I work as an instructional designer in the training department at my company, mainly focusing on developing computer based training. Something I thought would be nice to have was a Wacom tablet, so I started researching them. I ended up just buying one myself 'cause I thought they were so cool, and just today I told my boss that I didn't really need one at work since it seemed like a waste of money.

Then she told me that we've got money budgeted for developing computer based training and we probably ought to use it before someone decides we've had it too long and takes it away. (Apparently up to this point she's been pretty stingy and hasn't spent much.)

My tablet was $129, and to me it was not silly expensive, but seemed dumb to buy another for work when I could just bring mine in as needed.

As it turns out, my problem was that I continue to think in terms of 'my budget', when in fact we're dealing with the 'department budget'. So I asked just how much we had to play with. Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands?

Apparently it's about $20K. So $129 for another tablet isn't going to kill anyone. (As my friend said, "Shit, we probably spend more on coffee and doughnuts for our meetings!")

So there's this big pot of dough, itching to be spent. And I get to come up with creative ways to spend it on things which will help me develop good computer based training software.

So my question is, does anyone have any bright ideas? Already on the table are non-pirated, current versions of Flash and Freehand as well as a couple of Wacom tablets. Though it seemed a little frivolous earlier, buying Poser 4 and it's ProPack seem cool too. That still leaves an awful lot of dough. Not that I have to spend it all. But a couple of thousand bucks isn't going to make much of a dent.

She's already nixed a new speedboat, a departmental vacation to the Bahamas, and a chimpanzee. She did like my idea of a $500 gift certificate to Ann Taylor for her, but she decided against it.

So what else?

And no, I can't send any to any of you. But she might take pity on wirthling and get him some plastic surgery so little kids stop thinking he's a troll.

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100 pounds of shit in a 25 pound sack.

I work at a university. What is this "budget" of which you speak?

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What others say about boorite!

Maybe I'm just a lunatic... OK, I'm a lunatic, no doubt about that, but... well, since it's a training budget... how about using it to pay for some training?

Send some people on some courses to get them some new skills or sharpen their existing skills. Alternatively, on a bit of a tangent, you could spend it on some kind of bonding exercise - an overnight trip somewhere, maybe camping or to a seminar or trade show.

Anyway, in summary: Think about spending it on people rather than things.

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This signature has performed an illegal operation and has been shut down.

Well, seeing that our company won't give out raises due to the bottoming out of our stock for another 90 days. I think you need to go ahead and give me my raise.

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Women are fisher's of men because we all know.... The small ones you throw back. The medium ones you eat. The large ones you mount.

It's not so much that it's a training budget, but that it's a budget for the training department.

quote:

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Anyway, in summary: Think about spending it on people rather than things.

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I am a network technician for a school district and for training software we use www.Transcender.com which has done quite well, is resonably priced, and lends itself to simultaneous users.

If you don't have them already, training computer stations with up to date hardware and software can make good use of people's time.

Now if you want to spend that dough in a hurry, id recommend buying audio/video equipment. A canon XL1 digital video camera is sweet (I have one, very nice) and a top of the line single/dual processor station to run the editing software or you can buy a dedicated machine such as the Edirol DV-7 can allow very quick original training videos (and a little porn on the side) and you can find info here http://www.edirol.com/dv7/features.html

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At least im still funny .....looking. http://www.carrionfields.com

Well, how about buying a big library of Flash reference books, and references for other software your company uses?

Another idea that involves you personally getting some of that cash - use those reference books to run a course of your own, with you teaching, for the lesser-skilled employees in your company. You could then claim a trainer's fee for it, be paif for spending a whole day standing around chatting, and pass on some useful skills.

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This signature has performed an illegal operation and has been shut down.

Well, how about 3DSMAX, some computer upgrades, and coffee and doughnuts to round it off? (The software and upgrades will set you back and assload).

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Do you want ants? Because that's how you get ants.

Let's see.... A Soundcraft 24/6/2 eight buss, a couple of Apogee 12"/1"-s. maybe a pair of Macro-Techs.... All good buys. But if you can't use them just yet, I know a place nearby where you can store them. Like 40 blocks away, man. No fees. Let me know when they arrive.

bunner

over here....

In the small house on the corner....

dreaming of actual equipment.

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I wanted my half in the middle and I wound up on the edge.

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Let's see.... A Soundcraft 24/6/2 eight buss, a couple of Apogee 12"/1"-s. maybe a pair of Macro-Techs.... All good buys. But if you can't use them just yet, I know a place nearby where you can store them. Like 40 blocks away, man. No fees. Let me know when they arrive.

bunner

over here....

In the small house on the corner....

dreaming of actual equipment.

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