Cost of Programmer to automate

There are lots of good reasons to take care in choosing a programmer.

Talk to their prior clients and verify that it's not a buddy of theirs. Have another programmer inspect examples of their prior project code...it is well written, documented or a bunch of public domain modules strung together after dinner?

What do they do for a day job? Are they incorporated, a DBA or just a guy on the Internet? Do they have a web site? What do they warrant about their work?

What design documents will they produce to scope the project prior to estimating the cost? What details do they need from you PRIOR to estimating the cost? Ask for a copy of their Professional Services Agreement as the second thing you do. If they don't know what that is or don't respond with one directly, move on.

What payment terms do they want? If it's not 1/3 down upon your approval of their design document and signing the PSA, 1/3 upon delivery of the software and 1/3 upon your testing and acceptance of the software, more on.

While there is some general relationship between price and quality, I've seen $150 per hour characters produce junk as well as the $25 per hour types.
 
One bug in the application can cost you many times the price of a
good programmer.
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It is invalid to measure programming skills in money involved. That is a separate market of programmers. You can find very cheap labor at rentacoder, they work for $3-$5/hour - that is the result of competition. But they do not have experience with markets or ATS development.
 
Quote from MGJ:

Some programmers charge $30 per hour, others $100, and still others charge $500 per hour. In this example shown below, the programmer is also a well known "name". A trading author, lecturer, and website owner.
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Wasn't that Mrs."C" on "Happy Days"? I was wondering what she's been doing lately.:p
 
I believe that Yaroslav will be no worse than any US or UK programmer.
Do you think that we in eastern Europe, Russia, China or India are more stupid than you there? Look how many chess chanpions are originating from there.
But we can simple charge less - because simple our living cost are lower.

I am in European union (new part) but most of my friends those are good free programmers are working for US and UK firms. When you order software by US oar UK fim thand in fact often it will be made by programmer here or in another part of world.

It depends on individual. I found that in USA are as many crooks as in any other country. You need make good agreement with them so you will get what you pay for, but it is possible that for $25/hour you will get better work than for that one $300. Simple ask for references and even if he can not show (everybody needs start once) you can make agreement that work first and payment later. If he is honest programmer he will agree.
And you must pay to him because there will be some problems with software in begin those can solve just programmer,
And he will try make as good job as he can because in future you can recommend him.
 
Quote from traderslibrarey:

How to rate a programmer by price.

Free = I want to steal your idea

< $25 = I don't speak english to well and good luck finding me after I have your cash

< $50 = I will give you an estimate but after I miss it, you wish you paid for a better programmer

< $100 = I double all my hours so I make more from you

If you are programming a system that trades with real-money expect to pay real-money for it work properly.

One bug in the application can cost you many times the price of a good programmer.
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Rating a programmer by price is BS. Why do so many banks and software companies employ thousands of programmers in India? The answer is that they do a good job and get paid relatively nothing compared to what a programmer gets over here.

Finding a good programmer via the inet that doesnt rip you off is another story though.
 
Quote from Pholeuon:

I believe that Yaroslav will be no worse than any US or UK programmer.
Do you think that we in eastern Europe, Russia, China or India are more stupid than you there? Look how many chess chanpions are originating from there.
But we can simple charge less - because simple our living cost are lower.

I am in European union (new part) but most of my friends those are good free programmers are working for US and UK firms. When you order software by US oar UK fim thand in fact often it will be made by programmer here or in another part of world.

It depends on individual. I found that in USA are as many crooks as in any other country. You need make good agreement with them so you will get what you pay for, but it is possible that for $25/hour you will get better work than for that one $300. Simple ask for references and even if he can not show (everybody needs start once) you can make agreement that work first and payment later. If he is honest programmer he will agree.
And you must pay to him because there will be some problems with software in begin those can solve just programmer,
And he will try make as good job as he can because in future you can recommend him.
More...
For what it's worth, he's right.

Just look at how the outsourcing of positions to India is impacting many of "our" (LOL - unless you "own it", nothing is yours) jobs here in the U.S.

They supply an overall equal level of "service" at a price that is less than 1/10th of their American counterpart.
 
I have recently attempted to find a programmer to help me build a custom system with major risk management system as well as many semi-automated and fully automated systems.
Even discretionary trades have auto targets as well as stops and eveything must comply with risk rules.

All strategies will be sent directly to DOM so user can adjust any orders as quick as possible.

As well as providing me with the custom tools and indicators of my own design.

Risk management system is quite complex and all in i was told a many hedge funds have similar systems built. :eek:

Anyway, i was qouted $12,000 for this system and it should be finished in 3 months.

What you guys think? Is this way over the top on price? I am willing to pay for a complete custom system and quality and ease of use is my major concern but $12000 seems like a lot.

Is this price reasonable or just nuts?
 
Quote from Mins:

I have recently attempted to find a programmer to help me build a custom system with major risk management system as well as many semi-automated and fully automated systems.
Even discretionary trades have auto targets as well as stops and eveything must comply with risk rules.

All strategies will be sent directly to DOM so user can adjust any orders as quick as possible.

As well as providing me with the custom tools and indicators of my own design.

Risk management system is quite complex and all in i was told a many hedge funds have similar systems built. :eek:

Anyway, i was qouted $12,000 for this system and it should be finished in 3 months.

What you guys think? Is this way over the top on price? I am willing to pay for a complete custom system and quality and ease of use is my major concern but $12000 seems like a lot.

Is this price reasonable or just nuts?
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If it does all this and can be completed in this amount of time I'd say it's a pretty good piece of software.

Don't price compare when looking at how a Porsche stacks-up against a Honda. Look at the quality of the product you're getting and whether it fullfills your needs.

... and of course, if it's a good system, you're going to make that sticker price back in no time.
 
Quote from MandelbrotSet:

If it does all this and can be completed in this amount of time I'd say it's a pretty good piece of software.

Don't price compare when looking at how a Porsche stacks-up against a Honda. Look at the quality of the product you're getting and whether it fullfills your needs.

... and of course, if it's a good system, you're going to make that sticker price back in no time.
More...

Thanks it kind of confirms what i was thinking. Im looking at the long term here and this system will be essential to all my trading needs.

Probably not a good idea to be cheap when you know you will have to use this software day in day out for next couple of years.

Quality was my major concern this is why i am looking for higher end programmers to complete my system.

Thank for help Mandel
 
Was that $3 -$5 an hour a typo? ....perhaps $30 - $50 and hour?
Hell, if the $3 is real, who needs them as programmers? I'd start a business to hire thousands of them at $3 bucks an hour, then subcontract them to work for McDonalds at $7.25 per hour and pocket the $4.25 per hour difference.

Profitability = 1000 x 4.15 per hour x 8 hours a day x 5 days a week....heck, I gross $166,000 per week...better than trading!
Anyone want to invest in my new company called Geeks for Burgers?
 
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