I'm looking for an inexpensive alternative to Filemaker but am not familiar with Kexi. Overall how well does Kexi compete with Filemaker?

Front end: Does Kexi permit info rich layouts using portals between related tables, drop-down menus, pop-up windows, conditional formatting of fields, embed pdf's, import/export spreadsheets and 'Kexi records'?

Database: For a Kexi DBMS solution, does it distribute an integrated SQLite DB that can sit on a desktop or server?

Distribution: If I wanted to commercially secure and distribute Kexi database solutions and use via a server, in brief could this be done and how difficult/ expensive?

OSX: Am I correct that you have to piece together the suite via 'Homebrew'? ie. no single download button?!

Hi

> I'm looking for an inexpensive alternative to Filemaker but am not familiar with Kexi. Overall how well does Kexi compete with Filemaker?

KEXI is not about the price discount, it can be less or far more expensive in total cost of ownership, in turn it can let you do things that you legally or technically can't in Filtemaker.

> Front end: Does Kexi permit info rich layouts using portals between related tables, drop-down menus, pop-up windows, conditional formatting of fields, embed pdf's, import/export spreadsheets and 'Kexi records'?

For a start there's a FAQ http://www.kexi-project.org/wiki/wikivi ... xiFAQ.html

KEXI has no subforms at the moment.

> Database: For a Kexi DBMS solution, does it distribute an integrated SQLite DB that can sit on a desktop or server?

KEXI uses server technologies for distributed computing. SQLIte is for single-use, thus we're not repeating the troubles of traditional MS Access or some Filemaker solution.

> Distribution: If I wanted to commercially secure and distribute Kexi database solutions and use via a server, in brief could this be done and how difficult/ expensive?

Daily server administration and database design/implementation should be included cost estimation. As well as hosting.

> OSX: Am I correct that you have to piece together the suite via 'Homebrew'? ie. no single download button?!

It might be available there but at the moment I know no KEXI contributor who tried it in recent years. One of the problem is lack of access to the expensive OSX hardware and software, as well as lack of financing for releasing such a version. Releases and testing by a professional needs to be financed somehow by those in a need of the software.