Sometimes people ask me technical questions: can this be done? I always try to answer to everyone as best as possible. But sometimes this leads to lot and lot of work. Why? Because some questions cannot be answered without actually doing them and for software development, building on a mountain of bricks built by other people the results can be uncertain. Then there are 2 choices: either consider the analysis a project in itself, as it is natural or consider it presales or work for free. For the first option to take place there has to be a lot of IT culture involved which is not always the case, especially here. So, instead of asking a sum which has nothing to do with the real effort I prefer to work for free. I think it’s better to work for free than for a derisory amount. If someone pays you 1$ he will hold you for it no matter how much your work costs (most of the time he does not realize how much IT work costs). If I do it for free then I do it for my pleasure of tinkering and finding solution and at any time I am in control. So, if someone ask you for a project which cannot bring the amount of money related to the work involved you might better do it for free but then accept that the work should be satisfying in itself.