Hi Dave M,
Yes, I agree with you; I remember Dave saying the same thing when he saw my Flash Steam Boiler controller with it half-a-dozen PICs. Its not just producing the item, but also the longer term support.
People often ask me the price of my Flash Steam boiler controller. The actual hardware can be made in a fortnight, but the software code took several years to fully develop. Its relatively easy to calculate the price of the hardware, but the software would run into thousands of pounds, if each line of code was worth even 10p. In no way would it make commercial sense unless, that is, there were thousands of flash boiler customers out there. That's the beauty of a hobby - there are few people (except one!) that you have to justify the cost.
Anyway, we must come to a solution for Brian's current requirement.
Ian