Re: Chrome - competition for Borland?

From: Eric Grange (egrangeNO_at_SPAMglscene.org)
Date: 11/05/04 

Date: Fri, 05 Nov 2004 08:05:04 +0100

> Yes, I agree with you, but for OLTP applications, raw processing
> speed isn´t as important, because you should be bottlenecked by the
> network and database before you reach the limit of processor speed in
> .Net.

Raw speed isn't everything, but Delphi.Net demonstrates amazing abilities
at turning trivial things into bottlenecks.

> Yes, no doubt about it, but we are discussing .Net options, not if
> .Net is best suited for some projects than win32 or win64. Chrome
> doesn´t offer native win32 or win64.

Well, you are discussing .Net options, I'm discussion VS.Net worthyness,
and how Chrome comes into the great scheme.
VS.Net is NOT just for .Net, it's also targetting native compilation,
which is something many here seems to forget (and arguably, VS.Net
is currently used more pften to compile native applications,
than to compile .Net applications).

> If you (as I do) still don´t think .Net is worth the conversion,
> then chrome isn´t a path either.

I do not mix up .Net and VS.Net, .Net can have its uses, but native
code have them too, and VS.Net handles native 64 bits too.
You've got to consider the whole package here, VS.Net+Chrome offers
not only more .Net reach, but also more native compilation reach.

> Yes, but currently WinForms don´t run under mono as well. This may
> change, but I don´t take it for granted.

Yes, but the chances of having the Mono guys support VCL are next to nil.

> - it isn´t always easy to interface a library to use in another
> tool, ECO and BDPs can only be used with Borland .Net products for
> example.

The difference between 'Easy' and 'not Easy' is often no more than a few
code wizards away, not a huge barrier IMHO.

> - As for the target, I don´t think 1 feature can make Delphi gain or
> loose marketshare, but a bunch of them can make a difference (i.e. ECO,
> BDP, Intraweb, etc).

Problem is they all target subsegments of the market, and of the 3 you cited,
only Intraweb is both proved and technically sound... meaning you'll only
reach early adopters that use Borland tools with them (niche within a niche).

> I am not saying that these ones will make a difference,
> I am just making an example.

Yes, I understand, but I can't remember any instance of libraries
making a difference when they weren't tied to some form of
compiler/language/platform exclusivity.
VCL did it, but it was a "mainstream" library: anyone doing a GUI app
would benefit from it. Right now, I don't see Borland having any offering
with such a broad advantage, with a 'wow' factor: IntraWeb may be cool,
but it's hardly a necessity for web development, and it's not really Borland's
anyway, BDP is just yet-another-Borland-DB-access-layer, ECO is unproven
and targets a niche, etc.
And on the other hand, Borland has cut themselves with Delphi.Net from
a variety of libraries that had helped and sustained Delphi for years
(many of which may never be ported to Delphi.Net, but go to Java/C#/C++ instead).

Eric

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