RentACoder Losing Street Cred?

Itninja writes, "Having used RAC several times in the past (as a buyer), I was shocked by a recent experience. I did a bit of looking around to see if I was the only one having problems with Rent-A-Coder. Apparently, I'm not." From the article: "This unfairness of RAC fees motivates the majority of coders to negotiate payment outside the scope of RAC which amounts to you and coder getting a better deal. For example, I have several coders that I fully trust willing to work on projects on a monthly basis because it is easier for him to deal with established clients than to have to bid for projects all the time. It saves me time and trouble because I can work with a person that I trust and he knows what is expected." A comment to this posting links a discussion of RAC at Google Groups, and there the service has its defenders. What has your experience of RAC been, either as a buyer or as a coder?

English as a second language... priceless

[charlesbakerharris]

Check out the gem way down the flame war in the first link:

"How can you expect to win an arbitration if the arbitrator is not capable to understand more then 2-3 sentences plain English?"

Heh heh heh.

What they don't tell you

[Anonymous Coward]

Is after several years of payments you actually own the coder outright. You will have to feed them and find a place for them to sleep in the basement. And when you add everything up, you will find that you overpaid massively.

Re:I make mad money with RAC, and my skillz be 133

[Mr. Sketch]

20 GOTO 10

Glad I could help. That'll be 50% if your revenue please.

Re:English as a second language... priceless

[Who235]

this explains why rentacoder team do not understand plain English if is
more than several sentences
the rentacoder team took to do job(rentacoder site) according their
mental abilities

I don't understand plain English either, if that's what you're calling English.

Re:English as a second language... priceless

[charlesbakerharris]

what plain English do not understand? was more than several sentences over too much for hopeless head?

the rentacoder team took to do class in English grading according their total class spent time!!!!11!

Re:WTF?

[illegalcortex]

Well, I already knew it wasn't kamen who submitted the story. Your summary was far too readable to be him/her.

Google Groups??

[grcumb]

A comment to this posting links a discussion of RAC at Google Groups

We prefer the term 'The Service Formerly Known as Usenet.'

Re:WTF?

[elcid73]

You didn't through all the requirements then!

They told *me* I had to mail the card to them so they could run it through their old school credit card swipe. then they'd mail it back. Also, I had to fly out to meet them so they could verify my identity.

Then, when my flight gets back home, I would receive a fexex package containing my credit card and...since this is an online transaction! they'll send me an email when everythign is all good. ...and by "e-mail" they really meant a telegram.

Re:Very true...

[mohjlir]

I'd gladly do a text editor (coded in VB) for $50 - I'd regard that as good money for 1/2 hours work.

Thank you AC, for illustrating my point.