BCB Journal, Delphi Pages, Delphi Magazine, Delphi Informant are out of circulation.
This post explores why major trade-publications that focus on Delphi, C++ Builder can't seem to keep the lights on.
Delphi or C++ builder publishing vendors who have closed down:
C++ Builder Journal
Delphi Informant.
Delphi Mag (UK)
On-line Delphi resources:
Delphi Pages - Delphi oriented site.
EFG site. (now in archive.org)
Why did they fail?
I can give some explanations why.
Un-audited circulation numbers.
Magazine X boasted a paid circulation of more than 100,000 developers and
unpaid circulation of 20,000 (to industry leaders).
Their ad fees were minimum US$12,000 per month with 2 month’s lead-times.
Reality: mysteriously shut downs
When I asked which firm audited their numbers, I was told by the salesperson, he’d check, then I was ghosted.
The Delphi Magazine fell soon after Delphi Informant failed. Do you believe that there are more than 3 million Delphi users? If 2% paid that would mean 60,000 subscribers, more than enough to support them.
Unprofitable to write about C++ Builder and Delphi
An informant told on confidential terms, a website with less than 30,000 impressions would earn an average of US$5 a month in Ad-sense revenue. This is a fraction of what it would take to support a business.
DelphiPages fell, many community-supported sites eventually fell.
Torry’s, is one of the last remaining Delphi component site.
If Torry’s fell, I think the Delphi community lose an extremely valuable resource.
Other subscriptions are prioritized?
An average Delphi developer earns very little. Most of the take-home wages are eaten by endless Delphi third-party subscriptions and litigious Embarcadero Delphi renewals.
Marketed Scam Companies
The Delphi Magazines did little or no due-diligence. So long as money exchanged hands, scam companies, vaporware companies, such as UDC, C…, K…, J… would feature frequently.
These magazines would not publish complaints about customers paying, not receiving any snail-mail diskettes or CDs, despite very negative feedback.
Other languages more Profitable
Java, Go and Rust has been always profitable. Why hasn’t the same journalists pursue them?
More ads than actual content.
Looking at past Delphi Informant issues (DI), The Delphi Magazine (TDM) issues there were so many ads, than actual useful content. One wonders, if instead, it could be free (ad-sponsored) and sent to various subscribers?
Oh, and one more thing. The USB stick and CD don’t have 3 pages of ads - the back of front-page and back cover 2 pages of ads. I wonder why…?