In the last couple of years, I have focused more on teaching than developing software. And with a reason: I love the whole transferring knowledge to others. I can be myself and love doing it. I think that the last reason is the most important one. Interaction with students is important too. I love it when they ask questions and challenge me. But the one question I got a lot is “Why do you use Microsoft?” Well, here is my story.
Microsoft Windows
I usually start telling people I am a Windows user. I’ve been using Windows since the first version came out and never used something else. I do use Android on my phone and tablet, but for my laptops and computers, it’s always been Windows. So, which programming languages and tools are there for Windows?
C# (released in 2000) and VB (Visual Basic) (released in 1991) have been the biggest players. And the tool to use these languages has been Visual Studio for a long time. These languages and tools are from Microsoft. They have evolved big time in the last couple of years. Microsoft focused on the Windows world first, letting C# and VB developers only develop applications for Windows machines. But that’s no longer the case.
Personally, Windows is one of the reasons I continued my career and interests in the Microsoft world. But also because of the possibilities Microsoft has developed in the past and its idea of the future.
Visual Basic
When I was in school we all “had” to learn PHP. It was free and easy to learn. Visual Basic was already out and we were at version 4 if I am correct. I never used it before, but I did play with Borland a bit. I was intrigued by the drag-and-drop idea of creating visual applications. However, our assignments with software development were mainly in PHP.
One day I was browsing the school’s network and found an installation package for Visual Basic 4.0. I just installed it and tried it. I was the first at school to use this and I was hooked. Downside; it wasn’t easy to create a website (not web applications) with this new language and tool. I kept using it for personal projects and did my school projects with JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and PHP.
But Visual Basic was the first Microsoft language I touched and I kept using it for a long time. There was no teacher to help me out, so I bought a book about the subject. Later I discovered ASP and tried to create some interactive websites with ASP VB and IIS.
Jobs
After school, I did some freelance work, but I got this job opportunity and I just went for it. It was ASP with VB, so I did have some knowledge, but not enough. I learned more and within a month I was ready to go. I worked with WinForms a lot, but still PHP with MYSQL.
It was here I learned about .NET for the first time. It was just released and I tried to learn it, but due to work, I wasn’t able to work with it. It was later when I got a job that used VB.NET and my interest in and knowledge of the .NET framework grew more and more.
Later I got to work with C# and .NET. I worked with APIs a lot and learned how to apply SOLID, TFS, and much more. After a while, Microsoft launched Azure and Azure DevOps (not at the same time). I got more and more opportunities to work with all these techniques and C#.
My wife and I took a break from 2016 to 2018 and traveled the world. I did miss some changes in .NET and Azure. When I came back and found a new job I noticed Azure Cloud has changed a lot, for the better. But I changed too. I had problems fitting into a development team again. I switched jobs 3 times until I found a job where I could develop software, but also teach juniors once in a while. I loved it. This made me switch careers from a senior developer to a teacher.
I am from the Netherlands, and sadly you need degrees for everything (usually because it makes money). I couldn’t be a teacher for schools, but I did connect to an institute that helps people with ADHD and autism. They coach them and help them with the things they struggle with. There are different programs and I was the C# teacher. I taught them the basics and more advanced C# and all that comes and goes with it. At the end of the training (9 months) they hopefully get a job.
As you can see I used Microsoft techniques and languages for a long time. I know how to use PHP, Angular, and others, but I always fall back on Microsoft.
Costs
There was a moment when I was more into PHP. Reason? Simple: Microsoft was too expensive. With a starting amount of € 2600,= it was too much money for a young guy to pay for it. MSDN wasn’t really invented back then. I think a lot of people backed off from Microsoft programming because of this.
But then Microsoft released Visual Studio Community. It’s a package that comes with Visual Studio, programming languages, and tools. The only downside is that you can use it for personal use only, or testing. You can’t release software with it and make money. But still, finally, something to use and learn more about Microsoft programming. The community version has everything you need and it’s not like it’s a half version of something.
Microsoft also released the free Azure DevOps. An online system to store your code, scrum board, and pipelines for CI/CD and stuff.
Now Apple is the only one asking money for people to develop Apple software. Microsoft has gone free, to a certain level.
Microsoft Azure Cloud, MAUI, Cross-Platform
Another reason I stick with Microsoft is because of the new techniques. They try stuff, sometimes fail (Silverlight), and sometimes succeed.
One of the biggest successes is Azure Cloud. It’s easy to use and really got that Microsoft look and feel. This makes it easy for people like me to use it. I tried Google Cloud, but I got lost and never found my way back. The cost is a thing; it’s bloody expensive if you want the cool stuff. Luckily I got my 70-483 certificate and that gave me € 130 per month of credits to play around.
Microsoft recently released MAUI, a great new framework for cross-platform development. It lets you create Android, Windows, and Mac apps with just one code base. Before MAUI there was Xamarin (MAUI is based on this). It was clumsy and unlogical for me. MAUI is way easier to understand.
Another thing that I love about Microsoft programming is that they commit to cross-platform. This means that the software you create with .NET (C#, VB, whatever) also works in other operating systems like Linux, macOS, Android, and many more.
Conclusion
If you think that Microsoft is a big company that wants to make a big profit, you are right. But do you choose something because a company wants to make money or do you choose something because you like it?
I grew into it and tried other programming languages and techniques too. But I always end up back at Microsoft. I guess it’s the same with someone who has been doing Java for 20 years; he/she will also stick to Java and not switch to C#. Of course, some people have switched and the languages do look a bit the same but not the same. Do you know where I am getting at?
So, here you have it. My story and why I use Microsoft products and languages.
