Google

• Work with the best and brightest. In over a year, I've yet to meet anyone who isn't bright and highly competent.

• Open culture and supportive management at all levels. I had some recent challenges in my family life and was told by my manager to take whatever time I needed, even if it was weeks.

• Work on projects that seriously have the chance to change the world.

• Great perks, including free breakfast and lunch daily, and the food is gourmet-quality.

• Wonderful office environment (other than not having private offices). Boulder boasts a climbing wall, fitness center, showers (with towel service!), stage with instruments where employees have impromptu jam sessions, foosball, shuffleboard, pool, video games, relaxation room, massage room... it goes on and on.

Like most development jobs, the company will take all the hours you want to give. The flip side is that I've never been asked to work more than 40, nor has it been implied I should.

Whatever tools you may have learned elsewhere, you won't use them at Google, because Google has its own implementations of everything.

A follow-on to the last point: if you leave Google and try to join an employer who is looking for skills in specific tools, they won't be the tools you used at Google. That said, it's hard to think having "Google" on your resume won't more than compensate.

Keep on keepin' on. Especially, continue ignoring the stockholders and doing what you think makes sense for Google, for the employees, and for humanity.