Graying Delphi

Foreign Correspondent - United Kingdom

Background

Delphi developers are fast graying. Without replacements, will legacy Delphi systems fade away?

Few months back, Mr. Smith collected his first pension from the Royal Mail. Mr. Smith is over 65 years old. In his past glory days - he used to develop software products for various firms. One product Mr. Smith fondly remembers of - is Delphi, except he no longer spends time developing any more. He has retired. Instead of waking up at 7:00 pm to catch the Metrolink to work, he enjoys his cup of English Tea, inviting your correspondent to spend the morning leisurely talking about the latest cars, football, then looking at your correspondent's iPhone, asked for advice how to operate his new-fangled iPad 2 device.

In his days, he used to develop products in Delphi, noting he no longer follows the newsgroups, BUG (Borland User Group, UK), Delphi Magazine and software development. "Aye", he says, with this sad expression on his wrinkled face. "Time flies when you don't think about it", lamenting how almost every month he would go attend his remaining friend's funeral or a sudden request to visit someone in hospital.

When your correspondent asked about what he developed with, Mr. Smith was disinterested, exclaiming, all they cared about was profits, profits and profits. They hired all these ----- developers and they ruined (PLC firm's) products. Mr. Smith was then assigned to be a project manager for these developers. "Let bygones be bygones", he said, asking instead which were the best Apps to get for the iPad2 instead and asking which Apps were installed on your correspondent's iPhone.

While there are no statistics on retiring software engineers, the UK is currently facing huge shortage of skilled software engineers. Many of these engineers will retire with nobody left to maintain legacy systems. "It's hard to explain software development to Generation Y (i.e., those born in  990's) let alone work with them." Mr. Smith said, glued to his iPad2, on the App store and downloading Apps on his iPad to play with.

While Mr. Smith has retired, other software engineers are soon reaching the retirement age in other countries, collecting pension and other social-security benefits. "There's always this bloke on the newsgroups who wants to give away all his books, later, his copy of Delphi and everything else since he's retired and no longer wanting to hammer away on the keyboard any-more", he says.


"Another cuppa of Tea?" Mrs. Smith asked your correspondent. "Yes please", while Mr. Smith looks towards happy retirement. Instead of being chained to the computer, now Mr. Smith goes sight-seeing, attending dance & tea sessions, going holidaying. "Life beings when you are '65" Mr. Smith said.


Whether there was any tricks an old dog could teach someone two generation away, Mr. Smith recounted that many skills were not being imparted to the newer generation. "But it doesn't matter, once they reach retirement age, they can look forward towards golden age in their life". Mr Smith smiles.


Your correspondent looks at the current Delphi developers. Dr. Bob reached 42 years - many years ago, David Intersimone sports a beard. Malcolm Groves is now bald. Robert Marquardt passed away.


They won't live forever, with no new leadership (Cary & Marco have been preaching Delphi for more than 20 years now) your correspondent wonders when they will soon be eligible to draw upon their pensions (social security)?


Looking at the bright-side, Mr. Smith says - their whole lives were focused on just Delphi, Delphi & Delphi. They can look towards spending time with their loved ones, holidaying and being grandparents.