FileMaker doesn’t get much respect as a business-class database–especially among Windows users. However, FileMaker has the unique benefit of working across multiple OS and hardware platforms, and the latest updates make the database even more powerful and flexible.

FileMaker is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apple, and the general perception is that it fills a niche role as a database just for Mac OS X PCs. I’ll let you in on a secret, though, FileMaker is second only to Microsoft Access as Windows database, and FileMaker sells more on Windows than it does on Mac.