Coder Ethics and Responsibility to Client

[dealered]

After completing a customer software project for a client and after using the program for some time speed issues where discovered.

It is believed that normalizing and optimizing the source code will definately increase the speed of the program.

Is it the responsibility of the coder to go back through the code (remember, the coder has been paid in full already) to improve the performance of the custom software he created for his client "at no additional charge to the client" or should the client pay more money for the coder to optimize the code he already wrote?

[jbennet]

depends what the contract says

[jwenting]

Correct. Unless the contract includes a maintenance SLA there's no reason for the original creators to "fix" anything unless a new contract is made up for that, including payment for the effort.
If the software was signed off on by the customer, he agreed that it works according to the specs agreed upon in the original contract.
If it doesn't that's the customer's responsibility for not performing his acceptance tests properly.

[ithelp]

Optimized code becomes too difficult to understand and maintain. So company charges additional $$$ to optimize a software product.

[jwenting]

nope. That's utter nonsense, as we've come to expect from "ithelp" who only helps people see what an utterly incompetent person it is.

[ithelp]

nope. That's utter nonsense, as we've come to expect from "ithelp" who only helps people see what an utterly incompetent person it is.

How many real life optimization projects have you worked in ? let me guess ZERO

[jbennet]

Optimized code becomes too difficult to understand and maintain

is crap.

additional $$$ to optimize a software product.

is correct

[jwenting]

How many real life optimization projects have you worked in ? let me guess ZERO

Several. Which is more than you can say, as you're just a nutcase who thinks it knows it all.

[jbennet]

stop the personal attacks. both of you.

[Auzzie]

Well i would have to agree with the previous posts. If maintianing the system is not in the original contract then you have a choice to make, you can either get them to write up a new contract OR you can take the optimisation on as part of a good customer service (altough it was down to them for not testing before paying)

[jwenting]

that customer service would have to be part of a contract as well.
If you start doing things like that for free without an SLA pretty soon you'll be working for them fulltime without payment and getting bombarded with "critical" "issues" night and day leaving you no time to do work that actually pays the bills.