"Mike Weber" <mik### [at] pyxiscom> wrote in message
news:393c30f7@news.povray.org...
> "Scott Hill" <sco### [at] geniecouk> wrote in message
> news:393c2c0e@news.povray.org...
> > "Mike Weber" <mik### [at] pyxiscom> wrote in message
> > news:393c254b$1@news.povray.org...
> > > You shouldn't charge by the hour - what if you were learning a new
> > > technique - you shouldn't charge your customer for your training...
> > >
> >
> >     Why not ? Companies routinely factor design and development costs
into
> > their product prices. Learning a new technique is, surely, just a part
of
> > that design and development process.
> >
>
> A company that can absord the cost will do that, but an individual
> shouldn't.
> Would you pay someone to build your house and charged according to time,
and
> part of that time was to learn how to cut wood?
>

    Yes, but I wouldn't expect to pay anywhere near as much per hour as I
would for an experienced workman.
    Set your hourly rate with respect to your ability - so although you'll
charge for more hours you'll probably still be cheaper, because your hourly
rate is lower, than someone more experienced (if not, you're over pricing
your time). Then, when you're more experienced you charge for less hours but
at a higher rate.

    I think amongst artists, workmen, contract programmers and a whole host
of other people there's a kind of moral concensus that you shouldn't charge
for the time you spend learning your craft. Well, as a programmer who is
considering going semi-independent, excuse the french, but bollocks to that!
When I'm working for a company I get paid for both the time I spend working
and the time I spend learning, so, when I work for myself, am I going to
factor the time I spent learning into what I charge ? Hell yeah! But, as I
said before you charge a rate that reflects your ability, so, if your still
learning, that hourly rate should be really low.

--
Scott Hill. (sco### [at] innocentcom)
Software Engineer.
Author of Pandora's Box (coming to a web page soon(ish)).

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