Given the astounding productivity ratio between a great developer and a mediocre one, a treat like an unexpected bonus is a very good way to ensure loyalty. If

Given the astounding productivity ratio between a great developer and a mediocre one, a treat like an unexpected bonus is a very good way to ensure loyalty. If he's an unexpectedly good developer who was underpriced due to external market factors, his price will go up anyway once those factors are stabilized. Better to be the customer who recognized and rewarded his value first - that will make him loyal to YOU, and willing to go an extra mile later. Otherwise, you're just waiting til you need him again, and you can't get him, because he's booked and you're Just Another Customer. edit: This made me think of a delightful documentary, "Herb and Dorothy", about a couple of ordinary middle class New Yorkers who became major collectors of modern art. They were always bleeding edge and bought from a lot of later-famous artists when those artists were deciding between rent and food some months. So later on, the artists would be rich and famous, but still cut special price deals for Herb and Dorothy, deals ordinary collectors would never get - because they were the first buyers to recognize the artist's worth.