I've worked 3-6 month projects where every minute was slinging code. And I regularly put my house and family on the line for my business.
I already have a business. I show companies how to run technology teams. I'm just looking to move into startup country because I like that environment more than the suit and tie world. I've led 5-person startup teams, and I've led 40-person rearchitecture groups. I like the startup teams a lot better.
I personally would need to save up for a while & pay down some debt before even trying to apply. But I would never knock the idea of cutting ramen-noodle checks to YC founders. It's at the very least much better (for the probably outcome of the business) than cutting filet-mignon checks.
That's the thing about getting married and having kids: it makes your life a lot more complicated. Personally I don't mind living out of an apartment and eating noodles for 3 or 4 months. I could even skip a couple months on the mortgage if I had to. But when they start taking away things your family needs to survive, like a house, then that's not eating steaks, that's starving. While I have no problem gambling my family's assets on my business, I don't feel it is morally right to actually lose everything they have.
Now if it was just me, that's a different story. At one point in my life, due to a fire when I was in my 20s, I lost everything I had. In a way, it's a totally liberating experience. Most people really don't need all that crap they surround themselves with every day.
That's why I replied to the article. I can see both sides of the story. Most young single guys don't need a lot of money (especially with Web applications) to make a go of it. The numbers get bigger with a wife, and they get even bigger with kids. That's not wanting Filet Mignons, that's just life.
I've got myself into sticky situations befre re: money, and have had to get out of them myself.
All of the money-managing books & articles I've ever read say that one of the most important decisions you'll ever make re: your financial future is the spouse you get married to.
The right one could be a net positive (moral support, financial support, etc), while the wrong one could lead to disaster in your financial life.
Kids? Now that's a whole different story...!
You lose a lot of time, time that would otherwise be spent working on your startup. Time that is important when you are trying to cram as much as possible into a 10 week timeframe.
I agree that the knowledge and contacts are what you guys should be going for. Running on savings and forgetting about the money is the only strategy I can figure that works for us "high maintenance" entrepreneurs. If I apply, I'll just make sure I have money in savings to run for six months or so first.