list confrontations, was: [thelist] Org Chart?

Michele Wandrei michele at inthree.com
Wed May 2 08:18:27 CDT 2001


JJ wrote:
> I find it very interesting that someone will waste
> hours if not days trying to find just the right
> software for free.  Meanwhile, the hours you are
> wasting are taking away from other possibly paying
> jobs or work related tasks, so the software really
> doesn't end up being free.

As someone who does a lot of unpaid work on charity sites, I feel compelled to
jump in here.  When you're giving your services away, or when the organization
you're working for has a very tight budget, you may have a real need to find a
free product.  If I'm giving my services away, I don't want to foot the bill
for a tool that may be used only for this site.  Sometimes paying a few
hundred bucks for a piece of software isn't possible.  Free software can be a
real lifesaver.   Paying customers are a different story.  It all depends on
the situation.  It's best not to judge someone's intentions without knowing
the whole story.

And for that, I owe...

<tip type="charity sites" author="Michele Wandrei">
It's possible to benefit from giving some work away.  If you choose to donate
your work for a charity site, remember to keep your perspective balanced.
Build a good relationship with your "client," give them as much as you can,
but don't allow them to walk all over you.  Make sure the charity site links
to your own site and find subtle ways to make sure that you get some publicity
from your donation.  You will most certainly get referrals that turn into
paying work.
</tip>

___________________________________________________
Michele Wandrei
inThree Design
www.inthree.com








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