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How to work remotely as a software developer

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Re: How to work remotely as a software developer

#91

Post by nikster »

smutticus wrote: post #8
simonsarris wrote: post #2

I really enjoyed this article, and I'd like to add that software developers working remotely could probably learn a lot from the wisdom of writers, which has been collected in hundreds of articles on the web. (search for "advice from best authors" or "daily routines of great writers", etc, and you're bound to find many such articles. Some are good, most are puffery, but so it goes with anything). Not all of the advic…

A man is a fool not to put everything he has, at any given moment, into what he is creating. You're there now doing the thing on paper. You're not killing the goose, you're just producing an egg. So I don't worry about inspiration, or anything like that. It's a matter of just sitting down and working. I have never had the problem of a writing block. I've heard about it. I've felt reluctant to write on some days, for…

Writing code when you know you dont have a solution is a complete waste of time. You end up with bad code you have to throw away. Or worse, you dont throw it away and end up with huge tail end costs of user errors, QA time, futile attempts to fix the rotten, and eventually rewriting the whole thing anyway.

Writing is apparently different in this regard.

Re: How to work remotely as a software developer

#92

Post by nikster »

benjamincburns wrote: post #21
jiggy2011 wrote: post #13

I've never tried working from a coffee shop but it seems people do. How does that work out financially? I imagine they aren't too pleased if you just buy a coffee and then occupy space for 5 hours. But I don't really want to spend a fortune on excessive caffeine consumption and $5 bagels.

I think if you work a whole day in a coffee shop, you're kind of a jerk. I occasionally go to a coffee shop to work for an hour or so. Many times it's been the most focused hour I had that week. The biggest thing is to remember that you're in a place of business. If you're going to take their space, buy something, tip well, and be courteous to the people around you.

THANK YOU

A netiquette for coffee shops, I wholeheartedly agree.

I work at coffee shops a lot; I keep sitting there when I can see there are plenty of empty tables - that means my sitting there is a net positive for the Cafe: I might consume more, and often do. And having customers is better than having none, it attracts other people.

If I see that many customers are coming and that I might actually block people from getting a table, I leave.

Only exceptions is Starbucks because its a huge chain and they have always had an official sit as long as you want policy which has worked out very well for them. I am not sure about the actual business trade off but I often end up at Starbucks because I know I can sit there as long as I want - this business might otherwise have gone to independents. I realize though that what works for a large chain might not work for the coffee shop on the corner.

Re: How to work remotely as a software developer

#93

Post by andyjdavis »

corford wrote: post #49
jiggy2011 wrote: post #13

I've never tried working from a coffee shop but it seems people do. How does that work out financially? I imagine they aren't too pleased if you just buy a coffee and then occupy space for 5 hours. But I don't really want to spend a fortune on excessive caffeine consumption and $5 bagels.

The thing I've never understood is how people apparently manage to stay productive. There's no way I'd be able to get anything done sitting in a booth of a busy coffee shop, tapping away on a laptop and fighting with the congested wifi. Definitely prefer working from home with my three monitors, comfy chair and DSL line. I'm not a big coffee drinker though so maybe that's it...

Its just a matter of practice and maybe a little natural aptitude. I frequently work in coffee shops, restaurants and bars. Once I have headphones on and music playing that's a signal to my brain that its time to concentrate. It also helps to choose your seat so that you wont have people brushing past you.

Re: How to work remotely as a software developer

#94

Post by nikster »

BCM43 wrote: post #20
jiggy2011 wrote: post #13

I've never tried working from a coffee shop but it seems people do. How does that work out financially? I imagine they aren't too pleased if you just buy a coffee and then occupy space for 5 hours. But I don't really want to spend a fortune on excessive caffeine consumption and $5 bagels.

I have yet to find a coffee shop with solid enough Internet for my needs. From talking to people I know in management at coffee shops, the reason for this is that the don't want people sitting there all day working. This may be different at different coffee shops though.

BYOI

Re: How to work remotely as a software developer

#95

Post by nikster »

DavidHogue wrote: post #19
jiggy2011 wrote: post #13

I've never tried working from a coffee shop but it seems people do. How does that work out financially? I imagine they aren't too pleased if you just buy a coffee and then occupy space for 5 hours. But I don't really want to spend a fortune on excessive caffeine consumption and $5 bagels.

I did it for a few months while moving to a new city before I had my own place. It wasn't too bad. I'd buy a basic coffee (and sometimes a cheap bagel) and find a corner to setup in. At lunch, I'd pack up and find something to eat, then head to a different place and buy a coffee. Sometimes I'd go to the library instead. It wasn't any more expensive than going out with coworkers for lunch every day... Most businesses…

I was working in coffee shops for 2 years and thats what I did.

As for getting stuff done, if you find a coffee shop where people are working / studying, its great.

I have worked remotely from SE Asia for the past 8 years; Id go to visit clients in the USA two times a year and they would give me a cubicle in Palo Alto. I really enjoyed the company of my co workers, all great folks and it was great to see them face to face after IM ing them for 6 months. But to get actual work done, Id go outside and sit in a Coffee Shop...

The article is spot on about the downsides of working remotely - the biggest issues are routine, discipline, and communication.

What it does not mention are the downsides of working in the office: - Distractions by chatting with friends - Distractions by meetings - Lack of discipline because they pay you to warm your chair for 8 hours. If i am in the office, its work time - obviously. When I work remotely the only way to prove I was actually working is getting shit done.

Re: How to work remotely as a software developer

#96

Post by andyjdavis »

jiggy2011 wrote: post #13

I've never tried working from a coffee shop but it seems people do. How does that work out financially? I imagine they aren't too pleased if you just buy a coffee and then occupy space for 5 hours. But I don't really want to spend a fortune on excessive caffeine consumption and $5 bagels.

It varies hugely depending on where in the world you are, your attitude and the attitude of the staff. I'm from Australia but spend most of my life moving around in Asia.

In Australia coffee shops rarely provide wifi. We've never been moved on but there's only so much you can do without a net connection.

In most of south east Asia in particular they're generally not phased by you sitting there for hours and hours. We avoid anywhere super busy which probably helps.

My wife and I will buy something periodically because we get hungry but the cost is usually minimal. A breakfast each, two fruit shakes mid morning, 2 lunches. Total cost usually less than $15.

As we're quite smiley friendly people and my wife is a woman, duh, and people often feel more comfortable talking to a woman we've wound up forming a bit of a relationship with the staff at some places. We've had the occasional free drink or snack, had staff worried about our welfare because we didn't show up one day, had staff taking it upon themselves to provide us with an extension cord so we could recharge our stuff while sitting at a table with a nice view, hugs all round when we drop in to say that we're leaving town. We've had masses of positive experiences and I can't really think of when we've encountered anything more negative than an unreliable net connection.

Re: How to work remotely as a software developer

#97

Post by contingencies »

sillysaurus wrote: post #73
smutticus wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A man is a fool not to put everything he has, at any given moment, into what he is creating. You're there now doing the thing on paper. You're not killing the goose, you're just producing an egg. So I don't worry about inspiration, or anything like that. It's a matter of just sitting down and working. I have never had the problem of a writing block. I've heard about it. I've felt reluctant to write on some days, for…

Some of my best code was written after basically abandoning the problem for a day. Of course, the problem wasn't really abandoned -- I was thinking about how to solve it the whole time. But I wasn't writing any code. Forcing yourself to write isn't necessarily best.

Absolutely. I have been working remotely for many years, with a brief stop in a couple of offices 2-3 years back. I've found that a break of a day or a few can do wonders. Don't push yourself too hard, it's not efficient. Being critical of your output without going overboard and in to the stress-zone is a hard balance to find, but gets easier over time. Another thing: when I was younger I could push myself on financial grounds; now when I lack the spark for implementation I instead push myself on integrity grounds. Not sure if anyone else has this experience? I for one still really enjoy my work.

Re: How to work remotely as a software developer

#99

Post by porker »

rpwilcox wrote: post #84
porker wrote: post #59

This works when you're a remote worker, but what about when you're a freelancer with multiple clients, using time tracking software? Where do you bill the "going for a walk to clear your head", the "restroom break" or that all-too-common one, "popping on Hacker News to see if anything exciting's happened in the last 5 minutes"? Joking aside, I've reached burnout by driving myself hard to get 8 billable hours each day…

I suggest you alter your assumptions of how many hours you can get in a day. If your monthly budget depends on you billing 8 hours a day, 20 days a month you are setting yourself up to be disappointed. I know that, by in large, I can bill a 30 hour week, assuming I have a full time project. Between not billing for restroom or mental health breaks, random trips to Fry's for a new hard drive, etc... those tasks can eat…

It's not my monthly budget, so much as my guilt complex that people in full-time employment are paid to do 8 hours work each day. I don't quite 'get' how they can be employed in that and have a clean conscience if they then procrastinate or use it for restroom breaks - and I do know that office workers waste a lot of time.

You're right though about the hours; 30 seems sensible to aim for, especially being newly-married where working late every evening isn't a Good Idea (TM).

Re: How to work remotely as a software developer

#100

Post by westoque »

I think everyone has their own cup of tea. I have been working remotely for about a year now in different places around the world and what I find most appealing to is to find a co-working place where I can get stuff done and have that busy/creative feeling all around without the constraints for work hours.

I have met some of the smartest and most amazing people in these places. It's also nice because doesn't make you such a loner :-)

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