1) We’ve created a github space and uploaded there our first little open source project, the Directory Scan Plugin. The plugin doesn’t really do much at the moment… it can actually mess your Tabbles’ db as it creates a bunch of tabbles automatically so wait before you try and use it! We released it mostly as a first guideline for 3rd party developers (read: people like you who can write C# and are willing to write some) and we hope it will grow fast!

The compiled plugin can be downloaded from our brand new plugin page. The plugin is currently released as LGPL 2.1.

2)  We’ve created a first version of the the documentation which will grow in time, it’s on our wiki.

We hope this is the beginning of a new page for Tabbles and this API will become a GREAT SUCCESS!

Thanks from the Tabbles team!

It’s with quite some excitement (!!!) that we’re releasing a new version (2.4.9) after about one year of work! In this version you’ll mostly see:

• - Our API System: it will allow everyone out there to develop plugins for Tabbles! We’re working on the documentation for it, check back soon…
• - Our first plugin, the Tabbles-Outlook plugin, which allows you to tag your emails in Outlook (or Tabbles) and to search them based on tags in Outlook (and Tabbles) and get them grouped with files inside Tabbles. Think of it like an extension of the “categories” for Outlook as well as a way to organize, sort and search your emails along with your documents.

We’re working on a manual for the Outlook Plugin, let’s start from this:

• - Tag email in Tabbles:  use this to open the Tabbles “Quick Tag” window, to tag and untag emails (in Outlook!). Each time you tag an email, an Outlook Category is associated to the email, and it tagging is saved both in Tabbles and in Outllok.
• - Open in Tabbles: it opens, in Tabbles, all the tabbles/categories associated to the email selected
• - Tabbles Search: use this to search for tagged emails inside Outlook
• - Sync all with Tabbles: use this if you have already used the categories a lot. You can sync your whole categories with Tabbles (it creates a tabble for each category and tags each tagged email as well…)

Download the 2.4.9 from the usual  download page

Follow the discussion on the  forum here

Thanks and lots of love

Andrea, Maurizio and Irma

Our server went down shortly… but now it's up and running again. We're working on a bunch of things, including a much needed website rearranging.

Thanke everybody!

A brief story of an outsourcing gone wrong on oDesk.

Background
We’re revamping our site (not only our side actually…) and we needed a fairly simple outsourcing task: converting an existing (and functional) Joomla template in a WordPress theme. Now, given that the css is there and the graphic has been sliced already, I figured 100$ would be a reasonable fee for the task.

So I post the job on oDesk (offering 100$, flat fee and no upfront) and within hours I get 10+ applicants. Believing I’m the smartest ass in the world, the next day I simply pick the guy offering to work for less, he’s asking 90$ but with a 20% upfront, and have a brief email exchange on with him on oDesk:

“[...]Ok, but we don’t work with upfront… we’ve been let down too many times already.  I’ll change the offer“.

The guy (we’ll call him R.) replies:

“Sir,
would you mind if I demand 20%upfront??
Actually I work with upfront when I work on an fixed job.
Please don’t mind.
Thanks
R.”

And then again:

“Please consider my message. It is for my safety. Don’t mind”

(Don't mind?)

To which I respond:

“Dear R,
We hired people already and we paid them afterwards, you can see this in our profile.
Only once we gave an upfront and the consultant didn’t do the job – so, I’m sorry but we don’t give upfront.
Is this ok for you?”

I’m probably assuming too much, but as I asked a question I was then expecting an anwer. The answer didn’t come, but R. instead accepts the counter-offer I made (2$ more than what he offered but no upfront) and  asks me to chat on skype. The conversation on goes as following:

  R.: Hello
  -Me: 
  R.: how are you???
  -Me: not bad, thanks!
  -Me: and you?
  R.: fine thanks

(Following are about 2 mins of tech discussion…then:)

  R.: but i have another issue
  -Me: tell me your issue
  R.: please don't mind
  -Me: ?
  R.: actually I work with upfront when i wirk on fixed project
  -Me: I see
  -Me: but we don't
  R.: it is secured for me
  -Me: I understand
  R.: without upfront it is very unsecured
  -Me: but we do NOT pay upfront
  -Me: I understand 
  -Me: but we have paid the guy before and we'll pay you too
  R.: then i suggest that please hire me as houly which will be secured for both of us
  -Me: R.
  -Me: we're not starting well at all
  -Me: 1) this task is very simple
  -Me: 2) 13 people applied for this job
  -Me: and the fact that you first accept the job and then want to re-negotiate is not cool at all
  R.: if you hire me as hourly then you will be refunded the money if the work will
not completed according to your requirement
  -Me: no
  -Me: clear and simple
  R.: please don't mind
  R.: ok
  -Me: dude
  R.: i will work
  -Me: I have the impression we're wasting time here
  R.: sorry
  R.: I am working
  -Me: I don't want to sound like an asshole
  R.: Don't mind please
  -Me: but this is really a simple job, where 50% of it is done already, and as I said 13
people applied, for the same amount of money that we're offering you

(don't mind????)

At this point, my internet connection goes down, thanks to my cheap-ass router, which I promptly reboot. When I’m again only, after no more than 2mins, I find the following email from oDesk:

Please stop world and let me get off

One second later I catch R. again on skype:

  -Me: hello
  -Me: sorry, I went offline for a second
  -Me: hello?
  R.: yes
  R.: tell
  -Me: ?
  -Me: did you end the contract?
  R.: yes
  -Me: so you don't want to do it?
  R.: i don't want to work with you
  R.: bye
  -Me: ok

I'll hang my jacket first, if it works I'll hang myself straight after

Bottomline: if you don’t who you’re dealing with, don’t expect too much from them or you might be disappointed (as well as get good surprises… but better sticking to the safe side!).

P.S.: thanks to copyright owners of the monkey pics!

we’ve just converted our forum to bbpress! PHPbb was too painful to maintain.

The new forum address is: http://tabbles.net/blog/forums/

P.S.: we’re developing, and we’ll release some cool new stuff soon – stay tuned!

Andrea