My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product • Hacker News Board

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#141

Post by deanpcmad » Fri, May 10, 2013, 9:58 PM UTC

passerinelabs wrote: post #56

chops wrote: post #44

This is something I actually offer to my clients, and I do it for fun. I guess I was inspired by watching some of Notch's screencaps over a few days. So I capture it with RecordMyDesktop (I run xubuntu), and run through an ffmpeg script ( https://github.com/choptastic/watchmecode ) that resizes the video to be the same length as an MP3, and makes an X minute screencap montage for the client. Then it produces somethin…

Watching Notch's Ludum Dare videos inspired me to create my first OS X app store app. It takes screenshots at a configurable interval and than creates H.264 encoded video of the resultant timelapse. Here it is: http://appstore.com/mac/ScreenshotTimelapse Here are 25 promo codes if anyone wants to try it out: http://pastebin.com/K6Xx59jY

Looks like a neat little app. Purchased :)

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#142

Post by loup-vaillant » Fri, May 10, 2013, 10:06 PM UTC

geon wrote: post #130

carbocation wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is always some amount of money that is worth the trouble. Now, it may be some amount of money that cannot be paid by any entity aside from governments, Exxon, Apple, and a few others, but it is some amount of money nonetheless.

> There is always some amount of money BS. Happiness as a function of wealth is not a linear curve. After the first few millions, a hundred millions or a billion isn't that a big deal. Therefore, if the price to justify some headache or discomfort is above a million or so, just getting rid of the headache is more valuable.

Happiness isn't the only thing we care about. With enough money, I'd start thinking about optimizing the world, or at least give something to the most efficient charities out there.

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#143

Post by bastijn » Fri, May 10, 2013, 10:23 PM UTC

passerinelabs wrote: post #56

chops wrote: post #44

This is something I actually offer to my clients, and I do it for fun. I guess I was inspired by watching some of Notch's screencaps over a few days. So I capture it with RecordMyDesktop (I run xubuntu), and run through an ffmpeg script ( https://github.com/choptastic/watchmecode ) that resizes the video to be the same length as an MP3, and makes an X minute screencap montage for the client. Then it produces somethin…

Watching Notch's Ludum Dare videos inspired me to create my first OS X app store app. It takes screenshots at a configurable interval and than creates H.264 encoded video of the resultant timelapse. Here it is: http://appstore.com/mac/ScreenshotTimelapse Here are 25 promo codes if anyone wants to try it out: http://pastebin.com/K6Xx59jY

That sounds like a lot of fun to try. Shame it is just an OSX App.

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#144

Post by csense » Fri, May 10, 2013, 10:57 PM UTC

chops wrote: post #44

This is something I actually offer to my clients, and I do it for fun. I guess I was inspired by watching some of Notch's screencaps over a few days. So I capture it with RecordMyDesktop (I run xubuntu), and run through an ffmpeg script ( https://github.com/choptastic/watchmecode ) that resizes the video to be the same length as an MP3, and makes an X minute screencap montage for the client. Then it produces somethin…

If your Linux distribution supports multiple workspaces (many do), might there be a way to only record one of them? Does anyone know?

Alternatively, you could just run multiple X servers.

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#145

Post by electromagnetic » Fri, May 10, 2013, 11:11 PM UTC

loup-vaillant wrote: post #142

geon wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There is always some amount of money BS. Happiness as a function of wealth is not a linear curve. After the first few millions, a hundred millions or a billion isn't that a big deal. Therefore, if the price to justify some headache or discomfort is above a million or so, just getting rid of the headache is more valuable.

Happiness isn't the only thing we care about. With enough money, I'd start thinking about optimizing the world, or at least give something to the most efficient charities out there.

With enough money, I would do the same. With too much money (say in the billion range) I think I would go all well-intentioned super villain on the world.

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#146

Post by podperson » Sat, May 11, 2013, 12:01 AM UTC

This is part of a common trap in contracts and employer relationships, which is measuring and paying for the wrong thing. In this case it's time.

Afraid you're being ripped off by a contractor? Write the contract so that you only pay in acceptable increments against the deliverables you want at a price you're happy to pay.

We once had a client request we deploy software across all desktop computers to measure how many keystrokes each user made, how often their screen saver was on, etc. I pointed out that they were already measuring employee activities such as calls answered, customer satisfaction, policies not surrendered (i.e. customers planning to sever their accounts who were retained) etc. why measure and reward activities when you were measuring and could reward results?

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#147

Post by fnordfnordfnord » Sat, May 11, 2013, 12:19 AM UTC

chops wrote: post #44

This is something I actually offer to my clients, and I do it for fun. I guess I was inspired by watching some of Notch's screencaps over a few days. So I capture it with RecordMyDesktop (I run xubuntu), and run through an ffmpeg script ( https://github.com/choptastic/watchmecode ) that resizes the video to be the same length as an MP3, and makes an X minute screencap montage for the client. Then it produces somethin…

Thanks for posting this. I may try to use it for my courses. I'm not sure how yet, but it looks neat.

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#148

Post by A1kmm » Sat, May 11, 2013, 12:36 AM UTC

Avenger42 wrote: post #122

jroseattle wrote: post #102

As absurd as this situation was, it really doesn't surprise me in the least. Having been an independent consultant for several years, I've had some client requests that were real humdingers. My favorite of all-time (I'm paraphrasing, but this was a real conversation): Client: We would like a fixed-price bid on this project. Me: Well, let's talk about your project. What's the scope? Client: We're working on a list, wh…

What's the polite way to tell them "there's not a chance I, or any other reasonable person, would consider this request" and keep the door open to future work? Or is it not worth keeping that door open?

Many small non-tech businesses don't know much about IT project management, so it can be worth trying to educate them and convince them to have reasonable expectations.

I would start by explaining that there are 6 project management variables: benefit, cost, scope, risk, time, and quality, and that you usually can't change one variable while holding all the others fixed.

Scope in particular is an important issue to discuss with clients who want a fixed price; explain that unless the scope of the project is fixed, your risk is unlimited but your revenue is fixed.

I suggest offering, as an alternative, cost estimates with tolerances; in other words, offer a time and materials contract, with a best estimate of the costs. In addition, agree to a tolerance - if your revised forecasts suggest you will exceed the tolerance at any point, you will contact the client and give them the option of cancelling the project and paying only for costs already incurred or setting a new higher tolerance.

If a client really wants a fixed price contract, consider breaking the project down into smaller, lower risk, very well defined tasks, and contracting each one separately (and only quote later tasks when you have more information available from earlier ones, so you can add tasks for things like a second design iteration). Ensure that tasks which are already completed are paid for before new ones are undertaken, and that you have the contractual right to quit and still get paid for the tasks you completed.

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#149

Post by SupremumLimit » Sat, May 11, 2013, 12:41 AM UTC

alan_cx wrote: post #25

My thinking is this: If you fire the customer, then in the customer's mind (s)he was right to be concerned, and you just proved it by running away. Contract in place, signed. Keep all records of the unreasonable request and attempt to change the contract conditions. Do the work. Bill the customer. Sue if they don't pay.

A lot of (most?) people don't have the time, money or inclination to sue. It's not like you can just press a button to deploy your lawyer. Have you actually done this? How did it work out?

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#150

Post by chris_mahan » Sat, May 11, 2013, 1:02 AM UTC

ww520 wrote: post #52

The customer clearly doesn't understand how creative work is done and approaches it with a factory mindset where workers are busy with their hands. A large amount of software development work are done in thinking, which appears to be inactivity to the outsiders. A lot of problems are solved while taking showers or driving. Does he want to video record those? Two approaches for this client: - Simple say no, and don't…

A lot of my work also happens on paper, and I don't share those either, as they are my notes and designs. Anything that needs to be sent on to the customer I transfer to electrons.