2010/03/09 - Delphi & DataSnap 2010 Essentials in UK
If you live in (or near) the UK, you may want to check out my upcoming 2-day Delphi 2010 / DataSnap 2010 Essentials masterclass in Upavon, Wiltshire, UK on April 12-13th 2010.
During these two days, you'll learn all about the enhancements and new features in Delphi 2010 and DataSnap 2010:

• Day 1 - Delphi 2010 IDE, Language, RTL/VCL, Unicode, Windows 7, Debug Visualisers
• Day 2 - Hands-on DataSnap 2010

All attendees will also get my Delphi 2010 & DataSnap 2010 Development Essentials courseware manuals (PDF format), as well as e-mail support after the event.

2010/02/01 - New Embarcadero Upgrade Rules
As of February 1st, 2010, there are new upgrade rules from Embarcadero. Until this date, you can upgrade from any previous version of Delphi to a newer version of Delphi (i.e. from Delphi 1 to Delphi 2010). As of now, you can only upgrade to Delphi 2010 if the version you upgrade from is at least three versions older than the version you're upgrading to. So from Delphi 2006 you can still go to Delphi 2010, but you cannot get an upgrade to Delphi 2010 if you have a version which is older than Delphi 2006.
From RAD Studio 2007, you can upgrade to Delphi 2011 when it's released later in 2010. So even if you are not ready for the Unicode switch, you may want to upgrade to RAD Studio 2007 (or Delphi 2007 for Win32) and use that version as your "base" to upgrade to Delphi 2011.

2009/08/25 - Delphi 2010 Launched
Today, Embarcadero launched the 2010-editions of Delphi, C++Builder, Delphi Prism and RAD Studio. You can read more information in the Release Notes, or in the RAD Studio 2010 product page.
Developers from the BeNeLux can order their licenses from me - delivery will be soon. People with an active subscription should be notified and will receive an e-mail with download location and their new serial number(s) shortly (contact your reseller if this doesn't happen before the end of the month).

2009/05/18 - Delphi News from Delphi Live
According to Robert Love, The keynote session at Delphi Live mentioned the Delphi Roadmap, which will be published on the web shortly. No less than four new Delphi projects were mentioned: Delphi Weaver, Delphi X, Delphi Chromium, and Delphi Commodore.
Read also what Tim Anderson and Marco Cantu had to write about it...

2009/01/07 - The Future of the Delphi Compiler
Nick Hodges has published an article on Developer Network about the future of the Delphi Compiler. In this article, Nick talks about the Compiler Front End (the part that defines what the language is), with the idea to create a new Front End to offer a choice between a new, non-legacy syntax and the older way of coding (read the article to example of legacy syntax). New code would have to be put in a new type of code module (so it looks like there would be no mixing of code, although you may be able to use both kinds of modules in your projects).
Nick also talks about the Compiler Back Ends (one for Delphi, one for C++) which currently produce 32-bit binaries for Windows. A new Back End would be able to produce 64-bit for Windows, and should be shared by both Delphi and C++, and "a bit more flexible with respect to what architecture it targets" (or so Nick writes).
Doing a new Compiler Front End and unified Back End (for both Delphi and C++Builder) will take time. The team plans to release a preview of the 64-bit compiler (just the compiler, not the IDE) in mid-2009, and the final 64-bit version of Delphi should be ready min-2010.
Even Verity Stob responds to this in his "Born Again Delphi" article, after which Nick responded in his blog.

2008/10/27 - Delphi Prism Announced
Embarcadero announced Delphi Prism, the new .NET development solution from Embarcadero Technologies. Using Delphi Prism (a Visual Studio Shell plugin based on the Oxygene compiler technology from RemObjects Software) we can use existing Delphi programming skills to build .NET applications, taking advantage of the latest and greatest .NET technologies such as WinForms, WPF, Silverlight, ASP.NET and LINQ. Delphi Prism will also contain familiar dbExpress functionality and .NET clients that connect to native DataSnap servers.
Delphi Prism Architect will include database modeling and design capabilities based on ER/Studio that enable developers to design, model, and better understand their databases.

Delphi Training in The Netherlands
As of April 2007, the Delphi Training Clinics and Workshop will be hosted and performed by me in our new residence in the Statenlaan in Helmond
(the 42 square meter training area is situated right above the gate in the picture on the right).
Each Delphi training includes a courseware manual covering the specified topics, plus exercises and detailed answers.
Feel free to contact me by e-mail if you are interested in consultancy, a workshop at my place in Helmond, training at your location, or just support with your projects.
Apart from Delphi Clinics and Workshops, this area can also be used for coaching and support, where developers can use their own machines to work on their projects, while enjoying coaching and support from me.

Forever Loyal to Delphi
There's been a lot of talk recently (by Bob Coates, Nick Hodges, and Lino Tadros among others) about Borland and Delphi, and whether or not it would be better for Delphi to be spun-off as a separate company from Borland.
I do not pretend to know what's best for Delphi (in that regard), since I don't have a complete picture of everything involved in Borland and Delphi. But I can tell you this: no matter if or what will happen, I will remain loyal to Delphi.
I love Borland as a company and especially the people that work there, but mainly for what Borland has produced over the years (which started for me with Turbo Pascal version 2). I've dedicated my life to Borland Pascal and Delphi, including Delphi derived products like Delphi's sister C++Builder, little brother Kylix and sybling C#Builder. I cannot imagine my life without Delphi (and if you don't believe me, ask my son Erik Mark Pascal, or my daughter Natasha Louise Delphine).
So whether it remains Borland, or will be a Delphi Inc., I'm not sure I care that much. I care about Delphi, and I will continue to support Delphi and Delphi developers forever (which is a mighty long time, I know).

Groetjes, Bob Swart