filemaker pro 6
filemaker pro 6.0 makes data management for individuals and small groups engaging and almost fun . installation and setup are both surprisingly quick and easy and the templates and wizards will have most users frolicking with their new or imported databases in just a couple of hours . the interface and design tools are comfortable for windows users of all levels of experience . the software is not designed for the lowest common denominator though -- advanced users will find filemaker pro s scripting language for queries and other tasks handy if not all-powerful . data entry couldn t be easier . for some formats it s as simple as dragging and dropping folder contents so multimedia management for example becomes almost trivial . filemaker pro s data manipulation tools are more powerful than before which means administrators would do well to limit users or train them carefully . searches the meat of the package are simple enough for beginners but offer enough complexity to keep power users happy . one new timesaving search feature is the extend constrain function if a search returns too few or too many results it takes just one step to expand or contract search parameters . web-style integration in filemaker pro 6.0 has taken a huge step forward from version 5.5 the look and feel of the desktop is almost seamlessly translated to intranet application . however those with more than 10 potential filemaker users should pick up the unlimited-use version of the software . filemaker can import and export xml so data can be manipulated and then easily shared with non-users via a web browser . while there might be more powerful data management packages available for a wide range of uses and users filemaker pro 6.0 is tough to beat . -- rob lightner