Australian computer programmer for hire. A Sydney based professional specializing in web applications: Unavailable.

I might get around to doing something with this domain again one day. Suggestions are welcome. It has served a worthwhile purpose in the past: gathering Australian based computer programming and web development work. Whilst it was live I was contacted primarily by people desperately searching for a programmer. The right guy is:

• available now
• patient enough to talk and walk the client through what they really want
• technical enough to actually do the work quickly, competantly, and completely
• disciplined enough to manage the client, the work, the taxes, the compliances, the contacts, etc
• confident enough to ask a fair price and not be bullied about it
• social enough to have contacts who can do the work he is less strong at
• professional enough to remain communicative no matter how tiresome the client becomes
• tactful enough to steer the client away from the most common 'dumb ideas' without offending them

My conclusion is that its a very hard ask; excepting perhaps if one is extremely narrowly focused. A very specific expertise. I'm resistant to creating an Australian version of elance or rentacoder etc. Maybe I should get over that; most of the grief with those sites originate in foreign countries. Perhaps an AU exclusive version is what we're all looking for?

Another idea for revival is perhaps to offer a requirements analysis service: the client purchases a "Specifications" document which takes their requirements from an idea onto a piece of paper. The specifications are detailed enough, and have the big decisions resolved. It is laid out in a way a programmer can understand the work, and it's scope, without investing heavily. The scope is well described and clearly contained. This would solve a signficant problem I experienced whereby after listening to an hour, or even days, of description it became clear that the gig wasn't suitable. But a single point with a spec and a collection of Australian developers then both sides are closer to their goals.

Please do not bother with your Non Disclosure Agreement; they're a waste of everyone's time. If it's a genuinely good idea then your best course of action is to get market first. Putting this obstacle in the path does not aid that cause. Perhaps you can justify it after a lot of investment and as you near delivery; but in the early days it really is holding you back.