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Why are these "red flags" Devs with C#/Java background a red flag? Why is that? Should they use Ruby or Python for the desktop app that supports Outlook as a p

Why are these "red flags" Devs with C#/Java background a red flag? Why is that? Should they use Ruby or Python for the desktop app that supports Outlook as a plugin instead of C#? If they haven't launched and they got financial backing (huge), that means they have a solid business model that's important

webwright 19y ago
Financial backing means that they have a solid business model? Urm, I don't think that's true. All it really means is that some VCs think it has huge growth potential.
- hello_moto 19y ago
  So let me see. Xobni showed Khosla people that they have some "cool" desktop app (or plugin, whatever) and Khosla Ventures love it and thought that it has a huge growth potential so they gave them money (in the area of millions). I think that's 1/3 of the whole story. I'm guessing they also show their business model (or at least business plan). Think about it carefully, this isn't YAW2.0 (Yet Another Web 2.0). This is a desktop app (or plugin). It's not like you can throw in the wild and put Ads. And remember, these guys are playing in Microsoft backyard.
staunch 19y ago
Perhaps they do need to use C#/Java for their desktop software but that doesn't mean they need a "Software Engineer with a C#/Java background". Taken in the context of them hiring Product Managers and QA people it seems like a red flag to me.
- hello_moto 19y ago
  Why not? If they can get someone who knows C#, more power for them. The faster for the new guy to adapt with the code given he/she knew Java/C#. Java is a language close to C#. I still don't understand your objection. Product Managers and QA? Why not? Who will test the product? uh-huh, it's the QA. It's not like your ruby/php/python code can be tested just by a simple unit test. It's not like your desktop app not need to be tested (UI wise).
  - staunch 19y ago
    There's a difference between hiring someone who is a C#/Java programmer and someone who can program in C#/Java. That's my point. As for Product Managers and QA people. They have a tendency to slow development down to a level they can manage and test. I avoid them both like the plague.
    - Tichy 19y ago
      Um, what's so bad about being a Java/C# programmer? Is the hubris of the scripting crowd really that sky-high?
      - staunch 19y ago
        Not sure. I didn't say anything was bad about being one. I don't speak for any crowds either.
        Tichy 19y ago
        So what exactly was the point you were trying to make?
        mynameishere 19y ago
        Oh, for the love of beans, they're taking the words straight from the mouth of St. Paul: http://www.paulgraham.com/pypar.html http://www.paulgraham.com/pypar.html
    - hello_moto 19y ago
      They might slow the development down but to what advantage? Better design docs, better func spec, better docs, better quality. If your startup has a room to grow, this is one option to go. You don't just hire all developers and hope your software doesn't have bugs. Cowboy code a.l.a Agile (the bad Agile) is very dangerous and this is what some people warn these young startup people. The whole RoR (or Python/PHP, whatever) + Agile is like playing with fire; if you know how to stop it, you're in a great shape, if you don't, it'll burn your product faster than any other mistakes.

webwright 19y ago

Financial backing means that they have a solid business model? Urm, I don't think that's true. All it really means is that some VCs think it has huge growth potential.

hello_moto 19y ago
So let me see. Xobni showed Khosla people that they have some "cool" desktop app (or plugin, whatever) and Khosla Ventures love it and thought that it has a huge growth potential so they gave them money (in the area of millions). I think that's 1/3 of the whole story. I'm guessing they also show their business model (or at least business plan). Think about it carefully, this isn't YAW2.0 (Yet Another Web 2.0). This is a desktop app (or plugin). It's not like you can throw in the wild and put Ads. And remember, these guys are playing in Microsoft backyard.

staunch 19y ago

Perhaps they do need to use C#/Java for their desktop software but that doesn't mean they need a "Software Engineer with a C#/Java background". Taken in the context of them hiring Product Managers and QA people it seems like a red flag to me.

hello_moto 19y ago
Why not? If they can get someone who knows C#, more power for them. The faster for the new guy to adapt with the code given he/she knew Java/C#. Java is a language close to C#. I still don't understand your objection. Product Managers and QA? Why not? Who will test the product? uh-huh, it's the QA. It's not like your ruby/php/python code can be tested just by a simple unit test. It's not like your desktop app not need to be tested (UI wise).
- staunch 19y ago
  There's a difference between hiring someone who is a C#/Java programmer and someone who can program in C#/Java. That's my point. As for Product Managers and QA people. They have a tendency to slow development down to a level they can manage and test. I avoid them both like the plague.
  - Tichy 19y ago
    Um, what's so bad about being a Java/C# programmer? Is the hubris of the scripting crowd really that sky-high?
    - staunch 19y ago
      Not sure. I didn't say anything was bad about being one. I don't speak for any crowds either.
      - Tichy 19y ago
        So what exactly was the point you were trying to make?
      - mynameishere 19y ago
        Oh, for the love of beans, they're taking the words straight from the mouth of St. Paul: http://www.paulgraham.com/pypar.html http://www.paulgraham.com/pypar.html
  - hello_moto 19y ago
    They might slow the development down but to what advantage? Better design docs, better func spec, better docs, better quality. If your startup has a room to grow, this is one option to go. You don't just hire all developers and hope your software doesn't have bugs. Cowboy code a.l.a Agile (the bad Agile) is very dangerous and this is what some people warn these young startup people. The whole RoR (or Python/PHP, whatever) + Agile is like playing with fire; if you know how to stop it, you're in a great shape, if you don't, it'll burn your product faster than any other mistakes.