Agree with much of this but the expensive equipment thingy is partly like the wedding ring: you don't need it, but you don't want to work for someone who is to

Agree with much of this but the expensive equipment thingy is partly like the wedding ring: you don't need it, but you don't want to work for someone who is to cheap to give you a decent machine. Chances are if they want to shave USD500 of your equipment once every three years they will also want to fleece you everywhere else to. Says the man who works off a single laptop that he hates, I know my company cares anyway. ;-)