I would like to take this opportunity to comment on FileMaker Pro.  Recently, Valerie mentioned that she was using FileMaker on the Mac computer to build databases.  I had need of something that was more user friendly than MS Access.  I noticed that Valerie mentioned FileMaker was available now for Windows, and I was able to purchase a copy.  After setting up the program the way I wanted it, I was able to build my database and the operating controls quickly and simply, with no training and no need of tutoring.  It works very nicely, and I would recommend it to any of you needing a good database program.

There are several other reasons to recommend FileMaker Pro 5.0 to SignWriting members.  Since Valerie is building SW databases in FileMaker on the Mac, if we, the users of those databases have a copy of FileMaker, all those items will be accessible to our own computers, even though we are using PCs!  A lot of other databases in the sign language research world are currently using FileMaker in other ways.

What I am getting at here is, if we as SignWriting members and users support the effort to use FileMaker, it will give us all the ability to share databases with each other and help our SignWriting team efforts develop successfully!

Jerry.