I've been using Pocket since it was ReadItLater. Two areas need improvement: 1) display of recipes in article mode and 2) display and redirection of Reddit articles. I'm intrigued with the yacy setup of user l72. I may check that out...
Totally on board with this. I'm currently looking for a 1/2 time contract gig, mostly because that's about all I want to work in conjunction with running a household and raising two kids.
I had a pretty similar experience, albeit not quite as dramatic. Coordination was difficult. The biggest surprise was them saying "We'll Skype every day", but with their slow internet connection, that really meant Skype IM. Not going to make this mistake again....
Haha, living up to your username. I'm good with the Starbucks card. I told the non-coffee drinkers that they serve a lot more than coffee, but they weren't convinced. I also found out that the employees in our UK office receive a Starbucks card for 40 Euros.
I remember two firms from previous HN posts that stuck with me, Fog Creek and Balsamiq. Joel's methodology might be a little complex, but it makes sense.
It's never too late. You have shown you possess the desire and drive to learn. I think a good next step is to write some code and put it up on GitHub where prospective employers can see that you have written something. Good luck!
They don't change my perception any more, now that I've realized how worthless some endorsements are. I used to work for a company that had Ajax in the name. I did 95% back-end coding in Java there. LI recently informed me I'm in the top 1% of people with Ajax endorsements. :-)
12 person startup, here. It's deadly quiet. Most people are in offices, they close their door for phone calls. Headphones for music is the norm. It makes me crazy, sometimes. I get a little break because I sit near the kitchen and there's a lot of chatter when people are preparing their lunches.