Apache runs Win x64, Python does also. I am not seeing an issue. I edit in PyCharm or PyDev on Eclipse: Windows or Linux, same experience. Etc. My first deployed Python app (on windows, fwiw) was a POS interface using JSON. Given the secure environment we deplloyed in, I was able to eval() the JSON message into a Python object and then have my way with it. It was fun to write, and in 9 months has had no downtime. It. Just. Works. :)

Given the licensing necessary for SAAS, Windows isn't a serious option. Everything becomes a commodity, and those who can't sell it for less will lose out. I personally like working on Windows, which in our "hosted" world is feasible (due to the fee that we charge); but won't be feasible when the product is primarily available only as a true SAAS. Sites who would run it on their own will either be big enough to run non-Windows (and be glad we can run there), or will be small enough to go win32.

My read on the field (only time will tell, right?) is that using Windows is a convenience, but no longer a necessity. It appears to be pretty standard in large IT departments to mix and match (all those people using excel, you know? -- not just a joke, either) OS's. Since that's where our new customers are coming from, we have to live in that world.

This was definitely an issue that we gave a lot of thought to. I made the decision 20 years ago (literally) to a) go with Windows all the way, and b) operate on the assumption that hardware would always catch up. Now it's time to look for the next 10 years, or maybe it will be 20. We'll see.

Hank

>Interesting. imo if you go with one of the open source type languages like Python or PHP and if you want speed and support,
>you pretty much have to go to Linux instead of Windows. The guys really involved with those languages will never put the effort into the Windows versions either because of bias or not enough experience with windows or both. For example, the official windows version of PHP
>will probably always be 32-bit (not that 64 bit gives advantage except with data), has no compiler on Windows (i'm talking about the facebook compiler), and has no isapi (like all the other windows web tools do) so it doesn't make strong use of multiple processors on Windows.
>
>And, on the other hand, micro$oft will probably never put in a strong effort to support "not invented here" tools.
>
>I myself can't justify not using all the fox and MS stuff I've learned to make that drastic a decision to leave the Windows environment.
>
>>I've created a new blog entry about the choice of development stack myself, Thomas Ganss, and Frank Camp will begin work on next month. It's less about the details than it is about making the choice. You can read it here: http://blog.prosysplus.com/2011/12/swimming-with-current.html
>>
>>I'll be providing more details as we go along.