[w3pm]

The intern bit is disturbing to me. The trouble is, he can't actually believe this is the best decision for these kids to make. He himself started a business while still in school; he didn't slave away for someone else as "low cost" labor. His own experience tells him that the best "career stepping stone" is to create things, with friends, for yourselves. Any truly "wicked smart" kids shouldn't be making this decision and he's not doing them any favors by encouraging it.

In my own experience, offering a fairly-paid internship (ie, what they would be making as a junior full-time employee), of a few months, is a great way to evaluate a potential hire down the road. Do I expect useful work to come out of these few months and build a business plan around it? Not really, and I believe it's dishonest to do so.

[alistairSH]

I'll give the benefit of the doubt, and assume "low cost labor" is something close to "first year employee wages".

And, not every smart kid is cut out for starting a business. I wasn't. Too risk averse. I like to build software, I'm pretty good at it, but much prefer the comfort of a salary.

[mathgladiator]

To be fair to the interns, it is resume filler. I do, however, feel very sorry for the interns who are seniors.