3 ms·

I actually passed on some repeat client work when they insisted on using WebSphere. My initial project for them was an eternal struggle to get basic things (XM

I actually passed on some repeat client work when they insisted on using WebSphere. My initial project for them was an eternal struggle to get basic things (XML parsing, Hibernate, CDI, etc) working in their environment because specific versions of these things were already included in the app server, and always ended up conflicting with libs we needed to include for our own app. I remember it distinctly as one of those times where I just felt helpless to make anything work.

hackinthebochs 13y ago
I was in a similar boat. I abandoned a potentially very lucrative startup because the owner (my friend's brother) insisted on using Websphere and all the associated apps (he was a former IBMer). There came a point where some misconfiguration occurred when attempting to restore a previous version of the application after that point nothing worked. I tried for days on end to fix the problems but nothing would compile without massive errors. The piles and piles of cruft that Websphere added did nothing but obscure the real source of the issue. Eventually I gave up and said screw it and left. The startup was already on its last legs at that point, as I was the only active developer since the other developer I worked with had already left after getting fed up for other reasons. After I left the startup limped along for a while but as far as I can tell was abandoned. If they had just used a more sane environment I could have easily developed the entire thing myself as it wasn't anything more complicated than a straightforward CMS + payments. I still kick myself for not making a better case for a more sane environment but I was wet behind the ears at the time and I didn't trust my instincts in the face of guys with masters degrees and X years at IBM and other top companies. I know better now.

3 ms·

I actually passed on some repeat client work when they insisted on using WebSphere. My initial project for them was an eternal struggle to get basic things (XM

by kaffeinecoma 13y ago

hackinthebochs 13y ago
I was in a similar boat. I abandoned a potentially very lucrative startup because the owner (my friend's brother) insisted on using Websphere and all the associated apps (he was a former IBMer). There came a point where some misconfiguration occurred when attempting to restore a previous version of the application after that point nothing worked. I tried for days on end to fix the problems but nothing would compile without massive errors. The piles and piles of cruft that Websphere added did nothing but obscure the real source of the issue. Eventually I gave up and said screw it and left. The startup was already on its last legs at that point, as I was the only active developer since the other developer I worked with had already left after getting fed up for other reasons. After I left the startup limped along for a while but as far as I can tell was abandoned. If they had just used a more sane environment I could have easily developed the entire thing myself as it wasn't anything more complicated than a straightforward CMS + payments. I still kick myself for not making a better case for a more sane environment but I was wet behind the ears at the time and I didn't trust my instincts in the face of guys with masters degrees and X years at IBM and other top companies. I know better now.