Office noise generator • Hacker News Board

Re: Office noise generator

#131

Post by Ensorceled » Wed, Apr 08, 2020, 5:58 PM UTC

slantyyz wrote: post #95

Ensorceled wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you really turn that offhand comment into a rant about geek gatekeeping? I started working in an era when electric typewriters were still common. They certainly were not used in the common areas in any place I worked because of the noise. Just to be clear, if you make a ton of noise in a common environment it’s your job to find a way to reduce your impact. If we have to go to the manager to make you change your w…

Didn't offices in that era have an area called a "typing pool" to confine the noise to a dedicated area to keep common areas quieter?

Two of my work places did. Others just had a layout where the people who typed were kept away from other employees, like small set of typing cubicles in the open area surrounded by offices or cubicles at the far end of the open area with an open space between typists and others.

One of my workplaces was a mainframe shop, some of the older devs still programmed their cobol/fortran iv code on sheets and took it to the data entry pool in another wing for input.

Re: Office noise generator

#132

Post by ornornor » Wed, Apr 08, 2020, 7:27 PM UTC

ornornor wrote: post #8

That’s honestly what I miss the least from the office. I don’t use it at all actually. The noise is the absolute worst part.

s/use/miss

Re: Office noise generator

#133

Post by brailsafe » Wed, Apr 08, 2020, 7:43 PM UTC

at-fates-hands wrote: post #105

brailsafe wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How am I supposed to work without the guy next to me chewing the egg he just cracked with his mouth open, the guy behind me crunching chips and audibly burping, and the sales guy with a bluetooth earpiece and mechanical keyboard!? I do not miss the office.

You forgot about the guy doing his kettle bell routine at his stand up desk. And no, I'm not joking. It actually happened, for several days until enough people complained and he stopped doing it.

I think that's insane, but I also don't have a space to do any kind of workout at the office. When most people are gone for the day I try and use one of the empty meeting rooms for a few stretches and push-ups.

Re: Office noise generator

#134

Post by Cilvic » Wed, Apr 08, 2020, 8:02 PM UTC

nathell wrote: post #25

CodeGlitch wrote: post #20

I don't miss the office noises. I do miss the random conversations that took place. I've had to replace that with IRC (which isn't too bad!)

At my current workplace (we're 100% remote these days), we've instituted daily non-compulsory coffee meetings on Zoom, for the purpose of talking about something other than work and fostering random conversations. It's not perfect, but it's something.

Maybe give this a try https://voice.tenxeng.com/, still early and we'd love feedback.

Re: Office noise generator

#135

Post by wdr1 » Wed, Apr 08, 2020, 8:30 PM UTC

wow, this made me appreciate working from home in an instant.

Re: Office noise generator

#136

Post by ncr100 » Wed, Apr 08, 2020, 11:20 PM UTC

talonx wrote: post #13

Does not work on Firefox

Works on Firefox

osx 10.4 FFX 74

Re: Office noise generator

#137

Post by Havoc » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 12:39 AM UTC

jmiserez wrote: post #75

onion2k wrote: post #10

It needs an option to amplify the typing noises to "I work with developers who insist mechanical keyboards are better" levels.

There are now quiet Cherry MX switches, dampened in both directions of travel: https://www.cherrymx.de/en/mx-original/mx-silent-red.html They're no louder than a regular membrane keyboard, and much quieter than just using O-rings.

I've got red silents - they're not as clacky but silent isn't quite right either

Re: Office noise generator

#138

Post by shultays » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 2:36 AM UTC

onion2k wrote: post #10

It needs an option to amplify the typing noises to "I work with developers who insist mechanical keyboards are better" levels.

Or someone that cuts his nails on his desk.

... that is not normal right? He was so casual about it ans no one seemed to be bithered which made me wonder if i am the weird one

Re: Office noise generator

#139

Post by mr_toad » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 4:14 AM UTC

Shivetya wrote: post #71

Pelic4n wrote: post #2

For realism, it should integrate people making their calls in the open space, the guy right next to you chewing loudly with an open mouth, the heated design debate occuring 3 desks from you and the salespeople celebrating their bonus with a lot of volume. I do not miss the office.

now all we need is the ability to generate smells on demand to experience the burnt popcorn and two pack a day smoker whose jacket has experience forty years of it

And the smell of fish casserole in the microwave.

Re: Office noise generator

#140

Post by decibe1 » Thu, Apr 09, 2020, 6:55 AM UTC

https://www.ambient-mixer.com/ has a ton of these types of background noises. All the sounds can be individually leveled and you can easily create your own from their audio library.