Why become a skyBuilder?
How do you qualify as a developer?
What does it cost you?
What happens to code you write for us?
Why become a skyBuilder?
As a registered developer with skyBuilders.com, you get:
- 100,000 lines of timeLines serverPages code, in multiple languages - ASP/VBScript or ASP/JavaScript, Perl (including Apache/ASP), PHP, and Java Server Pages.
- A restricted license to use this code in your own projects. You may not sell the package as timeLines, of course. To do this, you sell it with/through us and we split the income 50/50 (we handle general online help, you make the significant consulting income involved with such powerful tools).
- The opportunity to do contract programming for skyBuilders.com. We pay you for contract programming at your consulting rates.
- Although we buy your code, skyBuilders.com also will pay you a royalty on sales of your work, as long as your code is part of an active timeLines module. Multiple authors may have contributed to a particular page, so your royalty will be pro-rated accordingly. You will also get an author credit at the bottom of your pages.
- If you wish, you will be advertised on our site as a skyBuilder. You may have your own "timeLined" news page, which you can update whenever you want. skyBuilders.com customers will be able to search for you by location, by your language expertise and number of clients, by your hourly rates, etc.
How you become a skyBuilder
To qualify as a registered skyBuilder:
- Start by entering timeLines at skyBuilders.com as a Guest. You will have read-only access. Get a feeling for the interface, Calendar navigation with the timeRanger controls, and the different modules. Especially check out the context-sensitive Help links.
- Try sandbox.skybuilders.com where you have full admin privileges.
- If you like timeLines and want to join skyBuilders, Apply to Join.
- Add yourself to the timeLines Development Interest Group in the Members module, which allows email access to our whole developer community at a single click.
- Submit samples of code you have written that demonstrates your coding and documentation style. You should send sample code in all the languages for which you want to be certified.
- Get your own demo site working (on our dev.skyBuilders.com server or yours). On this site you will have Administrator privileges (set all global parameters, preferences, etc. and Developer privileges (code download, upload with versioning comments, etc.).
- Write a timeLines serverPage in each language for which you want to be certified. Get it running bug free on your demo site, and send us an email to take a look at it.
What it costs
Over the years, we at skyBuilders have been certified developers for a number of the leading platforms - Windows, MacOS, etc. Developer programs were costly, with annual membership fees to subscribe to regular releases of Developer Notes and online or telephone tech support.
With the low cost of web information, developer programs in the future should be free and that is where skyBuilders starts out. One reason for the low cost is that all development will go on in an online community environment, with open commented news pages, FAQs, and group emailing.
This does not mean there is no cost to you. Your learning time is valuable to us. We want you to master the complex cycle of serverPage <-> database access <-> client builderPage. You will learn to encapsulate server-side data and code in client-side Javascript structures. As payback, you will get tested code that you may use in your own work (if skyBuilders does not fill up all your time).
What happens to your code
First, you always retain the right to work with any code you write for us, and you may sell it to others. This may include your current employer, whose employment agreements may allow you to work with skyBuilders.com. Please check.
Second, your code goes in our pool (currently over 200 serverPages) of open source code, so it is also available to other skyBuilders.
Third, your code may just be customization for a particular client and have little general use. If however it gets to be part of a regular timeLines serverPage, then you will be one of the authors of that page and share in the 10% of our sales that is set aside as skyBuilder royalties.
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Get a demo of timeLines running on your server or ours, and start showing its capabilities to your clients. Get their organizations "timeLined." Our open source code is available for your study, and as a skyBuilders registered developer (a "skyBuilder"), you get a restricted license to use all skyBuilders code in your work.
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