It's very difficult for creative programmers in the academic CS world
to compete with those in the free-software world. Academics have one
advantage: money. Free-software programmers have another: freedom.
Ideally one would have both, but if you have to pick, pick freedom.

That's it in a nutshell.  Qi would never have been finished if I'd
stayed in my job.  But the no money bit is a PITA.  In the long run
you need both. And a creative stimulating environment.   Unis are
supposed to provide freedom+stimulus+creativity+security; actually
they provide none of these except £ (and not a lot over here).  Its a
dead-end that destroys many able minds.

I'm working on s solution to that one.

Also see Kent Pitman on unis being overpriced for their product.