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Dave Starr
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3 years ago
in Can A Web Programmer Make a Living Programming? on Technosailor
As someone who can't program his way out of a wet paper bag, but someone who has let millions of dollars in contracts for software and run the projects the software gurus were supporting, let me add my perspective here.
The ability to code, in any language, on any platform, is worth exactly zilch. It's on the same order of business usefulness as the folks who spend their time defining and learning the Klingon language.
The majority of programmers I have worked with have an inverse ratio between business acumen and coding ability. The deeper they get into code, the less interest they have in how that code might help the company earn money.
To make money in the free lance world you need to "imagineer" the way to solve a problem or fill a need and then code it. Google is a good current example. Alta Vista was built on the best computer platforms available, coded by some pretty darn good PhD's, and reached the otherwise unattainable goal of indexing every publicly available web site. They had no real business model; they were bright people from Digital spending tons of money to build something technically way cool.
Along came two college geeks who said, hey, let's build our own, but better, and while we're at it we'll develop ways 9many ways) to monetize it. Anybody looked at Digital's stock price lately? Is it still even traded? We know what Google is worth, and it's for sure that there is some fantastic coding talent within the Googleplex. But Google's value is based on "x" (the value of their technical skills) plus "y" (the value of their business skills) and I can guarantee that x
The ability to code, in any language, on any platform, is worth exactly zilch. It's on the same order of business usefulness as the folks who spend their time defining and learning the Klingon language.
The majority of programmers I have worked with have an inverse ratio between business acumen and coding ability. The deeper they get into code, the less interest they have in how that code might help the company earn money.
To make money in the free lance world you need to "imagineer" the way to solve a problem or fill a need and then code it. Google is a good current example. Alta Vista was built on the best computer platforms available, coded by some pretty darn good PhD's, and reached the otherwise unattainable goal of indexing every publicly available web site. They had no real business model; they were bright people from Digital spending tons of money to build something technically way cool.
Along came two college geeks who said, hey, let's build our own, but better, and while we're at it we'll develop ways 9many ways) to monetize it. Anybody looked at Digital's stock price lately? Is it still even traded? We know what Google is worth, and it's for sure that there is some fantastic coding talent within the Googleplex. But Google's value is based on "x" (the value of their technical skills) plus "y" (the value of their business skills) and I can guarantee that x
3 years ago
in Desktop search: from Lookout and back again | A View from Judi Sohn on A View from Judi Sohn
Thanks for being the other "Lookout" user on the net. I thought for some time I was the only one left. Lookout does exactly what a search program is supposed to do and not any of the other frills that eat time and machine cycles.
I use it many times per day, I hope some other converts read this and give it a try.
Years ago I was in a government organization when they switched to Outlook. My deputy, who was a little more computer-savvy than he liked to pretend had troubles every day with Outlook. He took to intentionally calling it "Lookout". I never do a search today without thinking of him and those early days of Outlook with a grin.
I use it many times per day, I hope some other converts read this and give it a try.
Years ago I was in a government organization when they switched to Outlook. My deputy, who was a little more computer-savvy than he liked to pretend had troubles every day with Outlook. He took to intentionally calling it "Lookout". I never do a search today without thinking of him and those early days of Outlook with a grin.
3 years ago
in Public Service Announcement: Kangaroos and cars don’t mix on duncanriley.com
Very interesting post,Duncan. Some years ago I used to be in the postion of sending dozens of Yanks per year to vist a site we had in Woomera. They would fly into Adelaide and rent a car there for the journey out through 'Roo country. As you are no doubt aware, rental car companies often offer vehicles with "'Roo Bars" as an option, which my folks were always under strict instructions to use, no exceptions.
Well my boss's boss decided to take a trip one day and of course was not in the habit of taking advice from an underling like me. When he got to the rental agency a smiling clerk told him, "we have no cars with bars today, you don't need them anyway, Australia isn't overrun with kangaroos, you know.
He made it 25 clicks before his rental Subaru was in the ditch, windscreen, both front wings and the radiator done for. Collison damage waiver insurance? Oh, he didn't need that either, just a rip off by the rental companies.
Wonder why he was upset when he returned to the US and I asked him how his trip had gone?
Oh well
Well my boss's boss decided to take a trip one day and of course was not in the habit of taking advice from an underling like me. When he got to the rental agency a smiling clerk told him, "we have no cars with bars today, you don't need them anyway, Australia isn't overrun with kangaroos, you know.
He made it 25 clicks before his rental Subaru was in the ditch, windscreen, both front wings and the radiator done for. Collison damage waiver insurance? Oh, he didn't need that either, just a rip off by the rental companies.
Wonder why he was upset when he returned to the US and I asked him how his trip had gone?
Oh well
3 years ago
in Pet Peeve #12566 | A View from Judi Sohn on A View from Judi Sohn
Boy do I hear you on the time zone issue, Judi. I addition to putting the information on the web site, if one cares at all about attracting and satisfying customers, add a note about the time zone to the voice mail message. It once took me three days to get in touch with a company whose business address indicated they were in Mountain time(same zone as where I live). I kept trying to call them right after lunch, only to find their call center was on Pacific time, so I was continually calling at lunch time. Come to think of it, if you are trying to serve and sell, why on earth wouldn't you take calls at lunch time .. that's a prime time for folks taking a break from their work, trying to buy things.
I'd also urge anyone who wants to sell to add their location to their web site. If you work from home and don't want to give out too much information, rent a PO Box. As a matter of principle, I never use a credit card myself unless I can find a street or mail address for the vendor I am considering. There are many small businesses who have lost sales from me becuase they were too coy about their physical location.
I'd also urge anyone who wants to sell to add their location to their web site. If you work from home and don't want to give out too much information, rent a PO Box. As a matter of principle, I never use a credit card myself unless I can find a street or mail address for the vendor I am considering. There are many small businesses who have lost sales from me becuase they were too coy about their physical location.
