If that's what you took away from my node, that I did not explain myself .. or :) you are being thick.

The moral of my node is "Do the right thing, even if it means you don't get the business". That's worth more to me than getting the business, using the wrong tool, then losing face when the next consultant looks at the mess I left behind and says, "Man, this is a Ball Big Ball of Mud, and why'd they do it that way?"

My objective when working for a client is to give them the best job I can manage -- or, if I can't do a decent job for them (because it's outside my skill set), pass on the job. I have had an extremely lean year, partly because of that, but I feel content that I can defend my technology choices with my existing clients.

Update: Correct double word (Ball Ball).

That is what I brought to the table, not what I took from it. I offer it to help you understand why others react as they do.

That said, I empathize with your desire. I feel that way myself. But neither of us will change the world, and it is important to understand what the world is like.

So I hope you take two lessons from this. The first is that there are good reasons why people will distrust your objectivity when you have a vested interest. The second is that you will be more competitive and happier in situations where you have long-lasting relationships with repeat business.