FileMaker Pro 7.0
As shown: $299.00
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CNET Editors' Review
CNET Editors' Rating
stars Very good
- Reviewed by: Stephen Bigelow
- Released on:
- Reviewed on:
The good: Easy to install and use; familiar interface; supports large and complex data sets (images, video, audio, and PDF files); good internal help.
The bad: Can't customize toolbars.
The bottom line: FileMaker Pro 7.0 allows new and veteran users to easily create and manage large and complex data sets without all the fuss of a programming language.
Review: FileMaker Pro 7.0 brings database power that was once reserved for high-end corporate installations down to the desktop. The program's simple and uncluttered interface allows any user, novice or experienced, to quickly get a complex database off the ground. It's far easier to navigate and use than other database programs, such as ... Expand full review
FileMaker Pro 7.0 brings database power that was once reserved for high-end corporate installations down to the desktop. The program's simple and uncluttered interface allows any user, novice or experienced, to quickly get a complex database off the ground. It's far easier to navigate and use than other database programs, such as Microsoft Access. And now, version 7.0 lets you store and manage huge volumes of complex data such as text, video, images, audio, PDFs, and more. When you factor in the reasonable $299 price tag for a single license ($149 for the upgrade), home and business users get a single tool that can organize, sort, and retrieve data for customer tracking, inventories, and so on.FileMaker Pro 7.0's AutoRun installation pops up with three icons (Install, Explore, and Exit), but there is no onscreen identification to explain the function of each icon. It would be nice if FileMaker included some text to help you make the right selection. However, once you do decide, a familiar InstallShield wizard makes FileMaker Pro 7.0 quick and easy to install and guides you through the setup. In our test, installation itself took less than a minute and required 127MB of disk space.
The new capability to keep multiple database files open simultaneously provides easy access for convenient research and cross-referencing. There is no limit to the number of users who can employ FileMaker Pro 7.0, and up to five other users (who already have the software on their desktop systems) can share a database. FileMaker Pro Server 7.0 ($999, $499 upgrade) supports up to 250 simultaneous clients per server and hosts up to 125 databases.FileMaker Pro 7.0 is very easy to use, given its power. It provides good hand-holding for novices; a wizard takes you through building a new database, from file creation to field definition. There are also 30 new Starter Solutions (prefabricated templates) for home, small-business, and educational applications, such as event planning and expense reports. You can add or modify fields, tables, and relationships in these templates in order to easily create customized databases.
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