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> Nowadays, it looks like they have been replaced by "race to the bottom" sites, like Upwork, or these contract companies, that hire you at a fairly low rate, a

> Nowadays, it looks like they have been replaced by "race to the bottom" sites, like Upwork, or these contract companies, that hire you at a fairly low rate, and shop you out for very high rates. I can't help but feel like these platforms are like Uber for programmers: devoid of all meaningful professional contact and ultimately the commodification of programming as a job. The power dynamic has shifted to give most of the power to the buyer. Sad times indeed.

spearingthehead 4y ago
It's especially worse when they are required by TOS to not engage in communication with bidders/clients outside the platform. This would be like, for example, if you set up a job interview from a listing at Indeed, and then Indeed demands that you do not use regular email to stay in contact with the employer, you must use their own messaging system. And you can't even voice chat elsewhere unless it's a link that is provided by Indeed so they can be aware of it. Just the walled garden aspect of freelancer websites is what turns me off.
Buttons840 4y ago
And yet it's never been easier to replicate the core source of value for so many multi-billion dollar companies. I know that doesn't capture all the realities, but how many CEOs when asked what their company has accomplished could simply say "we created a webpage". Stange times.
- erikpukinskis 4y ago
  What’s a multi-billion dollar company who’s only created a web page?
giraffe_lady 4y ago
The real question isn't "are they?" it's "why were so many of us so confident it wouldn't come for us?"
- wpietri 4y ago
  For sure. Reminds me of this: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/leopards-eating-peoples-faces-party https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/leopards-eating-peoples-faces... Partly because a lot of us have made good money building platforms that increase buyer power through commodification (most of e-commerce, plenty of other things). And partly because of persistently low standards in the profession that I see little enthusiasm for working together to raise.

spearingthehead 4y ago

It's especially worse when they are required by TOS to not engage in communication with bidders/clients outside the platform. This would be like, for example, if you set up a job interview from a listing at Indeed, and then Indeed demands that you do not use regular email to stay in contact with the employer, you must use their own messaging system. And you can't even voice chat elsewhere unless it's a link that is provided by Indeed so they can be aware of it. Just the walled garden aspect of freelancer websites is what turns me off.

Buttons840 4y ago

And yet it's never been easier to replicate the core source of value for so many multi-billion dollar companies. I know that doesn't capture all the realities, but how many CEOs when asked what their company has accomplished could simply say "we created a webpage". Stange times.

erikpukinskis 4y ago
What’s a multi-billion dollar company who’s only created a web page?

giraffe_lady 4y ago

The real question isn't "are they?" it's "why were so many of us so confident it wouldn't come for us?"

wpietri 4y ago
For sure. Reminds me of this: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/leopards-eating-peoples-faces-party https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/leopards-eating-peoples-faces... Partly because a lot of us have made good money building platforms that increase buyer power through commodification (most of e-commerce, plenty of other things). And partly because of persistently low standards in the profession that I see little enthusiasm for working together to raise.