Where to after Delphi 6 3

[terrytype]

I have been using D6 as a RAD tool ever since it was released. Now I discover that it won't run on MS-Vista whilst, from what I read elsewhere, Windows 8 and Delphi aren't "speaking" either. To add to my fun pretty soon [mid June 2014] MS-XPProf will no longer be supported by MS. Leaving me faced with having to re-engineer my software application with a RAD tool which "speaks" to W-8 ... until MS releases yet ANOTHER OS for the following 10 minutes. WHAT can I use that will [hopefully] remain compatible with whatever Billy Gates' outfit exposes us to next?

Old Man Delphi

 

[TonHu]

Try to find a Delphi 7, that'll keep you running for a few more years.

 

[Prattaratt]

You can run Delphi6 on Windows Vista and Higher; You just need to install it into a folder under the root directory instead of the default Programs directory so the security settings don't come into play. I have run C++ Builder 5.0 (which is the parallel version to Delphi6) on a Vista machine with no problems once I did that. The reason is that the IDE writes to files that are installed into the program directory, and Vista and higher have a hard time with that. By installing it into a sepearte folder under root, you bypass that feature of the later versions of Windows.
However, if you have the funds, I would recommend upgrading to at least Delphi XE2 if you can find it anywhere. I have been using XE2 since it came out, and really enjoy working with it. One of the biggest advantages is that you can compile 64 bit executables with it, as well as develope for Macs (But you do need a Mac to debug with). The biggest issues you will have is transitioning your app to Unicode; as of Delphi 2009, the default string was changed from AnsiString to UnicodeString. As long as you don't use strings for things like byte buffers and such, it should be mostly painless.