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mynoise.net seems to have more features and sound. My "noise stack" when I'm really trying to concentrate is usually: pink noise + rain storm + c418 on spotify
Not to take away from the OP, but I generally find I need background noise at times that I can't be at the computer...the most used (purchased) app on my iPhone is Ambiance: http://ambianceapp.com/ One of the best 99 cent purchases I've ever made...you get access to a huge library of sounds, from a variety of colored noises (e.g. white, purple, blue, brown) to user-recorded background noise, including coffee shops an…
This looks cool. Also, because I'm interested: I wonder why your average HN comment section seems to generally enjoy or recommend ambient café noise, and yet "open offices" tend to be thought of so poorly. Is it that the café ambiance usually does not carry a sense of work-related stress? Does working outside of your office make ambient noise more tolerable?
Open offices are a bad idea but at the "Popular" stage of the fad its possible for both sides of the argument to rationally discuss open offices.
The idea of intentionally creating noise drifts into the "Unthinkable" range of the window so its not even possible to debate, the only people who can speak are the folks who like it loud and distracting and the quiet people are literally speechless. Honestly I find the idea of an intentional noisemaker as trolly or something loud people would use to tease or punish people they know don't like noise.
I guess the only comment I can make is someone needs to make a parody of the parody noise generator for riot background, crying baby, next door neighbors having sex, random gunfire/arty/mortars, low flying jet aircraft, and boom car background sound generators. How about a die grinder machine cutting steel at 20Krpm? The sound of a chainsaw clearcutting a forest. Or the sound of a refugee camp? Because if a little distraction is good, and a lot is better, then huge amounts must be awesome. Just like adding salt to cooking.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> If people feel the need to hear "café noise", maybe it's just a sign of loneliness? Yes. It is somehow at times comforting to hear humans speaking, even if they are not choosing to speak to me.
The age old introvert vs extrovert comes to mind. These days society seems to be run by extroverts, for extroverts, and little if any regard is given to introverts.
I think it's always been like that, and these days we're starting to recognize that introversion isn't a deficiency, it's just how some people are wired (and doesn't necessarily equate to "shy" or "awkward")
Are these loops ? They are quite short, not a good thing as the brain tends to focus on the loop timing. edit: I may try it out in the evening when reading a fiction book though. My 2ç: I don't understand how one can concentrate in the noise, pardon me, ambiance of a café with people chatting, glasses and cutlery jingle belling and chairs creaking. On a physical level, these sounds are distracting by themselves. On a…
I too also have adopted silence as the standard working environment. I don't play music in the car while driving anymore as well. The only time I play music is when I want to exclusively listen to music.
I really dig http://asoftmurmur.com/ * he has worked very hard on blending the loops. They are not detectable in the 100 hours or so I have listened to them. * It has an Android app * I would much rather listen to outdoors noise
I think there is a deeper Problem with our attention span and concentration ability when people need this type of "noise". If people feel the need to hear "café noise", maybe it's just a sign of loneliness? And if you need white/pink/whatever-noise, maybe your office should integrate some noise policies or try to reduce noise by giving offices to small teams of people. I get that people use those audio streams and so…
Oh sure, I'll just meet with HR and Facilities to rearrange the 100-cube farm so people are in rooms when they feel like talking.
In a small company, this might work, but you're probably missing out if you don't hear the conversation. If your group is big enough that the conversation doesn't relate to you, or isn't important to you, then it's usually big enough that you're powerless to change it.