In Vegas, Tonight Only: Asp.Net Mvc vs *

Notice: I’m always right. kidding. no seriously dawg, I am.

This post is not about how one Mvc framework is better than the rest, rather about my views of the current status of heated debates in the software community dealing with MVC.

Its feels like the Mac vs PC debate. The practical versus the trendy clique.

The Line Up: developer cat fights

There has been a ton of debate about Asp.Net Mvc on twitter, forums, blog posts and various other mediums. Asp.Net Mvc vs the world of Mvc: WebForms, Rails, and various Java Mvc frameworks (i.e. struts, spring, groovy, grails, etc).

I would add PHP Mvc frameworks to the list, but it seems the frameworks in PHP are always too busy duking it out with other PHP frameworks to have time for frameworks in other other laguages.

To get a glimpse of this, all you would need to do is a search in twitter for “mvc or php or framework”. You could also just scout Rob Connery’s blog, specifically the post on WebForms and the Mvp framework that wants to be Mvc.

Intervention Hotline: 1-800-dev-kill

Scott Gu wrote a blog post on the debacle that is Asp.Net Mvc vs WebForms and debating in general. Scott Gutherie, the guy behind Asp.Net and now much more, originally created WebForms and had much to do with the new Mvc framework in .Net.

This is the first time that I’ve seen one of the higher ups at Microsoft openly engage the whole community this openly in a blog. I do think the guys in Redmond know debate/discourse is important to a healthy community, yet realize a house totally divided can not stand.

I surmise that they also realize the community has nothing to gain by trying to bash other languages, platforms, or other solid slightly competing Microsoft technologies.

View From The Ring Seats: wiping off the blood spatter

If people were to visualize this debate it would look something along the lines of the stereotypical somewhat chunky guys with uber thick glasses, living in their mom’s basement, smacking and pulling each others hair out over a bunch of 1s and 0s.

Scary image, is it not?

This is barely a step up from the angry french guy wearing a sleeveless turtle neck selling a wicked cool book-scanner.

Developers, Developers, Developers: type this in youtube.

There are a vast array of developers: they can be green, new, old, seasoned, amazing, awful, inquisitive, humble, or arrogant. Sometimes it better to take a second to understand where they are coming from. New developers sometimes get overexcited easily.

I’m supportive that developers are passionate about code and their craft. It is a great motivator and one of the biggest reasons we are gifted with great under appreciated opensource projects that we do have.

However, I have to wonder how much of this debate is due to other reasons: The pressure in the job market? The heightened political debates reaching over into other arenas this past year (2009)? Is it jealously of attention or just being bombarded by the new kid on the block, Asp.Net Mvc?

Emotion does seem to block all blood moving to the rationale and logical parts of the brain. Maybe its just a lack of…. anyways.

I find it hypocritical when a Ruby developer gets upset because a .Net programmer is excited about the new Mvc option or vice versa. Or better yet, why are we debating why Asp.Net Mvc is better than WebForms? The Asp.Net framework is built on top of WebForms.

The whole Asp.Net Mvc vs Asp.Net WebForms debate is like this. A 3 year old jumps up and down ands says “Mom, I hate you” and the mom vehemently replies with immaturity, “I hate you too”. Except these are grown men and women, saying this about software. Does that put perspective on it?

Its laughable, arrogant, and ignorant that anyone can honestly say a certain platform, language, or framework is totally superior than all others.

If you want to be the Adolf Hilter of programming languages, frameworks, or applications, be my guest. Just don’t expect that to wow your clients or make you a ton of money.

The simple reason why that an argumentative attitude will not work is that it creates division and problems, it does not solve them. Clients don’t respect that. If you need to see this for yourself, look at Microsofts reversal efforts of its previous anti-opensource views and policies.

Don’t Be A Tool: be a craftsman.

Whether your choice of tooling comes from your preference or it might be the solution your client needs: there are various ways to solve problems. Some are more efficient than others. Over time those solutions change for better or worse.

A great developer can generally find interesting and new ways of solving a problem, even in a very constrained space with the framework, tool, or language is not up to par.

Clients and users generally don’t care what you use as long as you get the work done. Some clients do care and have constraints for a platform, language, framework that you must fill.

Do what is best for them with as much unbiased decisions that you can, not what is best for you. Network with developers in various spaces, trade work that fits your skill sets or preferences better.

Down for the count: rather breath and count backwards

In the meantime, if your passion leads you astray into heavy arguments that descends into insulting the person directly or indirectly. Then its probably time to hit alt+f4 before you make the comment.

If anything you could probably use a walk to shave of those extra developer pounds of fat. Maybe turn on the XBox or Wii, blow some things up. Unplug, read a book.

Those tweets and blog posts will still be there when you get back.

Do something other than waste bandwidth and space on a harddisk with irate and irrational debate like you were some kind of singles’ dating service advertisement.

At the very least, put that energy and passion into creating an opensource project or something usable for the community.

Feel free to comment, vent, or add some humor.