Random Thought: No more Red Buses?

[GriffMG]

When the UK economy was at its peak, I was being asked about the consquences of being hit by a mythical 'Red Bus' often enough to get together with another party on here and develop a cross-support solution.

I don't get asked so much now, and one of the most enthusiastic demanders of 'Red Bus Technology' went bust (the irony weighs heavily on me).

What about you other lone developers?

Regards

Griff
Keep [Smile]ing

There are 10 kinds of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

 

[Mike Gagnon]

Not sure what you are asking.
Are you looking to partner with another programmer? Virtually I take it?


Mike Gagnon

If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ184-2483 first.
ReFox XI (www.mcrgsoftware.com)

 

[Mike Gagnon]

Please remember that not all buses in the world are red. So the reference might be lost in Canada for example.


Mike Gagnon

If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ184-2483 first.
ReFox XI (www.mcrgsoftware.com)

 

[alvechurchdata]

At one stage I drafted a letter for my daughter and filed it with my will. Basically it reminds her of my accountant's details and gives her the names of a few friends in the business. Crucially it also tells her the admin password for my PC and has some notes telling her where the code is stored and where to find the project documentation.

Since doing that I've not been asked about my fallback plans and that surprises me. Ten years ago you could drag a replacement Fox programmer in off the streets if you needed somebody to take over a project. There aren't so many of us around any more and I'd have thought that some clients might have worried about that factor.

Geoff Franklin

http://www.alvechurchdata.co.uk

 

[Mike Lewis]

It's funny, but in all the years I've been working as a lone developer, nobody has ever asked me this question.

It's usually me that raises the subject. I go out of my way to point out to clients the risks of working with a one-person business. I'm rigorous in giving clients access to source code, even while it's still under development. And I provide extensive notes for the benefit of anyone who has to take over my work in an emergency.

But most of the time, the clients just brush this aside. They really don't see it as an issue.

Re "red" buses: Martin, you are obviously Home Counties-centric. Up here, the buses are maroon, light green and multi-coloured, but never red.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro tips, advice, training, consultancy
Custom software for your business

 

[Mike Gagnon]

>>>Martin, you are obviously Home Counties-centric

Who is Martin?

Mike Gagnon

If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ184-2483 first.
ReFox XI (www.mcrgsoftware.com)

 

[GriffMG]

I am Martin...

Yes, Southern softie with red buses!



Regards

Griff
Keep [Smile]ing

There are 10 kinds of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

 

[clipper01]

Griff

You've raised a terrific issue I think . Like you , I'm a one-man developer ( Ireland ) . Of about 15 main clients that I can think of , only 2 had the slightest interest in the Red Bus problem . I do ( as Mike Lewis also said ) always make source code available , I tell the client about ReFox explain that my exe file is not encrypted.

I've also been dabbling at dotNet but cannot see where any of the new MS majic comes even close to VFP for the kind of small network apps that VFP does ( I've done WinForms , WPF , Silverlight etc) . Sure , great for US SME businesses with 10,000 users

I'd be quite confident to be supplying VFP apps for another 10 years , but I would HUGELY SUPPORT if one-men shows like us could set up a contact network to genuinely address the Red Bus problem ( who cares about the color when it runs over you )

Be happy to get any emails to smoynihan@itss.ie

 

[RedLion]

Last month the first customer asked me the same question because another company that delivers network support to my client pointed them to this problem. And why did they do it, because they had a company were they are friends with that could develop the same program in dot net language and could deliver support with more people and all that kind of bull shit...Yes I can also rewrite it into dot net, but why would you spent so much money on rewriting if the problem is lack of knowledge instead of improvements…

I told them that I have multiple copies of the source code on several physical places. And pointed them to some boards where you could find foxpro developers. But I also told them a big company with a lot of workers can go broke more easily and that is also a big risk especially at this moment. A half hour of chatter with them and the big words have disappeared. Yes I know, it is not a perfect solution but the customer sleeps well again after some good talking to them.

 

[Mike Lewis]

But I also told them a big company with a lot of workers can go broke more easily

That's a very good point.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro tips, advice, training, consultancy
Custom software for your business

 

[alvechurchdata]

a big company with a lot of workers can go broke more easily

Some more useful big company "facts":

The big company doesn't need to go broke. It can decide to:
[ul]
[li]close its local office[/li]
[li]concentrate on sales of other products[/li]
[li]outsource all development to China[/li]
[li]sack or otherwise lose the only programmer who's working on your project[/li]
[li]be bought out and moved to Redmond[/li]
[/ul]

The only risk you face with me is that I fall under a bus and that's exactly the same risk as with your developer at the big company.


Geoff Franklin

http://www.alvechurchdata.co.uk