You know, when I typed that in I thought, "I wonder what JVP will think of this?"

I'll clarify a bit.

First, I should have been clear on my view of the world: Time = Money. So, when I say 2/3 the time, I think that means the same as 2/3 the cost.

I haven't eaten crow on this one yet. But, we're probably operating in different realms. I'm making my money cranking out desktop-client/server ERP/EIS extensions.

When I go into a client, I'm bidding against the local independent VB developers who are willing to bid on desktop, client/server add-on systems, or I'm bidding against big body shops who are going to send whoever they have that's available. (Having worked for those body shops in the past, I know that developers of your caliber are seldom available and if they are, there is always another Client standing in line willing to pay top rates for technical leadership.)

So, let's assume that there is a Client that wants to, I don't know, something straight-forward, develop a set of reports or something that queries their Peoplesoft data and cross-references it with their POS system. If you bid on that, you could probably develop that as fast or faster than I, but would you be able to do it for the same price? In other words, with the stuff you know how to do and make a living doing, would you ratchet your rates back into the client/server realm to do this work? Or, would the Client be paying 3 digits per hour?

All that said, you are an exception. I believe the Client would be well served by a decision to go with your services, if you made yourself available for such work. From the content of some of your recent posts, I can tell that you tend to put the Customer's interests first. So, I agree with you, I'd probably be eating bird.

(Marty makes a mental note to ask first if they've talked to anyone from Pennsylvania.... <g>)

M.

>Let's hope you and I don't bid on the same project...< bg > My heartburn would be nothing compared to the crow you would have to eat!! < bg >..
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>Sorry, I could not resist in light of the bravado on your part!! For the most part, given many of the vB developers out there, you are probably right. However, there is a population of VB/SQL developers where your statement would not hold.
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>< JVP >