Subj : Re: How much should I charge for fixed-price software contract?
To   : comp.programming,comp.lang.java.programmer,comp.lang.lisp
From : Gerry Quinn
Date : Wed Jul 13 2005 03:26 pm

In article <8v08d1p1e7gl3otslqo4vtg0nv4tpft0q1@4ax.com>, 
Chris@Sonnack.com says...
> Michael Sullivan writes:
> 
> > Are you kidding me?  The price per byte of source code is exactly zero.
> > Nobody cares how much source you write.  They care about what your
> > program *does*.
> 
> It's like the old joke about the ocean-going vessel that broke down
> at sea.  The ship's engineer--no slouch--just couldn't identify the
> problem, so they had to call for help.
> 
> Guy arrives on a helo, spends some time walking around the ship, takes
> out a large wooden mallet and bangs on one particular pipe a few times.
> 
> Ship starts working, and the guy gives the Captain a bill for $10K.
> 
> "Ten thousand dollars," exclaims the Captain!  But all you did was
> pound on a pipe.
> 
> "Ah," replies the guy, "it's knowing where to pound."

Probably based on a similar story about Picasso, who was asked to make 
a drawing on a handkerchief.  He did so, and was asked how much he 
wanted for it.  "10000 francs", said Picasso.

"But it only took you two minutes."

"No", said Picasso, "it took me thirty years."

- Gerry Quinn

.