Edward, I do not doubt that you may be able to do what you say, though the interface and features (or lack of) in fairly mature projects such as CiviCRM suggest that it is a bit harder and will take longer than you make it sound.
The big issue for hand coded / web based database applications vs local software based database answers come down to three things. Real Price, local control, and Internet availability.
Real Price - While many hours of hand coded web interface using the latest tech can replicate at least much of what can be done in FileMaker or Access in a few hours or less is that a gain? If you are paying the programmer, it is not a gain for the group paying. The second is that simple databases can be created by not so trained staff (accidental techies) While PHP and Ajax have a much longer learning curve. Complex FileMaker databases such as ebase or NorthStarDb can have reports and other customizations done on site by a smart accidental techie vs needing someone with real programing skills. Given the programing is done in the US at normal rates, it is not unlikely that the true cost, even with software costs, may not be too different or favor a FileMaker or Access based application.
Local Control and the web - While you can setup an internal web server to offer a web based app to you local area network, most folks are looking at having web apps hosted. In the case of contact information, this places your orgs most valuable asset, your "member list" your "fundraising contacts" etc outside you org and at some level outside your control. If the "web is down", you have no access to your data. If the web is slow, you have slow access to your data, which is almost worse than no access.
You have a monthly fee for access to you data. True those fees are often quite low. (but you get what you pay for) It is sort of like leasing a car vs buying one. Looks good up front but it is never "paid off". If you decide to change hosts or move you data to a local database the task is not always an easy one.
In short, for some applications requiring multi-location access to a central data store, web based programing is the right answer. For others it is not always the best answer.
Clif
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Clif Graves Consulting
cgraves%40clifgraves.com">cgraves
clifgraves.com -http://www.clifgraves.com
Phone: 207-512-2522
Serving clients throughout the United States and Canada with:
* NorthStarDb http://www.northstardb.com/
* ebase consulting
* Training, Data conversion
* Management / Work flow consulting
* Custom FileMaker software development
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-----original message-----
>>I think at this point in time a good php programmer (or your favorite scripting language pro) can replicate anything you can do in FM - multi user? How about unlimited number of users to start - the software is 100% free, you can host for just about $0 these days, your only cost is a programmer. Locking one down for a week (or a weekend, or maybe just 8 hours), and you are good to go. With Ajax and Javascript in the mix, the interface can be an exact match, there is nothing I can thing of doing in FM that I can't do in a 100% web based application. As I say to clients, if you can get it on paper and tell me what it does in English, I can guarantee you i replicate it on a screen - Web 2.0 tools just take this all to another level.>>
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ed