Opening Up the Delphi Field Test
Okay, you’ve always wanted to participate, now the time has come. We are opening up the Delphi Beta Test program to new participants. This is not a "Public Field Test", but we will be opening it up to more testers than we have in the past.
Before we get to the details, there are a few things to note:
- Please don’t ask to join if you are just trying to see what is in the new version or if you are just curious. We are only seeking developers who want to test the product and provide constructive feedback, not just those who want a preview of the cool new stuff - if you are just a previewer and sneak in we’ll find you and weed you out :)
- Please only apply if you are willing to test the product. If you apply and are accepted and decide not to test you’ve hurt Delphi by taking a testing slot away from someone else who would be testing and helping improve Delphi.
- You’ll have to sign an NDA. That means you cannot talk to anyone about what you learn in the field test. You can’t even mention that you are in the field test. You can’t talk about being in the field test even after it is over. You can’t publicly talk about the field test process or anything. I mention this just to be clear about what you are signing up for before you apply.
- We are very strongly interested in developers who are native code Delphi developers and who are interested in focusing on testing the native Win32 versions of Delphi.
- Please apply to the field test if you can come in with a positive and constructive attitude. We’re interested in testing and solid, honest feedback, the development process is extremely busy and fast paced and old agendas and unconstructive negativity just slows everything down.
We can only afford to have people on the field test that, well, want to test the product. What we want is honest, professional feedback and solid reproducible bug reports. If you can do that, we want you in the club. If you can’t do that, then the field test program really isn’t going to be for you. So, if you fit the bill, are willing to test and provide constructive feedback, then we’d love to have you.
If you want to be in, then click on the "Contact" link on the menu to the left and send me an email with "DELPHI FIELD TEST" in the subject line. Tell us why you want to be in, promise me that you’ll give Delphi your best testing effort and provide constructive feedback and reproducible bug reports and let’s have some fun!
Done.
February 8th, 2007 at 5:35 pmUnreasonably restrictive requirements lead to limited testing and lousy products.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:02 pmGood to see focus on the native compiler as that is my only field of usage. .NET has no appeal. I wouldn’t have time to test and report, but I hope you guys do have some real changes to the native code and get it out there working.
Operator overloading is one big area that would help me. And would have helped for years now.
Good luck in all future Delphi versions, but never forget how cool and FAST the pre 2005 versions were that didn’t try and cover things Delphi was not originally intended for. Get it back to the best RAD tool for writing Windows stand-alone apps and then worry about all the extra features that only add to a slow IDE and the stuff most old time Delphi users don’t even care about, let alone use, let alone want to pay a big sum for an upgrade.
February 8th, 2007 at 6:25 pm"but never forget how cool and FAST the pre 2005 versions were"
I would disagree with this, D2006 is just as fast as D7 was on my PC, but only after SP2 and the hot fixes. After that I just love D2006 and would never go back to D7, not to mention BDS2006 is much more stable.
February 8th, 2007 at 8:54 pmSignalled on my blog as well.
Andrew
February 9th, 2007 at 12:07 amWill there be another test-cycle with less restrictions? I fail to see how developers who make a living rom using Delphi can find the time and meet your requirements; yet I’m sure that they could provide many many useful hints and test results…
February 9th, 2007 at 12:09 am"Operator overloading is one big area that would help me. And would have helped for years now."
So start using it if you have BDS 2006
"never forget how cool and FAST the pre 2005 versions were that didn’t try and cover things Delphi was not originally intended for."
I will not exactly describe either Delphi 6 or 7 as fast. BDS 2006 is more responsive, loads large project groups faster and is the most stable version I have used since version 3 (I skipped version 5). Add to that all its many good new features - I would never go back.
February 9th, 2007 at 4:08 amSo does this allow those of us who work with others to participate, or would we be required to do a full days work then skulk home to furtively spend another few hours testing Delphi in secret?
February 9th, 2007 at 6:08 amI can pretty easily convert part of my day to day work to include ensuring my day to day work is compatible with the next version of the tool.
I can not, however, abide the mob style code of silence implied here. I can’t be bothered to risk getting knee capped (physically or legally) by some guy named Vinny.
You can’t even mention you are part of the trial? I’m sorry, did the D.O.D. suddenly buy code gear and classify Delphi triple ultra deodecka top, top secret? Time for a reality check here!
February 9th, 2007 at 8:01 amNick,
We live in the age of "Open Source". CodeGear has to fully embrace this concept. You can tremendously improve your products and speed up releases by accommodating the Delphi community.
I understand your point of only getting quality feedback, but by imposing so much restrictions, CodeGear will end up missing out on quality quantitative feedback. You need to approach Delphi testing on a larger scale. CodeGear doesn’t have the luxury of time. I have to agree with C Johnson…
IDL
February 9th, 2007 at 8:17 amC Johnson,
Still spewing nonsense, huh? CodeGear has the right to impose any restrictions they want to on *their* beta test process. If you don’t like them, don’t be a beta tester.
I’d have thought by now you’d be tired of posting nothing but garbage everywhere and would have stopped.
Impatient Delphi Loyalist,
What does "Open Source" have to do with CodeGear’s beta process? What does "accomodating the Delphi community" (BTW, don’t remember electing you as my spokesperson) have to do with the beta test process?
February 9th, 2007 at 8:32 amThe first rule of Fight Club is you don’t talk about Fight Club
February 9th, 2007 at 9:41 amNick,
Can you please remove the "up" after all of the "opens" in your blog entry. It reminds me of bad Microsoft grammar everytime I start Windows, err I mean "Start Up" Windows. (cringe)
See, I am already testing your products and documentation.
-Johnnie
February 9th, 2007 at 10:12 amI appreciate CodeGear making the field test available to more people. More *constructive* feedback will lead to a better product, which makes my life easier.
And don’t accept any grief over any restrictions. It would be a shame for the extra benefit to be chewed up because the field test becomes an extension of non-tech.
February 9th, 2007 at 2:28 pmPlease dont forget Delphi for .Net… We only develop apps for .Net and we use Delphi, i trust you, please dont make us change to VS because of lack support to Delphi for .Net….
February 9th, 2007 at 4:08 pmWhat about testing new Delphi regarding compatibility with our tools (Win32 components and IDE experts)? Is it profound testing or "just previewing"?
February 10th, 2007 at 10:01 amCodeGear extend the Field Test to C++?
If Yes, I want to partecipate.
Regards
February 10th, 2007 at 10:37 amCarmelo Viavattene
(C Programmer from Turbo C 1.0, 2.0, …)
Hi there,
i would like to participate. I have been working for the last 8 years with delphi from the version 3.0 to BDS 2006. Until 2005 i have been working for Pinnacle Systems. I developed complete applications including project management, bug tracking and partly QA stuff. (Backup-Software, Image-Editor, Video-Application, Music-Arrangement-Software).
Best Regards,
Andreas Soraru,
February 10th, 2007 at 11:26 amGermany
Yohnathan K,
You can’t even imagine how much faith and development power these guys give into IDE line. CodeGear is not Borland anymore, so judge them by their actions. They didn’t make any negative action until now, and they’re really friendly.
Want to help? Good. Submit to field test.
Do not want to help? Even better. Get the hell out of here, and use Visual Studio. Because of previous restrictions on these people at Borland, they weren’t able to provide quality tools, but this is changing.
Offending people does not help anybody. Delphi is not forgotten, and will never be forgotten.
If there is a history, it is yourself.
February 10th, 2007 at 10:38 pmHere is a quote from a participant in the Borland Newsgroup:
"My last experience with an NDA with Borland (for the CBX beta) was that the terms of the NDA would end with the release of the product (and, by the way, those are the only terms that I ever agreed to). The beta test went so ‘unexpectedly’ that Borland elected to unilaterally change the terms of the NDA such that they would not allow discussion of what occurred, period. They then refused to answer any questions about their unilateral decision.
I have little to no faith in that type of history — do you? "
February 10th, 2007 at 10:54 pmKenW -> I also have the right to voice my complaints. If you never voice a discenting opinion, nothing ever changes.
And you are wrong. Codegear has no such particular right. They have the privledge because the customers tolerate it. If enough customers said it was unacceptable, basic economics would dictate that they change their practices.
Enough customers said no to their practices as a whole that their sales took a major plunge before Turbo. In fact, Turbo’s price was largely a response to many of us saying it was too pricy and we did not want to be forced to support tools like C++ or dotNET. We said so first out loud and were ignored, then we voted by withholding our dollars - then we were finally heard.
Thus, I feel an obligation to help shape the codegear I want to see in the market by actually speaking up.
February 11th, 2007 at 2:51 amI see no reason to complain about the NDA terms. Any company is free to set its own terms. While some could prefer a public beta cycle (i.e. MS) others don’t (i.e. Oracle, Apple).
February 11th, 2007 at 7:50 amEveryone has his goals and his issues. For example Delphi ships with the whole (almost) library source code - while AFAIK VS doesn’t. Codegear may want to keep some secrets while betatesting.
IMHO the product quality would not be improved by a public beta test, if not enough resources (people, money, time) were available internally to fix bugs.
Will you actually listen to "constructive feedback"?
I mean I’ve been using and submitting bug reports for a long time to Quality Central and they weren’t exactly addressed, Borland at the time seemed more interested in pushing out half-baked products that actually addressing issues with its existing line up.
February 12th, 2007 at 4:14 amI guess, there is no room for emotional fights or war here.
We are not owning CodeGear, it is a company and Delphi is a product.
If willing to adhere to the norms, one can sign up and take part in the Beta test.
I have been using Delphi from 1.0 and is still with Delphi.
But, I am not ready to take this pain to Beta with these restrictions. But, there will be lots of other people who are ready to contribute to this. Let them contribute and let us wait for a nice product, which attracts the market with features and a better marketing strategy.
Hope for the best.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:43 amre: Opening Up the Delphi Field Test
February 14th, 2007 at 7:34 amPradeep: you sound like a typical manager. Have you metamorphosed into one from being a Delphi-developer-from-1.0-days?
But I do appreciate that this opening up of Delphi Beta testing will eventually result in a better, high quality Delphi.
February 15th, 2007 at 10:26 amSomething is better then noting,But Code Gear should have shipped there beta versions to Customers who have bought the old delphi versions, And let them decide who should post the bugs. So that atleast the forums will have problems listed and more discussion, some fruitful will evolve from that.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:57 amI think this is a fabulous thing. Developers out in the Great Big World Out There can really help with finding those corner-cases and obscure usage scenarios, and making the next Delphi truly great.
Great job Nick! I’m truly excited about the future for CodeGear and for Delphi.
Warren
February 16th, 2007 at 1:58 pmNick,
I would make the members of the FastCode project part of the field test by default.
They know how to make things faster and error free.
I would appreciate if codegear considers adding the option to select the minimum CPU target for the compiler. (This would probably come with native 64-bit)
Thanks for the hard work.
JP
February 18th, 2007 at 1:38 amHi Nick@CodeGear,
I run a small software development company in Australia - specializing in development of systems for the transportation / maritime industry. (One of our key customers for our Terminal Management System are Dubai Ports here in Adelaide).
I have been using Delphi from version 1.
We have number of systems both in Win32 and also DOT.NET.
I would like to participate in the field test - mainly in the DOT.NET area - as we are converting all WIN32 across. (Our systems are 24×7 enterprise grade solutions and most customers only want DOT.NET these days). Please feel free to check out our web page.
My email address is ppokorny@wavesystems.com.au
Thank you in advance.
Best Regards,
Peter Pokorny.
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:01 amCobus Kruger:
"Operator overloading is one big area that would help me. And would have helped for years now."
If you want to use this - then you are not Delphi developer. It really su**cs!!! Delphi code must be transparent and result-critical! There is not C++. I hate C++ (not C).
And also I agree with many peoples who loves Delphi 2006. but is was normal only after 2 updates. And now this hotfixes helped a little. But I hope that in one day CodeGear will release CodeGear online update for their products. And developers will not wait for updates for months!
And one problem I know for delphi (simply I don wanna and maybe cant post this to BDN) is that if I am using conditional compilation in project source (dpr file) then Delphi corrupts the code if I add new units to project and also doesnt see the units (but this is ok, because INC file is included in dpr)
March 1st, 2007 at 7:13 amYes,I want to partecipate.
March 5th, 2007 at 5:46 amMy email is eduardocacau@hotmail.com
Yes,I want to partecipate.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:19 pmMy email is clq565@hotmail.com
Yes,I want to partecipate.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:52 amMy email is: mother.river@gmail.com
Yes,I want to partecipate.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:53 amMy email is: mother.river@gmail.com
hi there
agree
November 9th, 2007 at 11:07 pm