March 21, 2026 at 3:21 pm

Computer Programmer Gets An Earful From A Past Client From 20+ Years Ago Because His Program Just Stopped Working, So They Insist He Should Fix It For Free

by Ashley Ashbee

Pexels/Reddit

It’s pretty flattering when something you built for your client or employer can still be used by them many years later.

But in this story, this success wasn’t meant to be flattering. Instead, a former customer called to complain.

See why this creator and his former customer disagreed about the best way to solve the problem.

Decades may pass. You’re still responsible.

About fifteen years ago, I was a bright-eyed coder still in college.

My family was poor. Thankfully so was my country about people experienced in coding so I often did some freelance jobs to afford a living in my college city.

One of the companies I coded for was one dedicated to importing metal, cutting it based on the customer’s preferences and selling it.

I had coded them a simple local network program automating the preferences of the supervisors in the office and supervisors in the workshop then storing the data in their accounting program.

But somehow he’s not done with this company.

Today about 10 AM, I received a call from their boss.

Boss: Hwaa, hello. We need you here in <city> urgently. Your program stopped working.

Me Excuse me? I do not recognize the number you’re calling from. Which program of mine?

Boss: Don’t you? I am <boss’s name>… I’m speaking about the program you made for <company>.

Me Oh.. The one I made in 2000? You’re still using it?

Boss: 2001… Yes we are. But today in the morning the program stopped working.

He tried to figure out what was going on.

Oh, nostalgia… Anyway.

I decided to troubleshoot quickly, learning about the details. Thankfully I have archives for all my codes, even my first ever program coded in GWBasic.

Of course, even coded 15 years ago, a program doesn’t suddenly stop working in a day. I try to find out what has changed.

The problem wasn’t obvious.

Nothing seems to have changed since yesterday. Maybe a blackout? No. Changes in network? Nope. Changes in any hardware? None…

It will indeed take time.

Me: All right, <boss>… I guess I can’t solve it from afar. I seriously doubt it’s a problem in my code but just in case, I will provide you the source codes. It’s possibly a simple problem in hardware and you wouldn’t want to pay me for that. A local tech will do it for much less.

Apparently the aggressor doesn’t understand how freelancing works.

Boss: Pay you? Why should we pay you? It’s your program. Fix it.

Me: (After a hearty laugh) It’s a freelance job I did for you literally fifteen years ago. As you’re the witness, it had worked well until this morning. Even if it was the product of a giant company, the support would have been dropped already. Think about it, Microsoft has dropped support for XP. You can’t expect me to offer free support.

Boss: We still want you to fix it. How much would you charge?

Me I’m working for another company already. First I’ll have to ask for unpaid vacation. Then I’ll bill all my expenses to you in addition to <rate> per day. I doubt it’ll take more than a single day, though.

Yet his entitlement is relentless.

Boss: It’s too much.

Me: I know. That’s why I urge you to find a local tech and have him have a look. If it’s proven that the problem is my code, I’ll happily send you the source codes and then you may have it updated to your heart’s content.

Boss I don’t understand why the passage of time should change it. It’s your program. You should fix it.

Me: It doesn’t work like that. Anyway, I’ll be awaiting your call from this number. Also my mail is <mail>.

He hung up, still muttering about how it’s my program and I should fix it for free.

I’m dreaming about the future now. I wonder if I’ll receive a call in 20 years, telling about a faulty program of mine I coded in 2003?

Here is what folks are saying on Reddit.

I literally LOLed at this. These people are THAT ridiculous.