You don't get experienced without time. Time makes you old. The places I've worked (top-10 commercial software developers such as Microsoft) actively seek out experienced programmers. I'm in my 40's, and the companies I've talked to in the last two years consider my experience a big plus. They don't care how old I am, they care about what I can do now, and the proof of being able to do it successfully my background provides. Besides, what are the chances I'll still be there in 10 years? The same has been true for me when I hire developers. Entry level programmer? get someone hungry who will work hard and (relatively) cheap. Need a strong technical lead to architect, design, and implement part of something big? Hire someone who's been in industry 20 years and done it before. If you've delivered good results in the past and are a good programmer, the big software companies are desperate for you. I've seen jobs sit open for a year or more because there weren't enough good, experienced applicants. I've seen the same needs at bigger software houses in Silicon Valley. I can't speak for startups because I haven't done that, but there's a lot more than startups in the bay area...

So much for my typing skills.

The main point I was trying to make (that got mangled in the 2nd paragraph) is that there are more people who pay a TV license fee and don't have ANY broadband, than there are people with broadband who don't have Windows.

The same argument made against doing a Beta Windows-only applies to the BBC doing anything electronically. Think of all the people who pay the TV license that don't have home access to electronic content such as internet video and even - in some cases - websites.

Funny I don't see anyone screaming for their website to be taken down.