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Comment by funkah | Hacker News Reader

It just sounds like an insane amount of work for a tenuous, or even nonexistent, payoff. I work for a company that does not limit my time off, that respects its employees, and generally provides a great working atmosphere.

Joining a startup seems like it would be throwing all that away for the joy of sleeping under my desk and finding out one day that my options are worthless. I would rather enjoy my life, I think.

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I'm happy enough in academia. If I left it, it would only be for assured big bucks with job security. So, yeah, I don't think the startup life is really for me.

Academia also has wonderful vacation policies that are pretty near impossible to beat. My dad, a professor, hung out with his family for pretty much the entire duration of summer vacation. Multi-week vacations to visit extended families 400-800 miles away? Can do! Not a problem!

This is not normal for computer science academia, at least in my current department or my alma mater's. I've only met one professor who doesn't seem to work more than an average software developer.

Do you like what you actually do at your job? If yes - this is ideal job.

If no - that's what people going after when joining start-ups.

There are lots of cool things to do at non-startup jobs. Also, I'm sure there is just as much grunt work that sucks to do at a startup as there is at any other job.

IMHO, the only reason to do a startup is for ownership. Working for one without ownership just sounds like a recipe to be overworked and underpaid.

Well. Sounds about right. For some people having ownership is what makes their day. And that's why they join start ups. It is much harder to get ownership of something in more traditional company.

There are many exciting things in many areas. I am glad someone find their job at traditional company exciting - this fulfill two very demanding parts - financial stability and fun.

Start-ups offer different thing, but core reason why people join these is the same - they like what working in start-up gives them. :)

To some people, working a startup IS enjoying life. Of course, it's your own preference and taking that risk is a choice.

Did you read Holman's article? If not, I will reiterate a key point, not all startups make you work insane hours. Lots of them have you work flexible work weeks with the same amount of hours of a regular 9-5 job. I enjoy life, and that's why I am at a startup. I can take time here and there to go do something fun, and I can go to work and enjoy what I do there because I can actually have an impact on my company and its products. In my former non-startup roles, the companies were way to big to have any real influence on how they worked.

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