Paul Scott wrote:

> Allen,
> 
> On Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:08:07 -0000, Allen Bauer  
> <✉spicedham.codegear.com> wrote:
> 
> > I hate the lack of information too. I wish I could say more. But the
> > cold hard reality is that if we divulge too much too soon, sales of
> > the current product tank, layoffs happen, pay is cut and we are
> > left with less people, less time, and more work.
> 
> ISTR a couple of years ago - when you were still
> Borland/DevCo/CodeGear - we were constantly told that everyone in the
> company wished they could say more (or even produce a roadmap) but we
> customers would just have to be patient.
> 
> Back then, of course, the sole impediment was that nasty SOX
> legislation.
> 
>    "Autres temps, Autres moeurs" ?   Or is it just  "Same old, Same
> old" ?
> 
> 
> Turning your statement round, surely your management cannot think
> that giving less information to your customers, will increase the  
> likelihood of them of them buying upgrades and decrease the chances
> of them looking elsewhere for a longterm solution that they can rely
> on?

My point is that there is a balance that has to be maintained.
Sometimes we get it right, but many times we err on the side of
caution. You cannot "unrelease" a roadmap that gives away information
that stalls current sales.


I do know that as the new owners and management get more and more
comfortable (remember, they're only 1.5 years into owning a product
line with >25 year history) with the customer base and the product,
things will change.


Because Delphi is such a key peice of the company's strategy over the
next few years, we have to be extremely diligent about when and what we
divulge. Not only are our customers listening for this information, so
too are the competitors.


Unlike Borland, Delphi is no longer an afterthought or footnote in the
company's strategic vision. We're no longer the whipping boy of
quarterly reports. Now it is, "How can we leverage and build on the
Delphi (RAD Studio) product, community, etc...?" There are many irons
in the fire with several key projects and teams spooled up throughout
the company. While not all of them are directly working *on* Delphi(RAD
Studio) the product, it is involved in some manner. Given that, we
*are* very careful to ensure we don't do *anything* that would hinder,
or even give the perception of hindering, current sales.


-- 
Allen Bauer
Embarcadero Chief Scientist
http://blogs.embarcadero.com/abauer