Questions tagged [freelancing]
Questions for professional programmers who are often contracted out for various positions rather than being part of a company.
206 questions
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What is the best way to send SMS through my own SIM card? [closed]
TLDR: I'm looking for advice on the most straightforward method to set up an SMS system using my own SIM card, without relying on SMS service providers like Twilio or MessageBird.
Currently, I am ...
- 39
2
votes
0
answers
64
views
How to back out of a website development job that's way out of my league [duplicate]
TLDR: project scope has crept beyond my capabilities and I need an early exit strategy (in both parties' best interest)
Early last year I took on a gig to develop a web application for a financial ...
- 29
-4
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1
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66
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When making websites for clients, what's the best way to handle payments that clients pay for, but you design?
When making a website for a client, how do you deal with payments (hosting, theme, plugins, software, ect) when you are setting everything up for them, though the client will be paying for the systems/...
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0
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0
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130
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Change Requests Billing
I have a website developed for my client, and he's currently on an annual maintenance billing for the same post development pushed to production, that he'd paid me for the development charges ...
- 117
2
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2
answers
350
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Estimating How Many Hours A Project SHOULD have taken
I am the senior developer at a company I work for and we have rapidly added many other developers and contractors. Our company is growing and that is great! Recently however, I have been tasked with ...
- 139
2
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3
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192
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Getting started with outsourcing small scientific computation tasks to online freelancers
I have to compute small mathematical problems for my work. My main work is to develop and solve these problems analytically. I then have to compute these problems in mathematica, but this is not my ...
- 37
1
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3
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897
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Is Professional Code Review/Mentoring Offered? [closed]
I'm a newer developer who has worked on some personal projects as well as non-profit/charity projects. However, I seem to be the most "senior" developer in my circle, meaning, most guys come to me for ...
- 1,152
6
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4
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2k
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How and when to choose between Data Consolidation/Data Integration and Data Synchronisation?
I am having some confusion as to how to decide what to choose between Data Consolidation/Data Integration and Data Synchronisation? I know that:
Data Consolidation/Data Integration: refers to the ...
- 161
2
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3
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119
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Is there a way to infer a task's cost using Story Points or something else in Scrum?
We are a bunch of freelancers working together making websites and apps and we starting using Scrum recently. We're enjoying Scrum and its transparency but we're encountering a problem with the budget ...
1
vote
1
answer
160
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Sharing code with API vendor for review without giving them access to the server or repo
A private company allowed me to use their API to make REST API calls (using Basic Authentication) in my application's server side. They also asked to see my implementation before I can go live.
From ...
- 113
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2
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760
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How escrow works on software projects? [closed]
My understanding of escrow, as it is used in software projects between a "client" (commissioning the software/app) and a "contractor" (developer; provider of application services) is as follows:
The ...
- 4,920
7
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2
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350
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How to define fixed priced software projects and how to argue what is inside scope and what is outside scope? [closed]
So here is what happened
The customer gave me a list of things he wanted to have. It is a funding website. So to start a funding project he wanted to have certain fields in the "create/edit funding ...
- 270
5
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2
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166
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What document/artifact should alert me when an old requirement changes the scope of new one?
I developed a software application a year ago, I delivered it with a simple documentation.
For example, it has an special and complicated login system as requirement.
Now the customer calls and ask ...
2
votes
1
answer
81
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Demonstrate or Report a project to Client while freelancing
I have started freelancing for couple of weeks and have done few projects.
While doing it I found myself in risky situation when client ask progress and also want to see it done. which means I have ...
- 23
3
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0
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118
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Client and access to Github history [closed]
About a year ago, our company hired a development company to build a mobile app we had been longing to do, but never got the time to develop.
With previous bad luck with outsourcing, we got it on ...
- 299
11
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2
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2k
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How exactly do exclusive code rights work? [closed]
I was asked by a client to submit a proposal for a web-app he wants to built. This client is a startup with a relatively good traction so far (as it seems).
I have been asked to draft up a contract ...
- 1,931
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1
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180
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Providing production code samples as part of an invited freelance work proposal? [closed]
I have only recently started to market myself as a 'programmer' rather than an analyst or something else entirely. In a recent search of freelance/part-time/contract work, I came across an ad for a ...
- 109
5
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2
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928
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Should one reject over-scoped projects? [closed]
I spoke to my first potential client today and he told me about the requirements of his project - an Android app. He is a well-known designer / photographer in my country and now wants me to "convert ...
- 161
-1
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2
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393
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How to assure client that we will complete our project and won't run away with the money [closed]
I have decided to work as a freelancer. I have developed a software and have successfully given the presentation demo. The client liked it and has agreed to implement the project in his organisation.
...
1
vote
3
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277
views
Quoting for a project with closed source [closed]
I sit with a project that I need to quote, and until the job is awarded, I can only use "View source" to check, and ask a few questions about the system. That makes quoting outright impossible for me ...
- 151
7
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1
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2k
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Typical agreements for freelance development? [closed]
I am just starting out my programming career and I have a chance to bid on a freelance job. I have looked over the specifications for the app and believe I am capable of meeting the requirements ...
- 181
1
vote
2
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410
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Freelance charging based on tasks completed [closed]
I've just started freelancing and have two projects where I am splitting my week with both companies, one I'm charging hourly and everything is fine, the other one however they have said they will pay ...
- 11
4
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1
answer
6k
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Terminating a freelance contract before completion [closed]
I've been building a large web application for a company. Initially the project owner appointed a Graphic/Web designer to complete all design/front end works. Me and who ever I bring in to complete ...
- 329
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10
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1k
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Is there really anything to gain with complex design?
I've been working for a consulting firm for some time, with clients of various sizes, and I've seen web applications ranging in complexity from really simple:
MVC
Service Layer
EF
DB
To really ...
- 317
4
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3
answers
284
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Business Equity for Code. Is it advisable to enter into such agreements? [closed]
I have been considering this approach for a project I am about to embark upon and would like to hear from other programmers about their experience in contributing code for equity. Has anyone been ...
- 187
11
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1
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4k
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In freelance software development, what kind of penalties should firms have when they miss deadlines? [closed]
I was talking with a co-developer.
He has a client that wanted to make sure that he delivers on time. The client wants repercussions for missed deadlines.
While I do not do freelance work, I couldn'...
- 221
8
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2
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2k
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Is it okay to add time for "unexpected delays" to a time estimate?
I've landed my first contract (hooray, self employment!) and the company is asking for time estimates.
Programmers are notoriously bad at time estimates, and I know I've been laughably wrong before....
- 1,091
13
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1
answer
18k
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What are the characteristics or features of production-quality code?
This is the first time I will be delivering code for a freelance project (web-app), and, since I don't have much experience shipping code, I am having a hard time deciding whether my program is ready ...
- 241
18
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5
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9k
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Are missed deadlines common in programming jobs? [closed]
It was my freelancer job at oDesk. I have done several jobs earlier in given time, but is was the first time I missed the deadline. It was a very lengthy job and I tried my best but I still missed the ...
user88873
4
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5
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524
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How should I store an old project? [closed]
As a freelancer, I come across many projects. Its almost impossible to store a backup of all of the projects on my laptop. What are some better options to store them?
user4124
2
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3
answers
400
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Is 25% to me as sole author a good deal? [closed]
This is my first contract negotiation. So I've written a program which supports some hardware that the company makes. (The support is important, and most customers will buy it, but the software ...
- 201
2
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4
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535
views
Freelancing and GPL?
Is it possible for a freelance programmer to use Open Source products under GNU Public License and make money given that he cannot stop his customers from freely distributing his products?
- 153
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600
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Clever way to license/obfuscate web applications until the client has paid for it
I am doing contract work for various clients and I was wondering how best to go about safeguarding myself against non-payment. The projects will be ASP.NET web applications, most likely intranet-based....
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5
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1k
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Should Cross browser testing be explicitly mentioned in the scope of a project?
I do freelance web development and front end dev is not my strongest point. This question came to me in my recent fixed bid project.
Nowadays we use Jquery and Bootstrap and these take care of lots ...
- 555
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6
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3k
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Should I allow my client to self host?
I'm just starting out as a web designer. I'm trying to build up a portfolio for my own website.
I'm concerned about designing a site and handing it over to the client. Once I do this I could lose ...
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3
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2k
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What's an incorporated software developer?
I saw a job posting asking for "incorporated software developers" and asking them to state their "incorporated rate" when applying. What's the difference between an incorporated developer and a ...
4
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2
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2k
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Important Questions to ask Client at Briefing (Web Development) [closed]
I am just moving into freelancing (my primary sector will be web design / web development). I've got a few projects for friends as well as one or two 'professional' projects in the pipeline. I would ...
- 151
0
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1
answer
205
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Impact of ending contract with know-ins-and-outs lead developer of a project [duplicate]
I have a long time running project. Its been running for about 6 months. The project is very big. The lead developer/team leader designed the project and the whole project is in his brain. He knows ...
- 261
11
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3
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872
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Who owns code if project cancelled [closed]
The problem: I am working on a freelance marketplace, and I decided to cancel project with one of my clients, because client is impossible to work with with limitless delays and lots of bugs in his ...
user85376
7
votes
2
answers
3k
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How do I get my first job at a freelancing website? [closed]
I am new to freelancing websites. The problem is I have zero rating and I can't get any projects even if I bid the lowest amount.
I tried bidding aggressively. I even tried bidding the lowest ...
- 227
5
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1
answer
718
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Who manages a CMS after a freelance project is complete?
I've been a full stack .net developer for several years now using C#/MVC4/SQL Server and have never taken on a freelance project. This is because up until now I have worked only as a full-time ...
- 153
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3
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7k
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Starting consulting while employed - conflict of interest [closed]
First of all I am not after legal advice. This is a bit TL;DR but I have a summary at the bottom, I'm explaining it all so people can offer insightful advise.
Situation
I need to explain my present ...
- 6,152
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307
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Software agreement for farming out development work [closed]
I'm looking for guidance from someone who has successfully hired a freelancer to assist with writing software they later marketed publicly. Simply, what kind of software agreement should I have the ...
- 111
6
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1
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1k
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Wrote an application for a friend. Who is the owner of the software? [closed]
Friend asked me to develop a software application for him. I did and he paid me.
There was no written contract. I live in UK and he resides in Canada.
My question is: who is the owner of the software ...
- 179
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2
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252
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Which Open Source License is right for my project? [closed]
I'm developing a suite of software tools that I need help with which is why I want to release my software open-source. People should be able to use and modify my code as they please while contributing ...
- 101
3
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5
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10k
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If I hire you for "a day", how many hours are expected? [closed]
I've seen a lot of advice for freelance programmers which advocates quoting your rates in periods of a minimum of one day. That means that when someone asks your rate, you would say "$500 per day" ...
- 139
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4
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2k
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How do web-developers do web-design when freelancing? [closed]
So I got my first job recently as junior web-developer.
My company creates small/medium sites for wide variety of customers: autobusiness companies, weddign agencies, some sauna websites, etcetc, hope ...
- 17
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4
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2k
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Freelancing - Getting paid for the quote or estimate [closed]
It is often necessary to spend time designing a solution, breaking down the design into tasks and sub tasks and estimating the time it will take to complete each task in order to produce a reasonable ...
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131
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14
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11k
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Demonstrate bad code to client?
A client has asked me to do a redesign of their website, an ASP.NET Webforms application that was developed by another consultant. It seemed like a relatively straightforward job, but after looking at ...
0
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2
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544
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Independent contractors posting projects to their portfolio [closed]
I'm about to hire freelance contractors to do small pieces of my web projects.
Is it standard to allow them to put the project on their portfolio? Say a simple debugging task getting a specific ...
- 229