Embarcadero Delphi is sold!

[JuhaManninen]

I can't see them making it open source if the current pricing provides a useful revenue stream. That said, if the pricing was reduced to a less daunting level, I'm pretty sure I would have already bought a newer version.

Of course they will not make Delphi open source. It is a commercial product. We have other open source alternatives as you know.
I checked the current prices of Delphi and the Delphi Starter is actually rather cheap. Most people could afford it. However it has serious limitations like not having VCL sources, thus I would not buy it myself.

[Hawking]

A lot of people were expecting it. Embarcadero delphi was getting worse IMO. Hope it will be better now

[taazz]

I checked the current prices of Delphi and the Delphi Starter is actually rather cheap. Most people could afford it. However it has serious limitations like not having VCL sources, thus I would not buy it myself.

MS .NET did not have any source code included for its libraries didn't see any one complain about it. In short that's not a limitation its a valid business decision if you want the source you have to pay extra it makes sense to me what is not valid is that they tried to actually impose on me rules on how I am going to use the tool that I just paid, no client server or no commercial application or even worst no revenue over 1000 usd with out buying a license. Yeah right I'm going to buy a tool so i can spend an hour evaluating if it can be used for a project before even considering using it. Download the free microsoft products and let them flap their own flag.

[JuhaManninen]

MS .NET did not have any source code included for its libraries didn't see any one complain about it. In short that's not a limitation ...

It would be a serious limitation for me because I like to jump in code with Ctrl-Click and back.
But yes. with its limitations Delphi Starter could well be free just like the competing product from MS is. In long run it could lead to more customers.

[taazz]

MS .NET did not have any source code included for its libraries didn't see any one complain about it. In short that's not a limitation ...

It would be a serious limitation for me because I like to jump in code with Ctrl-Click and back.

I agree that having the source code especially when its as well written as delphi's code its a plus there are a lot of things you could learn from it and to top it up you will be able to correct what ever bugs you find.

But yes. with its limitations Delphi Starter could well be free just like the competing product from MS is. In long run it could lead to more customers.

At that price that's not an issue its practically free its the same thing with royalty free and not free libraries, there are out there expensive libraries that on top of the price you pay to buy them you are required to pay royalties for each copy sold I wouldn't use one of those either even if it was free.

[BitBangerUSA]

Hopefully they will have sane pricing plans.

that would be nice.
we can hope...

Why? Nothing beats FREE and OPEN SOURCE. With Free Pascal, Lazarus, MSEide+MSEgui and fpGUI Toolkit, we have all the options we need. We can contribute and steer the direction of the projects, upgrade when needed, and they all have support for platforms Delphi can just dream of! I'm very happy with the tools I currently use.

The only thing I like these days about Delphi, is the fact that they promote the Object Pascal language. Other than that, I think they influence Free Pascal in the wrong way.

oh my.
i was unaware that i was required to have the same opinions as you.
but... there is hope that i can correct this short-coming as i do really like Lazarus/FPC.

no need to reply as i will not get into an opinion argument.

[ykot]

A lot of people were expecting it. Embarcadero delphi was getting worse IMO. Hope it will be better now

Quite the opposite. This move (selling Embarcadero to Idera) is quite unexpected and, frankly, a bit disturbing. Delphi was actually getting better and after added support for multiple platforms, it has got quite a momentum, so it has certain margin for experimentation - in other words, commercially, it will probably do quite well for some time due to inertia, even if no new features will be added.

I don't know if it's just me, but somehow it feels that Delphi is following path of Altium Designer (an expensive product which, curiously, is also made in Delphi) - getting bulkier while at the same time becoming less competitive when compared to free/open-source products, and eventually going downhill.

P.S. Delphi Nextgen is toy language in comparison with FPC (especially for mobile platforms)...

Actually, I think NextGen/ARC could be quite an interesting endeavor, as long as it would have been kept as optional mode that can be switched on and off.

[Graeme]

what is not valid is that they tried to actually impose on me rules on how I am going to use the tool that I just paid, no client server or no commercial application or even worst no revenue over 1000 usd with out buying a license.

Exactly my issue with Delphi too. And the only useful one for me would cost me around £2000! Then not to even mention the bad support they currently have. If you don't buy the yearly subscription you get ZERO support and ZERO bug fixes - not even patch releases are available to you - you need a yearly subscription to download them.

Then the other issue is that they can't even keep their own community support news server running for 24 hours without crashing. For over a year now, every day it crashes at a certain time, and only gets restarted/rebooted when somebody in the US gets into the office in the morning. F**ken ridiculous!!

[Graeme]

i was unaware that i was required to have the same opinions as you.

Huh? 

[lazjump]

I hope this is a good move. A chance to start things that will bring back the glorious days of Delphi.

Let me humbly suggest things for Embarcadero:

• Delphi & VCL should not be multiplatform. Focus on Windows. Instead of trying to kick many asses at once, pick an ass to kick and kick it good
• Give all the baggage (such as multiplatformness) to AppMethod. Let Delphi be for the lost and weary souls. AppMethod is for brave and adventurous new souls
• If Embarcadero want to experiment with new things/paradigm/whatever, then try it on AppMethod first. Only if it worked then bring it to Delphi
• Delphi Starter should be $0
• Delphi Professional should be around $399 - $449

[Hawking]

I can't see them making it open source if the current pricing provides a useful revenue stream. That said, if the pricing was reduced to a less daunting level, I'm pretty sure I would have already bought a newer version.

Of course they will not make Delphi open source. It is a commercial product. We have other open source alternatives as you know.
I checked the current prices of Delphi and the Delphi Starter is actually rather cheap. Most people could afford it. However it has serious limitations like not having VCL sources, thus I would not buy it myself.

But who will use paid IDE instead of free IDE like Lazarus? Btw Embarcadero are now .NET b*tches IMO.

[Hawking]

• Delphi Starter should be $0
• Delphi Professional should be around $399 - $449

Yeah that is good idea - starter for free like VS Community. But IMO they won't release it for free

[Handoko]

• Delphi Starter should be $0
• Delphi Professional should be around $399 - $449

Yeah that is good idea - starter for free like VS Community. But IMO they won't release it for free

Yes, $0 for starter edition is a very good suggestion. 

As far as I know they ever released Turbo Explorer in 2006 for free, which allow commercial usage. Unfortunately I missed it, now the free download has stopped.
http://www.turboexplorer.com/article/33659

Hope there will be a free release again from the new owner.

[mangakissa]

AppMethod is free to use.

[Zath]

It would be interesting to know the makeup of Delphi users.
Assuming Embarcadero knew this, they knew who they were targeting with the software.
Large corporations with multiple licenses, small software houses with fewer licenses, one man bands software developers, hobbyist/occasional programmers.

As a comparison, what is the makeup of Lazarus users ?
If Delphi's position in the marketplace is changed, how would one fair against the other ?