[flaubere]

I think he picked a good number. It clearly wasn't $1000 of effort. Jim may not have been interested in hiring someone who, like his previous software guy, was looking to shake him down for as much as possible.

[movedx]

I agree. Anything higher and he might have got paid, but not got offered the job.

The fact he DID get the job means he got the better deal in the long run.

[philjohn]

And that job was worth, in today's money, roughly $1100 a week, which for a summer job before college is pretty damn good.