Oh yes, there is a PC version of FileMaker available and (as many of you
already know) I would wholeheartedly recommend it for collections work.  It
is EASY to develop, EASY to use and EASY to teach others how to use.   I
have used it for over 1.5 million objects in the Anthropology Department at
the Field Museum and have already installed it in my new museum.

Janice Klein
Director
Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, Kendall College
[log in to unmask]



-----Original Message-----
From: Annie Grieshop <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, October 08, 1999 4:33 AM
Subject: Re: Database vs. Collections Management System


>Sally,
>
>I believe there's a PC version of FileMaker available, although I have only
>a vague memory of hearing about it.  I've built several Access databases
and
>find it to be very useful software.  The learning curve's steep, of course,
>but the pay-off is that it's quite powerful and can be made to jump through
>some impressive information management hoops.  One caveat on databases in
>general:  don't settle for less than you're going to need in the future.
>
>Annie
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
>Behalf Of Sally Cavins
>Sent: Thursday, October 07, 1999 3:34 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Database vs. Collections Management System
>
>
>OK, you have my attendtion - If you have a PC instead of a MAC what would
be
>the best choice????
>
>Beverly Balger wrote:
>
>> Diane,
>> Thanks for the very good explanation of the difference between data
>> bases and collections management systems.  I found it helpful and
>> interesting.
>>
>> One point of disagreement -
>>
>> >Why would any sane person want to spend so much time and energy
>developing a
>> >system when there are very good systems already developed?
>>
>> I chose to hire someone to develop a database on FilemakerPro for me
>> because I work on a Mac.  While there are tons of wonderful options
>> for PCs, when I went to AAM in Cleveland and visited every vendor
>> there, there were exactly 2 options for us Mac users.  One system was
>> so well hidden that I couldn't find them (not reassuring when
>> thinking about future support) and the other got very bad reviews
>> from the users I polled.  Well, come to think of it there was a third
>> option, but no way is my small museum going to spend $20,000 on a
>> collections database.  One of the salespersons of the $20,000 system
>> took me aside and suggested I get FilemakerPro.
>>
>> All of the concerns you state are valid, and shared by me.  I once
>> swore that I would never build my own database because it is so
>> dependant upon the whims of the person who builds it.  Over the past
>> 10 years I've walked into three museums with databases no one knew
>> how to use because the person who developed them had moved away.
>> However, in my current situation, building my own system on
>> FilemakerPro was the best choice.  It's an off-the-shelf piece of
>> software which we've modified very little.  Anyone who's used
>> Filemaker in any situation should be able to figure it out.  There is
>> lots of support for Filemaker here at Penn State, so even if my
>> museum didn't have anyone who knows how to use it, there are people
>> around who do.  Plus, it's affordable.  What we ended up with is
>> clearly a database, not a collections management system, but it's a
>> step towards a CMS and has helped tremendously in keeping track of
>> the collection.
>>
>> Just my 2 cents from a small museum perspective.
>> Beverly Balger
>> Registrar, Palmer Museum of Art
>> The Pennsylvania State University
>> University Park, PA  16802
>> (814) 865-7672
>>
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>--
>Sally A. Cochran
>Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
>2401 Chautauqua
>Norman, Oklahoma 73072
>
>405/325-4713
>
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