Context:

I'm not some crazy open source fanatic. It has it's place. Some good open source software around, but sometimes it's extremely mediocre software that ends up being used because it's free and crowds out superior closed source software.

I'm not some delphi newb - just a hardcore lurker. I've used delphi almost daily since Delphi 1, and turbo pascal for a few years before that. Used every version of delphi but 8 & 2007.

Semi-Open Source:

The IDE has issues. It seems like it keeps getting more. 10.3 with it's themeing just made it worse - I dunno who coded the theming and I apologize for saying this - it sucks! I can't even use delphi anymore w/o gexperts and disabling a bunch of packages - like themeing (thanks dummzeuch for maintaining gexperts & your handy tool! https://blog.dummzeuch.de/knownidepackagesmanager-tool/). There is no shortage of complaints about it here in my delphi shop or around on blogs or forums... Almost daily I hear or utter the words, "Damn you Delphi!" We've even looked into using VS Code instead but decided against jumping through hoops.

So it seems like maybe it's time to isolate anything deserving of remaining closed source from the IDE code, and give paying subscribers access to it and let them help fix it. Lets be honest, delphi devs are a dedicated bunch of bad ass people. The community has always been top notch - unlike several other languages... you know the ones i mean :P But it's felt for awhile that the IDE just keeps slipping a tad as feature after feature that nobody I know has any interest in is added while really annoying bugs languish. Open it up a tad so the people that are plagued by their personal bug annoyances can take a whack at fixing them.