No. But I’m not fanatic of any, and work as consultant and use to recommend one of them for every requirement I have. So here are some facts to make easier the choose of what to use to address system development requirements that you can have.
In Common:
All of them are the best in their fields:
- Java is the best Java development option.
- C# is the best .NET development option.
- Delphi is the best Native development option.
All of them have:
- Worldwide third party vendors that provide quality components and libraries.
- Worldwide well-known applications created with them (for example the Delphi ones may be are more known: Yahoo Go for TV!, Macromedia Captivate, TotalCommander, MediaMonkey, FinalBuilder, InstallAware, WinLicense, MySQL Administrator, etc).
All of them are:
- Highly reliable technologies with RAD capabilities.
- Supported by the best development aid tools (UML, etc).
- Releasing major upgrades in its technologies (Java 7, .NET 4.0 and Delphi multiplatform).
Differences:
3 Things in which C# is better:
- Quantity of developers available (comparing with Java) that can code in it (*).
- Has Microsoft behind.
- Cheaper development costs in terms of wages (usually).
3 Things in which Java is better:
- Quantity of developers available (comparing with Delphi) that can code in it (*).
- Portability.
- Has Sun behind.
3 Things in which Delphi is better:
- Speed (better performance for time critical systems).
- Small footprint (the Delphi compiler generates really small binaries).
- Has no explicit dependencies (easier distribution).
(*) there is a very reliable fact that there are more other-languages-developers that can code in C# than other-languages-developers that can code in Java, that means its easier to find C# programmers. Maybe that explains why in many websites (like this one) and forums that allow multi-language questions, refactorings, etc, there are USUALLY more C# questions and answers (84k vs 50k). Also, since Java jobs are best paid in many parts of the world, common sense points out that Java developers remain longer in their jobs than C# ones, that makes more difficult to find Java developers available than C# ones. And of course there are some other factors that can be discussed, but I’m pretty sure it’s usually easier to find a C# programmer than a Java one.