We had a lively Claris Engage 2024 Conference Recap meeting at the LuminFire office in Minnesota, including both in-person and online discussion via Zoom which included many Claris FileMaker developers and users. Half of the group had attended the conference in person, and others were interested to learn more about what went on.
Overall, Claris Engage 2024 was a success in bringing the Claris FileMaker development community together after 5 years of separation. There was a great exchange of inspiration and innovative ideas, and it left us looking forward to the next Engage… whenever and wherever it may be.
As of April 10, 2024 conference videos and materials are available here. Check out our CPUG-MN recap of the event below. You may also be interested in this FileMaker and AI post which includes a sample file from last month’s CPUG-MN meeting.
AI Generated Summary:
Quick Recap
The meeting involved discussions on the recent conference experience in Austin, Texas. Tim highlighted the importance of developers for Claris, the role of problem solvers in promoting the platform, and future Claris plans for product development. The team also discussed the potential uses of AI, including parsing search commands in plain language and returning results in JSON format. Towards the end, they shared insights from AI sessions, stressing the importance of preparing prompts and potential security risks of sending business data through an API.
Claris Engage Conference Experience in Austin, Texas
Tim discussed the experience of attending the Claris Engage conference in Austin, Texas, at the Apple campus. The discussion revolved around the location, weather, and the convenience of the venue. Tim and LuminFire team stayed at a Marriott Residence Inn. For fun they visited the Museum of Illusions and Velvet Taco…a fusion taco place in The Domain. The conference was held in a conference center built specifically for Apple, with four floors of conference rooms and a large seating area for the keynote. The conference was well-attended, with around 650 people.
Future Plans and Claris Developer Role
Tim discussed the importance of developers for Claris and their role in building the platform. He highlighted profitability and the recent conference where several Claris employees and other speakers gave presentations. The discussion also covered the importance of Claris as an Apple company, the role of problem solvers in promoting the platform, and a marketing plan. Future licensing plans were discussed, including new features and the removal of pricing and packaging constraints. Tim also talked about their product plan, which included a transparent approach to work progress. Tim explored the use of AI with FileMaker more deeply at the conference. Finally, they noted that Clarice has over a million users and 1,400 business partners worldwide, and has had 100 profitable quarters.
AI Insights From Apple Conference
Tim shared his experiences and insights from the Claris Engage conference held at an Apple event center, centered around the theme “Build the Future”. The conference provided a beneficial networking atmosphere and featured sessions on AI led by Ronnie Rios and other experts, including Ernest Koe, Cris Ippolite, and Joris Aarts. The sessions were well-received, with standing-room only in large rooms. Tim was particularly intrigued by the potential uses of AI, such as parsing search commands in plain language and returning results in JSON format. The team also encouraged others to watch the videos from these sessions for those interested in AI.
Tim’s Conference Experience
Tim shared his experiences and challenges faced during the conference. He encountered issues with the event app and signage, which he found to be lacking in functionality and user-friendliness. Despite these issues, he enjoyed the conference’s social aspects and the opportunity to interact with other developers and friends. He highlighted the partnership between Claris and Apple, as evidenced by Claris increasing use in schools. They shared their experience attending a conference, including the booths and the keynote. Towards the end, he encouraged others to share their favorite sessions or learnings, and he emphasized the value of feedback from active developers in the community.
Integrating AI Into FileMaker Solutions: Insights and Potential
Tim shared his insights from AI sessions, stressing the importance of preparing prompts and the potential security risks of sending business data through an API. He suggested applying AI to their solutions by adding extra prompts and guardrails. The participants discussed the potential of using large language models for their solutions and the upcoming functions that will be integrated into their system. Chris Moyer shared his experience of using AI in their practice, suggesting it could be beneficial for FileMaker developers. Heidi Porter mentioned the ability of AI to generate synthetic data and transform data from CSV to JSON. Robert Naud suggested further discussions about integrating AI with their system. The discussion also included an example of how AI was used in creating offers and contracts in a dealership platform.
Conference Impressions and Future Plans
Tim shared his positive impressions of the recent Claris Engage conference, highlighting the successful keynote, unique sessions, and the benefit of having developer input. He also noted the convenient location of the conference in Austin and the potential for future events in the same format. However, there was uncertainty about when the next large event would occur and if there would be a closing session. Tim also mentioned the increasing number of regional events, which may decrease the need for international travel. Mack inquired about the upcoming events, and Tim suggested that if they announced a similar event for the following year, it would likely sell out quickly.
AI Language Models and Communication Enhancement
The discussion revolved around the potential of AI language models such as OpenAI in tasks like document summarization and custom function generation. Tim highlighted the need for guardrails and examples when using AI and raised the possibility of AI enhancing communication and content generation. The conversation also touched on the ability of AI to remember previous conversations. The recent conference Claris Engage will have several session videos and materials available soon. The topic of Claris Studio, a tool becoming more mature and versatile, was brought up later in the discussion.
Claris Studio’s Role in Architecture and FileMaker Strategy
Mack desired clarification of the role of Claris Studio in the architecture and its potential to replace the existing layout editor in FileMaker. LuminFire clarified that while Claire Studio would likely be used more as new capabilities arrive, FileMaker would not be replaced entirely. They also discussed the strategy of introducing Claris Studio to first-time users before moving to FileMaker as needed. There was no mention of FileMaker going on Android at the conference. The focus for deployment of FileMaker data on Android will be using Claris Studio’s responsive web views.
If you’re interested in learning more about AI or anything Claris platform related, LuminFire can assist.
Tim Cimbura – CEO, CFO and Software Engineer
Tim is an expert in creating custom business solutions that make businesses more effective, productive, and profitable. He specializes in rapid application development with the Claris platform including FileMaker, Laravel, and WordPress. He also knows Apple macOS technology inside and out.