"Many years ago I was a FileMaker dabbler, then got a gig doing a database for the American Bar Association, which was very well received [a simple info ad-hoc report/presentation-only solution on CD-ROM, so very safe ;) ], and I used that money to go to my first DevCon (Palm Desert). I’ve continued to work with FileMaker for my day job and a bit for private ventures. Economically, I can’t say it has continued to propel me, but in other ways that are important—building systems that do what I want them to do, etc., - it has been great. And I plan to go to greater heights with it. But beyond that, my now three years of Bootcamp have provided camaraderie and unparalleled experiences in the business world that have kept me returning. If it weren’t for Jonn’s enthusiasm and care for the participants, I would have dropped out long ago. Working with people who share kindred avocations, such as music, also adds greatly to the synthesis."

Tully McGregor
"I think it is amazing that there is such a wide range of experience and expertise in the room and yet everyone comes away with such valuable tools, ideas, inspiration. I appreciate the personal investment that each of you have in the work you do – it brings the technology to an outstanding level and is evident in the quality of your communication this past week."

 Lee Lukehart
"I wish to add my voice to the others’ expressions of appreciation.

First, I want to say how much fun I had last week—you all are superstars! I am impressed with the quality, enthusiasm, and dedication of each participant bar none. You folks are why I stayed the whole week (came to present; stayed to share the experience). You made the long hours enjoyable and rewarding! YOU are what made the magic happen at Bootcamp.

Of course, none of this would be a reality without Jonn Howell’s vision and energy. That Bootcamp for FileMaker is in its fifth year is testament to his passion and commitment to advancing the state of the FileMaker arts.

Jonn is an authentic champion in his ongoing quest for knowledge and high performance. He leaves no stone unturned and no naming convention unexamined (inside joke). Any developer who wishes to be at the top of their game would be well-advised to witness—and emulate if possible—Jonn’s ever-curious mind, wickedly discerning eye, and tenacious problem-solving mindset. And, of course, they should attend Bootcamp at every opportunity. This is not a “take once and get it” format. Everyone who shows up will learn something new at every iteration.

Special medals should go to Laramie Ericson and Bob Majors for their support of the event. You’re both delightful to work with. FileMaker skills aside, I appreciate Laramie’s adept handling of coordinating and communicating the schedule and logistics, and Bob for his omnipresent efficiency as photography and videographer. I’m sure other people were also involved, and I regret I’m not aware of their specific contributions.

Lastly, I am grateful for the other presenters who brought depth and richness to the proceedings. The speaker list is too lengthy for this message, but know that I admire and respect the accomplishments and personalities of each and every one of you. I enjoyed our discussions, our occasional banter, and the exploration of a topic we find mutually interesting. I feel fortunate indeed to keep such esteemed company."

 Sander Selover
"I think Bootcamp for Filemaker should be a part of everyone’s quiver that wants to get serious about Filemaker. The practices and theories that we learned and explored crossed all languages and platforms. I’ve been a filemaker hobbyist for the last 12 years, and I’ve been taking my skills to the next level and Bootcamp just became a huge part of that leap.

The level of expertise of the participants, the instructors, and the organizer is extraordinarily impressive and covered a multitude of contrasting facets, from Security, to SQL, to Scripts, to Server.

One of the main big picture things that I got out of bootcamp, was to really think about every aspect of what I do day to day, understand the consequences of every decision, and the reasons behind them.

I can’t say enough about Jonn and his dedication to what is clearly a labor of love. I look forward to my next opportunity to interact with all of my new friends."

 Bruce Herbach
"I just wanted to say that I thought bootcamp was great this time. I had a great time and it was great to see and talk with everyone. Working on the project with David and Becky has been one of the best group project I have ever done.

All of the speaker did a great job. This may sound odd, but one of the little things I liked the best was the demonstrations of databases developed by the everyone that attended. Some of them are just fantastic. The hints that everyone shared about better ways to do things was incredible.

It was also great having people who gave presentation and then stayed for the whole week. They gave great presentations, added to the the other presentations by their participation in the questions and answer portions at the end of the other presentations. Probably best of all was having an extended time to talk with them during the breaks.

Jonn, Laramie thanks for going to all of the effort to put this on and getting the caterer to put caffeine in the coffee. You both did an outstanding job."

 Teresa Wilkins
"This was my first year attending Bootcamp. I found the experience to be equal parts humbling and energizing. I was hoping that this experience would be an immersion into the FM culture, and an opportunity to see how others are putting the application to use.

At the risk of sounding trite, I think of one of my favorite quotes from Thoreau, “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.” One of the best parts of this Bootcamp for me was seeing the amazing work that some other people are doing with FM. It really exploded my imagination for what is possible. The great sessions all helped to identify the building blocks that would make up those foundations. From a business perspective, it was good to take away a sense of where the gaps are in my knowledge base, and areas where I need to concentrate future efforts.

From a personal perspective, it was incredibly energizing to spend time with such a fantastic group of individuals. There wasn’t a single person that I met there that I didn’t learn something from. I found everyone to be warm, welcoming, and eager to share their impressive depth of knowledge and experience."