Terms of Engagement

These terms cover two things: reading this site, and commissioning work from its author, Pranshul — an independent developer trading under his own name. They are written to be read, not merely scrolled past; the whole of them fits in a few minutes.

The engagement, in brief

Work begins with a letter — through the correspondence page or a quotation request. It is followed by a conversation, and then a written quotation setting out the scope, the deliverables, the timeline, and the fee. The quotation is the heart of the agreement: if something is not in it, it is not part of the engagement. Work starts once the quotation is accepted in writing and any stated deposit is received.

Fees and payment

• Fees are as stated in the quotation — fixed for fixed scope, or at the quoted rate for time-based work.
• Where a deposit is stated, it becomes non-refundable once work has begun, since the time it reserves cannot be resold.
• Invoices are payable within the period stated on them. Work may be paused, without penalty to the author, while an account stands overdue.

Revisions and changes of scope

The quotation states how many rounds of revision are included. Requests beyond them — or work outside the quoted scope — are re-estimated in writing and proceed only once agreed. There are no surprise line items: anything that would cost more is named before it is begun.

Intellectual property

On payment in full, the commissioned deliverables are yours — the code, designs, and materials produced for the engagement are assigned to you. The author retains his pre-existing tools, libraries, and general know-how, and licenses whatever of them is embedded in your deliverables for your continued use. Unless confidentiality is agreed in writing, the author may name the client and show the finished work in this portfolio.

The website itself

• The words, images, and design of this site are © Pranshul. Quote passages with attribution; do not republish wholesale.
• Code snippets published in the Journal may be used freely in your own projects — attribution is appreciated, never required.
• Entries record what worked here, on these dates; they are offered as writing, not as professional advice for your circumstances.
• Links to other sites are references, not endorsements — what those sites do is their own affair.

No warranties, sensible liability

The site is provided as-is, and every reasonable care is taken with commissioned work — but software is software. For any engagement, the author’s total liability is capped at the fees actually paid for the work in question, and neither party is liable to the other for indirect or consequential loss. Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of India. Any disagreement is to be raised first in a letter and resolved, wherever possible, in conversation — the courts are a last resort, not a first instinct.

Correspondence

Questions about any of this are welcome at hello@example.com. If this page changes, the date at the top changes with it; the terms that apply to an engagement are the ones in force when its quotation was accepted.