Some in my network (former consulting clients and business friends) ended up buying the service. So the company benefited in a tangible way (real $'s). I worked as if this was "my company". So yeah, I do feel screwed for the reasons you say and more...
You're right. It's even worse for OP: he just got canned.
> Yes, they did. Is it okay to let the OP go quickly because they made a mistake: no resources to deal with visa issues, wrong domain expertise, etc? Yes.
Agreed.
> Is it okay to do this without compensation, especially after rescinding other offers, working his personal network, etc? No!
He took a job, and got fired. Every time you take a job you rescind other offers. Every time you get fired you probably look back and think "damn I wish I'd taken one of those other offers". The proximity is the issue here, and the insinuating that they could have known this earlier / not made the hire in the first place.
> The OP din't just do some code, he worked his professional network and went out on a limb for this startup.
He didn't go out on a limb, he had a job there as you point out. He was a salaried employee.
They didn't withdraw an offer, they terminated someone who had accepted and was actively working for the company.
They didn't do anything wrong.
Yes, they did. Is it okay to let the OP go quickly because they made a mistake: no resources to deal with visa issues, wrong domain expertise, etc? Yes. Is it okay to do this without compensation, especially after rescinding other offers, working his personal network, etc? No!
The OP din't just do some code, he worked his professional network and went out on a limb for this startup. They screwed him, probably for the right reasons, but they need to admit the mistake and make the OP right.