www.marotz.com It may help you to find arguments in these 'religious' discussions about development tools... (you know what i mean ;-) Seriously: Of course every language or tool has it's advantages or disadvantages. I think what makes sence is to figure out the 'hard facts' to choose the right tool for the right job ! Discussions about this are highly desired in our new forum-category: Delphi and other programming tools !Othersdelphi, delphi3000, article, borland, vcl, code-snippet, , Delphi, Object-Pascal, C++, VBOthers">
 
 
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Delphi compared to VB, C++ and PowerBuilderFormat this article printer-friendly!Bookmark function is only available for registered users!
What are the differences from Delphis view
Product:
Delphi all versions
Category:
Others
Skill Level:
Scoring:
Last Update:
04/06/2000
Search Keys:
delphi delphi3000 article borland vcl code-snippet Delphi Object-Pascal C++ VB
Times Scored:
40
Visits:
33061
Uploader: PEPS ^^
Company: bluestep.com IT Consulting
Reference: Marotz Inc.
 
Question/Problem/Abstract:
I couldn't hold myself back to upload this comparison from Delphi with Visual Basic, C++ and PowerBuilder.

It's from Marotz.com ! Marotz is a global consulting and technology firm, specializing in internet and intranet business applications settled in San Diego ! You can find them under www.marotz.com

It may help you to find arguments in these 'religious' discussions about development tools... (you know what i mean ;-) Seriously: Of course every language or tool has it's advantages or disadvantages. I think what makes sence is to figure out the 'hard facts' to choose the right tool for the right job !


Discussions about this are highly desired in our new forum-category: Delphi and other programming tools !
Answer:



Delphi is better than Visual Basic because...

ActiveX controls created with VB5 require 1.5 megabytes of files to accompany them when distributing them, and those controls will run 10-20 times slower than ActiveX controls created using Delphi. The reason: ActiveX controls created using VB are interpreted, ActiveX controls created using Delphi are compiled.

One of VB5's new features is a native code compiler. However executables created with this compiler still require the Visual Basic Runtime Interpreter to be distributed along with the executable. Even with this new feature, Delphi apps still run 5-10 times faster

VB5 advertises Enterprise Scalability, but to get this scalability VB5 requires that you use MSSQL Server on Windows NT. Delphi is database and platform independent and has native drivers for Oracle, Sybase, Paradox, Access, Foxpro, dBase, Informix, DB2, Interbase, MSSQL, and AS400 so you don't have to use the limited functionality and slow speed of going through ODBC.

The Delphi IDE speeds development time and sets the standard that others follow.

Delphi offers the programmer the ability to trap and handle exceptions, VB does not. The ability to handle exceptions makes for more robust applications.

Delphi is a true object oriented language, VB is not.



Delphi is better than C++ because...

Delphi is much more English-like and less cryptic than C++

Pascal's strong typing discourages bad programming practices

Delphi is much easier to learn than C++

Delphi's compiler is much faster than C++ compilers

Delphi objects are all pointers which Delphi implicitly dereferences. This makes Delphi objects very easy to deal with.

Delphi makes dealing with strings very easy

Delphi's compiler doesn't just short-circuit boolean expressions, it simplifies them down to the smallest fastest statement possible

Delphi optimizes CASE statements to jump to the correct block

There is no ANSI standard for Delphi which gives Borland the freedom to change the language to integrate very tightly with their IDE, and enables them to come up with new innovations in the IDE



Delphi is better than PowerBuilder because...

Delphi is a true object oriented language with inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation. PowerBuilder is not an object oriented language.

PowerBuilder is interpreted at runtime, and so Delphi exes will run much faster.

Delphi offers the programmer the ability to trap and handle exceptions, PowerBuilder does not. The ability to handle exceptions makes for more robust applications.

Delphi has the Borland Database Engine which allows it to connect to many different databases using native language drivers. PowerBuilder connects to databases through ODBC, which is much more limited and many times slower in accessing data.

When compiling in PowerBuilder, the compiler stops at the first error found. Delphi scans the entire unit and displays all the errors found. So rather than compiling & fixing, re-compiling & fixing, etc, you can compile once and fix all the problems in the unit at once.

(c) Marotz Inc.

Some links that might be also for you:

Battle of the visual masters:
http://www.borland.com/delphi/news/battle/battle.html

Delphi Leaves Visual Basic In the Dust...Again:
http://www.zdnet.com/computershopper/edit/cshopper/content/9708/cshp0011.html

Visual Basic and Delphi Head to Head:
http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/issues/1415/pcm00122.htm

Why I really like Delphi:
http://www.vbda.org/Newsletters/99%2D12%5FNullWriter.htm

The case of Delphi:
http://www.delphimag.com/opinion/2000/01/di200001fn%5Fo/di200001fn%5Fo.asp

Next-Generation Windows Development:
http://www.borland.com/delphi/papers/wpwndev.html





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Comments to this article
Write a new comment
Can u please solve this problem
    praveen kumar (Oct 13 2007 10:18AM)

how do i  get major,minor version of vb6.0 which is a .vba file using delphi .

The version number of VB6.0 is In Right click on vb project--> make --> Verion ....

I am able to get versioninfo of .dll files . But not .vba file .If u know send me the code snippet to this mail id : praveen.smyl@gmail.com

Regards,
praveen
Respond

Not such a powerful Tool
    Nagendra Peruru (Feb 20 2005 8:28AM)

Hai, Delphi is not a such a powerful toll than .Net
Respond

RE: Not such a powerful Tool
salvador fajardo (Oct 16 2006 9:32PM)

Do you know that people behind Delphi created .NET ?
Respond

JAVA AND DELPHI
    studentboy (May 29 2003 2:58AM)

I Think that the weakness of almost all programming languages are they are not multi / cross-platform, so they cannot "run anywhere" like JAVA does. and they perhaps too complicated to learn and doesnt support some new features like multithreading. JAVA have all new and good abilities to use by any programmers especially for ex-C++ programmers, because it so similiar.
Respond

RE: JAVA AND DELPHI
Simion Catalin (Jun 21 2004 12:54PM)

Did you hear about Kylix ? Please upgrade your life
Respond

RE: JAVA AND DELPHI
Liquid Snake (Apr 8 2005 2:34PM)

don't forget that Delphi generates native code whereas Java compiler will generate interprated code so it's a little bit slow and it needs always the j framework..

Anyway, you should not compare java (the langage) to delphi, you should compare it to delphi for .net
Respond

Visual C++ vs. Delphi
    Mike Diamond (Mar 29 2003 1:05AM)

Well ok I see enough reason to believe that Delphi is better than ++, but what about Visual against Delphi???
Respond

Hmmm...
    Bill P (May 23 2001 9:10AM)

Okay. My comment on this article is that, while Delphi is indeed a very useful tool, you can't simply compare it to the tools of the other languages. Basic may not be as complex as C, which will make it less handy in some situations, but that is also a selling point. It is easier to learn than C. The comparison you need to make is between same language tools. Delphi stands alone their. Personally, I am a fan of C++Builder since I can use C language and still use the powerful components made by the 3rd party people. That is the one thing that does make it stand out also... There are alot of developers making components, and many of them are distributed as freeware. It's pretty clear what tool I would use, otherwise I probably would not even be at this website, but I cannot say that a Pascal tool is any better than a Basic tool or a tool for another language... Well, except for some of the freeware Java IDE's... They are just horrible...lol
Respond

Businesses are run by management not programmers (exception cited).
    Vet (Oct 27 2000 10:13AM)

Last year I left a contract in one of Canada's largest corporations... they used just about every platform in some form or another and their IS department was HUGE.  I had an interesting conversation with two of their C++ programmers;  basically they said that IS management wanted them to design a mission critical app in C++.  To give you an idea of what kind of app it was, you could compare it to an air-traffic control system -- lives, and millions of dollars on the line every second.

Anyway, the programming team decided they were NOT going to write such a monster in C++.  They decided on Delphi instead.  So how did they convince management?  They couldn't.  So they lied.  One day they went up to a monthly meeting and "admitted" that they had already designed 20% of the project in Delphi.  Of course the managers were pissed off, but 20% of a project was worth several hundred thousand dollars in 1988 when time was precious for Y2K reasons.  

I had a look at the finished app in 1999, and they even took me through the source.  Very slick.

However, my point is that business is business.  Unless you're a consultant that can bring in his own tool to a client site, you better be willing to work with what's there.  Because a manager isn't going to gladly spring for a $1000 piece of software that you think is better.  And if you decide to only take Delphi contracts how much work do you think you're going to get in North America?  You better have a night-job.

The number of NT/SQL server based businesses around is sickening.  But that's the way it is.  If your city is saturated with it and you don't have the itch to travel, don't expect to get away from ODBC or other Microsquash garbage.  
Respond

Incorrect statements about PowerBuilder
    Brian Simmons (Apr 18 2000 5:33PM)

Having quite a bit of experience in both PowerBuilder & Delphi, I would like to correct 2 statements you made about PowerBuilder:

>PowerBuilder is not an object oriented language.

Simply put, this is not true.  PowerBuilder is absolutely object-oriented and has been for years. Inheritance, encapsulation, function-overloading, polymorphism, etc... have been in the product since at least version 5.0 (and I believe 3 & 4 had most of it too).

>PowerBuilder connects to databases through ODBC, which is much
>more limited and many times slower in accessing data.

Again, this is just FALSE.
PowerBuilder has native drivers for Informix, Sybase, MS SQL, Oracle, and many others.  Native drivers or ODBC is your choice.
This has absolutely been in the product since version 3.0 (possibly even earlier)

Those corrections being said: I agree that Delphi is a better overall RAD tool for Windows than PowerBuilder.
The IDE is better, the speed is better, deployment is easier, 3rd party vendor support is phenomenal, and database access is on par w/ PB.

The downside of Delphi compared to PB: it's market share in the USA stinks.  Many US Corporations don't even consider Delphi because it's got a bad stigma because it's Pascal & from Borland.  (I have no idea why these are such a big deal, but they seem to be)
Respond

What a joke
    José Nuno A.P.S. Ferreira (Apr 12 2000 12:28PM)

It's like saying that a violin is better than a piano. Both are musical instruments, and both have advantages and disadvantages. That's why both can play in an orchestra.
It always make me laugh to read texts stating that a language A is better than B, specially when technical reasons are invoked. The only way that I accept such stating, that A is better than B, is when a context is expressed. It's only possible to say A is better than B when you add "to solve problem X", where X is a well defined problem.
My Alfa Romeo 156 is better than my Rover 111SL to make a long trip over the highway, but my Rover 111SL is much better than my Alfa Romeo 156 when it comes to drive from home to work.
Respond

RE: What a joke
Eric Pilote (May 7 2000 2:03AM)

But my Ferrari will always be better than your Lada.
Respond

RE: RE: What a joke
anonymus (May 15 2000 10:11PM)

I know that a Ferrari it’s a dream vehicle...
and that’s why Delphi it’s NOT a dream programming language.

Delphi is RAD while Ferrari is red;
Delphi is from the U.S. while Ferrari is from Italy;
Delphi is from North America while Ferrari is from Europe.

:->
Respond

RE: RE: RE: What a joke
from Italy with Pride! (Jun 21 2000 10:02AM)

Please... Ferrari is Ferrari. Made in Italy. :-))))))))
Respond

RE: RE: RE: What a joke
anonymus (Jul 6 2000 1:18AM)

i thought delphi was from germany....
Respond

RE: RE: What a joke
anonymus (Jul 12 2000 4:59PM)

Unless you are in the middle of a mud pool... then I would rather have a Niva than a F50. :-)
Respond

RE: What a joke
anonymus (Jul 11 2000 8:05PM)

I agree, but which you prefer to lead? Certainly it is the Alpha... The same he gives yourself with the Delphi. The fact is that it is better for many things in relation to the VB, particularly. Already I worked with both, and personally, I find that the Delphi is more practical. P.S. forgive the English.
Respond

RE: What a joke
Gerhardus Geldenhuis (Jul 22 2000 8:17AM)

Yes I totally aggree you can`t compare an oxcart with a modern car.
Those who drive the car will now.
Respond

RE:
Vimil Saju (Aug 12 2000 2:40AM)

I would like to know if code compiled in Delphi is just as fast as code compiled in Visual C++
Respond

RE: RE:
Jon Gilkison (Aug 21 2000 4:03PM)

No, but it's plenty close. With VC++ you can drop in different compilers, such as Intel's optimizing compiler (which produces some awesome optimized binaries!).
Respond

RE: Delphi and PB
Tommy Keath (Jan 31 2001 12:34PM)

      Come'on guys, Delphi is more fun to program with. Lots' n Lots of
  components (Free Rxlib,KBM,Winshoes,TWSock,Delphi-X,..etc). Can
  you writes hardware controls system that writes to database system
  direct in PB ? I don't think so unless get dirty down to C++ or Pascal
  level.  In Delphi , you use components.  PB Tools cost a fortune.
       You don't compare ANSI /ISO compare language to a script language made up by a company.  You compare it to Power C++.

      
Respond

RE: RE: Delphi and PB
Kilon (Jan 31 2003 4:55PM)

Let us face it C++ is too old.And produces too much garbage code which is tootally uselless.I would not mind if I was programming for DOS .Programming for Window is pain in this ass and "pain in the ass" has a new name ,MICROSOFT.My experience tells me that Delphi is so underestimated because most C++ users have no idea what Delphi really is.Most of them still think it is mostly Database programming languae and that Java is a Web programming language.My personnal opinion is that Delphi with C++ is the best combination.Write only when it is absolutely necessary in C++ and the rest of it in Delphi.Now with Java overtaking C++ everybody knows that C++ days are numbered and soon or later will not have the biggest part of "the pie".Considering that Jave is way too slow yet and several features waiting improvement in the near future that does not look very good for C++.

The answer to the question if Deplphi is better than C++ the generall opinion is "absolutely yes".I love C++ and i will always use it but because i do equally use Delphi I can't say that i disaggree with this statement.Just take a look in the Web , articles written by researchers with honest opinions and using facts(for example see .http://home.xnet.com/~johnjac/Delphi%205%20vs%20Visual%20C.htm).Later you are going to wonder "Why people still use C++", well the answer to this question is that "it is all about marketing" and Microsoft is top in this field.
Respond

RE: RE: RE: Delphi and PB
Muhammad Khurram Hanif (May 5 2004 10:00AM)

On thing still missing, PowerBuilder and Java is better than Delphi.. The reason is pretty simple I dont have any knowledge of Delphi, although the reason is simple but is very solid because to move to Delphi I have to learn it and thats what I dont want to do. Atleast for time being...
Respond

RE: RE: RE: RE: Delphi and PB
Khalid Alzahrani (Jan 31 2005 11:19AM)

My brother,
if you are programmer (even if you are not, but you have a computer  background) you don't need alot of time to learn any other language, specially for languages that give you the Power ,Easy and the Speed to improve your skills and applications.
Respond

RE: RE: What a joke
kunal kothari (Jul 2 2004 3:48PM)

best of luck for delphi
Respond

VB and Delphi
Hemantha Muthukumarana (Mar 4 2005 12:15PM)

I have worked using vb and delphi both.
what i have felt is, DELPHI is the father of son VB.
Respond

RE: VB and Delphi
rebel boy (Aug 11 2005 7:15PM)

Don't ever call VB as son of Delphi again, they are not family nor related. It will be like compare a Big Tiger (Delphi) with a stinky mouse like VB
Respond














 
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