Silly Client
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I answered a Craigslist posting for a "SQL Programmer blah blah blah..". When we talked, what he really wants is a web app. Seems a fair size project. Mid to large scale. 5 minutes into the call he said "So ho much will this cost and how long will it take?"
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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Sorry, not following what you mean
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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Sorry, not following what you mean
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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Ahh.. I guess I didn't notice because I don't really care about votes.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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I answered a Craigslist posting for a "SQL Programmer blah blah blah..". When we talked, what he really wants is a web app. Seems a fair size project. Mid to large scale. 5 minutes into the call he said "So ho much will this cost and how long will it take?"
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
What's the punchline? How is the client silly? It would seem silly if he didn't ask either question. Quite a few web apps require SQL programming and cost money and take time.
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Ahh.. I guess I didn't notice because I don't really care about votes.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
Personally, I just found it to be an interesting bug(?). I was hoping someone lower than a platinum would post and be affected, so evidence could be gathered to support the idea that the report is coming from the poster's own account. But if it's fixed, we can only speculate (unless it's confirmed by someone working on the code of course).
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What's the punchline? How is the client silly? It would seem silly if he didn't ask either question. Quite a few web apps require SQL programming and cost money and take time.
Joe Woodbury wrote:
Quite a few web apps require SQL programming and cost money and take time.
That's exactly my point. You can't tell someone how much or how long after only 5 minutes on the phone.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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I answered a Craigslist posting for a "SQL Programmer blah blah blah..". When we talked, what he really wants is a web app. Seems a fair size project. Mid to large scale. 5 minutes into the call he said "So ho much will this cost and how long will it take?"
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
It seems the proper time to introduce the client to basic of a good ol' process, I like to call SDLC ;P . And then directly jump Feasibility and requirement gathering :-D
--> Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant. --> In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.
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It seems the proper time to introduce the client to basic of a good ol' process, I like to call SDLC ;P . And then directly jump Feasibility and requirement gathering :-D
--> Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant. --> In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.
I never, ever quite a time or cost over the phone. If the don't/won't sit down and talk it over with me, I back out.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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Joe Woodbury wrote:
Quite a few web apps require SQL programming and cost money and take time.
That's exactly my point. You can't tell someone how much or how long after only 5 minutes on the phone.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
Yeah, you can. It may not be entirely accurate, but even then, you can match what he wants to a previous project and come up with a reasonable ballpark number (though usually high.) (Throwing in a bunch of caveats helps, such as "If you want this, and this and for it do to this, it will take 18 months and $260,000 in labor and costs.)
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I answered a Craigslist posting for a "SQL Programmer blah blah blah..". When we talked, what he really wants is a web app. Seems a fair size project. Mid to large scale. 5 minutes into the call he said "So ho much will this cost and how long will it take?"
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
When I used to do this type of work I would happily give them a guestimate, let them know it was a dodgy number I had picked out of the air based on experience and then give them a firm price for requirement gathering at which point I would supply a more accurate ESTIMATE. Ignoring or denigrating this question is losing you an opportunity to both sell your experience and show your professionalism.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
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When I used to do this type of work I would happily give them a guestimate, let them know it was a dodgy number I had picked out of the air based on experience and then give them a firm price for requirement gathering at which point I would supply a more accurate ESTIMATE. Ignoring or denigrating this question is losing you an opportunity to both sell your experience and show your professionalism.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
Oh I most certainly did NOT ignore it. I told him I won't quoye time or cost to him without first sitting down and discussing requirements. Anything other than that is setting myself up for failure.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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I never, ever quite a time or cost over the phone. If the don't/won't sit down and talk it over with me, I back out.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
Kevin Marois wrote:
don't/won't sit down and talk it over with me, I back out
Same here, and that's just the beginning...
"Real programmers just throw a bunch of 1s and 0s at the computer to see what sticks" - Pete O'Hanlon
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I answered a Craigslist posting for a "SQL Programmer blah blah blah..". When we talked, what he really wants is a web app. Seems a fair size project. Mid to large scale. 5 minutes into the call he said "So ho much will this cost and how long will it take?"
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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I never, ever quite a time or cost over the phone. If the don't/won't sit down and talk it over with me, I back out.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
Well, that makes sense. Plus these matters cannot be completely discussed and concluded in a proper way on one single phone call.
--> Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant. --> In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.
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I don't think it's an unreasonable question and you should be able to give a powers-of-2 or at least orders-of-magnitude estimate. The guy needs to know whether he's asking for £10k or £100k, and 3 months or 2 years.
It's incredibly unreasonable. As soon as you quote a price, they'll hold you to it, even if you yell the word "ESTIMATE". Besides, most of the clients I'v wordked for have no clue in the beginning what they want. They have a vague idea, and they want you to quote on that vague idea.
If it's not broken, fix it until it is