Bryan Lund wrote:
Just to clarify something here (I know this is OT now):
Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit is separate from the unit that
produces Office for Windows. Also MacOffice is very profitable for
them. Engineering resources are not shared between the two units.
Indeed, but the money and direction always comes from above. If MS
thought not having a UB version was costing the MBU money, they'd rush
-- but right now, I doubt they fear losing any money.
Real Software, and products based on RB, are in a different environment.
No one coding in RB is competing with Office. If a UB version of an
office clone shipped -- MS would jump into high gear. But, if I'm an RB
developer with a niche app and my competitors have UB already, I can't
jump into high gear. I have to wait for Real Software to first get a UB
compiler shipping.
In simple terms, betting on RB means you will always trail Win64,
MacTel, and whatever else ships. I have no idea if RB supports Linux64
on AMD, but you get my point. As a small company, Real doesn't get
access to every tip and trick ahead of Microsoft or Apple.
What it comes down to is you either have faith that RB is a better
overall solution for you, or you start to consider alternative ways to
ship your product. If you want crossplatform, you have to make some
tough choices.
I notice that Borland, in Tokyo this weekend, announced the new "DevCo"
(secret which of the 10 suitors won the Bear Stearns hosted bidding war)
will revive Kylix for Linux, Solaris, and OS X using wxWidgets and some
custom GUI library. The Borland roadmap was posted on the mailing list
yesterday and the Interviews with some execs were posted on InfoWorld.
The truth is, Borland, Real, or anyone else, will always be a step
behind the OS developer. You can't be ahead of the OS... at least not
without Dr. Who helping you? I think the benefits of REALbasic and
Delphi outweigh anything that Apple or MS might have today. You just
have to either have faith new features will never be too far behind to
compete.
If a tool gets too far behind, though.... yep, off to Cocoa and VS. I
suppose you'd code logic in C++ and try to only customize interfaces
before gluing things together.
I sympathy for those trying to compete right now. Free compilers,
compilers from MS at no-cost or low-cost (Express Editions), free Apple
tools... ouch. RB just has to be that much better. Could give G.P.
heartburn if RB falls behind and developers do start to jump ship. I
think that's why he won't let it happen.
- Scott
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