I haven taken a break from my full-time job for a couple of months to develop an app prototype on the iPad for a startup in its initial phase. My break is coming to an end and we are are pretty happy with each other.

I like the work: not just coding but also (with the "server" guy, I'm the "client" guy) selecting technologies, managing features / the project, etc.

And they seem to like me and what I, together with the other guy, have accomplished the last two months.

Now, I know my weak point is salary negotiations. There have been a couple of posts about this the last weeks but I also like to have some indications of salaries for the region I live in: De Randstad in The Netherlands.

I'll be monitoring this thread and will answer any questions people will have.

39throwaway114y ago28

Ask HN: Is a phD a good way to focus & motivate you?

I'm thinking of undertaking a phD in an area that interests me - part-time, whilst I continue to work.

Apart from the questions I have around time commitment, etc, I would like to know if a phD is a good way to focus and motivate me to complete an original piece of work?

I spend a lot of time starting numerous projects but never getting them to where I want to take them. I think this is mainly down to it being very difficult to motivate myself when I'm 'tinkering'.

In a dream scenario, completion of the research would lead to something, that could be end user ready/commercialised/exploited through some more work.

Any war stories, anyone here taken that approach? Is it flawed? Anything I should watch out for?

39throwaway115y ago56