Comments on: oDesk: Developers for Developers http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review Making the web work for you Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:42:37 +0000 hourly 1 Foliovisionhttp://foliovision.com/site/wp-content/themes/foliovision/images/foliovision-logo-380.gifhttp://foliovision.com24066Making the web work for you By: alec http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review#comment-418070 alec Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:50:00 +0000 http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review/#comment-418070 Hi Richard, I feel your pain. I'd recommend that you tighten up your deadlines and drop bad coders faster. We rarely work remotely any more but even with coders present in the office, about half of them don't make the grade. That's life. Those who make it are wonderful though. Hi Richard,

I feel your pain. I’d recommend that you tighten up your deadlines and drop bad coders faster. We rarely work remotely any more but even with coders present in the office, about half of them don’t make the grade.

That’s life.

Those who make it are wonderful though.

]]> By: Richard http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review#comment-417489 Richard Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:49:51 +0000 http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review/#comment-417489 I would not recommend ODesk simply due to the fact they do stand behind their service. I engaged with a contractor who had stellar feedback. Within days after hiring them, someone else wound up taking the lead on the project who was the original individual. All the promises I had been told and all the knowledge I had passed along was worthless now since it was someone new who knew very little about what we were trying to accomplish. I was extremely patient, but now its been over a year and over $20k in the hole on a project which has missed one deadline after another. I would generally work my way up with a progammer starting with smaller projects. The only reason I gave them them this opportunity was because I thought that ODesk was a safe environment. Thought is the keyword, and let me advise you....stay away from this haven filled with lousy developers who promise you whatever you want to hear, and don't care about delivering quality work as the employer's card gets charged anyway. I would not recommend ODesk simply due to the fact they do stand behind their service. I engaged with a contractor who had stellar feedback. Within days after hiring them, someone else wound up taking the lead on the project who was the original individual. All the promises I had been told and all the knowledge I had passed along was worthless now since it was someone new who knew very little about what we were trying to accomplish. I was extremely patient, but now its been over a year and over $20k in the hole on a project which has missed one deadline after another.

I would generally work my way up with a progammer starting with smaller projects. The only reason I gave them them this opportunity was because I thought that ODesk was a safe environment. Thought is the keyword, and let me advise you….stay away from this haven filled with lousy developers who promise you whatever you want to hear, and don’t care about delivering quality work as the employer’s card gets charged anyway.

]]> By: John Doe http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review#comment-353759 John Doe Tue, 07 Jun 2011 22:18:14 +0000 http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review/#comment-353759 Actually the country is called Romania, not Rumania :) Unless you were pronouncing it wit a French accent. And yeah, you can find pretty damn good Romanian programmers, not just saying because I'm Romanian. Actually the country is called Romania, not Rumania :) Unless you were pronouncing it wit a French accent. And yeah, you can find pretty damn good Romanian programmers, not just saying because I’m Romanian.

]]> By: Alan http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review#comment-155638 Alan Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:18:12 +0000 http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review/#comment-155638 I also used Craigslist before finding oDesk and got a ton resumes that were difficult to sift through and unfortunately NOT indicative of the talent I was considering. oDesk has made it much easier for me to evaluate candidates before diving in. As a result, I've completed projects quickly and successfully. They won me over big time. I also used Craigslist before finding oDesk and got a ton resumes that were difficult to sift through and unfortunately NOT indicative of the talent I was considering.

oDesk has made it much easier for me to evaluate candidates before diving in. As a result, I’ve completed projects quickly and successfully. They won me over big time.

]]> By: How to Make Money on oDesk: Getting Started as a Freelance Writer http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review#comment-22824 How to Make Money on oDesk: Getting Started as a Freelance Writer Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:24:10 +0000 http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review/#comment-22824 I've had a lot of good luck on oDesk. In fact, I've been both the buyer and the provider. Recently wrote an oDesk eBook about how to get started in the oDesk marketplace--once you get started, its full of awesome opportunities! I’ve had a lot of good luck on oDesk. In fact, I’ve been both the buyer and the provider. Recently wrote an oDesk eBook about how to get started in the oDesk marketplace–once you get started, its full of awesome opportunities!

]]> By: Shemp http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review#comment-22747 Shemp Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:07:44 +0000 http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review/#comment-22747 Thanks Guys, Thats what Im trying to get (local programmer) but putting ads on Craigslist hasnt been successful for me as nobody reads my exact job requirements and just sends me a bunch of junk info. Im located in Orange County, CA... Im basically just trying to get my 1/2 built search engine updated enough to get show for getting some funding. Had issues with old programmer. Need Zend/Ajax programmer if anyone has any advice it is much appreciated. Shemp Thanks Guys,
Thats what Im trying to get (local programmer) but putting ads on Craigslist hasnt been successful for me as nobody reads my exact job requirements and just sends me a bunch of junk info. Im located in Orange County, CA… Im basically just trying to get my 1/2 built search engine updated enough to get show for getting some funding. Had issues with old programmer. Need Zend/Ajax programmer if anyone has any advice it is much appreciated.
Shemp

]]> By: Andy http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review#comment-22746 Andy Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:25:45 +0000 http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review/#comment-22746 I agree that making use of remote resources in this case is difficult, but I don't agree that it is folly. Just as there is risk there is also opportunity in walking a different path. You appear to have already created part of the code so I assume you are intimately familiar with its workings. If you are in addition able to divide the work into a set of specific tasks that have specific rather than broad knowledge requirements, and that are decoupled by defining clear rules as to how the developed components will work together (interface), and if in addition you are prepared to accept the delays in schedule that will inevitably happen when dealing with remote workers of uncertain skill and working to specifications that will need extensive revision because they are for something completely new ... then I have seen firsthand that you can succeed. The key is being able to offload the grunt work and isolate the grunts from having to contribute inspiration. Having said all that ... why would one develop a search engine? Aren't there enough open source search engines on the market? I agree that making use of remote resources in this case is difficult, but I don’t agree that it is folly. Just as there is risk there is also opportunity in walking a different path. You appear to have already created part of the code so I assume you are intimately familiar with its workings. If you are in addition able to divide the work into a set of specific tasks that have specific rather than broad knowledge requirements, and that are decoupled by defining clear rules as to how the developed components will work together (interface), and if in addition you are prepared to accept the delays in schedule that will inevitably happen when dealing with remote workers of uncertain skill and working to specifications that will need extensive revision because they are for something completely new … then I have seen firsthand that you can succeed. The key is being able to offload the grunt work and isolate the grunts from having to contribute inspiration.
Having said all that … why would one develop a search engine? Aren’t there enough open source search engines on the market?

]]> By: Bernard Hemingway http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review#comment-22742 Bernard Hemingway Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:20:40 +0000 http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review/#comment-22742 Trying to build a search engine on a limited budget is a folly. Going offshore will only compound your problems if you do not have the tech knowledge or do not have someone with advanced programming skills inhouse who does. Trying to build a search engine on a limited budget is a folly. Going offshore will only compound your problems if you do not have the tech knowledge or do not have someone with advanced programming skills inhouse who does.

]]> By: alec http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review#comment-22741 alec Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:49:19 +0000 http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review/#comment-22741 Hi Shemp, I think trying to build a search engine with external coders is madness. If you have some budget (it sounds like you do), you'd do better to find someone local and gifted to work with you, preferably at least part time in the same space. Overall, building a search engine is a monumental task. Make sure you have your specs and expectations well in order before you start. Hi Shemp,

I think trying to build a search engine with external coders is madness.

If you have some budget (it sounds like you do), you’d do better to find someone local and gifted to work with you, preferably at least part time in the same space.

Overall, building a search engine is a monumental task. Make sure you have your specs and expectations well in order before you start.

]]> By: Shemp http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review#comment-22739 Shemp Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:54:49 +0000 http://foliovision.com/2007/02/20/odesk-review/#comment-22739 Im glad I read your posting as I was just about to use ODesk because it looked to good to be true. I need someone with Advanced PHP/Zend programming skills to finish up a search engine I have created. There were at least 5 quality looking programmers from Russia/Belgium etc that I was going to try out. But now Im thinking twice b4 I even go that route. Any suggestions would be great. P.S. I am a graphic designer trying to develop a search engine. I have a very limited budget so oDesk looked great to me. I can only pay $15-$25 per hour until I get funding. Thanks for your time... Im glad I read your posting as I was just about to use ODesk because it looked to good to be true. I need someone with Advanced PHP/Zend programming skills to finish up a search engine I have created. There were at least 5 quality looking programmers from Russia/Belgium etc that I was going to try out. But now Im thinking twice b4 I even go that route. Any suggestions would be great.
P.S. I am a graphic designer trying to develop a search engine. I have a very limited budget so oDesk looked great to me. I can only pay $15-$25 per hour until I get funding.
Thanks for your time…

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