The story so far

Well, it's been some time since I decided to do anything with my blogs and now something important has happened I felt it time to tell all.

Here goes -

I was cruising along nicely at 4tv, doing what I do (designing PCBs for my sins) and one sunny morning we were all invited to a meeting in the boardroom where a minor bombshell was dropped.

Once again the company had decided to become leaner by the simple task of selling off part of the company thus reducing the wages bill and improving the cashflow of the business.

Now for some time rumours had been circulating that the company was going to become more software oriented and less hardware focussed, so Pete and I were ever aware that our jobs were being reduced to the point of not being needed any more. This confirmed the fears we had.

The list of people who were to be taken over by the evil empire - Thomson Broadband - was passed round and yes, Pete and I were on it. So it was only a matter of time.

Several meetings were organised to fill us in on the intentions of Thomson with regard to our futures. It transpired that the yhad not got a clue that 4tv had pulled a fast one by dumping several people not key to their development as a software house. Admittedly Thomson wanted the skillset offered by the software engineers they were acquiring, but as for Pete and I - what to do with us eh?

I had a meeting with the HR guy from Llantrissant who assured me that if the worst thing happened I could look forward to 13 years of thumb twiddling at the company's expense. A future I must admit filled me with dread - after all, how could any company justify that? I felt impending doom.

My horoscope said sit still and wait, but I just couldn't do that. Wheels were set in motion and another job applied for. I went through two interviews and they were fully prepared to offer me the job, but I declined. I had decided to throw my lot in with the new company for the time being at least.

Boss telephoned me a couple of weeks ago to "touch base" and get a feel for where I'm coming from, but I came away with the feeling that he didn't have a lot of time for anyone less than an engineer. So I don't expect great things from him or the company.

Pete was despatched to the USA to find out about Thomson. I sat and waited for news. This was forthcoming, yes Thomson are going to buy new software for me to use, but they were buying it in America, so I could expect no support worth a fig, then they decided to buy it over here.

I was tasked with finding a training course, so I did. One in England and one in California - both the same price, and the American oen a week sooner than the UK one, so that would give me more time to prepare for the imminent "going live" on January 1st (or thereabouts)

Boss baulked at the price of this training, so it looks like I'll have to go the same route as I have done before. Learn by the seat of my pants.

Apparently I should also go to America for additional training from the PCB designer there, but at the moment I feel that this will probably be waived, in favour of a couple of emails to do the explaining. After all, why waste money sending me to California?

While Pete was in America, they said that he would be designing a new product for the Indian market, and he was looking forward to that, until someone told him that the schematic was completed already. So I was looking forward to getting that and doing the PCB, until someone else told him that was complete too. So exactly what we are going to do in the new year I haven't a clue. One other point that was raised was that we are supposedly designing this satellite receiver for India and the satellite hasn't been launched yet!

Boss is due in the office today, so watch this space...