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Is it normal for developers to have to work on noisy office spaces? I've had a few different jobs as a developer over the past few years. The best one had an office. It was quiet and it was easy to focus on my work. I've had others with semi-queiet cubicles and one with a very noisy environment with people talking on their cell phones while walking around the developers' desks. How am I supposed to concentrate on work when the employer seems to discourage it by the environment?
Please tell me that this isn't normal. Are there employers out there that actually encourage productivity? How do I find these jobs? Lately I seem to be having bad luck. Maybe I live in the wrong part of the US?
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we have to separate parts in our office. One for the QA and support team and the other for developers. The people from the QA call our rooms the 'monastery'...
I never see normal development places that where noisy. It seems to me too much...
I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is (V).
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I used to work in a noisy work environment: nobody talks - they just chat all day on IRC!!! I don't understand how people can face each other and not talk normally. Why do they have to go through IRC?
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I currently have three people engaged in a semi-shouted Facetime conversation just over the partition wall. I might as well sit back and relax until they have stopped because of all the distraction it causes... 
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Last summer the office next to ours decided to renovate. For a month I worked from home, only came to important meetings a few times...
I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is (V).
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Unfortunately it IS normal (at least in my part of the world. I hate having to share office with the other developers, because they all have their irritating behaviours; tapping fingers, listening to music, talking on the phone, moaning and groaning (yes, I have a collegue like that  ), irritating ring signals and signals signalling incoming email going off every 30 seconds.
Some people don't care, but I agree with you. I can't work in a noisy environment either. I would prefer a private office so I can surf pr0n work in peace. But in a company with a sizeable amount of developers, I guees that is too costly... 
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience
Greg King
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I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.
Lily Tomlin, Actress
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That explains your CP Username... 
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience
Greg King
-----
I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.
Lily Tomlin, Actress
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And swearing. Don't forget swearing.(You DO use Microsoft right?)
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What the elephant are you on about sunshine? We don't elephanting swear in out elephanting company...
Nah, seriously, you're right! But strangely enough, the Mac saved saints also seem to swear about their Mac. (Personally, I don't understand why they use a Mac at all, because the job they're hired to do has with Microsoft products. But some people need to be OOOOH so special (thus complicating everything for themselves). No sympathy from me!
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
-----
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience
Greg King
-----
I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.
Lily Tomlin, Actress
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Are you referring to the Macmentarians?
I was talking to one last night. She couldn't understand why I built my home ent system out of bits of string and Linux for less than £150(now I have a 40" screen, 5.1 sound and Freeview on the same box. Also all my music and DVD's), then another £200 on an old, bomb-proof Elitebook, with a tb drive and core2duo processor(which I use for making and storing videos), when I could have spent 5-10 times as much on a Mac(which is still Intel)and been saved.
Yes. The ability to license all my tv and films and music for one, overpriced, sealed box, and pay over the odds for them, is sorely tempting.
Not.
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In the end, it's all about the total time you save, including building and using. Much like this xkcd comic.
That's probably why I'm so keen on optimising programs...
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I do it for fun. If it isn't fun, then it really isn't worth doing IMO.
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But you could have more fun with the time you saved! 
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Good point. Booze. Women. Pubs. Or I could waste it. 
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That reminds me of the joke where someone tells a smoker, "If you smoke for 30 years, you'd waste enough money on cigs to buy a Ferrari!" To which the smoker retorts, "As you don't smoke, where's your Ferrari?"
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But seriously folks.....my employer celebrated 40 years in the business by giving everyone an Ipod Shuffle.
Within 30 minutes the team had found a Python hack that allowed it to be used as a drag and drop player.
Then Apple put barriers up so that the hack couldn't be used/was illegal, and hey presto, my 2GB music player can only be filled by DRM bloatware, assuming I have a Windows VM running somewhere. Not a time saver, and apart from beautiful design, not a particularly good player.
Now, I have a BB10 phone(NOT iphone/android), which is 20 times bigger, has a better amp, an interface and is also a phone. And I can put anything on it and it will play. Only drawback is my Linux machines have to use wifi to access it, because BB10 bloatware isn't available. Narf.
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Well, I am here on one floor with ca. 100 colleagues (no cubicles). After 6 years got used to the noise.. The cellphone stuff is disturbing..
The signature is in building process.. Please wait...
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Cell phone noise problems? Easy fix!
Just join in the conversation, ask to have them repeat what they said, or chime in with advice.
They might not stop their jabber, but in they will (at least) avoid your vicinity.
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Or as an alternative, have a massive chilli con carne, allow to process, then stand close by and let rip a massive fart at an appropriate moment....
If your neighbours don't listen to The Ramones, turn it up real loud so they can.
“We didn't have a positive song until we wrote 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue!'” ― Dee Dee Ramone
"The Democrats want my guns and the Republicans want my porno mags and I ain't giving up either" - Joey Ramone
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Great Idea. We get too many people who don't set their phones to vibrate. They just let it ring and they usually go of when they are in a meeting. And, the owner doesn't have any respect for the work space. These people need to be reprimanded.
But, your idea about asking to join the conversation is a new tactic.
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James Lonero wrote: But, your idea about asking to join the conversation is a new tactic.
Who said anything about asking?
Just join in - abruptly - and with an air that it's all perfectly natural.
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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three words: noise-cancelling headphones
it's mostly quiet where i work, but there are times when conversations can get loud. but, the earbuds take care of things nicely.
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What would you recommend with regards to noise cancelling headphones?
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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it's really hard to say. i had good luck with Shure for many many years. but their current models just don't fit my ears correctly (and actually hurt). so now i'm using some from Klipsh, which feel better but don't sound quite as good as the Shures (though they were 1/2 the price).
i try not to spend more than $100 on a pair.
buy some and try them. you can usually return them if they suck.
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