Smart Mobile Studio presentation in Oslo

Yesterday evening I traveled to Oslo and held a presentation on Smart Mobile Studio. The response was very positive and I hope that everyone who attended left with some new ideas regarding JavaScript, the direction the world of software is heading – and how Smart Mobile Studio can be of service to Delphi.

Smart Pascal is especially exciting in concert with Rad-Server, where it opens the doors to Node based, platform independent services and sub clustering. With relatively little effort Rad-Server can absorb the wealth that node has to offer through Smart – but on your terms, and under Delphi’s control. The best of both worlds.

You get the stability and structure that makes Delphi so productive, and then infuse that with the flamboyance, flair and async brilliance that JavaScript represents.

More important than technology is the community! It’s been a few years since I took part in the Oslo Delphi Club’s meetups, so it was great to chat with Halvard Vassbotten, Trond Grøntoft, Alf Christoffersen, Torgeir Amundsen and Robin Bakker face to face again. I also had the pleasure of meeting some new Delphi developers.

Presentation at ABG Sundal Collier’s offices in Oslo

Thankfully the number of attendees were a moderate 14, considering this was my first presentation ever. Last time I visited was when our late Paweł Głowacki presented FMX, and the turnout was in the ballpark of a hundred. So it was an easy-going, laid-back atmosphere throughout the evening.

Conflict of interest?

Some might wonder why a person working for Embarcadero will present Smart Mobile Studio, which some still regard as competition. Smart is not in competition with Delphi and never will be. It is written by Delphi developers for Delphi developers as a means to bridge two worlds. It’s a project of loyalty and passion. We continue because we love what it enables us to do.

The talks on Smart that I am holding now, including the november talk in London, were booked before I started at Embarcadero (so it’s not a case of me promoting Smart in leu of Embarcadero). I also made it perfectly clear when I accepted the job that my work on Smart will continue in my spare time. And Embarcadero is fine with that. So I am free to spend my after-work hours and weekend time as I see fit.

The Smart Desktop, codename Amibian.js, is a solid foundation for building large-scale web front-ends. Importing Sencha’s JS API’s can be done via our TypeScript wizard

So, after my presentation in London in november Smart Mobile Studio presentations (at least hosted by me) can only take place during weekends. Which is fair and the way it should be.

Recording the English version

Since the presentation last evening was in Norwegian, there was little point in recording it. Norway have a healthy share of Delphi developers, but a programming language available internationally must be presented in English.

A couple of months back, before I started working for Embarcadero I promised to do a video presentation that would be available on Delphi Developer and YouTube. I very much like to keep that promise. So I will re-do the presentation in English as soon as possible. I would have done it today after work, but buying tech from the US have changed quite dramatically in just a couple of years.

In short: I haven’t received the remaining equipment I ordered for professional video recording and audio podcasting (which is a part of my Patreon offering as well), as such there will be no live video-feed /slash/ webinar – and questions will be limited to either the comment-section on Delphi Developer; or perhaps more appropriate, the Smart Mobile Studio Forums.

I’m hoping to get the HD camera, mic-table-arm and various bits-and-bobs i ordered from the US sometime next week. I have no idea why FedEx have become so difficult lately, but the package is apparently at LaGuardia, and I have to send receipts that document that these items are paid for before they ship them abroad (so the package manifest listing me as the customer, my address, phone number and receipt from the seller is somehow not enough). This is a first for me.

Interestingly they also stopped a package from Embarcadero with giveaways for my upcoming Delphi presentation in Sweden – at which point I had to send them a copy of my work contract to prove that I indeed work for an American company.

But a promise is a promise, so come rain or shine it will be done. Worst case scenario we can put Samsung’s claims to the test and hook up a mic + photo lens and see if their commercials have any merit.