Tim and Bob's exchanges are quite informative, and may their disagreements flower, for, as the solon said, the truth comes out by hammer blows, not sweettalk. I'd cite today's NYT article on brokers who find lucrative work for programmers. The firm featured today is based in Tim's area, Los Gatos. The article describes the change in programmers' status from talented, dutiful employees -- a small few of whom get a big payoff with stock options, though most don't -- to free-lancers getting large fees for short-time work, up to $200/hr and $300,000 per year. Not that all do so well. It's a nice change from stories about the legal-financial fairy tales about tough-minded start-ups and skeptical VCs who never seem to actually risk nearly as much as those peddling all-they've-got codemaking talent. Still, the talent-brokers, what do they do that the money guys don't do better, except perhaps lay on the poor-baby, let me help you screw yourself on my behalf, thicker, like all cream-skimmers and honey-pot raiders?