At 08:44 AM 2/15/2002 -0800, Brad Velander wrote: > If the initial message was targeting a specific individual in a >crass and critical manner I hope that the targeted individual does not take >this to heart. This individual is self-employed and has for a long time >contributed selflessly to this list. Who is anybody to critique the time >that individual may spend posting to assist the rest of us with our >problems, issues and questions?
The post itself was not clearly critical, so I took it simply as a comment and report of information discovered through diligent research, and, in fact, I found it useful. I *do* need to keep some kind of balance, and where questions have been answered by others I should not add my comments unless I have something new to add. For example, a post yesterday suggested moving a polygon to the solder mask layer, something which I was about to suggest myself -- others had suggested placing fills. But that such a polygon will disappear unless "remove dead copper" was unchecked was not mentioned, and a new user could spend hours in frustration trying to figure out what was wrong. Been there, done that. When a new message about a problem comes in and I have something which might help find a solution, I try to write immediately. A user's job might be on hold for an answer. If others have already answered by the time I notice the question, I may review those answers before writing. Sometimes I forget to do this, so you will notice that sometimes I answer a question that has already been answered, adding nothing new. That is not intentional and *is* a waste of time, mine and yours. I do not write "selflessly," however, at least that is not how I look at it. I've done printed circuit design for about 25 years, it raised my five children -- and now we are adopting a daughter from China, hopefully we will be assigned a child by April or May and will travel to pick her up in June or July. It's not what I do for fun, though I have fun doing it. I believe, however, that "what goes around comes around," and the work of a worker who tries to help others will not go unrewarded. It seems to be working; while jobs are not pouring in, neither has my business decreased as I started to spend more time writing. I arranged for another very competent designer to do most of my design; in return, essentially, I am his U.S. representative. (Though the legal form is that the client's relationship is with me, I stand behind the job and may do it myself if my designer or his people do not have time. But the client and my designer communicate directly if he is doing the job, so there is no delay.) So my gross income has gone up while my net has remained about the same. But, now, the potential is for growth, whereas as a single designer it was -- as all you independent designers with long experience know -- feast or famine. If there was enough work, it usually became too much work, and then clients started to get disgruntled and they would go elsewhere, and then the work load would collapse, or even if it never reached the disgruntle point, projects are finished, companies are sold, etc. It is actually possible, now, for me to be earning income while I am writing or travelling. That was never the case as an independent designer. If the work load becomes too much for my subcontractor, I'll bring in others. How will I find them? They will probably have contributed occasionally to this list.... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Abdulrahman Lomax Easthampton, Massachusetts USA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To post a message: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * To leave this list visit: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/leave.html * * Contact the list manager: * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Forum Guidelines Rules: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/forumrules.html * * Browse or Search previous postings: * http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
