I completely agree that the author may be slightly out of touch with reality. The target audience are hackers and Silicon Valley types, but even then that group doesn't get so lucky. Widgets and apps certainly don't rake in a ton of money unless you get noticed - and in a market that is saturated, applications and widgets are pretty much a developer's lottery.

But the point of the article is to lift spirits where spirits need lifting. Even if the message isn't entirely true, it might prompt some people to be more proactive and do something if a lay off has them feeling depressed or reclusive.