Managing client expectations before, during, and after a project is completed, is a difficult task for just about any freelancer. Overcoming technical boundaries, unexpected requirements, and indecisiveness are just a few of the issues that can strain the client relationship. If you are successful, you may not even have time to dissect the problems that plague you, since you move quickly from one client to the next. The following tips should help to alleviate some of this stress, and help to strengthen your reputation as a rock-solid professional. Continue reading.
Every day I sit down at my workstation, evaluate the tasks assigned to me, and then instantly begin coding solutions to the problems I must solve. This is all done by memory of course, without the assistance of programmers who have tread the same road before me. I do this without hesitation, and I still always manage to create an optimized, and scalable program, invariably developing the perfect piece of software. If you believe this, I have some swampland I would like to sell to you East of the Mississippi. Please email me for details. Continue reading.
Like so many other programmers, I possess an insatiable desire to build something useful. The sole purpose of any system is to be the focus of my criticism, and suggestions for improvement are a necessary outlet. Any application I build, after finished, is undeniably worthless, and must be completely refined, streamlined, and re-built. This cycle is maddening, but it is the core of my temperament as an Architect (INTP) according to Dr. David Keirsey. Continue reading.
When Firefox popularity was on the rise, and before the release of IE7, some developers began boycotting IE by dropping support for it on blogs and personal portfolios. It was a rather odd moment in the history of Web technologies. It was both a resurgence in the long fought browser wars, and it was a solid demonstration of ignorance by some in the development community. As much as I understand the frustration, I was saddened to see that this sort of attitude is still prevalent today. Continue reading.
Tech blogging can be hazardous to your health. I believe no other platform provides such an open invitation to ridicule, and second only to vlogging, no other hobbies require such a thick skin. As a student of journalism, everything I wrote was run through the ringer, so I am used to harsh criticism. Others may be a bit more sensitive. You guessed it — I am talking about blog comments. Continue reading.
Forcing myself to remain calm, I stamped up the stairs to the second floor of the building that the company I work for sublets. If ever there was a day to have a case of the Mondays, this was going to be that day. There are only five parking spots available to us, but all were taken. Visitors were in town, so I rolled into an adjacent unmarked spot in the morning, mistaking it as visitor parking. I was wrong. How did I find out? My car was towed — a gift from the gentlemen upstairs. Continue reading.
Traditionally trained copywriters are a dying breed in the development community. Designers and programmers are now being tasked with writing great Web content, both technical and creative. The Internet is giving voice to thousands who would otherwise remain silent, and the unfortunate side affect is a sea of incomprehensible and considerably dull content. Continue reading.
Posted by Brian
January 15th, 2008
4 Comments
