Ask HN: How can I convince my co-founders not to use a LAMP stack and should I?

#1

Post by nicenpretty » Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 3:13 PM UTC

I need your help. I am not a coder. I do some coding (mostly backbone+cs these days) but I have become more of a product guy. Still I think I have a good understanding of what's going on and I try to make myself familiar with the tools/languages used by people I admire.

My problem: I am starting a project with a few friends. They are good programmers afaik. They have been working in a PHP environment for more than 5 years now - with java being used more and more recently.

Now for our project: They argue that for building an MVP it is logical to stick to what they already know best: PHP. I argue that if I have to deal with PHP/LAMP again - now that there are all those amazing server and client side tools based on node, ruby, scala and cooler-than-php-language-of-your-choice - I might die of annoyance

Am I wrong? If not, how can I convince them that those new tools are worth a very close look - even for an MVP?

Re: Ask HN: How can I convince my co-founders not to use a LAMP stack and should I?

#2

Post by robbiea » Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 3:25 PM UTC

IMO, build with what you know already. If you want to build an MVP fast, then use PHP. You can always rebuild to scale later. That's if you NEED to scale, and people actually like your product.

The other argument is, maybe this is a good time for them to learn these new tools. Serious Question: Why are you going to die of annoyance if you are the product guy? As long as they can do what you want it to do, what's the issue?

Re: Ask HN: How can I convince my co-founders not to use a LAMP stack and should I?

#3

Post by JS_startup » Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 3:25 PM UTC

I'd say let the technical people choose and use the tools they are familiar and comfortable with. There isn't a hugely material benefit from jumping on newer, sexier technologies. At the end of the day it's about having a product to sell, not platform jingoism and technological pissing contests.

Re: Ask HN: How can I convince my co-founders not to use a LAMP stack and should I?

#4

Post by benologist » Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 3:27 PM UTC

Making everyone learn a whole new stack on top of building your business just puts another big hurdle between you and launching - new platforms can burn an insane amount of time on stupid things that take you seconds with familiar platforms and it can take weeks or months to reach the same productivity.

Regretting the decision is a luxury problem, you have to make the product and make people want to use it first.

Re: Ask HN: How can I convince my co-founders not to use a LAMP stack and should I?

#5

Post by gharbad » Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 3:36 PM UTC

"I am not a coder."

Then don't force your coding styles down your technical team's throat.

Re: Ask HN: How can I convince my co-founders not to use a LAMP stack and should I?

#6

Post by ericb » Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 3:40 PM UTC

Many coders give PHP short shrift, but I have seen amazing things accomplished using Drupal (which is in PHP) in very short timeframes. The fastest code to write is code you don't have to write. If they know php, don't get in their way.

Re: Ask HN: How can I convince my co-founders not to use a LAMP stack and should I?

#7

Post by giberti » Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 3:41 PM UTC

The language you use is largely irrelevant - it's the team you work with. If you want to work with the language du-jour you should find a founder who is fluent with that language.

If these are the technical founders you want to be with - then you should let them decide.

Re: Ask HN: How can I convince my co-founders not to use a LAMP stack and should I?

#8

Post by Berone » Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 3:41 PM UTC

Sounds like he just wants to use a more 'sexy' language.

Re: Ask HN: How can I convince my co-founders not to use a LAMP stack and should I?

#9

Post by SanjayUttam » Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 3:42 PM UTC

Use the language they know best (e.g., Can code fastest in). There are two phases to your start-up. 1) Is this shit going to work? 2) Holy shit this is working.

You are in step 1, get it out the door and worry about all that other stuff later.

Re: Ask HN: How can I convince my co-founders not to use a LAMP stack and should I?

#10

Post by j_col » Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 3:43 PM UTC

Just from reading you comment, reasons for using LAMP:

1. Your friends have 5 years experience using it, and want to stick with it.

2. You admit yourself that you are not a coder these days, but more of a product guy. So why are you second-guessing your programmers when they appear to have more experience it this area than you? You will have to learn to trust them, or your partnership is doomed from the start.

And now your reason for not using LAMP:

1. It's not cool enough (according to you).

If I were in their shoes, I wouldn't be convinced by this argument either.