http://www.scriptlance.com/projects/1212695213.shtml?ref=ScriptLance

I was actually looking to see if there were any stolen images being offered free, but this caught my attention.

FT hasn't been able to get a fully working website in nearly 3 years - but some guy thinks he can do it for $300 in 20 days?

OTOH, if he really could, perhaps Oleg should hire him

Most of the people making the bids can't even speak proper english.  I don't know if that is relavant or not as I have no idea how much of the work that they do.

Even so crappy website like Fotolia cannot be done in 2 weeks as some of the bidders would suggest. Month or two maybe but it would not be perfect and bug free.  So requirements are impossible to fulfill. Nobody, even in India would do it for this kind of money.

On the other hand I think Fotolia ceased any development of their website. They sit of couple millions of images so they do not care about contributors anymore. They might still working on search engine, cause it's their source of revenue. Only buyers matter for them right now.

...some guy thinks he can do it for $300 in 20 days...

That's just sad. All that work and the guy is willing to settle for $300...

One area you do not see at ScriptLance is the PMB (Personal Message Board) there the bidders post links to live sites and work they have already done, also you get to see feedback and references on thier projects.

I design software modules for accountants and once the modules are developed they can be pulled together in any combination quite timely, but not as cheap as these guys 

If they have done several sites before they may have all the elements they need and just have to bolt them together. there are RF/RM website style products already out there like http://www.pixaria.com/ for $200

I bet the website developers laugh and say I just got all the images for my customers website for $20, how can them photographers create and sell them images so cheap, they must be desperate, how can they produce an image for $1? Are they stupid or insane?! 

David

 

>>>>> I work as a Manager in IT, and here in US we pay web developers between $75 to $150 per hour.

>>>>> I have extensive experience in large projects like this one would be, and the cost to produce such a site would be closer to $150,000


I suspect thats why a lot of work is outsourced to India etc ....

garbage in...garbage out...

I earn about $70 an hour, but it does not mean I would pay that if I wanted something done, I only pay what I have to, you cannot compare local rates in a global market, the revenue from a dollar image buys more in india and other parts of the world than it does in the US or UK, the sites don't pay us more weighted on our local cost of living, although they charge more if they think they can and if you buy in currency, convert the Istock UK prices to Dollars and the base per credit is different, the reality is that a photographer with a low cost of living gets more in real terms for a download.

Do you think Microsoft do all the development in the US, as said outsourced to India, I work on a Microsoft package and when they release a new UK version the core is designed by Danes, developed in India, tested in the US and Localised in the UK

That is economic reality, you pay what you have to, not what you should, the guy in India developing the software gets a few dollars, then they sell it worldwide for the local market price including the UK, where if it needs more custom development they do not go back to India, they call in a company like the one I contract to, and they charge $1800 for a 7.5 hour day, thats the local market forces for the exact same work as the guy in India.

So are stock images not like the resources in India and the UK, as you can pay $1 or $1800, for a compartive image based on which stock model and where you shop, has a customer ever said that download was worth a lot more here is another $200

If they get it done for $500 and they do have a few bids then good luck, they may get 80% of what they wanted and fixing the other 20% is cheaper than having 100% done by a local developer.

I would say they are not stupid or insane, more aware and able to exploit the possibilities in this market, just like image buyers.    

I just checked the buyer on ScriptLance and they have had 7 projects completed there before, from the feedback a good comunicator and payer, could be doing this project for one of thier own customers, so a good business person as well