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Simon Kissel – of CrossKylix fame and Alternative Roadmap infamy – apparently recently re-appeared in the Delphi forums.  I say apparently because Embarcadero or TeamB have seemingly been doing their best to maintain his status as a non-person.  Can this be A Good Thing™?

I don’t think so.

As I say in comments to another post on this subject, if someone misbehaves in a forum sufficiently to warrant being banned from further participation, then by all means ban them.  But, with any legal considerations duly taken into account, leave the offending posts up so that people can judge for themselves.

By which I mean, if the posts contain liable language (libel, slander, incitement to racial hatred etc etc) then those parts of the post should be redacted, with a note explaining why.  But the posts themselves should be left.

Surely removing them leaves, or rather creates, room for doubt?

Unable to judge for themselves whether a post is justifiably deleted, people will polarise into those who fall on the side of defending the “right” to free speech without knowing what was said and those who will defend the right of the forum moderators to moderate as they see fit without knowing whether the moderation was warranted.

In any event, the look is not a good one for Embarcadero who appear heavy handed and ungracious.

Simon Kissel, whatever his previous faults or shortcomings, is if nothing else a passionate and enthusiastic participant in a Delphi Community that desperately needs people with passion and enthusiasm.

The saddest part of this is that what should have been a piece of encouraging news has been swamped by the controversy over Embarcadero’s behaviour.

A Delphi Community project that delivered something that many people found to be of great use (though I do not count myself in that group), effectively withered on the vine for the past 6 years – CrossKylix.  That project has now shown signs of life once more, indicating in turn, continuance of life in the Community – and talent – that fed that project in the first place.

But rather than celebrating this we are talking about the behaviour of Embarcadero for the second time in as many weeks.

What should have been a good, healthy sign for the Delphi Community has instead highlighted again the concerns that many of us have about those who currently (and I choose my phraseology deliberately here) hold Delphi in trust on behalf of that community.

64 thoughts on “It’s Just My Opinion, Of Course…”

  1. @Bruce, here are 2 posts to Embarkedonfoolery forums that were removed. They were both on-topic and contain no foul language. See if you can tell why they banned these posts :-

    “Rudy Velthuis (TeamB)” wrote in message
    news:183121@forums.codegear.com…
    > I am not rich (I wish I were), but I guess I can say I am well off.
    > Like others said: many people spend a lot more on their hobbies than a
    > few hundred bucks per year. Perhaps the occasional programmer will not
    > do that, just like I won’t spend much on photo equipment (far less than
    > a hobby photgrapher), but a hobbyist probably would.

    RUDY, you should consIder how difficult it would be for a filipino
    programmer to Start using delphi or c++ builder. After all, it’s difficult
    eNough if you are ImpoverisheD to obtaIn new custOmers – dreadful, in facT,
    and very tricky to capitalize on.

    ~_~
    Mark Jacobs

    “Mark Jacobs” wrote in message
    news:183489@forums.codegear.com…
    > http://www.google.com/reader/shared/02574275713823349761

    RidicUlous as it may seem, Dozens of livelY messages are beIng Stopped
    becAuse oNe or two are irrItating certain indiviDuals and causIng them tO
    deleTe them.

    ~_~
    Mark Jacobs

    If you ask me, Embarkedonfoolery are way too touchy to be running forums!

  2. In 2004, I wrote to Borland, indicating:
    – my concern that Borland was changing into a technology follower
    – the need for a full 32 and 64-bit cross platform compiler, Unix, Solaris, AIX, Linux, Mac
    – the need to rather modernise the Delphi Pascal language and at the same time fix the syntactical ambiguities
    – the need to have a proper Web Rad Kit with the Object Language at heart (Morfik like, rather that PHP like)
    – The need to have a proper starter (companion) component disk with an Expert to select and install appropriate components
    – The need to have the 3rd Party Component Environment better structured and standardised for everyone’s convenience
    – The need to have a Solution Configuration, which would include only the component sets needed of an application suite, rather than loading everything
    – The need to organise component developers in streams, so that completeness and quality of components could be better managed
    – The need of on-line subscription for both Delphi as well as 3rd Party Vendor Products and components in one convenient store!

    I then received a short reply that Borland’s 64-bit strategy was tied into Microsoft’s DotNet Strategy!

    This was disastrous ! Delphi is back on track, not because – but in SPITE of these blunders.

    So, it is not just about CrossKylix, the vision should go much much further.

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