[Taf]

The tech fields move ahead so fast that it's hardly worth writing text books for students these days.

What I was taught in '83 was of little use when the next gen equipment came out in '85. And getting my foot in the door in the design and build of that new kit was impossible as the teams were effectively learning on the job as better components were released by manufacturers.

Our group assisted a guy who invented a decent bit of kit and had prototypes built. The customers were falling over themselves to buy it, and his orders looked very promising.

But then someone in the Far East came out with an alternative, based on mobile phones, and was able to deliver much faster at a lower price. Plus all unserviceable kit was simply binned and replaced on the same day, no repairs even attempted. He couldn't beat that scenario, so all his good work went down the drain, along with all the money he had raised.