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> There is a difference between jobs that can theoretically be done without home internet access, but that in practice require it. For example, you could theore

> There is a difference between jobs that can theoretically be done without home internet access, but that in practice require it. For example, you could theoretically drive a truck without any home internet. But, in practice, most truckers find loads and contracts via load boards, which you obviously need an internet connection to access. I think this is the crux of it. When you also add in jobs that require checking and responding to an email a couple of times a day, submitting a timesheet or expense reimbursement weekly, etc, then I think the numbers make sense. We're talking about jobs where 99.9% of the work is NOT done online but there are one or two quick tasks that do require an email or mobile app and so technically an internet connection is required.

charwalker 6y ago
Having worked for a manufacturing firm, I can guarantee that the workers doing 99% offline work are fed directly by teams that do a lot of their work online, or at least connected to a domain/email server/file server/ERP/etc. Many of the machines running in the shop didn't have external network access (a few incidents with adult content and management just blocked everything on the floor) but still do email or access plans from the file share or work order itself. Their process was still mostly paper based including large format printing of plans with bar codes for tracking so if the network goes down they can still work. It's this odd balance of welder demanded processes (workers would boycott new IT or automation tools so they had to hire a new guy to run a parts tower machine) combined with old school practices. When I was there 4 years ago it was mostly old dudes pushing out retirement to do 1 more year of income and buy their truck of choice while management was seeing SEC checks and auditing for tax/securities fraud. I'm surprised it's still in business at this point.

charwalker 6y ago

Having worked for a manufacturing firm, I can guarantee that the workers doing 99% offline work are fed directly by teams that do a lot of their work online, or at least connected to a domain/email server/file server/ERP/etc. Many of the machines running in the shop didn't have external network access (a few incidents with adult content and management just blocked everything on the floor) but still do email or access plans from the file share or work order itself. Their process was still mostly paper based including large format printing of plans with bar codes for tracking so if the network goes down they can still work. It's this odd balance of welder demanded processes (workers would boycott new IT or automation tools so they had to hire a new guy to run a parts tower machine) combined with old school practices. When I was there 4 years ago it was mostly old dudes pushing out retirement to do 1 more year of income and buy their truck of choice while management was seeing SEC checks and auditing for tax/securities fraud. I'm surprised it's still in business at this point.