Something worth noting for would be FileMaker users and experienced alike:

If you intend to store and manipulate financial data or anything that requires the use of the GetNthRecord function in a field for displaying numbers or text from the previous record in a list of records, you will notice after the 79th record how the function turns up its toes and decides to show a "?" (would have been amusing if the application showed WTF before the question mark). This anomaly does not exist in FileMaker Pro 12.0 or earlier, but did exist in FileMaker Go 11 or 12 version before it was fixed in FileMaker Go 13. Since porting a number of features from the Go package into FileMaker Pro 13, it seems FileMaker, Inc. has kind of overlooked the error.

FileMaker Pro has been notified in writing to a customer service representative (name withheld for privacy reasons), but whether the email actually reached the software development division of the company is another question altogether. Since sending it in January 2014, the updates for FileMaker Pro 13 have not yet addressed the issue (yawn!).

There are also other issues, including unexpected quits of the application on startup and while assigning scripts to lots of buttons and other things (hoopefully not too bad for other FileMaker users). This is another one I've had the pleasure of sending to FileMaker, Inc. Still getting someone to check FileMaker Pro 13.0.3 to see if the crashes are still prominent.

Although I don't believe in superstition, but given the more bugs I have noticed with version 13 compared to any previous version, one can't help wonder whether FileMaker Pro 13 is unlucky for the wrong reasons. Perhaps FileMaker Pro 14 would be the better way to go when it eventually comes out (Zzzzz....).

The rating I show here is rather generous only because the features provided are reasonable (but still hoping for more if only Apple isn't so protective about its own contacts.app, iTunes.app etc in OSX and the possibility that some FileMaker Pro developers might provide alternative contacts, MP3 player and other solutions at a very low cost or free...)

Requirements is 10.7 (sadly)

Since Apple/Filemaker have chosen to abandon Bento (why, I wish I knew??), I have been forced to buy Filemaker. Having worked with it for a week or so now I have to say that despite the large price difference between the two, I find Bento to be far and away more stable. While working with FM I'm finding that I get the spinning beach ball on a frustratingly regular basis while working.
While FM may have more under the hood I preferred working with Bento. Another there is no upgrade pricing from Bento to FM. If you're looking for a Bento substitute, don't leap straight into FM.

Dear Apple,

iWork is a terrific package: Keynote, Pages and Numbers.

( Filemaker mentioned below, too )

Yes these have almost fully replaced MS-Office in my work.

But, as so often occurs with Apple, the package progresses little. I am a power-user. So I am less concerned about iWork apps on iOS or the web. I am also an older user. So I recall when MacWrite, MacDraw and MacProject led the field in software innovation. I also recall how Apple let these great products in their time languish and die. Apple was in its heart, after all, a hardware company. The software had done its job. Finito.

And what about Filemaker Pro ( a package with great potential but in need of an overhaul ) which languishes even more?

Will the same fate best the iWorks apps?

If so, who will take up the slack?

The problem is, no investor with $$$ will take up the slack.

Only small under-resourced developers are left. The web-based SAS model, still in so many ways flawed (not to mention inherently insecure), has driven investors out of the desktop application space. And who wants to compete against the likes of Google, Yahoo, SalesForce, Apple, etc in that space?

We live in a world where software development is all too often driven by a mass market, lowest common denominator mentality. Those of us who are power users find our needs are met less and less. There is just not enough net revenue after the less power-needy users are taken care of. So it seems.

I do hope I am proved wrong, and a significant iWorks apps feature upgrade appears this fall. But I am skeptical.

Yours sincerely ...

Gosh, if only Apple took Filemaker seriously.

Imagine that, we'd have a fully modern relation database creation tool for the "rest of us." The current iPad app does not fit the bill.

We need something on the Mac that also ports readily to the iPad.

There are few choices these days. The fact is, the undue preoccupation with creating web applications (and marketing tools) has decimated investment in useful ad hoc development tools such as Filemaker. It's a real shame, for all of us.

tried installing the 11.0v2 update on 2 difference machines so far.

both would get nearly 98% done with the install and then fail saying a valid copy of Filemaker v11 could not be found.

both had valid copies of Filemaker 11.0v1.

the bunk installs don't seem to have 'ruined' the existing install. but i am not ever able to get the actual update.