Just curious. Why does the site's title have HTML in it? Bug or feature? :)
Remote Only
351–360 of 374 posts
Re: Remote Only
#352[deleted]
Re: Remote Only
#353My somewhat reductive conclusion about remote work is that it boils down to the ability to be an effective writer. If you're not good at written communication, or you work with people who are not good at it, remote work will be miserable. People who are not highly fluent in the company's written language or those with some level of dyslexia will struggle. Also some people get frustrated with the more analytic approac…
People say that, yet in my experience it's not actually true. We just need to communicate enough to coordinate. I'm not a great communicator, I don't think most people at my work are great communicators, yet we work just fine as a remote company. I feel people exaggerate this belief. Regular chatter in public chat channels seems sufficient. What really seems to matter is work ethics.
I don't think you have to be an experienced essayist or something. If you can read HN and make comments I think you've probably met the bar. I've worked with people who really struggle to convey or understand technical discussions in text, such that I usually had to talk with them face to face to communicate anything non trivial.
Re: Remote Only
#354My somewhat reductive conclusion about remote work is that it boils down to the ability to be an effective writer. If you're not good at written communication, or you work with people who are not good at it, remote work will be miserable. People who are not highly fluent in the company's written language or those with some level of dyslexia will struggle. Also some people get frustrated with the more analytic approac…
I wholeheartedly agree! I am writing a newsletter to help developers improve their written communication (shameless plug: https://writingfordevelopers.substack.com/ ) Do you have an opinion on what aspects of written communication are the most important for remote work? Just gathering ideas to write about! :)
I think the thing a lot of people struggle with are applying soft skills in their written words. Many devs in my experience come across as very analytical, almost emotionless in their written communication. It's precise, but not great for developing social bonds. It's something I'm very guilty of myself, especially in code reviews. I think we could all benefit by considering the human element in our writing.
It's such a different skill set though compared to in-person communication, where much of this happens non-verbally. I think it's a lot easier for people who grew up with it. I spent a lot of time on MUDs and BBSs when I was younger, where this kind of communication was prevalent.
Re: Remote Only
#355Earlier quoted context omitted.
1. A lot of places that are remote will cover or subsidize internet costs for employees 2. I think the the poor access to Internet in rural areas is more of a US thing. In LDCs we have often wider availability for low cost 4g and/or more equal distribution of telecom infrastructure in general.
You have misunderstood. The grandparent is not saying that fast internet is expensive. He’s saying that there is simply no way of attaining it at his house for any price. That describes a lot of places in the developed world. My little farming town in rural France, as well as the medium sized City in England where I lived previously.
>no way of attaining it at his house for any price
I bet Amazon jungle doesn't have gbit internet either. The question is whether OP chose a location without internet knowingly or he was cut off and left stranded.
Re: Remote Only
#356Earlier quoted context omitted.
And what happens when Kevin is on vacation or is sick or quits?
This was in response to Practical Tip #1: "People don't have to say when they are working." I'm arguing that this tip is harmful. I should know he was on vacation, and thus have a plan in place to handle anything that might come up while he's on vacation. If I'm completely in the dark about when he's working, things are going to be a lot more difficult.
Vacation / Sick time is a bit different than needing to run errands till 10am, either shifting the working day round a bit or spreading the time out over the next days or week etc.
Doesn't hurt to check in when you're available again as a courtesy but the benefit is NOT having to get permission to do something like this up front.
If you're remote as an employee then presumably the company has process around holidays and stuff that would be followed. If you're a freelancer then part of what stops you, and your client, from being fined by HMRC (in Britain) is setting your own working hours and days.
Re: Remote Only
#357Earlier quoted context omitted.
> So pay the developer $20k per year or pay them $100k? If they bring you $20k worth of value, pay them $20k. If they bring you $100k worth of value, pay them $100k. Would it suck to be a developer in San Francisco on the same salary as your colleague in India? Sure, but nobody forces you to live in San Francisco. > If the latter, or anywhere between, then we'll just see developers move to the cheapest, lowest tax co…
Paying someone the value they create is a whole lot more trouble than the equally unprofitable option of not employing them at all.
Maybe, depending on what you mean. Do you mean it's hard to measure individual developers' contributions in monetary terms? I agree. But they average out. If you can afford to pay two people sitting in your office equal amounts on the assumption that they contribute equally, you can also afford the same if one of them sits elsewhere instead.
Re: Remote Only
#358For the love of all that is sane, please top trying to push nonstop video calls onto remote employees. Embrace asynchronous communication.
pair programming is more effective IN PERSON
Why? Pair programming is actually something I haven't found much different remote vs in person, assuming the right setup.
I feel like the downsides of remote conferences really only kick in with multiple participants.
Re: Remote Only
#359For the love of all that is sane, please top trying to push nonstop video calls onto remote employees. Embrace asynchronous communication.
I completely agree that the most effective way for remote teams to communicate is via asynchronous video messaging instead of real-time video conferencing. Some of the difficulties I've experienced coordinating meetings with remote colleagues include: - Difficulty scheduling a time that fits for all participants. Some team-members are inevitably stuck with a non-ideal timeframe. Often times it's the same employee suf…
Interesting, having never used async video messaging, what's the strength of video here?
Re: Remote Only
#360I made an experiment, over 12 months I always answered to recruiters on LinkedIN that I only accept remote work proposals. No one ever returned.