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Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices

thewalrus.ca

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Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices

#311

They want an office that matches their personality. And apparently, that means beer on tap and lots of it. The office looked like the lobby of a hipster hotel. Over the next few weeks, we showed up each day and tapped away on MacBook Airs to the sounds of Portuguese house music and old-school hip hop piped in through speakers. (“Rap is urban, and so is WeWork,” the company explains online. “But more profoundly, the c…

> If this is the future of tech work, then I guess I'd better find another career--perhaps gardening or wood-working? Exactly. I can't imagine working in an environment like that. You don't want to hear me playing Smooth by Neil Cicierega[1], and I don't want to hear you playing rap. A work environment is not the place to be playing music for everyone around you. Constant generic music is the worst part of retail, an…

> Smooth by Neil Cicierega

Well... there went my evening... a youtube playlist and a wikipedia article later... plus a rewatch of Potter Puppet Pals...

That's one oddly talented dude.

Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices

#312
post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's funny you consider this running them over. I'm sure from their perspective you are hardly a blip on the radar.

You are assuming a lot, but whatever you need to believe will work for you, so I'm sure you are set.

Yeah, you're right. Sorry I came off as condescending, I probably shouldn't have said anything.

Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices

#313
post #303
post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just posted some details below. I think my main mistake was trying to be an accelerator as opposed to simple shared space for rent. We couldn't find a way to make it work financially, considering the amount of time and energy it was demanding. I also underestimated the lack of interest in innovation and startups here in CT.

I appreciate your detailed response (and candor)! Sounds like a great idea on paper -- I would think a "built-in" legal team and infrastructure support would have attracted more interest. Sorry to hear it didn't pan out. Sounds like some shady circumstances around the state-sponsored incubator, on the other hand...

Thanks. Yeah, part of the learning experience was figuring out local politics, and getting completely disgusted by it.

Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices

#314

Here's my way of explaining to managers why software developers need to be left undisturbed. Software developers on average write only about ten lines a day. The reason the process is so slow is that for each new line of code, you are trying to accomplish a task, and their are a great many different specific ways to do it. However, you can't pick just any way of doing it. That's because any line of code will impact o…

In comic form: http://heeris.id.au/2013/this-is-why-you-shouldnt-interrupt-... ("This Is Why You Shouldn't Interrupt a Programmer")

Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices

#315
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is totally tangent to the coworking discussion - but honestly mouth moods is a work of art and Neil is a genius. If anyone hasn't heard it, play T.I.M.E.[0] its really unexpectedly good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsoCe7C4Kmk

T.I.M.E. is a favorite of mine when listening to Mouth Moods straight through. But I can't have it in my shuffled playlists like I can with Smooth or Wow Wow. It's like Love Psych. Great idea, great execution, but not something I can listen to very often. I do like how it brings out the message the Village People intended though. You have to really try to hear what they're saying in the original.

I actually extracted it out manually and added it to my Spotify because it wasn't posted. Works just fine.

Re: Why It’s So Hard to Actually Work in Shared Offices

#316
post #292

I once worked in an open plan office with a guy that had Tourette's syndrome. As you can imagine, for him the open plan office was a particular kind of torture that should only be reserved for the worst members of humanity.

I'm curious what it was specifically about his Tourette's that caused him problems in the open office. I ask because I suspect I have mild Tourette's, and absolutely hate the open office my work moved us into.

For me it is the incessent people-noise. Loud-laughers, sounds of chewing, constant self-talk, etc. If it was just light-industrial noise, it wouldn't be so bad.

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