[kabdib]

I worked in a similar environment at Apple, when Infinite Loop first opened: Pods with offices that surrounded a central courtyard, which was furnished with sofas, chairs and whiteboards. Each office had a simple (and heavy) door alongside a tall and narrow window.

The door provided effective sound isolation, and years later I realized the window was a psychological link to what was going on in the inner "courtyard", after spending time in a completely closed office at Microsoft. The message at Apple seemed to be "Okay, we know you need to concentrate on work, but remember that you're part of a community" while the office of the particular group I was in at Microsoft seemed to say "Please just sit there and write code and do email -- we will feed you under the door".

Architecture matters in the weirdest ways, and sometimes tiny tweaks make a big difference.

[kpil]

+1 for the Microserfs reference!

[kabdib]

I believe the gap at the bottom of the door was indeed wider at Microsoft . . .

[noir_lord]

I'd forgotten that book existed,I need to read it again, it's up there with "office space" for humourous tech related media.

[cdeutsch]

What book are you referring to? Sounds good :)

[logfromblammo]

Flat foods only.

[mark-r]

Pizza then.

[ismail-khan]

“We shape our buildings; thereafter our buildings shape us”

[aphextron]

>"Please just sit there and write code and do email -- we will feed you under the door".

Sounds like heaven