freelancer.com — "2.8 million freelancers offering every service you can imagine"

Wrote Thomas L. Friedman in Sunday's New York Times, "Matt Barrie is the founder of freelancer.com, which today lists 2.8 million freelancers offering every service you can imagine. 'The whole world is connecting up now at an incredibly rapid pace,' says Barrie, and many of these people are coming to freelancer.com to offer their talents. Barrie says he describes this rising global army of freelancers the way he describes his own team: 'They all have Ph.D.'s. They are poor, hungry and driven: P.H.D.'"

"Barrie offered me a few examples on his site right now: Someone is looking for a designer to design 'a fully functioning dune buggy.' Forty people are now bidding on the job at an average price of $268. Someone is looking for an architect to design 'a car-washing cafe.' Thirty-seven people are bidding on that job at an average price of $168. Someone is looking to produce 'six formulations of chewing gum' suitable for the Australian market. Two people are bidding at an average price of $375. When Barrie needed a five-word speech to accept a Webby Award, he offered $1,000 for the best idea. He got 2,730 entries and accepted 'The Tech Boom Is Back.' Someone looking for 'a rap song to help Chinese students learn English' has three bids averaging $157."