I have to just say, that the company of which stompy speaks, is truly this ignorant about their programmers abilities and qualifications for higher paying gigs, which they all (there's three guys in their dept. stompy, asshopo (my hubby) and another 'friend' of ours') could easily get in a heartbeat! I don't think it's that they want to bonus, as much as they want the boss guy to say "Hey guys, I know we do this every year, but things are a changin' as the company is growing, so this year seeing as I wouldn't give you a raise, and I gave you a shitty bonus for a HUGE project that you completed for me, I'm also not going to be giving you a Christmas bonus!"
I think they just want to know what to be prepared for. Asshopo's bonus is usually great for last min. gifts for our kids, and seeing as the above project bonus sucked big donkey bottom. We were kinda hoping that a holiday bonus might help make up for it! It seems tho, that I am going to have to hope they have something at best buy for under $35.
Please don't think of stompy as greedy, just a bit miffed with an unsympothetic jerk of a boss who expects more outta these guys then most. And he expects it all out of kindness and treats them like children (they started at teens and have grown with the company, but they are still treated like teens!) Long story short, I have an understanding of where he's coming from as he works with hubby, and I know his asking is from a different stand point then most are seeing here
Plus the other question he added