FileMaker API for PHP to Expire October 7th!
September 26th, 2007 by Stephen K. KnightWhile looking through the API code a few weeks ago, our team realized that the FileMaker API for PHP had a time bomb added into the code. We then immediately checked the code that was released with FileMaker Server 9, and found the same code.
This means that anyone that has downloaded the FileMaker API for PHP (Beta) and used it to develop websites - will have a non-functioning site as of Sunday October 7th, at 2 a.m.
FileMaker’s comments so far have been - We said that it was time restricted software, and you can fix the solution by upgrading to FileMaker Server 9.
Many people are arguing that their code works perfectly with FileMaker Server Advanced 8.04 why purposely time bomb the code so it no longer works? Was their some dramatic change to the API for PHP?
No…hardly anything has changed. As a matter of fact Eric Jacobson the Product Manager of Internet Technologies at FileMaker said that your code should work perfectly on Server 9 without any changes. Wait a minute…if it is the same code, then why the time bomb? Here is his quote -
“A website developed for use with the public beta should require very few, if any, modifications to use with the shipping version of the API.”
What has changed in the code is the fact that it runs a version check to make sure that it is using FileMaker Server 9. Yes, the code would absolutely continue working perfectly on FileMaker 8.04…. except for the little problem…the Time Bomb.
Is there an easy coding fix? You bet, 10 little digits would do the trick, but we are bound legally by FileMaker to -well here is what Eric Jacobson also posted -
I have attached a copy of the EULA for the Public Beta. I want to specifically point out section 1b:
YOU MAY NOT REVERSE ENGINEER, DECOMPILE OR
DISASSEMBLE THE SOFTWARE, EXCEPT AND ONLY TO THE EXTENT
EXPRESSLY PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. YOU MAY NOT MODIFY,
ADAPT, TRANSLATE, RENT, LEASE, LOAN OR CREATE DERIVATIVE WORKS
BASED UPON THE SOFTWARE OR ANY PART THEREOF.
It would have been nice if FileMaker had warned everyone saying - this software will NO longer work on October 7th develop at your own risk… but unfortunately, many individuals certainly thought that their PHP would continue working, and with the new release, they would just have to make a few coding adjustments.
I have written a long letter to FileMaker asking for permission to please let everyone know how to fix their code so their sites will continue working. I am hoping that FileMaker does the right thing.
September 27th, 2007 at 7:47 am
After numerous emails and calls to FileMaker a short term solution has been found - here is part of an email sent by Jon Sigler of FileMaker Inc.
“In the next couple of days, we will make available a file that will extend the beta 90 days, ending Jan 7, 2008.”
“We will be making an announcement and giving details on how to extend the beta on TechNet as well as sending email to the customers that downloaded the beta (except for those customers that opted out of receiving emails). This should happen before the end of this week. If you have customers that need this information ASAP, please inform them that they will have an additional 90 days.”
I believe this will be extremely helpful to everyone that needs to make a decision as to what position they want to take with their web hosting. FMWebschool will be offering hosting to those that need to upgrade to FileMaker 9. You can contact us at 800.353.7950 or Allyson@fmwebschool.com for more information.
October 5th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Thank you Stephen for speaking up.
The features in FileMaker 9 do not justify the cost to upgrade. Since version 8 just came out why would anyone pay twice, 2 back-to-back upgrades ??? FileMaker Inc. is not playing nice. They are lucky we have too many dbs in Filemaker from the past 15 years; otherwise we would drop them becuase of their cunning methods to generate revenue.
October 9th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
We have been working with Filemaker since version 5, we have 100 Filemaker Pro Licenses, 1 Server Advanced License and 2 Filemaker Pro Advanced Licenses. That means a lot of money for a small company.
That money was invested in Filemaker because we believed in the product and they way they were doing business, but it seems that we believed in the wrong people.
We will certainly be moving to other solutions, and my advice to you is that you should start looking into other databases, because if they’re able to get away with this, they start using this type of tactics all the time.
October 9th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Over the past week I have received numerous emails and phone calls from individuals that feel they have been taken for a ride by FileMaker. Many are leaving FileMaker and moving to other solutions.
I’ve posted the temporary fix for FileMaker Server Advanced 8.04 on our forums under the FileMaker Server 7 and 8 category and the Fix for Server 9 under the FileMaker Server 9 Category.
http://fmwebschool.com/frm/index.php
I am greatly disappointed in the way FileMaker handled this. This is definitely not in the spirit of PHP and the open source community. This was done to sell servers at the expense of its customers.
October 9th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Thanks Stephen, that might work until I can move to other tools.
I talked to Filemaker today. It looks like they are planing on doing nothing. Seems to me like they are trying to see if they can get away with this. Updates have been released in shorter time spans and we all accepted them with joy, because they were really good. It seems to me that Filemaker’s interpretation was “the market accepts whatever we do, so why not make a few extra bucks by forcing them to update”.
One interesting thing is the concept of beta versions (please read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_version#Beta ), I’ve used a lot of beta versions and I’ve never seen a time bomb in other beta versions.
There is a non explicit symbiotic relationship involved in a beta version :
We [Filemaker] give you free or discounted software
You test it without charging us
You don’t get support
We [Filemaker] get cheap feedback
I think they could have saved us all time, effort and a bad moment by calling things by their name: PHP API TRIAL VERSION.
Obviously many of us didn’t read the small letters, because we trusted them.
December 9th, 2007 at 5:12 am
Paul,
“We will certainly be moving to other solutions, and my advice to you is that you should start looking into other databases, because if they’re able to get away with this, they start using this type of tactics all the time.”
my thoughts exactly!