Great article, jc. I find this whole thread very interesting, and I would like to add the story I know. My wife is a mathematician and actuary by education, but has been involved with computers for a long time, and now works as a sysadmin at the same place where I study. She is very geeky in some aspects - she enjoys technology and gadgets and never misses an opportunity to check her email. She is intensely focused in her work and very capable - she keeps a large network running, and she will stay late and come early as necessary to achieve that objective. But she also plays the guitar, likes to run and work out, is prepping for her upcoming GMAT exam, and has many other interests. Which means that she leaves at 5 and completely forgets about work to pursue other things. She almost doesn't tinker with the computers at home, and does not program for fun (although she uses Perl at work, of course). Me, I'm a complete and absolute geek, and find it difficult to stop thinking or talking about technology. Sometimes I find her "lack of geekness" disturbing, and sometimes she finds my obsessivity disturbing. We are very different in that respect, but that doesn't make her any less capable or technically able. It's just that she sees technology as a tool, while I see it as my life.

So I agree that being a "9 to 5er" has nothing to do with the hours you keep, but with the attitude you have.

--ZZamboni