I'm your resident computer programmer, based somewhere in California. I can help you with various computer-related tasks.

You might hire me when:

• You want new graphical or networked software for your niche interest.
• You're a business looking to tweak the application logic of your existing system or to create a new system.
• You're a business looking to automate certain computer tasks.
• You want help hosting, configuring, or making your website.
• You want a private email server (mailing lists, custom behavior, privacy).
• You want to set up user accounts for your website / system, with databases and permissions and APIs.
• You want to migrate your computers to Linux.

• Frontend & backend web developmentChanging how a website looks & how it works
• Desktop applications developmentMaking programs for devices that aren't phones or embedded
• Network programmingMaking devices communicate over the Internet
• Database administrationHandling large amounts of data
• System administrationHosting services over the Internet

In addition, I have accrued some skill with the following:

• basic graphic design
• basic image editing
• basic audio editing
• writing

You decide whether or not to hire me!

You email any concerns you have, I ask questions about your project; a conversation! If you have a question and it is common enough, the answer might already be on this website. Extended consultations or interviews may be possible to arrange.

You decide to hire! I beckon the spirits of computation to your whim.

For individuals, I ask a small up-front payment that goes towards the first leg of development.

For organizations, I ask you to sign a contract stating that you hired me at a specific rate for the project.

For all, I will ask if I can share source code I create for you with the public under an open-source license, with accompanying paperwork.

Payment is typically every one to two weeks, and delivered by invoice.

Available payment methods: Stripe Invoicing.

A good portion of software development is figuring out what is to be done. It's a process, and it requires a lot of care, patience, and empathy.

I ask questions to decipher what you actually want from your software / system and try to draw up designs. If there is relevant technology or domain knowledge I need to learn, I learn it. I ask more questions to see if I understand, and ask for feedback.

Eventually, with a comfortable working knowledge of the problem, I attempt a solution. This is the prototype. It's meant to look unusably bad, but be quick to develop and, with any luck, do what you want it to do.

Depending on how the prototype goes, I start refining, polishing, and overall making the software / system work well. This can continue for as long as you please, with the software getting more features, better workflows, and generally becoming a more pleasant experience. Cycles of work and feedback.

Throughout development, I will give you daily to weekly updates on what I am doing, with plenty of opportunity for you to jump in and shape the software / system to what you actually need. Invoices will contain a summary of what I did during each time period, as well as the exact hours I worked.

This keeps you updated, keeps me honest, keeps the work in line with what you want, and reminds you that what I am doing is usually complicated.

You are (hopefully) satisfied with the end result, and my work comes to an end. If there are bugs you discover afterwards that I didn't catch during development, I may choose to fix them for free. Otherwise, you may hire me (or another programmer) later for any new features or changes you want made.

The best software is written by the people that use it. But... not everyone knows the craft. Let it be sufficient that one can ask for outside help.

People tell me they learn new things when they talk to me, and I take it to mean I have some small expertise. I have been studying computers for about 8 years now, and was working professionally - until my former employer stole from me and most of the engineering team.

My colleagues tell me I program well, and I am inclined to believe them. I hold a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of California, Davis.

Additionally, I am afflicted with a seething hatred of fraudulence and carelessness.

Talking about money? How crass!

Please note that these are merely guidelines and that rates are subject to change at any time. They are currently at about half the industry average for my first few clients.

Email is checked every Monday.

devplease don't scrape me@please don't scrape memendidev.com

Note: I cannot work for free. I will answer inquiries if it will help you decide whether or not to hire me.