The future of the Lazarus IDE

[ps]

My vote: "Remain an independent desktop IDE" +1

But, last option looks great too as alternative IDE for LCL/ps2js ... "Be reborn as a pair of Atom/VS Code plugin to enable Object Pascal RAD using the LCL"

[marcov]

I moved on from webdevelopment in 2005. And probably I wouldn't use pas2js anyway, but something a bit more widely supported.

[FPK]

Sounds like a very strange idea for somebody like me who still has turned off JS by default in all web browser

But I just tried VS Code and I was shocked that this is considered an alternative:
- dark style but bright menus, looks ugly for me ...
- Then I tried the menus, they are sluggish: they lack behind the mouse (Skylake-X, Linux Mint) and: I cannot use the left/right arrows to switch between menus, even the 25 year old FPC textmode IDE can do this
- I installed OmniPascal and opened the FPC directory: first a couple of errors from the git plugin popped up that the project is too big ... great ...
- I tried to reduce the huge font used in the code window by Ctrl+Scroll wheel, doesn't work but scrolls only the text. Really?
At this point I had enough seen, closed it. Tell me, this idea is a joke, right ?

[del]

VS Code strikes me as a solution in search of a problem. I looked at it when I wanted something on Linux to complement the real Visual Studio. I was underwhelmed. And if you're looking for an alternative to Lazarus (Windows or Linux) you're probably gonna be likewise underwhelmed.

[ASBzone]

What a strange poll! Why isn't there an option "Lazarus should remain as it is"?

Indeed!


Or provide an option to add another consideration than those provided...

[ASBzone]

This has raised the question whether a dedicated Object Pascal IDE - such as
the Lazarus IDE - is still a necessity. Various avenues can be explored.

Why, exactly has it raised such a question?

What is this obsession that we seem to have where the introduction of any NEW (or seemingly new) item necessitates the removal or deprecation of an old one?

If this product is successful (I don't even see it on the TMS Software website as news), then people may flock to it, and the market will settle itself as it wishes.  If it only satisfies a niche, then they can use it, while others who have other needs not met by that solution can continue doing what works for them.

What is the value in trying to force the issue?   Why cannot this new thing be an additional thing, rather than a replacement thing?

It remains to be seen that it will even attain reasonable adoption rates in the first place...

[ASBzone]

I would like to announce a small poll.

Why are there 5 possible results from 4 questions given?

[bee]

This week in Be.Delphi, (and last week in DüsselDorf, Germany) TMS Software has unveiled
a VS Code plugin: an Object Pascal RAD IDE.

Where could I find this plugin? I didn't find it in VS Code marketplace.

[PascalDragon]

This has raised the question whether a dedicated Object Pascal IDE - such as the Lazarus IDE - is still a necessity. Various avenues can be explored.

Yes, it is. Lazarus can run on more platforms than VS code. The LCL can provide for even more platforms. Saying that a dedicated desktop IDE isn't necessary is just as useful as saying that Pascal is dead. Only because you seem to have jumped on the Web and JS (even though through pas2js) bandwagon (and that's alright and your choice alone) does not mean that the whole world will.
(and yes, I've voted, though you could have done that as a forum poll as well...)

About the first question of your survey. You may want to consider this site.
https://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/Portal:Web_Development

Hint: MvC is one of the main developers behind fpWeb and friends

Are you sure he is Michaël Van Canneyt (michael at freepascal.org)?
https://www.freepascal.org/~michael/articles/

Considering that he posted the same poll on the mailing list, yes. And I should know my fellow core devs, shouldn't I? 

I would like to announce a small poll.

Why are there 5 possible results from 4 questions given?

Michael tried to add a 5th option for "don't change anything", but that apparently messed up things a bit...

This week in Be.Delphi, (and last week in DüsselDorf, Germany) TMS Software has unveiled
a VS Code plugin: an Object Pascal RAD IDE.

Where could I find this plugin? I didn't find it in VS Code marketplace.

They obviously didn't publish it yet, only unveiled it to the first audience. Not that uncommon with companies... *shrugs*

[Leledumbo]

Sounds like a very strange idea for somebody like me who still has turned off JS by default in all web browser

But I just tried VS Code and I was shocked that this is considered an alternative:
- dark style but bright menus, looks ugly for me ...
- Then I tried the menus, they are sluggish: they lack behind the mouse (Skylake-X, Linux Mint) and: I cannot use the left/right arrows to switch between menus, even the 25 year old FPC textmode IDE can do this
- I installed OmniPascal and opened the FPC directory: first a couple of errors from the git plugin popped up that the project is too big ... great ...
- I tried to reduce the huge font used in the code window by Ctrl+Scroll wheel, doesn't work but scrolls only the text. Really?
At this point I had enough seen, closed it. Tell me, this idea is a joke, right ?

Programmers nowadays never really know what is meant by speedy as VS Code is considered speedy and responsive enough for them. They just never compare it with any native solution like Lazarus. (or to be fair, something like Sublime Text) Even typing single characters lag in VS Code whereas it's very responsive along with code/word completion popup in Lazarus. What VS Code does better is it's a truly language agnostic IDE albeit with JS/TS-ism in its plugin system, that attracts a lot of contributors.

[bee]

Programmers nowadays never really know what is meant by speedy as VS Code is considered speedy and responsive enough for them.

I'm quite sure I'm not a nowadays programmer who doesn't know the meaning of 'speedy' of native apps. Even for a native app evangelist like me, VS Code is quite speedy and responsive enough for me. Well, the loading process might take a bit longer than common native apps, but once it's done… it's pretty much as speedy and responsive as most native apps. Microsoft VS Code developers indeed do a great job there. Everyone who ever uses Atom knows that.

They just never compare it with any native solution like Lazarus. (or to be fair, something like Sublime Text) Even typing single characters lag in VS Code whereas it's very responsive along with code/word completion popup in Lazarus.

I'm all for Lazarus, SublimeText, and XCode, which are native apps. But from my personal experience, there's no such typing lag with VS Code as you described. And my machine isn't a new one. It's an old 2009 Macbook Pro with HD drive. It doesn't even have SSD. It might be the reason why the VS Code loading process takes a bit longer time on my machine.

What VS Code does better is it's a truly language agnostic IDE albeit with JS/TS-ism in its plugin system, that attracts a lot of contributors.

It does indeed. The whole VS Code marketplace and community provide almost any kind of extensions we ever need. It's a great ecosystem.

[winni]

[
Why are there 5 possible results from 4 questions given?

That is a good question. I'm also waiting for an answer.

Number range from 1 to 10: first year in school.
Life is hard.

Winni

[skalogryz]

Why are there 5 possible results from 4 questions given?

It's a web application!

[GAN]

⭕  Be a plug in for Google Chrome. 

[marcov]

I would like to announce a small poll.

Why are there 5 possible results from 4 questions given?

I also noticed that and suspected the original poll with 4 questions got expanded with a fifth question/option later. But if you already voted, the system shows you the old poll.

I tried vscode today, and allthough I think the colorscheme (I tested plain C with microsofts plugins) is a bit busy.   I didn't fully test the intellisense, because I can't import the netbeans projects.

Speed seemed reasonable. Much better than Netbeans

I'm now a total VS Code convert. I think Microchip should migrate from Netbeans to VS Code asap.

P.s. please leave lazarus alone