Indeed. I think a more telling example to the HN crowd would be: it's like asking a senior freelance consultant to charge only by the hour of "effective, prove

Indeed. I think a more telling example to the HN crowd would be: it's like asking a senior freelance consultant to charge only by the hour of "effective, proven work", taking a yearly salary of a junior coded divided by 50 weeks * 60 h/w = 3000, i.e. $25 -- and regularly demand free detailed estimates, to be sent signed within three-hours, at all hours. Wonga difference to that (or leasing a car) is that they don't really switch you to a long-term plan when they see you'd rather need one.