As a software manager, I learned very quickly to trust my gut when outsourcing. If the contractor isn't responding to emails, is giving vague answers, or is just not giving you confidence, FIRE them ASAP. The cost of finding a new contractor and starting over are always cheaper than having the project go to %$*#& along with the damage to one's reputation for hiring the guy. If your gut says that the consultant isn't doing a good job, don't let hopeful thinking diswade you from firing them.

You might also try http://www.schillmania.com/projects/soundmanager/[^]. I implemented a Web 2.0 app that produces a variety of alarms using the stuff I found there. Very good.

No part of the path needs to exist (except for the domain of course). Here's some code from a URLRewriter I wrote recently (it sets UICulture based on a url) that hopefully gives you enough hints on how to do this. If you still have questions, send me an email at support [at] stratelogics [dot] com and I'll help you out. public class URLRewriterHttpModule : IHttpModule { public void Init(HttpApplication context) { context.BeginRequest += new EventHandler(context_BeginRequest); } public void Dispose() { // TO DO: Dispose resource if required } private void context_BeginRequest(object sender, EventArgs e) { HttpRequest request = ((HttpApplication)sender).Request; HttpContext context = ((HttpApplication)sender).Context; string applicationPath = request.ApplicationPath; if (applicationPath == "/") { applicationPath = string.Empty; } string requestPath = request.Url.AbsolutePath.Substring(applicationPath.Length); LoadCulture(ref requestPath); context.RewritePath(applicationPath + requestPath); } private void LoadCulture(ref string path) { if (path.Contains("_e.aspx")) { // Set culture to English and remove _e from filename Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = new CultureInfo("en-CA"); path = path.Replace("_e.aspx", ".aspx"); } else { if (path.Contains("_f.aspx")) { // Set culture to French and remove _f from filename Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = new CultureInfo("fr-CA"); path = path.Replace("_f.aspx", ".aspx"); } else { // Leave culture as is and don't modify filename } } // Set the UICulture to match the Culture Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture = Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture; } } Dont forget to put this in your web.config's system.web section:

I've tried using Elance (as a provider of programming services) and have had poor results. The trouble is that the vast majority of shoppers there have utterly unrealistic goals (e.g. want complex products like, say, a youtube.com clone done in a couple of weeks for $500). Or else, shoppers accept bids from providers with crazy-low bids (from places like India were wages are low and although some firms are just fine, you really take your chances and might get a firm that has no idea what they are doing). In the end, the cost of Elance and the time wasted sifting through the available projects was not worth it. I've since used good old fashioned networking - the social kind, not electronic ;) - to let people know that I'm available. Thanks to that I'm currently working on an ASP.NET project that is bringing in about $80/hr (and, yes, I'm worth every penny :>) You might try using LinkedIn.com to kick-start the networking process (you can send emails out to all your contacts 'announcing' that you've started freelancing).