I see: sounds like you've got some different roles someone can fill, from the code robot, to seasoned programmer, to software engineer, to CTO, to hacker. In t

I see: sounds like you've got some different roles someone can fill, from the code robot, to seasoned programmer, to software engineer, to CTO, to hacker. In the end it's about someone's point of view and their responsibility to it. I've come across someone who claims to be a jack(or rather master)-of-all trades: has a degree in CS and an MBA and has worked in Sales, CTO, R & D. Says he's not an ordinary freelancer and builds end-to-end systems and uses PHP for the client and also Python on the server (has good reasons for it), whilst also promotes his own version of cloud computing. I have a background in Information System so am not quite the gung-ho programmer or engineer, but am still able. I sort of want to put something out as sexy as possible that works really well. I'd happily micromanage some monkeys to get it right, or give an engineer more free reign. I'm still undecided. But yes, long term, if it's successful, the system needs to be engineered really well, eg Craigslist. Twitter might have been a quickly cobbled together RoR app initially. edit: don't know anything about DHH or Katz.