Question for you:
Q: What do Delphi, Kylix, Object Pascal, Free Pascal, Chrome and Oxygene all have in common?
A: They all count towards Delphi’s score on the TIOBE index when you follow them by the word Programming!
I remember when the Delphi IDE used the Object Pascal Programming language, then it changed to the Delphi Programming Language. After the DevCo broke off from Borland it was referred to as both. But as far as TPCI (TIOBE Programming Community Index) is concerned, you can call it what you like, as long as you say Programming after it.
- Delphi programming = 289,000
- Kylix programming = 1,840
- Object Pascal programming = 663
- Free Pascal Programming = 1,610
- Chrome Programming = 727
- Oxygene programming = 109
Noticably missing:
Soon to come:
- Delphi Prism Programming = 0 (until Google updates this page!)
And TCPI counts seperately:
- Pascal Programming = 109,000
- (These may overlap with Object Pascal and Free Pascal)
I was looking at the grouping and exceptions list at the bottom of the TCPI Definition last night and was surprised at the size of the Delphi group. I’ve already contacted them about adding Delphi for .NET. Once Prism is actually announced, then we can get it added too.
A number of bloggers (Gabr, Allen and Malcolm to name a few) have already updated their templates to include Delphi programming on every page of their blog. That is a great way to make sure your existing Delphi content is counted towards the index. I am not suggesting we game the system, just that we help TCPI get an accurate count.
As Olaf Monien pointed out, there are a lot of sites with a lot of room for improvement: CodeGear.com being one of them! In addition to his great list, check out the following:
- CodeGear Developers Network has 63,800 pages about Delphi, but only 1240 say Delphi programming.
- CodeGear Blogs has 2,020 page about Delphi, but only 15 say Delphi programming.
- DelphiBasics has 1550 great pages about Delphi, but only 2 say Delphi programming.
How does your site measure up? Update your Delphi related blog or site to say Delphi programming on every page in visible text (update the template). Stand up and be counted. You can make a difference!
Once you have updated your site, contact authors of other sites and encourage them to do the same!
UPDATE: Is the TPCI relevant? There are 12,900 hits in Google where people have refernced them, and an Alexa traffic rank of: 111,776. (Thanks RIF)
11 replies on “The Many Faces of Delphi”
Honestly I’m not sure why we’d bother.
You’ve just proved how inadequate it is as a metric with your analysis of how badly it measures CDN, DelphiBasics and the blog sites.
I wonder if anyone else but Delphi programmers pays so much attention to the TIOBE. Perhaps it’s because it begins with a T.
Is the TPCI relevant? There are 12,900 hits in Google where people have refernced them.
Note that it will take some time (weeks?) until Google updates their index to reflect the new Delphi Programming items added to your site(s), and then it may take some time before TIOBE picks it up, so don?t give up if the effect isn?t seen overnight.
And although I was second runner-up with Dr.Bob?s Delphi Programming Clinic, I?ll keep adding Delphi Programming to my other sites as well from now on 😉
@Lachlan
Tiobe is unfortunately referenced quite often, the site has an Alexa rating of ca. 100k. For that reason it is pity if Delphi is counted less than its market position deserve.
Hi Jim, you should add “Lazarus programming” = 189 hits!
Leonardo.
Kudos to Jim for pointing this out to the community.
It’s only far to ourselves to have delphi correctly represented!
@Lachlan as a programmer , is it not in your nature to correct something when you know it is incorrect? TIOBE is simply another indicator that can be referenced when a new/potential client is uneasy about delphi programming as a valid solution.
@Leonardo
I’ve emailed TIOBE to add ?Lazarus programming?! Thanks!
@RIF
I updated the post with the Alexa information.
Not to be a party pooper or anything. But the real proof is not on a silly index. The real proof is in the marketability of your Delphi skills and how easily one can find and retain Delphi related positions and/or assignments. It is no secret that I have been looking for my next Delphi position and it has been very frustrating to try to get into a shop that does Delphi.
I think we need to focus our energies on something else. We need to become more pragmatic and wear our “revolutionary community builders who don’t
know when they should just give up” hats in a more “evangelically effective” way.
The real challenge is to convince companies that Delphi is a capable tool supported by a serious Company and should be seriously considered for projects where it fits.
I can speak from a position where a company (that shall remain nameless) that has mismanaged the technology selection phase (by going after a Microsoft only tools/technologies) by not properly considering all available options and are paying the price for that shortsightedness. Delphi was dismissed as a before the beginning. And I can tell you there were large portions of the projects that would have benefited from having Delphi as the IDE of choice.
Cheer,
Alan
In a life without walls, who needs Windows?
My blog change-log:
1) Changed description to “Delphi Programming”
2) Added “Delphi Programming” category
3) Started to use “Delphi Programming” in posts as much as possible
My blog change-log:
Changed title “Delphi blogs containing Delphi experiences and Delphi resources” into “Delphi programming blogs containing Delphi experiences and Delphi resources”
I’m fascinated by the diverse range of views and opinions. Who’s your “go to” guy?