I worked a lot of different jobs in the software industry over the years. I mostly wrote code to control electro-mechanical devices, such as robots, X-ray machines, airport security scanners, and many other similar devices. At most of the places that I worked I was a direct hire, receiving a flat salary, getting benefits, and, at the end of the year, a W2 form. I also worked a number of jobs as a contractor where I would be paid by the hour, have some control over the hours that I worked, and was able to deduct expenses incurred while working. I liked working as a contractor; I felt a little less owned, and it seemed like a much fairer deal …
