Dave,

You haven't though about working from home in your own company?

I have done this for some years now (almost twenty years now with some=20
*real* jobs in between...) and it is the perfect way to work for me. No=20
boss and so on... ;-) It is tough sometimes but certainly worth it. I do=20
general Windows/Linux C++ programming and embedded stuff on=20
Linux/PIC/AVR etc and the trend is definitely against more=20
work/contracts available in the embedded field.  Most work can be done=20
locally with occasional physical trips out into the real world.

As of getting contracts most of the work come in as a spin off from the=20
open-source stuff I do (my hobby..;-)). This work is my advertisement.=20
No one have ever asked for my degree or education yet before giving me a=20
contract (and if they had I wouldn't taken the contract!). The see what=20
I can do from the things I have done and thats true for you as well I=20
think Dave.

The most negative side for me is working alone. I miss the coffee break=20
gossip most of all from the "real job world". The PIC list and similar=20
lists have to fill in for that. And do it quite well to with the likes=20
of Olin and Russel and the rest of you guys around :-). This has also=20
been why I have taken some shorter employment during this time. The=20
close interaction with other people and the often god stuff that comes=20
from this.

What I really would have liked is some sort of fellowship with different=20
talents around the world who could hunt for and do work together. We=20
have tried this in a group here in Sweden but it is hard to keep the=20
people together as a group. But I still believe in the form.

Good luck!

Regards
/Ake







Dave VanHorn wrote:
> At 08:54 AM 10/12/2004, Steve Kosmerchock wrote:
>=20
>> Lawrence,
>>
>> I HAVE worked on stuff that kills people, I'm proud of that. I have=20
>> done work for General Dynamics tank operations (Florida) as well as=20
>> Raytheon Missile Systems (AZ / CA).
>> I don't judge you, it isn't my place, but as you said, defense is a=20
>> big deal. I am currently considering an oppurtunity to save lives,=20
>> medical electronics.
>> Now if I could only convince "the brass" at Raytheon to outfit my car=20
>> with missiles, it sure would make rush hour traffic more=20
>> interesting........ :) The swamp cooler thing is definately not used=20
>> very often during summer, too darn hot. My AC bill during the peak=20
>> months of summer is between $150 to $200 a month.Bob nailed the work=20
>> environemnt fairly well, between Tucson / Phoenix area you have=20
>> Raytheon, General Dynamics, Intel, Motorola, Microchip, Orbital=20
>> Sciences, Medtronic, FlipChip, White Electronics Design ... etc.
>>
>> Here is a small listing of AZ tech companies:
>> http://www.geocities.com/researchtriangle/lab/6584/AZ_TECH_EMP.html
>>
>> Good luck Dave!!
>=20
>=20
> Thanks.  I've been working along these lines, but unfortunately, my lac=
k=20
> of degree is less likely to be acceptable at larger companies, mostly=20
> because too many HR drones are between me and the guy who has the=20
> position open.
>=20
> It's pretty much vertical wall sledding, in the wrong direction.
>=20
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.piclist.com
> View/change your membership options at
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
>=20
>=20


--=20
  ---
Ake Hedman (YAP - Yet Another Programmer)
eurosource, Brattbergav=E4gen 17, 820 50 LOS, Sweden
Phone: (46) 657 413430 Cellular: (46) 73 84 84 102
Company home: http://www.eurosource.se
Kryddor/Te/Kaffe: http://www.brattberg.com
Personal homepage: http://www.eurosource.se/akhe
Automated home: http://www.vscp.org

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