what's better: start-ups or public companies?

[YvonneGuzman -at- cs -dot- com]

Hi everybody-

Some of you may have seen the message I posted a few days ago requesting 
feedback from people about what it is like to work for a startup when it gets 
bought by a bigger public company. (I'm writing an article for my school's 
newsletter on this topic). Thanks to everyone who sent me messages.

I am still looking for information, though. Specifically, one of themes of 
the story is: what kind of person likes to work for a public company as 
opposed to a start-up, and vice versa, and frankly I didn't hear much from 
people on that point. So if there is anyone out there who can say anything 
about what it's like to get burned out at a start up, or why you think 
start-ups are better, please send me a message. 

As before, if you are messaging me, please let me know if it's okay to use 
your
name and, if so, let me know how you'd like your name to appear in
print. Also please tell me if it is okay to name the companies that you 
discuss in your message, and please include as much of the following as you 
are comfortable
seeing published:

* your age
* the city or state where you live
* the company where you currently work

thank you!
yvonne

p.s. I am including the text of the original message in case you missed it 
and want to get more of a feel for what I'm doing.

original message:
I'm a student in the tech writing program at Middlesex Community College and 
I'm writing a story for the spring issue of the program's newsletter about 
what
happens to the culture of a start-up when it gets bought by a big company. 
I'm wondering if any tech writers out there have experienced this kind of 
transition. The kinds of issues I'm interested in are:

- In what ways did the company change culturally? Were the changes primarily
positive or primarily negative, in your opinion?

- Were the negative changes offset by the fact that everyone made a
lot of money? Did everyone make a lot of money? Or was it just the people 
at the top?

- Did employees leave? How many? Why? Did they go to other
start-ups?

- Was there a dramatic change in the number of hours you or other
employees were expected to work? What kind of change?

- Did you end up with better benefits? Did your salary change?

- Was anyone laid off?

- Did you and other employees find that you had significantly less
control over the product? 

- Was there a big change in the general atmosphere, and did you or
other employees find yourselves missing the "buzz" of working round
the clock on cutting-edge technology? Or was it nice to be under
less pressure and working only 45 hours a week as opposed to 65?

- What kind of person prefers a start-up to a public company, and
what kind of person prefers a public company to a start-up?

If you have any thoughts on these topics, please message me or call
me at:

yvonneguzman -at- cs -dot- com

(781) 322-8094

If you could possibly do so in the next few days, that would be great. I'm on 
deadline... I'm sure you all know what that's like.