[vidarh]

My workspace cost me money to furnish, and it permanently takes up part of my house. I don't personally mind as software development is a large part of my hobbies as well so I'd have that dedicated space irrespective of my job, but for a lot of people the need for a dedicated work space is tied to their job, and not something they'd otherwise need.

Whether or not it's a net saving vs. transport costs really depends on where you happen to live.

[manigandham]

Are people really creating dedicated spaces? What happened to all those people who were in coworking spaces and cafes where they really had nothing more than a desk and a chair?

I think the developer perspective can cloud the fact that the overwhelming majority just have a laptop and a place to put it for their "workspace".

[vidarh]

I think people quickly will realise that if they're working at spaces like that full time in front of a laptop they'll soon be dealing with neck strain, back pain and all kinds of issues. I've worked with "just a laptop and a place to put it" and it can work for a while, but it's an awful full time replacement.

There's little that is special about software development from that point of view.

"All those people" who are in cafes really are a tiny little fraction of workers, and most co-working spaces I've been to have a wide variety of proper office environments because unsurprisingly a lot of people need a proper environment to get work done.

Everyone whose house I've seen who works from home more than every now and again has had a dedicated space.