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Step 1
Consider the operating systems and platforms of your target audience. Whether you are aiming towards business users running PCs, running an open source aimed at Linux and Unix users, or optimizing your program for Mac OS users, you are going to want to choose the best platform to be compatible with their setup.
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Step 2
Consider what devices you want your program to run on. For phones, Web applications, PDAs and other wireless devices, Java or .Net will work well. For PCs and Macs, Linux is a good universal alternative to the standard Windows or Mac OS.
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Step 3
Look into availability of APIs. An API is an application programming interface, meaning it is a source code interface that lets a computer program work with a particular platform. Some are freely distributed, such as that of Microsoft, to encourage software to be written for their platform.
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Step 4
Consider security. Some platforms are more secure than others. For example, Unix is designed to be integrated with large network systems and is reliable and secure, while Microsoft Windows is more geared towards individual users and companies and is less so.
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Step 5
Consider using a cross-platform framework. Frameworks like the Mozilla framework can be used to develop applications that will run on many platforms.
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Step 6
Find good resources. Choose a platform that has an active community and many helpful users. Documentation can only get you so far, so instead look for a platform that is widely discussed in forums and in blogs.
