Comments on: "Independence suits CodeGear", an article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel newspaper http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206 David Intersimone (David I) CodeGear blog about programming, languages, history, and more. Sat, 30 Aug 2008 01:00:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.3-2.2.1 By: David Howes http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206#comment-1043 David Howes Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:10:17 +0000 http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206#comment-1043 'Better advertising'?. I don't know what TV and press advertising is like in the U.S. but here in the U.K. it is non existent. Someone said to me not so long ago after I mentioned CodeGears name change from Borland. 'I thought Borland went bust years ago, I heard they changed their name to Inprise or something, are they still going then?' and this is someone who works as a developer. Here is an idea. To pull in the hobbyist/student programmer launch a competition with a reasonable cash prize to build something usefull with a new twist and a certain amount of fun to it, say an educational program of some kind (think wide here not just another dull under fives app to join the millions of freeware ones out there), make it clear that the winner would not be judged soley on technical merit but on the imaginativeness of the application. Then create a CD with a video describing the competition along with a copy of Turbo Delphi and distribute it via the computer magazines; they should be happy enough to distribute something with 'win money', 'free programming tools' on the cover for free. Another idea is to produce a set of tutorials maybe include Nicks camtasia stuff (possibly redone a bit less hurridly) as well and include it along with a copy of Turbo Delphi and hand it out to universities to pass to their students (a smart way to ensure this happened efficiently would be to kickback the universities a percentage based on the number of registrations of Turbo Delphi from students. Another idea, this one a bit more ambitious, would be to try and get some manufacturers like Lego interested in working with you to produce programming packages for their stuff. And finally what about thinking about the younger generation launch some very simple projects for school children (it is surprising what kids even as young as 12 or 13 can achieve), O.K. you won't make any money from them but you'll get them to associate programming with CodeGear at an early age and who knows some of their developer parents may well take an interest and be surprised about what else can be done with Delphi. I think the key overall is to try and make programming fun and not assume that fun equals unprofessional. Trying to out Microsoft Microsoft is not an option it's got more money and its going to do slick marketing and advertising better you'll just end up an 'also ran'. An approach that suggests a fun fresh alternative to Microsoft would probably work, not least because most programmers are free thinkers that at heart don't want to be tied to Microsoft. David I's posts could start to read like, having returned from the 'build a Delphi powered robot' contest in Amsterdam, I spent the day in London checking out our competition winner from the university coding contest finals where I met the winner demonstrating his new educational app where you get to play the leader of an ant colony check out his code here at www.whatever.com' ‘Better advertising’?. I don’t know what TV and press advertising is like in the U.S. but here in the U.K. it is non existent. Someone said to me not so long ago after I mentioned CodeGears name change from Borland. ‘I thought Borland went bust years ago, I heard they changed their name to Inprise or something, are they still going then?’ and this is someone who works as a developer. Here is an idea. To pull in the hobbyist/student programmer launch a competition with a reasonable cash prize to build something usefull with a new twist and a certain amount of fun to it, say an educational program of some kind (think wide here not just another dull under fives app to join the millions of freeware ones out there), make it clear that the winner would not be judged soley on technical merit but on the imaginativeness of the application. Then create a CD with a video describing the competition along with a copy of Turbo Delphi and distribute it via the computer magazines; they should be happy enough to distribute something with ‘win money’, ‘free programming tools’ on the cover for free. Another idea is to produce a set of tutorials maybe include Nicks camtasia stuff (possibly redone a bit less hurridly) as well and include it along with a copy of Turbo Delphi and hand it out to universities to pass to their students (a smart way to ensure this happened efficiently would be to kickback the universities a percentage based on the number of registrations of Turbo Delphi from students. Another idea, this one a bit more ambitious, would be to try and get some manufacturers like Lego interested in working with you to produce programming packages for their stuff. And finally what about thinking about the younger generation launch some very simple projects for school children (it is surprising what kids even as young as 12 or 13 can achieve), O.K. you won’t make any money from them but you’ll get them to associate programming with CodeGear at an early age and who knows some of their developer parents may well take an interest and be surprised about what else can be done with Delphi. I think the key overall is to try and make programming fun and not assume that fun equals unprofessional. Trying to out Microsoft Microsoft is not an option it’s got more money and its going to do slick marketing and advertising better you’ll just end up an ‘also ran’. An approach that suggests a fun fresh alternative to Microsoft would probably work, not least because most programmers are free thinkers that at heart don’t want to be tied to Microsoft. David I’s posts could start to read like, having returned from the ‘build a Delphi powered robot’ contest in Amsterdam, I spent the day in London checking out our competition winner from the university coding contest finals where I met the winner demonstrating his new educational app where you get to play the leader of an ant colony check out his code here at www.whatever.com‘

]]> By: Tony http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206#comment-1042 Tony Mon, 19 Mar 2007 08:23:56 +0000 http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206#comment-1042 Better advertising. <br> <br>When I watch Battlestar Galactic on SciFi <br>(which borrows a lot from greek/roman mythology) I see adds for Visual Studio. <br>There are tons of tech professionals that watch that show and all they see is adds for VS? <br>The even mention Delphi in the show as it's the name of a city on New Caprica, but they pronounce it the UK way :-) <br>Seems to me you guys are missing out on a great marketing opportunity. <br> <br>Just a Idea :-) <br> <br>Tony Better advertising.

When I watch Battlestar Galactic on SciFi

(which borrows a lot from greek/roman mythology) I see adds for Visual Studio.

There are tons of tech professionals that watch that show and all they see is adds for VS?

The even mention Delphi in the show as it’s the name of a city on New Caprica, but they pronounce it the UK way :-)
Seems to me you guys are missing out on a great marketing opportunity.

Just a Idea :-)

Tony

]]> By: David Intersimone http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206#comment-559 David Intersimone Mon, 19 Mar 2007 07:49:37 +0000 http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206#comment-559 > In his comment, John Calahan wrote - "Seemed like your evangelistic efforts need some focus" <br> <br>John C and others - It would be really helpful to get a list of "evangelistic efforts" that you think that I (and CodeGear) should do. What focus would you like to see? > In his comment, John Calahan wrote - "Seemed like your evangelistic efforts need some focus"

John C and others - It would be really helpful to get a list of "evangelistic efforts" that you think that I (and CodeGear) should do. What focus would you like to see?

]]> By: Johnny T. Again http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206#comment-1040 Johnny T. Again Mon, 19 Mar 2007 04:38:22 +0000 http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206#comment-1040 I like the shirt! <br> <br>@Johnny: hey are you a machine or what? You should care about the people who stand behind the "first class solutions" you only seem to care about. And... don't be so sure about your "most people" it's easy to be wrong :-) <br> I like the shirt!

@Johnny: hey are you a machine or what? You should care about the people who stand behind the "first class solutions" you only seem to care about. And… don’t be so sure about your "most people" it’s easy to be wrong :-)

]]> By: John Calahan http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206#comment-1039 John Calahan Mon, 19 Mar 2007 00:41:02 +0000 http://blogs.codegear.com/davidi/2007/03/18/33206#comment-1039 David I: <br> <br>It seemed to me you really like to manify your contributions to then Borland and now CodeGear. As a 20 year veteran and chief evangelist of "whatever", how come Borland products have been limping along and bypassed by that 800 pound gorilla? Seemed like your evangelistic efforts need some focus, perhaps less egoistic in approach may actually help? <br> <br>I sincerely hope, as a Borland user and shareholder that CodeGear in the next 5 years will understand it's own strength and market succinctly and please don't tell us you started work at 4 am or it's it London or Amsterdam you were supposed to be at! Frankly most people don't really care, what we care is whether CodeGear can produce and continue to deliver first class solutions! Seriously... David I:

It seemed to me you really like to manify your contributions to then Borland and now CodeGear. As a 20 year veteran and chief evangelist of "whatever", how come Borland products have been limping along and bypassed by that 800 pound gorilla? Seemed like your evangelistic efforts need some focus, perhaps less egoistic in approach may actually help?

I sincerely hope, as a Borland user and shareholder that CodeGear in the next 5 years will understand it’s own strength and market succinctly and please don’t tell us you started work at 4 am or it’s it London or Amsterdam you were supposed to be at! Frankly most people don’t really care, what we care is whether CodeGear can produce and continue to deliver first class solutions! Seriously…

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