Any experience hiring a programmer? Where should I look?

[Howard]

What is your budget per hours ?

Not really interested in paying per hour. For the modifications I'm considering, I'd be willing to pay $200-300, I guess.

Rewriting the entire application including changes, I'd be willing to pay $3000 or so.

I let them program "the body", the mathematical part I did myself. Did not want to give away anything.

How is that possible? Not quite sure how I'd proceed to do that.

The good thing about my 'system', is that it needs discretion/logic being used. Luckily, the team I hired seemed to think it were useless. And they don't know quite how to use it and don't seem to be quite interested in the markets anyhow.

Is yours more of an automated system or what?

what do you need done? maybe its so trivial someone can post it

Sorry, but not really interested in sharing it publicly. Basically, it's just automation of collecting statistics and metrics.

 

[Handle123]

What I have done in past, late 80s to recent, I go to University here and see Dean of Computer Science, he knows the students who are brightest, so I will ask them of their experience and they all need part time work, and one year I was able to get one of the instructors who was interested in increasing his 401k, he worked for free providing we work on programming together, hell yes. You can also check out Dean of Business/Finance and inquire if any of the brightest also knows how to program.

 

[Mtrader]

How is that possible? Not quite sure how I'd proceed to do that.

The good thing about my 'system', is that it needs discretion/logic being used. Luckily, the team I hired seemed to think it were useless. And they don't know quite how to use it and don't seem to be quite interested in the markets anyhow.

Is yours more of an automated system or what?

• I gave a very limited knowledge of programming. So I builded every module in excel.
• Then I asked a programmer to write a few indicators for me based on a stupid and simple calulation. I made sure that all the elements were in the sample so that I could later replace it with my mathematical part. So I knew for each module how many lines had to be put on the charts, what coulr they shoudl have, lines, points or histogram etc... Big job if you don't want to forget anything.
• When I received the programmed code the biggest problem wa solved: declarations, variables, properties ans miscellaneaus were already in place. Specially using the right syntax was problematic.
• If I still needed to add additionla lines or variables I could just copie lines within the module and make the logical adjustments by watching how he did that.
• Finally I added the mathematical part and tried to complie it till there were no errors anymore.
• Then I watched the results and compared them with my excels.

My system is not fully automated. Even if you would see my charts you cannot see how everything exactly works and what the rules are.

 

[Mtrader]

Had to write quick so a few grammatical mistakes. I've no dislexia.

 

[InvBox]

Not really interested in paying per hour. For the modifications I'm considering, I'd be willing to pay $200-300, I guess.

Rewriting the entire application including changes, I'd be willing to pay $3000 or so.

It is too low. 3k is a 2 weeks of programming (I know I know you can find more cheaper guy but all quality risks will be yours). For 2 weeks no one can rewrite your app. No one. It period only for gathering requirements and any no code lines.

So that is why you cannot find a programmer - you have very limited budget, not equals to tasks.

 

[Howard]

What I have done in past, late 80s to recent, I go to University here and see Dean of Computer Science, he knows the students who are brightest, so I will ask them of their experience and they all need part time work, and one year I was able to get one of the instructors who was interested in increasing his 401k, he worked for free providing we work on programming together, hell yes. You can also check out Dean of Business/Finance and inquire if any of the brightest also knows how to program.

I've considered that also. I happen to have a University nearby which I think are pretty big on programming. Regardless, in my own experience, graduates don't really know much at all, but I figure programming might be different.

Were you happy about what you got this way?

 

[Howard]

• I gave a very limited knowledge of programming. So I builded every module in excel.
• Then I asked a programmer to write a few indicators for me based on a stupid and simple calulation. I made sure that all the elements were in the sample so that I could later replace it with my mathematical part. So I knew for each module how many lines had to be put on the charts, what coulr they shoudl have, lines, points or histogram etc... Big job if you don't want to forget anything.
• When I received the programmed code the biggest problem wa solved: declarations, variables, properties ans miscellaneaus were already in place. Specially using the right syntax was problematic.
• If I still needed to add additionla lines or variables I could just copie lines within the module and make the logical adjustments by watching how he did that.
• Finally I added the mathematical part and tried to complie it till there were no errors anymore.
• Then I watched the results and compared them with my excels.

My system is not fully automated. Even if you would see my charts you cannot see how everything exactly works and what the rules are.

Interesting. I don't think I'd be able to proceed this way for my project.

But as mentioned, an advantage is that my system, so to speak, ain't an automated thing. It needs logic and discretion being used. So, not knowing how to use it, I don't fear theft of intellectual property. The exception being if it's some clever guy who's into the markets himself.

It is too low. 3k is a 2 weeks of programming (I know I know you can find more cheaper guy but all quality risks will be yours). For 2 weeks no one can rewrite your app. No one. It period only for gathering requirements and any no code lines.

So that is why you cannot find a programmer - you have very limited budget, not equals to tasks.

Generally, yes, I think. I'm willing to increase my budget further down the line. Just not right now.

Still, I think there's ways to work around this. For instance, the company I first used was a start-up, so they probably underbid. They did the whole thing for $2500 if I recall correctly and they certainly spent a few weeks on it including some R&D. Now, there's not really much R&D involved since the thing is pretty much finished.

If I were to find a student as suggested by Handle123 or some other start-up interested in creating a name for themselves, I'm sure I could get it done for a reasonable price.

 

[InvBox]

If I were to find a student as suggested by Handle123 or some other start-up interested in creating a name for themselves, I'm sure I could get it done for a reasonable price.

No, you don't. In finally you will get another one app that will not working properly like current.

 

[Howard]

No, you don't. In finally you will get another one app that will not working properly like current.

Just so we're clear, the application I have IS working properly. I would just like to improve it, add some more features and make it more efficient.

Adding some more features is priority number one. Making it more efficient is second priority and not anything I'm dependent on doing.

 

[Mtrader]

Just so we're clear, the application I have IS working properly. I would just like to improve it, add some more features and make it more efficient.

Adding some more features is priority number one. Making it more efficient is second priority and not anything I'm dependent on doing.

Before InvBox can draw any conclusion about the price and if it will work or not he should have fully detailed information. He clearly has not, so his statement is irrelevant.