Hmmm...very interesting, both on the rise of Delphi and that Skype is going back to their Win32 interface (written in Delphi).
I have to say that, when Skype went to whatever the hell they're using now, it became like almost everything else Microsoft makes; bloated and sluggish. It takes my Skype client 2 minutes to start up. I'm guessing they got complaints and saw a decline in usage. I'm glad they're going back to a client base that seemed to work reasonably well.
An interesting note (perhaps?), Skype originated in Australia. I worked for a company that also had origins in Australia, and an internal tool they wrote was written in Delphi. I wonder if this is a general trend in Australia. Because in all other Windows desktop app developers I've worked for (Silicon Valley) had always used Microsoft Visual C++/Visual Studio/MFC (I might be dating myself here). One company had a Java applet, but it was to be used in conjunction with a back-end that was written in Visual C++.
Another reason to steer well clear of anything Microsoft, especially when it comes to software development. It never made sense to me why people would willingly use Microsoft products to develop their own software projects when Microsoft could easily become your biggest competitor in a heartbeat. Back when I was working in Windows desktop software development, it would amaze me the convolutions and contortions we would go through to not reveal what we were doing if we needed to contact Microsoft support regarding one of their products we were using to develop or test our software; so they wouldn't steal our idea and kill us before we got off the ground. Going the Microsoft route is even more puzzling when developing for the web when you consider non-Microsoft platforms offer so many more and, arguably, better tools that are less prone to corporate sabotage.
Isn't Feinstein the #1 Senator against the right to own firearms?
So? James Brady WAS a Republican and favored strict gun control. Perhaps you've heard of the "Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act"?
Republicans are more than just about gun control. She has also been very business friendly. Her family has multiple business interests in the City and County of San Francisco. Very little happens there without her say-so, lest it affect her family's business interests. She's also pro-death penalty. She was also very gung-ho about NSA surveillance of American citizens until she realized that the NSA was also spying on Congress.
Yeah, but this cuts both ways. If those international workers choose to return to their home countries, they could easily start innovating at home. Then all that time, energy, and experience that they gained here in the United States now becomes a strength in that worker's home country. I suspect this will be the trend, and the United States could very quickly lose it's edge in international innovation.
I don't buy that. Much of the innovation that occurs in the technology originates here in the United States. The only reason we're seeing this "competition" from the rest of the world is technology execs (mostly American) see a way to do much of the same work for less money. So they're simply taking advantage of what they see is a relatively cheap international labor market.
The problem with this is, if we keep giving away the store like we are now, innovation will start happening more and more in other countries, and less and less here. What American tech execs don't realize is, with innovation occurring outside the United States, they'll be less call for their services as well. Then they'll be the ones crying poor mouth because they no longer have their cushy jobs and vacation homes around the world. The irony will be is that they did it to themselves.
It's standard American business practice to do things as cheaply as possible without regard to the consequences. So while American business "eats it's own tail", to to speak, there will be less and less to go around. Then, we'll be the third-world country, and countries where we once shopped for cheap tech labor will be shopping for cheap labor here. I don't see this happening for a good long while, but it will happen eventually if we aren't careful. The point is it doesn't have to happen at all.
Some more food for thought: H1-B Visas are issued by the United States Government. The U.S. Government is supposed to represent the interests of the American people. We need to make our voices heard to our representatives. If our representatives don't act the way we want, then we need to replace them with representatives who will. We do not have to accept a lower standard of living if we don't want to. If we do, then it's our own fault!
It's not all surprising that neither Boxer or Feinstein signed on to this investigation, if indeed this is what it turns out to be (I share the skepticism that this is for real at all). Boxer is retiring at the end of her term in 2017, and Feinstein has always been a closet Republican. In any event, both Senators know who butters their bread, and that's Silicon Valley; perhaps the largest users (and abusers?) of the H1-B Visa program. They are also both from the Bay Area.
The real shock is going to be the death of the PC.
Again? Didn't it already die two dozen times? Oh wait, those were all predictions that didn't come true.
Exactly! People have been predicting the death of the PC for about 20 years now, and it has yet to happen. There are too many old school people out there (like me) who will always want a desktop PC. Plus, there are certain things that are more practical on a desktop PC than a laptop or a tablet, like software development. There will always be demand for PCs, though the demand may decline as time goes on. Some users will always insist on a PC, even if they have to build it themselves.
Perhaps. But the real question is will people want this type of stuff? A perfect example is the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 commercial that compare it to a MacBook Pro. Their major selling points are a touch screen, a kickstand, and detachable keyboard. These selling points over the MacBook Pro presupposes that these things are desirable. I don't care about any of these things, so the ad doesn't work on me. So, I have no doubt that you're right and someone will come up with a device that will do all things. The real question will be will people want that type of thing?
Slashdot Mirror
Hmmm...very interesting, both on the rise of Delphi and that Skype is going back to their Win32 interface (written in Delphi).
I have to say that, when Skype went to whatever the hell they're using now, it became like almost everything else Microsoft makes; bloated and sluggish. It takes my Skype client 2 minutes to start up. I'm guessing they got complaints and saw a decline in usage. I'm glad they're going back to a client base that seemed to work reasonably well.
An interesting note (perhaps?), Skype originated in Australia. I worked for a company that also had origins in Australia, and an internal tool they wrote was written in Delphi. I wonder if this is a general trend in Australia. Because in all other Windows desktop app developers I've worked for (Silicon Valley) had always used Microsoft Visual C++/Visual Studio/MFC (I might be dating myself here). One company had a Java applet, but it was to be used in conjunction with a back-end that was written in Visual C++.
Another reason to steer well clear of anything Microsoft, especially when it comes to software development. It never made sense to me why people would willingly use Microsoft products to develop their own software projects when Microsoft could easily become your biggest competitor in a heartbeat. Back when I was working in Windows desktop software development, it would amaze me the convolutions and contortions we would go through to not reveal what we were doing if we needed to contact Microsoft support regarding one of their products we were using to develop or test our software; so they wouldn't steal our idea and kill us before we got off the ground. Going the Microsoft route is even more puzzling when developing for the web when you consider non-Microsoft platforms offer so many more and, arguably, better tools that are less prone to corporate sabotage.
When will people learn?
Is this Slashdot or The Onion?
Isn't Feinstein the #1 Senator against the right to own firearms?
So? James Brady WAS a Republican and favored strict gun control. Perhaps you've heard of the "Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act"?
Republicans are more than just about gun control. She has also been very business friendly. Her family has multiple business interests in the City and County of San Francisco. Very little happens there without her say-so, lest it affect her family's business interests. She's also pro-death penalty. She was also very gung-ho about NSA surveillance of American citizens until she realized that the NSA was also spying on Congress.
Yeah, but this cuts both ways. If those international workers choose to return to their home countries, they could easily start innovating at home. Then all that time, energy, and experience that they gained here in the United States now becomes a strength in that worker's home country. I suspect this will be the trend, and the United States could very quickly lose it's edge in international innovation.
I don't buy that. Much of the innovation that occurs in the technology originates here in the United States. The only reason we're seeing this "competition" from the rest of the world is technology execs (mostly American) see a way to do much of the same work for less money. So they're simply taking advantage of what they see is a relatively cheap international labor market.
The problem with this is, if we keep giving away the store like we are now, innovation will start happening more and more in other countries, and less and less here. What American tech execs don't realize is, with innovation occurring outside the United States, they'll be less call for their services as well. Then they'll be the ones crying poor mouth because they no longer have their cushy jobs and vacation homes around the world. The irony will be is that they did it to themselves.
It's standard American business practice to do things as cheaply as possible without regard to the consequences. So while American business "eats it's own tail", to to speak, there will be less and less to go around. Then, we'll be the third-world country, and countries where we once shopped for cheap tech labor will be shopping for cheap labor here. I don't see this happening for a good long while, but it will happen eventually if we aren't careful. The point is it doesn't have to happen at all.
Some more food for thought: H1-B Visas are issued by the United States Government. The U.S. Government is supposed to represent the interests of the American people. We need to make our voices heard to our representatives. If our representatives don't act the way we want, then we need to replace them with representatives who will. We do not have to accept a lower standard of living if we don't want to. If we do, then it's our own fault!
It's not all surprising that neither Boxer or Feinstein signed on to this investigation, if indeed this is what it turns out to be (I share the skepticism that this is for real at all). Boxer is retiring at the end of her term in 2017, and Feinstein has always been a closet Republican. In any event, both Senators know who butters their bread, and that's Silicon Valley; perhaps the largest users (and abusers?) of the H1-B Visa program. They are also both from the Bay Area.
The real shock is going to be the death of the PC.
Again? Didn't it already die two dozen times? Oh wait, those were all predictions that didn't come true.
Exactly! People have been predicting the death of the PC for about 20 years now, and it has yet to happen. There are too many old school people out there (like me) who will always want a desktop PC. Plus, there are certain things that are more practical on a desktop PC than a laptop or a tablet, like software development. There will always be demand for PCs, though the demand may decline as time goes on. Some users will always insist on a PC, even if they have to build it themselves.
Perhaps. But the real question is will people want this type of stuff? A perfect example is the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 commercial that compare it to a MacBook Pro. Their major selling points are a touch screen, a kickstand, and detachable keyboard. These selling points over the MacBook Pro presupposes that these things are desirable. I don't care about any of these things, so the ad doesn't work on me. So, I have no doubt that you're right and someone will come up with a device that will do all things. The real question will be will people want that type of thing?