The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light • Hacker News Board

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#101

Post by dsfyu404ed » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:15 PM UTC

morsch wrote: post #94

pluma wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That list is terrible: 3: pillows may be considered passive weapons but that is irrelevant unless it is used as such or carried in a context where it is likely intended to be used as such (e.g. while participating in a demonstration). That said, assaulting random people in public with a pillow is probably still illegal because it involves assaulting random people (albeit with a weapon that's less likely to cause perm…

Note that a "passive weapon" is not a weapon. It's odd legalese for defensive equipment, including helmets, gas masks amongst other things. So a passive weapon is not a weapon at all, and pillows might be included because of their property to shield yourself, not because of the damage they can cause others. "Passive weapons" are not illegal; it is illegal to bring them to a demonstration with the intent to use them t…

So it's illegal to bring things that help you defend yourself to a situation where you, without personally doing anything wrong, may be attacked? Sounds great. /s

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#102

Post by tdehollain » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:16 PM UTC

I sometimes wonder how light fixtures that mimic natural light are not a thing yet. They exist, but somehow they remained a niche product.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#103

Post by JustSomeNobody » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:16 PM UTC

dsfyu404ed wrote: post #22

Tor3 wrote: post #7

In some civilized countries natural light is actually a requirement, by law. Not in the server closet etc, but in your office it is. You can, of course, adjust the curtains or whatever to get the exact amount you prefer (which typically changes throughout the day, as the sun passes)

Of all the thing that make me thing "there ought to be a law" natural light seems like it should be way down the priority list. edit: And yes, I've worked in places with and without natural light, both white collar jobs and near minimum wage jobs. Comfortable temperature for the amount of physical activity I'm being asked to do and a comfortable amount of space in which to work are both a million times more important…

Why? Departments like OSHA exist for a reason.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#104

Post by odonnellryan » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:17 PM UTC

baby wrote: post #32

yitchelle wrote: post #20

Is this really considered a perk? It is a bit like getting paid is a perk. I work in Germany where direct access to natural sunlight is part of our OH&S policies.

I’ve worked in an office without windows, really takes a toll on you.

Eh. I don't get much light in my office which is in a basement. I haven't noticed much.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#105

Post by martinwww » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:18 PM UTC

or CO2 concentration under 1000 ... in our building they somehow trying to save money on air conditioning so we don't consider air in the office to be 'fresh' as there's usually ~1500ppm - 2000ppm CO2 concentration.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#106

Post by Invictus0 » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:19 PM UTC

I'm a mechanical engineer. Engineering workplaces are notorious for poor sunlight exposure. Even the big tech companies develop their products in windowless rooms. And forget it if you have to go anywhere near a factory floor, it feels like you're in a cave.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#107

Post by Aeolun » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:19 PM UTC

tdehollain wrote: post #102

I sometimes wonder how light fixtures that mimic natural light are not a thing yet. They exist, but somehow they remained a niche product.

Even if they were used, nothing beats a window.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#108

Post by adwww » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:20 PM UTC

invalidusernam3 wrote: post #23

For me, it's aircon

I hate office aircon. There always seems to be a lag between hot weather starting and the ac getting ramped up, and the other way around, hot weather over, AC still on full blast.

I keep 2 different jackets in my office locker to wear at my desk in the middle of summer, because I don't know how hot or not it will be at my desk.

At least in offices without it, I know to dress appropiately based on the weather outside.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#109

Post by CalRobert » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:21 PM UTC

Legogris wrote: post #14

Am I the only one here who actually likes it dark? It might be healthier with natural light, but my personal preferences has always been darkness. I wonder if it is related to coming from a northern country (Scandinavia) where ~1/4 of the year is really dark.

My preference is nearly a dark cave and people think I'm odd. I also use a plugin to make FF have dark backgrounds and light text. I don't enjoy squinting all the time.

In at least one case, it wasn't just me. I used to work editing photos on California's central coast and after we moved to a building with loads and loads of skylights, and got a bunch of new glossy-screen iMacs, it was really hard to get color accuracy if you wore anything but a black or white shirt. It was like staring at a mirror all day long. Eventually we got umbrellas to blot out the sun and that helped.

Re: The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

#110

Post by coaxial » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:21 PM UTC

staz wrote: post #65

yitchelle wrote: post #20

Is this really considered a perk? It is a bit like getting paid is a perk. I work in Germany where direct access to natural sunlight is part of our OH&S policies.

Next perk they gonna get is "breathable air"

Well, you already have "ping pong tables", "snacks", "disrupting the world" and "open space floor plan" listed as perks quite often, so why not. It is a perk as opposed to no breathing air, so...