Delphi 7 on Windows 8

[hwnd]

I maybe would use also Lazarus, but last time i used it, IDE was slow and executables were too big.
So i didn't like it at all. Luckily i have no reason to install Win8, which is like Windows ME. Total trash.

[SilverWarior]

I did try Lazarus five or six years ago and it seemed a little rough around the edges.

A lot have changed in this time. I also did try lazarus a few years ago and wasn't much pleased with it. But I also tried it a few months ago and I was preety impressed how it got much better in that time. So I strongly recomend you to give it a try.
And don't get me wrong I'm still a Delphi supporter and I own Delphi XE2 and will be upgrading to Delphi XE3 soon (already got upgrade codes from Embarcadero). The reson why I still stick with newer versions of Delphi is the fact that newest Delphi IDEs (Delphi XE and newer) do suport some feature that werent present in older versions of Delphi like Regions for instance. What I liked most in Delphi 7 was the help system which I can say was the best help system in any Delphi version.

[WILL]

You'll love Lazarus then. They just released 1.0 not long ago and it's code editor is just like Delphi 7. Actually it's better!

You don't have to use the VCL or LCL to make your games in fact just create a new "Program" project and you are on your way. SDL links just as well to a Lazarus project as it does a Delphi one. You just have to setup your project options up to include your SDL paths, but you have to do the same in Delphi anyways. Plus later on if you wanted to share your game with your Mac or Linux friends it's as easy as giving them the source to compile for their platforms or doing it yourself.

Here is a first impressions blog from someone that tried the new Lazarus 1.0 recently: http://www.delphifeeds.com/go/s/95836