Comment by ryanwaggoner
17 years ago
"Tom was very fortunate that he had something else to walk away to...I only wish everyone had as difficult-yet-easy choice as Tom did."
Don't most people have the same choice, provided that they want it? From reading the account, it didn't sound like Tom had any special advantages other than being willing to take the risk and go for it. HN is packed with ppl who have taken the plunge into the unknown to start something without having any idea how it would turn out. To characterize their difficult decision as being the result of some special advantage that they had seems like an excuse for why some weren't willing to take the same risks.
The difference is that Github was already established and making money when Tom had to make his choice (heck, I was the first paying customer!)
That's a lot less dicey than the leap into the great wide open that is lionized here.