I work for a consulting company that does AX work. This is how we view the
layers in AX:
If a company hires us to make modifications, we agree on some requirements.
Then we code the mods to solve those requirements. Because we are held to the
accuracy of those mods meeting the agreed upon requirements, we would request
the company does not modify anything in that layer.
Now, lets say the contract is complete and the client finds a bug. They call us
and ask us to fix it. We then load the changes we made into an environment and
try to reproduce it. If we cannot, then we look at their current environment,
and look for code in any layer above ours. If we find it, then we would ask
them to reproduce it while logged into our layer. If they cannot, then we can
assume the bug is not in our code, but in the upper layer.
All contractors are going to have these worries - ie., how do they certify that
their code meets the requirements given to them - without having to worry about
other code breaking them. Indeed, this concern is not limited to AX consulting,
but all custom programming. AX simply makes it easier.
That said, if a consulting company, or client company, does not fully
understand the layering in AX before signing a contract, they could indeed get
themselves into a legal knot. Especially companies that are not used to the
layer aspects of AX, will be more likely to sign a contract that negates all
the benefits of the layers.
The company I work for would never intentionally lock a customer out of the
other layers by having them sign away those rights in a contract. If we did,
the customer might be able to go to microsoft and complain, and microsoft may
investigate and decide to remove their partnership with the company. This would
not negate the already signed contract, but it may be enough to force a
consulting company to re-negotiate such a contract.
Anyways, I hope my post is helpful in regards to informing the group about how
consulting practices work in the AX community. I don't see a flame-war as
helpful to the group.
--- On Tue, 3/10/09, Dinkar Lalit <dinkarla...@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: Dinkar Lalit <dinkarla...@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [development-axapta] Re: Be aware for hiring
To: development-axapta@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009, 8:10 PM
You are right in general, and you know it does not work that way. I disagree.
Sorry!
Two friends of my are excellent programmers, but the problem is that companies
are hiring to clean up their messes (1), they do not know what kind of
agreements they had with some dishonest consulting companies -- even though it
is legal -- (2) and once they figure out that they cannot even change the CUS
or USR layer even allowed because of the modification done with VAR layer and
plus the consulting companies do not like them to change it since they want to
do the job which is the money source for them. Why shouldn’t they?
In addition, the consulting companies regulate it. Mentioned earlier, any
company tries to hire an AX person (technical or functional even architect),
the person hired is at the mercy of that consulting firm who did their work.
That is the bottom line…
Please be aware and do the following negotiations:
1. Do not buy or believe the THREE (3) MONTHS of proportion period. It is
almost a gimmick, unless you are part of the consulting firm who did
installations/ mods etc and/or they know you.
2. Make sure that get your HEALTH BENEFITS and 401K when you start (at
start) working for the company. This is very important because the companies
for the health benefits and 401K do not like people registered and fired
immediately. Beside benefit, this is your negotiation!
3. Try to contact the consulting company immediately and get to know them,
if you can. Find their team lead or manager, and talk about the situation. Most
likely they know you since the company hires you gets their consent (kind of).
4. Good luck and be positive.
Dinkar
From: tony_zeigler <tony_zeigler@ yahoo.com>
Subject: [development- axapta] Re: Be aware for hiring
To: development- axa...@yahoogrou ps.com
Date: Friday, March 6, 2009, 4:49 PM
Umm....
1. The point of a probation period is for the employer to judge your skill
level. Not every employer uses probation periods - the following methods are
common techniques US companies use to weed out weak workers:
A. Probation period (as noted above). Usually 3 months, but duration is up to
employer. During this period the employer will be judging how well you fit in
their organization. They might let you go for poor performance, or because your
too loud, or even too quiet. During this period you should make an effort to
get to know your co-workers, understand your job, and of course always do your
best work.
B. Hire from a temp agency. Some companies hire most of their permanent staff
by hiring temp workers thru a temp agency, and then permamently hiring those
temps that make a good impression.
2. Your more likely to get hired if you don't worry so much about what benefits
your getting. Focus on doing a good job. If your a high performer, you can
negotiate much better benefits than someone who is not as good.
3. AX is split into layers for the very reason of allowing companies to protect
the code they have written while also allowing others to over-ride those
changes with their own. For instance, Microsoft may have code in the sys layer,
a consulting company may put code in the var layer, and the company using it
may put code in the cus layer. When AX executes the code, it will ignore code
in the var layer if it finds code in the cus layer. Thus, you should never have
to modify the var layer if you have access to the cus layer. Simply write a
replacement method in the cus layer....
--- In development- axa...@yahoogrou ps.com, Dinkar Lalit <dinkarlalit@ ...>
wrote:
>
>
> Greeting all,
>
> I had to send this message, especially for the AX Developers in the US that
> some companies are advertising to hire developers for permanent (full time)
> position. In fact, most of them are not true for permanent positions,
> especially around these days. They are usually hiring to clean up their
> messes..
> Two friends of mine who were good developers were hired recently and after 2
> months they were laid off.
> In the US most states are "at will" states. They can let you go anytime any
> moment without warning you, of course, you can leave your job as well anytime
> any moment. But the weight is on their site.
>
> Here are some suggestions:
> 1. Make sure, make a good agreement for the 3 months period (probation) that
> at least your job guaranteed for this period
>
> 2. Make sure you get into their health benefits and 401K at the start. Do not
> accept any other temporary agreement which makes the difficult to fire you
>
> 3. Some of the consulting companies made agreements for the companies that
> you cannot touch or alter their layers. For instance the VAR layer belongs to
> the consulting a company. What it means basically you are at the mercy of
> that consulting company, which is the bottom line.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Dinkar
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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