MacWorld Gets it About FileMaker 8: 5 mice!

If you don’t have FileMaker 8 yet, read this review and upgrade. If you are a consultant or in-house FileMaker developer and want to convince your firm or client to upgrade, read this review and have them read it. The title says it: Easy-to-use database program morphs into a powerhouse. You really owe it to yourself or your organization/client to push this upgrade. It’s that good.

Just last year, enthusiastic software reviewers throughout the computer industry greeted the release of FileMaker Pro 7 (; October 2004) as the most significant upgrade in the product’s history. With the release of FileMaker Pro 8 (see our first look), the company has done something surprising: Rather than resting on its laurels, FileMaker has released another significant upgrade about a year sooner than many industry observers expected. In retrospect, it looks as if FileMaker 7 was really the precursor to FileMaker 8.

This is one of those situations where later your clients will say, *well, why didn’t you say so?* This is a no-brainer upgrade even though paying the upgrade fees will hurt some. Worth every penny.

Just one little disclaimer for those who are still running FileMaker 6 or earlier versions. FileMaker 7 was a complete rewrite of FileMaker. And 8 builds on that. Depending on the complexity of your FileMaker application, you may need to do substantial work to prepare for and shepherd your database to the new file format and environment of FileMaker 7/8.

If you are already on 7, there is no transition to manage. You are there. The good news for FileMaker 6 users, specifically, is that you can upgrade to 8 as cheaply as those who already paid to upgrade to 7 – skipping an upgrade fee. FileMaker 7 users, don’t be too resentful. FileMaker Inc. wants to make a very attractive offer to those who haven’t made the transition to 7.

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