> My we might be using a four-year-old copy of Photoshop, or Word. > my Rails consultant tells me that after he builds my 3 user internal accounting app I fee

> My we might be using a four-year-old copy of Photoshop, or Word. > my Rails consultant tells me that after he builds my 3 user internal accounting app I feel this is an unfair comparison between desktop software and a web app. Web apps can be quicker & less expensive to deliver, which is probably why you, as a business owner, like the idea of building the app in Rails. Hiring an Objective-C developer to deliver a full-blown desktop app would cost more initially. (Photoshop and Word have huge development teams.) It would probably also require less maintenance going forward. (Photoshop and Word last for years, as you mentioned.) > With no improvements at all. We offer similar on-going maintenance contracts at my Rails consultancy. But we're offering a specific number of days (2/month, usually.) If we're able to upgrade in 3 hours, then we'll spend the rest of the time working through a feature backlog or optimizing performance. Perhaps your consultant would be open to a similar arrangement? > Or where I can find a consultant who actually weigh the costs and benefits to me. If I may, I think you hit the nail on the head with your last sentence. Maybe your frustration isn't so much with Rails as it is with not having the analysis you need to make appropriate business decisions. Unfortunately, in my experience, those communication skills are far more rare than developers are.