Forum OpenACS Q&A: Re: OpenACS vs .NET: How is the pitch made?

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Posted by Jun Yamog on
Hi Talli,

Based from low experience with .Net here is my best shot.  This is just some facts I know, not advocacy of OACS or .net

*  What does .net have that OACS doesn't? Will this be forever* true?

Its not going to hold forever true, but it might.  .Net advantage is having an IDE (Visual Studio .Net) that really makes it easy for fist time developers to start working on .net.  Also those who are coming from older Visual Studio will be familiar with things.  Not that its is the same, its different.  But the perception is VS .Net is the upgrade.  OACS have emacs, which may not be acceptable for newbies.  We are unlikely to ride on Eclipse.

* What does OACS have that .net doesn't? Will this be forever* true?

License, we are Open Source.  The ability to run on non MS platform.  Also we are more proven technology.  ACS goes back a few more years in web technology compared to .net.

* How do RAD times differ?

Starting from scratch will have .net faster, care of more tools and VS .net.  Once developers are familiar with the platform OACS should be faster.  As you are free to go deeper into the guts.  Also tcl and sql are very easy and forgiving languages.

* How do the developer communities differ?

We are smaller, .net community is bigger.  OACS has only 1 community, while .net will have different types of community.

* How do learning curves differ?

Depends on where the user is coming from.  SQL junkie will be right at home with OACS.  Non SQL guy will have a harder time with OACS.  Also a VS experienced developer will have lower learning curve to .net.

* Any other questions or statements?

OACS problem space is on web applications, although some have done work beyond this.  But its real niche is web applications.  While .net being a marketing umbrella is more than creating web applications.