>This is one of the things that might trip you up if you go independent. You have something that needs to be done but you don't like the tools and they won't buy the tools. You can do one of three things:

If you're an indpendent, you have to buy your own tools, period. $500 for RoboHELP is peanuts (especially when the actual cost to you is just 60% of that, since you can write it off), compared to the time it will save. Also, there are more jobs open for RoboHELP people than those who insert footnotes to create WinHelp files (which I've also done; it's not so bad).

This is one of the better things about being independant. You're not as restriced by an employer's shortsightedness.