- Customer: Can you make this code that does 1000 things?
- Development team: Sure, we’ll think/work out a nice streamlined implementation for you.
- Development team: Delivers product
- Customer: Oh I forgot to mention, I also need this and this and this.
- Development team: You mother f*cker, there goes our streamlined implementation…
- Development team: Delivers updated product
- Result: The 1001 variant of this meme as the final product, good job customer (/s)
I’m no stranger to that happening, and it’s usually only mildly annoying, but one time it was so egregious I actually fired the customer and just cut my losses lol.
Their “oh, I forgot to mention” changed the entire paradigm of how the application worked. Aside from the UI element components that could be re-used, everything was going to have to be completely re-written / re-implemented on both the UI and the API portions. Some of the code could have been re-used, but there wasn’t a single spot that wouldn’t require reworking to make their last minute addition feasible.
I told them they were asking me to write an entirely different application than was originally spec’d, and that I had fulfilled the original specs (they agreed on that part). However, they wanted their “one more thing” implemented before they would pay. I could have powered through, but my rate was basically cut in half at that point because of the amount of work that would have been, so I said “fuck it”.
They were terrible to work with, anyway, so I’ve got no regrets about burning that bridge lol.
We just got a project headed over, because their customer wasn’t satisfied, which already is a bad sign.
The problematic parts of the project involve exclusively their bespoke code that graphQLs some live routes data for a specific transportation type. They made a filter for the frontend, for customers to be able to quickly narrow the routes relevant to them.
They did promise a Documentation and a GitHub transfer to our Account ( including their GitHub Actions for CI/CD ), not only promised, but it’s all written down in a handover contract. They sent some zip beforehand, stating “Here y’all can check the project out, before the handover”.
Today, we got the info that the files we got earlier, were the “handover” and we couldn’t get a nice GitHub transfer, because they weren’t allowed to disclose proprietary information.
Attached was the “Documentation” of 46 Pages. It consists of the complete copies of the config files ( 31 pages / for example, the content of packages.json or .env ) and lists like: Plugins installed, npm modules used and printed out directory structure.
Nothing we didn’t already know by just looking at the project ffs.
I won’t even go into the part about their custom code. It’s only half a page. The most important information for us.
We can’t afford to say no to this project, fuck.
They could have at least waited until after Christmas, to send us this Photon Torpedo, so we could all have some nice days and only enter the Negative Zone on Friday, after the fucking holidays.
We also had plenty of “ah, i forgot a small detail” customers, but this today made me want to punch fellow developers for the first time. How dare they pull this trick on us?
We can’t afford to say no to this project, fuck.
That’s one of the things I cherish about only developing as a side job / freelancing. When this was my actual day job, I’d have to power through the shitty customers. At least in that case, I got paid by the company all the same. Now, I only deal with people who don’t ask for a new foundation to be poured as I’m finishing the roof work.
Removed by mod
We used to always have a fist full of customers. We are a very small agency and having 2 big and 3 smaller projects going, met the sweet spot of productivity and money made.
This was the first year, we’re mainly on one big project. Finishing one, while simultaneously starting the one i wrote about.
You can concentrate more, while on just one protect. Ok, but the urgency of this project having to succeed, is also ever present.
I think this stresses me more.
The customer seems to be one that has high demands, but listens and ends up going with the recommended solution, when he got something wrong and doesn’t insist on x being y.
It’s one small feature request, Michael. What could it take, ten lines of code?
I feel personally attacked.
Although it wasn’t full coding in the strict sense of the term, it was stuff that required elaborate connections between tables in a Filemaker database. It felt like every single meeting they had these little fucking brainfarts, sitting lazily in their chairs with a relaxed but bad posture, “Can you get this thing to do this other thing for me?”, there was a passive mindlessness to the tone of voice, like they were fiddling out loud with their brain, tickling themselves, trying to come up with shit on the spot.
EDIT: they were the kind of mindless assholes who, when they found out my vacation was upcoming, suddenly had a shitload of urgent requests for me to do. Like they conjured things out of knee-jerk reaction, like their minds were nothing… nothing… nothing… PANIC!!!.. nothing… nothing…
The below freeway looks atrocious, but it’s really interesting the design that goes into them. This is a good video on the topic: https://youtu.be/-16RFXr44fY?t=529. Clearly the concept of Braess’s paradox hasn’t made it down to Texas
