Monday, September 05, 2005

Is C# Dead?

Is C#, the much touted Java killer from the Redmond giant, dead? In my opinion, it is. C# was invented to halt C++ developer's migration to Java. C# was meant to keep people to COM/DCOM-based .Net. Just go to your neareast bookstore and compare the books for Java and C#. Compare C# and Python/PHP/Perl for that matter. It is clear that C# is in lost ground.

But did Java really kill of C#. Nope. The C# killer is none other than Open Source. Well, here's the rationale. The Java language, alone will not be able to compete with the much user-friendly C#. But the truth is, why do enterprise have to buy nasty licenses when they can go at an enterprise-level perormance on a lot-cheaper alternative, that is, Open Source. In Java, you have JBoss, you have SJAS, you have Jonas, you have Apache, name all of it, you'll have it. What you pay for (in case of the commercialized open-source Java EE server) is the service, not the product. After getting the product, you don't own the code. Noone owns the code. You can play around it, you can modify it. With the advent of non-GPL OSI-approved licenses, any OSI-approved license (except copyleft-leaning GPL) is commercial friendly.

One notable thing to consider why .Net will screech to a halt will be the other players Mono and the LAMP stack. Why, even Microsoft is courting OSDL for a joint R&D, right? So the conclusion is that Open Source is the way to go. It is in competition in collaboration that will dictate the future IT industry fight. Until then, I am still and will always be for Java.

Have a break, have a cup of Java.

richard@work

5 comments:

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Anonymous said...

Yup C# is the emporer that has no clothes.

Anonymous said...

It seems pretty clear to me that the initial volume of C# books seemed to come from a marketing push from MS. My question at that time was, why would people leave Java or VB to move to C#? Certianly those doing C++ would not be so inclined to move as one typically uses C++ for very specific purposes. So, where are the C# people going to come from? So, I'm not so sure that it had much of a life in the first place.

Anonymous said...

Well as it was said back to the y2k "C# is the solution for the problem that is already solved..."

Dim

Anonymous said...

…classic cases of open source, closed mind.

I am skilled in both Java and C#... and have also dabbled in VB from time to time. Make no mistake about it, C# is far more powerful than VB and contrary to this quorum's belief, is very well established in today’s Enterprise market place. I personally make a really good living utilizing multiple technologies from both platforms in my career… and I enjoy working in both environments from day to day. If that’s dead, then I guess I’m in heaven!

It’s actually quite simple… technological diversification = more $ in your pocket. Why spend valuable time defacing a specific technology when you can learn by embracing all technologies. That doesn’t mean you have to love them… it just means it’s in your best interest to learn them.

//mg