Rent A Coder

One of the characteristics of a content management system (CMS) is that it is a framework for a website. The large variety of available modules means that it can be configured for a great many interests, from commercial to leisure activities. Even so, some people will have a need to have custom modules developed or enhance existing modules. If you are one of these people, where do you look for a qualified programmer?

Posting on the forum for your CMS might seem like a good idea, but it may not be as good as you think. In fact, the results can often be terrible. The core developers may not have the time and third party programmers vary in dependability and talents. It’s easy enough to find a reputable person to create a custom theme, especially on the MDP forums, but for other programming, you may want to consider Rent A Coder instead.

It’s easy to find stories of people who commissioned programmers through forums and regretted it. Many lost money as a result. The risks include receiving incomplete or even inoperative modules, modules with substantial bugs, and the programmer disappearing, not being available to fix the bugs in the modules or make further modifications.

My own experiences should serve as a warning to anyone contemplating hiring a programmer from the forums. Here’s the story:

Early in 2003, while I was still using PostNuke, I sought the services of a programmer to develop four custom modules for my site, which is a non-commercial site devoted to scuba diving. A large trade show was being held in my city in October. This would present a unique opportunity to encourage diving businesses to participate on my CMS site by submitting news, safety recalls, new product announcements, and many other things. As my site does not generate income, it is not worth it for me to attend the show when held in other cities (it rotates every year) but to be only 5 miles away from my home, it was an opportunity I could not miss

I made a post on the forums asking for programmers for a paying job. Most of the replies were from college students or young guys in IT departments who would be doing it part time. None could commit to all 4 modules. The first batch of replies produced no candidates. I posted again. There were fewer replies the second time, but one was someone with years of experience. After seeing my specifications, he assured me that he could do the job and could develop all four modules. I know that he had developed a PostNuke module and therefore had to be familiar with the PN API. The price would be a total of $1,000. He required a 25% deposit of $250 and I sent it right away. He would need a month for each module, four months to completion. I set a deadline of early September, allowing a month for testing and refining my modules before the big show.

Over the next several weeks, I received one excuse after another for the endless delays. I became concerned for his mental state also as he announced he was open for developing PN modules, then suddenly shut down his site, and then later responded again. He assured me though that he would complete my project. I grew increasingly concerned although there was still plenty of time. One Friday, I received a message from him that he would commence work the following Monday. I felt relieved, but it was not to last. On Monday I received a message that he just couldn’t do it. He looked at the code and it just didn’t make sense anymore. It was weeks before I received my $250 back and it was in 2 installments. It wasn’t an unwillingness to return it, but the financial condition of the programmer that accounted for the delay.

I posted again. The only response this time was from someone who thought he might be able to do the first module (the easiest one) but probably not the rest. That didn’t stop him from asking for a 25% deposit for all four modules, which would effectively have paid him in full up front for a module he wasn’t sure he could develop. His price and timeline were the same as the first programmer. Further, he would need me to do some of his work, creating databases, which he would turn into tables. In both cases, I would not have exclusive rights. The programmer would have distribution rights. I declined to have him do any work for me. I had no confidence in him. I later confirmed my suspicion that he lacked both the skills and imagination to develop even the simplest of my modules.

October came without my modules being developed. I attended the show and promoted my site as best I could, but it would have gone much better had I been able to include the features of my as yet undeveloped modules.

The critical deadline over, and no qualified programmer in sight, plans for these modules were put on hold.

Sometime in early 2004, someone on the forums made mention of Rent A Coder. I made a mental note as I was busy with other things at the time related to my site. In May I decided to take a look at Rent A Coder (RAC). I liked what I read. I would not pay anything to a programmer before the work was completed to my satisfaction.

RAC works like this:
After creating an account, you post your project and its requirements under the appropriate categories. For complex projects, I strongly suggest you spend time making your specifications as detailed as possible before doing anything else. The better you express your needs and requirements, the easier it will be for a programmer to translate them to code. At the time you post your project, you can set a deadline for it and other terms. By default, you receive all rights to your project, including distribution rights. I won’t mention all the benefits as you can read them on the RAC site at http://rentacoder.com

Programmers (AKA coders) bid on your project. I received almost all bids in the first 3- 4 days after posting my project, beginning within an hour of posting. This seems to be common.

You can read the qualifications of coders. If they have done any work through RAC projects, you can read feedback from their clients. Be sure to read it as it is important. RAC is much like ebay in many ways. They are both mediums for finding something. You can read feedback on both on the people you are considering doing business with, only RAC does not limit the number of characters and gives considerably more detail.

You’ll probably get some bids from people who know some PHP and want to bid on your project. My suggestion is to pass on them in favor of an experienced programmer. You would just be wasting your time, While they won’t be paid unless you are happy with their work so you won’t be out any money; you will have wasted the time if they are not able to produce your project as desired.

The lowest bid may not be your best choice. Hopefully you have learned the difference by now between the lowest price and the best value. The programmer I chose did not present the lowest bid, although he was one of the lowest bidders. Still, I would have chosen him even if his bid was higher. His credentials and references were excellent and he was asking questions that led me to believe that he had a personal interest in turning my vision into code. While other bidders assured me they were up to the task and did not need to ask any questions, they also failed to notice that I had forgotten to upload the specs to the fourth module to my server. The programmer I chose brought that omission to my attention and asked that I correct it so he could complete the bid.

If you accept a bid, once you do, you remit the funds in full to RAC, which holds them in escrow. The coder is assured of being paid when the client is satisfied and the buyer has no risks as regards the coder or the project. You get to test the project before releasing payment to the coder.

The coder I chose does not live in the U.S. In act, he lives in the Russian Federation. RAC comes in handy as a payment medium, another good reason to use them. While his ability to communicate in English was good (I know many English only speakers who do not do as well), his spelling was not perfect. However, he is brilliant and imaginative and it is far easier for me to correct a few words than improve on code.

Surprisingly, he managed to complete all four modules in 30 days, despite me having allotted a month for each module based on what the two programmers the year before stated. All that was left was the testing and refinement which was partly up to me. I extended the deadline as it seemed the only fair thing to do Besides I was not concerned about the time. My interest was in seeing these modules developed as I wanted. The only deadline was missed the year before by others.

The end result is that he developed my modules as I wanted (actually better as he made suggestions along the way) on a quarter of the time and at half the cost of the other guys. I was very happy with his work and gave him a generous bonus. I engaged him for a second project and some new modules. I have some additional work as soon as he completes a project for someone I recommended to him.

RAC can be a great source for qualified programmers if you choose wisely. If you have the need for an excellent coder and use RAC, be sure to invite Oleg to bid on your project and tell him that Duster recommended him to you. I won’t benefit in any way. It’s just that when people excel at something, I recommend them whenever I can and you mentioning my referral it is just another way of me expressing how much I appreciate his fine work.

Added:  Saturday, August 21, 2004
Reviewer:  Duster
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Related Link:  Rent A Coder
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Language: eng