FMPug September newsletter

To see the HTML version of this newsletter visit http://www.fmpug.com/newsletters/2005/september.html

IN THIS ISSUE:

* 2005 Mad Dog

* Meetings this month

* Reviews...reviews...reviews

* FMPug website updates

* In the works

* New to FMPug

I wanted to start this newsletter with a very big THANKYOU.

To all those people who contacted FileMaker inc and nominated me for a 2005 Mad Dog award. As you can see your nominations paid off. And how apt that I win a "Mad Dog". Not only is this fantastic for me but it also helped throw a huge spotlight on the user group community and I will take this and push even harder in the next year to make FMPug bigger and stronger than ever.

OK, so enough about me. Let's talk about what is going on at FMPug.

** Meetings this month **

This month is sure to focus on FileMaker 8 at most locations and I am sure for the next several months too. We are working on several Pug Presentation Packs and demo files to showcase the new FileMaker 8 client and FileMaker 8 Advanced features that you will be able to employ in your solutions.

Tue 20th *

7pm - Boston South Shore

FileMaker Pro version 8 (of course!) - Kevin Cunningham, just back from presenting at DevCon 2005, will be demoing FMP 8!

Thu 22nd *

6pm - Orlando

DevCon Digest. We will be looking back at DevCon as well as doing several presentations on FileMaker 8 new features.

Tue 27th *

7pm - Richmond

Please join a small, but enthusiastic group of developers and FileMaker friends for our second meeting of FMPUG in Central Virginia.

We will plan to meet at Panera Bread off Brook Road (US-1) near Virginia Center Commons, just a mile or so from the intersection of I-95 and I-295 north of Richmond.

Date TBD

San Diego

DevCon Digest

* We ask that you please check with your local Chapter Coordinator for confirmation of times & dates

We are also pleased to announce a new group starting in the Orange County, CA area

More details to follow, but if you are in the area and interested in attending, please let us know.

RSVP - It really does help

To aid us in getting RSVP's we have installed some new security (see the HTML version of this newsletter). Trust me, he is ferocious...so please help us out by filling in this short form. It really does help the local coordinators plan.

If you are a member, sign in and use the form on your homepage. If you are a first time visitor you can find the RSVP form at this address, http://www.fmpug.com/rsvp.php

** Reviews...reviews...reviews... **

If you have not stopped by the FMPug review section lately then you are really going to miss out. While at DevCon I spoke with pretty much every vendor in the Product Showcase. In fact, I did not leave the showcase during the three days of DevCon.

The reviews that you, the membership do provide an invaluable service to both FMPug members and the community at large and the vendors are really starting to like the idea of practically free advertising. So, stop by www.fmpug.com/reviews.php today and register interest in any of the products awaiting review. Your opinion counts. For a teaser, here are just a few of the products we have in the review pile;

Applications

========

Cafe PHP by FMWebschool

CC Calendar Pro Scheduling Edition by Cleveland Consulting

CC Hierarchy Pro by Cleveland Consulting

Books

========

Special Edition - Using FileMaker Pro 7 by Soliant Consulting

Plug-ins

========

File Manipulator by Productive Computing

Simple Talk by 24U Plugins

SMTPit Pro by Comm-unity Networking Systems

FileBooks link by Happy Software

Faxlink by Digital Fusion

Printer Switch by My FMButler

FMPro Migrator by .Com Solutions

Troi Encryptor by Troi

Troi File by Troi

Did I mention that if you review ANY of the plug-ins above you will receive a Developer license? OK, just checking.

Don't forget to register to enter the drawing to review the 5 day training class being offered by John Mark Osborne of Database Pros in January 2006.

This is a $2500 value

Registration can be done from your member homepage.

** FMPug website updates **

With DevCon over we can now focus on some updates for the website. Firstly we are trying to improve speeds on some of the pages, so if you do come across a slow page please bear with us. A new version of FX.PHP has just been released and we are excited to use some of the new opportunities for the site.

Friends of the Pug

If you know of a site that we should be listing on the "Friends of the Pug"

page, please use the form at the top of the page to let us know. If you are an FMPug member you will soon be able to see any links we have to your

site(s) direct from your personal Pug page, as well as have the ability to add extra detail to your listings.

Member Directory

I am pleased to see more members taking advantage of the member directory.

This is more than just a listing of our members but an opportunity to list your own business card online at FMPug.com

A new addition to the member directory is the ability to save any of the cards listed as a vCard. This format is used in the majority of address book applications including Mac OSX Address Book and Outlook.

So now any visitor can save your card direct to their contact solution. If you have not added your card to the mix, simply sign into the members area and add your card.

** Improvements in the works **

We have several plans in the works for improvements to the site. Firstly, we will be adding location specific pages to all the FMPug chapters. This will allow you to get localized information from people on the ground in these areas, including minutes from previous meetings.

Next we plan to add a new calendar to the site. We are looking at several calendars that can easily pull the inforamtion for both FMPug events AND other relevant events direct from our databases. Watch the site for more information.

Finally we are talking with several people regarding translation services for certain areas of the site, starting with the reviews pages. After all the time I spent in the Product Showcase at DevCon I saw the variety of nationalities that are present. Not everybody speaks English and these reviews are supposed to be for everybody. To that effect we are looking for people who speak other languages to help us with translation. If you are such a person, please email us at [email protected] and we will get the ball rolling.

Other improvements we will keep under our paw for now, but know we have great plans.

** New to FMPug? **

If you are new to FMPug or still sitting on the fence wondering if you want to jump into the yard, check out these resources to find out more about FMPug. Why it started, where it is going and how you can get access to all the "Pug Perks!"

Streaming live to a speaker near you. Hear straight from the source why FMPug became and the direction it is moving. Listen to the podcast at http://podcast.buddysystems.com/

While you are there, subscribe to the Buddy Systems Podcast and listen to many fantastic interviews all about our favorite subject...FileMaker Pro.

Watch this short PowerPoint slideshow to learn about the benefits of FMPug membership.

Download the presentation at http://www.fmpug.com/download_demo.php.

If you still have questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]

So, I hope you all enjoy the new version of FileMaker and I look forward to the next newsletter. If you can make it to an FMPug meeting please RSVP at http://www.fmpug.com/rsvp.php. It really does help the local coordinators figure out the numbers.

Regards

FMPug Quarters team

[email protected]

http://www.fmpug.com