Beyond what Googlefight says, I find it interesting how many people compare Delphi Architect to MSDN Universal based on price. The thing they always neglect to consider is Microsoft doesn't sell you MSDN Universal for $2,799.oo, then license it to your for ONE YEAR. Next year you need to buy it again for $2,299.00 (upgrade price) if you want to keep developing software.
I know developers who are still developing major applications in Delphi 3. While I wouldn't recommend that, it is nice to know that once you buy the software you can keep using it as long as you want. It doesn't expire.
Sure, with MSDN you might get an upgrade if Microsoft released a new version of Visual Studio during your subscription. They release a new version every two years or so, which gives you pretty good odds of an upgrade in two years. Your total cost is $5,098.00 for two years of development (one new user + one upgrade).
Now if you purchased Delphi Architect for $3,490.00 and then 1 year Software Assurance (which gives you free upgrades for a year) for $1,047.00, brining your total up to only $4,537.00, and I have known people to actually qualify for TWO upgrades (a total of THREE different version of Delphi) with one year of software assurance. And the great thing is after the software assurance runs out, they can keep using their Delphi for years to come. If you do want to keep upgrading though, you just upgrade your Software Assurance for another year.
Of course everyone knows that a straight comparison between Delphi Architect and Visual Studio isn't a fair comparison since Delphi comes with so many more components, tools and libraries. This makes the TCO for Delphi a much better investment over the long run then anything Microsoft has to offer for development tools.
| Years | Delphi | Delphi + Software Assurance | MSDN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3,490.00 | $4,537.00 | $2,799.oo |
| 2 | $3,490.00 | $4,537.00 | $5,098.00 |
| 3 | $3,490.00 | $5,584.00 | $7,394.00 |
| 4 | $3,490.00 | $6,631.00 | $9,693.00 |
| 5 | $3,490.00 | $7,678.00 | $11,992.00 |
| 6 | $3,490.00 | $8,725.00 | $14,291.00 |
Talk about a huge savings! In 6 years you save $5,566.00 buying Delphi with Software Assurance over buying MSDN. In that same 6 years you get aproximately 6 different versions of Delphi or 3 versions of Visual Studio, and if you wanted to stop paying for Delphi you could, and keep using all 6 versions for as long as you want.
If you want to save even more then take a look at Borland's Technology Partner for Free vs. Microsoft's Empower Program for $375 (2 year limit) for even greater savings!
Granted this doesn't take any of the technical advantages of Delphi into account.
NOTE: Prices are from the manufactures web site and accurate as of this writing. Resellers may offer discounts. Table assumes starting with new user licenses.
2 comments:
It seems like you're comparing apples to oranges.
With MSDN Universal, you not only get Visual Studio, you also get operating systems, Office, server applications, documentation, etc.
Also, you said:
"Next year you need to buy it again for $2,299.00 (upgrade price) if you want to keep developing software. "
That's not quite true. You can continue using any software in your MSDN subscription even after your subscription ends, you just stop getting new stuff.
Actually, Apples and Oranges compare nicely. I do realize that MSDN includes all that other stuff, but that is the default comparison I hear from people when they see the price tag on Delphi.
You are correct about the perpetual license. Our sales rep misinformed me, and this wasn't the first time either. I just consulted the subscriptions FAQ:
MSDN Subscriptions have a perpetual license, so subscribers can still use the products received with their MSDN Subscription after their subscription has expired.It is still the case that Delphi with SA is cheaper then renewing MSDN Universal. Visual Studio pales in comparison to Delphi Arch as far as bundles go, so it is more logical to compare Delphi to MSDN, so it is a valid comparison.
The Borland Technology Partner Program is a much better deal then Microsoft's Empower Program. Again BTP doesn't include OS's or office tools.
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