Pardon the top quoting...
Not to be bandwagon-eering or anything, I just wanted to contribute a few
words about Filemaker.
I really disliked it at first (My background is MySQL) but was forced into
it at work.
Version 7 Pro is shipping, (the Server version.. For large, web based
installations will be out in July)
I don't think Filemaker is either the best or worst tool for the job.
The real issue here is that the original poster has no real programming
experience and is looking to build/rebuild a mildly complex point of sale
system for a daycare business. No matter what tools they choose they're
going to have to put in a very significant investment in time and energy
learning whatever system they decide to implement.
Here's my Pro/Con list on Filemaker 7
Cons:
Not Open source or GPL.. This is going to cost you money up front. I think
Version 7 retails for around $300?
Poor Documentation - My biggest issue with Filemaker is the qualitiy and
quantity of their documentation. There's actually a lot of neat things you
can do with this system, they just aren't that well documented. Expect to
buy a few third party books if you want to really learn the ins and outs.
No API of it's own. That is.. - There's no API to the backend for
C*/Perl/Ruby solutions etc.
Versions 5 and 6 use a proprietary markup language called CDML for dealign
with FMP and the Web. If PHP is a banquet, then CDML is like an MRE.
Functional but a bit less than appetizing.
Pros:
Easy to learn interface and UI
Filemaker 7 is a Quantum Leap in the Dev cycle of this product, finally
moving towards a fully relational database rather than the flat file model
with ad hoc relativity stuck onto the side of it (see versions 4-6)
Filemaker Developer's Edition will allow you to make cross platform stand
alone versions of your database application
While it has no native API.. there is support for XML in and out through
their 'Web Companion' which is included in every copy of 5.5, and 6. In 7
it's only in the Server Advanced platform.
_____
As to the programming language ? I'm not sure how much of an issue that is
for most people. Filemaker Pro is highly scriptable. The main issue from
what I've seen is more that the scripts don't work on web targetted
applications. But, if you need a web targeted application, you spring for
the Server version, and you get XML in and out of Filemaker plus an XML
parser and Web connector to Apache. Throw in the GPL PHP class FX.php that
interfaces Filemaker and PHP and you've got a lot of options.
I'm not saying Filemaker is the best choice, but I don't think it's the
worst choice either.
My personal advice would be to put your time and energy into researching
some open source tools like MySQL or PostgresSQL because they're free and
the documentation is easy to come by. Research them, and then download and
install them and see what you can do database wise. While you're evaluating
them.. You may want to go to
http://www.filemakerpro.com and download their
30 day free trial and see if Filemaker is a better fit for you. Hey it's
your project right?
My $.02
MDJ
-------
>> I suspect that you are just being argumentative here. Have you even
>> used version 7?
> ----
> nope - is it shipping yet? Last time I was in Fry's, V6 was on the
> shelves and V7 has promised to add some interesting things like
> triggers. But I have too much history with Filemaker to get sucked back
> into it again and would never start a new project with it.
> ----
>>>
>>> It would seem that for networked environments, long term vision and
>>> planning is a better program than quick turnaround implementations that
>>> are more clumsy and costly in the long run.
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