PC Plus only recently started doing DVD coverdisks, and they still do CD versions as well, though obviously the CD disk doesn't have as much on it as the DVD.
Languages that're harder also aren't necessarily any better! Assembler is THE hardest "language" short of straight binary, but on a modern PC there's very little advantage to it over C++ or Delphi; modern CPU's do so much optimisation that hand coded assembler is only rarely any better. Plus, I'd put Delphi on a par with VC++ at least; doesn't have some things (Templates, Macros), but does have some other things (reliable RTTI, sets, etc). And unlike VC++ it runs on Linux
(Yes, I know C++ code runs on Linux, of course, but if you've written in VC++ it's probably not going to).
Likewise, an easy language isn't necessarily less good. I'm biased, of course (but with reason), but I'd say Delphi is very nearly as easy to learn as VB (not really much difference) - but you can do an awful lot more with it once you're familiar with the language.
Oh, and most languages nowadays can create visual programs. True, it's easier in Delphi, or VC++ (or C++ Builder), but even a command-line C++/Pascal compiler could be used to create a windows app.
[This message has been edited by ficedula (edited September 07, 2001).]