We are merging companies and our new product will be integrated in all our devices.

The test round is 50 devices, just to make sure D really works (it will be a kind of status-service that checks various parameters of the device and reports them).

The plan is between 50 thousand (realistic) to 100 thousand (optimistic) devices each year.

However, we are becoming unsure if D is really an option for us given the response we got trying to making almost the smallest change imaginable to phobos (changing a single word).

The product manager (who has a programming background) is very concerned.

Can we count on that if we find an issue with D that it will be taken care of? And if so, how, and by whom? That it will not be silently ignored for years? How can we safeguard against that?

Is the recommended course of action to fork dmd, druntime and phobos and have a completely parallel version of D, a bit like Weka? Is that what companies normally do?

What is the recommended approach?

Thanks!

PS. This should not be a discussion about some specific PR etc, but a general discussion about how companies should view this. DS.

On Sunday, 29 October 2023 at 12:54:33 UTC, Imperatorn wrote:

It sounds like you should probably get in touch with the D Language Foundation about this. Mike Parker, who posts the DLF meeting updates in the Announce forum, should be able to connect you with the right people.

On Sunday, 29 October 2023 at 12:58:28 UTC, Paul Backus wrote:

Ok, we will contact him and see what can be done. Thanks!

On Sunday, 29 October 2023 at 12:54:33 UTC, Imperatorn wrote:

I can't think of any 'serious' programming language where the maintainers will modify the core libraries just to accommodate a relatively small user.

It's clearly a business decision that is heavily dependent on what you need the language ecosystem to do. 9k lines of application code and 1k of drivers? Just use C++ and be done with it.

300k LOC with wide-ranging algorithms that need to be coded up in 2 years and supported for just 3 yrs before a rewrite? x86? Use D.

200k LOC with 20 yrs support? C++.

80k LOC embedded that depends on libraries written by a couple of D hobbyists? Ehhh, maybe not.

Sounds like you're not a big business. Concentrate on your core competence, which isn't writing compilers.

On Sunday, 29 October 2023 at 16:34:25 UTC, Abdulhaq wrote:

Can you explain why you responded to this?

It doesn't help anyone really and also doesn't give any insight into anything.

All is does is say "use C++". But I asked in a D-forum.

On Sunday, 29 October 2023 at 12:54:33 UTC, Imperatorn wrote:

I can testify that D is industry-friendly, more than lot of other languages IMHO.

Your company has a better chance here to be assisted for a specific problem that may arise impacting your product than in other languages.

Just a few weeks ago, I raised my hand for a regression impacting our codebase, and all the team was really responsive, with a quick workaround and then a pull request closing the bug, landed in the really next release.

We are very satisfied about the language and the care about industry, and it's powering our commercial offer from the bottom to the top.

D is a Five Stars Choice!

Paolo, CEO DeepGlance

On Sunday, 29 October 2023 at 12:54:33 UTC, Imperatorn wrote:

I'd probably consider hiring compiler devs who are doing something interesting but grumpy with the management and making a d subset compiler that you control if you actually of a size large enough to justify it

On Sunday, 29 October 2023 at 16:39:15 UTC, Paolo Invernizzi wrote:

That's very good to hear!

Thanks for your input

On Sunday, 29 October 2023 at 16:38:22 UTC, Imperatorn wrote:

Because you asked the question and I have a useful answer so I shared it.

You're not in a good mood, are you.

I proposed a scenario where you would use D. Anyway, if D is your only choice then fine, choose D. Simples.

On Sunday, 29 October 2023 at 16:39:28 UTC, monkyyy wrote:

Maybe, but it would be best if we didn't have to and could stay mainline D as long as possible. I want to hear other peoples experiences with this for comparison.