[DUG] More Delphi news...

[Jeremy North]

> So is this a fair wish list for Devco????:
>
> -Ability to compile standard VCL Delphi on Linux/Unix/OSX (even if
> conversion tools needed - ie sort of automate it)

No thanks. I don't think the market is large enough to be sustained
and to work on the other things in your list and still be afloat after
a year. Kylix cost borland big time. Could we blame borland for
switching focus after that screw up?

> -64 bit compiler

Yes

> -Full Unicode support

Yes. Danny spoke of unicode win64 vcl but now he has gone lets hope
that win32 vcl is also unicode. The IDE is unicode so there is really
no excuse not to make the vcl unicode and more and more unicode
support is added to the VCL with each release. Heck there is a
japanese version of the product.

> -.NET V2 and V3 support

Yes

> -Another way to achieve cross platform GUI is to have the screen stuff being
> displayed in a browser.
>  Might be another way to get to the first point above.
>  Once I started Windows programming I was pretty disgusted that the API
> interfaces for writing to the screen, the printer and the browser have no
> relation to each other at all.  That must be one of the dumbest fundamental
> design faults.

So do mono with ASP.NET or Chrome or C#.

>  I have been very impressed by the slick UI in applications like Gmail and
> Google Calendar - they behave and appear like a good Windows App - the
> Calendar has mouse drag for start and finish times one the screen etc, and
> the screen updates look very efficient.

I use gmail heaps and it is not a patch on my native email client.
Better than what they used to be though.

> Maybe others could give their ratings on how important these are - I have
> done only English Delphi so I am not sure how important the Unicode one
> is...

Unicode is huge and is really needed. Apparently it isn't as important
for folks in the US though. Which is hard to take considering Europe
is where Delphi is most popular.

cheers,
Jeremy