4 ms·

Some corrections: (1) it doesn't matter what I believe in. We now have telecommuters at both Stack Exchange and Fog Creek and for the right individual, it's fi

by spolsky 15y ago

Some corrections: (1) it doesn't matter what I believe in. We now have telecommuters at both Stack Exchange and Fog Creek and for the right individual, it's fine. (2) this doesn't follow. Do you really think we give people desktop computers simply to make it impossible for them to work from home? That's silly. Anyway, the telecommuters we do have almost exclusively use desktop computers. You know why? Because once you've programmed on a 30" monitor, you'll never go back to programming on a laptop.

ry0ohki 15y ago
I actually program on a 30" monitor connected to a laptop, so that doesn't follow either... edit also I guess I stand corrected on point 1, I wasn't trying to be rude, but you had in the past said telecommuting was essentially against what you were trying to build as a team at FogCreek.
damoncali 15y ago
Because once you've programmed on a 30" monitor, you'll never go back to programming on a laptop. Total sidebar, but I actually have found 30" to be too big. I could not get my neck to stop hurting from trying to use the whole screen, and wound up using the innermost 23-24". So I ditched it for a 23" monitor. Was I doing something wrong? I really wanted to like the 30", but I just couldn't get it to work without putting it too far away from me to see normal sized fonts. Anyone else run into this problem?
- xiaomai 15y ago
  I'm on a 24", so I can't speak from experience. It sounds like you maybe just needed to sit further away from the monitor though (some desks obviously wouldn't permit this).
- mark_story 15y ago
  I've not used a 30", but I've use 27" plenty. I just spread applications around the screen. Having an editor and terminal/browser side by side is quite handy.
j-kidd 15y ago
> Do you really think we give people desktop computers simply to make it impossible for them to work from home? Actually, I do. In my country, bosses are more than happy to pay more for laptops so that the workers can work anytime. I have respect for companies that implement out-at-five [1], and using desktop is a key element of that. [1] http://mdsalunkhe.tripod.com/dilbert.htm http://mdsalunkhe.tripod.com/dilbert.htm

by spolsky 15y ago

ry0ohki 15y ago

I actually program on a 30" monitor connected to a laptop, so that doesn't follow either... edit also I guess I stand corrected on point 1, I wasn't trying to be rude, but you had in the past said telecommuting was essentially against what you were trying to build as a team at FogCreek.

damoncali 15y ago

Because once you've programmed on a 30" monitor, you'll never go back to programming on a laptop. Total sidebar, but I actually have found 30" to be too big. I could not get my neck to stop hurting from trying to use the whole screen, and wound up using the innermost 23-24". So I ditched it for a 23" monitor. Was I doing something wrong? I really wanted to like the 30", but I just couldn't get it to work without putting it too far away from me to see normal sized fonts. Anyone else run into this problem?

xiaomai 15y ago
I'm on a 24", so I can't speak from experience. It sounds like you maybe just needed to sit further away from the monitor though (some desks obviously wouldn't permit this).
mark_story 15y ago
I've not used a 30", but I've use 27" plenty. I just spread applications around the screen. Having an editor and terminal/browser side by side is quite handy.

j-kidd 15y ago

> Do you really think we give people desktop computers simply to make it impossible for them to work from home? Actually, I do. In my country, bosses are more than happy to pay more for laptops so that the workers can work anytime. I have respect for companies that implement out-at-five [1], and using desktop is a key element of that. [1] http://mdsalunkhe.tripod.com/dilbert.htm http://mdsalunkhe.tripod.com/dilbert.htm