In this issue of the newsletter:

• WINTER PROMO WINNERS
  
  
• FILEMAKER FEATURE REQUESTS
  
  
• FUNCTIONS POSTER (Do you have yours?)
  
  
• TRAINING: THE SPOTLIGHT SERIES
  
  
• WHAT'S NEW AT FMPUG.COM
  

  
  
  • MORE LOCATIONS
    
    
  • $AVE SOME GREEN ON US
    
    

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A NOTE FROM THE PUG!

Membership is available to anyone, anywhere

(local group not required). Join here

Kismet

FMPug Editor

WINTER PROMO WINNERS

In case you you were unaware, we ran a little winter promo during the months of November & December 2006 for both FMPug and FMForums.

Up for grabs was the opportunity to win one of three iPods*! I am pleased to say the promotion was a terrific success and it is my pleasure to announce the winners....

3rd place - and the winner of an iPod Shuffle

Lionel Louviere

"Thanks Andy. This is the first thing that I have ever won. Things might be turning around and the lotto might be next. I will surely enjoy the gift.

Thanks again."

2nd place -and the winner of an 8Gb iPod Nano

Paul Dzus

" I don't know what to say. I have never won anything before.

Thank you FMPug & FMForums"

1st place - and the winner of an 80Gb iPod Video

Samuel Herschbein

"There are so many great reasons to belong to the FMPug community. Winning the iPod video is an unexpected perk and made my day!

I've been wanting an iPod video but haven't been able to justify the expense to replace my iPod Photo 60GB. Christmas season may be over, but it's back on for me today.

Many thanks to FM Pug & FM Forums for the iPod, but more importantly for being such a great resource with wonderful people. I'll try to leave some room on the iPod for FM podcasts!"

Thank you to all who participated in the drawing. All those members who didn't win this go-round, you still have access to all the great benefits of FMPug and also a chance to win something worth monumental bragging rights come DevCon 2007. (Just a wee teaser to perhaps peak your interest.)

*Each winner will receive a gift certificate to the value of the respective prize.

FILEMAKER FEATURE REQUESTS

Have you ever sat in front of your computer into the wee hours coding your heart out only to wish there was some feature that would make your life as a FileMaker developer that much easier? Maybe an idea that by its very nature would make the lives of countless developers around the globe easier too?

Well, welcome to the club!

Answering the call of the "wild", FMPug is proud to now boast a Feature Request section dedicated to the developer wish list. Specifically aimed at the tool by which we live and breathe everyday (and powered by it too), this section enables you to not only add umpteen feature requests but also vote on existing suggestions. Like they say ...there's power in numbers and it's our belief those numbers will truly payoff!

So stop by today, peruse through the posted features, unload those suggestions, share your opinions -- just get your ideas out there!

Mind you, this is not designed to replace the official Feature Request page and we encourage anyone who posts with us to also post there. However, that's not to say all the valuable information will funnel into the vortex of NeverNever land -- no,no, no! All data gathered will be sent to FileMaker, Inc on a regular basis for review!

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FUNCTIONS POSTER

For those of you who attended DevCon 2006, the above images may look familiar. You might even have a set of the Functions Posters (or two) hanging up in an esteemed place in your office, or on the back of a door no one even sees. This poster was developed specifically to feed the overwhelming need for a one-stop reference guide for Version 8.5. It's been well-received & we've even been thrown a compliment or two! (We were shocked too, but it's all true!)

Rumor has it the poster was featured in the FileMaker Pavilion at MacWorld 2007

This poster was produced in collaboration with FMPug, FMForums and ISO FileMaker Magazine. I want to throw a HUGE shout-out to both Matt Petrowsky & Stephen Dolenski for their grueling, caffeine gussling, indefatigable (it's a word... and as my good friend Dane Cook would say...Google that s@#t!), mega-long nights working through the copy. Hat's off guys!

What's that??? You didn't get one, wasn't there or wish upon all the stars in the sky you could land a copy?!

No worries, we have you covered & you don't even have to auction your first-born! Orders are being taken as we speak (or as I write).

These handsome little numbers are 27 x 39 inches, double-sided. That's a lot of reference code, this poster is NOT for the faint of heart -- make sure you can handle it!

Now let's get down to the nitty gritty shall we? If you pick up your phone in the next five minutes you can have a set, that's right... a total of two (2) posters of your very own to hang on the wall, wallpaper your closet or give to a loved one as an unexpected birthday gift all for the rock-bottom price of $14.95 + S&H -- an automatic $10 savings!!

Alright, alright, so you don't need to pick up the phone in the next five minutes, but you do need to be a member to receive the discounted poster price. Simply log into your personal homepage to grab the purchase link.

For those non-members, these little beauties are gonna run you $24.95 + S&H. Visit the FMPug homepage for the purchase link.

Please Note: Set of Ginzu steak knives are NOT included in the regular or discounted purchase poster price.

TRAINING: THE SPOTLIGHT SERIES

SolutionMakers, Inc. a company out of Washington State have unveiled a series of training classes aptly titled

"The Spotlight Series".

These classes target specific areas of business and then teach users how to maximize FileMaker. The second class in the series "Spotlight on Time Saving Tricks for the Office Professional" is to be held on Saturday February 24th.

Katie Strock of SolutionMakers, Inc. had the following to say about the class.

"This is a pleasant and low tech one day workshop focused on illustrating how a FileMaker database can perform more work with just a few enhancements. This workshop was designed with education of your office staff in mind. You will be amazed about how some of these minor upgrades to your FileMaker database solution can increase office productivity dramatically!"

The cost of this course is $390 with a 10% discount available to FMPug members.

Visit the SolutionMakers, Inc. website for more information or to sign up.

SolutionMakers, Inc. are the coordinators for the Seattle FMPug who's next meeting is January 29th. Andy LeCates from FileMaker, Inc is presenting and this is sure to be a great meeting. Not yet RSVP 'd? Now is the time to ensure your place.

Did we mention every member of FMPug who is registered by the meeting is eligible to receive a set of the FileMaker & Function Reference Posters (a $24.95 value). If you are not a member and plan on being at this meeting now is the time to join.

WHAT'S NEW AT FMPUG.COM

MORE LOCATIONS

It is great to see more and more user groups popping up. We now have groups in 15 States plus several international groups. You should check out the User Group listing on FMPug to see if their is a group near you.

Did you know that FMPug provides all user group data real-time for FileMaker, Inc.?

Attending a group is more than just meeting with other FileMaker developers and users. It is about building local connections. In fact, if there is not a group in your area maybe you should think about starting one.

$AVE SOME GREEN ON US

At FMPug we're constantly working (read: networking, scheming, calling-in favors) to land the biggest & best bang for your membership buck! We know one of the most coveted benefits are the vendor & product discounts. But we simply wouldn't be providing you the best gosh-darn service if we didn't remind you to check out what's out there for the takin'!

Are you a consultant/developer?

If you are a consultant, the discounts are a great way of making a little more money for yourself. I was speaking at the end of 2006 with Keith Larochelle of Productive Computing, Inc. — one of the services they offer to developers is a reseller program - allowing you to purchase their great products at a discount, thusly churning a bit of personal profit in the process.

Productive Computing is only one of the many vendor discounts out there just waiting to help your bottom line! So, next time your shopping for products, be sure to stop by FMPug & peruse the discounts page. Heck. maybe if you're feeling extraordinarily generous you can pass some of the savings on to your clients as well! Bottom line, it's a win-win for everyone.

Are you an in-house developer or an end user?

Now it doesn't take a fully certified rocket scientist, brain surgeon or card carrying Mensa member to understand discounts are a good thing. Let's break it down, shall we? Discounts equal less money spent, less money spent, equates to money saved, money saved amounts to more money to spend -- well, I am sure you get the jist. I mean who actually refuses to save money? Not you, of that I am quite sure!

Not yet a member?

Well, you are just plain missing out. But...it's a perfect opportunity to perhaps entice you with a snapshot of a great member benefit -- one of many, mind you! So let's take a look at some of the discounts available to all FMPug members -- here, near & far.

There are many places to save with FMPug & the list is continually being updated and added-to. As always 2007 holds no exceptions! There is no standing around twiddling our thumbs -- no way jose!

So....just a suggestion....why not take a moment, stop by the discount area and grab the codes necessary to save some green?! Because it doesn't take a fully certified rocket scientist, brain surgeon or card carrying Mensa member to know NOT taking advantage of discounts is just plain stupid!

For those non-members -- simply sign-up and the discounts are yours for the taking!

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Well, that just about wraps-up this newsletter for another month.

Don't forget to stop by the web site. And if you are not yet an official "pugger" what are you waiting for? Stop letting others get all the benefits of membership and start taking some of them for yourself. Join today and get in the mix.

Cheers!

FMPug Quarters team

[email protected]

http://www.fmpug.com