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View Full Version : Re: Overcoming the "One man band gets hit by truck" worry.



Bob Worsley
22-Jun-2005, 09:39 AM
I think this "presence lack" should be an even bigger concern. If we can
get DF better recognized, we'll have fewer clients with these issues. Sigh,
all
it takes is money - or time in getting press releases out where it really
counts (to the business world, not just us geeks ;-).

I seem to remember this same conversation back in 1987 and every other year
since...
Bob


"Garret Mott" <garret@automatesoftware.com> wrote in message
news:C2F8E58C1F7D4A4CB525AC96D503B58E0D1376@bunyip .abacus-labs.com...
> OK, I gotta throw in my 1.87 cents worth...
>
> What a great discussion to see. Thanks Archie! I've seen both frank
> comments & great
> ideas. Hendrick - I'd talk about a co-op concept. Peter - I'd also talk
> about being backups for each other.
>
> I've been a "one man band" for 22 years. I've come up with a method that
> works well for me & (I think) just as well as my clients. I've had the
> luxury of working with a lot of great clients. Been a few iffy ones, but
> very few. These I don't want. If I've done work for them & now prefer
not
> to, hey - they can have the code (with a non-duplication agreement) & move
> on in the world. I've only had to do that twice.
>
> All the rest of my clients are people I know & trust. Every one of them
has
> full source code sitting on their system, with instructions on how & when
to
> back it up (when's easy - always back up before Garret gets there to blow
> things up!). They also have the # for DAW to help them locate a developer
> should that famous (magic?) bus find me.
>
> I'm probably naive, but I haven't had any problems with source being
stolen
> in that time. I did have a program stolen, but the "brainiac" that stole
it
> didn't know/care about the code - he just took .flx, .dat, etc. from the
> working directory and gave/sold it to a buddy. Obviously, he got caught
;-)
> That's a good story, more appropriately told after quantities of
alcohol...
>
> This next comment maybe veering the topic a bit, but I believe it's
> germane. Please include WebApp, DF, VDF, Win & Lin, etc. where I use
"DF".
>
> When bidding/talking about jobs for clients that have required VB as
opposed
> to DF, this topic has not come up once. My belief is that this is caused
by
> DF's lack of "presence". Everyone can find a VB programmer just down the
> street... or so they (prospective clients) say & then the subject is done.
>
> I imagine most every (at least US) developer who recommends DF has gotten
> the blank look from prospective clients when it's mentioned. "DataWhat?
I
> know (Visual) Basic is a really good language..."
>
> I think this "presence lack" should be an even bigger concern. If we can
> get
> DF better recognized, we'll have fewer clients with these issues. Sigh,
all
> it takes is money - or time in getting press releases out where it really
> counts (to the business world, not just us geeks ;-).
>
> Garret Mott
>
>
>