Networking in Runtimes
I know, I know. “FIleMaker won’t make any money” you think. It could be a limited number of clients, say five. Let’s start there and see what happens. Maybe FileMaker could let us “pay” to unlock a runtime for this on a per seat bases? Think of it as “in app purchase” like the Apple App Store is headed.
No. 1 — November 4th, 2009 at 4:14 am
If you had to pay for the networking, you could simply buy FileMaker Pro. The goal is that FileMaker wants end-users to get FileMaker Pro and be able to create their own simple databases. And that’s what we developers want as well. The more simple databases they create the more they will need our help in future.
No. 2 — November 4th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Perhaps if a runtime could only be networked to a solution served via FMSA with the “per seat” limitation. That would be helpful and FMI would still make money on the deal. I’ve had plenty of scenarios where needing the full-blown FM client was tremendous overkill for a very simple multi-user solution, and would have gladly paid for a limited network ability.
No. 3 — November 4th, 2009 at 11:24 am
This would be even better if we could make a commission on the sale.
No. 4 — November 4th, 2009 at 11:33 am
As the submitter of the idea, I say that this in-app fee should be way, way lower than the full cost of FileMaker Pro. I am thinking in the $5 per seat range.
All the best,
Brian Ginn
No. 5 — November 4th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Networking runtimes is important to all of my customers. They don’t want to run full copies of FileMaker on their desktop when they have servers that are supposed to do the heavy lifting. Networkable runtimes would make FileMaker a true client/server product. As far as the comment that having a full copy of FileMaker Pro on everyone’s desktop so they can make databases, well, isn’t that what we are for?
If FileMaker is concerned about profit, then make the runtimes only connect to the server products and then charge a nominal per-seat licensing fee sold in bundles of five.
No. 6 — November 4th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Bento could move into this roll Imagine Bento being able to open Filemaker files, it has networking and basic database functionality, it could become the thin client to a Filemaker solution.
No. 7 — November 25th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
I still think the runtime should allow limited network capability, other systems provide similar, such as,
Filemaker Pro Advanced 1 user runtime licence for current price
Filemaker Pro Advanced 2 user runtime licence + $200.00
Filemaker Pro Advanced 5 user runtime licence + $600.00
For small solutions requiring at most 5 user network systems, this would drive more filemaker sales, at the moment filemaker is a costly route for smaller systems to compete with multi user requirements.
None of my customers want to use filemaker for what its designed and couldnt care less of what it gives them, infact the create new database flag is disabled upon install making it a bloated useless application just so they can network the solution they actually wanted… the one I created for them..