<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:x="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:excel" xmlns:p="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:powerpoint" xmlns:a="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:access" xmlns:dt="uuid:C2F41010-65B3-11d1-A29F-00AA00C14882" xmlns:s="uuid:BDC6E3F0-6DA3-11d1-A2A3-00AA00C14882" xmlns:rs="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:rowset" xmlns:z="#RowsetSchema" xmlns:b="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:publisher" xmlns:ss="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet" xmlns:c="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:component:spreadsheet" xmlns:odc="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:odc" xmlns:oa="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:activation" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:q="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" xmlns:rtc="http://microsoft.com/officenet/conferencing" xmlns:D="DAV:" xmlns:Repl="http://schemas.microsoft.com/repl/" xmlns:mt="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/meetings/" xmlns:x2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/excel/2003/xml" xmlns:ppda="http://www.passport.com/NameSpace.xsd" xmlns:ois="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/ois/" xmlns:dir="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/directory/" xmlns:ds="http://www.w3.org/2000/09/xmldsig#" xmlns:dsp="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/dsp" xmlns:udc="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:sub="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/2002/1/alerts/" xmlns:ec="http://www.w3.org/2001/04/xmlenc#" xmlns:sp="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/" xmlns:sps="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:udcs="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/soap" xmlns:udcxf="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/xmlfile" xmlns:udcp2p="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/parttopart" xmlns:wf="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/workflow/" xmlns:dsss="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/digsig-setup" xmlns:dssi="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/digsig" xmlns:mdssi="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/package/2006/digital-signature" xmlns:mver="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns:mrels="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/package/2006/relationships" xmlns:spwp="http://microsoft.com/sharepoint/webpartpages" xmlns:ex12t="http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/services/2006/types" xmlns:ex12m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/services/2006/messages" xmlns:pptsl="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/SlideLibrary/" xmlns:spsl="http://microsoft.com/webservices/SharePointPortalServer/PublishedLinksService" xmlns:Z="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" xmlns:st="" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1>Jer,<o:p></o:p>            We talked about this before but FileMaker is a program that gives you everything necessary to create all that you have shown me and the list. It is very robust in what it can do. I agree that it is an excellent product that can be used to create a great many things. I’ve no doubt it will do all that I want it to do and more if I were only willing to drop everything else that I am responsible for and devote countless hours in order to figure it all out. Therein lies the issue. I don’t have either the time, or the desire to take on what would amount to at least another full time job. Whomever you used created all of that for you did a great job. What happens when he goes away or is too busy to fix or modify things for you? Will you be able or willing to do it for yourself? Will you pay someone else programming fees to configure it the way you want? This is exactly the problem I had with PTBiz which was, I believe, built from Excel or some other Microsoft product. So you see, I view this as another of the same issue I had before. If I knew how to do it all myself it would be a no brainer and I would adopt FileMaker in a heartbeat. Thoughts?<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Greg<o:p></o:p><a name="_MailEndCompose"><o:p> </o:p></a><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Gerald Groot Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 7:48 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Computer Software<o:p></o:p></div></div><o:p> </o:p>I understand your frustration Greg.  We could have that with any company though.  From my understanding, FileMakerPro has been in business since around 1990 or so.  That’s 21 years +.  My current version is 7.0.  The most recent version is 11.0, I think.  Mine has never crashed, never given me even one problem whatsoever and at this point, I really see no reason to pay $300 or more to update unless someone out there wants to gift me with it…  J  I’ve had mine since 2004 with not even one teeny problem.  J<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>In case you’re interested, here’s something I happened across just now. <a href="http://www.filemaker.com/fba/devcon-awards-2011.html">http://www.filemaker.com/fba/devcon-awards-2011.html</a>  <o:p></o:p>Jer<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Greg Newell Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 7:31 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Computer Software<o:p></o:p></div></div><o:p> </o:p>FWIW, Jer, I really liked the database that you showed me in FileMakerPro but was faced with the same dilemma that I had with PTBiz some time back. All of the sudden the programmer decided that he wasn’t interested in supporting his own effort any longer. Before that he had specifically asked users for input on what we thought that the program should include and the reply I receive back from a laundry list of items it took some time to investigate was “what’s it worth to you?” Now I thought that he was looking to improve things with input not bucking for more dollars. He then added a dongle type thing which simply made the program a P.I.T.A. at which point I dropped it and moved to Quickbooks and a paper calendar. Bummer. Someday. Maybe. But it will have to be from a company that will be around for a while before I throw my hat in again.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Greg<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Gerald Groot Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 7:14 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Computer Software<o:p></o:p></div></div><o:p> </o:p>I like Filemaker Pro.  Use it for both my main customer data base, as a billing program and for letter writing.  But, I use MS Outlook for scheduling.   <o:p></o:p>Jer<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Greg Newell Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 7:04 PM To: 'Matthew Todd'; pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Computer Software<o:p></o:p></div></div><o:p> </o:p>Todd,<o:p></o:p>            You are not alone!!!! I’ve been searching for this for decades. I have a guy working on it right now. He is interested in feedback from people who want what I do. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>Greg Newell<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Matthew Todd Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 9:28 AM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: [pianotech] Computer Software<o:p></o:p></div></div><o:p> </o:p><div><div>I currently use Time & Chaos for my clientele database/calendar, and sort of use Quickbooks for my financials.  Do you guys know of/use a software that has the best of both.  I hate switching back and forth between two programs.  I would rather find something that can do both.<o:p></o:p></div><div> <o:p></o:p></div><div> <o:p></o:p></div><div>TODD PIANO WORKS Matthew Todd, Piano Technician (979) 248-9578<o:p></o:p></div><div><a href="http://www.toddpianoworks.com/" target="_blank">http://www.toddpianoworks.com</a><o:p></o:p></div></div></div></body></html>