jwcolby
jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com
Tue Apr 29 22:33:39 CDT 2008
I was living in San Marcos at the time, had been there for 12 years by then. I was working as a Test Engineer for Stac Electronics of Stacker data compression fame, out of Carlsbad. They got sat on by the Microsoft gorilla and laid off about 1/2 of the company. I was in the wrong half. I never did get another permanent job, too many laid off Engineers hanging around. I did consulting and temp agency stuff, ended up working a temp job down in Mexico, and eventually just moved down there lock stock and wife, dogs and cats. I also got involved in Access in 93 / 94 and ended up doing that as a consultant ever since. At that time there was no internet as we know it, just bulletin boards and stuff. I was a founding member of the San Diego Access Users Group, BOD and all that stuff. Loved that I had a place to go once a month to get help. My first consulting job was a database for the Ladies Auxiliary of the Fleet Reserve Association... http://www.la-fra.org/ which I bid $5K to do and lost soooo much money on. the treasurer at that time lived in Chula Vista and I about lived at her house for two months or so. In fact I actually bid the job well but didn't take into account the data migration, getting the old existing data out of a custom VB database. That is where I lost the money. But it was work and I was hungry. Those were different times. John W. Colby www.ColbyConsulting.com Edward S Zuris wrote: > I was in Southern California during > the recession of 92 and got laid off > from the space station at Seal beach. > > I got in involved in Access in 93 and > have been using it since. Sort of the > poor man's mini-computer. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com > [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of jwcolby > Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 3:35 PM > To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving > Subject: Re: [AccessD] Sorry for joking around > > > In 1994 I took a job for $12 an hour. I had been making 44K a year and > got laid off, and couldn't get work (Southern California during the > recession of 92). In fact I have only ever had one "real job" since > that time, I have been a consultant. > > At any rate, I took this job for $12 / hour learning Access as I built a > database for a small company. I read Access books for 4 hours and > worked six and they paid me for the whole time. > > the rest as they say is history. You can believe that the work I did > for $12 / hour was worth... about $12 / hour. ;-) > > But I came out of that job with a pretty good grasp of Access. > > John W. Colby > www.ColbyConsulting.com > > > Edward S Zuris wrote: >> Sorry for joking around. Things are getting grim. >> >> I know a client who thinks $15 an hour is too much. >> >> Before this is over, we'll be working for table scraps. >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Edward S Zuris [mailto:edzedz at comcast.net] >> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 4:02 PM >> To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' >> Subject: RE: [AccessD] Migrate 2.0 and A97 to XP: Advice and Cost??? >> >> You can fudge that with the F color factor. >> >> Is there a color for (2^16)-1 ? >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com >> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of jwcolby >> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 2:00 PM >> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving >> Subject: Re: [AccessD] Migrate 2.0 and A97 to XP: Advice and Cost??? >> >> >> I think that is a good estimate. >> >> ;-) >> >> But you forgot to factor in intellectual and emotional age. Or was that >> intentional? >> >> John W. Colby >> www.ColbyConsulting.com >> >> >> Mark A Matte wrote: >>> With all the different feedback...and formulas I found...and gas > prices... >>> Avg Age on AccessD=A >>> My age =B >>> Moon phase= C >>> Years Experience=E >>> that weird 9 tenths gas thing= 9/10 >>> windows value for favorite color=F >>> (F/((A-B)*(C+E)))+9/10=$104.99 9/10 >>> >>> We'll go with travel expenses + $104.99 9/10 per hour????? >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>> From: wdhindman at dejpolsystems.com >>>> To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com >>>> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:30:19 -0400 >>>> Subject: Re: [AccessD] Migrate 2.0 and A97 to XP: Advice and Cost??? >>>> >>>> ...lol ...its funny that something I wrote so long ago remains >> immediately >>>> identifiable here ...JC and pks are a legend unto themselves :) >>>> >>>> William >>>> >>>> -------------------------------------------------- >>>> From: "jwcolby" >>>> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 1:19 PM >>>> To: "Access Developers discussion and problem solving" >>>> >>>> Subject: Re: [AccessD] Migrate 2.0 and A97 to XP: Advice and Cost??? >>>> >>>>> multi-field primary? >>>>> >>>>> Is someone using a multi-field primary? Let me at 'em. >>>>> >>>>> John W. Colby >>>>> www.ColbyConsulting.com >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Mark A Matte wrote: >>>>>> Excelent article. I think my favorite part was: >>>>>> >>>>>> "will go flat broke and be looking for a salaried position sooner than >>>>>> John Colby can jump on a multi-field primary." >>>>>> >>>>>> Seriously though...The pricing was in line with what I was hearing >>>>>> 'through the grapevine" >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks, >>>>>> >>>>>> mark >>>>>> >>>>>>> From: wdhindman at dejpolsystems.com >>>>>>> To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com >>>>>>> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:11:54 -0400 >>>>>>> Subject: Re: [AccessD] Migrate 2.0 and A97 to XP: Advice and Cost??? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ...97 to xp is just minor grunt work if the original coder actually >> did >>>>>>> his >>>>>>> job. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ...but if the "97" code is really A2 code running under the 3.5 >> library >>>>>>> then >>>>>>> you can have a nightmare on your hands ...it all depends on the >> original >>>>>>> coder, how much Access Basic used versus API calls, and how well >>>>>>> commented >>>>>>> it is/was. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ...my practice is to give them a firm fixed price quote to assess the >>>>>>> existing code and produce a proprietary report on what is actually >>>>>>> needed >>>>>>> ...then go from there once you have something real to deal with ...if >>>>>>> you >>>>>>> have the FMS diagnostics suite, this is usually something you can do >> in >>>>>>> a >>>>>>> few hours, produce reams of report paper on, and impress the hell out >> of >>>>>>> them without actually killing yourself ...if you don't have the FMS >>>>>>> Suite, >>>>>>> good luck ...whatever you do don't give them a price without knowing >>>>>>> exactly >>>>>>> what you're taking on ...and make sure that the conversion project is >>>>>>> extremely well defined in terms of additional reports, functionality, >>>>>>> etc >>>>>>> ...and that you have a firm understanding that any and all >>>>>>> changes/additions >>>>>>> past your original proposal are at additional cost. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ...as to hourly rate, there's an article I wrote on the subject for >> the >>>>>>> first dba newsletter which is still posted on the website ...nothing >> has >>>>>>> really changed ...if you run the numbers your rate question should >>>>>>> answer >>>>>>> itself ...don't sell yourself short ...its better to starve in a >> rocking >>>>>>> chair than to starve while producing code you sold short ...imnsho of >>>>>>> course. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ...hth :) >>>>>>> >>>>>>> William >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -------------------------------------------------- >>>>>>> From: "Mark A Matte" >>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 11:17 AM >>>>>>> To: "Access Developers discussion and problem solving" >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Subject: [AccessD] Migrate 2.0 and A97 to XP: Advice and Cost??? >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Hello All, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> A small company needs to have some Access DBs upgraded from Access >> 2.0 >>>>>>>> and >>>>>>>> A97 to XP. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> They want to provide airfare and hotel...and pay hourly. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> The project will involve upgrading, some system functionality >>>>>>>> modifications, and some new reports. Some of their current >>>>>>>> functionality >>>>>>>> is "broken" (all the detail they had). >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Any suggestions to the approach, things to look out for in the >>>>>>>> migration, >>>>>>>> or any advice? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Also, what would be considered a fair hourly rate? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Thanks, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Mark A. Matte >>>>>>>> _________________________________________________________________ >>>>>>>> In a rush? Get real-time answers with Windows Live Messenger. >>>>>>>> > http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh >> _realtime_042008 >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> AccessD mailing list >>>>>>>> AccessD at databaseadvisors.com >>>>>>>> http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd >>>>>>>> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> AccessD mailing list >>>>>>> AccessD at databaseadvisors.com >>>>>>> http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd >>>>>>> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >>>>>> _________________________________________________________________ >>>>>> Back to work after baby–how do you know when you’re ready? >>>>>> > http://lifestyle.msn.com/familyandparenting/articleNW.aspx?cp-documentid=579 >> 7498&ocid=T067MSN40A0701A >>>>> -- >>>>> AccessD mailing list >>>>> AccessD at databaseadvisors.com >>>>> http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd >>>>> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >>>>> >>>> -- >>>> AccessD mailing list >>>> AccessD at databaseadvisors.com >>>> http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd >>>> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >>> _________________________________________________________________ >>> Spell a grand slam in this game where word skill meets World Series. Get >> in the game. >> > http://club.live.com/word_slugger.aspx?icid=word_slugger_wlhm_admod_april08 >> -- >> AccessD mailing list >> AccessD at databaseadvisors.com >> http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd >> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >> > -- > AccessD mailing list > AccessD at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >