Re: The alternative Delphi roadmap to success

Let's have a look at the groups of potential buyers for a new Delphi
version again:

Very good summary but just another "we are doomed" also...

You have forgot past reality - no focus on development of Dev Tools and
providing funds for it.
If they, Borland, did really develop DevTools, then we would see Delphi for
..Net 2.0 and might be .Net 3.0 already, along with win64 and linux...
A few thoughts...

"only future for Delphi is native code"? If it is true direction, then
sorry, I am leaving...
Reality is that native code is today but might not be a tomorrow in current
view, .Net is today as well it is tomorrow, do we like it or not.
Linux? might be, but there is Java and PHP already, why would they need
Delphi?

.......

back to your analysis...

It is based on the history of the product during last years when Delphi was
loosing market share due it underfinancing and NO focus in ANY area neither
..Net or Native development. If Delphi to survive not for a few years but for
another 20, we need equal presence of the product in Linux, .Net Current and
Win XX where none of them is better then another but just indicates if
product should be present there.

Win XX addresses current customer base
Linux and .Net Current should attract a new customers, where Linux version
should be focused on "provide-service" approach, where .Net Current has to
be current with MS plans, features.

Highlander in this extend is the product of the past and worth just to catch
up somewhat with current realities.
It is true that from information we have it will not have any major changes,
but rather addressing "being-behind" issue.
..Net 3.0 is no different from .Net 2.0 since it is just what .Net 2.0 should
be in the first place. And if HL does address .Net 2.0 and ASP.Net 2.0 (this
is more of the issue, I think) then it is win-win situation.
From number of reports opened you would see that HL might include many fixes
for DW32, CW32 as well as .Net area.
HL release time is probably worse time ever since it is in time for spin-off
therefore it is hard to leverage effort put in this release without knowing
about the future of DevCo in general.

Group analysis based on downloads from Torry or other free sources is not
representative anymore because many components available there are only
available for up to D7. There is very small number of people who does update
their components to the level of D2006 because:
- it is very easy to convert component from D7 to D2006
- pick of custom components has past, very small number of people actually
doing it this days, since JVCL and 3rd party vendors cover most have-to-have
requests. You did not include either in your analysis.

What DevCo need to decide is where would they be in a few years.
If they decide to stick with Native code then they might be in situation
which have left a few companies when they did not believe in:

* success of Win32
* success of Windows 3.x
* success of Win 95
* success of WinXP clones
* success of .Net
* success of Web-development
.....

Will DevCo fall in one of those categories? Borland did...

Linux... DevCo has to strong in Win32/.Net field to be able relay on
Service-Oriented model for Linux developers. You do not sell products
there... you provide services...

Borland needs to completely scrap the current roadmap

Borland will scrap roadmap since they do not need it anymore as well as Dev
tools in general.
It is to be seen what restrictions will be applied by the to-be-seen
investors for "new" DevCo.

Delphi 2007
-----------
- Preview of Win64 compiler (Commandline, Win32 IDE, no Win64 debugger
yet). RTL and non-visual VCL classes support for Win64.

who knows... and why not Win128 then? since it is preview anyway...
Addressing multicore should be in plans as more urgent approach...

- .NET 2.0 features that already are done and don't need much more
energy to finish

ASP.Net 2.0 should be addressed
New features of .Net 2.0 should be addressed and might be present for Win32

- Completely reviewed documentation. Working help system, possibly
merging in all Help info that was lost after Delphi 7.

It is matter of money and time... both would be addressed.

- Partial Unicode support to proof that they are working on it

will break more then solve... it is all or nothing... VCL and RTL has to be
Unicode... and not partially

- Continue improving IDE stability. Make sure the IDE is snappy
and fast in the default installation mode, with the user having
to remove parts of the IDE

Happening already... see Turbo line. With removing worthless parts (like
Together, StarTeam, etc) many problems will go away and will allow to
concentrate on the core and extensibility.

- Improve IDE support for C++

I think it is happening already

My alternative plan will be attractive to 80-90%.

As far as year 2007 goes...
Not necesserely. People will still have D7, also many will be moving to
VS2005.
People who was upgrading to the D2006 were doing it because of the bug fixes
and features, others didn't even bother since they were happy...
If DevCo to leave Windows world, it is a big question how many of the
customers will go with DevCo into Linux. Many won't... So it is going agains
posibilities instead of something they have already...
As I said earlier, DevCo has to be strong in native and .Net and being
focused on developing DevTools, then they can go and address Linux and there
is no half-way here.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: How to develop for Linux
    ... language of Delphi. ... Even against the best interrest of DevCo. ... The topic was about developing on Linux. ... I wish and hope they DO come up with a stellar IDE for both C/C++ and the Delphi brand of Pascal on Unix/Linux. ...
    (borland.public.delphi.non-technical)
  • Re: How to develop for Linux
    ... Even against the best interrest of DevCo. ... Being practical and realistic is not Pascal bashing. ... Pardon me, but he said he was using Delphi, and did want to learn as few as possible. ... I am talking about development in Linux. ...
    (borland.public.delphi.non-technical)
  • Re: Delphi Product Manager questioned
    ... DevCo will improve both management and funding, but as a consumer, these ... I mean, we've had several wonderful Delphi releases, as well as *way less* than stellar ones. ... and R&D resources MS is pumping into .NET and VS.NET. ...
    (borland.public.delphi.non-technical)
  • Re: ruby on rails
    ... I'm describing a strategy to keep the IDE business profitable. ... So it is about DevCo, not Borland. ... I'm not a soldier in the holy war of Delphi. ...
    (borland.public.delphi.non-technical)
  • Re: Delphi and the .Net platform
    ... reasonable .NET story for Delphi. ... IMO, I wouldn't mess with Lazarus, but I would leverage FPC. ... for OSX Client and Linux Server. ...
    (borland.public.delphi.non-technical)