Comments on: And then there is FileMaker http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/ Choices in data management and analysis Fri, 16 May 2008 07:40:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: DBMS2 — DataBase Management System Services » Blog Archive » The FileMaker story http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-82926 DBMS2 — DataBase Management System Services » Blog Archive » The FileMaker story Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:05:01 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-82926 [...] response to its small but vocal constituency, I got myself briefed on the FileMaker story. My conclusion, in a nutshell, is that FileMaker [...] […] response to its small but vocal constituency, I got myself briefed on the FileMaker story. My conclusion, in a nutshell, is that FileMaker […]

]]> By: John http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-50712 John Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:04:26 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-50712 FileMaker absolutelly not the good database choice for programers/developers. Think about that, if you can not use SQL to implement data, it should be a nightmare. By the way, if you need a calculation throught multi relational database, it might be another nightmare too. Therefore, it is only the tool to fool the business guys who does not know the relational database concept. FileMaker absolutelly not the good database choice for programers/developers. Think about that, if you can not use SQL to implement data, it should be a nightmare. By the way, if you need a calculation throught multi relational database, it might be another nightmare too. Therefore, it is only the tool to fool the business guys who does not know the relational database concept.

]]> By: David Kanter http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27226 David Kanter Fri, 27 Apr 2007 01:29:57 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27226 I sincerely doubt that software is more reliable than hardware. While there are anecdotes of folks with software that lasts forever without errors, to quote my business partner: "The plural of anecdote IS NOT DATA." Almost all systematic studies have shown that software is much more likely to cause errors/failures/outtages/"bad stuff" than hardware. While this example is rather old, it actually has quite good data from the late Jim Grey, while he was at Tandem: http://dslab.epfl.ch/courses/pods/winter06-07/readings/gray-census.pdf If anyone has more modern #'s I'd be interested in seeing them. I'm not quite sure if hard drives have improved as much as other componenets - MPUs have literally comes miles in terms of reliability at the same time that software is getting vastly more complex. For instance, some MPUs can detect nearly all errors in the chip and then off-line themselves, while transferring the known-good state to a functional MPU in the system. Of course, then there are the exceptions, such as Google - they specifically follow a strategy of well developed and expensive software that can deal with failures, in order to facilitate using less expensive hardware. DK I sincerely doubt that software is more reliable than hardware. While there are anecdotes of folks with software that lasts forever without errors, to quote my business partner: “The plural of anecdote IS NOT DATA.”

Almost all systematic studies have shown that software is much more likely to cause errors/failures/outtages/”bad stuff” than hardware. While this example is rather old, it actually has quite good data from the late Jim Grey, while he was at Tandem:
http://dslab.epfl.ch/courses/pods/winter06-07/readings/gray-census.pdf If anyone has more modern #’s I’d be interested in seeing them.

I’m not quite sure if hard drives have improved as much as other componenets - MPUs have literally comes miles in terms of reliability at the same time that software is getting vastly more complex. For instance, some MPUs can detect nearly all errors in the chip and then off-line themselves, while transferring the known-good state to a functional MPU in the system.

Of course, then there are the exceptions, such as Google - they specifically follow a strategy of well developed and expensive software that can deal with failures, in order to facilitate using less expensive hardware.

DK

]]> By: Curt Monash http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27214 Curt Monash Fri, 27 Apr 2007 00:23:23 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27214 Chris, Please take a look at the list of products and vendors on the left-hand side of this blog. And on www.texttechnologies.com . And on www.monashreport.com . Do you REALLY think I use all of them? :) CAM Chris,

Please take a look at the list of products and vendors on the left-hand side of this blog. And on http://www.texttechnologies.com . And on http://www.monashreport.com .

Do you REALLY think I use all of them? :)

CAM

]]> By: Chris Kubica http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27188 Chris Kubica Thu, 26 Apr 2007 22:52:19 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27188 Yes, link me to the webinar. I'd just ask that you actually USE FileMaker before passing any actual judgement on it. Thanks! Yes, link me to the webinar. I’d just ask that you actually USE FileMaker before passing any actual judgement on it. Thanks!

]]> By: Chris Kubica http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27187 Chris Kubica Thu, 26 Apr 2007 22:49:04 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27187 I know there wasn't a panel. I was asking whether you'd decided to include it in your webinar or not. That's all. :) I know there wasn’t a panel. I was asking whether you’d decided to include it in your webinar or not. That’s all. :)

]]> By: Curt Monash http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27156 Curt Monash Thu, 26 Apr 2007 20:21:17 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27156 Chris, There never was a "panel" for you to be invited to. There was a webinar, announced in advance on this blog, that as already passed and to the replay of which I will soon post a link (I need to get it first). If you listen to that replay, you'll get a sense of my more detailed criteria. Frankly, it sounds as if FileMaker will wind up missing in quite a few scenarios. I don't know yet whether it will even meet a basic threshold for consideration; the lack of scalability worries me. However, in no way would any of that invalidate your collective enthusiasm for using it in a range of specific application scenarios. Kevin, I'll email you ASAP. CAM Chris,

There never was a “panel” for you to be invited to. There was a webinar, announced in advance on this blog, that as already passed and to the replay of which I will soon post a link (I need to get it first).

If you listen to that replay, you’ll get a sense of my more detailed criteria. Frankly, it sounds as if FileMaker will wind up missing in quite a few scenarios. I don’t know yet whether it will even meet a basic threshold for consideration; the lack of scalability worries me. However, in no way would any of that invalidate your collective enthusiasm for using it in a range of specific application scenarios.

Kevin,

I’ll email you ASAP.

CAM

]]> By: Kevin Mallon http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27141 Kevin Mallon Thu, 26 Apr 2007 19:21:02 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27141 Hi Curt, Consider me nudged! We'd be happy to arrange a time to discuss FileMaker Pro software products with you. Please let me know a few dates and times that work for you. Kevin Mallon Public Relations Mgr FileMaker kevin_mallon@filemaker.com Hi Curt,

Consider me nudged! We’d be happy to arrange a time to discuss FileMaker Pro software products with you. Please let me know a few dates and times that work for you.

Kevin Mallon
Public Relations Mgr
FileMaker
kevin_mallon@filemaker.com

]]> By: Chris Kubica http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27098 Chris Kubica Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:24:40 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-27098 Curt, so what have you decided? Curt, so what have you decided?

]]> By: Curt Monash http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-26998 Curt Monash Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:26:10 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/04/23/and-then-there-is-filemaker/#comment-26998 Thanks guys!! And I'm sorry all the comments hit moderation first. If somebody from the company contacts me, I'll be glad to listen to what they have to say. Anybody care to nudge them? ;) Best, CAM Thanks guys!!

And I’m sorry all the comments hit moderation first.

If somebody from the company contacts me, I’ll be glad to listen to what they have to say. Anybody care to nudge them? ;)

Best,

CAM

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