Technology needs reason or motivation to be used? I say, technologies are like flags? Or like a soccer team?

I explain. Software flags are how I see questions about technologies being defended like the heart of a soccer team. Alias, I think we choose a soccer team for various reasons: your father cheered for it, you liked the color, it won the championship when you were a child…

I cheer for Grêmio, world champion in 1983. I don’t remember soccer games before the final match in Japan. But I’ve never been a fan of soccer… only remember it during the World Cup.

I’ve used Linux for a long time, really since 1996. But before that, I had already bought some floppy disks with Mingo, with that single Unix disk… and eight terminals!

I defend the rational use of technology. Linux isn’t always good.

The same happens with object-oriented programming, operating systems, and programming languages. If there were a single answer to all the problems these technologies can solve, there wouldn’t be so many technologies.

Problems change, people who have the problems also change. Each case requires a particular analysis that will result in specific solutions.

I think of languages like Delphi. In the company I work at, C++ and Java reign. But there are Delphi warriors. Today, I was solving a problem with JNI, in another laboratory. They asked me why I had chosen to make the new server in Java?

I thought for a moment and replied that I knew Delphi, but the server was something with multiple threads, access to a database, and numerous candidates for concurrency problems. And for this type of problem, Java is exceptional.

If I had to develop something from scratch again, I would have to think about the problem before choosing the solution. Java isn’t good for everything.

In the case of Linux, we have the Ubuntu warriors, and I’m about to join that army. I really want a Linux desktop today. In reality, my computer has dual-boot, but to access the web and work, I still use Windows. The Linux is for my research and to feed my nerdism.

On the other hand, I wouldn’t hesitate to have another Linux server. I think for a Web server, SVN, email, etc., there’s no better solution than a good Gentoo. But I’ve already prescribed Windows to companies that had money for it, but not to hire a Linux administrator. It doesn’t make sense to have Linux if the company culture is Windows. More battles…

Thinking about a new software product. Any one. You would write this for Linux or Windows? I would write for Windows, because I think the money is still with those who use Windows. Here’s my protest against pirates who open their mouths to spit out the latest versions of the Operating System, but refuse to pay for it. Linux has always been very clear to me. Most companies I worked for would fall back when informed of the real costs of software. That was when Linux had a chance. Where Windows cost less than R$10: no chance. Not because of Linux or Microsoft, but because of my responsibility as an IT professional, that’s what I defend!

Still, I’m against defending Linux as a flag. I also don’t defend Python for any type of program. The more we specialize, the more we tend to fit things into what we already know. That’s when the mind should remain open.

As I’m a forgetful guy, I end up having to review everything again, always. Sometimes not remembering helps:-).