I've read the suggestions that everyone upgrade to 5 or 5.5. Here's a problem - We still have CD's distributed to us which require fp3 format.

To require all of these files to convert to v.5 would mean a huge undertaking across many machines. Files would not be shareable/distributable until all machines were upgraded.

In Short - this required upgrade of files makes the job very very difficult in larger environments.

Further to that - I'll have to see some more significant improvements in the functionality of the program to justify an upgrade of this magnitude.

I'd be interested to hear what people are finding as improvements in FP5.

A lot depends upon what features the databases you are using need. The feature additions in going from FM 3 to FM 5 are quite significant, even if you aren't using web or ODBC features. The addition of design functions and individual record locking. The additional server features in going from server 3 to server 5 depend upon your platform. If you are on the Windows platform, you will find scheduling backups much easier in FM 5 than it was in FM 3.

-bd

I agree to some extent. However the bottom line is that sooner or later FM Inc will cease supporting FMP4 and we'll all have no choice but to upgrade when it's no longer compatible with the newest OS.

Have you thought of getting developer and creating bound copies to distribute? (Not a solution for multi-user however.)