Comments on: Beware: Exotic tools can kill you! http://www.killersites.com/blog/2005/beware-exotic-tools-can-kill-you/ Real world talk about web design, programming and the business of web design. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:25:16 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Stefan Mischook http://www.killersites.com/blog/2005/beware-exotic-tools-can-kill-you/comment-page-1/#comment-73 Stefan Mischook Thu, 06 Oct 2005 01:01:03 +0000 http://www.killersites.com/blog/?p=11#comment-73 @Justin Halsall, I am actually someone who is usually a touch ahead of the curve. Over the years (of jumping into new technology,) the one thing I have picked up, is that marginal technologies (like Ruby on rails,) that look to replace other very well established and capable tools (like ASP.NET, PHP, JSP etc,) will most likely never go anywhere - you will find yourself alone with skills that very few people need. I looked at the Ruby language a few years ago, and it seemed very nice and looked like fun, but these skills are not very marketable so I did not waste my time. <strong>Consider this:</strong> <ul> <li>For every Ruby job, there are probably 10 000 PHP gigs. </li> <li>I don't want to lock my clients into a rarely used language that will make it particularly hard for them to find people to support it.</li> </ul> Ruby does <strong>some</strong> things better than other more established languages, but it will never come close to gaining the market share of Java, PHP, Perl, C# and several others simply because it doesn't do anything special. <strong>Simply stated:</strong> too little too late for Ruby. We as software developers are always looking for the new language or framework that will give us some advantage. I have found after using around 7 languages and many frameworks (Web Objects, ASP.net, JSP, Struts, Velocity etc) that each have their 'thing' that they do well ... but none does everything better than the others. With that in mind, it only makes sense to stick to the mainstream and have marketable skills. At the end of the day, these are just money making skills. @Justin Halsall,

I am actually someone who is usually a touch ahead of the curve.

Over the years (of jumping into new technology,) the one thing I have picked up, is that marginal technologies (like Ruby on rails,) that look to replace other very well established and capable tools (like ASP.NET, PHP, JSP etc,) will most likely never go anywhere – you will find yourself alone with skills that very few people need.

I looked at the Ruby language a few years ago, and it seemed very nice and looked like fun, but these skills are not very marketable so I did not waste my time.

Consider this:

  • For every Ruby job, there are probably 10 000 PHP gigs.
  • I don’t want to lock my clients into a rarely used language that will make it particularly hard for them to find people to support it.

Ruby does some things better than other more established languages, but it will never come close to gaining the market share of Java, PHP, Perl, C# and several others simply because it doesn’t do anything special.

Simply stated: too little too late for Ruby.

We as software developers are always looking for the new language or framework that will give us some advantage. I have found after using around 7 languages and many frameworks (Web Objects, ASP.net, JSP, Struts, Velocity etc) that each have their ‘thing’ that they do well … but none does everything better than the others.

With that in mind, it only makes sense to stick to the mainstream and have marketable skills. At the end of the day, these are just money making skills.

]]> By: Justin Halsall http://www.killersites.com/blog/2005/beware-exotic-tools-can-kill-you/comment-page-1/#comment-70 Justin Halsall Wed, 05 Oct 2005 23:05:12 +0000 http://www.killersites.com/blog/?p=11#comment-70 D*MN are you one of those guys who also upgrades once every 8 years? What is wrong with pushing technology? Its a good thing! I don't say you have to do everything that is new, but you do have to check it out see if it will help you. This is also the reason I'm learning <a href="http://www.rubyonrails.com/" rel="nofollow">ruby on rails</a>. And please <a href="http://group.mind-productions.com/articles/upgrade_or_die_" rel="nofollow">upgrade</a> people! D*MN are you one of those guys who also upgrades once every 8 years?
What is wrong with pushing technology? Its a good thing! I don’t say you have to do everything that is new, but you do have to check it out see if it will help you. This is also the reason I’m learning ruby on rails.

And please upgrade people!

]]> By: dakota http://www.killersites.com/blog/2005/beware-exotic-tools-can-kill-you/comment-page-1/#comment-66 dakota Sat, 01 Oct 2005 08:14:28 +0000 http://www.killersites.com/blog/?p=11#comment-66 I enjoy and more importantly "understand" all that you speak about...I am a 100% total newcomer to this world but am hoping if I just keep reading your site and a couple books I got....that it will all start to make sense.... it already is {veryveryvery slowly I might add!}..... baby steps : : : : : baby steps : : : : ;-) I love all the templates you have I think they are so sharp. Someday - some - way.....I will buy one from you and put it to work...hopefully very soon. I know I have a great product and service...as I deal with half of Hollywood in a very successful "consulting" business...its small now but is spreading like wildfire... Any suggestions as to what YOU think I might try(books/mags/articles...or ?) in helping me to understand the big picture....? keep up the good work..... and thank you........ I have no intention of re-inventing the wheel...so your comment was very appropriate. dakota I enjoy and more importantly “understand” all that you speak about…I am a 100% total newcomer to this world but am hoping if I just keep reading your site and a couple books I got….that it will all start to make sense…. it already is {veryveryvery slowly I might add!}…..
baby steps : : : : :
baby steps : : : : ;-)

I love all the templates you have
I think they are so sharp.

Someday – some – way…..I will buy one from you and put it to work…hopefully very soon.
I know I have a great product and service…as I deal with half of Hollywood in a very successful “consulting” business…its small now but is spreading like wildfire…
Any suggestions as to what YOU think I might try(books/mags/articles…or ?)
in helping me to understand the big picture….?

keep up the good work…..
and thank you……..
I have no intention of re-inventing the wheel…so your comment was very appropriate.
dakota

]]> By: Debra Bell http://www.killersites.com/blog/2005/beware-exotic-tools-can-kill-you/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Debra Bell Tue, 20 Sep 2005 11:39:19 +0000 http://www.killersites.com/blog/?p=11#comment-16 I am looking for the article about starting a website design company. I remember reading bits and pieces. Has it been published as of yet. Where can I see it. I am looking for the article about starting a website design company. I remember reading bits and pieces. Has it been published as of yet. Where can I see it.

]]> By: Richard Feist http://www.killersites.com/blog/2005/beware-exotic-tools-can-kill-you/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Richard Feist Tue, 20 Sep 2005 10:47:16 +0000 http://www.killersites.com/blog/?p=11#comment-15 Really enjoying following you around. Looking forward to the new video training Really enjoying following you around. Looking forward to the new video training

]]> By: Chinmay http://www.killersites.com/blog/2005/beware-exotic-tools-can-kill-you/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Chinmay Tue, 20 Sep 2005 09:30:28 +0000 http://www.killersites.com/blog/?p=11#comment-14 Good Article thats what I would like to say...Thanks :) Good Article thats what I would like to say…Thanks :)

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