Splendorist

What surprises me most is the immediate reactions of the senior managers.

I wonder if that's brilliant sense or even better, part of an 'Apple culture' I'm not familiar with.

5-6 months seems slightly too long, unless you need to work on it full-time for that whole duration.

If you're considering it then sooner or later you'll probably do it. But timing is crucial, so unless you can't continue working on it without quitting it's best to stall for a bit.