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Rating: 
Summary: Filemaker Pro for the novice
Review: As a novice user, with practically no knowledge of computer programming and scripting, I would like to say that Filemaker is one of the easiest databases I have ever used. I started out using Filemaker4 - this had its limitations, but the fact that I could easily and efforlessly create a whole database with functional buttons and easy links to other layouts was so great!
It is relatively foolproof for those who do not wish to overload their minds with programming data that they will probably never use (and they only need to pay the cost of the package instead of the programmers they would probably need to employ in order to keep their database up and running flawlessly; with no disrespect to you programmers out there - I wish I could BEGIN to understand the way it all works, but some of us are not blessed with the time or technological knowhow that some take for granted - but I do understand why you are frustrated by the simplicity - remember that for those who need it, Filemaker does the basic database job, in a more simplified manner).
I give 4 stars because, although user friendly, there are annoying limitations that have been noted before - ie: multiple layouts for manual change each time IS annoying, auto saving with no "undo" option is dangerous for larger databases etc.
In summary, I feel that Filemaker is an excellent ready-prepared database solution for any individual or business that requires the "quick-fix" Filemaker offers so easily.
Rating:
Summary: Not perfect, but FM7 offers many long-awaited features
Review: FileMaker 7 is a very fast and reliable rapid-application-development package for both Windows and Macintosh. With it, you can create single- and multi-user databases quickly and easily without programming or advanced training. You can start with a single-user system, and if your needs grow, you can then scale up effortlessly to a server-based platform with up to 250 users.
FileMaker is "high level", meaning you don't need a deep understanding of underlying data structures and theory to do useful work. This makes it ideal for smaller organizations who can't afford the expense of a full-time administrator/programmer, but still need a reliable, powerful, multi-user database.
If your ideal database environment includes Oracle or Crystal Reports, FileMaker is probably not for you. FileMaker simplifies things. There are only a handful of data types, only a few types of controls. In fact, experienced DBAs are often baffled by FileMaker's simplicity. But FileMaker can do very complex tasks with its streamlined approach.
Experienced FileMaker developers will find most (but not all) of their pet peeves have been eliminated with this version. Many long-standing limitations are now gone.
Despite some absurd claims to the contrary, Version 7 continues the long FileMaker tradition of importing and exporting a variety of data file formats.
The once-pathetic ODBC drivers are dramatically improved, and are now actually useful. JDBC is also available this time around, though emphasis appears to be on XML for the future. The Web Publishing feature is now XML-based, a welcome change for integration with other database platforms.
Additional FM7 advancements:
- Multi-table files and improved relationship management with multi-field keys.
- Elimination of restrictive file and field size limits.
- Editable finding and sorting in scripts
- Linguistic indexing has been expanded from the old 20 characters-per-word limit to 110 characters per word.
- User definable functions with recursion (my favorite)
- Encryption support for both native and web-based networking
- Script parameter passing
- True user-based security replaces old inadequate model
FM7 is not ideal. There's still no full-text editing of scripts, and the new multi-table file format does not allow for simple duplication of a table structure. There are some other annoyances, but overall, it's a huge improvement. Existing FileMaker users will appreciate finally getting some of the things they've been asking for for so long. And if you care more about getting your database up and running quickly than you do about esoteric database ideology, FileMaker 7 may be the right choice for your next project.
Rating: 
Summary: FileMaker Quirks
Review: FileMaker is perhaps the easiest application to use for creating a simple database. But, there are a few quirks about this software that really bug me:
1. Danger of storing layouts, scripts, and data in the same file
Layouts and scripts are stored in the same file as the data. If FileMaker crashes while editing a layout or modifying a script, the whole file including the data may become corrupt and unaccessible. A better design, in my opinion, would be to keep the data separate from the layouts and scripts, so the data would be protected in an event of a crash.
2. Danger of linking to wrong external relational files
Filemaker links to externally related files by an unusual search algorithm. If there exists copies of files with the same file name on the server, on the local hard disk, or hosted on other hosts, then which file is linked becomes ambiguous. The wrong external file may be linked.
3. Danger of opening the wrong file
Each Filemaker application can host files. If a user were to host a file that has the same name as a file hosted on the server, other users may open the wrong file.
4. Danger of deleting your entire database
The "Delete All Records..." option is one of the most dangerous features of FileMaker. Many databases were wiped out because a user accidently chose the "Delete All Records..." rather than the "Delete Record..." option -- the two options are placed next to each other in the menu, inviting disaster.
5. Cumbersome queries
The querying feature of FileMake can be a pain to use. To create a query such as (Field1 = "criterion1" and (Field2 = "criterion2" or Field3 = "criterion3" or FieldN = "criterionN")), FileMaker requires you to break down the above query as N-1 queries: (Field1 = "criterion1" and Field2="criterion2"), new query (Field1 = "criterion1" and Field3 = "criterion3"), ..., new query (Field1 = "criterion1" and FieldN = "criterionN"). There are other queries that can be easily posed as a SQL statement but not so easily done in FileMaker.
6. Spaghetti code paradigm
Variables for your scripts in FileMaker are stored in global fields. You'll have to keep track of which scripts are using what global fields -- the script and the variables are not kept together. Passing parameters to scripts is a cumbersome sequence of setting the global fields one-by-one, then calling the script. Most modern programming languages have procedures with calling convention such as p(x,y). In FileMaker it's set x, set y, perform p. To debug, you'll have to read the code of p to see that p really references x and y. Also, their is no hierarchy or encapsulation of scripts, so you'll have to devise your own way for organizing.
Rating: 
Summary: NOT a Professional Database Package
Review: I agree with the gentleman who suggested that it was not a normalised database, and also with his view of the layout structure inadequacies.
I am a professional developer and system integrator who has developed systems from small applications to global software solutions used across almost any platform.
Filemaker is not a professional tool for the following reasons.
1. The concept of having to have multiple layouts which have to be changed individually is frankly ludicrous.
2. The security of the application is virtually non-existent.
3. The indexing only goes up to 22(or so) characters, so if you have two strings which have the first n characters the same, basically forget it..
4. The printing control is non-existent, particularly if you wish to take control away from the user.
5. The method of opening each related database is frankly ridiculous, and anything complex can very quickly get you to exceed the maximum number of windows open.
6. Almost no logic can be enabled on a print layout, forcing huge numbers of print layouts to be defined, again all which need to be changed manually.
7. Importing and exporting data capability is non-existent.
8. Relationship management and capability is inept and insufficient for serious databases.
9. Encryption is either non-existent or pathetic (sorry cannot remember, but do know that I had to write my own encryption methods as Filemaker could not handle it.)
This is far form a complete list of the real issues I experienced, but is a list of those issues which could have scuppered the entire project if long-winded work-arounds could not have been found and then developed.
In short the application is woefully inadequate, is not professional, and the only thing going for it is that it can create a cross platform solution.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Database Application
Review: I purchased and installed this FileMaker Developer product and ran into a brick wall, that precludes its use as a serious development tool. FileMaker Pro suffers from the same deficiencies. My real rating is 0 stars. Filemaker does not use tab controls. It gets around this shortcoming by requiring that a separate layout be designed for each tab. Importantly this is not just for the information on the tab, BUT FOR THE WHOLE COTTON-PICKIN layout!!! Then when a user clicks on the tab "button", a new layout is repainted over the old. Even though Filemaker provides the ability to copy a form, I have found that the repainted forms "jump" and give an entirely unsatisfactory visual experience. Like watching a web form flicker repaint over a slow dial up connection. Filemaker appears to be a maintenance nightmare. If you have a layout with header information and with a five tab area, and you wish to change the header information (field width, color, etc.) you have to change it five times on each layout! I thought the purpose of databases was to normalize information, that is to reduce redundancy in data storage. Filemaker may reduce this redunduncy, but it it adds it back in spades when it comes to application development! The screen flicker caused by full screen repaints and the large number of forms required to accomodated simple tab displays makes this a no brainer. Filemaker is fine for your receipe or CD collection database, but forget about using it for serious development.
Rating:
Summary: Only for recipe or CD collections databases
Review: I purchased and installed this FileMaker Developer product and ran into a brick wall, that precludes its use as a serious development tool. FileMaker Pro suffers from the same deficiencies. My real rating is 0 stars. Filemaker does not use tab controls. It gets around this shortcoming by requiring that a separate layout be designed for each tab. Importantly this is not just for the information on the tab, BUT FOR THE WHOLE COTTON-PICKIN layout!!! Then when a user clicks on the tab "button", a new layout is repainted over the old. Even though Filemaker provides the ability to copy a form, I have found that the repainted forms "jump" and give an entirely unsatisfactory visual experience. Like watching a web form flicker repaint over a slow dial up connection. Filemaker appears to be a maintenance nightmare. If you have a layout with header information and with a five tab area, and you wish to change the header information (field width, color, etc.) you have to change it five times on each layout! I thought the purpose of databases was to normalize information, that is to reduce redundancy in data storage. Filemaker may reduce this redunduncy, but it it adds it back in spades when it comes to application development! The screen flicker caused by full screen repaints and the large number of forms required to accomodated simple tab displays makes this a no brainer. Filemaker is fine for your receipe or CD collection database, but forget about using it for serious development.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to Use
Review: I've been using FileMaker Pro for many years. I used to use Microsoft Access, but FileMaker is much easier to setup and share your data. I highly recommend this software for both Mac and Windows users.
Rating:
Summary: Great Database Application
Review: Now that you've read the previous 0 star rating, (tab buttons - give me a break), realize that FileMaker 7 is a great database development platform. Just a few of the upgrade's improvements: No File Size Limit (that's a heck of a lot of recipies Bob). The days of needing to migrate when a file hits the 2 Gig file size wall are OVER. Your database can grow to fill the largest hard drive a computer can support. Multiple data tables per file. Improved browser support of buttons and scripts through instant web publishing feature. Improved security. And if one is really worried about lining up their "tab buttons" on layouts, FileMaker offers a free 30 day evaluation for download from their website. In fact, the only negative comment I can make is that the Server version won't be available until this summer.
Rating:
Summary: It may be easy to use but ...
Review: This may be an easy to use database and I have used if for many years, including when it all started in its DOS roots. Since Claris took over (again, many years ago), it has become a typically Mac-influenced, crippled piece of software (using Mac people's peculiar logic). Again, while it is mostly easy to use, it is not for serious users. It is so destructive to data: once a change is made, it is done deal, with no practical "undo" options. The last couple "improvements" have added "security" features but forget a password (or do not even set one) and you are SOL. ALWAYS keep an exported (in another format other than Filemaker, preferably a TXT format) backup of you data using this database. Its major limitation is interoperability with other software. Yeah, yeah, it can import and export Excel files, but when I want to seamlessly merge data from WordPerfect or other programs from Filemaker, I first gotta export the data because of Filemaker's proprietary format (generally this is an unintended good practice because I usually use my backup TXT exported backup database for merges). All in all, this program has some major annoyances and inconveniences that cause it to be more consternating than anything Microsoft could come up with. If you want a really easy and versatile database, pick up Approach, now sold by IBM after Lotus bought it from the original developer. It is, essentially, a front end to ANY database (it can import and use anyone's data into its own forms, tables, etc). This is generally sold as part of the Lotus SmartSuite that can be picked almost anywhere for just a few bucks.
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