>What kind of idiots locate their office where parking is expensive or unavailable? In the Seattle area: Microsoft, Amazon, GoDaddy, etc. Everyone continues to build new office space in already crowded, high rent areas. Nearby real estate prices are ridiculous and commuting to those locations requires an excessive amount of time. Double that time if you want to use mass transit. Why don't they put satellite offices in the less crowded, lower rent, nearby cities that would LOVE to have them? I guess the AI hasn't pointed that out...

Cool stuff. Thanks for sharing!

"the WS may send a response first and the CT will respond by sending a command." Sounds like Jeopardy! to me...

I've been using the Bose QuietComfort 20i Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones for the last 6 months for the same reason. Better noise canceling than the over ear QC15s I use at home, in-ear so they aren't obtrusive, very comfortable even after wearing for hours at a time, the battery lasts a long time and I think the sound is great. I hesitated because of the price but I've been very happy with the quality and service from Bose. An added bonus is that they stay in my ears very well when I'm working out or working in the yard. T You don't want to be wearing them when the car door closes! The way the headphones work with the sudden pressure increase is rather unpleasant! :omg:

> There are no streets on Mars; only canals. Then where are the gondolas?!:confused:

"A change in language rarely means doing anything different; it normally means learning new ways to do the same thing." Well said!

I'm holding out for omnipotence.

I agree. Why would anyone doubt that god is a programmer?

I'm surprised that no one has brought it up already so I'll play the role of the pedantic grammar Nazi: >>Now I don't normally get to pedantic...<< should be >>Now I don't normally get too pedantic...<< Now that I've gotten that off of my two tits I'll get back to the point, and say that I, too, find it offensive that "literally" is being used figuratively.

>we can print around 17 feet of paper per second.< Hmmm... How many trees per hour does that convert to? ;P

Passing gas, B.O., perfume & cologne (some people seem to think those are substitutes for bathwater), garlic breath, anchovies, bells on feet (literally), slurping coffee, flip-flops (smack, smack, smack - from one end of the office and back again), popping chewing gum, headphones cranked up so much you don't need to be the one wearing them to hear the noise clearly, etc. are all reasons against open office plans. I've worked in large bullpens and don't miss them at all. Management really showed their stuff when they told us we could declare our cubicles non-smoking areas (yes - it's been awhile)! Blessed are those who are blissfully unaware of what goes on around them. Me - I've been damned!

I have profited by the scenario you describe many times but regardless of how well you are being paid, maintaining those business critical Excel "applications" is often like playing Twister with a bunch of long unwashed dudes who reek of garlic and stale sweat. You have to run home for a long shower with the stereo blasting in an attempt to purge the memory of the experience from your body and soul.

Cisco backpedals....[^]

I propose the use of beer goggles in either case. That way the user will be happy with any results that are remotely close to what they were hoping for - until the next morning anyway.

This is the voice of experience talking.... hamsters are an unreliable delivery method. You really don't want your comments about luddite management landing on the wrong desks. A model railway with steam engines would be great. I would suggest the use of noxious smoke to avoid packet sniffing. As for arguing points: 1) IM reduces the impact of interruptions (increased productivity). You can respond immediately if that suits you but you don't have to stop what you're doing to pick up the phone before it stops ringing and you don't have to fiddle with the phone system to get your messages. 2) IM cuts down on distracting conversations in the office. There is no need for everyone in nearby cubes to have to listen to a conversation that is irrelevant to them. 3) Phones don't allow sending of code snippets and files. A ban on IM would hamstring technical communications. With IM you can still pick up the phone when appropriate and those that don't like IM don't have to use it. 4) IM conversations can be recorded for review later which can save time and avoid follow up phone calls to request the forgotten information. In order to be successful you'll ultimately need to identify and address the concerns that prompted the proposal to do away with IM in the first place.