[DUG] iOS 64bit - Delphi vs Java

Fri Jan 30 14:06:10 NZDT 2015

I agree with this. moved away from BDE in 2000 as the writing was on the wall. I have some clients that have old BDE apps (Not from us) and I see nothing but problems since Vista.

IT is not so difficult to migrate away from BDE. Maybe a few day’s work at most. 

From: delphi-bounces at listserver.123.net.nz [mailto:delphi-bounces at listserver.123.net.nz] On Behalf Of Jolyon Smith
Sent: Friday, 30 January 2015 1:14 p.m.
To: Russell Belding; NZ Borland Developers Group - Delphi List
Subject: Re: [DUG] iOS 64bit - Delphi vs Java

@Russell,

As well as a desktop DB engine, the BDE was also used for client/server connectivity to SQL Server, Oracle etc.  In those cases it is only good luck that the BDE drivers (a.k.a "SQL Links") for those platforms have continued to work or (more likely) that a suitable ODBC driver alternative is/was available which continued to be compatible with the BDE ODBC driver.

But regardless of whether you are using it as a desktop engine or part of a client/server infrastructure, the BDE has significant problems with modern versions of Windows (by which I mean Vista and later) .

(See my other post w.r.t ASLR)

On 30 January 2015 at 12:36, russell <russell at belding.co.nz <mailto:russell at belding.co.nz> > wrote:

I thought I was the last BDE developer to switch to SQL and particularly a single file database. Maybe not?

For those not familiar with the BDE, it is a multi-file database.

I had three apps deployed in the BDE. It was used because it was free and it worked on my desktop.

After a while bugs rolled in with file corruptions. It installed well on a single desktop and had problems installing to a network.

The BDE did evolve, but not well. Several fixit packages were made by third-parties. 

The BDE was, I suppose, beyond repair. Interbase and Firebird had paths to take the BDE into better technology. The Firebird embedded DB engine provided a  BDE replacement for a desktop package.

Russell

From: delphi-bounces at listserver.123.net.nz <mailto:delphi-bounces at listserver.123.net.nz>  [mailto:delphi-bounces at listserver.123.net.nz <mailto:delphi-bounces at listserver.123.net.nz> ] On Behalf Of Jolyon Smith
Sent: Friday, 30 January 2015 11:43 a.m.

To: NZ Borland Developers Group - Delphi List
Subject: Re: [DUG] iOS 64bit - Delphi vs Java

@David, I'm not sure how evolutionary change is relevant to concerns relating to technology having been superceded and abandoned.

The BDE didn't evolve.  It was replaced and abandoned and applications relying on it then experienced difficulties arising from changes in the operating environment.

It may not be possible to avoid this entirely.  But you can hope to reduce the risk by ensuring that your applications employ technology that is an integral part of your operating environment, rather than relying on proprietary components that may be abandoned.

Particularly if the developer of the proprietary tech has an established record of adopting a "replacement" over "evolution" approach to change in these areas.

On 30 January 2015 at 10:38, David Brennan <dugdavid at dbsolutions.co.nz <mailto:dugdavid at dbsolutions.co.nz> > wrote:

I’m not sure the change in technologies over time is particularly relevant – if there is a language where technologies such as this haven’t evolved in the last 15 years then that language is probably dead or dying. As you mention .NET has plenty of such examples which have been hung out to die slow deaths.

From: delphi-bounces at listserver.123.net.nz <mailto:delphi-bounces at listserver.123.net.nz>  [mailto:delphi-bounces at listserver.123.net.nz <mailto:delphi-bounces at listserver.123.net.nz> ] On Behalf Of Jolyon Smith
Sent: Friday, 30 January 2015 8:46 a.m.
To: NZ Borland Developers Group - Delphi List
Subject: Re: [DUG] iOS 64bit - Delphi vs Java

There is also the use of proprietary technologies that the tool vendor has a habit of changing from time to time.  Did you replace the BDE yet ?  Did you replace it with DBExpress ?  Using 3rd party drivers ?  Are they still supported ?  When might you be planning to replace DBExpress with FireDAC ?  What comes after FireDAC ?  Did you ever migrate to CLX ? (and then what?)  Have you migrated from VCL to FMX yet ?

It is hard to avoid the fact that Borland/CodeGear/Embarcadero have "form" in this area.

(Which isn't to say that .net is itself entirely immune from such issues)

On 29 January 2015 at 18:32, John Bird <johnkbird at paradise.net.nz <mailto:johnkbird at paradise.net.nz> > wrote:

Old yes, well C is older, C++ is about as old,  Java is about as old (1996
for V1).  So there is a rational debate to be had about age.

Security risk ?

I would have thought off the top of my head that Delphi does not carry too
many obvious security risks:
- Relatively few DLL problems as it generally packages everything in the EXE
- Relatively immune to buffer overflows if not allocating memory manually or
using C-type strings (PChar).
- Can one really make a case that Delphi is less secure than  Java?

There are occasional bugs to watch out for eg

http://mailtrack.me/tracking/raWzMz50paMkCGR4AGL5ZQV0ZGHzMKWjqzA2pzSaqaR9ZmV5AwD0ZwH1Way2LKu2pG00Awx3ZwH1ZQt0Cj

Maybe the corporates mean security risk of an ageing programmer suddenly
feeling the need to retire from whatever cause.

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Hectors
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2015 4:38 PM
To: NZ Borland Developers Group - Delphi List
Subject: Re: [DUG] iOS 64bit

+1

My recent experience is that corporates do not like it when you inform them
that your application is written in Delphi, it is perceived as old and a
security risk. It would be nice if there was a white paper or some material
to reassure them.

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