how much effort...

[BlasterBates]

...it might be 2-4 weeks work but it obviously isn't important and since the deadline has almost run out, there's no point in worrying.

[decode]

I always just think of my hourly rate when I arrive on a client site and they are not prepared for me. As far as I'm concerned the ball is firmly in the clients court to provide me with the tools to do the job. My advice would be just sit back and count the money. Chaos = cash!

[Lucifer Box]

c) Jack off on your webcam and email it to the girl at the office you're trying to impress then go home to a lovely beans-on-toast tea prepared by your mum.

[TheMonkey]

Are you working through an agency? If so, explain to them what your situation is and they'll help as much as possible either by lighting a fire under the company's arse or helping you escape the contract and get paid.

The deadline is not your problem if they have been obstructing your duties and agreed work. Contracts go over due to obstruction quite often. If you are on a fixed fee, walk NOW and cut your losses - possibly with the intention to sue the cash out of them. If you are being paid daily, then hang on - you're being paid to sit on your arse by them. The flak is worth it.

First thing first - write a letter to your rep at the company AND the agency explaining the situation.

IF someone gets nasty on your ass then tell them to write a letter to your company about it - you can then throw it away

I'm having the same situation at the moment but at £w00t/day I don't really give a flying feck! I'm getting paid to sit and read CUK and slashdot because they can't get me a Visual studio license. I've got my own laptop and copy of VS.Net but they will not allow me to connect it to the network so I can't use that.

[el duder]

the scenario..

you nail a contract.
the client says its a short piece of work (2-4 weeks, with one days notice)

you turn up ready to hit the ground running - knock the tulip out of it.

by the third week, you still dont have access to corporate applications, have been moved form 2 different workstations, have been given vast amounts of work and deadlines from a clueless project manager, and are feeling quite stressed, if not damn frustrated.

do you,

a) take the bull by the horns, start managing your manager and put yourself out, play the corporate game, build meaningful relationships to get you to where you need to be to deliver the work.

b) think, hang on a minute? i was brought in to do some work for 4 weeks, nobody can be arsed to set me up with what i need, so **** the deadline, why am i stressing myself out running around like a blue arse fly worrying about this?

answers..please..sirs..

[so far, my attitude has been very much b)]