RentACoder Losing Street Cred?

Itninja writes, "Having used RAC several times in the past (as a buyer), I was shocked by a recent experience. I did a bit of looking around to see if I was the only one having problems with Rent-A-Coder. Apparently, I'm not." From the article: "This unfairness of RAC fees motivates the majority of coders to negotiate payment outside the scope of RAC which amounts to you and coder getting a better deal. For example, I have several coders that I fully trust willing to work on projects on a monthly basis because it is easier for him to deal with established clients than to have to bid for projects all the time. It saves me time and trouble because I can work with a person that I trust and he knows what is expected." A comment to this posting links a discussion of RAC at Google Groups, and there the service has its defenders. What has your experience of RAC been, either as a buyer or as a coder?

Comments

Re:I don't know you, but you make a bad impression

[UbuntuDupe]

You're:
a) paying a bottom feeders rate.

Actually, asshole who fires off before understanding the situation, I explained the work, and the potential coders placed their bids. A bid is how much they, not I, think they can do the job for. At no point did I suggest that number. I even turned down lower bids.

b) telling coders how much time a job will take without a detailed spec and schedule to back it up (in the RFP).

No. I never told anyone how much time it would take. That was my rough estimate, soley for purposes of gauging complaints about wages. The spec was detailed enough for an intelligent human being to know what program would satisfy it. The Coder asked for a month, and that was set in the contract.

c) hiring in an environment (RAC) that simply will not support first world lifesyles.

The Coder was in Italy and seemed to think that bid supported his lifestyle.

d) letting your inner asshole free while writing the RFP and corresponding with overseas coders.

Your basis for this is?

Like I say I don't know more about you then reading a few posts on /. But I already would'nt respond to your RFP at any price.

Thanks for not cluttering the bids.

Don't know why I'm wasting time posting.

There's a lot of things you don't know, apparently. You don't know who set the rate. You don't know what a "detailed spec" means. You don't know how much time the Coder was given. You didn't know the Coder was from the first world, beliving his bid would support his lifestyle.

But as for your lack of knowledge as to why you are "wasting your time" posting? That I can rectify. You are posting because you feel that programmers can do no wrong and that it is your obligation to "stand up for your brethren", coupled with a general mentality that, when it comes to forming an opinion, facts ... are just another inconvenience.

Glad I could help you with that one.