huge choice (long)...
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Well there is a good change that I will be offered a job contracting with Microsoft. This is a very big choice for me and I was wondering if some of the code project members had any advice... Currently I am a partner in a small business that creates software for doctors. I own 25% of the company, I am basically the boss (I have 3 employees), and I make my own hours. Because of my partner status, my salary is not very high, just enough to get by until the company does well. My partner puts up all cash to keep the company running and has done so for some time. Problem is the company has not made money, and we have been at it for 7 years. We have a great product and we are working on a new version that might turn things around. But doctors are fickle and cheap and dont want to spend money on software, they are scared of it. It is a tough market. So for 7 years I have been working for next to nothing compared to my skills set. Also sometimes me and my partner have arguements, sometimes he feels since he is putting up the money I am basically an employee with incentive. So MS is offering about 4 times my current salary. But I have to leave my current company(letting it die), leave my employees(they all have side work they can fall back on and probably even make more money), and move to Redmond. I would work more than I currently do, but I am not afraid of working. I may lose the ability to make my own hours, and I no longer work for myself. Anyone have any insight to this situation? What is it like working for MS? I would be working on projects that are keenly suited to my skills, and all new stuff like C#, Web services, etc.. Cleve Littlefield Senior Developer Visual Office
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Well there is a good change that I will be offered a job contracting with Microsoft. This is a very big choice for me and I was wondering if some of the code project members had any advice... Currently I am a partner in a small business that creates software for doctors. I own 25% of the company, I am basically the boss (I have 3 employees), and I make my own hours. Because of my partner status, my salary is not very high, just enough to get by until the company does well. My partner puts up all cash to keep the company running and has done so for some time. Problem is the company has not made money, and we have been at it for 7 years. We have a great product and we are working on a new version that might turn things around. But doctors are fickle and cheap and dont want to spend money on software, they are scared of it. It is a tough market. So for 7 years I have been working for next to nothing compared to my skills set. Also sometimes me and my partner have arguements, sometimes he feels since he is putting up the money I am basically an employee with incentive. So MS is offering about 4 times my current salary. But I have to leave my current company(letting it die), leave my employees(they all have side work they can fall back on and probably even make more money), and move to Redmond. I would work more than I currently do, but I am not afraid of working. I may lose the ability to make my own hours, and I no longer work for myself. Anyone have any insight to this situation? What is it like working for MS? I would be working on projects that are keenly suited to my skills, and all new stuff like C#, Web services, etc.. Cleve Littlefield Senior Developer Visual Office
Hi, Cleve! I'm the person who talked to you about the SharpDevelop forms designer. Did you ever get that problem solved? As far as the above post, I don't really know, but maybe if it were me, I would take the MS job. :~ Hard to decide, though, isn't it, when you've worked hard for a long time to get a company going, and now you're offered a job with 4x the salary, and you have to choose between taking it and keeping your company. :rolleyes:
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." - Jesus
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi -
Well there is a good change that I will be offered a job contracting with Microsoft. This is a very big choice for me and I was wondering if some of the code project members had any advice... Currently I am a partner in a small business that creates software for doctors. I own 25% of the company, I am basically the boss (I have 3 employees), and I make my own hours. Because of my partner status, my salary is not very high, just enough to get by until the company does well. My partner puts up all cash to keep the company running and has done so for some time. Problem is the company has not made money, and we have been at it for 7 years. We have a great product and we are working on a new version that might turn things around. But doctors are fickle and cheap and dont want to spend money on software, they are scared of it. It is a tough market. So for 7 years I have been working for next to nothing compared to my skills set. Also sometimes me and my partner have arguements, sometimes he feels since he is putting up the money I am basically an employee with incentive. So MS is offering about 4 times my current salary. But I have to leave my current company(letting it die), leave my employees(they all have side work they can fall back on and probably even make more money), and move to Redmond. I would work more than I currently do, but I am not afraid of working. I may lose the ability to make my own hours, and I no longer work for myself. Anyone have any insight to this situation? What is it like working for MS? I would be working on projects that are keenly suited to my skills, and all new stuff like C#, Web services, etc.. Cleve Littlefield Senior Developer Visual Office
CleverGuy wrote: contracting with Microsoft. The "contracting" part worries me. I have heard that contractors get nowhere near as good of a deal as regulars there. (A while back there was a big legal flap about contractors.) I'm not saying you should or shouldn't work there, just that working as a contractor is not going to be the same as being an MS employee. "When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it's longer than any hour. That's relativity." - Albert Einstein
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Well there is a good change that I will be offered a job contracting with Microsoft. This is a very big choice for me and I was wondering if some of the code project members had any advice... Currently I am a partner in a small business that creates software for doctors. I own 25% of the company, I am basically the boss (I have 3 employees), and I make my own hours. Because of my partner status, my salary is not very high, just enough to get by until the company does well. My partner puts up all cash to keep the company running and has done so for some time. Problem is the company has not made money, and we have been at it for 7 years. We have a great product and we are working on a new version that might turn things around. But doctors are fickle and cheap and dont want to spend money on software, they are scared of it. It is a tough market. So for 7 years I have been working for next to nothing compared to my skills set. Also sometimes me and my partner have arguements, sometimes he feels since he is putting up the money I am basically an employee with incentive. So MS is offering about 4 times my current salary. But I have to leave my current company(letting it die), leave my employees(they all have side work they can fall back on and probably even make more money), and move to Redmond. I would work more than I currently do, but I am not afraid of working. I may lose the ability to make my own hours, and I no longer work for myself. Anyone have any insight to this situation? What is it like working for MS? I would be working on projects that are keenly suited to my skills, and all new stuff like C#, Web services, etc.. Cleve Littlefield Senior Developer Visual Office
I quoted several small pieces of your text to justify my opinion. CleverGuy wrote: I own 25% of the company, I am basically the boss Uh-oh. CleverGuy wrote: Problem is the company has not made money, and we have been at it for 7 years. Big Uh-oh... CleverGuy wrote: We have a great product and we are working on a new version that might turn things around. Huge Uh-oh. I don't believe it will make money with this new version (sorry). After 7 years of development, you should be making some serious money. CleverGuy wrote: So for 7 years I have been working for next to nothing compared to my skills set. It's part of the risk of owning your company. CleverGuy wrote: Also sometimes me and my partner have arguements, It's good for the company. If, in 7 years you hadn't tear apart, it's a good sign that these discussions are actually improving the relationship. CleverGuy wrote: I would work more than I currently You have 25% of the company and don't work at it 24x7? How much do you believe it will really take off? How money do you really believe you'll earn there on the next say, 3 or 4 years? CleverGuy wrote: So MS is offering about 4 times my current salary. Just to measure risk: for how much time (mininum)? Do you have mouths to feed? If it's for a really short time and you cannot take a risk because you have children to feed, it may be better stay where you are. But if it's for a year, or longer, remember: a year at MS any you will make about 4 years at your current job. Even if you become unemployed for a whole year after you gone to MS, you'll still earning 2 times the money. I know how hard it is to let a dream go, but being you, I would be at MS's door tomorrow.
// Quantum sort algorithm implementation
while (!sorted)
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Well there is a good change that I will be offered a job contracting with Microsoft. This is a very big choice for me and I was wondering if some of the code project members had any advice... Currently I am a partner in a small business that creates software for doctors. I own 25% of the company, I am basically the boss (I have 3 employees), and I make my own hours. Because of my partner status, my salary is not very high, just enough to get by until the company does well. My partner puts up all cash to keep the company running and has done so for some time. Problem is the company has not made money, and we have been at it for 7 years. We have a great product and we are working on a new version that might turn things around. But doctors are fickle and cheap and dont want to spend money on software, they are scared of it. It is a tough market. So for 7 years I have been working for next to nothing compared to my skills set. Also sometimes me and my partner have arguements, sometimes he feels since he is putting up the money I am basically an employee with incentive. So MS is offering about 4 times my current salary. But I have to leave my current company(letting it die), leave my employees(they all have side work they can fall back on and probably even make more money), and move to Redmond. I would work more than I currently do, but I am not afraid of working. I may lose the ability to make my own hours, and I no longer work for myself. Anyone have any insight to this situation? What is it like working for MS? I would be working on projects that are keenly suited to my skills, and all new stuff like C#, Web services, etc.. Cleve Littlefield Senior Developer Visual Office
Straight up, 7yrs seems way to long to not to be investing. I think you should count it as 7 yrs of lessons. For 4 times your salary Redmond must look real good, although I think it would be easy to burn out there. I think it would be a wise move. As to your employees, sad to say but they come and go, and should also do what's in there best interests if the tables were turned. If Redmond had offered one of them a job would you hold them back ?, even if it meant your company survival. Its a free market. I guess your soon to be ex-partner will be a bit upset, but that's life also. Regardz Colin J Davies
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Well there is a good change that I will be offered a job contracting with Microsoft. This is a very big choice for me and I was wondering if some of the code project members had any advice... Currently I am a partner in a small business that creates software for doctors. I own 25% of the company, I am basically the boss (I have 3 employees), and I make my own hours. Because of my partner status, my salary is not very high, just enough to get by until the company does well. My partner puts up all cash to keep the company running and has done so for some time. Problem is the company has not made money, and we have been at it for 7 years. We have a great product and we are working on a new version that might turn things around. But doctors are fickle and cheap and dont want to spend money on software, they are scared of it. It is a tough market. So for 7 years I have been working for next to nothing compared to my skills set. Also sometimes me and my partner have arguements, sometimes he feels since he is putting up the money I am basically an employee with incentive. So MS is offering about 4 times my current salary. But I have to leave my current company(letting it die), leave my employees(they all have side work they can fall back on and probably even make more money), and move to Redmond. I would work more than I currently do, but I am not afraid of working. I may lose the ability to make my own hours, and I no longer work for myself. Anyone have any insight to this situation? What is it like working for MS? I would be working on projects that are keenly suited to my skills, and all new stuff like C#, Web services, etc.. Cleve Littlefield Senior Developer Visual Office
I would like to remind you of the level of satisfaction of doing your own thing versus what Da Man wants. One might always find a sense of satisfaction as an employee, however, it is often not the case. Money isn't everything. Balance your desire for salary with your enjoyment (or perhaps lack of same) in your current situation.
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Fortune passes everywhere.
Duke Leto Atreides -
Well there is a good change that I will be offered a job contracting with Microsoft. This is a very big choice for me and I was wondering if some of the code project members had any advice... Currently I am a partner in a small business that creates software for doctors. I own 25% of the company, I am basically the boss (I have 3 employees), and I make my own hours. Because of my partner status, my salary is not very high, just enough to get by until the company does well. My partner puts up all cash to keep the company running and has done so for some time. Problem is the company has not made money, and we have been at it for 7 years. We have a great product and we are working on a new version that might turn things around. But doctors are fickle and cheap and dont want to spend money on software, they are scared of it. It is a tough market. So for 7 years I have been working for next to nothing compared to my skills set. Also sometimes me and my partner have arguements, sometimes he feels since he is putting up the money I am basically an employee with incentive. So MS is offering about 4 times my current salary. But I have to leave my current company(letting it die), leave my employees(they all have side work they can fall back on and probably even make more money), and move to Redmond. I would work more than I currently do, but I am not afraid of working. I may lose the ability to make my own hours, and I no longer work for myself. Anyone have any insight to this situation? What is it like working for MS? I would be working on projects that are keenly suited to my skills, and all new stuff like C#, Web services, etc.. Cleve Littlefield Senior Developer Visual Office
Is the contract for a reasonable length of time 1 to 2 years ? Are you going to be able to develop new skills ? Are you going to be able to develop new contacts they may help in establishing a new business when you leave ms ? Why can't you divert some of your ms income into hiring a replacement to keep the business going ? However I agree with the others that 7 years without serious returns is probably too long. Unless you have developed real IP that is protected or a brand name that could presumably be sold to a competior as an exit strategy ?