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Ask HN: Suggestions from the Experienced

10 points by ifseplz ↗ HN
Hello fellow hackers of the cyberspace!

I don't have a problem, rather seeking for some stories from the experienced programmers.

I started hacking five years ago. I look up to real programmers such as Linus Torvalds and Eric S. Raymond.

Currently my job is at a small print company. I'm a graphic designer. I do desings, I print, etc...

I wrote a script for a job that we are doing by hand and it takes between 5 and 15 minutes. Now, in a click of a mouse, the piece is print ready. It took 25 hours to write this.

I value this script for 800$.

I'm constantly improving it. I can also offer technical support.

As I see things now, I'll surely write more scripts in the future. I see things that can be automated. As a matter of fact, I wrote a second one already.

Any guidelines on the internet? What are your opinions? Should I sell them the script? What shall I do?

Does anyone have a similar story?

I'm looking forward to your answers.

Thanks, -use-the-force-luke

5 comments

[ 0.23 ms ] story [ 25.7 ms ] thread
greenyoda
If you're an employee and you wrote the script while on the job, your employer already owns it, so you can't sell it to them. (If your script is currently running on your employer's computer, that also supports the case for it being their property.)

A better strategy might be to tell them about how you increased the productivity for this task by writing this script, and use that as evidence that you should receive a raise.

AwesomeFaic
I'd bet they already technically own the second script in progress. OP should read up on what to take into consideration when working on side projects, especially when they pertain to ones day job.
d--b
Yes, they own the script.

Developers do this all the time by the way, it's part of the job to automate as much as possible. No developer will think about selling a script for $800 to their current employer, that doesn't make sense.

What you should do instead, is making sure you get credit for your script and not one of your colleague or your boss. And try and get a raise at some point.

Zelphyr
Also, put that on your resumé! It will be worth more that $800 in future salary and/or skills.
ifseplz
Thank you all for your replies.

We have great advices here. It's pretty good to see how other people think, and what do they suggest, especially if they are more experienced.

I work from my home, in my free time, on my personal computer.

I've decided that I'll present them the first script and see how it goes.

Any more replies are appreciated.