[ Last Updated: 07 November 2005 ]
(Background - Availability - Services - Contact)
(Contract Vs. Consulting - Fees & Charges - VAT Code)
My preference is to work for people and companies operating in Ireland, but this is not a hard and fast rule. I work most of the time from my own office and have good Internet facilities, so where my customers are based is largely irrelevant. Where it becomes important, is when I am required to visit my customer's own premises on a regular basis. If I have to visit frequently, I prefer somewhere nearer to home.
Programming Languages (and for which I have development resources):
| Primarily C and C++ |
| also: |
| LPA Prolog and Prolog++ (currently v4.1) |
|
Scheme (in which I program mainly for fun) |
|
Java™ |
|
Scripting Languages: bash, C-Shell, Hamilton C-Shell, Perl, Awk, Sed, Tcl/Tk, Python |
Operating systems (for which I have development resources):
| Microsoft Windows 2000 on Intel Hardware (Server and Professional) |
| SuSE LINUX on Intel Hardware (8.1 and tracking latest versions) [See NOTE #1] |
NOTE #1: While I have development resources for Linux, I am not a Linux O/S Kernel expert. While I can offer high level design consulting involving the Linux O/S and adaptations to it, I am not at this time able to offer services for altering or adapting the Linux O/S. What I do offer is application and system development under Linux and application porting services between Linux and other Operating Systems.
Distributed program development using OMG/CORBA and Microsoft DCOM and .NET.
Object Oriented Design, Architecture and Programming Methodologies. Architectural work for system software.
Analysis and development of in-house programming "Practices & Policies" geared toward reducing program maintenance and enhancing programmer productivity over the span of a product's lifetime.
Design consulting for ASIC and other custom digital hardware.
Design and implementation of embedded systems software using customer provided hardware and software facilities.
Design, consulting , deployment, administration and maintenance of Microsoft Windows 2000 Server based networks.
I am also developing some courseware geared toward C++ programmers in the embedded software development area that should be ready for 2004.
Contract and consulting services in most areas of systems software. Work preferably (but not limited to) off-site. I differentiate "contracting" and "consulting" along approximately the following lines:
| If the problem is well understood and its solution well
defined, and what my customer really needs is a skilled developer to actually implement the solution to the
problem; then I
consider this to be "contracting". |
| If the problem is not well understood or its solution is not yet well defined, requiring greater research and exploration; then I consider this to be "consulting". |
In a sense, contracting is where any experienced person is needed, while consulting is where the consultants unique experience and intellectual skills are called upon.
My charges are fair and competitive, but I do charge more for consulting versus contracting. Please contact me for details.
Work is charged for in units of an hour, day (preferred), week or month. Needless to say, the larger units are discounted with respect to the smaller units. My preference is to work on contract for a daily fee, invoiced in the middle of the month following the work.
| A day I consider to be a unit of time that averages no less than 8 hours per calendar day over a period of 7 calendar days. |
| A week I consider to be a unit of time that averages no less than 40 hours per calendar week over a period of one calendar month. |
| A month I consider to be a unit of time that averages no less than 21 days in one calendar month over a period of 3 calendar months. |
I charge for all services in Euro (€). Under Irish tax law, services entail an additional charge of 21% VAT. Unless my customer is exempt and can provide the appropriate documentation, I will also charge an additional 21% VAT on all services.
On top of my contracting or consulting fees, I also charge for expenses incurred.
My registered VAT Number is: IE 3679274F
My terms of payment are strictly 30 days from the date of invoice.
I can be typically contacted at:
Phone: +353 (1) 629-1146 (Mon-Fri: 9:30-17:30GMT)
An odd address if you don't live in Ireland. Yep, that's right! No area code! No ZIP Code! In fact, no numeric denotation whatsoever :-) Something that many address entry forms aren't programmed to cope with (shame on their programmers).
The best and most reliable way to contact me is by email.