I do all of my database development in FileMaker Pro (www.filemaker.com), which used to be considered a MS Access clone, but has really come into its own in recent years. With the proper setup of client and server software, FileMaker is an excellent networkable database for cross-platform (Mac/PC) solutions.

A FileMaker file can hold up to one million tables, with a maximum file size of eight terabytes. It can be networked to up to 250 users (who have a copy of FileMaker on their desktop). On the lower end of the spectrum, if a client is not interested in a networked solution, I can create a FileMaker runtime solution which will run on a single desktop, with no purchase of FileMaker software required by the client.

The biggest advantage of FileMaker is the speed of development. Once a system spec has been written, I can design a database in a fraction of the time it would take to do it in the "high end" database software like Oracle, SQL Server, etc.