I found out back in 1997 when I signed on with a temp agency (was unemployed and desperate, not the sort of work I'm cut out to do) that placed workers in industrial jobs. They first had me at a packing plant and when that job was over they placed me in a laser machine shop. Just the luck of the draw, as it were. Needless to say I was totally blown away by the 5Kw lasers they used to cut, weld and heat treat metal! So began a huge obsession with lasers - it was perhaps the most boring job I ever had (quality control inspection of laser welded metal parts) but the most fascinating place I ever worked.
After I left that job and went to work doing what I went to college for (art), I still held a deep fascination for lasers and spent countless hours doing web searches (this back in the day of dial-up!) on lasers. Well, one day (in 06' I think) I happened to see this ad for WL promising "burning" green lasers. I thought to my self that was totally bogus, as only huge CO2 and YAG lasers could burn anything. But the company did allow for returns if not satisfied, so I plunked down some money and bought myself a 95mw WL Nexus greenie. This was back when CNI made most of their lasers, so it may have been on spec or better, and boy did it burn!
I sold that laser, but to this day I still have my very first laser pointer - a 1mw red pen-type pointer that I paid $50 for! It's weak and near-worthless, but I still have it around for sentimental value.
Back when they sold CNI pens and were reliable-ish-er 