I’m Thinking. Please. Be Quiet.

Post by tomasien » Mon, Aug 26, 2013, 4:09 AM UTC

tomasien wrote: post #82

pg wrote: post #68

It's so true. I can do routine work with noise, but not the kind that requires insight. The sad thing is that noise is yet another example of the phenomenon of "the tragedy of the commons." Which means things tend to get noisier and noisier. In fact, what has surprised me most about living in Palo Alto is how noisy it is. You'd think living in the suburbs would at least be quiet. It is on weekends. But the problem wi…

A mild level of ambient noise is proven to increase creative cognition aka make you a better CREATIVE thinker. Just saying http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/665048 from coffitvity.com

Post by babby » Mon, Aug 26, 2013, 4:21 AM UTC

anigbrowl wrote: post #99

pasbesoin wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At this point, I'd gladly take the leaf blower. Car stereo sub-woofers and straight pipe Harleys: Two things that, in my opinion, should be outright outlawed. Live on a street where they are frequent, and your life will be difficult. Live next to someone who tinkers on them incessantly, and your life will be hell. Work is another problem. I wore out my health trying to cope with the "standard environment". (Which, of…

I live near both those things and can put up with the intermittent noise. Leafblowers are an invention of Satan and must be destroyed, preferably along with their owners and operators. They are the epitome of laziness.

Post by machinshin_ » Mon, Aug 26, 2013, 4:27 AM UTC

prawn wrote: post #59

iyulaev wrote: post #40

IIRC Peopleware pointed out a study where they compared two groups of programmers, those working in a quiet environment and those working with music. Given identical assignments, both groups completed it in roughly the same (median) amount of time. However, the assignment was such that there was a "shortcut", i.e. if you thought hard enough about the requirements a much easier solution was possible. Only the programm…

Music/noise isn't the issue so much as lyrics for me (or background phone calls, etc if we're talking about general noise).

Post by ayushgta » Mon, Aug 26, 2013, 4:34 AM UTC

garysweaver wrote: post #103

msluyter wrote: post #19

I'm extremely sensitive to sound, and I've been hoping that the the powers that be will eventually come to the realization that open seating plans are highly suboptimal ( http://www.infoq.com/news/2011/08/open-office-layout , for example). I've used a decibel meter on occasion and have observed that my current office sometimes averages 75-80 db. Which, were I in a coffee shop, I could tolerate for some reason[1] much…

> I'm now highly dependent on noise canceling headphones When you wear them are you listening to music, white/pink noise, etc. or just have them on with nothing playing? What kinds of noises do they cancel best, and what do they have the most trouble cancelling?

Post by nnq » Mon, Aug 26, 2013, 4:43 AM UTC

pg wrote: post #68

It's so true. I can do routine work with noise, but not the kind that requires insight. The sad thing is that noise is yet another example of the phenomenon of "the tragedy of the commons." Which means things tend to get noisier and noisier. In fact, what has surprised me most about living in Palo Alto is how noisy it is. You'd think living in the suburbs would at least be quiet. It is on weekends. But the problem wi…