Using Google Apps with OSX and an iPhone

I'm not someone who likes promoting products that is not Open Source or at least free, but since using SpanningSync - costing a mere $25,00 a year - I'm really enthousiastic about the product. It just works and is invisibe ...

My scenario is somewhat different than that of most other iPhone users. I own 2 SIM cards, 1 Dutch with unlimited data traffic and 1 Italian prepaid without 3G options. As i currently live in Italy, using the Dutch SIM to access the internet would be costly, so I'm restricted to using WIFI whenever and wherever i can. Not being constantly online with my iPhone makes syncing the iPhone with Google Apps hard. I've tried the free NuevaSync, but i've noticed that i forget syncing regularly.

Using SpanningSync is transparent. It installs on OSX, syncs iCal with Google Calendar and Address Book with your Google contacts so that i can sync with my iPhone via iTunes. This way, when syncing my podcasts, music etc. i automatically sync my iPhones calendar and address book to 2-way with Google Apps. Having GMail configured on the iPhone as well, makes working with Google Apps a seemless experience.

As a bonus-tip that will further improve your Google Apps experience on OSX: Install Google Notifier for Mac and Reader Notifier and you're good to go!

Reality Check

Over the past month or so, I have been busy trying to find a gig. I have placed my profile on various freelance website and have called and mailed many contacts in my limited network. The first month has been one full of disappointments and disbelief: How come finding a project is so hard?

As I currently live in Naples, but used to live in Holland, my company (holding) is also based there. This means that in order not to break tax-laws, most of my work must be done for Dutch clients, so i've been told. Apparently people nowadays categorize freelancers into two categories:

• Those you want to physically sit in your office during the entire project. These freelancers are paid market conform fees;
• Those that can never physically work from within your office as they are located in far away places. These freelancers are financially deprived at will;

To me, Europe seems relatively small and fairly easy to travel. Customers however tend to categorize me in the latter category. Problem with that distinction is that they also assume that i'd be willing to work for rates that won't allow me to pay my bills by far. Many freelance websites sport only the 'poor' freelancers – not just developers – in order to serve as many clients they can with rates as low as possible.

Apparently having someone physically in the office at all times, gives the project owners a sense of security. I honestly do not understand why that is. I do however feel that regular face-2-face meetings will improve bonding and thus mutual understanding. In my opinion being physically at a specific location, leaving for home and meeting up again a few weeks later only improves productivity. Why?

• People thrive in their own trusted environment;
• Meeting up regularly, in stead of ad hoc/coffee-room, enforces thinking about planning;

Again I do believe in human interaction, but I think the internet allows us to communicate in so many ways, that pretending not being able to communicate is actually a sign of ignorance.

Surprising

What surprised me was the number of companies that make money, mediating between the potential clients and freelancers. It is a whole market I, in my ignorance, was not aware of. So far I have responded to about 50 projects and have registered myself on about 4 websites. The number of mails I receive from companies that want to add you to their database is astonishing, over 25!

As i'm looking for projects and they claim to be of help in that mission, I have no problem with these companies. At least, thats what I thought, until I started to ask questions. What really irritates  me is that they claim to make money by adding their fee to the freelancers rate … in theory. What they actually do is nogotiate a budget with the client and than pose a simple yes/no question.

Live and learn

After many disappointing responses, usually based on the fact that i'm not physically in Holland all the time, I did manage to get two projects. Strangely though, these projects do not involve any .NET! Apparently people (and they are right!) take my track record as a guarantee that I can cope with new techniques. To be honest, this is fun! I now have the chance to:

• Write scripts/code for use in EnCase (forensic software);
• Write an application for the Iphone, including submission to the AppStore;

I must admit that I didn't think that getting projects was this hard. I thought that after 11 years of work in the software development market as CTO and lead developer, with 8 years of .Net experience, that projects would be lining up. That was a cruel 'aha'-moment, but at least a lesson learned. Apparently what you have done, before freelancing, is no guarantee for good projects. It's all sales/acquisition and building up a freelance portfolio that counts.

Busy

Please don't let the above give you the impression I don't have anything useful to do with my time, while i'm not on my two projects. A new incarnation of Findsi is coming out mid 2009 I guess and it's going to be even more transparent in daily use. Moreover it is a 100% .NET project, allowing me to keep my skill up-to-date.  More about Findsi in another post.