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Hypercard's logical successor is Filemaker Pro. I don't know whatever happened to that, but it let you construct interfaces by dragging and dropping. Back when web interfaces were a relatively young thing, I participated in creating a tool to let users select VLANs on Catalyst switches so that they could connect ports on their desks with ports in the testing lab using Filemaker Pro on Windows as the server, and perl on Linux for the backend (using Expect to actually talk to CatOS.) That took about three days, including making it acceptably attractive and usable. And web interfaces aren't (or weren't, no idea what's up with Filemaker now) even the program's primary goal.

FileMaker lives on!

Still an Apple Subsidiary. Still Cross-Platform (Mac and WIndows + iOS + Web). Standalone, on-Prem Server, and Cloud-Based Server Options.

Still the hands-down Easiest GUI Form and Report Editors on the Planet!

Only Multi-User DBMS I know of with LIVE record-updating to ALL users sitting on the same Record!

Still the most misunderstood and ignored Multi-User, Multi-Platform DBMS ever!

http://www.filemaker.com/

Filemaker is still around. I had to learn it a couple of years back because a research project I was working on used it. I think the project itself is indicative of why Filemaker still exists. When the project started, they went looking for someone who could put together a database for them on the cheap. The guy they hired had been using Filemaker for years and, yeah, he could totally do that for them. It was a mess. The poor folks on the research project didn't even realize that a web-based front end was a possibility. The guy had instructed them to edit the database at home via campus computers using remote access on Windows. He had countless work arounds and quirks for everything. But, once they had the database and had sunk costs into it, they felt like they had to stick with it. I suspect he's still out there, somewhere, causing people to be stuck with Filemaker.

Filemaker Pro is the major alternative to Microsoft Access for small business. When you need to hand off this project to the staff members who don't do development full-time, its critical to that the system be as simple to learn for the layperson as possible. I'm guessing this is why you're asking as opposed to going with the pure OSS solutions that you are most familiar with. Like Access, both frontend UI and the backend database are managed from one integrated IDE. Unlike Access, Filemaker Inc. is wholly owned by Apple (its been around for over 20 years), has versions for both OSX and Windows, can be used with a MySQL backend, and doesn't tie you into Microsoft's web of licensing. Also, there is a free app for IOS devices (Filemaker Go) that makes it easy to add iPhones and iPads to the mix. The mobile copies of the database can be designed to sync over USB or WIFI, enabling usage without relying on Senegal's probably spotty 3G coverage. Disclaimer: I've developed several custom Filemaker solutions for small business and then trained the end users on how to use the solution and modify it their needs change. Good luck!

Take a look at learning how to setup and "program" FileMaker Pro for small businesses. I am not claiming you can jump in and become an expert in 2-3 months. You need an organized mind and a desire to figure out effective business solutions. It will require a lot of FMPro training of one type or another and you might work with one of the certified developers in your area. Plenty of books exist on database development, so the core knowledge is out there.

FileMaker is also entering the larger company markets, too, what with their iPad & iPhone apps connecting back to the FMPro on a server.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/01/27/filemaker_highlights_successful_deployment_of_ipads_by_austin_texas.html

http://www.filemaker.com/

The 80's called, and they want their database back.

Seriously, what kind of performance can you get out of FMP? NONE!

The databases I was working with were written by a FMP "expert". The one I remember best was online for 3 hours before it crashed. The 13,000 users accessing it simultaneously probably didn't help. I spent 6 hours rewriting in PHP/MySQL. It didn't even hiccup.

If not having any love for FMP makes me incompetent, I'm ok with that. FMP is a piece of shit app anyway. The only thing worse is Access.

First, You do realize that Access and FMP were one and the same at one time. FileMaker grew up; Access didn't.

13,000 users does sound like a bit much for FileMaker, though, since Filemaker 11 Server Advanced has only been tested with 250 simultaneous users. So, I call Shenanigans, or somebody should have been FIRED for specing something that far beyond its guaranteed limits. Or you are a fucking liar. I tend to think the latter, because I can't find anything to even REMOTELY suggest that capability in MySQL. And especially not with an application you can whip together in six hours! I'll bet Amazon.com doesn't have 13,000 CONCURRENT clients. Gimme a break! When you LIE, at least make it believable.

What you don't know is that FMP actually ALLOWS for multiple users to have the same record open simultaneously, and actually updates all clients view of the record in "realtime". The overhead to manage that alone across 13,000 clients is something that MySQL simply doesn't have to deal with. In fact, I wonder if there is a database on the planet that has that many CONCURRENT accesses. Certainly not on a single server!

And was this running on the same server hardware and network as the FMP solution? Because that could make all the difference.

Also, was your PHP/MySQL solution REALLY equivalent to the FMP database? Or was it more, um, "austere"? (I'll bet I can guess...) Anything you could design, write and debug in SIX HOURS of PHP and MySQL was pretty frickin' simplistic. Because you couldn't use ANYTHING but the data between the two systems. So, either you are working at the speed of Commander Data replacing the Isolinear chips that the other (infected) crewmember had removed from the computer on TNG, or you are a liar, or you had a pretty simple application.

I'm betting on "liar".

Not all of them., unfortunately. This one is mostly mouse. You can ask my carpel tunnel to explain.

Will OmniGraffle allow me to work on other people's Visio files? From the feature chart, it appears probably not.

Yes, OmniGraffle can import and export in Visio's XML format. You will need the Professional version for this though, but it does work.

I use Access for things where Excel can't really cope, but setting up a proper database system would be overkill, and take far too long.

I can't really comment here. I've never worked with Access, so I have no idea how long it would take to create an application with it. I usually don't spend more than a day or two on my own little database projects, but if that's already too much, than I guess it's not really a viable alternative. Maybe something like FileMaker Pro could do the trick for you? I've never used that myself also, so I really can't say anything useful about it, but I have heard from other Mac-users that they enjoy working with it.

Um, I don't think that FileMaker Corp. has been owned by Apple for many years now.

Thinking with your gut, huh?

"Ownership: FileMaker, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apple Inc."
http://www.filemaker.com/company/index.html?nav=company-about

The only thing that comes to mind is Mac only. Bento (which from the write up is exactly what you want). I really think the only thing on Windows that really comes close is Microsoft Access and even that isn't what you're looking for.

If you are just doing tabulated data in a piece meal form, Excel with an Access back-end will do the trick, I'd be willing to be you're going to be able to find templates that help you start. You could also use File-maker (which is overkill, but easy to use) and go to the user community for starting templates.

Question: Does your mom effectively use MS Access now?

I would question whether it is even possible to make a GUI for any database that a) is easy to use, b) provides enough options to make a wide variety of applications, and c) requires no knowledge of SQL or database design. This is one of those "pick two" situations.

Well, you didn't specify current platform so...

http://www.filemaker.com/products/bento/overview.html

It looks pretty nice, very simple but OS X 10.5 only. Migrating to Linux is out though, as is Windows. Hmm...

Bento.

From the folks who brought you FileMaker.

Um... have you heard of FileMaker? http://www.filemaker.com/ It's technically from Apple... don't know if this will help

And if you want something similar on the Mac, use Filemaker. They even have a Windows version.

...but, as always, subjective at best. I still have a G5 iMac, and many of the apps on the list are useless to me, as they're specifically for the Intel processor. However, these lists are informative in that they help to become aware of potentially useful apps to any mac users out there.

That said, here are a few apps the guy neglected to mention:
- Claris Filemaker http://www.filemaker.com/. Hands down, the best database software out there, for the Mac or any other OS.
- iWeb http://www.apple.com/ilife/iweb/. Ridiculously easy to use, yet web pages still come out clean and looking pretty good too.
- DVD Studio Pro http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/dvdstudiopro/. Isn't this still the industry standard for assembling DVD structure and navigation?
- Visual Hub http://www.techspansion.com/visualhub/. For its' ability to convert video files in any format out there into any other.
- Disk Warrior http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/. In the extremely isolated cases of ever having to need it, this is the single most important life-saving app out there.

Oh, and an honorable mention: Mac The Ripper. Site is down, but you can check out their forum http://www.ripdifferent.com/.

Filemaker is the solution you are looking for. Much of what you have requested has pre-built packages and companies like Soliant Consulting or Excelisys or you could even do it yourself

... right here for those who are too impatient to Google for it.

It seems a bit pricey for a home library, given the plethora of other solutions mentioned in this discussion that are low- or no-cost.

Filemaker. Same general functionality as Access, more sanely designed. For those who've used it a long time ago, note that it's gotten a lot better since version 7. It still doesn't have the power or elegance of an SQL database from the point of view of a hardcore DB developer, but I've used it for several small businesses and they are very happy with it.

If such a buyout was possible, it would provide several benefits.

Disney owns ABC and ESPN. This is a full set of tv stations and radio stations. They are ABC, Family Channel, Disney Channel, and ESPN. Disney also owns couple movie companies (Miramax, Touchstone) too. This would provide alot of media content for iTunes.

Disney also owns large stakes in Lifetime Entertainment Services, A&E Television Networks and E! Networks.

You people assume that such a buyout would merge the two companies. That is not true. Apple could buy Disney and make it subsidary of Apple Computer, Inc. Apple does own other companies like Filemaker, Inc is one such company.

This type of buyout would not stir up an antitrust suit with any President in office. Apple Computer does not bully or strong arm other companies. They tend to care more about it's customers then Microsoft cares about it's customers.

On the other hand, a buyout such as this is highly unlikly but not out of the question.

Sources:
Disney Corporation
Filemaker, Inc.

Oh, that bit I know. My current place of employment dealt with those products quite a bit. :)

You mean like this? (Filemaker is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apple Computer, Inc.; but frankly, I don't think iWork is intended to be an Office replacement; it's a Microsoft Works replacement.)

You mean like this? (Filemaker is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apple Computer, Inc.; but frankly, I don't think iWork is intended to be an Office replacement; it's a Microsoft Works replacement.)

Thanks. I didn't realize FileMaker was still a subsidiary of Apple but their web site confirms it. So Apple is very close to having a complete entry-level office suite.

Don't even get me started on that huge pile of crap named Acce$$! I personnally use FileMaker Pro, and while it won't scale up to trillions of records like the Big Players out there (Oracle or DB2 to name just a few), it still scales quite well for medium projects, and its RAD tools are par to none. There is a 30-day demo if you wish to check it out at the FileMaker web site.

Yes, the website is run on WebObjects, on Xserve servers and OS X. Streaming is done with QuickTime Streaming Server.

Apple owns FileMaker so that would mean they have a database but whether they use it for the website I don't know. Oracle loves them and Larry E was a board member so maybe they use Oracle for the larger jobs and Filemaker for smaller jobs?

Pixar, Jobs' other company, has been doing a transition from Intel hardware over to Xserve now that Apple has RAID and SAN solutions together with Shake for video compositing as well as Pixar's own Renderman software.

Visit the QuickTime or Pixar websites for movie trailers just to see how well it all works together.

Here's another example of Access limits = 2GB of data.

One company I worked at regularly had customer data reports greater than 2GB. Access could never deal with these.

Filemaker has has a 2GB limit PER TEXT FIELD.

More info here

No astro turfer, just a happy FM user.

If you read the linked article on FileMaker's website, it says:

Now store multiple database tables in one file instead of having to break them up into multiple files.

I've been using FileMaker at home since it was made by Claris, back at version 3.0. It's always been relational. You build relations between files--one file is one table. Now you can have multiple tables in one file. And you can still build a relation to a table in another file, so you've got the best of both.

In fact, using the free demo of 3.0, I built a database with about 25 relations in it, entirely without the manual. Consequently, I was out to the store the next day and bought the real thing. I've upgraded to 5.0 and 7.0 since.

I'm not sure how much "re-writing" is required to upgrade, I just load all my databases from the old version into the new one and let it create new files in the current format. I've never had to change the database definitions.

(It would be nice to turn a couple of my DBs into a "single file with multiple tables", but hey, it works fine in multiple file mode, so like others say, why break it?)

There are times when it Would Be Nice to throw some really grotty SQL into the system. But they're fairly rare.

FileMaker - Easy to use customizable database software
http://www.filemaker.com/ For Apple and Windows

Features overview: http://www.filemaker.com/products/fm_overview.html

FileMaker - Easy to use customizable database software
http://www.filemaker.com/ For Apple and Windows

Features overview: http://www.filemaker.com/products/fm_overview.html

Filemaker 7?

The new filemaker finally supports the relational model. I haven't personally tried it yet however.

Check out FileMaker Pro if you want an easy to use, cross platform and relatively powerful database that I think will do exactly what you want...
It runs on Linux & Mac OS X - so there's your Unix compatibility (it also runs on Windows and Mac OS 9). You can have a database on one machine hosted to other machines over the LAN quite easily, and the power of it is in the simplicity of defining fields and layouts - it's all a GUI based draw, drag and drop interface.
It's a lot more like the old skool databases where you draw a form, fill in the fields and then there's your database, rather than all this new-fangled SQL select * from blah where whatever kind of syntax =)
It is 100% closed source, and you have to pay for it, so two thirds of the people here will immediately dismiss it, but you can download a free trial and see if it does what you want.
-k

It's a shame that Filemaker is only Windows and Mac..

Easy database? FileMaker maybe?

Interestingly enough, even though Filemaker Inc is an Apple company, Filemaker isn't Apple exclusive. It runs on Windows, on Linux, even on Palm OS.

:)

There is no reliable or economical way to manage any database for small (very small) business.

I've got to disagree with this. The problem isn't that it isn't possible, but that small businesses tend to over-buy for what they really need. Most of them could get by with a flat filer, or maybe even a rolodex type program. Instead they tend to buy large, fairly complex relational databases like Access* because thats what "everybody" uses, or thats what the consultants know and recommend. There used to be a lot of products in this categorey: Filemaker (PC & Mac), Panorama(PC & Mac - wicked fast since its ram based), PC-File, Symantec Q&A, PFS: File, Microsoft File, Ashton-Tate Rapidfile, etc. (Some integrated software packages had / have databases too, like: Framework(Doesn't need Windows!), Microsoft Works, and others.) Unfortunately most of them have been marginalized, discontinued or driven from the market. People either tended to either buy a relational database, or make due with the database functionality in spreadsheets. I think that Filemaker is the only one with a market share of any real size. Kind of a shame.

*Although Access is Microsoft's low-end database, it is still relational, fully programable, and relatively complex compared to filers.

You're so right. No one writes software for the Mac.

-T

Copyright © 1994-2002, FileMaker, Inc. All rights reserved.FileMaker, Inc. is a subsidiary of Apple Computer, Inc.

My god, you're really misinformed, aren't you? I think overrated would be a better way for your post to have been modded...

From Filemaker's website.

FileMaker, Inc. is a subsidiary of Apple Computer, Inc

It's a little hard to get pissed off at your parent company.

Sounds to me like they're making excuses while everybody else seems to be having no trouble making their products work under MacOS X.

Things that beat any Microsoft offering are:

here
here
here
here
here
and here

And if you want to delve deeper into Answer #1:

Included when you buy a Mac:
iTunes
iMovie
Mac OS X
Quicktime

Things worth paying for (if they're your can of soup):
Final Cut Pro
FileMaker
AppleWorks

I hear complaints that the cheapest Mac is still more expensive than the cheap PC's. So what? You get what you pay for. Does the PC include a Unix-based OS that's fast and slick as hell (KDE & Gnome are neither.)? No. Does it come with a full-fledged MP3 manager/player/ripper? No. Gotta pay the Microsoft Tax if you actually want to legally convert your CD's into a digital format. Do they come with a real movie editing program? Nope, don't have that either. MS Movie Maker is a poor excuse for anything. And best of all, I don't need Microsoft ANYTHING to use my Mac! Or use my Sun workstation, either!

Back in 1995, Claris introduced Emailer, a Mac e-mail client application that could retrieve AOL mail, along with many other kinds of mail accounts. Development was continued on it for about 3 years or so, but it became an orphan when Claris became Filemaker, Inc and divested itself of non-database products. It was neglected and finally end-of-lifed by Apple in November 1998 at version 2.0v3. Most of the team that created it went on to develop Outlook Express for the Mac, which does not do AOL mail because AOL decided to stop licensing out the protocol. I can only assume that AOL realized they could make more money by forcing everyone to use their shitty built-in mail client and bombarding them with paid advertisements the entire time, than by licensing out the protocol to other software companies creating clean, elegantly-designed mail clients.

Six years later, Emailer still works great on Mac OS 9.x, and the original developers do not believe it should break under OS X. I still use it (as do a lot of people) and I still think it's the best mail client I've ever used, because it doesn't do HTML mail. Nothing but pure, speedy text.

~Philly

That said, I have since switched to just using Quickbooks Pro, for no other reason than it's very simple and straightforward. I can also charge credit cards right from the Quickbooks interface, which makes it very convenient. All the other packages I've tried (including Freeside and Rodopi) simply included too many features for my very simple needs, or required software I didn't want to run (Microsoft SQL server). I even started writing my own system in PHP, but abandoned the project because it simply wasn't worth my time. Anyhow that's my experience with the matter. As you mentioned needing Radius support, Quickbooks is probably too basic for your needs, as it's geared to generic services and not Internet Services billing, but Optigold may fit the bill. Good Luck.

On a related note, it looks like FileMaker might be working on a Linux port, check out job listing (#2971), which states: Experience with Unix/Linux development is required...

No - I am not trolling, the topic of trademarking these banal phrases just got me to wondering if FileMaker Pro actually trademarked that particular phrase ... they are definitely using it a lot in advertising, etc.

Everytime I go to their website, I can't help but giggle at such a friendly slogan ...

;-)

YS