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This [1] is a good read on what you can expect as remote work becomes widespread in a competitive job market. [1] https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/caroline

This [1] is a good read on what you can expect as remote work becomes widespread in a competitive job market. [1] https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/upwork-freelancers-work-diary-keystrokes-screenshot https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/upwork...

codesuela 7y ago
This seems pretty easy to game for a software engineer: 1. Write code for the project and record mouse clicks and keystrokes 2. Replay keystrokes at .5 speed inside a mirrored VM a more sophisticated tool could also vary speed and add typos.
- jdc 7y ago
  Goodhart's law in action
- humaniania 7y ago
  Or just play a full screen slide show of various spreadsheets and documents. Will they really study the screenshots that closely to see the repetition?
  - SilasX 7y ago
    Sure, spot-check and scrutize a small fraction. (Not to say I endorse this means of tracking employees' time, I just don't think that's a big impediment to this method.)
    - elliekelly 7y ago
      In my experience employers only tend to look back at things like this once they have a “reason” and are trying to document/justify performance issues. Although I agree it doesn’t seem too far off to have a system that proactively analyzes the screenshots and alerts a manager when Facebook or gmail seems to be open a disproportionate amount of time.
- throwaway888abc 7y ago
  Yes, those are possible to escape. I had few gigs and the spying was required. VM was a successful solution (not automated).
- rapind 7y ago
  Agreed, and bring it on. If this becomes a thing then I'll run a platform you can outsource your busy time in a VM to. This sounds like a ton of fun TBH and makes me think of game automation. Evolving into a game of cat and mouse and giving me an excuse to spend more time messing w/ OpenAI.
  - sitkack 7y ago
    This is how the AI takes over, we automate ourselves in silly ways. How do we know we aren't bots doing someone else's work?
    - rapind 7y ago
      Would it change anything if we knew we were? :)
    - jowsie 7y ago
      Bob was one step ahead of us all https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/01/16/169528579/outsourced-employee-sends-own-job-to-china-surfs-web https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/01/16/169528579...
- amiga_500 7y ago
  Employer: your keystroke rate is low Me: I'm thinking about if I should use a string here in c++ Employer: fair enough
- downerending 7y ago
  Or hire a sidekick from India to slowly and circuitously type it all in.

codesuela 7y ago

This seems pretty easy to game for a software engineer: 1. Write code for the project and record mouse clicks and keystrokes 2. Replay keystrokes at .5 speed inside a mirrored VM a more sophisticated tool could also vary speed and add typos.

jdc 7y ago
Goodhart's law in action
humaniania 7y ago
Or just play a full screen slide show of various spreadsheets and documents. Will they really study the screenshots that closely to see the repetition?
- SilasX 7y ago
  Sure, spot-check and scrutize a small fraction. (Not to say I endorse this means of tracking employees' time, I just don't think that's a big impediment to this method.)
  - elliekelly 7y ago
    In my experience employers only tend to look back at things like this once they have a “reason” and are trying to document/justify performance issues. Although I agree it doesn’t seem too far off to have a system that proactively analyzes the screenshots and alerts a manager when Facebook or gmail seems to be open a disproportionate amount of time.
throwaway888abc 7y ago
Yes, those are possible to escape. I had few gigs and the spying was required. VM was a successful solution (not automated).
rapind 7y ago
Agreed, and bring it on. If this becomes a thing then I'll run a platform you can outsource your busy time in a VM to. This sounds like a ton of fun TBH and makes me think of game automation. Evolving into a game of cat and mouse and giving me an excuse to spend more time messing w/ OpenAI.
- sitkack 7y ago
  This is how the AI takes over, we automate ourselves in silly ways. How do we know we aren't bots doing someone else's work?
  - rapind 7y ago
    Would it change anything if we knew we were? :)
  - jowsie 7y ago
    Bob was one step ahead of us all https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/01/16/169528579/outsourced-employee-sends-own-job-to-china-surfs-web https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/01/16/169528579...
amiga_500 7y ago
Employer: your keystroke rate is low Me: I'm thinking about if I should use a string here in c++ Employer: fair enough
downerending 7y ago
Or hire a sidekick from India to slowly and circuitously type it all in.