no, really

I feel soo much better now. It’s funny how when you’re doing the right thing, you find the universe winking at you.

All sorts of fun little coincidences have come out of me deciding to start working with Metafoundry . I met most of the other people that work there, and I have to say I’m very happy. These people are genuinely smart and hard working (much like those I recently left). The systems are in a little bit of a state of disrepair, just because of growth. They’ve got so many different sets of servers, and everyone seems to do their own thing. Plus, they didn’t get running as a group in Subversion until today .

The first project I’ll be working on is this massive honker of a sales and planning tool. Unfortunately, I’ve only got a week to do two months worth of work, so… off I go!

For the past week, I’ve been in blissful agony making a decision that’s crucial to my future. I mean, even moreso than the usual daily “should I go left or right?” choices. I’ve had the spectacular fortune of gaining the interest of two really fantastic web shops in New York, trying to figure out where I could fit in. It’s been a fun ordeal, meeting all sorts of really great people and really smart developers. It was also fascinating to get a sense of how far they have to go to catch up to the environment I just left.

I guess I was spoiled a little working for a company that was financially capable, and either ignorant or supportive (I can’t figure out which) of our efforts to set stuff up right. We had the best tools for the developers (FogBugz , Zend Studio Enterprise , Dual Head 19″ Flat Panels, a properly configured Subversion setup, a solid release mechanism, I could go on…). I also had great developers. We were a bit like buddies, a bit like family. We stuck together, defended eachother, respected eachother’s work, and had a great time. When we were given a task, it was done *right*.

It was a great experience talking to the two firms, because I have learned a great deal. I see how little of the really productive world has yet to benefit from such a great environment, and I do believe that not only do I understand what the ideal setup is, I know how to get there. Now I get to bring that experience to bear on a totally different situation, and see what I can do to make lives better.

Either choice that I make also means that I am really putting myself out there in technology. I will be working for a proper technology firm. They’re both the original kind of web business – one that helps others get up to speed on the web. But they both have a) survived, and b) evolved. They both know that the future of their business is in developing the tools they build to the point where they can be known for something specific. Specialization, as it were.

Whichever one I choose, I’ll be wildly successful, I’m sure. And it’s not often in life that you get this kind of dillemma. I’ll savor it, but I’ll enjoy it more once I’ve picked one!