FME 2014: Why We Do What We Do

Today we launched FME 2014, the 25th CD/DVD-pressed release we’ve done.  As I recently stood surveying the gallery of the previous 24 that we have hanging on our walls here at Safe, I reflected on all the effort that went into each and every one of those past releases.  I recalled the pride that the team here took in each one, and the pleasure it was to unveil each to our user base. But even more, I remembered the unsolicited feedback users gave us, year after year, thanking us for helping them slay the data dragons they faced daily, and for making them into data jockey superheroes in their organizations.

Because that is why we do what we do.

Yes, every year we release a new version of FME. And yes, every year we do our absolute best to pack it full of features in response to real (and anticipated) user needs as well as the industry directions we discern.

But that alone is not why we come to work each day. It is not what gets us up in the morning.

We started Safe Software 20 years ago because there was no efficient way for forest companies in our province to share their maps with our government.  Or for our government to share maps with the forest companies.  So a whole lot of effort was being spent fighting with data files: searching for a lowest common denominator exchange mechanism and living with the incredible loss of information in the process.  Or worse, writing unmaintainable, custom coded translators.  Or worst of all, just redrawing the map.  There had to be a better way.

So ever since we’ve been executing a mission to bring harmony to the cacophony that so often is each organization’s data landscape.  We’ve worked to ensure that data is free to be able to be used wherever, whenever, and however it’s needed.  We’ve worked to unlock data from whatever system, model, application, or format it is in so it can be reused and repurposed for maximum organizational benefit.

We firmly believe that time is much better spent making decisions with data rather than fighting with it.

Furthermore, we believe that the process of connecting, transforming, and automating the movement of data should be fun.  (Or at least as fun as it is possible for this critically important process to be.)  That users should relish the challenge of summiting the next data peak that their organization needs conquered.

Which brings us back to FME 2014.  Of course there the usual lists of new systems and formats, new transformers, as well as mermaid and pirate-laden hidden features. But don’t let these obscure the real goal — making our customers’ data flow with ease from where it is, to where it needs to be, hands-free.

We are proud that FME 2014 does the best job of this we’ve ever done.

But don’t take my word for it.  See for yourself. We’ve assembled a cornucopia of release highlights for you to quickly scan, we’ve recorded the FME 2014 introductory webinar in case you missed it (once its posted, we’ll have the link here), and we’ve got FME 2014 Desktop and Server deep dive webinars coming soon.

And be sure to download the release.  And then use it to put some wind into your organization’s data sails.

Because that is why we do what we do…