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“Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

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Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#101

Post by patmcc »

threeseed wrote: post #21
option wrote: post #7

Having worked as researcher/dev in both private office and open space setup, I am absolutely convinced that private offices are way more productive than open office setup for researchers and developers. Most, if not all, of my colleagues feel the same. In fact, I don't think I will ever accept an offer from a mature company (not startup) which houses its developers in open space.

The trend in most modern workspaces is to have mixed use. Generally open plan for most day-to-day work and then a variety of private areas. For example offices and cubicles that are shared. Development is always tricky because often you need clear air to solve problems but then occasionally collaboration is required.

I think everyone agrees that you need both options, but there's still the question of which is better:

1. Open plan for day-to-day with some private rooms. 2. Private rooms for day-to-day with lots of breakout rooms (or similar).

I think the first is cheaper (lower square footage), but I'd much rather work in the second.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#103

Post by nilkn »

jordigh wrote: post #90
ctvo wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really? All of this is on your list? If I asked for 3 mandatory meetings a year you're NEVER going to work at my company? How do you go through life being so rigid on such relatively trivial issues?

Yeah, no kidding. I started thinking, "What makes you so fucking cool and unique to deserve all of this? Have you seen what people in India have to put up with to get a tech job? Why do you consider yourself better than them?"

That's not a very convincing line of reasoning at all. It's just the classic "there are starving children in Africa" slippery slope argument. What happened to striving for better? There's nothing wrong with that.

Worse, it seems to unfairly distort things as well. On what basis have you concluded that this person thinks he's better than people from India?

And I think except for a few bullet points he's not asking for much that isn't pretty normal in the US. My first job out of college satisfied bullet points

1,2,3,4,5,6,8,10,11,12A,14,15,16,17,18,19,20.

I left out most of the equity-based ones simply because the company didn't do equity. I left off 7 even though we had very flexible hours. They just weren't so flexible that you could work at night.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#104

Post by moron4hire »

Reminds me of the episode of "Better Off Ted" where they invent an itchy chair and it increases productivity because workers can't get too comfortable. In focus group testing, they find a maximum limit of uncomfortableness before people start jumping out of windows.

I keep thinking the latest announcement of "gigantic open floor plan" is going to be that stroke too far. But I have also learned to be disappointed.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#105

Post by rdl »

bane wrote: post #94
MCRed wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Parking-- problem is, when you have to source it yourself you can end up working for a company where there is not enough parking in the area. Spent a year dealing with this, couldn't get a spot to rent on a monthly basis, there was more demand than parking supply in the area. The company got a deal on the office rental and so ignored this. Them having to source it forces them to take it into account. Convenient to tr…

I could take or leave about half of your list, but parking...I'll never work for a company that doesn't provide parking for their employees. Either get space in a building with free parking, rent a space for your employees (it's not that much even in big cities) or give the option of heavily subsidized mass transit. My last place rented near a subway station, 2hr on-street parking, no nearby garages, would only cover…

CloudFlare is at 665 3rd St; it's 3rd/Townsend. 90% of the employees live nearby, take Chariot or other services, take BART (20-25 min walk), or take Caltrain (3 minute talk). 5 of us drive and park.

I am paying $260/mo for my parking spot. It's not awesome, but it's not the end of the world.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#106

Post by jordigh »

nilkn wrote: post #103
jordigh wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, no kidding. I started thinking, "What makes you so fucking cool and unique to deserve all of this? Have you seen what people in India have to put up with to get a tech job? Why do you consider yourself better than them?"

That's not a very convincing line of reasoning at all. It's just the classic "there are starving children in Africa" slippery slope argument. What happened to striving for better? There's nothing wrong with that. Worse, it seems to unfairly distort things as well. On what basis have you concluded that this person thinks he's better than people from India? And I think except for a few bullet points he's not asking for…

That's not what a slippery slope argument is. I am not arguing that some event must follow inevitably from the other without presenting an argument for why this follows.

Anyway, what bugs me so much is the entitlement. Sure, maybe you can find a job like that. But what makes you think that you deserve it?

And yes, there is a problem with being entitled. The world is already too full of selfish assholes. I really would not want to work with someone who is looking for so many reasons to be unhappy with a job.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#107

Post by Fiahil »

notatoad wrote: post #102
Fiahil wrote: post #98

How did they put a 9-acre park on the roof?

they made a building that covers 9 acres and put dirt and grass and trees on top of it.

Yes, obviously, but how is it possible for the building to withstand the weight of the dirt, grass and trees?

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#108

Post by fsk »

moe wrote: post #81

a single room that fits thousands of people. What a nightmare. These "glass palace" offices may work for bankers or marketing teams. For programmers you could just as well plant their desks into the middle of a mall.

The offensive part is the people who say that open offices are MORE EFFICIENT than a traditional office. I have a hard time believing that one.

Given how high programmer salaries are, the productivity loss due to open offices is almost definitely more than the office space savings.

It seems like an introvert/extrovert thing. The introverts would prefer a quiet working space (and they're usually the best workers), but extroverts want the easy communication (and they're usually the bosses).

Even small team rooms of 4-10 people get annoying when the other person has a smelly meal, has a cold, prefers a different temperature, or listens to music on his headphones so loudly I can hear it.

One of my favorite jokes is when a job ad says "We provide headphones so you can concentrate!" as a serious job perk. How about a quiet space?

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#109

Post by InclinedPlane »

vlunkr wrote: post #30
option wrote: post #7

Having worked as researcher/dev in both private office and open space setup, I am absolutely convinced that private offices are way more productive than open office setup for researchers and developers. Most, if not all, of my colleagues feel the same. In fact, I don't think I will ever accept an offer from a mature company (not startup) which houses its developers in open space.

For me, open office + headphones = private office. At a vastly reduced cost. I know that doesn't work for everyone though.

A private office means you can have a meeting (scheduled or not) with up to 2 or 3 other people without having to bother looking for a conference room.

Re: “Today we moved into our new Facebook building”

#110

Post by shard972 »

gdilla wrote: post #4

It's like we're going back to the industrial golden age where all a companies workers would get subsidized cookiecutter housing and certain amenities close to the plant. You never have to leave your employer bubble now. The conditions have never been better to work remotely, yet I guess another way to eliminate commutes is to make your workplace so livable you never leave (much). :)

Just like a foxcon!
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