We have concentrated on accumulating long, dense segments of light curves on cataclysmic variables. It has taken me years to become fully persuaded of the importance of robotic operation, but I am now a full convert. Not least among its many advantages is the fact that data are acquired at no human cost of sweat, tears, insomnia, or psychic stress. Computers have a tougher hide. With observing stations spaced at strategic longitudes around the world, we could in principle obtain 24 hr coverage for days on end.
Computer control is desirable.
A CCD camera, and convenient software for controlling the camera by computer. To be useful a light curve should have at least 40 points in a night, and 100 is usually better. About monthly we send out more explicit suggestions about targets for observing, and declare campaigns of some stated duration on particular stars. A few of our campaigns will perhaps suffer a bit, but by respecting each other's privacy and judgment we will have a much sounder collaboration in the long run. At the end of the observing season or perhaps two, the data crop is usually ready for harvest in a scientific paper.