Building Scalable Web Applications with Google App Engine [video + slides]

sites.google.com

28 points·timr··6 comments

So why do startups adopt AWS (S3/EC2/SQS) in droves while still only kicking tires on App Engine? Is it a fear of lock-in?

AppEngine isn't "released" yet.

Background tasks and queues are still on the roadmap, the open-source Jaiku port hasn't been released, and most importantly you can't pay for quota yet!

Relatively few startups need scaling all across the stack. For instance, some portion of folks who sell downloadable software have bandwidth issues but largely uncomplicated websites.

For those folks, you can recommend S3 and tell them "This will cost you essentially nothing, it will fix your problem, and integration into your existing site will take ten minutes if you type slowly."

What is the migration path from a successful business to the App Engine?

Step 1: Learn to write Python.

Step 2: Forget everything you've ever learned about databases.

Step 3: Get a cup of coffee. You're not anywhere close to done.

Step 4: Discover that you need a feature that's impossible on App Engine and give up.

Granted, those who just need storage (and CDN) there's no point of using an application platform. But with so many startups using EC2 it is clear the service solves a real need for them.

I agree with both of you - it is both the flexibility of EC2 and inflexibility of App Engine that makes a difference.

I'm waiting for them to lift usage caps. They keep dragging their feet, and I keep waiting. :-)

Seriously, they probably spend all that time making it more robust, so I appreciate them taking time to get it right. But I'm not going to put any serious stuff in there until usage caps are lifted.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com