Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Coding Critique is the place to post source code for peer review by other members of DevNetwork. Any kind of code can be posted. Code posted does not have to be limited to PHP. All members are invited to contribute constructive criticism with the goal of improving the code. Posted code should include some background information about it and what areas you specifically would like help with.

Popular code excerpts may be moved to "Code Snippets" by the moderators.

Moderator: General Moderators

exoticpublishing
Forum Commoner
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:23 pm
Location: Kingsviller, Ontario

Re: Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Post by exoticpublishing »

Hi there,

Well being a small company it's not that easy, & I disagree with you that you "get what you pay for". I've hired MANY high priced ICs who were terrible either in communication, skill, reliability, attitude, etc. So that statement often tells me the person stating it isn't very secure with themselves, or is just trying to justify their price & manipulate the other person (I'm talking in generalities here, not specifically to you) b/c it's the person who matters, not how much they charge.

I have an assistant who is top notch & charges me the bare min. b/c he doesn't care about money, but he's better then people triple his hourly rate.

If we as a company can not afford $60/hr., then we just can't. No amount of telling us we should go with someone higher priced will matter & we don't foresee the future & neither does anyone else. We have no idea if programmer A, B, or C will finish the project or not.

The one with the most integrity will finish the project, that's IMO the bottom line & integrity is about the person inside, not his/her skill level. When we hire people, we don't just look at skill. No professional company hires ONLY based on skill if it's an ongoing position. They look for attitude, communication skills, work ethic, reliability, personality, etc. I want to get along with whomever I hire, not cringe every time I have to talk to them. It's a relationship just like any other.

Thanks & sorry for the delay, I was away on vacation a couple of times.


Michelle
User avatar
Eran
DevNet Master
Posts: 3549
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:36 am
Location: Israel, ME

Re: Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Post by Eran »

So that statement often tells me the person stating it isn't very secure with themselves
On the contrary. When someone tells you he is worth what he is asking for, he is obviously very secure with himself. Whether or not he truly is worth it, that is another matter. But finding someone who is worth it and is asking for less than he is worth is not something you can count on, and very quickly people understand their own worth.

When someone (prospective client) tells me he wants the highest quality for a bargain price, that is usually a warning sign for me. Probably not someone I would like to work with. Like you say, it's a relationship - one in which both sides need to feel that their value is being recognized.

Best of luck in your future development / hiring efforts.
exoticpublishing
Forum Commoner
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:23 pm
Location: Kingsviller, Ontario

Re: Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Post by exoticpublishing »

Like you just said, "whether they are worth it or not", so anyone can say anything & be lying about their skill. Just b/c you tell me you are good doesn't mean you are. People lie all the time, especially it seems online, b/c they can hide who they really are, whereas in a brick & mortar company, the entire company would soon realize the person lied about their skillset & were bringing down the entire company & they would be ostracized way more than if they were able to hide behind their monitor.

Just b/c I flaunt something your face doesn't mean I'm secure. In fact I have found that the people who DON'T use that "you get what you pay for" comment are the ones who are secure, b/c they don't get angry or upset that the company can't afford their hourly rate, they just wish me well & good luck. People who have to flaunt are the insecure ones, ask any psychologist. I study human behaviour & know a secure person vs. an insecure person.

Just being cordial to me is way more mature than someone acting like a little child & saying "well, you get what you pay for" as if I'm a nasty person for not being rich & them trying to make me feel bad b/c I can't afford their rate.

You have the right to your opinion of course.

Take care

Michelle
User avatar
Eran
DevNet Master
Posts: 3549
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:36 am
Location: Israel, ME

Re: Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Post by Eran »

especially it seems online, b/c they can hide who they really are, whereas in a brick & mortar company
That's why I said you should find someone you can trust. That would probably mean going out and finding a local provider that you can meet face to face. Or at least check their credentials. The fact that you keep ending up with the wrong developers says something about your screening process.
Just being cordial to me is way more mature than someone acting like a little child & saying "well, you get what you pay for"
If saying that quality has its price is acting like a little a child.. well, I guess I'm a little child then. I wonder how would you felt if one of your clients said bluntly that your prices are too high and says that from now on he'll be outsourcing your services to India cause he believes he'll get the same quality for 6$/hour. I guess you'd readily agree with him, huh.

I don't think being cordial to people who belittle my profession and expertise is something that I care to do. I don't want any business from someone who carries himself like that, and decides for me what my value should be.
You have the right to your opinion of course.
You are most gracious.
exoticpublishing
Forum Commoner
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:23 pm
Location: Kingsviller, Ontario

Re: Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Post by exoticpublishing »

Well that's the problem here. I would NEVER say that to a team member. If we couldn't afford them anymore, we would just say it's not within our budget.

You are assuming that everyone is like your previous boss & to transfer your anger onto others just because they are a small company will guarantee that you burn bridges & lose potential clients b/c small companies don't stay small forever.

Not everyone is the same. Just b/c someone says something similar doesn't mean they are the same as the last person you talked to. Every human being on this planet is different. Even when I feel I'm being triggered b/c a person has similarities, I try to push aside my prejudices & give that person another chance. I suggest you learn how to do the same.

As for screening, I can't really hire anyone from the city I live in, I doubt anyone here is talented enough. I even had a so called techie guy tell me he's great at fixing computers & then he ruined a computer we gave him. And also, what does seeing the person guarantee me? Nothing. Since I'm not a programmer, I wouldn't be able to tell anything just by meeting the person, although yes, body language is a factor, but still. If someone is convinced they are great when they aren't LOL, they won't have the tells that they are lying.

I'm not willing to narrow down my search to just this small city. I want to find the best person for not only the job, but also for future projects.

If I could find someone to screen the code & the programmer for me who I trusted & wasn't too expensive, I'd jump at that chance, but I don't have anyone, & I don't want to be spending tons of money doing that when that money could be going towards the actual project.

Not to mention we also need an application designer first.

Thank you


Michelle
User avatar
Eran
DevNet Master
Posts: 3549
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:36 am
Location: Israel, ME

Re: Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Post by Eran »

Thank you
No problems, mate. Anytime you want to vent some steam, you know where to come. Best of luck with your developer search.
itp
Forum Commoner
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:50 am

Re: Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Post by itp »

I can't really hire anyone from the city I live in, I doubt anyone here is talented enough.
Maybe you are asking the wrong questions or searching in the wrong places. Talented programmers may not hang out in Craiglist all day.

See below for few interviewing tips from Daryl Patterson, some PHP presentations from Ilia Alshanetsky and some books published by Marco Tabini & Associates/PHP Architect Magazine. All of the above are based in Toronto.

http://ilia.ws/talks.php
http://www.pattersons.net/about/
http://www.phparch.com/books/index


As an employer, I like to hold 2 rounds of interviews. The first interview, I'm looking for 2 things: general PHP knowledge, and personality. For round 1, I ask these kinds of questions (I shortened them for this post):

1) How long have you been coding?
2) The hardest developer job?
3) What size of teams? What roles in the team?
4) Follow any coding standards?
5) Experience with multi-lingual sites?
6) A few security questions (XSS, injection, etc)
7) Questions about design patterns
8) Long & short terms goals

The first interview is quite casual, and as suggested by previous comments, I try and get the candidate to talk.

2nd interview, I actually give a PHP test, on paper. The test has a range of questions and is designed to take a competent PHP dev about 20 minutes... I give them 30 minutes. I then sit down with them and go over the answers with them, very much like a code review would run. This give me a sense of how well they handle pressure, as well as the kinds of co-operative criticism they receive during a code review... some folks can get downright hostile. ;)
exoticpublishing
Forum Commoner
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:23 pm
Location: Kingsviller, Ontario

Re: Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Post by exoticpublishing »

Oh thank you for this.

Any chance you can share your detailed questions & test with me?

I'm not in Toronto anymore, I should change my location :) & like I said, I'm willing to hire worldwide so long as I find the right person, so I have to be able to do the sitting down part over the phone or IM.

I already have a detailed interview questionnaire if you want me to send it to you :)

Thanks


Michelle
itp
Forum Commoner
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:50 am

Re: Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Post by itp »

Here are a few examples. Note that there may be more than one correct answer to many questions.

http://dev.fyicenter.com/Interview-Questions/PHP/
exoticpublishing
Forum Commoner
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:23 pm
Location: Kingsviller, Ontario

Re: Need Advanced Cake PHP Coders to review this code

Post by exoticpublishing »

t/y :)

This doesn't necessarily mean they know how to code well, right?

Does this cover security?


Michelle
Post Reply