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Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

elven.io

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Re: Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

#21

Post by Procrastes »

giaour wrote: post #4

$50/hour seems really low. It makes me think that the elves are inexperienced or that this is just a thin wrapper around Mechanical Turk or oDesk. EDIT: This was not meant to be a criticism of whoever built this, but a bit of marketing advice. As someone who might use a service like this, I would pause before using short-term contract programmers that cost $50 an hour. Consultancies bill out fresh grads at rates cons…

Your marketing advice is sound.

On the other hand, these elves are getting paid $50/hour while they do market research and get free product ideas. I'm guessing the only reason they charge is because no one would trust a free service.

Damn, I just wish I had built this first. Well done.

Re: Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

#22

Post by vijayr »

escobar wrote: post #5
giaour wrote: post #4

$50/hour seems really low. It makes me think that the elves are inexperienced or that this is just a thin wrapper around Mechanical Turk or oDesk. EDIT: This was not meant to be a criticism of whoever built this, but a bit of marketing advice. As someone who might use a service like this, I would pause before using short-term contract programmers that cost $50 an hour. Consultancies bill out fresh grads at rates cons…

Yeah, I do a fair amount of small Python gigs in my free time and $50 seems a bit low to me as well. Just talked to a head hunter the other week, and was told their Python devs are commanding much more than $50/hr. Makes me wonder what was going on behind the curtains here as well.

How much is "much more than $50/hr"?

Re: Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

#23

Post by Procrastes »

austenallred wrote: post #19
hamiltont wrote: post #17

If anyone knows a service like this for getting custom Dockerfiles, please share. I run multiple containers on my home network and often have minor complaints about the Dockerfiles without the time to fix them up e.g. "it should have a bootstrap.sh that supports these additional 5 variables"

As someone who just lost a week worth of productivity dealing with Docker, I cannot agree more

Docker we can do. I'd be very interested in hearing about the kinds of things you both need.

Contact info in my profile.

Re: Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

#24

Post by stuaxo »

I'd imagine for say, the dog app you had some exploratory code, otherwise if that went wrong 1/2 hour seems like it could go over if there is any issue?

I'm curious if there is a market, as it seems nice to not have to bother about sorting out requirements files, dealing with deployment, etc etc ... you get to write pure code.. do people buy it ?

Re: Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

#25

Post by HappyTypist »

vortico wrote: post #13

Services like these seem to only be able to handle small standalone scripts, rather than work in integrated codebases, which require time and dedication to the projects. How is there a market for this, when most developers capable of understanding what programs can do are also capable of writing prototype implementations of them?

Subcontracting? If I'm billing clients at >50/hr and part of the task involves an individual py script..

Re: Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

#26

Post by dlitz »

icebraining wrote: post #15
x5n1 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At 50 dollars your actual earnings will probably be 1/2 to 1/3 of that. So yes I guess you can make a living in the third world at 25/hr or 16/hr.

Assuming the workers are employed full-time, $25/h is about $4000/month. That's a pretty good salary for an average programmer in Portugal (Europe!), even before taxes.

What about payroll taxes? In most places, your employer pays additional tax on top of your pre-tax salary.

Re: Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

#27

Post by toomuchtodo »

austenallred wrote: post #19
hamiltont wrote: post #17

If anyone knows a service like this for getting custom Dockerfiles, please share. I run multiple containers on my home network and often have minor complaints about the Dockerfiles without the time to fix them up e.g. "it should have a bootstrap.sh that supports these additional 5 variables"

As someone who just lost a week worth of productivity dealing with Docker, I cannot agree more

Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one getting burned by docker nuances.

Re: Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

#28

Post by coupdejarnac »

For the long tasks, like the example for a Pinterest clone, you could have a tool/walkthrough/FAQ about how to break up large tasks in to manageable tasks? Or perhaps the first task would be to create a development plan for the smaller tasks?

Re: Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

#29

Post by icebraining »

dlitz wrote: post #26
icebraining wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Assuming the workers are employed full-time, $25/h is about $4000/month. That's a pretty good salary for an average programmer in Portugal (Europe!), even before taxes.

What about payroll taxes? In most places, your employer pays additional tax on top of your pre-tax salary.

Apart from the withholding of income tax (which I was already counting), I think they only pay social security (23.75%).

Considering that many professional programmers with a college degree in Software Engineering make ~$1300/m (net), the remaining $2700 is plenty to cover all taxes and expenses for both parties.

Re: Elven.io – Send an email to get any Python programming job done

#30

Post by sparkslabs »

giaour wrote: post #4

$50/hour seems really low. It makes me think that the elves are inexperienced or that this is just a thin wrapper around Mechanical Turk or oDesk. EDIT: This was not meant to be a criticism of whoever built this, but a bit of marketing advice. As someone who might use a service like this, I would pause before using short-term contract programmers that cost $50 an hour. Consultancies bill out fresh grads at rates cons…

Interesting. I've just converted it back to a salary figure for the UK. As a salary that works out at £58,000 - which is considerably higher than the average salary in this part of the UK.

However, given in practice it's essentially contract work it's about 30% less than average contracting rates.

If they manage to get paid work equivalent to working full time though, they'll be earning a fair whack more than me, so good on them.

Whether it seems reasonable or trustable probably depends an awful lot on where you are based.

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