to clear things up a bit, last night when i wrote this i was extremely pissed, so i can understand the lack of sense it made to some, well most people.
i was given a clean box w/ no hdd in it. the box was acceptable for the usage although i recommend a different setup for the fact that this machine was/is going to be the backbone of their business. setup server, misc software for a full and complete remote office setup - everybody coming in through ts/remote apps so all the employees will get is a rdp file and then the software comes in on their desktop as if they were sitting at a workstation local to the machine, but are at home or on the road. 100% tested and all configured and ready to go.
this was a paying setup. i explained to them the whole time where i was and was given lip service. "oh, it won't be a problem", "don't worry about it, we will take care of you". against my better judgement i couldn't get $$ up front but was a referral from a friend and the friend said they were good for it. this hasn't compromised my relationship w/ the friend, fwiw. now that it is complete i was asked when they could get it online and i replied we need to settle up on some stuff. i was basically laughed at w/ them saying it is all done, too bad, what are you going to do about it, it is our box and software.
none of their data has been put on the machine, it is clean as far as their data, just basically a fully configured office server for 100% complete remote offices w/ everything on the actual server automated. they will get all of the software and hardware they bought, i would not think of keeping something they paid for.
like i said they will get all the keys, the misc vendors acct number, phone numbers, email accts and passwords. the software purchased was all distributed via a d/l through ms, symantec and a few other companies - they can re-download it again - i am not keeping anything. i will not retain anything and come out where i started w/ them - at 0. they will on the otherhand have everything they paid for - all the software, just not the setup.
they new this was not a free service from the get go and throughout the setup/testing time i was given a lot of lip service. as a nice gesture on my part i have hosted their website on a server i rent for other sites for the last 6-8mos for free because i have a lot of bandwidth and space on it.
i am not trying to get rich off of this and that was covered, but a laugh and a "what can you do about it, it is already done" after it is fully configured is not payment or any type of settling up imho. thus the reason i was like f*ck it, i will just wipe it, but i still wonder if that is the right thing to do. had their been anything on their end to show gratitude i would not have this desire to wipe it, but i see now that during the setup i was just being told the niceties until it was complete. if i wipe they will need to have somebody else go through the setup. i honestly don't think they should get the whole setup for free when there was an agreed upon resolution.
hope this clears it up for people.
an no, i am not a drama person, i hate drama and i am 30+yrs old, this is not some 12yr old bs. and the company that is f*cking me is making easy 6 figures profit yearly - a small company but they are in the black with no issues in that area.