Home
>
Web Development
>
Beware the Software Siren

Beware the Software Siren

I've heard several prominent web marketers mention in their classes and public forums how easy it is to create your own software. Why, all you have to do is run over to Elance.com or RentACoder.com and have some poor shmoe from Outer Slobvia whip out what you want. And all for the price of a few trips to Starbucks.

Uh, not quite.

Is that a spec in your eye?

First of all, there is the matter of specifications. A spec is a description of what your software should do. The more specific your desires, the more detailed your specification needs to be. Even the most malnourished coder in Slobovia is going to balk if you say, "Try a gray background?oops, no, don't like that. Let's try light blue? Oh, that's not right, either. Let's try mauve." If you just want to specify "the important stuff", you have to be prepared to accept all the "unimportant stuff" however it is handed to you.

By the way, both RentACoder.com and Elance.com have provisions in their process and terms of use that protect their developers from vague specifications. The good news is that there are also provisions to protect you, the publisher. Regardless, the more detailed your specification, the greater the chance of a happy outcome. Ah, but writing those darn specs takes a lot of time? far more time than it sounds like when the gurus tell you how easy it is.

This was only a test

There's also the small matter of testing. Once you accept a developer's work, they get paid and get on with their lives. You, however, must live with the software. If you don't find every bug that must be fixed before you pay the coder, you either have to put out another project for bid to repair things or live with the problems until you do.

Therefore, you must test your software upside down and backwards, on a variety of machines and different versions of operating systems. You must also test the installer and the help system? oh, you forgot to specify those? Too bad, those tasks now require an additional project. Since they are radically different in nature (one is technical, one is not), you probably need two different people to do the work. Coders are rarely proficient enough writers to create an effective help system. I'm being kind, so let me emphasize this point without getting nasty: Don't let your programmer touch your documentation. Period. Never. Ever.

Help, oh I need somebody

You may be tempted to skimp on your help system.. Trust me, that is not a good idea. For one thing, in the minds of today's consumers a reasonably good help system is considered a bare necessity. For another thing, a good help system will lower your return rate. It is a worthwhile investment.

A help system also lowers your ongoing technical support costs. What tech support costs you say? Well, here's a statistic that will blow your mind: Most software companies allocate a minimum of 30-40% of a product's purchase price to technical support. The reason is simple: It's cheaper than refunds. Now you may not have created a Microsoft Office clone, but I guarantee you that some inexperienced users are going to need handholding. In my opinion, even in the world of niche products you must at least offer same-day e-mail support.

Xena is cool. Xenophobia is not.

Now before you think I'm just an American developer dissing the folks from other lands over on E-lance and RentACoder, think again. I use both services and love them. And I have developed some excellent working relationships with individuals at both sites. My purpose here is to fire a warning shot across the bow of wannabe software publisher's boats: Software development is a mind-bogglingly labor intensive task whether you do it yourself or pay someone else to do it for you. Web sites like E-lance and RentACoder have lowered the cost of software development to the point that a middle-class American can think about becoming a publisher without having to sell the house.

But you can still get burned, and it is worth counting the total cost of publishing before you get started.

Ross Lambert is co-founder of theventureforge.com, a mentoring, hosting, tooling, and e-commerce incubating membership site. He is also a Senior Software Engineer for a fast-growing telecomm in Kirkland, WA and a happy husband and father.

move in cleaning service Mundelein ..

In The News:

Cybersecurity experts warn about one of the largest credential compilations ever found, urging users to check "Have I Been Pwned" and change passwords immediately.

Quick iPhone and Android battery optimization techniques help your device stay powered all day by turning off hidden features that secretly drain power in the background.

Kodiak Driver autonomous truck achieves perfect 98 safety score, matching top human fleets in groundbreaking AI evaluation by Nauto's VERA system.

New 401k catch-up contribution rules in 2026 will change taxes for high earners over 50. Learn how scammers exploit these changes and protect your retirement savings.

Kurt Knutsson's guide covers social media privacy protection through location settings, account privacy controls and two-factor authentication to prevent scams and data breaches.

Revolutionary retinal implant restores central vision in 80% of patients with advanced macular degeneration, offering hope where treatments once only slowed blindness.

Learn how to use passkeys on Windows and Mac computers without cameras or fingerprint readers. Discover secure authentication methods that replace passwords.

Tesla's FSD v14.1.2 update reintroduces Mad Max mode, enabling higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than the standard Hurry profile setting.

A phishing email scam targeting American Express customers shows how cybercriminals use fake urgent messages to steal personal and financial information.

Facebook's new Meta AI feature analyzes your camera roll photos to create polished collages automatically, but requires cloud processing and raises privacy concerns.

A New Jersey teenager filed a major lawsuit against AI/Robotics Venture Strategy 3 Ltd. over ClothOff, an AI tool that created fake nude images from her social media photos.

Microsoft reports Storm-2657 cybercriminals sent phishing emails to 6,000 addresses at 25 universities to steal payroll credentials and redirect funds.

Astronomers have discovered asteroid 2025 SC79, a skyscraper-sized space rock orbiting the sun in just 128 days. the second-fastest known.

The Fox News AI Newsletter delivers the latest developments form the world of artificial intelligence, including the technology's challenges and opportunities.

A cyberattack on SimonMed Imaging exposed personal information of 1.2 million patients, including medical records, financial details and identity papers.

Spotify's managed accounts for kids under 13 now available in at least seven countries, allowing parents to filter and block explicit content and songs.

Friendly text conversations about BBQs and social events can lead to WEEX gold trading scams that target older adults with fake investment opportunities.

California company Skyeports creates self-healing glass spheres from Moon regolith that generate solar power and support plant growth for sustainable lunar living.

Cleafy researchers discover fake VPN streaming app Mobdro Pro that installs Klopatra banking Trojan, giving attackers full control over Android devices.

Police departments across the U.S. and Canada are adopting virtual reality training to better prepare officers for high-pressure, real-world situations.

House Bill 469 would prevent AI systems from owning property, serving as executives, or gaining legal personhood in Ohio under Representative Thaddeus Claggett's proposal.

Public voter records expose retirees' personal details to election scammers who create targeted cons using names, addresses, and voting history data.

Instead of fearing what comes next with artificial intelligence, think outside the box. Here are high-earning AI jobs that don't require a computer science degree.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says polite words like "please" and "thank you" cost millions annually, while direct prompts may improve ChatGPT accuracy by several points.

Chattee Chat and GiMe Chat exposed intimate conversations and photos, revealing users spent up to $18,000 on AI companions before the breach.

Beware the Software Siren

Web Development