Charles Calvert <cbciv@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
> On Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:33:39 -0000, Allan Adler:
> >"John A. Weeks III" <john@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
> >> Allan Adler <ara@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> >> > Although I normally use Linux and don't know much about Windows,
> >> > I helped a friend download and install emacs, TeX, ghostview, etc.
> >> > on a laptop running Windows XP. My friend wants to pay me for the
> >> > work and, since my camel is hungry, I'm inclined to accept. I'd
like
> >> > to know what a one time job like that usually costs so I can set
the
> >> > price accordingly. This isn't something I'm planning to advertise
as
> >> > a service I provide, since I don't really feel qualified. It's just
> >> > a one time thing. The services I do want to advertise are
mathematical.
> >>
>
> [snip]
>
> >> If you are looking for a price structure, figure how how much
> >> you would like to earn during a given year, then divide by 1000.
> >> That gives you an hourly billing rate that factors in taxes,
> >> expenses, and marketing time.
> >
> >That's a nice formula. Too bad it is unenforceable. I can't control the
> >actual demand for my services.
>
> I don't understand how this statement corresponds to John's
> suggestion. Are you saying that you shouldn't set your prices based
> on what you want to earn because that doesn't necessarily reflect the
> actual market prices?
The way it corresponds to John's suggestion is that his suggestion was
based on a model of getting a certain amount of business annually, whereas
the situation I was asking about was a one time thing, not likely to be
repeated. His suggestion was also centered on *my* annual profile, whereas
I was just looking for what prices are typical for that kind of work, and
that depends on someone else's annual profile, the person who normally
does
that kind of work.
> If you want to base your amount on market rates, I suggest you look up
> sysadmin rates on realrates.com. You won't find anything specific to
> your situation, but you can base it on general sysadmin work. Make
> sure that you take geographic location into account. Sysadmins in San
> Francisco and Manhattan have a higher cost of living and doing
> business than those in Deluth or Kansas City.
Thanks for this suggestion.
I think what I should do is look in the yellow pages where I live and call
up people who say they work on PC's running Windows and ask them what they
would charge to do what I did. I asked here because I just assumed that
this
was something that everyone knew but me. I guess I was mistaken, but I do
appreciate the attempts to be helpful.
--
Ignorantly,
Allan Adler <ara@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
* Disclaimer: I am a guest and *not* a member of the MIT CSAIL. My actions
and
* comments do not reflect in any way on MIT. Also, I am nowhere near
Boston.
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