Out of curiosity, how old were you when you started?  I didn&#x27;t really begin my career until 28 or so (35 now, undergrad and grad CS degree at a pretty good university) and I&#x27;ve been toying with the idea of moving to something else.  Still trying to find an interesting niche that really speaks to me, though I keep my skills current.<p>I do fairly well for compensation but the way the market has been, I feel like I&#x27;m short-changing myself by not taking a shot at a career with the really big players, and I&#x27;d love to retire within the next 5-10 years as well. (obviously I&#x27;ve started saving already)