The Dog Ate My Homework - Part 2

So I was discussing the glorious ray tracing results with the Sarcastic Brit, who took one look and said "Why the hell are the mirrors so big?"

I looked at it, and said "I don't know. But the Big Boy did it, so they can't be wrong."

Then, I went back to my desk and used some of my vast knowledge of grade 12 physics to come up with a new set of numbers. They were vastly different than what the consultant had produced with the $1000 + software package (that he's apparently running on a Trash 80). So, I went to the lab and I set the distances in the prototype. It turns out that grade 12 physics (and a supposedly incompetent engineer), give more realistic results than the $100/hour consultant and his $1000 software.

I mentioned this to MNNB. I don't think he believed me. I showed him the prototype. He had to admit that I was right.

He was right: I learned a lot from working with the consultant. Mostly, that if a consultant doesn't want the work, paying him won't make him do it.

The dog ate my homework - part 1

So... classic Mecca management:

You don't like one of your engineers. You want to insult him. So, you hire a consultant at $100/hour to do his job.

You tell your engineer that the consultant is brilliant. You tell him that he could absorb vast amounts of knowledge just by being in the proximity of this consultant.

You call the consultant "the big boy" in front of half of the company and tell your engineer that he can't do anything useful. Just let the consultant do it all.

You tell your engineer that you might agree to let him set up the consultant's model on the bread board, just so that he can bask in the greatness of the consultant's overpowering intellect.

Then... the line went dead. The consultant disappeared.

He said that he was very busy. Too busy, in fact to reply to email.

Apparently, the consultant does not own a cell phone.

Apparently, the consultant has more important clients.

Finally, MNNB emailed the consultant to find out why we hadn't received the ray tracing. The line remained dead. MNNB tried calling the consultant's house. He didn't answer.

After one week, I emailed the consultant and asked him how he was doing. His response went something like this:

I have been working on the ray tracing, but it runs very slowly on my computer, and that's why I haven't been able to provide you guys with anything.

Two hours later, I have 1/2 of the ray trace. Fantastic... The assignment was half done, and over a week past due. If we were back in school, I'm pretty sure that would amount to an F. Of course the consultant is brilliant, so his invoices will be paid in full and on time.


now I can prototype the thing and bask in the consultant's brilliance...