[mike_d]

I'd love to take a year and just build free security tools for people to use. I don't need a mentor to do that, I just need a salary replacement for that time period.

This reeks of the mantra of product managers everywhere... "There is no way a brilliant engineer would be able to create something great without management."

[infogulch]

Having a mentor wouldn't be like having a manager at all. A mentor can't control what you do, or interact with your goal. The only (shallow) similarity I might admit is as someone that you infrequently explain what you're working on that isn't intimately involved with the details. ... Maybe someone having your back, helping you stay honest with yourself, and pointing out obvious potholes you missed before you fall into them face first wouldn't be so bad.

[x0xrx]

1. Apply for new job, get 30% raise (apparently everyone is doing it).

2. Cut expenses by 30% (how hard can it be? Avocado toast is tre expensive!)

3. Save for just one single year.

4. Hey there’s your salary replacement! Looking forward to awesome security tools (seriously, legit looking forward to it).

(Lest you fear obsolescence;

5. Get your new new job, 30% raise again).

[marginalia_nu]

Probably easier to just work part time. I do 32 hour work weeks. I'm still well paid by non-IT standards, and it allows me to put at least some time toward not-for-profit R&D-type stuff. I do appreciate not everyone is in a situation where that's viable.

Would I like to just get money to build cool stuff, sure. But since I'm not an actual Ferengi, I like to build cool stuff more than I like hoarding money. So this is my compromise, I make enough to make due but not so much I don't have time to do good things.