Let me state up front that, while I have looked into C# and Delphi .Net, I have not actually made an attempt to use them in a "real project" situation. (For one thing, I simply haven't had the "need" to do so . . . but maybe I am just a backward, backwoods programmer in a backwater area of the us and Dallas and San Antonio, TX, just aren't all that progressive.) Where I am currently on contract (as a _Delphi_ developer), they had started a shift toward .Net because, I guess, it was the latest and greatest thing and supposed to solve all the cross-platform and speed issues that ever existed (if you believe the hype). Interestingly enough, the programmer who was working in Delphi .Net (in conjunction with VB.Net) has been shifted back to plain old Delphi. Why? Well, since I am not that programmer, I can only go by what I have over-heard but it seems to boil down to the fact that .Net doesn't offer the same capabilities as Delphi and it doesn't interface (perhaps "yet" should be inserted here) with as many of the existing aspects of the company's world as does Delphi. So, what are we using Delphi for? It is driving and responding to the web apps that provide and interface for the company's customers to the data in our database. Why not VB or C++ or C#? Well, mostly because those tools didn't offer the same response time, ease of development, and ease of maintenance that Delphi offered. (Got that line from the interview I had when I came here. ;-) By the way, FYI, I am still getting several contacts a week for gigs in places all over the country. What are they asking for? DELPHI experience coupled with database development. The rates offered are good . . . maybe not in the 3 diggits per hour range but I have never felt I should complain about the rates I've gotten. So, why am I throwing my $0.02 into this discussion? I just wanted to point out that there are an awful lot of situations where the "latest and greatest, gee-whiz tool of the month/year" just isn't used. Sometimes it is because management is a little more conservative and wants the tool to be proven (ever heard, "You can tell the pioneers by the arrows in their backs."?). Sometimes, the company may simply have a lot of "legacy code" that precludes rewriting everything into some new language. (For instance, I am currently working in Delphi 6 . . . and I have been approached about doing some D4 and D5 work that is NOT a conversion to newer versions.) Those of you who feel compelled to do so, jump on the Delphi .Net/ C#/VB.Net/whatever .Net band wagon. I am finding enough to keep me busy doing good old Delphi and I am loving it.
Darren McBride <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Mike, >The other thing, you seem to be making a very judgmental opinion of a technology you haven't even tried. Judge it only if you try it. If I wrote the statements about speed, do you think I would have done so without trying it ? I have tried it, for numerous projects now, using VB.NET, and it sucks! Plain and simple. I have a machine with 1Gb of memory and it sucks. That is my experience and the experience of my clients. How on earth can you say I didn't try it ? >>A decent developer would make sure that they don't write slow code irrespective of the programming language or platform. You mean I should have coded a simple form with a single button differently ? >>Why? Do you have any experience in .NET to support this argument? Have you seen any .NET commercial stuff? I have done, but you seem to refute any argument I put forward, or any experiences I have put forward as null and void. Quite simply VB.NET for front-end EXE's in my, and my client's opinions, is useless. Maybe C# is different, but it is supposed to use the same architecture/framework, doesn't it ? I can say that I have had one or two other experiences with products from red-gate and it seems to be good, so it must be C# versus VB. Don't forget the problems of targetting different .NET frameworks in future, similar to Java debacles now. Imagine telling a large company (like some of our customers), that to accept our next product/upgrade they must upgrade 800 desktops. I know what they'd tell me to do! >>Look we know that Delphi is good, or was prior to D2005, however at times we have to remove ourselves from this tunnel vision approach I can assure you I do not have tunnel vision. I have never tried to convince my clients to go in a particular direction. I offer the options, they make the choices, I get the work. All fair and balanced. .NET is not, in MY opinion, currently a valid option for VB.NET executables. Regards, Darren -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Darren McBride Sent: Monday, 23 May 2005 6:38 PM To: 'Delphi-Talk Discussion List' Subject: RE: Ignorance I know you all are having problems with Delphi 2005, but this charge into .NET only seems to be taking hold in the US. Over here in Europe we are a bit more relaxed about adopting this SLOWER technology (and no-one can tell me different), and it is only being adopted for tiny projects in any of my clients at present. We are working with Delphi for the front-end of one of our core products, and based on what I am seeing from .NET during our consultancy projects, you would be all advised to recommed to your clients to take a more reticent and measured approach to the roll-out of .NET for application EXE's. It sucks. I can nearly see the form being painted it is so slow. .NET may be great for middle-tier or web apps, but I prefer to stick to plain old Delphi for EXE's and will do for the next few years. I don't want my clients accusing me of writing slow code!! Delphi 6 will be with me for some time yet. Good luck to those who change over though. Darren __________________________________________________ Delphi-Talk mailing list -> [email protected] http://www.elists.org/mailman/listinfo/delphi-talk __________________________________________________ Delphi-Talk mailing list -> [email protected] http://www.elists.org/mailman/listinfo/delphi-talk Ralph D. Wilson II [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." A. C. Clark --------------------------------- Yahoo! Mail Mobile Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone. __________________________________________________ Delphi-Talk mailing list -> [email protected] http://www.elists.org/mailman/listinfo/delphi-talk
