What risks do I have to consider when encrypting server side as opposed to client-side?

Third-party web developers. Should I care which server-side language they use (ie PHP, Ruby, Python, etc)?

• Hi, I'm working a project where an external development team will be asked to build a beta of a new web service. Even though it's a beta as well as being functionally operable it also needs to demonstrate robustness in design; security; scalability and extensibility. I've personally hacked around in various languages (PHP, Javascript, C, J2ME, SQL, UNIX shells, etc), but I don't consider myself a professional programmer, so I'm interested in others opinions on whether I should even be concerned by the language chosen or if I should focus on the relevant management (PM approach, source code control, testing, etc)? Thanks, Peter

• Answer:

  Some food for thought: If you receive the finished code, how easy will it be for you to asses its quality and to understand it? If they coder uses a language that you are at least slightly familiar with, then you will be able to check their work to some extent. If your coder quits and you need to hire a new coder, how easy will it be for you to find another coder in that language? To this end, got with mainstream established languages rather than obscure, new or trendy languages that might leave you with a bunch of half finished scripts that will need completely rewritten when the next coder comes along.