filemaker7

[rivet]

we need to update to fmp6 unlimited but hate to spend the cash with the feeling that 7 is coming. Does anyone have a hint of where Filemaker Inc. are at?

[Anatoli]

Let's say the FM7 or FMX will be lunched today.

Then if you are pure genius, you will transfer all old FM5/6 stuff till end of January/February to FM7.

If you are just average guy, like myself, don't expect to have everything worked out before end September/December 2004.

I guess because I will not bother with XML and rumors are saying there will not be CDML, only XML I will not go with FM7 to the web.

It will be Lasso with or without FM.

Also I've discussed with my clients possible upgrade to FM7 and so far nobody is interested.

Just my 2 pence.

[Unable]

re: rumors are saying there will not be CDML, only XML...

Does that mean no WC?

It seems clear that they make their money by selling licenses for peer-to-peer solutions. They don't really want their db's used for browser solutions, it could cut into their license sales (profits). Not that Unlimited is inexpensive. But a hundred or more liecnses for a p2p can add up.

I know from their website that FMI is not planning any further development of CDML. That has been their public position for over a year. But to eliminate CDML entirely : Seems extreme.

Well, perhaps a new co. will come out with an inexpensive yet good db, designed for browser solutions. I believe there may be a market (...with or without FM.).

Maybe I'll move everyone back to 4.0. Unlimited does not exist for 4.0, so it's cheaper. It serves data, after all.

And FMI has done such a fine job with their ODBC.

[Mariano Peterson]

You should check out Servoy (www.servoy.com). It is a very cool tool, extremely similar to FileMaker (I'm actually very surprised that there wasn't some sort of copyright violation there). There are two big differences between it and FileMaker: 1) Servoy solves most of the problems with FileMaker and 2) Nobody users Servoy. Too bad, because it seems like a potentially great product.

[Steve T.]

Hi, rivet! Here's a link to FileMaker's version history...

http://www.filemaker.com/products/fm_versions.html

It sums up some of the major features each new version added and the year it was released. I'm trying to remember the web-related changes from 4.0 to 5.0 to 6.0. off the top of my head and only recall things like single > multiple tokens, cdml_format_files folder, a few tag removals, oh.. I guess INLINES was a big one, and Mac OS X native was, too, but for the most part, it's the same old thing IMVHO. Wait if you can, but I think it depends on how badly you "need" to upgrade to FMU6. If you really need to go to 6 and not upgrading is going to cost you something, then waiting for 7 may not be worth it, eh? Or maybe you can go to 6, skip 7, and then go to 8, etc. or if you get 7, will you go to 8 or wait for 9, ad infinitum. And can you afford to wait up to another year or more if 7 doesn't come out tomorrow?

If you use Windows and wait for 7, you may have to recode your existing stuff as Anatoli mentions (for example, change .fp5 references to .fp7, etc.) whereas 6 uses the same .fp5 extension as 5. I'm not sure about MacOS X's dependency on extensions but older macs do not need extensions. Oh, well... I'm sure there are other issues as well but the point is smaller upgrade steps are generally smoother and easier than bigger jumps and your time is a factor not to be taken too lightly (again, as Anatoli mentions).

We have FMU5.5 and did not go to 6 and probably will not go to 7 since there will probably not be any significant improvements to the WEB-related stuff. Ha! Watch me be a liar after it's released, though, and decide we "need" to have it, too.

Sorry. --ST

[Steve T.]

Ha! This was under our noses right here in FMFORUMS!

http://www.fmforums.com/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=92770