January 22, 2001
(Fourth Monday)

Kylix - Delphi Invades Linux
John Kaster,
Borland Developer Relations

Kylix, one of the more anticipated projects in the Linux community, is the only Linux development tool to combine the Rapid Application Development (RAD) benefits of visual component-based design, with the power of an optimizing native code compiler and scalable database access. The goal of Project Kylix was to produce a high-performance RAD development tool for Linux. RAD here means component-based, two-way visual development of your user-interface (GUI), database, internet, and server applications. Development tool means a high-speed native Delphi/C/C++ compiler for Linux.

Kylix programming (the Delphi version) is done in Delphi Pascal (aka Object Pascal), an object-oriented programming language not to be confused with its progenitor Pascal, a language developed in the early 1970s. Delphi Pascal is more expressive than C++, easier to read, and development time is typically half or less of what it would be if done with C/C++. Kylix is about application development and is not meant for Kernel and device driver development.

Kylix supports both Open Source and proprietary development. It fully supports GNU General Public Licensed application development and both KDE and GNOME themes (KDE themes will be supported in the first release of Kylix). The Kylix IDE and all applications made with Kylix will operate in both KDE and GNOME desktop environments.

CLX is a new cross-platform, not just Linux, component library. It is the class library that ships with Kylix, and will be included with Delphi 6 for Windows which will make it possible to single-source applications for both operating systems. CLX includes components for GUI development, database development (both multitier and client/server), and Web server application development. CLX consists of four main parts: BaseCLX, VisualCLX, DataCLX and NetCLX.

Kylix fully supports Apache Web server development with components. The benefit Kylix offers is a component framework for building high-performance data-enabled Apache Web Server applications. Kylix also allows developers with existing applications developed for ISS and Netscape with Delphi to move them over to Apache.

Instead of interpreted and byte-compiled code on your server, Kylix provides powerful, object-oriented languages, with native compiled and optimized code, and design-time wizards to facilitate server-side scripting and database connectivity. For desktop applications it provides a powerful GUI builder, access to the popular desktop widget sets, and an object-oriented component framework. The IDE includes a WYSIWYG form editor, WYSIWYG menu builder, and an extensible selection of components.

John Kaster will review the current state of Linux development tools, and describe and demonstrate how Kylix provides the first high performance, RAD development tool for the Linux platform. With the release of Kylix, virtually overnight there are hundreds of thousands of applications available on the Linux platform and the ranks of Linux developers increases enormously.

Kylix Project home page
   A great portal to FAQs, Web sites, articles, and other information.
Kylix is Coming!  Delphi and C++ Builder Invade Linux
Project Kylix
Dr.Bob's Kylix Kicks
Kylix FAQs
Borland Linux Community


Time

7:00 PM

Location

Allaire Corporation
275 Grove Street, Newton, MA

Directions
    

From Logan International Airport Follow signs exiting the Airport for the Sumner Tunnel. Take the tunnel toward Boston and follow signs for I-93 South/Route 3 South, getting onto I-93 South/Route 3 South. Take the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) West, following directions below for "From Boston & Points East"

From Boston & Points East Take the Massachusetts Turnpike I-90 West to Exit 14, I-95/Route 128 (Weston Tolls). Take the I-95 South/Route 128 South ramp toward Dedham/Providence RI. Merge onto I-95 S/Route-128 South and take the first exit, Exit 22, Grove Street/M.B.T.A. Station. Keep RIGHT at the fork in the ramp. Merge onto Grove Street. Travel approximately .5 miles, taking a left at the first light after the Riverside MBTA Station into the Riverside Center.

From Worcester, Framingham & Points West Take the Massachusetts Turnpike I-90 East to Exit 14, I-95/Route 128 (Weston Tolls). Take the I-95 South/Route 128 South ramp toward Dedham/Providence RI. Merge onto I-95 S/Route-128 South and take the first exit, Exit 22, Grove Street/M.B.T.A. Station. Keep RIGHT at the fork in the ramp Merge onto Grove Street. Travel approximately .5 miles, taking a left at the first light after the Riverside MBTA Station into the Riverside Center.

From Points South Travel to I-95 North/Route 128 North. Take Exit 22, Grove Street/M.B.T.A. Station. Keep RIGHT at the fork in the ramp. Merge onto Grove Street, Travel approximately .3 miles, taking a left at the first light after the Riverside MBTA Station into the Riverside Center

From Points North Travel to I-95 South/Route 128 South. Take Exit 22, Grove Street/M.B.T.A. Station. Keep RIGHT at the fork in the ramp. Merge onto Grove Street. Travel approximately .5 miles, taking a left at the first light after the Riverside MBTA Station into the Riverside Center

M.B.T.A. M.B.T.A. train service is avaliable from Boston. Take the Green Line to Riverside, the last stop. Walk down the stairs and out to Grove Street. Walk under the bridge, turn left into the parking lot and towards the main entrance.

From the parking lot After turning into the parking lot proceed past the building and turn right. Either find a parking space and walk in the main entrance or proceed to the other end of the building and enter the parking garage.

Once in the building you will see it is actually three buildings, two smaller buildings and one large building with a security desk in the middle. Allaire is in the large building. Walk toward the security desk. The entrance to the Allaire building is up the stairs behind the security desk. In the Allaire building signs will direct you to the location of the meeting.

Additional Information

Al Reinhart, DisCom Systems
Voice: 508/869-6417
EMail: reinhart@DisCom.com