Hello Jeroen!
Replying to a message of Jeroen Pluimers to Tony Dunn:
 JP> Just my DFL 0,02 (and please note this is meant to be informative only
 JP> I'm not going to discuss this):
    I do understand ... there cant be much to discuss.-)
    but isn't it an  odd attitude!?  
   I won't coment on your knowledgebase ... I might get in serious conflict 
with the moderator.
 JP> As long as you want to stay WIntel
     It's very short sighted  to make your development based on one single 
system. 
  And you might not be the master of that decision.   
  Hopefully you might find something like object pascal on that system ... 
but you might not find DELPHI. 
 JP> Object Pascal is easier to learn than C++. 
 and later ... 
 JP> 2. Easier language than C++
  Are you that kind of guy who thinks that "latin" is much hard to learn than 
"dutch" ?  or "japanise" so much harder than "chinese" ?
  This argument is not valid. Whats valid is that IF you have learned  
pascal,  then you'll have to work (not very much, but you have to) to get 
hold of the language.  In that process you might even learn at bit or two.  
    And the "easier" part might just blur your sight as to understand what is 
going on. 
It is not by chance that c/c++ is used in building operation systems :-)
 JP> It develops and compiles
 JP> faster than C++ 
     What are you comparing ...  If you take Visual builde c++ then there 
shouldn't be much difference. Or Visual Basic ?  Which to someone might be an 
easyer  language. 
   You can get several interfaces to gui-programming, which does make 
development less time-consuming.  You can get severel visual designers to 
create what delphi does for/in object pascal.
   And even if delpi compiles quicker, then it might just not RUN that quick 
. Then you might not find just that bit you need. So your stuck, just as 
everybody else. And here are Delphi just not as easy and elegant as some 
other languages. 
 JP> and it is also easier to pass your code to someone
 JP> else (or jump into it after a few month time yourself) than C++.
    Well written code is readable to a litterate, what ever language used. 
    Worse ... readable code ( as in litterature) is not the same as 
understandable code. 
    Take sign language : What ever nation you belong to ... you understand 
each other . Contrary to audibel language, where there is an nationwide 
difference. Nobody understands each other.    
 JP> IMHO The only reasons to go C++ is one or more of the following:
 JP> 1. Your own code must run on other platforms than WIntel.
   ? use VB ? 
 JP> 2. You get into a load of legacy C++ code that is hard to convert and
 JP> hard to interface with (so you can't use C++ Builder as an
 JP> intermediate) 
    frased otherwise: pascal has a serious defect interfacing with other 
languages.  It's a language with an atitude. 
 JP> 3. You are forced to by someone else (boss, employer,
 JP> client, etc). 
    To limit yourself to one language is to limit yourself in your 
job-potentials. 
 JP> 4. You are an extremely good C++ programmer and more
 JP> productive in C++ than in Object Pascal.
   programming is not the language, its the way you think and structure a 
"job"
 JP> All other WIntel projects can be equally or better implemented in
 JP> Delphi.
     are you that experienced, as to dare make such a jugement. 
   I only dare say: if you think you can do with a tool, then go ahead.  You 
are responsable.
   There is nothing as THE perfect solution... just solutions.
 JP> I am not going to discuss the list below at length, but IMHO, Delphi
 JP> currently has:
 JP> 1. Better COM than C++ (no more IDL programming)
 JP> 3. Better database support than C++ (D3 thin client is much better
 JP> than MFC, DAO and/or ODBC) 4. Equal RPC support as C++ (trough
 JP> Entera) 5. Better code packaging than C++ (packages+COM versus
 JP> OBJ/LIB/COM) 6. Better class library foundation (VCL) than C++ (MFC,
 JP> OWL or C++ layer on top of VCL)
       I just loved the above.  When your feet reaches the ground again here 
is something to think about: 
                     Borland is not known as "the" producent of valid code. 
 JP> If you need to go C++ then you have a few options:
    is that so?  
 JP> 1. If you go WIntel, then go BC++ 5.02 or C++ Builder or Optima++ 2.
     Ever head of Watcom ?  VAC++   ? 
 JP> If you go Windows (32/CE) go Microsoft C++ 3. 
   why ? 
 JP> If you go other  platforms, go GNU C++ or native compiler
      :-)  Then your covered! 
     why not use gcc as a  win-compiler? ( dj++)  
 JP> If your target is very much focused only on Microsoft Office
 JP> applications (which is a large market that is growing very fast),
 JP> then go VBA.
   Yes! go advice. THE instrument in creating sound and stabel programs  .-) 
 0   Erik!
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