Re:22 Years of Delphi and It Still Rocks
by dvfjsdhgfv on Wednesday February 15, 2017 @03:11PM
(#13655005)
I don't agree making it free is the only option. Delphi is now multiplatform. There are several companies with a development tool targeted at just one of these platforms, charging money for it - usually not much, but the subscription model makes it more expensive in the long run.
Imagine having just Delphi for Android free. If I could release the same app for iPhone by coughing up $200, why shouldn't I?
They could also release a basic version at a very low price, unlocking features in the more expensive editions. Yes, they can actually study the usage cases and examine what extra features are indispensable for current paid customers but could be removed in the basic version without much problem for an average developer. There are so many ways they could play this out, I'm really disappointed they've chose this route.
I had a bit of hope for delphi with mobile app support, but the pricing really killed it now that microsoft offers xamarin for free.
Plus, object pascal is too weird for js coders. C-style syntax is a must, even though object pascal is in many ways a better language.