Out of curiosity, how old were you when you started? I didn't really begin my career until 28 or so (35 now, undergrad and grad CS degree at a pretty good university) and I've been toying with the idea of moving to something else. Still trying to find an interesting niche that really speaks to me, though I keep my skills current.

I do fairly well for compensation but the way the market has been, I feel like I'm short-changing myself by not taking a shot at a career with the really big players, and I'd love to retire within the next 5-10 years as well. (obviously I've started saving already)