Help me choose: A new development language/platform.

#1

Post by michaelawill » Thu, Jun 04, 2009, 2:40 PM UTC

Both the language and platform should fit these criteria:

* Developing under windows. Where I work developing on Linux isn't really an option. * Web Development preferred. Most of the applications I make are web applications. * I like to create very clean interfaces but a platform that can make a good looking interface wouldn't hurt. * Pulling data from SQL and updating SQL is going to be the core of every app. I'd rather not go with a language that makes this painful. * I'm looking for something more than my current Visual Studios (VB.net) while at the same time I admit I'm no genius and there are probably some languages/platforms I won't be able to teach myself.

Re: Help me choose: A new development language/platform.

#2

Post by bdfh42 » Thu, Jun 04, 2009, 2:56 PM UTC

Stick with asp.net - it works and scales. You could always break out in C# if you need a change.

Database integration is a snip (and I avoid data bound controls like the plague) and Ajax works just fine. You can even use JQuery at the browser end.

Re: Help me choose: A new development language/platform.

#3

Post by noodle » Thu, Jun 04, 2009, 2:57 PM UTC

web development on almost any non-.net platform can be done on both windows and/or linux.

you should pick what you want to use and see if you can use it on windows. because you probably can.

Re: Help me choose: A new development language/platform.

#4

Post by michaelawill » Thu, Jun 04, 2009, 3:06 PM UTC

bdfh42 wrote: post #2

Stick with asp.net - it works and scales. You could always break out in C# if you need a change. Database integration is a snip (and I avoid data bound controls like the plague) and Ajax works just fine. You can even use JQuery at the browser end.

Maybe I just need to learn ways to make my applications look less generic. Whenever I hear about some new development platform I feel like maybe I'm pigeon-holing myself by sticking with Visual Studios. I want to be a valued contributor and no better way to do that than to create applications that WOW those above you.

Re: Help me choose: A new development language/platform.

#5

Post by synnik » Thu, Jun 04, 2009, 3:28 PM UTC

michaelawill wrote: post #4

bdfh42 wrote: post #2

Stick with asp.net - it works and scales. You could always break out in C# if you need a change. Database integration is a snip (and I avoid data bound controls like the plague) and Ajax works just fine. You can even use JQuery at the browser end.

Maybe I just need to learn ways to make my applications look less generic. Whenever I hear about some new development platform I feel like maybe I'm pigeon-holing myself by sticking with Visual Studios. I want to be a valued contributor and no better way to do that than to create applications that WOW those above you.

Sadly, you are already pigeon-holed because you are stuck with Windows and SQL. Stick with VS.NET for your platform. But also look into what JQuery can do for your front ends. There are many JavaScript frameworks that could also add a lot of value, but I recommend JQuery because Microsoft is using it in their new versions of SharePoint.

Bottom line: If you have to be stuck in Microsoft-land, work with them, not against them.

Re: Help me choose: A new development language/platform.

#6

Post by khafra » Thu, Jun 04, 2009, 3:38 PM UTC

synnik wrote: post #5

michaelawill wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe I just need to learn ways to make my applications look less generic. Whenever I hear about some new development platform I feel like maybe I'm pigeon-holing myself by sticking with Visual Studios. I want to be a valued contributor and no better way to do that than to create applications that WOW those above you.

Sadly, you are already pigeon-holed because you are stuck with Windows and SQL. Stick with VS.NET for your platform. But also look into what JQuery can do for your front ends. There are many JavaScript frameworks that could also add a lot of value, but I recommend JQuery because Microsoft is using it in their new versions of SharePoint. Bottom line: If you have to be stuck in Microsoft-land, work with them, not again…

It's a large pigeon hole--ironruby on rails is certainly possible. But to stay more idiomatic to .NET, F# is fairly comparable to Ocaml. Concurrency-friendly functional programming will allow you to hang out with all the coolest kids and grow a long, greasy beard.

Re: Help me choose: A new development language/platform.

#7

Post by mahmud » Thu, Jun 04, 2009, 4:00 PM UTC

Don't you feel curious to study and learn everything out there? you're already a programmer; ever thought of venturing out, if even for a weekend? don't you talk with people and have programmer banter?

I taught myself Pascal and Basic in week, and the first kid I spoke to who knew how to program told me: "Pascal and Basic suck, learn Delphi". I didn't, I learned Turbo C and Assembly, and I told everyone I met how they suck ever since.

For the sake of programmer banter and my own immaturity, allow me to say that VB.net sucks! now go and learn everything else :-) including languages that make non-corporate programming painful (i.e. because they're far too beautiful to be abused with SQL.)

Re: Help me choose: A new development language/platform.

#8

Post by michaelawill » Thu, Jun 04, 2009, 4:15 PM UTC

mahmud wrote: post #7

Don't you feel curious to study and learn everything out there? you're already a programmer; ever thought of venturing out, if even for a weekend? don't you talk with people and have programmer banter? I taught myself Pascal and Basic in week, and the first kid I spoke to who knew how to program told me: "Pascal and Basic suck, learn Delphi". I didn't, I learned Turbo C and Assembly, and I told everyone I met how the…

When I was younger I was like that and I still get that way when I hear about new platforms and see what people have created using them. I waste a lot of my free time on video games and I want to branch out and expand my knowledge/experience. I feel I should go with 1 language/platform at a time because that's the quickest route to returns in my current job.

Re: Help me choose: A new development language/platform.

#9

Post by mahmud » Thu, Jun 04, 2009, 4:21 PM UTC

michaelawill wrote: post #8

mahmud wrote: post #7

Don't you feel curious to study and learn everything out there? you're already a programmer; ever thought of venturing out, if even for a weekend? don't you talk with people and have programmer banter? I taught myself Pascal and Basic in week, and the first kid I spoke to who knew how to program told me: "Pascal and Basic suck, learn Delphi". I didn't, I learned Turbo C and Assembly, and I told everyone I met how the…

When I was younger I was like that and I still get that way when I hear about new platforms and see what people have created using them. I waste a lot of my free time on video games and I want to branch out and expand my knowledge/experience. I feel I should go with 1 language/platform at a time because that's the quickest route to returns in my current job.

Mozart/Oz and the book Haridi and van Roy.

Mozart/Oz is the kitchen sink of programming language semantics. It has everything, and just one uniform core syntax where the rest is built on.

Brush up on your emacs as Mozart's IDE is built with it, just a few handful commands though.

P.S. Drop the video games; they channel your natural, healthy aggression and curiosity into useless entertainment.

P.P.S. before the gamers jump at my back; to each his own, it's my opinion.

Re: Help me choose: A new development language/platform.

#10

Post by michaelawill » Thu, Jun 04, 2009, 4:24 PM UTC

mahmud wrote: post #9

michaelawill wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was younger I was like that and I still get that way when I hear about new platforms and see what people have created using them. I waste a lot of my free time on video games and I want to branch out and expand my knowledge/experience. I feel I should go with 1 language/platform at a time because that's the quickest route to returns in my current job.

Mozart/Oz and the book Haridi and van Roy. Mozart/Oz is the kitchen sink of programming language semantics. It has everything , and just one uniform core syntax where the rest is built on. Brush up on your emacs as Mozart's IDE is built with it, just a few handful commands though. P.S. Drop the video games; they channel your natural, healthy aggression and curiosity into useless entertainment. P.P.S. before the gamer…

I'm 26 and starting to realize how boring most video games are now adays. I played WoW for 4 years and gave that up 6 months ago. Tried some other games and really have seemed to lose most of my interest in them. Right now I'm playing wiiware, the new FFIV sequel. It's very short and I'm taking my time with it. But with all this free time I hope to set out and master a new language/platform and make a few sweet applications to impress higher ups.

I'm having trouble finding some examples of web apps created with Mozart. Could you point me in the right direction?