Database developer's gentle view on D.

[bls]

Not that you really need it.
Things move forward. Phobos becomes more and more reliable and usable, 
It seems that the accepting "Foreign modules/Fixes situation" is better 
than ever.  So it looks like things went into the right direction.... 
unfortunately not for me.

Let  me tell you in a second or two about my world.
Creating huge database based multinational applications   (likewise 
multinational/lingual Accounting - Order Sys.)

As said, I have to create Database applications,  consuming SOAP 
respective REST Services. Targets are Desktop(WIN only), WEB and Smart 
Devices. All of them have to interop.

So why not using D ? (Which I would like to do)

DB Support..
    Not yet available. In case that Steve Teale (and he did a dammed 
good Job, as well as Piotr) will add std.database this will not change 
the situation significantly. 'Cause std.database will contain just 
rudimentary DB support..  A Database independent, ORM based library 
module is not even matter of discussion. That's a  pity.

GUI..
     Well for us Windoze is the only interesting Desktop platform.
A _reasonable_ GUI is not available yet.(D-GUI looks pretty good,though)
WEB Development is for sure doable in D, reusable Frameworks are 
nevertheless AFAIK not available.

Smart Device Development..
    (Win 7 mobile/ Android/ IOS ) GDC for rescue ? On Android D To Java ?

Consuming SOAP/REST..
  ATM std.XML is not really perfect. So going a step ahead and asking 
for parsing WSDL files to generate appropriate D code would not make too 
much sense.
Further : Some Services require Certificate authentication. Another  No 
Go. No Crypto lib.

Don't get me wrong, I like D!  Otherwise I would not have followed  D 
for meanwhile 5-6 years.

Without having an DB-Object Relational Mapper, Crypt/Decrypt- extended 
XML support, PDF creation, Reporting, and XML related tools and (mucho 
importante) localization support,  D is not an option for us  --at the 
moment.

  So ... Being a bit enthusiastic about D's progress ? Sure!
  Leaving the planet, went to outer space with a  D Type _2_ Rocket made 
by BOING engineer W.B. ?    Risky ;)

A+
Bjoern