Is FMS deliberately hobbled

[kilby]

I'm hoping someone can tell me if I've got this all wrong. We've have been using FM 5.5 for our internal business databases (eg timesheets, contacts database, invoicing etc - nothing unusual here). The files were set to multiuser across a mixed network. It all worked pretty well.

Now we have taken the plunge, updating FM5.5 to 7 and buying Server 7 for improved performance. But it turns out that IWP is not part of the standard server, you have to buy server 7 advanced (I know, read the fineprint!). For a small business of 7 users this is just overkill. We already own 3 client licenses. Question is why is IWP taken out? Is this to force me to buy three additional licenses. All the staff need to do is look up a contacts and timesheets database?

Is there a work around for this?

Thanks in advance

Kilby

[Vaughan]

The normal version of FM Pro does IWP, it supports up to 5 (I think)simultaneous users.

[kilby]

Hi Vaughan

Thanks for the reply, I guess this is why I'm confused. We were doing this before with standard FM Pro. The idea was to move the windows users out of Outlook and have everyone on FM. That meant we now had 7 users trying to share FM databases - hence the move to FM7 + server. So I thought the additional 4 users can access the databases using their browser and IWP. But it appears I can't do that.

[Søren Dyhr]

So I thought the additional 4 users can access the databases using their browser and IWP. But it appears I can't do that.

I would say that having all users on browsers, is worth considering as well. There is one thing though, sending and recieving emails has to be done with one ordinary licence that have these plugins working:

http://www.cnsplug-ins.com/products.htm?product=SMTPit

http://www.cnsplug-ins.com/products.htm?product=POP3it

However the desire to journalize all send and recieved emails is a very noble one ...however is the toughest issue to figure out means to prevent deliberate bypassing effords!!!

I have come to believe that the features Outlook actually provides talks for keeping to avoid such temptations and instead make it interact with your filemaker base via:

https://www.productive.cc/pci_cart/FMPro...No=40&-Find

--sd

[kilby]

I would say that having all users on browsers, is worth considering as well

So can I do this with Filemaker Server?

[Reed]

No, filemaker server can only serve to filemaker pro clients. It's a little late for you now, but FMI has offered some good deals on fmpro licenses + server advanced. ($3995 for 10 seats + server advanced + FMD) Being in education, I got an even better deal. ($1995 for the same thing)

The only way to use filemaker server together with IWP would be to have two databases, one on server, for the FMP clients, and one hosted by one of the FMP clients to IWP. These two databases could be periodically synchronized via import/export of the appropriate data.

Myself, I got along using FMP as a host to 10 total clients and IWP simply by training users to disconnect from the server when they were done, so the 5-FMP-client limit wouldn't be too much of a problem. When I needed 15-20 total clients, it started to become a problem, so I bought the bundle.

Since you already have Server 7, you could just buy the option pack ($1250 MSRP) to upgrade your server to server advanced.

[kilby]

Thanks guys for all your feedback. I guess I just feel a lttle cold now to Filemaker Inc, as it seems the exclusion of IWP from standard Filemaker server is more based around money than any technical reasons, given that Filemaker Pro clients can host 5 users with IWP.

For a small company like ours, with around 10 users, the Filemaker option was an idea to get everyone using a custom system for contacts management & documentation. This was also important as we run macs & pc's. The pc guys were happy with M$ outlook and did not want to change. And now given the price of extra FM clients, additional plugins per user, and the maybe the requirement of the options pack just to get ODBC connectivity, I'm starting to wonder whether I should just fork out the $109 per user for Outlook and join the rest of the sheep.

I have enjoyed using filemaker now for close to 5 years. For large rollouts (eg schools etc) filemaker does appear to be a good investment. For a small to medium size business, I would have to question whether Filemaker really offers value.

Sorry to get on a soapbox, Kilby.

[Søren Dyhr]

I'm starting to wonder whether I should just fork out the $109 per user for Outlook and join the rest of the sheep.

Filemaker does really offer value, but expecting to make a mailer or wordprocesser with it is getting the rhymes wrong ...it's almost as you hear the interogation made by hen and the cat in the Ugly Duckling.

Outlook can't handle storagelevels, book keping ...being backbone in interactive websites etc.

--sd

[kilby]

Thats right, outlook can't handle book keeping & other important information that is the backbone of an organisation. But at what price do we have to pay just to get our address book, calender, projects info & status, & other company information available across a small network of 8 users?

Kilby

[kilby]

Also, filemaker has produced some great filemaker solutions, which not only means a business can get started right away without costly development time, but you can also learn from these & expand them to meet your needs. But going from the 1 to 5 users to say 10 or 15 the costs grow exponentially. For a small business , costs are always going to be the determining factor. Kilby

[Søren Dyhr]

But at what price do we have to pay just to get our address book, calender, projects info & status, & other company information available across a small network of 8 users?

You have to find a common format to interchange such info, here comes vcards in handy ...the windows side of these matters could use:

http://vcard4outlook.4team.biz/default.asp?pcode=4060900348f43tk

...and some of these:

https://www.productive.cc/pci_cart/FMPro...y=CGI&-View

and for the macside...some of these

http://macupdate.com/search.php?keywords=vcard

--sd