PHP vs RoR - 2 Years Later
I have never been convinced that there were compelling reasons to use any specific language over another. Specifically Ruby on Rails over PHP. RoR provides many great advantages relative to data-basing and prototyping that make it attractive to those looking to increase productivity. Would not becoming an expert in any language increase productivity? For the most part I believe that programmers should code in the language that they enjoy. This by default helps them become experts.
My belief has always been predicated on the theory that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Your customers require expertise and knowledge about how to apply technology to their business problems. Global knowledge of all programming options available to solve these problems is a good thing relative to knowing the technology landscape strategically. It is insignificance however when actually solving the problem if you don’t understand the ramifications of your decisions. Expert knowledge on a subject will always trump speed when it comes to productivity. In most cases, speed is a direct result of expertise.
Derek Sivers has written an excellent article on this topic called “7 Reasons I switched back to PHP after 2 years on Rails“. The reality of any programming language is that you the programmer, regardless of language, must be able to accomplish something real, tangible and profitable with it. The ability to do this is directly related to your fundamental knowledge of a language and its ability to interact with a database structure. After all, any application (web or otherwise), is comprised of presentation, interaction, and database layers respectively. Read his article now and make your own assessment.
Cartoon from http://www.bokardo.com - Home of Joshua Porter, Social Design Engineer.
Read MoreIs it useful?
From the Bokardo blog today, this techno-centric cartoon that pretty much says it all.
I find that people sometimes think that technology itself is the solution to business problems. In fact this is far from the truth. The application of technology can provide a solution.
Often programmers (we can be a focused group) will not see the forest for the trees. We are so busy making sure that as many cool features as possible are built into a form, we forget the form just needs to quickly collect a name and email address.
Bear Grylls: Thrill Seeker and Inspiration
I first saw this guy on the Discover Channel show “Man vs. Wild” while working late one night. Something caught my attention during the show. I remember thinking to myself that I had not seen this much enthusiasm and passion since the late Steve Irwin. The more I watched the more I became interested in just who this character was outside of “tv”. In addition to having an interesting tv show, it turns out that Bear Grylls (a nickname since birth) has one hell of a story.
From his website, “Bear spent three years with the British Special Forces. During this time he had a horrendous parachuting accident whilst in southern Africa and broke his back in three places. Yet two years later, after severe rehabilitation, he overcame the odds to become the youngest British climber ever to reach the summit of Mount Everest and return alive.
His book on this extraordinary story soared into the Top 10 of the Bestseller list. Bear is one of the youngest and most successful motivational speakers in the world.” - http://www.beargrylls.com
I look forward to meeting this guy someday. Hopefully when I’m not lost in a remote jungle somewhere. Rock on Bear
Read MoreReal vs. Perceived Strategy
I have been helping companies create and execute unique and focused strategies as a technology evangelist for several years now. It is often difficult to communicate the difference between real and perceived strategies when helping companies increase the bottom line. Seth Godin delivers a fantastic explanation of the difference between real strategy and tactics in a recent blog post.
Many companies get so tangled up in perceived strategies that they find it extremely difficult to execute meaningful tactics. This process inevitably results in lost revenue due to ineffective execution. Most business leaders quickly recognize the results of failed tactical execution. The fact that this failure could be a direct result of a bad strategy is rarely considered. Tactics should be easy to execute if the appropriate strategy is in place and led with the correct vision and values. The next time you find yourself a midst a series of failed executions, I submit to you that perhaps it’s time to re-examine your strategic direction.
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