[mjw1007]

As far as technology goes, I think what we describe as "fashion" is often mostly caused by a desire for safety in numbers, and to a large extent that's rational.

If I pick the same language or framework or whatever as everyone else, there's a better chance it won't be abandoned, and when I want to integrate with some other project, someone else will already have done a great deal of the work.

[hyperman1]

Too true. On my job we have frameworks from the Architects, and stuff that drips in from outside.

The Architects typically buy some Framework from a Trustworthy Enterprise, as approved by the Gods of Gartner. Quality varies wildly, but if you move half a mm from the beaten path you're on your own. I gain a thumbleweed badge on stackoverflow every time I deal with their stuff.

Compare it to outside world stuff. Quality also varies wildly, but 5 minutes on Google generally delivers someone who already suffered trough hell for me, and forged some unholy pact with the technology in question.

Unfortunately, neither camp can choose a boring, proven, working technology that exists already a few years and is in common usage.

[afarrell]

If you found yourself using a boring, proven, working technology ...how vividly would you remember that experience?

[hyperman1]

You would have a feeling of trust.

As an example: I click on a browser icon and I get a working browser with a predictable behaviour.

One day, chromium edge took over, messed up a ton of settings,and kept on blathering about my experience. 5 minutes of filling out a work sheet changed to 30 minutes of whack a browser.

My amicable brotherly feelings of good that day did not extend to the average Microsoft employee.

[Aeolun]

My experience using PHP at my previous company stands out because it was so relatively glorious.

[mattgreenrocks]

By the same token, people should stop expecting exceptional results if they used the same tools and processes as everyone else.