[crpatino]

> I don't get why the world thinks software engineers are so rich...

Everybody know how much a programmer makes in Silicon Valley, and think everyone in the industry is paid accordingly. Also, high cost of living in SF area is not that well known (or at least, not understood to be correlated) by the masses.

It's a bit like saying every football/basketball player is a millionaire. Those that play in the professional leagues, yes. The ones that end up coaching pee-whee teams, not so much.