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Freelancer.com has ruined my life

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Re: Freelancer.com has ruined my life

#261

Post by greenyoda »

arvinsim wrote: post #119
robjan wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Developers in the developing world typically don't use iPhones and Macbook pros. You can easily get a "good enough" machine for 10% of the price of a Macbook.

If you use shitty tools, you get shitty results.

A developer's primary tool is their intellect. Using an expensive Macbook or a particular programming language won't magically make a lousy developer into a good developer.

Note that all the hardware and software that were used to create the original internet or Unix or Emacs (dumb 80x24 CRT terminals hooked up to mainframes or mini-computers running low-level languages) were shitty tools by today's standards, yet amazing things were done with them by smart people.

Re: Freelancer.com has ruined my life

#262

Post by walshemj »

vidarh wrote: post #169
_wmd wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their web application isn't the canonical source of whether they owe you money or not, a court decides that. I don't know in which jurisdiction Freelancer are based, but if there is a low cost small claims procedure, sounds like that would be worth you time. In the UK in a variety of circumstances you can petition a court to issue a wind up ("liquidation") order for a company if it refuses to service its debt to you.

Norwegian bankruptcy law also used to (probably still is, but I haven't worked in Norway for nearly 20 years) have a similar system where employees had that kind of protection at no cost for non-payment of wages. All you need to do is to file and the company would need to show up in bankruptcy court and explain why they should be put under administration (and really the only valid reasons would be that they don't owe…

the op isn't an "employee" in this case probably not even a "worker"

Re: Freelancer.com has ruined my life

#263

Post by mrhappyunhappy »

socrates1998 wrote: post #149

People here are blaming this guy for not thinking Freelancer.com will take care of him like he is an employee. I think the platform, freelancer.com, is trying to play both sides of the issue. Their advertising, marketing and brand are "we are here to help you!" and to take away the potential headaches and challenges that freelancers without the platform have. Yet, really, they are not there to mitigate the risk they…

This is exactly right, couldn’t agree more on every point. We live in a corporate world with companies large enough to not really give a shit about any one individual. It is only when we organize that they start paying attention.

I had a terrible experience of Hertz defrauding me with zero recourse. I searched on the issue and found that it had been rampant in the past and probably day to day. Hertz simply settled every time for some measly amount in the millions. To some large corporations going this route is cheaper than doing the right thing to begin with. Yet we have a government that oks mergers left and right. A win for consumers my ass.

Let’s face it, when it comes to options we are truly fucked.

Re: Freelancer.com has ruined my life

#264

Post by GordonS »

a_imho wrote: post #235
GordonS wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Market rates seem very relevant to me. People with the same skills but living in different geographical regions are of course willing to work for differing amounts.

Indeed they are, but it has very little to do with fairness.

Define 'fair'?

Re: Freelancer.com has ruined my life

#266

Post by mrhappyunhappy »

novaleaf wrote: post #179

The takeaway, summarized from all the negative experiences I've heard from these outsourcing platforms (Freelancer, upwork, etc): SETUP AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL OF YOUR EARNINGS. Don't leave your money on the outsource platform. To do so invites unnecessary risk. Don't work if you can't withdraw your money.

You know what’s funny about that is though, even with auto payments set up, places like upwork keep some of your money for days even though it’s ready to cash out.

Re: Freelancer.com has ruined my life

#267

Post by mantas »

quickben wrote: post #260
mantas wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The things is many of the clients are not really reachable without such platform. How would one advertise to a random mom&pop non-IT company on the other side of the globe? Personal site w/ portfolio would barely cut - they wouldn't even know what to google for. Arranging payment would be a huge hassle too. Working only locally is not a solution either.

I guess if one approaches this as an employee or entrepreneur. My reply is as an employee. I'd prefer to not chase JavaScript frameworks. I guess on the other side of the coin, one sort of has to these days if the entrepreneurial route is taken?

Did you reply to a wrong thread? I must be missing a link between the marketplaces and Javascript frameworks :(

Re: Freelancer.com has ruined my life

#268

Post by mrhappyunhappy »

extrememacaroni wrote: post #80

I always thought of freelancing websites like freelancer.com as being platforms to meet clients with the goal of removing them from the platform and establishing long term relationships. Basically, meeting clients and then quickly getting them to use a service where you and them work and manage payments directly. There's no way I could consider freelancer.com to be a worthwhile long term investment, the fees they tak…

The smart thing to do although that’s breaking TOS.

Re: Freelancer.com has ruined my life

#269

Post by walshemj »

jimnotgym wrote: post #104

It makes me wonder if there is space in the market for a freelancing website that has minimum rates and does some more vetting, or referencing as we might call it in the real world. Ditch the credit card nonsense and make people pay by bank transfer, like real agencies would. It sounds like a product I would use. I have a need for Freelancer style services, but I don't need to have to vet people and read reviews, tha…

yeh its called a recruitment agency most oh whom do both perm and temp (contractor work)

Re: Freelancer.com has ruined my life

#270

Post by GordonS »

a_imho wrote: post #231
GordonS wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is nothing arbitrary about it - different geographical regions have different living costs and different market rates. I've worked with many Indian devs over the past 10 years or so, and have become good friends with a few. One of those is freelancing for US and EU clients - he is earning far more than he would be paid by a local company, and gets to choose which jobs he takes on, as well as his working hours.…

Do you think the prices offered on freelancing sites are fair? Would you be willing to work for such prices? Why do you think freelancing is considered a race to the bottom? Why do you care which ISP someone uses when committing to a repository or login to VM? On the other end of things, would I move to a more expensive neighborhood if that meant I will get a bigger salary? While I don't know about you or your friend…

> would I move to a more expensive neighborhood if that meant I will get a bigger salary

We're talking about different countries here. It's not quite so simple to just move to another country.

> Fair is when equal work is equally compensated

So it's unfair that an Indian dev working in India for an Indian company earns less than a US dev working in the US for a US company? Different countries have very different economies.

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one - local economy, market rates and living costs still seem extremely relevant to me.

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