posted 04-21-2012 09:59 PM            

Anyway, I recently broke down and got an ipad and am still learning all of the benefits. Of course, I had to check out this website and it works great on the browser. I also had to see if there were any silver/antique apps available and did find one for silver hallmarks. I haven't downloaded it yet but plan to (its free!). So I have a few questions:

1. Scott, is it ok to post this? If not please delete.
   
2. Anyone else have apps they use? and
   
3. Is it ok to post which apps are out there and are useful?

posted 04-21-2012 10:40 PM            

Bento is a database developed for Macs by the same people who produce Filemaker, the well-known relational database. It's intended to be much simpler, more user friendly, and it is. There is a version for iPhones and iPads (tho' I'm not sure how it compares). I believe you can even sync them.

There was a discussion here a few years ago about databases for tracking collections. Some people just use Excel spreadsheets, but as I recall, we saw a screenshot of someone's Access database, and someone else who works with Filemaker in his day job extolled its virtues.

I did some research, had other recommendations for FM, and then bought Filemaker Pro. Took classes, bought the books, had a vision of a wonderful relational DB, where I could track my pieces, keep cost info (including scans of receipts and insurance info), and eventually include research about makers. But it was complicated and hard to learn. Worse, I'd spend a couple weeks on the project, get sidetracked by Work/Life, go back to it months later and find that I'd forgotten a lot and would have to get up to speed again. I think FM is an example of a great program that eventually added so many features that its complexity overwhelms novice users.

I bought a Macbook Air a few months ago (instead of an iPad) as a secondary laptop, and immediately bought Bento. And was immediately able to put it to work on a couple of other database projects. Very simple and intuitive. Helpful online forum support. There are many free templates, supplied by both the developers and the user community, which are very easy to customize and adapt. I'm about to return to my silver database project using Bento, and have every confidence it will work well.

But to give people who haven't explored databases a sense of what this would allow them to do: You could develop a 'record' for each object -- essentially a page for each piece where you could show a photo (or several photos) and record whatever catalogue info you like. Once you've entered your objects, you can switch views, so you could look at a whole screen of thumbnail photos to find an object. Or, you could switch to a 'table' view -- more like a spreadsheet -- where everything is listed, and where you can sort the objects by whatever criteria you like.

People who are really into databases will want to know that Bento is not actually a relational database, but there are apparently some workarounds that allow you to mimic those functions in some applications.