Filemaker, FilemakerPro
Price: $299 Downloadable version
Effectiveness: 
Value Rating: 
Demo Available? Yes.
Learn more: http://www.filemakerpro.com
Filemaker has been in production since 1983. I really became well known when it came out with multi platform edition (Windows and Macintosh) versions. I have found a lot of positive reviews on Filemaker. There are a lot of possibilities using Filemaker and they even have their own certification program. Unfortunately, the less technical you are, the harder it will be for you to create a sophisticated program without hiring a certified professional.
Some complaints have been:
- Price
- Highly technical when working on more sophisticated programs.
- Windows and interface is old and not intuitive.
Overall Value Rating:
Final Comments: This can be a great program for people wanting to have more control over their programs. If the end user is more technical, than there is a lot that you can do. If the person is not technical, which happens to be a huge majority, than hiring a professional may be a great choice. It does cost more money hiring a professional but you do get what you want. The interface is hard to navigate at first. I like more modern type of navigation and tool bars.
Filemaker comes with a lot of additional database that you can choose from. Unfortunately, most of them are not very complex and won’t be used.
TSMaker
Price: $299 Downloadable Version:
Effectiveness:
Value Rating:
Demo Available? Yes.
Learn more: http://www.tsmaker.com
TSMaker is a newer product based off of a Software Builder created in 2006. It is a newer product but more cutting edge when dealing with technology and interfaces. You can really create a sophisticated software application fast. The need for technical experience is greatly reduced. No need for certifications or professionals when creating larger type applications. It does take a little learning but once the overall concepts are understood, the software becomes extremely easy to us.
Some complaints have been:
- Price
- Newer Company
- No Macintosh version unless run on Parallels with Windows
Overall Value Rating:
Final Comments: I found TSMaker easier to use. It took a little time to understand the concepts but found it very easy once all the pieces were in place. There isn’t a need to hire professionals, like in Filemaker, to create database programs that businesses would use. I have seen people pay over $2,000 for software that can mostly be duplicated with TSMake.
The interfaces are more modern. The usability is very intuitive. I can see users being able to be more proficient with the way the software is laid out.
There isn’t a lot of database layouts that you can use like in Filemaker. The ones available are more useful than what was included in Filemaker.