I have a user who needs to access files being hosted on both FM 4 and now FM 5. We are installing FM 6 to get to the FM 5 files. One of our tech people told me that "they" (?) don't advise running two different versions of any software on OS-X. Of course, the user runs the FM 4 in classic mode and would run the FM 6 under X. Or I suppose she could run them both in classic. I have 4,5 and 6 on my OS9 client and don't have any trouble.

Is there anything to this, or is it hogwash?

Hi, JM! Well, like you, I've run several versions at once on my desktop system without a problem and would be surprised to hear otherwise. I would guess that there wouldn't be any technical problems (maybe ports?) but there could be human ones. For example, a user could accidentally update the FMP4 db to FMP6 format and trash the old copy thinking it was unnecessary.

Funny.. Mac OS X hasn't been out THAT long that there'd be significant multiple versions of ANY programs for OS X yet that I can think of. Mac OS X is actually very good with protected memory and conflicts. We've had an OS X computer host OS9 db's using Classic w/out any more trouble than 9 alone... in fact, it was better w/10. We just migrated it to X native and it seems to work the best yet.

I vote for hogwash but will humbly accept a tongue-lashing if someone more intimate w/FMP protocols can enlighten me.

--ST