Comments on: Workspaces – “Office” is Where the Laptop Is http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/ Deirdré Straughan on Italy, India, the Internet, and the world Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:17:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Qt http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/comment-page-1/#comment-53797 Qt Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:09:52 +0000 http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/#comment-53797 As for my job, i'm a programmer, so location is not so important (when there are no boring meeting to attend). "psychologically" i could leave my "cube" at the office... well, we have large cubes... we call them naves :-) . But i have a problem... i hate laptops (maybe it's just that i didn't ever used them extensively to learn to love them). I would love things like the Flybook and its touch screen (the main part i hate in laptops is the trackpad) but, maybe, for prolonged sessions it's too small. I would not travel all around the world... i'm lazy, but sometimes i just dream about being at one of the two public parks near home and be connected (and in one of those two park they are even building a free wifi network just now). As for my job, i’m a programmer, so location is not so important (when there are no boring meeting to attend). “psychologically” i could leave my “cube” at the office… well, we have large cubes… we call them naves :-) . But i have a problem… i hate laptops (maybe it’s just that i didn’t ever used them extensively to learn to love them).
I would love things like the Flybook and its touch screen (the main part i hate in laptops is the trackpad) but, maybe, for prolonged sessions it’s too small.
I would not travel all around the world… i’m lazy, but sometimes i just dream about being at one of the two public parks near home and be connected (and in one of those two park they are even building a free wifi network just now).

]]> By: Alice Twain http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/comment-page-1/#comment-53668 Alice Twain Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:04:40 +0000 http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/#comment-53668 Though, hard copy is BAD! ^___^ But it still pays for my food (I wish it also paid for my rent, but, alas, in Milano it's easier said than done.) Though, hard copy is BAD! ^___^ But it still pays for my food (I wish it also paid for my rent, but, alas, in Milano it’s easier said than done.)

]]> By: vangie http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/comment-page-1/#comment-53466 vangie Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:39:14 +0000 http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/#comment-53466 Alice, I'm sorry if you took my sunny overstatement as a suggestion that since you can't do all you work online, you're not motivated. Your post had not yet appeared when I began writing my post, so I was not addressing your post but rather, Deirdre's original question re: desk vs. freedom. Of course I was referring to the type of work that can be accomplished online or stored on a laptop. A chef or a home remodeler, no matter how motivated, does not have such latitude. Understood. :-) I've also spent some years as an editor and tech writer, and I've never been able to get fully away from hardcopy. Alice, I’m sorry if you took my sunny overstatement as a suggestion that since you can’t do all you work online, you’re not motivated. Your post had not yet appeared when I began writing my post, so I was not addressing your post but rather, Deirdre’s original question re: desk vs. freedom. Of course I was referring to the type of work that can be accomplished online or stored on a laptop. A chef or a home remodeler, no matter how motivated, does not have such latitude. Understood. :-) I’ve also spent some years as an editor and tech writer, and I’ve never been able to get fully away from hardcopy.

]]> By: Alice Twain http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/comment-page-1/#comment-53464 Alice Twain Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:56:07 +0000 http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/#comment-53464 vangie, sorry, but that's not true. it may be true for those who deal uniquely with "soft" materials, but when "hard" materials walk in those make a difference. In some cases that's more obvious, like the builder who just cannot build walls in his living room for a living. In my case, 80%of what I do has relationship with paper proofs. Suppose I was adding corrections to a Ventura document on a nice sandy beach in Greece, reading those from a four inch pile (geee! imagine CARRYING the pile of proofs along each day, and each day a NEW pile!) of proofs and, immediately, a gust of Meltemi wind scatters all of my unique, irreplaceable and single-copy proofs in the sea, making them impossibile to read... vangie, sorry, but that’s not true. it may be true for those who deal uniquely with “soft” materials, but when “hard” materials walk in those make a difference. In some cases that’s more obvious, like the builder who just cannot build walls in his living room for a living. In my case, 80%of what I do has relationship with paper proofs. Suppose I was adding corrections to a Ventura document on a nice sandy beach in Greece, reading those from a four inch pile (geee! imagine CARRYING the pile of proofs along each day, and each day a NEW pile!) of proofs and, immediately, a gust of Meltemi wind scatters all of my unique, irreplaceable and single-copy proofs in the sea, making them impossibile to read…

]]> By: vangie http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/comment-page-1/#comment-53455 vangie Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:54:39 +0000 http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/#comment-53455 A motivated person can work anywhere, anytime, and finally technology supports that. I just wish people would not do their office work while driving down the freeway...I'm serious. But in response to your question, where was the "having it all" option? I love my office, but I equally love being (theoretically) able to plug in anywhere in the world and work or play on my laptop. I am bummed to say that on my recent business trip to the UK combined with vacation in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, my laptop was simply a cinderblock in my suitcase. In the UK, the hotel's network didn't work and I couldn't find a properly working power converter outside our corporate office, so my battery ran out. In FVG, I could charge the battery but could not find a network. I had planned to use my laptop to finalize some arrangements once I arrived, so unfortunately I ended up missing some people and places. A motivated person can work anywhere, anytime, and finally technology supports that. I just wish people would not do their office work while driving down the freeway…I’m serious. But in response to your question, where was the “having it all” option? I love my office, but I equally love being (theoretically) able to plug in anywhere in the world and work or play on my laptop.

I am bummed to say that on my recent business trip to the UK combined with vacation in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, my laptop was simply a cinderblock in my suitcase. In the UK, the hotel’s network didn’t work and I couldn’t find a properly working power converter outside our corporate office, so my battery ran out. In FVG, I could charge the battery but could not find a network. I had planned to use my laptop to finalize some arrangements once I arrived, so unfortunately I ended up missing some people and places.

]]> By: Alice Twain http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/comment-page-1/#comment-53451 Alice Twain Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:21:31 +0000 http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/12/05/workspaces-office-is-where-the-laptop-is/#comment-53451 Due to the job I do I need an office with some structure and an address where the paper can be sent after proofreads. Having said this, this office could be a part of my apartment if I hd room enough, but this would also mean the purchase of very costly hardware (high-quality printers in particular). yet, if my job were different I would really enjoy being able to carry my office in a backpack anywhere I went. I honestly beleive that I could do a better job on a beach recliner in Martinique... Heck! A towel in Liguria would still be better than my semi-subterranean office. Due to the job I do I need an office with some structure and an address where the paper can be sent after proofreads. Having said this, this office could be a part of my apartment if I hd room enough, but this would also mean the purchase of very costly hardware (high-quality printers in particular). yet, if my job were different I would really enjoy being able to carry my office in a backpack anywhere I went. I honestly beleive that I could do a better job on a beach recliner in Martinique… Heck! A towel in Liguria would still be better than my semi-subterranean office.

]]>