Actually I contributed a great deal to Ubuntu. I did some multimedia/userspace/64-bit debugging and I helped out with the tech support in #ubuntu. Nothing with my name stamped on it though, I just threw bugs at MOTUs. :\
Where would you recommend as an alternative to Columbus? I seemed to have the impression we had a decent IT/Software Dev market here. (indeed.com/salary says the avg C# coder makes $85k. shrugs) That's partially why I was disheartened, thought I was having trouble finding a job in the context of a good market.
I'll look into contributing more time to open source stuff.
In terms of open source, I think you get more bang for your buck in terms of fame and fortune by working on your own projects, if they're relatively successful, than by playing a small role in someone else's. Sad but true.
In terms of Ohio... I've never been there, and I have a strong bias against flat places (my home office here in Innsbruck is higher than the entire state of Ohio!), so I'd head to somewhere like California, Oregon, Washington, or maybe Colorado, as that's a bit closer to where you are.
Where would you recommend as an alternative to Columbus? I seemed to have the impression we had a decent IT/Software Dev market here. (indeed.com/salary says the avg C# coder makes $85k. shrugs) That's partially why I was disheartened, thought I was having trouble finding a job in the context of a good market.
I'll look into contributing more time to open source stuff.