Diary of a Programmer [9]
If you are a student asking help for your project, then say that first.
Just wasted 30 minutes on someone. It hasn’t happen for a long time, so I fell for it yet again.
Typically, I have a knack for detecting a student voice. They have that tinge of innocence and naivety in them. Also that tone. Unmistable. I can’t put it in words. But, I’ll know, somehow. And I usually will proceed to ask them the question: Are you a student. And 90% of the time, I would be right.
And I’ll give them my standard response: “No, I don’t do student projects.”. And we both move on.
Once in a while, such a day happens. Like today.
This morning, someone chatted with me, then moved on to a phone call. So much discussion, so much details. Even asked me for the break-down of the project.
Heck, even his voice sounded corporate!
Had me fooled.
Then, quotation time came. I gave him the cost quote. He was shocked. Heck, even his response was corporate. $x is too much, he bellowed. “What is the breakdown of this cost”, he demanded.
I was hastily getting ready my response, when he continued:
