Android Question Unfortunately, nobody is looking for b4a developers

My humble opinion:

Many use b4a to create applications by hobby or to create a awesome application.

If you created a successful application, the language does not matter to users.

If you created for hobby (ok, it was fun).

Of course, if I want other tedious job I will improve my java.

Just my opinion

Eme Fibonacci said:

I will improve my java

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LucaMs said:

millions and millions of Android-Java programmers exist

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"You" should be a master of Android-Java, to get a job as an employee; and if "you" get it, "you" will have a poor, insufficient salary.

LucaMs said:

"You" should be a master of Android-Java, to get a job as an employee; and if "you" get it, "you" will have a poor, insufficient salary.

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So I'll keep trying to make an incredible app with b4a. Any good ideas?

Eme Fibonacci said:

So I'll keep trying to make an incredible app with b4a. Any good ideas?

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The idea and the realization are not enough: it is necessary to publicize it (the app, obviously).

Hi all,
I read all the posts and I agree with what you all already highlighted. Here, I'd like to offer a different perspective: why a contractor should care about the programming language used to build the sw solution.
When hiring an indie for a well defined one-shot programming job, the selected programming language IMHO is an important factor. This is because the maintenance of the code. If the indie uses a language few are able to program in, this could become a threat for the hiring company business. What will happen to their customer base if the original developer goes out of business?
I believe it to be wiser to always contract for source code delivery and to be prepared to hire someone else to maintain it, should the original programmer become unavailable.

On my part, when writing code for others I always offer the source code as part of the initial agreement. That said, my personal preference goes to the SAAS (software as a service) model.

At the same time, there's a lot of space for customers willing to buy a working solution rather than code, so the programmin language becomes irrelevant.

udg

I have a different perspective. I develop embedded hardware (8 bit uC based systems) that are radio controlled. They are used in training simulators by the military. I sell the uC boards programmed, I do not sell software independently. My customer integrates them in their systems and sells directly to the end user. The controller also uses an 8 bit uC. Both are programmed in C. A few years ago I developed a WiFi interface so that we could use a Windows laptop (or tablet) for control. I wrote that software in Visual Basic.
It became apparent that being able to control from a cheap Android tablet would be desirable for the customer but my few tries with Android studio did not go well so I declined writing an app and suggested my customer finds an Android developer. They did and gave them a contract.
I had to provide quite a bit of support to the developer but after about 2 months they sent their app. It was a disaster. Totally unfinished, missing essential features and buggy and unusable because of severe latency. That reflected poorly on my products.
That's when I went looking again and came across B4A. I decided to give it a try on my own (I did not tell my customer I was working on it because I was uncertain of the result.)
With absolutely no prior Android experience, I had a working prototype in 2 days and an app that blew the other totally out of the water in a week. That was last year.
Needless to say my customer cancelled the contract with the other guys and I now have another skill in my toolset.
It was more of a defensive move for me because I make more money selling the hardware than the software (I do not sell the software separately but I occasionally charge for major upgrades) but now I have another marketable skill and I enjoy doing it. I now have 3 fully developed apps.
Note: most people my age are retired. I am old enough for social security.

wonder said:

Interviewer: So why didn't you just write it in Java?
Me: Ahhmmmm.... [awkward silence]

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Proper answer: Because one line of B4A is equivalent to 10 lines of java. Any other question?

I have develope some custom application, in time frame with b4x. it's not a hobby.
you can make money with this.

In companies developers come and go, but the software project continue. So the most companies are using the developing languages that are more
common. For example, try to find a programmer for Powerbuilder, good language but hard to find a good developer. Risk for a company to continue a project.
So the most companies use languages which aŕe teached at the University.

It's good to know more languages if you are looking for a job.

B4a is one of the best language on the market for developing Android apps. Why ?
It's easy and the community is helping and continuing adding new libs. Everybody is helping together. It's like a family.

It's great to start a own business, where time is money, transforming ideas into apps...

kohle said:

In companies developers come and go, but the software project continue. So the most companies are using the developing languages that are more
common. For example, try to find a programmer for Powerbuilder, good language but hard to find a good developer. Risk for a company to continue a project.
So the most companies use languages which aŕe teached at the University.

It's good to know more languages if you are looking for a job.

B4a is one of the best language on the market for developing Android apps. Why ?
It's easy and the community is helping and continuing adding new libs. Everybody is helping together. It's like a family.

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I think that soon companies will discover b4a and, since not only languages teached in universities work (!), a smart AND QUICK company should use VB.Net and B4A (similar language, VB).

jalle007 said:

Its such a great platform, but what is the benefit, when there is no demand for that?


https://www.upwork.com/o/jobs/browse/?q=basic4android
0 results

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For me it is not for people looking for a job more it is for anyone looking for a great way to develop an App

I use B4A for creating my own apps, also some customers, but the primary objective was creating my own App Studio, and success, You need to be more creative and think in What you can create with your knowledge and skills, and not Who need your skills, don't be a workforce manpower, be the recruiter, be the creator.

Do not think about the hammer, think in the artwork you will create.

Regards

Hi!

Just to contribute to this thread, i had an interview where of course one of the main questions (beside programing in Vb. net) was:

Do you know how to code for android?
Me: you will be surprised by this awesome product called b4a, here is my portfolio.

BOOM! i was hired within 2 days (after the company interviewed more people). My employer told me that knowing b4a was my selling ticket.

My last job before my current, was also b4x based.

So, yes you are right no one is looking for b4x developers, you need to show them that they need you and they do not know it yet.

LucaMs said:

I think that soon companies will discover b4a and, since not only languages teached in universities work (!), a smart AND QUICK company should use VB.Net and B4A (similar language, VB).

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Enrique Gonzalez R said:

Hi!

Just to contribute to this thread, i had an interview where of course one of the main questions (beside programing in Vb. net) was:

Do you know how to code for android?
Me: you will be surprised by this awesome product called b4a, here is my portfolio.

BOOM! i was hired within 2 days (after the company interviewed more people). My employer told me that knowing b4a was my selling ticket.

My last job before my current, was also b4x based.

So, yes you are right no one is looking for b4x developers, you need to show them that they need you and they do not know it yet.

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Didier9 said:

Proper answer: Because one line of B4A is equivalent to 10 lines of java. Any other question?

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The interviewer was trying to assess my knowlegde of Java, which was one of the things they were after, (Java, Python or C).
I didn't want so answer "...because I don't know Java", hence the silence.

Answering something like, "it's faster to code in B4A" could give the wrong impression that I prefer to take shortcuts (not learning Java). It would certainly lead to a conversation where he would say "So, you don't really know what kind of Java code is generated under the hood.". We're talking about a big multinational company here, where everything is standardized and each line of code is minutiously reviewed.

wonder said:

We're talking about a big multinational company here, where everything is standardized and each line of code is minutiously reviewed.

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The irony in working in such "big multinational company" where "each line of code is minutiously reviewed" is that "you" work like a robot. You do not have a will. You follow instruction. Your value is how fast you churn out the codes as required by them. You just stop imagining.

Sigh! but most of us have to bow to it for a good slice of bread.

Regards,

Anand

It's not my dream job, but I can't really complain.

AnandGupta said:

You do not have a will.

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I'm actually given a lot of liberties when it comes to writing my own code.

AnandGupta said:

Your value is how fast you churn out the codes as required by them.

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Quality is more important, at least in my project.