[consulting] Proper Collections Procedure

[Agaric Design]

I'm interested but (continued below)

On 8/20/06, Michael Haggerty <mhaggerty at trellon.com> wrote:
>
> I am not one to name names and think a blacklist could put someone at risk
> of libel. But I can see the use for a developer's legal fund and would be
> the first one to make a contribution. If someone tries to screw with the
> bill you can go after them and the fund would pay for it up to a certain
> amount. Maybe this fund could also give out contracts for services, my
> company would be happy to distribute them. It makes sense in a way, we all
> benefit off each other's code, we should all have a way to stand up for
> each
> other without encountering legal jeopardy.
>
> I have $500 USD to start it off and would be happy to get an attorney to
> organize the fund if anyone else is interested.
>

I'm interested but I'm far too new to have a vote.

More than that, I am a big supporter of organized labor, and wish we had a
great deal more of it, but I don't think a union or a guild is an
appropriate model for developers and consultants.

And a fund primarily for legal expenses has the unfortunate incentive of
encouraging the legal route.  (On the other hand, if it is well-known, it
could have a deterrant effect on clients who would otherwise break contracts
not expecting to get sued.)

If people are interested in co-ordinating, I would encourage the community
reputation system -- for both developers and clients -- as the centerpiece.
It would be a public web site with full right to respond, and the truth will
likely be clear by anyone's third or fourth transaction.  (On the other
hand, I think consultants and clients would both survive the occasional
mutual disagreement, reputation-wise.)  It would run, naturally, on (as yet
written?) Drupal modules.  (I'll be coding something similar for a client,
so thoughts on the implementation very welcome!)

The organization that runs this site would also be able to distribute funds
for legal expenses as Michael Haggerty described.

And perhaps we could use it as a decision-making body for funding broadly
desired modules or enhancements more effectively than the bounty or
reverse-bounty system.  Essentially, a limited self-government for Drupalers
where we could tax ourselves by dues and/or a percentage of all contracts
backed by the reputation/legal-backup system.  (So, it should be noted, the
process would be known by clients up front: both our reputations are on the
line.)

Anyway, that's one proposal.  I've got $250 for anything that promises to be
democratic and reasonably useful.

ben melançon

member, Agaric Design Collective
http://AgaricDesign.com - "Open Source Web Development"

web worker, PowerToExchange
http://PowerToExchange.com - "Of, By, and For Entrepreneurs"

person, People Who Give a Damn
http://pwgd.org - "building the infrastructure for a network of everyone"
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