Hi,
I was at a RadStudio XE2 launch today and got very excited about multiplatform deployment using FireMonkey. Now our main app is heavily reliant on the TMS VCL components so the obvious question is - are you working on something that will allow us to easily convert our current Windows only programs to use firemonkey based components? i.e., will you be supporting firemoneky in the near future so that we can work on making MacOS versions of our software?
regards
Ralph
Great question! I'd like to know too since the potential to convert apps to work on Macs is important. Also, will the current components work in XE2?
Bump.
I too am interested in this. It will probably be the thing that decides whether or not to upgrade. If it is in the pipeline please let us know.
TMS? Any response - we would love to hear what you are contemplating. As I see it, for me, the future will require cross platform support so my decision to continue with TMS software, which I have been very happy with, largely depends on what you are planning.
We will soon publish an article about our plans wrt FireMonkey.
Realistically, FireMonkey is an entirely different platform than VCL and with respect to component architecture, requires an entirely different approach. This basically means a rewrite from scratch for visual controls.
As such, you should not expect that we will be able to convert about 15 years of VCL work in a matter of weeks to FireMonkey. At the same time, FireMonkey will also have to prove itself that it is a stable, reliable, good & finally successful platform for cross platform development. This will also require some time to sort out by Embarcadero and its community. Given that FireMonkey is cross platform also means it offers just the best common denominator between platforms. Our VCL components being targeted at Windows only will as such always remain optimally suited & better integrated with Windows itself. More details about our planning on what kind of components and in what timeframe we estimate delivery will follow shortly...
Looking forward to hearing more. I have just put in my order for Delphi XE2 and can't wait to see if it lives up to expectation.
I am very excited about FireMonkey as well--however, some of us old-timers that were burned by Kylix have obvious concerns. I can completely understand what Bruno is saying in that it will have to prove itself--I am taking the same view even though I can't wait to play with the new toys! I don't think in any way that Embarcadero is the same as Borland and that FireMonkey will be handled anything like Kylix; however, if you lost thousands of dollars back in the day and were basically told to jump in the creek by Borland, you can understand many of the component vendor's trepidation.
Bruno, I too am looking forward to hearing your views on FireMonkey. Having tried it out on both Windows and OSX I agree that the approach is somewhat different to VCL and that Embarcadero possibly still has some work to do to make this a stable and mature technology. However, my view that it does have a great future ahead of it and that it won't go the way of CLX and Kylix.