Mistral EC
Mistral USA
Established in 1984, Mistral is proud to be widely considered the 'generic' software system provider for the refrigeration & air conditioning industry. In its domestic market, Mistral software is used by more than 85% of refrigeration & air conditioning contracting firms and programs distributed to over 25,000 users in more than 140 countries around the world.
*~!^ Confucius, a few of the more profound* sayings of founder - Chris Latham-Smith!
* printable!
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Answers
Chris's 'Hit Parade'
Final wishes
There are only two types of luck in life. The bad sort such as getting struck by lightning and the good sort, which you must generally make for yourself.
Any fool can and usually will give you many reasons why your idea will fail. Only a clever person will show you how your idea might succeed.
I think I have been reasonably successful in life. I put this down to having surrounded myself with people cleverer than me.
Those who pay the least generally complain the most.
Comment Chris made about one of his former bosses. “What he totally lacked in any sort of
business acumen at all he more than amply made up for by being the Chairman's son.”
Every idea starts with imagination.
When it comes to profit I've always found that ten percent of something is preferable to one hundred percent of nothing.
When seeking solution to riddle not to look at question. Look to answer.
With the possible exception of career divorcees men generally earn more than women.
No one is indispensable. However some are more dispensable than others!
When a doctor makes a mistake they can risk a person’s life. When an engineer makes one they can risk hundreds. Why then do doctors usually gain more kudos and earnings than engineers?
Helping to create wealth for other deserving people generally guarantees your own.
Motivate your most talented staff with the good news that one day they might be promoted to your position. To ensure their loyalty in the meantime follow that with the bad news they might still end up reporting to you.
Never forget. Those constantly trying to pull you down can only do so from beneath you.
The three most important needs of any business are its customers, its customers and its customers. In that order. The three most important assets of any business are its staff, its staff and its staff. In that order.
A good employee often becomes a very good friend. The reverse is almost never true.
Profit is considered by many to be a dirty word. It is a fact though that without profit the great majority of people alive in the world today, including these cynics, would never have even existed!
If you ever find yourself in the position where you are recruiting a subordinate then try to identify candidates bearing the qualities needed to replace you. Otherwise you are unlikely to ever be promoted!
You indicate you don't want to hear the answer, yet you asked me the question. If you are incapable of understanding simple explanations then best you stop asking questions.
None so easy to offend as those seeking offence.
It is bad enough over estimating a contract at time of tender and losing it on price but there is one situation far, far worse. Under estimating the costs and then winning it!
History has proven over and over again that businesses offering products cheaper than those of any of their competitors almost invariably fail. I can send you my list of these. It's very long and quite expensive!
The Father of one of our talented staff once said "How would your company manage without my son?" I replied "I’d look for and find another employee like your son. Would your son though manage to find another employer like us?!"
Forgiveness only serves two people. The redeemer and their antagonist. For the rest of us it further unravels the valuable lessons of civilisation.
If you have to study a book in order to operate a piece of software then find another piece of software. Books you get from WHSmith bookshops. Expert System software you get from Mistral.
The British appear unique amongst the world’s citizens in respect of their attitude to success. From pauper to civil servant to politician to journalist (especially journalist) they seem hell bent upon trying to destroy it.
Why is it that those so keen to tell me how to run my business of four decades haven't got a clue what my business does, why it does it, how it does it or who it does it for?
Sixty years ago as a vain youth my recurring nightmare was being caught wandering down
our local High Street, naked, apart from a barrel suspended around my waist. More than half a
century on and as a vain wrinkly my fear is that it’s now highly unlikely to ever happen.
Top of pageIn the final analysis the Banking Sector only has one product - Inflation!
Any mariner worth his salt will testify that the ancient device of splicing a rope works simply because the more it is stretched then the tighter it becomes. I've met scores of people like that.
Of course I'm against adding flourides to public drinking water. There isn't one single food or chemical ever consumed by humans that hasn't been the subject of contradictory or totally opposing reports as to its safety. Not one. I never have been a supporter of obligatory mass poisoning! What's your view again?
If you don't know the answer then know someone who does.
The wonderful thing about the Global Warming debate is how no one needs either facts or any relevant qualifications whatsoever in order to join in.
The reason I'm above average weight is because too many skinny people mess up the statistics.
Proponents of economy of scale have a point but from my observations a sparrow gets airborne a damned sight easier than a swan.
Those claiming successful people simply stumble upon good luck should try stumbling upon their own good luck sometime. They may stumble upon a big surprise.
No one buys any product because of what it is. People buy products because of what they do.
Were you born stupid, or did you just get that way with practice?
When will dumb software developer nerds realise software should be like a car? Software users, like car drivers should not be expected to help build the engine before setting off for the supermarket.
I'm not afraid of death. I'm more worried about being forced to come back!
There are those for whom work is a passion. For the remaining ninety nine and a half percent it's simply a source of income.
No one has ever been short changed by me. Not my colleagues, my partners, loyal customers, superiors, family, even enemies and especially not my friends. As I face the end I'm not about to modify my behaviour now. I needed no deity to lead me.
If there really was a God then she would have had more sense than to make people in different colours.
A computer is an instrument. It is a tool. Not a master!
I receive more love, affection and appreciation from my cat than I have ever received from most humans. Friends tell me that's my fault. My cat wouldn't agree though!
Contrary to rumour I never criticise anyone for ignorance. Only for deception or rudeness. I am ignorant of Brain Surgery or landing a Boeing 777 for example. However I would be quite willing to have a go.
Success attracts critics as do lights attract moths. There are better and worse metaphors. Many involve insects.
Don't EVER sell yourself short. In life there will be no lack of your lessors prepared to do that for you!
Some prophet or another once wrote "Thou shalt not covet another man's wife."
Good line. Pity though the sod failed to mention "Thou shalt not covet another woman's husband."
Even thy Neighbour's Ass was ruled out for a good 'coveting'!
The science of Industrial Refrigeration, upon which civilisation depends for its survival, has much in common with aviation jet propulsion. It is though less glamorous. And a moustache isn't necessary.
The best time to sell a possession is when you don't need to.
"I'm sorry I can't answer your call. However it's your fault for calling me when I'm out!"
Mark Twain once said: "Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." When did you meet him?
When are fucking Environmental campaign terrorists going to stop adding 2 + 2 together to make 16 million, instead of just 2 + 2 = 4?!
Worse. When are the likes of intellectually challenged, vote seeking politicians, hysterical, uneducated, truant schoolgirls, pseudo scientists and gravy train climbing journalists going to stop promulgating such totally unprovable bullshit to an unnecessarily frightened public?! Putting the very cornerstones of civilisation at risk of destruction!
Prove, beyond any reasonable scientific doubt, that one part increase in C02 in ten thousand parts of Earth's atmosphere over a period of two centuries has any influence at all upon Global Warming, or shut the fuck up!
And this does not make me a climate change denier. Anyone mentally retarded enough to think so should seek professional help. What I am saying is that if real engineers and scientists don't knuckle down to find the true cause, such as Solar or Geo-thermal for example, then the solutions upon how to deal with it will never be discovered.
Men over the centuries abusing their power over women have in the 21st century finally empowered women with the tools to destroy them. Though how that will benefit either gender is yet to unfold. I suspect it will benefit neither.
Quite appropriate really. Following Britain's crumbling so called National Health Service abandoning me to my fate without apology. Ever since France's brilliant and dedicated medical professionals have installed more tubes, pipes and electronic devices in me than the average small refrigeration system, just to keep me alive.
Next time you're passing through then please do.
Having a criminal record isn't so bad. Actually, I've got one. It's by Barry Manilow.
Socialism. An economic system by which people who work the hardest and contribute the most to society are fiercely penalised for doing so by that same society.
He would be wise to show more respect. I have been dealing with his employer since before he was even a sperm!
She's a good wife. Good at cooking and gardening. Two out of three ain't bad.
Our prices depend upon the attitude of the customer.
Jesus of Nazareth. Without his dissenters and antagonists he would most probably never have been heard of again.
Friends, Romans, Countrypersons, send me your arrears!
Trust me. I'm an engineer!
Just think how much earlier Emperor Constantine could have wreaked havoc throughout the world had he access to the Internet.
My dear wife told me that I can offend a lot of people. So I thought long and hard about that. I decided to correct it. In future then I'll try not to leave anyone out.
I wouldn't say he's tight, except he always leads the way into the pub yet still manages to arrive at the bar behind you.
Nature provided me with a large stomach for a reason. And who in their right mind would argue with nature?
All that matters is matter. Work it out. In your own time. OK, please yourselves.
Throughout my long career I always sought and recruited people who could find solutions. Those only finding problems I dispensed with their services.
"Colour is just a pigment of the imagination."
Chris, espousing his views upon why is there anything at all. Meaning: Why is there energy, gravity, light, matter, radiation, space, time, or even annoying, hysterical school girls?
Chris accepts that writing about it would though prove rather difficult if there wasn't anything. No Biro's for a start.
A bright spark once said "The pen is mightier than the sword." I say the keyboard is a damned sight mightier than both!
"Integrity overcomes adversity." Remember where you saw this first!
"Money doesn't necessarily bring happiness" But at least you can be miserable in comfort! (plagiarised from an ex girlfriend's worldly wise Grandmother)
The day you think you have produced a perfect software solution is the day you should consider changing your career.
The car one drives can say so much about its owner. The reason I've never considered buying a Porsche.
In response to irrelevant and unnecessary questions from insurers Aviva:-
"Are you incontinent?"
"Yes. Europe."
"Are you doubly incontinent?"
"No. Just Europe"
If you don't reply on a timely basis, that is, reply within 24 hours, then you have only one excuse.
"What's that?"
"You're dead!"
Following school I largely taught myself. I could find few teachers capable of doing the job any better for me. Is this arrogance? You better believe it is. I won't deny it. It's also right!
Chris. Commenting upon historical slavery and modern day minimum wage. Particularly in the FE. "The chains are now subliminal. But they're still there!"
"I'm sorry I can't answer your call. However it's your fault for calling me when I'm out!"
"It strikes me that half the world's leaders are half wits and the remainder are just plain stupid!"
Golden rules for a good, productive meeting.
1) Remove all the furniture from the meeting room.
2) Chairman to start meeting off with "Any other business?"
People say "You are effectively self employed. How do you motivate yourself to work?"
"That is not my problem." I reply.
"My problem is resolving myself to stop working. That is akin to abandoning my child!"
I don't see AI as a threat to my company's huge financial investment in R & D. On the contrary, AI's inevitable, uncontrollable and irreversible shortcomings are driving more customers to my technology business. Where I see AI's threat is the potential to destroy civilisation. Not the fault of AI technology developers. Even their own AI creations are incapable of fathoming their own shortcomings. The fault lies with intellectually challenged, self serving politicians, along with the incompetent law makers they appoint.
My company did not succeed because of Microsoft Corporation. My company succeeded despite Microsoft Corporation! What Microsoft fail to understand is if it was not for software developers like my company then they could not have survived.
"As you approach the final curtain, sorry to ask but do you have any final wishes?"
"Yes, I would like to be buried on top of my ex wife's lover."
Throughout my thankfully relatively secure and long life I have sadly witnessed, first hand, violence, war, poverty, desperation, oppression and prejudice. One thing impressed me more than anything else and that is it had absolutely nothing to do with the intelligence or otherwise, or the moral codes of the suffering victims.
This isn't intended as any sort of boast but I am reminded how long I've been around when recalling my first annual salary was well under what I now earn each working day. Because of course inflation over the intervening 55 years is largely responsible.
The first car I bought, second hand, will soon be approaching a century old. What I paid for it when I was 17 years old would not buy a pint of beer today.
Artificial Intelligence. Artificial, as synonymous with fake, not real, not genuine. It strikes me that developers of and proponents of Artificial Intelligence might have chosen a more intelligent monicker for their product.
If you think the Sayings of Chris Latham-Smith have no merit then why have you read this far?? Feedback 
Some comments and opinions on this page are not necessarily shared by all saner members of Mistral's team. No animals, fish, insects or molluscs were hurt during the making of this production. The same cannot be said for Enviro-terrorists and other unemployables.
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