When Should We Ditch Our Platform?

Slashdot has a recent story where a member has asked "When Should We Ditch Our Platform?" The member's company has recently replaced their web developer and it seems that they had one heckuva time finding a replacement that could work with their existing technology.

Those familiar with Slashdot will not be surprised that there are no meaningful answers to the question, rather just bickering about whether this is the right question to ask, a lambasting directed at the member for not giving the specific details about the current platform and some attempts to blame all the world's problems on Microsoft.

While I'm no die-hard fan of Microsoft, this question is exactly the right question to ask and I'd like to give a meaningful answer. Sure, I could post this to the Slashdot discussion and be lost amongst the noise, but that's not very productive.

I think the meaningful answer to this question is quite simple really - it is time to replace your technology when it no longer solves the problem at hand. I don't care what the "existing" technology is - be it something from Microsoft, an open source project, or even Alpha Five. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if your platform has a really cool sounding acronym with all of the media's current attention, because those things don't run your business and help you earn your paycheck.

Alpha Five, just like any other software, is a tool. Tools are what set humans apart from other animals, but only if we use the right tools for the right job. Have you ever tried to change a light bulb with a sledge hammer? I haven't, but I'm pretty sure it won't work too well.

Well, when your technology feels too heavy to even pick up, you are probably using the wrong technology. If a reasonably intelligent person can't adapt to the technology in a relatively short amount of time, you are probably using the wrong technology. If you have to work significantly harder than everyone else, only to produce a fraction of the results, you are probably using the wrong technology.

I admittedly am biased, but I think Alpha Five is the right technology to solve a wide range of problems facing businesses today. But I don't want you to take my word for it:

• If you are not already using Alpha Five, download the trial now and check it out for yourself. I think you'll be impressed with what you can accomplish in a very small amount of time.
• If you are already using Alpha Five, go ahead and download some alternative product trials and see what they can do. If you can find something that lets you get more done with less work and does not bankrupt you, I'd love to hear about it!