Programmers at Borland International Inc are worried that Borland’s existing core products, such as Paradox and dBase, will be pushed out as the company shifts its focus to client-server development tools, according to InfoWorld. Key to Borland’s future success is Delphi 95, which the company claims is a revolutionary way to produce ‘industrial strength’ client-server applications. Delphi 95 has a compiler based on Object Pascal, and the rest is written apparently in itself. A major feature of Delphi 95 is its ability to match graphical user interface application changes at the compiled source code level – interactive compilation.
Object Exchange
Delphi also promises to speed up the ‘edit, compile, run, test’ loop, enabling developers to call in objects and develop their own, and build re-usable templates. Delphi will incorporate the new Borland Database Engine 2.0 for Windows to provide compatibility with Borland’s Paradox and dBase databases, and users can store historical data in enterprisewide databases such as Oracle7 or Sybase SQL Server. Using Object Exchange, users can exchange files over wide area networks and can create graphical controls that can then be incorporated into Paradox and dBase applications. The other elements of Borland’s three-year grand design include enhancements to the recently acquired ReportSmith; decision support front ends such as charting and mapping; enhancements to its flagging IDAPI database access technology; a data browser; three-dimensional data visualisation tools and query tools. The plan also involves much belt-tightening, and Borland chief financial officer Keith Maib has unveiled a hiring plan to reach the parts hitherto unreached as the company looks to reduce development costs. Only critical path workers will be replaced when any leave, and this will shrink Paradox and dBase teams. Company insiders also say that Borland will eliminate its sabbatical programme, increase the employee cost of health benefits, charge for recreational facilities and impose a four-day unpaid leave for all employees in December. Borland has failed to boost company morale by asking any dissenters to leave. Borland also wants to reduce its product development cycle to a year from 18 months. The new corporate structure, put in place last spring, comprises: the client-server development-tool business; Simplify – the consumer-product division; and Borland Interactive, developing Object Exchange technology, OBEX, and target the telecommunications and television markets.
