Will FM6 be freeware after dismission in sept.?

[Paolo]

On www.filemaker.com They say:

>we're making the FileMaker 6 product line available until September 17, 2004.

What will happen after? Is it going to be freeware?

[Wim Decorte]

Now, why would you think that? Does MS make Office 2000 or 2002 freeware when they released version 2003?

Wim.

[Paolo]

If the product line won't be available, how will I buy further licenses of FM6 after that date?

If it will be not possible, then I'll have to convert existing installations (every client), server and every file to 7 in order to extend the number of installations?

It seem that FM7 doesn't open remotely FM5 files served via FMServer. I'm wrong on this?

(Off course I don't expect FM6 to became freeware altrought it would be nice and would be Filemaker's proof that new features justify a version upgrade)

[stanley]

Paolo:

I imagine FMI will still sell you licences after that date - unless they've decided to emulate Microsoft's business model - probably what they mean is that they will stop shipping the boxed version of FMP6...

And yeah, FMP7 is an entirely different beast from what FMServer 5 is serving, so my understanding is that FMP7 is really being released now so that we developers can re-develop existing solutions now, then deploy them when FMS7 comes out in a few months...

-Stanley

[BobWeaver]

There are a lot of installations that are still running Mac OS8/9 machines which are too old to upgrade to OSX. They won't be able to run FM7. I have a couple of clients in this situation. If they need to add more seats to their existing database, they will be SOL unless they can buy more licenses. I think FMI's policy is to continue selling licenses to customers who already have a site license. If there is no existing site license, there could be a problem.