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It’s interesting how people here are adamant that camera usage [all the time] is important or necessary. It isn’t. It's an opinion, and in my opinion, a bad on

It’s interesting how people here are adamant that camera usage [all the time] is important or necessary. It isn’t. It's an opinion, and in my opinion, a bad one that isn't justified by anything. At my company we only use them if necessary, and I’ve been with them for over 3 years working remotely. We get work done quite well. edit: update wording for clarity

varispeed 5y ago
We only use it for introductions and when someone has something to show, e.g. their pet. Unfortunately a new manager insists that everyone should have cameras switched on for "human connection" and so that people feel more integrated.
- avisser 5y ago
  I wouldn't discount human connection enough to quote it. I've been the only remote person on a team pre-pandemic. It was easy to see others as assholes who just cause work for me if you never/rarely put a face to
  - foxfluff 5y ago
    I've also been the only remote person on a team pre-pandemic. I never needed the camera. We did use it for a stint but switched to audio only due to technical issues. Even when we had the cameras on, I'd quickly end up switching to another desktop and focus on information relevant to the discussion: issues, personal notes, meeting notes, code, schematics, datasheets, etcetra.
prepend 5y ago
Your anecdote doesn’t seem to convey that camera usage is not important, but it does show that it’s not necessary. It’s possible, I’d guess likely, that you’ve been able to get work done well in spite of no cameras. Of course, I doubt anyone would do an experiment to see if your statement is true or not. I just thought that your statement seemed so absolute but the evidence you present isn’t.
- andrewzah 5y ago
  What I'm saying is the assumption that cameras are necessary is just that- an assumption, and basically just an opinion. Not fact or even something that people are backing with empirical evidence. We're not getting work done "in spite of" no cameras. We're getting work done, period, and don't have to deal with the fatigue of having a webcam on all the time.
  - prepend 5y ago
    I agree with you about necessary. I don’t think cameras are necessary. But I disagree with you because I think they are important and useful. Combining them into a single statement with an and is what makes the disagreement. Perhaps you could get even more work done with cameras on when communicating with people. Just feeling fatigue doesn’t seem like a reason to turn off cameras. I feel fatigue from working, yet I do it.
- jimmaswell 5y ago
  Do you have hard evidence that cameras increase productivity? I find them nothing more than a distracting frivolity in the workplace.
jameshart 5y ago
You said you don’t believe cameras are necessary, but that at your company you use them ‘if necessary’. So they aren’t necessary, except when they are?
- andrewzah 5y ago
  I meant as in all the time; having them on by default. I updated the wording to clarify that. Webcams do have uses but they're not necessary nearly most of the time. The few exceptions we've had are for pointing a webcam at a whiteboard and for presenting a meeting to some higherups in the airforce.

varispeed 5y ago

We only use it for introductions and when someone has something to show, e.g. their pet. Unfortunately a new manager insists that everyone should have cameras switched on for "human connection" and so that people feel more integrated.

avisser 5y ago
I wouldn't discount human connection enough to quote it. I've been the only remote person on a team pre-pandemic. It was easy to see others as assholes who just cause work for me if you never/rarely put a face to
- foxfluff 5y ago
  I've also been the only remote person on a team pre-pandemic. I never needed the camera. We did use it for a stint but switched to audio only due to technical issues. Even when we had the cameras on, I'd quickly end up switching to another desktop and focus on information relevant to the discussion: issues, personal notes, meeting notes, code, schematics, datasheets, etcetra.

prepend 5y ago

Your anecdote doesn’t seem to convey that camera usage is not important, but it does show that it’s not necessary. It’s possible, I’d guess likely, that you’ve been able to get work done well in spite of no cameras. Of course, I doubt anyone would do an experiment to see if your statement is true or not. I just thought that your statement seemed so absolute but the evidence you present isn’t.

andrewzah 5y ago
What I'm saying is the assumption that cameras are necessary is just that- an assumption, and basically just an opinion. Not fact or even something that people are backing with empirical evidence. We're not getting work done "in spite of" no cameras. We're getting work done, period, and don't have to deal with the fatigue of having a webcam on all the time.
- prepend 5y ago
  I agree with you about necessary. I don’t think cameras are necessary. But I disagree with you because I think they are important and useful. Combining them into a single statement with an and is what makes the disagreement. Perhaps you could get even more work done with cameras on when communicating with people. Just feeling fatigue doesn’t seem like a reason to turn off cameras. I feel fatigue from working, yet I do it.
jimmaswell 5y ago
Do you have hard evidence that cameras increase productivity? I find them nothing more than a distracting frivolity in the workplace.

jameshart 5y ago

You said you don’t believe cameras are necessary, but that at your company you use them ‘if necessary’. So they aren’t necessary, except when they are?

andrewzah 5y ago
I meant as in all the time; having them on by default. I updated the wording to clarify that. Webcams do have uses but they're not necessary nearly most of the time. The few exceptions we've had are for pointing a webcam at a whiteboard and for presenting a meeting to some higherups in the airforce.