You really have to do your homework on the company. The better you understand the business end, the better you are as a technologist. When you are growing a company at this speed, it's hard to keep your costs under control. We've had great success at that, and sometimes I think there is a certain awareness on the part of programmers that there is no such thing as an unlimited technology budget. They are very active in trying to reduce costs, because they understand that every reduction translates into an increase in earnings that will help power the stock.
Technologists are far more motivated by the nature of the mission.
Options enter in as an element of the decision-making process, but they aren't the focal point. The fact that it was an Internet company that had an options program was an additional factor. But my main motivation was one of focus and challenge. Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Computerworld, Inc. is prohibited.