Want to know if I should buy Filemaker 5 (have v 2.1 now). Wanted to design my own address book, modeled on the one written by Jim Leitch in Canada years ago (Address Book 3.5).

His was nice because it let me keep a small window with just three alphabet letters worth of last names open maybe 100 names

I'm not familiar with Address Book 3.5, but I believe FM can do what you wish. In many ways FM 3+ are really different products from FM 2.1. The relational features allow easier implementation of the types of displays you mentioned (although, I think FM 2.1 could have done what you wanted).

As to whether you will be disappointed, that is another matter. The big lie today is that if you buy a graphic design program, it will make you a graphics artist. Likewise, if you purchase FM, it may not make you a database designer or produce the result you wish, depending upon your skill level in database design.

-bd