[earl]

I don't think it's necessarily a career path, or lack thereof, but the companies' perspective on software: I left biotech because the companies I worked for, and it seemed to be an industry problem, viewed software not as their differentiator or edge or product, but rather purely as a cost center to be minimized. From that distinction, everything flows.

[tsotha]

I had the same problem at a mutual fund company, which is funny when you think about it. What is financial services company but a group of people that manages information?

[gaius]

This is why Goldman Sachs has weathered the financial crisis so well: they invest heavily in their IT.