[ALittleLight]

That's a bit silly. How can you not be distracted when there are conversations happening around you, or when coworkers can intrude on your thoughts with idle curiosities?

I've worked both with my own office and in an open office. The difference is night and day. I'm vastly more productive and much happier in a closed door office. Most people report the same.

[blue4]

If you're working in an office you should expect some level of office noises. I'm not talking about a truck honking his horn outside your window for 8 hours is normal, I'm saying general noises - ones that have a short time on them, and are required for their jobs. I would have expected my comment to be clearer than it may have sounded.

To clarify, just because you're in a library doesn't mean it is absolutely pin drop quiet. There is basic atmosphere noise. I of course am in favor of a closed office, and cubicle farms and open environments are easily more favorable for the employer than employee, but it seems expected to have some basic noise in an open office that people love complaining about—instead of championing closed offices which is never going to happen in a lot of companies.