Is there an upgrade path from FM 6 Unlimited? It's a bit of a hit going to
FM Server Advanced and paying full price.


Thanks,
Mark Durgee

In article <Lb2dnV7KadCPhi7fRVn-ig (AT) giganews (DOT) com>, mdurgee (AT) nothanks (DOT) net
says...
Not that I know of... but why muck around here looking for an answer.

Call Filemaker and ask what if anything they will do for you:

800-325-2747

Having tried that with FileMaker, the answer is an unequivocal "No."

I thought it reasonable that since Advanced effectively replaced
Unlimited, then Advanced should be available as an upgrade to Unlimited,
but they don't see it that way.

Matt

On 6/17/2005, Mark Durgee wrote:

Matt Wills <I'm (AT) Witz (DOT) end> wrote:

Except that Advanced also includes the full LAN serving capability of FM
Server, so Advanced is really an "upgrade" to a combo package of Server
AND Unlimited.

However, I'm not a tremendous fan of FMI Marketing and their decisions
regarding what's a "new product" and what's not. Their naming for their
product lines is indefensibly confusing to both consumers and
developers.

But generally unless you've *just* bought a recently obsolete product,
arguing with a software company over their upgrade or not pricing is
much like shouting in the wilderness. Someone may hear you, but the
chances they'll do anything about it is slim.

Lynn Allen
--
Allen & Allen Semiotics www.semiotics.com
FSA Associate Filemaker Design & Consulting

In article <1gyaz23.1pkz8vp5domxuN%lynn (AT) NOT-semiotics (DOT) com>, lynn@NOT-
semiotics.com says...
So why not price it accordingly?

As you noted S7A is a combo upgrade... but more importantly its really
two *separate* upgrades (sometimes bundled in one box). First there is
the LAN server (S7) and 2nd there is the web connector/odbc support (S7A
Option Pack).

Given that you can buy S7, and S7A separately (via the option pack) it
would be perfectly reasonable to argue that S7 is an upgrade from S5.5
because that's exactly what it is. And further it would be perfectly
reasonable to argue that the S7A Option Pack is an upgrade from FM6U
because that's the important part of what FM6U is - an unlimited web
connection license. (Of course you would still be required to have S7 to
purchase the option pack.)

Obviously it makes no sense for FM6U users to beable to upgrade to S7 or
S7A directly, but here is how *I* would have done it:

Customers with just S5.5 should be and are eligable to upgrade to S7. If
they want to add the web connector they can buy the option pack.

Customers with S5.5 AND FM6U should get the upgrade price from S5.5 to
S7, and an upgrade price on the option pack to S7A for having FM6U.

And by extension customers with just FM6U should pay full price for S7,
but get a discount on the S7A option pack.

It seems like common sense to me but I don't set FM policy of course.

I have always been of the opinion that FM6 Unlimited that was right out-
to-lunch.

On the flipside, there might be a decent 2ndary market for your FM6
Unlimited box. Since FM has EOLed it, and FM7 is a pretty radical
upgrade you may find there is some demand for an FM6U box out there.
Lots of people aren't ready to upgrade to FM7.

Seeing as you won't be 'upgrading' you're free to sell it.

If nothing else you'll help someone else who needs FM6U and cover a
portion of the FM7SA license.

Good luck.