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I would love to, but I'm probably severely under-qualified (apart from having used LuaJIT extensively). I'd probably get lost pretty fast while delving further into the inner workings of the compiler, a domain in which I only have superficial knowledge. I can learn, of course, but it looks pretty steep. (And no, I do not have a CS degree, which seems like one of those useful things to have when working on a compiler.)

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You should apply anyways. There's really only two possible outcomes:

* They say "no": you go on with your life, no biggie.

* They say "yes": you move to SF/London and start learning :)

Those two possibilities vary hugely in their time consideration! 1 considers the far future outcome ("you go on with your life") but 2 only considers the next few months. 2a you find out you can do it and enjoy it, great career path for the next n years, 2b you find out you can't hack it and either quit or get fired, 2bi you then do what you would have done in 1, not a huge opportunity cost, 2bii your ego suffers a huge blow and you fall into a pit of depression and drunkenness and self-doubt about ever learning anything again and you: 2biiα eventually get out and do 1 (larger opportunity cost and potential permanent damage), or: 2biiβ die soon after...

A lot of people really want to avoid the 2bii tree and will shrink away from any action that seems to have a chance of leading from the bearable status quo to there.

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