My main issue with academia was the relatively poor prospects (the pay isn't great) and the insecurity (there are far far less permanent positions/grants than t

My main issue with academia was the relatively poor prospects (the pay isn't great) and the insecurity (there are far far less permanent positions/grants than the number that want them etc.) To be honest the pay isn't such a big deal as at least in Europe it is reasonable although not exactly generous. But the insecurity is crazy - like you can spend ages becoming some expert in some area of Physics just to be kicked out in your thirties and while most of the people I saw that happen too didn't turn out badly, you wonder how much more successful they might have been had they just pursued industry from the start. I think these issues combined with the fact that programmers can get a pretty good deal in industry probably lead many not to pursue careers in academia.