Random Ramblings Over Ruby On Microsoft .NET

Martin Fowler argues that IronRuby gives Microsoft the opportunity to collaborate with, and extend its .NET platform to a larger AlphaGeeks and open source developer base. According to Martin the Ruby community is very eager to develop on the Microsoft platform.
 

One thing that caught my attention was his argument that there is a concern that AlphaGeeks are moving away from the Microsoft platform. His contacts at Redmond told him that they were seeing a departure of technical leaders away from the Windows platform. Yes a lot of developers don’t like Microsoft’s approach to software and development (I’m a big critic myself), and I’m sure those will leave the MS camp when they feel it’s necessary. But a lot of AlphaGeeks started using C#, and got a new eagerness to use it since its inception.

From my experience Microsoft was bleeding leading edge developers to Java during the days when they were still trying to figure out what to make of it (who remembers the J++ dispute), and how it will put a new spin on the software development world. But since the advent of C# and .NET, they’ve pretty much delivered the goods.
 

Herewith my random ramblings that I sent to Martin:
 

1.      Martin.

”Another reason is people. Microsoft doesn't like to acknowledge this in public, but there is a real concern that AlphaGeeks are moving away from the Microsoft platform. There's a growing sense that Microsoft's vision is armies of Morts in command-and-control organizations. There often seems to be outright discouragement of tools to enable talented enterprise developers, or of agile development processes.

A few years ago my (limited) contacts in Redmond told me that they were seeing a real drift of technical leaders away from the Windows platform. More recently these signs seem to be increasing. Reading the 'softie part of my blogroll I got a sense of real disillusionment amongst people who have been long-time Microsoft supporters. Agile-oriented developers have been frustrated with the direction of Microsoft tools. Microsoft conferences barely mentioning agile processes, leaning much more to waterfall approaches. The tools, with their rigid role-separations, actively discourage the blurry boundaries that agilists prefer."

N.Code.

 
Ever considered that this might exactly be the reason that organizations are increasingly adopting their use of .NET? Think about it. There are a lot more average developers (possibly myself) available. This rigid team and project structure suits companies, and average developers. Managers know what they can expect of their teams, and the "insert role X here" knows exactly what is expected of him. Each one almost like a small gear in the great development machine.

I mean a manager doesn't want to know that he is dependent on a talented agilest. The ability to just plug in a new employee, once the previous one's lifetime expires, exceeds the desire to apply multi-talented ones. Developers are approached as commodities.

Hiring talented developers also costs more. This is probably one of the biggest complaints I hear about non-Microsoft platforms, that developers for them are too difficult to find, and costly to hire, compared to the masses of Microsoft developers.

Of course this is more from the angle of IT departments in non-IT organizations, like Banks, and the government.

2.      Martin.

"Indeed it's already past next year for Microsoft. We've seen a noticeable drop-off in interest from our clients for Microsoft projects,  particularly in the US. In Australia, .NET hasn't got any foothold at all amongst our clients. I'm not sure what to make of this data. We aren't so big to be a statistically valid sample on our own. But it's a useful data point nonetheless particularly since we like to think our clients are the "alpha IT shops".

N.Code.

Intervate mainly does work for non-IT organizations, and I do not see any slowdown in .NET adoption. Obviously my perception is skewed, since Intervate is a Microsoft partner. But still, we have done work in almost every big South African organization, and I have yet to see an anti-Microsoft one. Even the South African government touting its OSS strategy, is currently one of the biggest Microsoft shops around, and many new projects are done in .NET.

3.      Martin.

"This is important because, as Tim O'Reilly believes, the alpha geeks point to what everyone else will be doing in a few years time."

 
N.Code.

Examining how most events in history ended, it was always the majority/masses that had the final say. Yes the royals always ruled for a while, but eventually the revolution brought them to their knees. The Microsoft platform has always been the home of the majority of people (developers?).

4.      Martin.

"So what I see for Ruby and Microsoft is an opportunity."

 
N.Code.

There is definitely the opportunity for Microsoft here to win the hearts and minds of the OSS and alpha geeks to a certain extent. But there's an additional reason for Ruby, and that is to gain a bigger share of Microsoft based development, and gain the recognition of Microsoft shops. This will give Ruby a Microsoft facing side, that does not seem as threatening as its current only-for-OSS image. It will allow Ruby to take part in the growth Microsoft based solutions.