[robbrit]

BigCos like Google and Microsoft can afford to pay big bucks and collude together. Startups on the other hand can't always afford to pay $100k+ for a junior engineer.

[bdcravens]

> Startups on the other hand can't always afford to pay $100k+ for a junior engineer.

Sounds like a failed business plan then.

[Analemma_]

If they set up shop somewhere other than San Francisco, they wouldn’t have to.

[fnordsensei]

Right. It’s not really about paying the devs, it’s about paying the landowners.

[robbrit]

They do set up shop elsewhere. The problem is that the BigCos are also doing the same (NYC, Seattle, Austin, Boulder, etc.) and bringing their high salaries with them.