Standing in the Gap
Let it be clear, what the BCB user community has done with regards to the community letter, is to take a "proactive" stance and plainly "pitch" what they believe is best for the entire community. We are neither fleeing, nor begging, nor disillusioned. What we are doing, through the community letter, is “standing in the gap” on behalf of our fellow developers, our customers, and those we know within Borland who are just as passionate about C++Builder as we have been. Consider the following text for which the concept of “standing in the gap” has been borrowed over history.
"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none." - Ezekiel 22:30
There’s obvious benefit if Borland C++Builder was to continue. If we sit quietly and not say anything -- other than whining and complaining among ourselves – perhaps we might wonder one day if our lack of interest put the final nail in the coffin. We are told that by December 15th an answer will be made. By standing in the gap with solidarity – a greater chance remains for Borland to provide and commit to a roadmap regarding the future of C++Builder. Following December 15th, we will move forward (with or without Borland).
As far as those who are critical of this cause or think we’re begging, let me put it in context through a simple analogy...
Suppose you travel to work on a train, and that was the most efficient way for you to get to the office on a daily basis. You've been doing it for years. One day though, the transportation company responsible for the train begins to focus more interest on other "transportation" endeavors. Slowly the tracks that you travel begin to deteriorate, and people begin to wonder, "what is happening to this train?". The initial response, that you hear is, "well, we are working on a new train - called the Xtrain. It's not quite as fast, but it crosses over a whole lot more terrain -- it will cater to more riders -- and it will eventually give everyone more options." At first, you are okay with this, but then you slowly realize that the train stop that you and many others board is not going to be supported or included with this new Xtrain, because it uses an entirely set of new tracks - not compatible with the tracks used by the old train. This is bewildering to you -- and others -- because you realize the infrastructure is already in place with a train that has always made sense because it is fast and efficient for a majority portion of their ride share. Furthermore, the train used on the other side of town, which receives a whole lot more attention by the transportation company, operates on the very same type of tracks your train operates on, however it continues to get annual maintenance repairs and improvements by the transportation company, whereas your train does not.
Regardless, because you have seen the transportation company deliver the goods in the past, you force yourself to drive farther to catch the new XTrain even though it's still under development. Occasionally, though because of necessity, you keep using the old train despite the fact it has no conductors servicing it anymore. On almost a daily basis, you consider other transportation options: driving your own car in heavy traffic, joining a van pool, slugging to catch the HOV with other riders, etc... While there are other options, they are not as enticing and, it just perplexes you why the transportation company doesn't advance what they already have. And, secondly, you and everyone else wonder why are they neglecting their tried and true customers on your side of town -- or so it appears -- and giving focus and attention to the faithful riders riding the old but updated train on the other side of town.
Now is it begging to go to the Transportation Company, and state why you feel the old train is important, and to clearly ask that they provide a roadmap and decision on what they're going to do with that old train? Especially if decisions need to be made as to how you might need to travel in the future? Don't those faithful travelers, such as yourself, have every right to ask what's the plan? Additionally, don't they have every right to try to persuade them to recommit to the old train that everybody loved. Why? Because it simply makes sense to keep it alive. Keep in mind one does not need to beg to plainly ask – and to stand in the gap. But by not standing in the gap we may be legitimizing a decision to shut down the old train. What good is to sit quietly when one can express (and encourage) what they feel is a mutually better way -- especially when there’s still hope that the ship can be righted.
"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none." - Ezekiel 22:30
There’s obvious benefit if Borland C++Builder was to continue. If we sit quietly and not say anything -- other than whining and complaining among ourselves – perhaps we might wonder one day if our lack of interest put the final nail in the coffin. We are told that by December 15th an answer will be made. By standing in the gap with solidarity – a greater chance remains for Borland to provide and commit to a roadmap regarding the future of C++Builder. Following December 15th, we will move forward (with or without Borland).
As far as those who are critical of this cause or think we’re begging, let me put it in context through a simple analogy...
Suppose you travel to work on a train, and that was the most efficient way for you to get to the office on a daily basis. You've been doing it for years. One day though, the transportation company responsible for the train begins to focus more interest on other "transportation" endeavors. Slowly the tracks that you travel begin to deteriorate, and people begin to wonder, "what is happening to this train?". The initial response, that you hear is, "well, we are working on a new train - called the Xtrain. It's not quite as fast, but it crosses over a whole lot more terrain -- it will cater to more riders -- and it will eventually give everyone more options." At first, you are okay with this, but then you slowly realize that the train stop that you and many others board is not going to be supported or included with this new Xtrain, because it uses an entirely set of new tracks - not compatible with the tracks used by the old train. This is bewildering to you -- and others -- because you realize the infrastructure is already in place with a train that has always made sense because it is fast and efficient for a majority portion of their ride share. Furthermore, the train used on the other side of town, which receives a whole lot more attention by the transportation company, operates on the very same type of tracks your train operates on, however it continues to get annual maintenance repairs and improvements by the transportation company, whereas your train does not.
Regardless, because you have seen the transportation company deliver the goods in the past, you force yourself to drive farther to catch the new XTrain even though it's still under development. Occasionally, though because of necessity, you keep using the old train despite the fact it has no conductors servicing it anymore. On almost a daily basis, you consider other transportation options: driving your own car in heavy traffic, joining a van pool, slugging to catch the HOV with other riders, etc... While there are other options, they are not as enticing and, it just perplexes you why the transportation company doesn't advance what they already have. And, secondly, you and everyone else wonder why are they neglecting their tried and true customers on your side of town -- or so it appears -- and giving focus and attention to the faithful riders riding the old but updated train on the other side of town.
Now is it begging to go to the Transportation Company, and state why you feel the old train is important, and to clearly ask that they provide a roadmap and decision on what they're going to do with that old train? Especially if decisions need to be made as to how you might need to travel in the future? Don't those faithful travelers, such as yourself, have every right to ask what's the plan? Additionally, don't they have every right to try to persuade them to recommit to the old train that everybody loved. Why? Because it simply makes sense to keep it alive. Keep in mind one does not need to beg to plainly ask – and to stand in the gap. But by not standing in the gap we may be legitimizing a decision to shut down the old train. What good is to sit quietly when one can express (and encourage) what they feel is a mutually better way -- especially when there’s still hope that the ship can be righted.
1 Comments:
Actually I think it's beyond begging. We're so desperate that we're what's known in the car sales business as "lie downs", i.e., I'll just lie down and you can take my money.
As a looong-time Borland tool user, I've completely lost faith in Borland's corporate ability to develop products that meet *my* needs. I'm in my third engineering company as a development manager where my charter from executive-level management was to get rid of Borland. It's gotten easier each time. The last time I've had a Borland sales rep call on me was when I was evaluating Polaris (Delphi1) for adoption as the preferred development language for a major POS vendor. I don't think Borland knows who their customer base was or who the decision makers are.
I do wish them luck in the ALM market, but I'm aware enough to realize that C++ isn't a priority, Delphi barely is, and Java is their current star.
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