Choosing a programming language allowing that affinities of the customer?

Question

I would like to have some professional opinion about the programming language used for a project in a company. Let's explain me...

In my company, the first argument to choose Java as the main language is its name and its popularity from the perspective of the customer. It appears that if you propose to develop the client's software in Python/Ruby/..., he is less convinced.

I would like to know if you are experiencing this kind of situation and what you think about that ?

Answer 1

There can be many reasons why the client prefer Java over Python/Ruby. Here are a few:

1. There are more Java programmers than Python/Ruby programmers out there.

If they ever want to take development elsewhere it will be easier to find Java developers.

2. The client already have most of it's software written in Java.

If they ever decide to get their own software department to maintain the software it's much easier if everything is written in the same language.

3. They might want to integrate the software with existing software.

This is also much easier if it's written in the same language.

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Even if the client doesn't have any existing software the first argument is a pretty strong argument. The only way you're going to convince the client to use Python/Ruby is if you can prove that it's quicker to develop and easier to maintain and thus saving the client money.

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EDIT: I'm currently an iPhone developer, so I don't have that discussion any more, but I've had it in the past. It's almost always that the client wants it written in a language that they are comfortable maintaining.

Answer 2

I have had customers demand VB.NET over C# because "C# developers are more expensive." I don't care whether my guys type semi colons at the end of the line or not and I don't adjust their pay based on it.

You know that guy who says "I've been rich and I've been poor, and rich is better"? Well I've had customers who tell me what language to write their code in, and customers who don't, and with the exception of writing demos and sample apps (a line of work that has tremendous benefits), not telling me how to do my job is better. Some of my best customers remain focused on their business problem and trust me to solve it. They don't know the difference between Java and PL/1, never mind Java and Python, and they don't care either. They have stuff to ship of their own.

If you don't have the option of not having these people as a customer, don't try too hard to get them to change their tech. They have their reasons and they might even be valid (knowledge of the maintenance team, knowledge of the IT team who is going to run backups or configure servers or open ports, license costs, security risks, availability of alternate vendors.) About the only thing that does work is "I can't do it in the tech you're asking for (at any price) but in the tech I like I can give you more than you're asking for, for about half your budgeted amount." I've done that once and succeeded.

Answer 3

choose the right tool for the job

if the tool doesn't matter, consider client preferences vs development and maintenance costs and explain the trade-offs clearly; let it be a business decision

if the tool does matter, insist on using the right tool

Note: if the client does not trust you to choose the right tool, they don't trust you at all. Find better clients.

Answer 4

You might convince them if you estimate 100k to build it in Ruby and 200k to build it in Java.

Answer 5

I experienced this situation more than once in my career life. Once we had a very successful native application and we wanted to sell it to a customer and they demanded .Net because they have been told that it's the future. Other situations were very similar.Some customers ask for some kind of technology because they are influenced by marketing and ads.

Answer 6

I agree you should apply your expertise to best inform the customer, but at some point you're just going over their head with technical information without really justifying one language over the other (in many cases). Why spend the extra effor to convince them to go with something outside of their comfort zone? They may want some sort of security if they feel they can either hire another Java developer or use inhouse expertise should your company decide not to continue their project.

You've made a good choice in finding out if this is common. Your collegues seem to be making guesses without providing any data. I don't know what industry you are in, but you may want to look at competitors who write custom software or off the shelf application and see what language they use. Be careful, you may find some Microsoft shops out there ;)