Delphi 64-bit issue is gonna hurt lots of people...
The first problem people "notice" are 64-bit issues, such as, Explorer Integration, System Services, IIS 64-bits, 64-bit "aware" utilities.
- Let me start with Explorer integration. other than ShellPlus (you can read about it on this blog), I could not get my delphi-made 32-bit Explorer to work in Windows 64-bits. (let's not talk about Windows CE devices).
(There's FreePascal 64-bits, but if you can get a working decent explorer integration to work correctly without crashing and requiring so many DLLs).
- There's IIS 64-bits. Did anyone recently hear about php 64-bits, perl 64-bits, ASP.NET 64-bits? maybe I'll wait until every one gets rich from their web-applications and my Delphi-based Interweb-application is still "under-development"...
- There's other nifty system utility applications that needs native 64-bit access, such as Registry Editors, Driver front-ends, Database front-ends that simply don't play well in 64-bits mode.
For example, there are those popular registry editors... that don't work well in 64-bits... and getting killed by those C/C++-based 64-bit Registry vendors. There is no easy way to access 64-bit Windows registry low-level from 32-bit modes...
- Another touted development model is the driver-front-end, where the driver guy spends months writing those drivers and then makes a quick front-end in Delphi... With Delphi 64-bits coming maybe in Delphi 2010 or 2011, we'll "drop" Delphi and just use native C++ to write those front-ends. oh well...
- The biggie is 64-bit IIS mode, 64-bit apache, where the ISAPI DLL or Apache module needs to be in 64-bits mode to work... You can run a 32-bit app in 64-bit IIS, but when you want to compete with big-iron C++ vendors, you need full 64-bit mode. Most of the delphi guys write those ISAPI filters and small web-server utilities... I've never seen a 64-bit ISAPI filter written in Delphi or web-server control panel written in Delphi either.
but wait, there's more. suppose you want to make a plug-in to a 64-bit application, such as 64-bit MSI, or 64-bit adobe, wait, maybe i'm getting ahead of my self...
Corrections:
This article came out before Delphi 2010 came out. Delphi 2010 and no 64-bit Delphi, oh well...
Article update 2013 March -
This article now contains invalid information since FreePascal has x64 support and they fixed bugs with their 64-bit integrations. Delphi XE2 with 64-bit was released. If you are using Delphi 2010 or Delphi XE, you should upgrade. Article contained correct information at that time.
The first problem people "notice" are 64-bit issues, such as, Explorer Integration, System Services, IIS 64-bits, 64-bit "aware" utilities.
but wait, there's more. suppose you want to make a plug-in to a 64-bit application, such as 64-bit MSI, or 64-bit adobe, wait, maybe i'm getting ahead of my self...
Corrections:
This article came out before Delphi 2010 came out. Delphi 2010 and no 64-bit Delphi, oh well...
Article update 2013 March -
This article now contains invalid information since FreePascal has x64 support and they fixed bugs with their 64-bit integrations. Delphi XE2 with 64-bit was released. If you are using Delphi 2010 or Delphi XE, you should upgrade. Article contained correct information at that time.
4 comments:
Oh well, when Embarcadero decides for 64-bit half of the developers have already gone to Visual Studio. I have already moved to Visual Studio, just a couple more applications need to be ported.
This is so sad that this guys do not listen to what developers have been ask and follow their wrong strategies. They have not learned the Kylix lesson...
They are completely ignorant regarding 64 bit support. I was at a release conference of latest Delphi and there were folks from Embarcadero and they didn't have a clue how 64 bit support is going to look like (VCL compatibility, any warnings when casting pointer in latest delphi, release date, NOTHING). I believe they probably didn't even start on 64 bit support. Just a bunch of broken promises in last 5 years. 64 bit became crucial to us like 2 years ago. It is a shame how they claim how technology superior are they and how we should present new technologies to our customers with latest Delphi. Wakeup call. Customers don't want multitouch and mouse gestures applications. Also they do not care if we can develop a bit faster with latest Delphi. They are demanding 64bit support and they have been demanding for last 2 years. It a shame when you get screwed over by a development tool that you depend on. Delphi is a joke and is becoming more obsolete every single day.
Did you see this?
http://delphihaters.blogspot.com/2010/01/64-bit-office-is-coming-to-town-delphi.html
When 64-bit office comes out, every Delphi app. will be need to be ported to 64-bits to use it.
That means you can or cannot. If you cannot --> bye, bye. Out of business.
Some good news for all reading this interesting article:
Delphi just got 64bit in XE2 release:
http://www.embarcadero.com/products/delphi/64-bit
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