We currently use ColdFusion as our presentation layer. If forced to go with .Net or some Java based web application, which would be the more productive route for a ColdFusion developer? We do have Java developers in house working on transactional things but they fail miserably whenever they get near the presentation layer. They want to get the look "almost the same" or would try to put all content in an array of iframes. I also see a lot of usability problems on the web and the majority have a .jsp extension or some other indication that it was a Java based solution. I also see a lot of time spent searching for components followed by problems in integration and deployment. In comparison ColdFusion has plenty of built in functions, tags, and services so integration and deployment are minute issues. Any further thoughts on web applications built with Java and .NET are appreciated.
CF runs on top of Java, so it may make sense to go with Java to make the transition period go more smoothly. If you like .net, you should look at newatlanta.com's bluedragon server. It can run cf, java, and .net on the same server.
Would you care to share decision you made and how it ended up working for you? Was Java or .NET a smoother transition?
The transition is toward J2EE and the new website will be out by 4/15/06...ooops. The new site will be out soon. The cost was easily five times a CF site and the major functions (basic content management and one major business process) are still handled by CF.
Some Java proponents are stopping the Gates hate and considering .NET. The two reasons I have heard was that Windows will be optimized for .NET and it will run Java just as good as the legal system will require and the second is that Java is too open (as in fragmented community). I have been observing the Java group cobble together so many things to build a simple web site. Here are some of the application and IDE components that they have dealt with in the past two years without putting a site into production: TomCat, MySQL (just to get a way from SQL Server), TomCat, JBoss, Spring, JASSO, Eclipse, MyEclipse, Ant, SiteMesh, Hibernate, Maven, Turbine, Ivy, Cocoon, Jakarta, Struts, Tapestry, Velocity, Linux (might as well get away from MS altogether). I am sure there are other things they have worked with but I think you get the idea. One of the Java developers admitted that .NET has an advantage that MS is not a bunch of open source projects that in theory should work together.
IDE is too powerful not to use .NET VS. Especially when developing for a windows server. When a server language can have full access to the actual box's full API - that's friggin powerful! I just created a WatchFolder component in .NET which could never have been as easy with JAVA. On the other hand I heard great things about the Eclipse IDE I heard war stories about a JAVA spilling it's beans on the server, and sucking all the HD space, and Fing up the server. I'm still for .NET but I never rule out a language... never know what project will be plopped on your desk and what language it will be required to be programmed in!