Freelance job: Web-based or Windows-PC software

[techydude]

Seeking a short-term programmer for a Web-based or Windows-PC software project.

- Either Web-based (preferably), or Windows-based (if Windows, must support Windows XP & above, .Net framework requirement on client PC is acceptable).
- Maintains a reasonably small database (e.g. <100k Product records) with a list of Products with assigned serial numbers, various configuration parameters, & encryption keys.
- User can add, edit & archive items in the Product database, both manually one at a time, & by accepting a .csv file for mass import.
- Software can issue per-Product encrypted configuration files in .txt format, save to disk.
- Underlying database requirement should be 'garden variety' (e.g. MySQL, Postgres, SQLite, etc)
- Possibility of a 2nd development stage integrating to a separate website where users can request issuance of updated configuration files, sent via email.

Requirements:
- First start by working with me interactively to clarify the spec
- Can demonstrate experience  / prior work in the technologies mentioned above
  (Web/Windows technology stack to be agreed upon)
- Desirable, but not essential: Be able to complete this work before the end of March.
- Use BitBucket or GitHub to push regular commits to a private repo for review & testing (by me & The Client) (& if web-based, maintain a staging web-server of current commit), etc.
- Your location is not important, only your reputation is.  I am in Sydney Australia, my client is in Egypt.

I am (my client is) willing to pay someone an hourly rate for initial liasion, ironing out spec, etc, then ideally a fixed price for implementation. If there are material variations in our spec along the way, or other genuinely unforeseeable hiccups, we're tolerant of variations in your billing.  Periodic invoicing is fine, so long as progress is demonstrated.

Please contact me ASAP, or pass along if you know someone else who might be interested, because if I don't find someone within my extended network soon, I'll probably have to resort to the snakepit of somewhere like Freelancer.

Anthony May
anthony at techydude dot com dot au

[ivaylo]

Man, I'm dying to work for someone who shows me the finger right away...

[techydude]

than you miss out on cake

[Rigby]

This is work I am VERY glad I don't do anymore. 

Here's what I read: "Here are some things I think I want, but later I will change my mind on a lot of it. Also, we're going to add a TON of unclear, nonsensical requirements after we've decided on your payment terms and everyone signs everything, so you can't ask for more money.  In the end you won't get paid for 6 months after you complete the work, despite the contract stating otherwise."

[techydude]

This is work I am VERY glad I don't do anymore. 

Here's what I read: "Here are some things I think I want, but later I will change my mind on a lot of it. Also, we're going to add a TON of unclear, nonsensical requirements after we've decided on your payment terms and everyone signs everything, so you can't ask for more money.  In the end you won't get paid for 6 months after you complete the work, despite the contract stating otherwise."

Well, thanks for that assumptive and pessimistic spin, but I think your 'reading' is rather off.

The application is very straight forward, so arriving at a solid spec is highly likely.  However I don't have many pre-conceived notions of how it should be implemented, in what language (frankly I couldn't give a toss, so long as it gets the job done), whether it's a web-app on a server somewhere, or a Windows app, _it really doesn't matter_.  In other words, I'm flexible to the range of skills that express interest in this short term engagement.  And as I said in the description, because the spec is currently so vague, I'm more than happy to pay an hourly rate to work interactively with the contractor to nut out the spec.

If you can't or won't wrap your head around such a scenario, fine, go break a leg elsewhere.  But please don't accuse me of fraud against contractors without evidence - you don't know me or my ethics, thank you very much.

[Rigby]

Well, I know your profile photo is flipping me off.

That's all I need to know.

[iampoor]

When we know nothing about your character or ethics, and your profile picture is you flipping us off, what do you expect?

You might be the nicest, most honest guy in the world, but (Id assume) most people are not going to give you the benefit of the doubt....

[Falcon69]

A Picture is worth a thousand words, and when that picture has someone in it flipping me off, those words look like one giant word. No punctuation, no paragraphs, no spaces between letters, and ALL CAPS.  I don't even read and just move on.

Do yourself a favor, especially when you are advertising your business or looking to hire someone to do work for you.....don't give them the finger in your profile picture. It makes you look stupid.

Just my .02

[SL4P]

OP, I know where you're coming from, and as first wave of the flag - you did the right thing.
All the haters are just bored on a Sunday - don't ignore them but use them to be prepared when you get some positive replies.

You have been upfront about your intentions, but the timeframe is impossible if you want customers to rely on the package with v1.0 !
You need to do some thinking about hourly (pre-start) & milestone (dev) rates - and what happens later for revisions and variations when they come to the surface.
Remember documentation too!)

I reckon end March for POC demo, two weeks later for presentation v0.1
Sometime in mid-late Apr for release v1.0. - based on broad brush you have suggested with basic testing.

Good luck, I wish was up on NET  tools- I'd offer!
p.s. the profile pic may not draw the type of dev you're looking for!

[techydude]

lol, you anti-bird-flippers are funny lil trolls.
having more important things to spend my time on, clicking the 'show new replies to my posts' link hasn't had much love from my for the past month, so sorry for my delayed reply.

anyway, the job's under way, I found 1 guy who's able to do all 3 projects (an additional simple Windows app got added to the requirements by the client), it's underway, and we're both quite happy.  he doesn't appear to have a neurosis with the bird-flip, either.

and JFTR, you're all quite right, it's not an appropriate profile-pic for OMG AN EMPLOYER!!!!!  cuz I'm just this guy, you know, looking for someone to take over a job I unfortunately don't have time for myself.  but geezus is really shits me when the holier-than-thou-my-shit-don't-stink forum trolls decide to lecture...

[Rigby]

Well, I was just speaking from experience.  People that flip me off, casually or otherwise, don't typically treat me well in general.

And I will say that your job description would not entice me to seek out that work, no matter who posted it.  It had a lot of subliminal flags that reminded me of projects past that looked great on the surface but turned into absolutely nightmares for both employer and employee.

that said, good luck to you. 

[jlmoon]

+1 for Rigby.
Would have to ask, the OP.. where is the self respect & professionalism?