Information Week has an interesting article about those involved in such online ventures as digg, del.icio.us, Zoot, and Six Apart's Movable Type. Basically, the article discusses how people have made their money off of blogging or providing the blog-like software and services.
Most people who pull down a paycheck dream of making a living at their hobby. For IT managers, the dream is more within reach than it is for most professionals, as their technical skills can give them a head start in building businesses on the Web. A supertalented few have even made fortunes.
How do they do it? We went straight to the sources, interviewing tech pros who turned their cyberhobbies into full-time jobs. Many of them truly were accidental entrepreneurs; others at least had an inkling they could make a go of it. All were helped along by a business-fertile Internet environment, their raw ambition, supportive spouses, and a little luck. They haven't all become rich, but they're all making a living at what they used to do for fun.
I enjoyed the article and I think most of CMS Report's visitors will also find the article interesting. However, I have one point to make. Success is not an accident. While these people may be very lucky to have a "job" doing something they love, accidents just don't happen. It takes a lot of hard work, sweat, risk, and dedication to become successful in IT. Sure there are exceptions...but I think most of those interviewed in the article wouldn't really consider their success to be found only by accident.