I completed the client task to finally get past the free one. I had to add a new field to a database, and then check that field. Sounds easy enough, but I ran into a few problems.

The nice thing is this finishes the free task, and now anything I do will be paid. After adding the new database field, I ended up with way more changes than I though. It turns out, the other guy was also making changes at the same time, and since we share a database, we get each other’s changes.

After completing the work, I realized there were a few things missing that weren’t specifically called out. I didn’t do those in case there was a reason they weren’t mentioned, but I did ask about them.

It turns out they were supposed to be done, but the other guy just finished it for me. It seems like my first task wasn’t fully completed by me, but it did do everything that was listed in the task that was assigned.

That’s one thing that still isn’t too great. I don’t know what most of the tasks are talking about without looking through the code. The tasks were written by the only other guy on the team, so at the time we wrote them, he was the only person who would be working on it.

They could easily be abbreviated and he would still know what was really required. I, however, have no idea. That also keeps me from just grabbing the tasks that are waiting and just doing them. I have to ask a ton of questions to figure out what they even mean.

I also do that, though. My own task list is just quick notes and almost no detail. The big downfall for me is the fact that I can’t just run through several tasks in a week. I have to ask questions and then wait for a reply. Sometimes, a couple days can go by before I get one.