Someone came into the shop I used to work at
asking if we sold infra-red controlled relay units, as he needed to kit out a fleet of vans with remotely-opened door mechanisms. I honestly replied that we only sold kits for such a thing but I could build them a sample and they could pay me to solder them together if they liked them.

A few days later they called back to say- sorry, hand-built quality isn't really up to a long life expectancy, perhaps we'll look elsewhere for it.

Rats.

I was thinking- perhaps I could buy a cheap car alarm with a plip and disconnect the siren and put in a relay instead... hard work.. might be worth it... looked through the catalogue for the car alarm section.

What's this? A remote control radio frequency relay for opening motorised garage doors with- shit, I didn't know that was in here. I better get on the phone and let them know that they can buy them from...here....hang on...

(on the phone in a flash)

Hello? Yes, it's me again. I've found a place that does sort of what you're looking for, radio frequency instead of infra red but does the same job(and you don't have to point them) but (technically true) they don't manufacture them in this country. I know the distributor (technically true, I worked for them) so I can procure them for you.

They were pleased with this arrangement.

"What's the unit cost then?"

erm...err...ermm.... looks at catalogue, sees price is £20.

My mouth opened by itself and I couldn't believe that the words "£40" popped out before I could complain to myself about blatant profiteering.

"Great. We'll take 100 please".

!!!!!!

Not bad for 1992 and earning about 15% of my annual pay for about 4 hours work.

My second bit of advice (well, it's more like get better off slowly than get rich quick) is that you probably won't get rich working for someone else. Twice in my life now I've doubled my take home by leaving full-time employment and working on contract.

I know, no holiday or sickies but you aren't earning money for the company that pays for the dick-head bullshit-for-interpersonal-skills manager to jet off around Europe for 'meetings' with other area office managers that generate precisely fuck-all work and even less income. Satisfaction is hard to measure but it counts for a lot :-)
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Thu 31 Jul 2008, 18:40, Reply)