Never Pay For Application Development Services Again
secretGeek .:dot Nuts about dot Net:.
home .: about .: sign up .: sitemap .: secretGeek RSS

Never Pay For Application Development Services Again

Design: Free
Implementation: $5
Working System: Priceless

Part A:

  1. Find an IT company willing to write a detailed quote for free.
  2. Bully them until they either drop their price to $5, or they quit revising the quote.
  3. If the IT company quits, then find another IT company, get them to write a 'more detailed' quote, based on the previous quote.
  4. If the result is good enough to begin implementation, move on to part B.
  5. Otherwise, back to step 2.

Part B:

  1. Rename the quote document to 'detailed design'
  2. Find an IT company willing to mock up a prototype based on the detailed design.
  3. They should be willing to do this for free based on loose promises about a highly-paid implementation and deployment scenario. Other fantasies can be used to deceive.
  4. If, despite all your best fairy tale stories, the IT company is not willing to do the prototype for free -- go to step 2.
  5. If the prototype is good enough, put it into production. End.
  6. Otherwise, find an IT company willing to 'take a look at a few bugs' in a prototype you've got.
  7. They should be willing to do this for free based on loose promises about a highly-paid implementation and deployment scenario. Other fantasies can be used to deceive.
  8. If, despite all your best fairy tale stories, the IT company is not willing to 'take a look at' (ie. resolve) the bugs for free -- go to step 6.

Part C:

  1. Burn any invoices that show up.
  2. Remove finger prints.
  3. Delete emails.

Sometimes I feel that every engagement I've ever done is a variation on this theme.

Sometimes I think that I'm just looking at the same buggy code that passed my desk years ago.

It's been refactored, upgraded, downsized, deployed, reverse-engineered, obfuscated and reflected so many times that i barely recognise it, but no... it's the very same code...

i recognise the way the loops inside the loops call the loops outside the loops...

i recognise the way the validation code is duplicated in every form...

i recognise the way the embedded sql gets the buffer overrun to generate the javascript...

it's changed in so many ways, but the flavor is the same...

i've seen this thing before i just know it...

maybe i'll fix just one bug, then pass it on...


(back from holiday ;-) )





'al' on Tue, 21 Nov 2006 02:10:30 GMT, sez:

its the "Chinese Whispers" development model.Maybe the trick is to embed weird proprietary code with a really obscure eula, then sue the value of the project out of them.

Oh, wait a minute. Avanade.



'lb' on Tue, 21 Nov 2006 03:43:03 GMT, sez:

>Oh, wait a minute. Avanade.

love it. ;-)



'Scott Schecter' on Tue, 21 Nov 2006 12:49:54 GMT, sez:

While I was reading this I found myself twiddling my fingers, and muttering "excellent..." in my best C. Montgomery Burns voice. Truly evil Leon, I love it...



'Des Traynor' on Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:31:43 GMT, sez:

I love it Leon.

I know of a company that did something similar to a web-designer friend of mine. He mailed them 2 images of how their finished website would look, and they were soo unimpressed they said they decided to work with someone else.

That someone else turned out to be a webdeveloper they hired for "here is the design, you give us the HTML", which he did, the spa. They claimed that the HTML wasn't standards compliant, passed it on to their inhouse web guy, and sure enough, it's a real live website now.

Total cost: $0

Lesson Learned: Don't give anything away until you've got cash or a contract. ESPECIALLY if you really need the money.



'Haacked' on Tue, 21 Nov 2006 14:01:59 GMT, sez:

That is so eeeevil! ;)

In fact, that's basically what my company does. We receive a RFP and then we bid it out to subcontractors until we get a $5.00 bid. PURE PROFIT!


(yes, I'm kidding)



'Ryan Smith' on Tue, 21 Nov 2006 20:25:47 GMT, sez:

That sounds like a similar project that I worked on earlier this year.

Build a prototype, get handed off to a new project manager on the client side. Hear about how it doesn't work.

Revision meetings for weeks.

They get the code for free.

Lame.



'facebookster' on Fri, 09 Nov 2007 07:10:01 GMT, sez:

Facebookster - Need a Facebook application? Well you've reached the right place. Usually in typical companies you will find information about structure, policies, and ideologies. At Facebookster.com we focus on one thing… Get it done.
<a href=”www.facebookster.com”> www.facebookster.com</a> or <a href=”www.facebookster.net”> www.facebookster.net</a>



'OpenSocial Factory' on Fri, 09 Nov 2007 07:10:51 GMT, sez:

OpenSocial Factory - Where social networking applicatios come to life!<br>
Are you in need of a custom Facebook application or an OpenSocial application for social network? We are happy to build even the most robust applications to help promote your company in the realm of social media across any social network.<br><br>
Visit now: <a href="http://opensocialfactory.com">http://opensocialfactory.com</a> or <a href="http://opensocialfactory.net">http://opensocialfactory.net</a>



'Facebook Developer UK' on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:59:41 GMT, sez:

Facebook applications is what people expect more. And it should be great according to peoples



'facebook application development' on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:14:03 GMT, sez:

Are you sure with won't cost anything for development?

Thanks



'facebook applications' on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:19:41 GMT, sez:

Facebook Guru is one of the best Facebook application development companies that also offer Facebook widgets, connect integration, Bebo apps and Friendster applications development services through expert and professional Facebook applications developers.



'seppo' on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 06:26:44 GMT, sez:

asdadsasd




name


website (optional)


enter the word:
 

comment (HTML not allowed)


All viewpoints welcome. But the right to delete any post for any reason is reserved. Don't make me do it. Comments may be republished, emailed to your loved ones or printed and used as toilet paper. Who reads this legal bit anyhow?

TimeSnapper is a life analysis system that stores and plays-back your computer use. It makes timesheet recording a breeze, helps you recover lost work and shows you how to sharpen your act.

TimeSnapper won last year's Developer Competition at Larkware.com, and is used by over 10,000 people.

Articles

SQL Style Extensions for C# SQL Style Extensions for C#
The Movie Hollywood (And My Wife) Doesn't Want You To See: Weekend at Jacko's The Movie Hollywood (And My Wife) Doesn't Want You To See: Weekend at Jacko's
Sysi: the ultimate administrators toolkit Sysi: the ultimate administrators toolkit
Movie: Priest Academy Movie: Priest Academy
Inspirational Rat Story Inspirational Rat Story
A face-melting DSL that allows programming ON the iPhone (and iPad) A face-melting DSL that allows programming ON the iPhone (and iPad)
The secretGeek Disaster Recovery plan The secretGeek Disaster Recovery plan
Save KNVTn! Before it's too late Save KNVTn! Before it's too late
The Ultimate Agent of WERF Destruction The Ultimate Agent of WERF Destruction
The new prisoner's dilemma The new prisoner's dilemma
Original Premise for a road movie Original Premise for a road movie
What's a better game than Devshop? What's a better game than Devshop?
DevShop: The Cool Game that Makes Development Look Fun DevShop: The Cool Game that Makes Development Look Fun
Should be purple Should be purple
Kitchen Agile Kitchen Agile
Perhaps Perhaps "Go" is the new Visual Basic
zen-coding: turn those CSS selectors upside down zen-coding: turn those CSS selectors upside down
Debugging: It's all about finding Albuquerque. Debugging: It's all about finding Albuquerque.
The Real-Time online JQuery Editor The Real-Time online JQuery Editor
HTML5, a 3 minute guide HTML5, a 3 minute guide
Developer Codpieces Developer Codpieces
Agile for one: The Personal Story 'Wall' In Action Agile for one: The Personal Story 'Wall' In Action
Never work with thick people. Never work with thick people.
Cosmo: project status panel Cosmo: project status panel
Windows Search in Japan Windows Search in Japan
Project Management Zen Project Management Zen
Continuous Integration, Plugins and Going Too Far Continuous Integration, Plugins and Going Too Far
The Rules of Stand Up The Rules of Stand Up
Sydney International Airport: Stupid, Criminal, or Criminally Stupid? Sydney International Airport: Stupid, Criminal, or Criminally Stupid?
God No! ...The ReBuilder God No! ...The ReBuilder
Matt, The Office Mortar Matt, The Office Mortar
'Outlook style' rules for Subversion 'Outlook style' rules for Subversion
Really deep linking: Url + regex Really deep linking: Url + regex
hExcel -- A Hexagonal Spreadsheet hExcel -- A Hexagonal Spreadsheet
Is the remote control a thing of the past? Is the remote control a thing of the past?
The Utterly Thorough Guide To Awesome Application Compatibility on Windows 7. The Utterly Thorough Guide To Awesome Application Compatibility on Windows 7.
Astounding Hyperlinked Noticeboard Astounding Hyperlinked Noticeboard
Three Questions About Each Bug You Find Three Questions About Each Bug You Find
Recursing over the Pareto Principle... Recursing over the Pareto Principle...
Sometimes, The Better You Program, The Worse You Communicate. Sometimes, The Better You Program, The Worse You Communicate.

Archives .: secretGeek :: Complete Archives
TimeSnapper -- Automated Screenshot Journal TimeSnapper.com    
Version 3.3: true productivity boost

Next Action NextAction
Managing the top of your mind

World's Simplest Code Generator (html edition) World's Simplest Code Generator

25 steps for building a Micro-ISV 25 steps for building a Micro-ISV
3 minute guides -- babysteps in new technologies: powershell, JSON, watir, F# 3 Minute Guide Series
Universal Troubleshooting checklist Universal Troubleshooting Checklist
Top 10 SecretGeek articles Top 10 SecretGeek articles
ShinyPower (help with Powershell) ShinyPower
Now at CodePlex

Realtime CSS Editor, in a browser RealTime Online CSS Editor
Gradient Maker -- a tool for making background images that blend from one colour to another. Forget photoshop, this is the bomb. Gradient Maker


[powered by Google] 


How to be depressed How to be depressed
You are not inadequate.



Recommended Reading

The Best Software Writing I
The Business Of Software (Eric Sink)

Recommended blogs

Jeff Atwood
Reginald Braithwaite
Joseph Cooney
Phil Haack
Scott Hanselman
Julia Lerman
Rhys Parry
Joel Pobar
OJ Reeves
Eric Sink
Joel Spolsky
Des Traynor

Aggregated Links

programming.reddit.com
dzone
dot net kicks

Human Link Machines

interesting finds
a continuous learner's weblog
arjan's world
n links today
new and notable
morning coffee
learning .net
weekly link post
(my del.icio.us account)

LinkedIn profile
 
home .: about .: sign up .: sitemap .: secretGeek RSS .: © Leon Bambrick 2006 .: privacy

home .: about .: sign up .: sitemap .: RSS .: © Leon Bambrick 2006 .: privacy