[jhwhite]

It depends on where I saw my career going. Was I more interested in learning java or going the product route.

It's also obviously a question of culture. Which would you thrive in?

Me personally? I'm not sure what you mean by product support, but if you mean something like help desk/tech support for a product they make then I can't go that route. I've done it before and I was absolutely miserable.

Between the two choices you gave I'd have to choose the corporate firm and learn java even though I'd probably be more interested at the startup in a different position.