FileMaker Pro 7 manages to do away with at least some of these selling points. In another classic example of Apple (FileMaker is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apple) taking away features in a new release, FileMaker Pro 7 no longer supports OS 9, and more importantly, no longer includes the custom Web-serving component (only the basic Instant Web Publishing feature). If you want that, an extra purchase of the forthcoming £1,940 FileMaker Server 7 Advanced is necessary.

The once-powerful layout tools remain more or less the same, but use a new cross-platform display system that still has more than a few kinks that need to be worked out, including font clashes on layouts that worked fine in earlier versions, and distortion of placed graphics: a patch is forthcoming, apparently.

The ease-of-use has all but disappeared as the horrific trend towards consolidating various separate functions has taken root at FileMaker. Once simple menu options are now incomprehensible and a single ‘Define Database’ contains just about every useful development feature in the system. Anyone looking to get the hang of FileMaker is well advised to ignore the electronic tutorials and wade through the rich wealth of paper manuals provided.