Should we dump VCL completly? I do not think so.

You step back from VCL. Look at it. Abstract core level from any MS, Qt, VisualCLX, etc stuff.

See what is needed to have rich visual and runtime functionality. Base classes. this will give you core – visual abstraction and runtime abstraction. with no platform/vendor specific stuff. Then open this core up to build on it and down to plug into it.

Then you come back. You rebuild/adopt VCL classes based on the core keeping VCL public areas intact where possible but not limit yourself by it.

Working on DfPHP shown that it is possible to mimic VCL even in such languages as PHP/JS – yes, you might get limited set of components, but it keeps intact the functionality. Can you convert Delphi class model into PHP/C/Java? With some limitations such converter would be possible if and when it is abstracted enough from platform specific stuff.

I want Delphi 1 come around again, now within multiplatform environment, might be not as rich as Delphi 2007, but with caboom Delphi 1 made back in 1995.

Was it the same as Borland Pascal? Yes and no. It was different, simpler but better. And this what did make it great.

Can you do everything you do today using Delphi 1 functionality? I am sure you can. There is a little of convenience you might loose initially, but it will catch up.

Back then we did not have Delphi community, now we have great resource which could be used to make it evolve faster.

So instead of trying to sit on many chairs since 2002, chair could be one but with options to be extended.

Categories: Delphi

5 Comments

Dave Versteeg · Jun 21, 2007 at 02:06

I had similar thoughts the past couple of days. (Yours just more thought through than mine). A ‘new’ VCL might not be such a bad idea. OS independant, compilable by Freepascal and delphi. Maybe we should start just such a project (proof of concept). First try a couple of ‘simple components’. A simple form, label, edit, button and panel might form a good start.

What do you think?

Tired User · Jun 21, 2007 at 02:07

A Delphi 1 IDE – even in a multiplatform shape – is not going to go anywhere today. This is not 1995 – is 2007 – and people expect much more from software. And no, you would not be able to everything with Delphi 1 functionalities. It lacked a lot. No datamodules, no interfaces, no packages, just to name a few features. FPC/Lazarus would be a better and more advanced option then – I wouldn’t consider a Delphi 1 tool for any serious work nowadays. Even Delphi 2007 is showing too much limits nowadays for advanced applications.

Serge Dosyukov · Jun 21, 2007 at 09:39

To User: You read it too literally and not to deep.
Delphi 1 is an approach and not a mock up.
Off course you should have advanced features. On the other side, some still prefer to use UltraEdit and it works just fine for them.
If IDE is open enough and well structured, then it is not a problem to add features. Same applies for VCL.

To make grat application you really do not need all of these features you have mentioned (even thought it should be included)

Tired USer · Jun 21, 2007 at 16:00

“To make grat application you really do not need all of these features”. No, basically you need to know assembler and a way to put hex number one after another. UltraEdit will do. If you have enough time, you can write great applications that way. C’mon, 2007 is not 1995, applications are far more complex and larger, if a tool lacks many features you’ll need much more time to develop them and code will be far worse.
And I can’t wait nor want to that some unknown guy somewhere in the world adds them.
What about a proper design to fit different developers needs? What about QA? That way of working could be ok for small shop hoping to save money, but believe me, larger companies can’t work that way. I need to keep my job to live, and would never rely on such a model for our production environment.

Serge Dosyukov · Jun 21, 2007 at 17:33

😉 I do not disagree with you.
Many PHP users use Notepad and UltraEdit (as an example), but it does not make their work less productive.
We live in luxury of Delphi environment, we use to it. 😉

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