Only on HN are these incredible compensation packages considered "underpaid".
In the real world (outside FaceGoogAmaWallstreet), the story for developers is quite different.
In the real world (outside FaceGoogAmaWallstreet), the story for developers is quite different.
"Underpaid" and "overpaid" are relative terms. If you currently earn less than what you can expect to receive elsewhere for the same work, you are underpaid.
>>In the real world (outside FaceGoogAmaWallstreet), the story for developers is quite different.
Interestingly enough, this is precisely the sort of thing that this very thread is attempting to challenge. Have you noticed how many "wow I am seriously underpaid" comments have been posted?
All of this reminds me of a quote by Michael Corleone in The Godfather:
Never be embarrassed by your wealth. This recent contempt for money is still another trick of the rich to keep the poor without it.
Keep in mind also that Amazon is not some tiny startup strapped for cash. It's a big player in the industry and their hiring standards are rigorous.
It's not just the big few who pay really well. There are whole constellations of medium to small software companies you've never heard of that pay very well. The differentiator is that they see software as a strategic asset, not just a cost of doing business.
This package would be underpaid for pretty much any pure tech company on a coast.