[jan_g]

You have to ask ask yourself, "why's that so" ? Why the so called day coders do Java, C# or COBOL and not Smalltalk, LISP or Ruby ? There's a reason for everything and in programming the reason to use language a instead of language b in a software "factory" is definitely effectivity. That is, how fast a product can be done using Java/C# or lisp ? How much is it gonna cost to maintain that product and add features ? How much is it going to cost to train new people ? And so on.

Those economists in management surely don't wake up one day and announce : "We will use C#".

[pchristensen]

The day coders pick Java/C#/Cobol because that's where the jobs are. Companies might have chosen them for sound technical reasons (or not), but day coders won't learn languages/tools that don't pay the bills.

For reference, a Monster search for .net jobs in Chicago gives 266 results. Java gives 403. Lisp gives 22 for the entire country. Not something to learn if you just want a job to fund your real life.

[brlewis]

Management is persuaded by smooth-talking consultants looking to win more project hours, not by measured effectiveness. (I'm talking about industry overall, not anybody in particular.)