[fpc-pascal] What to do to get new users

[Martin Frb]

On 17/10/2024 03:24, Ralf Quint via fpc-pascal wrote:
> Sorry, but do you really suggest that Lazarus should intentionally 
> adjust itself to the shortcomings of other IDEs? Being able to move 
> windows around over multiple (2 or 3) monitors is the most effective 
> way to work., l

Nope. (And I do prefer non-docked myself).

Being able to do things the way you feel most comfortable doing them 
(and likely the way you have previously done it in other environments) 
=>  That is the most efficient way.
Then, if need arises to adapt, the ability to do so at a speed of your 
choosing.

And anyway, we have both. It is not about having the feature, but about 
how it can be discovered and configured.
Which in case of discovery of docking can be considered solved, as users 
will in future be asked *once* at startup.

If anyone really leaves, because Lazarus provides a non-docked mode 
too... Well, that really can't be helped. And imho is not likely.

But of course there are tons of other options. And some may toggle 
(don't know, but likely) between how sublime versus vscode vs ... does 
it. So then there is no one perfect preset (there never is). The 
question is just, how to present those options in  a way users will find 
them? Or even learn they may exist, so they go looking for them.

And "learn they may exist": We got tons of cool features, and extremely 
few people know them (and many to whom I showed them, found them 
useful). Even after nearly 2 decades, I still sometimes discover new 
features that had been there all the time.

Also, we better do *not* just copy one specific other IDE (or other 
language/compiler). Maybe that would give a cheap startup boost. But it 
most certainly would be a dead end. We would never be able to keep up. 
And if one is always 2nd place (or less) then one looses. We must have 
our own innovations (and cuts) too (and we do, we just don't advertise 
those well enough).

**
In any case, it needs manpower. And that means new contributors who are 
willing to help. Including to compromise to something that may not be 
"all the way they want", but tuned down to go with the ideas of the 
current team .
(Some change is better than none)
**


And lastly, and without wanting to spoil the effort of becoming more 
"new user" friendly" (if volunteers will hopefully take that on).

We have to remember, we also do need the old users (both long term, and 
of higher age). There usage and feedback helps keeping things going.
And while not all presets have to be "the old way", the effort to set 
the older style should be as minimal as possible.