Contracting developer

[ITContractorUK]

I am working as a web developer for a consultancy company in London. Most of the times I go in for a short project and write some application. However, most times the client comes back to is who wrote it when it's time for version 2 or bug fixing. So now have about 10 systems I maintain.

How does that work when you are a contractor? Then all contractors probably moved to new clients. I guess they then need to find new contractors who need to spend time getting their heads around how the system and code works.

Doesn't sound efficient for client to have new ppl in for different versions?

[cojak]

Clients lost that efficiency of long term knowledge when they got rid of in-house developers. Anyway contractors specialise in learning new systems quickly.

[thunderlizard]

I guess they then need to find new contractors who need to spend time getting their heads around how the system and code works.

That usually doesn't take very long, unless the system is a spaghetti nightmare. Oh, but of course you for work for a consultancy...

[Wanderer]

How does that work when you are a contractor?

They offer you a nice sweet retainer in return for support for the software. When bugs come up, you charge them more money to fix them.

Simples.

[d000hg]

No matter how fast you are, inevitably some time is lost starting work on a new codebase. You get practiced but it is an overhead, something managers don't always get when they want to swap people around or bring in extra people at short notice for an imminent deadline.

But this is a price you pay if you don't maintain a team of permanent developers. Nothing new there.

[kandr]

No matter how fast you are, inevitably some time is lost starting work on a new codebase. You get practiced but it is an overhead, something managers don't always get when they want to swap people around or bring in extra people at short notice for an imminent deadline.

But this is a price you pay if you don't maintain a team of permanent developers. Nothing new there.

The problem with having a team of permies is that a lot of the time they are sitting around doing nothing, meanwhile you are paying them (albeit a fraction of that of a contractor :-) ). The other problem is although a contractor coming in will be behind an entrenched permie, he will overtake him in a few weeks, then produce an order of magnitude better, faster, more efficient code than the plodding permie.

[d000hg]

The company has to be able to use the permies, yes. As for "contractors are better than permies" well many permies view contractors as useless, money grabbing shysters who are only there to invoice and not put the effort in, and move on leaving a pile of crap for them to maintain. Whichever side you're on will complain about the other, knowing that both sides are biased is valuable.

[kandr]

The company has to be able to use the permies, yes. As for "contractors are better than permies" well many permies view contractors as Gods and would love to be in their position, but lack the bottle and skill

FTFY

[northernladuk]

The problem with having a team of permies is that a lot of the time they are sitting around doing nothing, meanwhile you are paying them (albeit a fraction of that of a contractor :-) ). The other problem is although a contractor coming in will be behind an entrenched permie, he will overtake him in a few weeks, then produce an order of magnitude better, faster, more efficient code than the plodding permie.

You talk so much bulltulip it is untrue. As D000hg rightly pointed out permies generally have a pretty dim opinion about contractors. It suprises me you are not aware of this because it is contractors with bad attitudes towards their working environments that give us a bad name. Look at these two posts and many of your other worthless postings it is types like you that give them this opinion. You may think you are professional at work but this attitude will be as obvious to them as the nose on your face so further re-assuring them we are money grabbing shysters with bad attitudes. Unfortuantely the people that cause the problems are so small minded and blinkered to what they are they cannot appreciate the damage they cause. We applaud you for setting an example the rest of us have to put up with.

[kandr]

You talk so much bulltulip it is untrue. As D000hg rightly pointed out permies generally have a pretty dim opinion about contractors. It suprises me you are not aware of this because it is contractors with bad attitudes towards their working environments that give us a bad name. Look at these two posts and many of your other worthless postings it is types like you that give them this opinion. You may think you are professional at work but this attitude will be as obvious to them as the nose on your face so further re-assuring them we are money grabbing shysters with bad attitudes. Unfortuantely the people that cause the problems are so small minded and blinkered to what they are they cannot appreciate the damage they cause. We applaud you for setting an example the rest of us have to put up with.

I complete the work I am paid to do, very professionally. You haven't a clue about the way I work. In my experience 90% of permies I have worked with have been useless. Maybe I have been unlucky but I can only base my opinions on my experience. I suppose I should be sucking up everyones arse like you, praising everyone not matter their competence.