Alex Kilpatrick wrote:
> I do care about it.  But since the second board works, I know it is not
> a problem with the design.  My design is not crashing, a particular
> implementation of the design is crashing.

Argh!!!  Once again you are missing the point.  There is no way you can
"know it is not a problem with the design".  Apparently 1 out of 3 boards
doesn't work.  That doesn't prove the design to me.  There are many ways a
bad design can appear to work 2 out of 3 times, but since you already have
your mind made up that your design is correct, there is no point in my
explaining how this is possible.

> I agree completely.  But this would have to be in my own time, which
> means I'm not getting paid for it.

You are getting paid to do this!!?  From your attitude, I thought this was
a hobby project.  Frankly, you should be ashamed of yourself and consider
a different line of work.  You have a certain responsibility to a customer
when you take money.  Fortunately for you there isn't such a thing as
malpractise for consultants, but sometimes I think there should be.

> I'm already overtime on this project
> (meaning I am getting paid less and less per hour)

Yeah, so?  Apparently you agreed to produce a design and some units for a
fixed price.  That's fine, but it also means you've accepted any
responsibility for unforseen problems.  Cutting corners because you are
over budget is completely irresponsible.  Perhaps you didn't price it
right.  Perhaps you overestimated your capabilities.  Perhaps you didn't
start with a tight spec and allowed additional features to creep in for
the same price.  It doesn't matter.  You either need to do whatever it
takes to deliver what you promised using accepted professional practises,
or go to your customer in shame and tell them you can't do it and refund
EVERY PENNY they've paid you.

You're attitude is a disgrace to all professional engineers.

> and my customer only
> cares about getting working prototypes

As they should, since that's apparently what they are paying for.

> (these are research proofs of
> concept, not commercial products).  Sometimes when you get crunched for
> time, you are just happy to get something working.  In the back of your
> mind you day "later, I need to go back and investigate that further."

This is just too much!  I was going to comment about duty to deliver a
professional product, but on second thought I don't think you'd
understand.

Any additional discussion is pointless.


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