Re: Re: Is Java really better than Perl???

[EvdB]

I take your point on consolidating staff - although there is room to argue over a beer about whether a good coder is good because of general skills or specific language skills.

With There's nothing you can do in Java that can't be done in perl I wanted to make the point that it cuts both ways and so can't be used as an argument per se.

Again I accept your speed arguments, and without particulars of the situation it is difficult to get specific. I could argue that 2 programmer years is more expensive that faster hardware, but that is mud slinging and also applies equally to Java.

[Abigail-II]

I could argue that 2 programmer years is more expensive that faster hardware

Well, that depends. If the program is just going to run on one particular machine (or cluster of machines), than that might be true. But that isn't always the case. I'm currently working on a project that runs on relatively cheap hardware: one CPU (Pentium or compatible), small disk (25 Mb will do), floppy drive, one network card, and one or more Equinox cards. Sounds cheap, but upgrading is expensive. We have about 1200 of them, scattered around more than 100 hospitals. They need to be assembled, installed in the field, and rigorously tested - by the third party that assembles the boxes, and by the customers. And then you have to convince the customers they should upgrade (and stay with us and not switch to a competitor).

The cost of hardware is more than the price of the pieces of metal and plastic. ;-)

Abigail