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
VCL is not multiplatform. It is Windows only.
Delphi IDE is not multiplatform either. It requires Windows + .NET.
Being multiplatform is however the most important feature in future development tools. Here FPC/Lazarus will have an advantage over Delphi, especially if cross-compilation becomes easier.
Windows is not a dominant OS any more. In future it will be a platform for some CAD-, graphics- etc. design tools and for high-end games. All "normal" tasks like web, e-mail, SoMe, listening music, watching streamed video and so on, are often done with other platforms and in future more so.
There was a time when Microsoft blackmailed manufacturers to include Windows in every machine they sell. Now Microsoft gives Windows Bing for free to any manufacturer who bothers to take it.
Times change ...
Sticking with Windows only would be a big mistake for any development tool vendor. Delphi is doing the right thing pushing FireMonkey and cross-platform development. But yes, they could make a VCL-only starter version free.
But who will use paid IDE instead of free IDE like Lazarus? Btw Embarcadero are now .NET b*tches IMO.
Delphi is still better in many areas. Project groups, debugger, Unicode ... and most of all the selection of 3rd party components. For example if a project uses one of those fabulous 3rd party grid comps, there is no way to switch to Lazarus.
I realized this is something we cannot fix ourselves! All the other missing pieces will be added for sure over time, but this one requires some PR and co-operation with component vendors.
I sent a mail to BergSoft about their Next components. I offered to help their porting process for free if they decide to do it. I am planning to contact some other vendors, too.
The biggest obstacle for vendors until now has been the delivery of binary-only evaluation and demo versions. For a cross-platform open source system it is just too difficult. That is why most component vendors decided not to support Lazarus.
In practice they must change their delivery policy. They must include source code always, maybe including a dual licence or otherwise restricting it for evaluation purposes only.
Let's see what BergSoft says ...