Nice work!

Hi. Thanks a ton for the link. I would love to apply. In fact Düsseldorf is the place of my birth. More importantly, the work description is very much to my liking and a good match to my previous experience. Thanks again.

Hi. I am looking for a real job, a full-time position. I have expertise in network programming using C on Linux. Almost all of my experience is in the telecommunications domain, VoIP(SIP) mostly. Thanks for the links, I'll definitely check them out.

Yes. It doesn't match my profile. Thanks anyways.

how tough was it to get a regular job? Was the company apprehensive about hiring somebody who left a good gig earlier to take the startup route?

Not tough at all - the company I joined is another (larger) startup, so I think that if anybody understands this kind of choice, it's them. :)

Thanks a ton for the TMA link. It was like reading a manual about myself. I have been struggling with my job choices ever since I started working 3 years back. I find it difficult to fit into the system, and I find myself questioning authority all the time. Somewhere down the line I realized that I am able to perform at my best when I am put in an environment with very less restrictions and I have the freedom to make strategic decisions. Being given a list of specs and then coding to the specs is just not my kind of thing. I have often felt confused about my career decision to be a programmer due to this reason.

Just like the OP I find it difficult to sustain my interests for a long time. I have been trying for my own startup for the past one and a half years. I start on ideas with very high initial enthusiasm, but in a few weeks I have given up on the idea and jumped to the next exciting one. Looking back on the last one year or so I feel disappointed with myself for wasting possible opportunities. But many thanks to the OP and all other good HN'ers for throwing more light on this issue. I feel I understand myself better now, and i'm going to approach my interests with a new sense of purpose. Thanks again.

No problem - glad I could help shed some light on things. I've recently come to that conclusion about work - currently I'm best when I get to make strategic decisions, whether it's about which client work to take, code architecture, or just about anything really.

"Being given a list of specs and then coding to the specs is just not my kind of thing" I bet creating the architecture for how the problem will be solved in the first place is more your kind of thing. I used to think every programmer wanted to be an architect, then realized a few years ago that wasn't the case.

Hang in there, and keep working at it!

For the past few months I have been having problems driving at night after a day's work in front of the computer. I am not able to cope with the bright headlamps of oncoming vehicles, esp. in places where there are no street lamps. On weekends though I find the problem not to be that acute. All doctors I consulted told me that I have perfect eyesight. They suggested I wear anti-glare glasses. But that solves the issue only to an extent. Apart from this issue of driving at night I have not yet experienced any other issues with my eyesight like reading or even driving in daylight. I am curious to know whether anyone else is experiencing the same problem.