I've worked in both a startup environment and a tech giant. It's true that you get to write more new code at the startup, but beyond that I think this post is b

I've worked in both a startup environment and a tech giant. It's true that you get to write more new code at the startup, but beyond that I think this post is bunk. "Maintaining old code" at a tech giant is not about keeping some ancient system working by periodically fixing a bug or adding a feature. It is about building scalable systems that are constantly adapting to new demands. It's about dealing with large-scale constraints and constantly finding and removing bottlenecks. I find it tremendously challenging intellectually. Which isn't to say that the startup route is bad or not intellectually stimulating either. Writing new code is FUN. Trying out new stuff is FUN. Solving the problems that come with doing things differently is also fun and intellectually challenging. I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both. I learned a lot in both kinds of environments and I think I would be a worse engineer for only having done one or the other. Some people might just be wired up to prefer one or the other, but my recommendation to people earlier in their career (particularly interns) would be to get experience in as many kinds of environments as possible.