wouldn’t mind going back to one of my first real programming environments (no, basic HTML doesn’t count)

 

well rant and questions over… any thoughts on these matters would be greatly appreciated