Is FileMaker Pro worth the money?
FileMaker Pro is currently £219 ($299 in the USA), so the first question to ask is whether you need to spend that much money, or any money at all. You could use the free Open Office suite at no cost at all. It very much depends on your needs – if you need FileMaker Pro and you will use its features extensively then it is well worth the money. On the other hand, if you have no need of its advanced features – for example, if your databases are just simple lists of names, addresses, etc – you may well be able to manage with software you already have. For example, spreadsheet programs are perfect for flat file (non-relational) databases, and you may already have a suitable spreadsheet program such as MS Excel, Lotus 1-2-3 or Corel Quattro Pro. Another question to ask is whether you need to share your databases with anybody els, because if you do you will have to take account of what software they use. As Microsoft Office has become the de facto industry standard, chances are that your cont
