graduate admissions - Selecting references for PhD applications: are industry references OK?

My background:

• Final year computer science undergraduate in the UK.


• Spent one year working in a scientific facility developing software for scientists. My colleagues had previous academic experience (PhDs in math or physics).


• Researched for 3 months under professor N within my university.


• My dissertation begins in February, so cannot use my supervisor from that.

I want to pursue a PhD, and am at the stage of applying for programmes. However, each programme requires "two academic references", and am unable to come up with a second one (professor N being the first) that would provide the best application.

Giving many of you read references, and recruit PhD students, which of the following references would you prefer receiving:

1. A senior software developer where I previously worked (he has a PhD in physics), but I feel this is not "academic".


2. My personal tutor (a professor who helps with any personal or professional problems), whom I have not seen in a few months, but have used for references before (to get the aforementioned job).


3. Professor B who has taught me over the past three months, but whom I am not close with (on a personal or professional level).

I know my question is a bit specific, so perhaps to generalise:

Q. Is it acceptable to have industrial references when applying for PhD positions, or should I instead use university professors as reference? Even if they may result in a generic reference letter.

Q. How can I speak with professor B to avoid him writing a generic reference letter about me?