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Ask HN: Which companies give programmers offices?

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Re: Ask HN: Which companies give programmers offices?

#231

Post by rdiddly »

Intel still has the old-school high-walled cubicles in some places. But gradually, floor by floor, building by building, they've been renovating, and you know what that means! More openness. To their credit the new motif is 1) more aesthetically pleasing, and 2) not TOTALLY open.

In other words, not this fuckin' nightmare... http://workdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Open-plan-o... ...but more like a range going from this... https://media.glassdoor.com/l/ce/49/d7/6c/intel-office.jpg ...to this... http://media.glassdoor.com/m/2d/0e/af/40/desk-with-a-view.jp... ...and even this... https://media.glassdoor.com/l/17/25/41/7c/intel-office.jpg

Re: Ask HN: Which companies give programmers offices?

#232

Post by rdiddly »

sizzzzlerz wrote: post #110

My 600-person company, a wholly-owned part of a much, much larger national multi-billion dollar company has single or double private offices, with doors, for the entire staff, new hires, IT, admin, everyone, at our headquarters in SV as well as our smaller, satellite offices. AFAIK, there is no plan to change this. If, however, our current lease isn't renewed and the company moves, all bets are off. I've heard rumors…

I grudgingly concede that "my 600-person company" is a valid answer to the question. But never mind that -- How are YOU doing? Everything going well? What's new?

I am, as they say back East, breaking your balls a little. (-‿)

Re: Ask HN: Which companies give programmers offices?

#234

Post by lordnacho »

neuronsguy wrote: post #155
lordnacho wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One thing that matters a lot is the behaviour of the people. I used to work in a small open office where one guy would constantly hold debates with everyone. It was pretty hard to stay out of it, and very distracting. Now I'm in an office with a similar layout and staff, but it's like a library. There's the occasional group discussion or banter, but not enough to bother. I've worked in finance my whole career, so it'…

Which did you prefer? I currently work in the former environment (but everyone is like that guy), and it's super noisy and distracting but also fun.

I've come to the conclusion that watching the market is a fool's errand. We don't need to discuss our trades all the time. Or politics. Or gossip. The common space should be used sparingly.

It is more fun though, to have a constant debate. Just not productive.

Re: Ask HN: Which companies give programmers offices?

#235

Post by sabarn01 »

qq66 wrote: post #84
Chris911 wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most new buildings at Microsoft now have open office plans.

This is mostly due to employee demand (although some employees are very angry about it).

Also work for MS I have an office, but wouldn't care if we went open. I worked for wall street for a while and was used to it.

Re: Ask HN: Which companies give programmers offices?

#236

Post by Kluny »

bdavisx wrote: post #128
onion2k wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's contribution; it's not supposed to cover the full cost.

If it's your employer, they should be paying for the entire cost of your office.

There was a dedicated office in San Francisco that was free for Automattic staff, but it closed down recently because they were paying to maintain a space for 300 people and only 2-3 ever showed up.

Re: Ask HN: Which companies give programmers offices?

#237

Post by dang »

yvhhjbb wrote: post #225
colanderman wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The toilet seats were always urinated on. I don't get this; this happened at my workplace too, until we installed a coded lock on the restroom (which was otherwise accessible to anyone in the building). What kind of boor has a professional job but can't piss in a foot-diameter hole and is too lazy to clean up when he does so?

Indians?

We've banned this account for repeatedly violating the HN guidelines. If you don't want to be banned on HN, you're welcome to email hn@ycombinator.com and give us reason to believe that you'll follow the rules in the future.

Re: Ask HN: Which companies give programmers offices?

#238

Post by pawadu »

orange_bear wrote: post #113

Apple placed me in an experimental building where they were changing the interior design constantly, trying to decide how to design their new "space ship" building. The whole time, I fumed at no longer having an office and having to work in an open office design. I could not focus due to audio and visual interruptions while I worked (programmer) in the open office spaces. But no one ever asked me for my opinion about…

So what do the designers think of the new office?

I once was at a place were designers always had the last word (maybe because CEO was an architect), hence their new offices looked like a much cheaper version of Starbucks. With fewer couches and the few walls that made it were all made of glass.

The company is no longer around. These days just nearby their old offices brings back horrible memories.

Re: Ask HN: Which companies give programmers offices?

#240

Post by puranjay »

pawadu wrote: post #238
orange_bear wrote: post #113

Apple placed me in an experimental building where they were changing the interior design constantly, trying to decide how to design their new "space ship" building. The whole time, I fumed at no longer having an office and having to work in an open office design. I could not focus due to audio and visual interruptions while I worked (programmer) in the open office spaces. But no one ever asked me for my opinion about…

So what do the designers think of the new office? I once was at a place were designers always had the last word (maybe because CEO was an architect), hence their new offices looked like a much cheaper version of Starbucks. With fewer couches and the few walls that made it were all made of glass. The company is no longer around. These days just nearby their old offices brings back horrible memories.

Designing seems like a collaborative thing. I'm a writer and nothing peeves me more than open offices.

Some tasks require isolation. Writing is one of them. I reckon programming is similar.

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