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I'm disappointed that the one item most accessible to the software/consumer-electronics world: telecommuting, doesn't appear much in the article. Giving people

by Pxtl 11y ago

I'm disappointed that the one item most accessible to the software/consumer-electronics world: telecommuting, doesn't appear much in the article. Giving people the tools to properly manage a remote team (including non-experts that are unaccustomed to remoting) is something we can do and that will take commuters off the roads.

api 11y ago
Telepresence and telecommuting is a big one. The energy savings that could be realized are staggering, and it's so far probably one of the Internet's greatest failed promises. The Internet was supposed to break the tyranny of place, reducing not only the need for constant energy-guzzling commutes but also reducing the need to cluster in overpriced 'centers' like... well... Silicon Valley and San Francisco for example. The reality almost seems opposite. The Internet seems to have intensified geo-centralization of industries, with the Internet itself being chief among these. The fact that the whole tech industry must huddle in the Bay Area is a clear demonstration of this failure-- these are the people who are best at using the net, and they can't use it this way. So yeah, this is a big one and is a very worthy target.
- cableshaft 11y ago
  Doesn't help when many of the big tech companies -- that other companies are influenced by and model their cultural and corporate infrastructure on -- have decided they absolutely HAVE to have in person spontaneous communication because it might result in some random problem being solved or new idea that saves them millions of dollars, so no one can work remotely and they have to relocate to Silicon Valley or be fired. Yahoo and Facebook and Reddit are a few companies I've seen announcements of new policies that have shunned remote work in the past few years.
jlebrech 11y ago
virtual reality and telepresence, and large virtual shared monitor could help with productivity as a stepping stone till full vr is here.
pacifist 11y ago
This right here. I'm using a product that I helped build to earn my living from 500 miles away. I walk everywhere. I drive biodiesel but not much. I filled the tank last winter and still have a half tank. We can set things up so we don't need to drive to get our work done. Let's do it.
pjc50 11y ago
Telecommuting is very much a sociopolitical problem. Too many work places are so bad at evaluating work they end up evaluating the length of time employees spend in the office instead.
skadamat 11y ago
Don't be disappointed! I think the point of this call to action is to raise awareness and keep the discussion going, not to mention every single solution.
jsingleton 11y ago
It's touched upon at the end of transportation, but only briefly. 'As for airplanes, people might just have to fly less [0]. This will require better tools for remote collaboration, or in Saul Griffith’s words, “Make video conferencing not suck.” [1]' I've used video conferencing that doesn't suck and it was great. It was half a board room with a row of huge monitors down the 'centre' (far wall) and half a table against them. It really felt like people were on the other side of the table and not on the other side of the planet. This also opens up augmented reality possibilities like tagging people with their names. [0] http://www.withouthotair.com/c5/page_35.shtml http://www.withouthotair.com/c5/page_35.shtml [1] http://longnow.org/seminars/02015/sep/21/infrastructure-and-climate-change http://longnow.org/seminars/02015/sep/21/infrastructure-and-...

by Pxtl 11y ago

api 11y ago

Telepresence and telecommuting is a big one. The energy savings that could be realized are staggering, and it's so far probably one of the Internet's greatest failed promises. The Internet was supposed to break the tyranny of place, reducing not only the need for constant energy-guzzling commutes but also reducing the need to cluster in overpriced 'centers' like... well... Silicon Valley and San Francisco for example. The reality almost seems opposite. The Internet seems to have intensified geo-centralization of industries, with the Internet itself being chief among these. The fact that the whole tech industry must huddle in the Bay Area is a clear demonstration of this failure-- these are the people who are best at using the net, and they can't use it this way. So yeah, this is a big one and is a very worthy target.

cableshaft 11y ago
Doesn't help when many of the big tech companies -- that other companies are influenced by and model their cultural and corporate infrastructure on -- have decided they absolutely HAVE to have in person spontaneous communication because it might result in some random problem being solved or new idea that saves them millions of dollars, so no one can work remotely and they have to relocate to Silicon Valley or be fired. Yahoo and Facebook and Reddit are a few companies I've seen announcements of new policies that have shunned remote work in the past few years.

jlebrech 11y ago

virtual reality and telepresence, and large virtual shared monitor could help with productivity as a stepping stone till full vr is here.

pacifist 11y ago

This right here. I'm using a product that I helped build to earn my living from 500 miles away. I walk everywhere. I drive biodiesel but not much. I filled the tank last winter and still have a half tank. We can set things up so we don't need to drive to get our work done. Let's do it.

pjc50 11y ago

Telecommuting is very much a sociopolitical problem. Too many work places are so bad at evaluating work they end up evaluating the length of time employees spend in the office instead.

skadamat 11y ago

Don't be disappointed! I think the point of this call to action is to raise awareness and keep the discussion going, not to mention every single solution.

jsingleton 11y ago

It's touched upon at the end of transportation, but only briefly. 'As for airplanes, people might just have to fly less [0]. This will require better tools for remote collaboration, or in Saul Griffith’s words, “Make video conferencing not suck.” [1]' I've used video conferencing that doesn't suck and it was great. It was half a board room with a row of huge monitors down the 'centre' (far wall) and half a table against them. It really felt like people were on the other side of the table and not on the other side of the planet. This also opens up augmented reality possibilities like tagging people with their names. [0] http://www.withouthotair.com/c5/page_35.shtml http://www.withouthotair.com/c5/page_35.shtml [1] http://longnow.org/seminars/02015/sep/21/infrastructure-and-climate-change http://longnow.org/seminars/02015/sep/21/infrastructure-and-...