[slowmovintarget]

No. It wasn't Linux, it was web applications that did Delphi in commercially. GUI desktop software was suddenly unpopular and web applications were all the rage because OMG! just go live! No upgrade and multi-platform InstallShield build to deal with.

My first serious language was Turbo Pascal 3.0. When Delphi came out, I jumped on board. My first programming job was as a Delphi programmer, starting with Delphi 1, switching to Java after Delphi 5 Enterprise. Delphi, and even C++ Builder were IDEs geared toward producing desktop client-server applications. If you were building web apps Java was the place to be.

Kylix never mattered, because Linux desktop applications didn't matter, generally speaking, so it never became profitable. Linux as an alternative to Solaris on servers was a huge deal though, and is now nearly ubiquitous. But again, Delphi came very late to the web application game.

[coverband]

That was exactly it… Plus their clumsy rebranding over and over, changing licensing terms that stopped non-enterprise users from adopting, and the CS educators adopting Java and dropping Pascal… They tried to use Delphi as a cash cow when they needed innovation…

[heelix]

One of my early professional 'whoops' was with Delphi. We delivered a client (server) application that was sent out on like 20 floppy disks. I misspelled Pharmaceutical, which was part of the company name, on the splash screen. We had a lot of 'junk' floppies floating around the office after that.

The way the web changed customer facing software was amazing at the time.