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What Language Do I Use?
I am in the process of developing a site similar to www.zazzle.com and www.cafepress.com. Being the non-technical creator, I am looking for the programming language that I need to use when looking for an appropriate programmer for developing this site with me. In your responses, I would greatly appreciate if you could estimate the time and cost it would take for a programmer to bring this site online. Thanks!!!
- rcfox 16y agoI'd go with English. You seem to be competent enough with that. Oh, programming language? Well, if you don't have any opinion of your own, why does it matter? Find a good programmer, and let her use whatever she's comfortable with.
- ArchyMcNally 16y agothanks for the response. and we'll definitely be using english since i haven't studied spanish since high school. it's not that i don't have an opinion, it's that i don't have enough information to form an opinion, hence, why i posted on here. while i intend on finding a "good" programmer, i'd like to be able to tell them what i need done in there language when i am searching for one.
- rcfox 16y ago> i'd like to be able to tell them what i need done in there language... When you say "in their language", do you mean "putting it in terms that they will understand", or "telling them exactly how to write the code"? Neither of these should really be necessary. You should be able to state your requirements, and then follow up with any clarifications if necessary. Since you've taken the role of "non-technical creator", it's probably best if you're not involved with the actual design of the code. (Not including how the site behaves, looks, etc.)
- ArchyMcNally 16y agoI am not sure of the "requirements" that are needed. I know what the site needs to do and what our goal is. We have a team in place that will handle the design and look of the site, but I need to develop a relationship with someone that can develop the back-end and the features that will be needed to make the site cohesive and work.
- sp4rki 16y agoProgramming languages are really case specific and preferences of the programmers. The truth is it really doesn't matter what language is chosen, the only thing that matters is that you get an awesome team of programmers and designers to work on your project. You don't need to be able to tell the programmer what you want regarding code, you need to be able to define the business logic of the building blocks to your application and take it from there one iteration at a time.
- ArchyMcNally 16y agoGotcha! If I go onto sites and am searching for the development work that I need to have done, you suggest saying that I want a site similar to zazzle and cafepress (I'm talking about their design boxes where you create and edit your creations) instead of posting what language I need to software engineer to be able to code in?
- sp4rki 16y agoYeah, the language is irrelevant at this stage in your applications life cycle. I would understand having to use a specific language because of existing code, or because its the convention of the current workforce, but for a project that hasn't even started yet I'd focus on the quality of my programmers before any language preference.
- ArchyMcNally 16y agoProgrammers all have a specialty (designing for web based apps vrs mobile apps vrs software apps). So in picking the "right" team, I'd like to make sure that they can develop what I need develop. Now, because what I what done has been developed by other sites, I'd like to be able to tell my prospective team what we'll be doing. Is it enough to say that I want to develop a site similar to zazzle and cafepress or do I need to tell them that zazzle and cafepress use XYZ kind of language?
- rcfox 16y ago> Programmers all have a specialty (designing for web based apps vrs mobile apps vrs software apps). So specifically say that you're looking for a web developer. This is a standard thing to do. > Is it enough to say that I want to develop a site similar to zazzle and cafepress Well, no. I'd say that as it is, this description is both too much and too little. It's too much in that it sounds like you're trying to make a quick buck by ripping off other people. It's too little in that you don't say why it's an interesting idea, and why people would use your site instead of the others. (However, that's probably not something that you want to share publicly at the moment.) It might just be best to say that you want to develop a website and then give more details later. > or do I need to tell them that zazzle and cafepress use XYZ kind of language? Unless you're hiring developers to work for Zazzle or Cafepress, no. Anyone competent will already know which languages work well for this kind of project, and will have an opinion on which one should be used.
- chc 16y agoThere is no answer to this question. It's like asking, "I need to communicate with someone. What spoken language should I use?" The best answer is "the one in which the speakers are the most fluent." The same is true for programming languages, more or less. There are some wrong answers, but also a large number of potentially right answers. If you're starting a technology company and don't know a lot about technology, picking a programming language is literally the least of your problems. You need to find a good software engineer. Once you have found one of those, he can answer the language question far better than any of us could.
- ArchyMcNally 16y agoI understand this, but some software engineers have more experience on one platform versus another(iPhone vrs Android vrs WM7). So when I am searching for an software engineer, I want to make sure they can develop sites similar to what I posted. On that note, where do you suggest finding "qualified" software engineers? I joined a few meetups in NYC (where I live) and will be attending them. Thanks!!!
- sp4rki 16y agoYou need to be specific on what your needs are regarding platforms, though that generally doesn't define which language to use; though there are exceptions, like for example OSX and Obj-C... and even in this case you could still end up using a different language altogether. If you need an iphone dev, advertise for such. If you need a web dev, advertise for a web dev. You need to make sure you have the right person for the job regardless of the language.
- ArchyMcNally 16y agoProgrammers all have a specialty (designing for web based apps vrs mobile apps vrs software apps). So in picking the "right" team, I'd like to make sure that they can develop what I need develop. Now, because what I what done has been developed by other sites, I'd like to be able to tell my prospective team what we'll be doing. Is it enough to say that I want to develop a site similar to zazzle and cafepress or do I need to tell them that zazzle and cafepress use XYZ kind of language?